I.C.E. Top Stories: Last Week 3/27/17
I.C.E. Top Stories: Last Week
03/24/2017
NEW YORK, NY
NARCOTICS
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3 charged, $4.1 million and 3 kilos of heroin seized in multi-state drug trafficking probe
Three members of a narcotics drug trafficking organization were indicted Tuesday and just over $4.1 million and six pounds of heroin were seized following a joint operation by ICE HSI El Dorado Task Force and the DEA New York DETF.
03/22/2017
NORFOLK, VA
HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING
Man indicted for sex trafficking woman for 9 years
According to the indictment, Naeem Lateef Odums, 39, forced “Jane Doe” to engage in commercial sex acts in California and Virginia for nearly nine years. Odums used a combination of extreme physical violence, threats of violence, and threats of kidnapping Jane Doe’s children, and other forms of control to cause her to perform commercial sex acts.
03/22/2017
SAN JUAN, P.R.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
ICE, CBP seize thousands of fake condoms
In the past, seized cosmetics have been found to contain hazardous substances including cyanide, arsenic, mercury, lead, urine and rat droppings. Fake condoms will not guard the user against sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
03/22/2017
BALTIMORE, MD
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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Brazilian woman convicted of human trafficking deported from US
Stefania Joaquina Campos Rezende, a 39-year-old citizen of Brazil, was arrested Feb. 14 by a Fugitive Operations Team assigned to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) office in Baltimore. She was identified as a fugitive alien after an immigration judge issued her a final order of removal in 2006. She arrived at Belo Horizonte International Airport in Brazil yesterday and was turned over to local authorities to serve the sentence in her human trafficking conviction.
03/20/2017
WASHINGTON, DC
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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DHS releases U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Declined Detainer Outcome Report
This report will be issued weekly to highlight jurisdictions that choose not to cooperate with ICE detainers or requests for notification, therefore potentially endangering Americans.
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I.C.E. News Releases
Date
Location
Topics
03/27/2017
ALTOONA, PA
OPERATIONAL
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ICE OTTP Operations Altoona, Pennsylvania: Armory Operations personnel work tirelessly to keep officers safe
The Pennsylvania Railroad built a stop at Altoona in 1849 and founded a town that is now home to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Armory Operations.
03/24/2017
NEW YORK, NY
NARCOTICS
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3 charged, $4.1 million and 3 kilos of heroin seized in multi-state drug trafficking probe
Three members of a narcotics drug trafficking organization were indicted Tuesday and just over $4.1 million and six pounds of heroin were seized following a joint operation by ICE HSI El Dorado Task Force and the DEA New York DETF.
03/24/2017
LUBBOCK, TX
TRANSNATIONAL GANGS
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4 West Texas street gang members and affiliates sentenced to federal prison for their roles in cocaine distribution conspiracy
Dequan Deshawn Willard, 22, pleaded guilty in December 2016 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Brothers, William Emmanuel Spence, 27, Jasmine Jamal Spence, 28, and Antonio Deon Ray Montgomery, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.
03/23/2017
TUCSON, AZ
CHILD EXPLOITATION
Tucson man sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing and distributing child pornography
Joshua Lee Merritt, 25, of Tucson, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins, who also ordered the defendant to register as sex offender and be subject to a lifetime of supervised release.
03/22/2017
WASHINGTON, DC
COUNTER PROLIFERATION INVESTIGATION UNIT
ZTE Corporation pleads guilty in Dallas to violating US sanctions laws by sending US-origin items to Iran
ZTE Corporation pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by illegally shipping U.S.-origin items to Iran, obstructing justice and making a material false statement.
03/22/2017
NORFOLK, VA
HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING
Man indicted for sex trafficking woman for 9 years
According to the indictment, Naeem Lateef Odums, 39, forced “Jane Doe” to engage in commercial sex acts in California and Virginia for nearly nine years. Odums used a combination of extreme physical violence, threats of violence, and threats of kidnapping Jane Doe’s children, and other forms of control to cause her to perform commercial sex acts.
