I.C.E. News Releases


03/18/2020

WASHINGTON, DC

OPERATIONAL

Updated ICE statement on COVID-19
To ensure the welfare and safety of the general public as well as officers and agents in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will temporarily adjust its enforcement posture beginning today, March 18, 2020. ICE's highest priorities are to promote life-saving and public safety activities.



03/13/2020

SAN FRANCISCO, CA



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents make MS-13 arrests
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrested six suspected MS-13 gang members at a number of locations in San Francisco, Daly City, Mountain View, Menlo Park, and South San Francisco on March 12.



03/13/2020

CHICAGO, IL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Illinois man pleads guilty to threatening minor, child pornography
David J. Cottrell, 30, of Niles, Illinois, enticed the underage victim into sending him sexually explicit photos of herself via online social messaging applications.



03/13/2020

RENO, NV



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


Unregistered, convicted sex-offender living in Reno arrested by ICE
Demetrio Lopez-Pena was convicted of rape by force and sodomy by force by the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego in 1982 and received an aggregated sentence of twelve years. His other convictions include a 1979 DUI conviction, and a 2010 conviction for failure to register as a sex offender and DUI, where he was sentence to 32 months prison.




03/12/2020

LOS ANGELES, CA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


2 Los Angeles-area residents arrested by ICE HSI in marriage fraud scheme; 2 alleged "beneficiaries" also arrested
In addition to the two Los Angeles-area residents, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested two Chinese nationals who each paid tens of thousands of dollars to enter into sham marriages with United States citizens to obtain Green Cards. The United States citizens in these situations were actually undercover HSI agents.



03/12/2020

WAHINGTON, DC



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Dutch national charged in takedown of obscene website selling over 2,000 "real rape" and child pornography videos, funded by cryptocurrency
Michael Rahim Mohammed, aka Mr. Dark, 32, was charged with various counts of distribution of child pornography, production and transportation of obscene matters for sale or distribution, engaging in the business of selling or transferring obscene matter, and laundering of monetary instruments according to the nine-count indictment and parallel civil forfeiture action unsealed today.



03/12/2020

TAMPA, FL



OPERATIONAL


ICE HSI joins law enforcement panel for Leadership Tampa Bay
Leadership Tampa Bay promotes the prosperity and vitality of the Tampa Bay region, enlightening local leaders to the importance of the area in the state of Florida. The group engages members with businesses and community leaders to enhance knowledge of regional assets and issues.



03/11/2020

SEATTLE, WA



NARCOTICS


Border Enforcement Security Task Force arrests Bothell man for money laundering scam and drug conspiracy, seizes massive amounts of illegal marijuana
Kenneth Warren Rhule, 26 of Bothell, Washington was arrested March 10 on an eight-count complaint charging him with operating an illegal money exchange business involving bitcoin, announced Acting SAC of ICE's HSI Seattle Eben Roberts and U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.




03/11/2020

TAMPA, FL



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Phony immigration attorney filed more than 215 fraudulent asylum applications
According to the indictment, Elvis Harold Reyes, 56, of Brandon, owned and operated EHR Ministries Inc., and portrayed himself as an immigration attorney, pastor, accountant, immigration expert, former immigration official and former federal law enforcement officer.



03/10/2020

NEW YORK, NY



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE arrests Ecuadorian national released from NYC custody with an active detainer
Edgar Vinicio Guzman-Borja was arrested by the NYPD Feb. 2, on the charges of sexual abuse 1st degree: contact with victim less than 13 and act in manner to injure child less than 17.



03/09/2020

TUCSON, AZ



NARCOTICS


Record breaking meth bust in Arizona
CBP Officers discovered more than 600 packages of drugs concealed within a non-factory floor compartment of a tractor trailer that was laden with tomatoes and bell peppers, driven by a 34-year-old truck driver. Following an alert by a CBP narcotics detection canine, CBP officers seized approximately 690 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of about $690,000.


03/09/2020

BOSTON, MA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE Boston arrests Zimbabwean national indicted for rape
Alois Mutare, 42, a citizen of Zimbabwe, was arrested during routine enforcement actions targeting at-large criminal aliens, illegal reentrants and other immigration violators in New England.




03/09/2020

DALLAS, TX



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE detainee from Guatemala passes away in Texas
Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Additionally, ICE has notified the Guatemalan consulate and Ochoa’s next of kin.



03/06/2020

SAN DIEGO, CA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


Criminal history of apprehended Mexican national provided to ICE via subpoena
On December 21, ICE lodged an immigration detainer while Mr. Bautista was in state custody facing felony charges for false imprisonment with violence, and a misdemeanor charge for domestic violence. Pursuant to the California Trust Act (SB 54), the San Diego Sheriff’s Office (SDSO) did not honor the detainer. Mr. Bautista posted a bond and was released from state custody the same da



03/06/2020

TAMPA, FL



OPERATIONAL


ICE HSI Tampa graduates latest Citizens' Academy
To honor the class, HSI’s acting Executive Associate Director Alysa Erichs, was on hand to join Sibley in presenting the class graduation certificates.


03/05/2020

PHILADELPHIA, PA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE arrests Guatemalan national released from Philadelphia custody with an active detainer
ERO Philadelphia arrested Eduardo Coc-Sep in Philadelphia without incident. He remains in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings before a federal immigration judge.




03/05/2020

LAREDO, TX



OPERATIONAL


2 Texas men facing federal charges after violently attacking a federal officer
A Laredo grand jury returned the indictment Feb. 25, 2020 against Juan Alfredo Crisencio Martinez, 20, and Jaythan Trevonne Phillips, 20, both from Irving, Texas. Both men went before U.S. District Judge Diana Song Quiroga who charged them with forcible assault.



03/05/2020

WASHINGTON, DC



HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS


Tennessee man ordered removed to Germany based on service as a concentration camp guard during WWII
After a two-day trial, U.S. Immigration Judge Rebecca L. Holt issued her opinion finding Friedrich Karl Berger removable under the Immigration and Nationality Act because his “willing service as an armed guard of prisoners at a concentration camp where persecution took place” constituted assistance in Nazi-sponsored persecution.



03/05/2020

SAN FRANCISCO, CA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE arrests criminal alien at San Francisco courthouse
Over the past five years, this recently apprehended criminal alien has been arrested by local law enforcement at least seven times. ICE lodged eight detainers with local law enforcement following his arrests. Due to sanctuary laws, he was released back into the community to reoffend. He is currently in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.



03/04/2020

DENVER, CO



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE Utah arrests Laotian man convicted of attempted homicide
Jason Somchanmavong, 31, an aggravated felon, is now in ICE custody waiting removal to his home country. He was convicted of attempted homicide and discharging a firearm from a vehicle Feb. 13, 2006.




03/04/2020

PHOENIX, AZ



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE ERO Phoenix removes Salvadoran national wanted for murder
On Dec.12, 2018, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested Mejia-Santos, after he illegally entered the U.S. near Lukeville, Arizona and placed him in removal proceedings.



03/03/2020

MIAMI, FL



HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS


ICE removes former member of Guatemalan army linked to 1982 massacre
Gilberto Jordan, 64, arrived in Guatemala escorted by ERO officers on board an ICE Air Operations charter removal flight. Upon arrival, Jordan was immediately turned over to Guatemalan law enforcement officials.



03/03/2020

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FINANCIAL CRIMES


2 Puerto Rican men indicted, arrested for wire fraud, misuse of Social Security account number
The indictment charges that from on or about Jan. 4, 2012, through on or about July 24, 2017, the defendants and other co-conspirators conspired and agreed to devise a scheme to defraud Unique Builders, Inc., a family business engaged in short and long-term construction and improvement projects using wire communications.



03/03/2020

NEW YORK, NY



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE arrests Guatemalan national released from NYC custody with an active detainer
Miguel Federico Ajqui-Ajtzalam was arrested by the NYPD Feb. 27, on the charges of felony rape in the 2nd, sexual abuse in the 2nd for sexual contact with a person less than 14 yrs., and act in manner to injure a child less than 17 yrs.






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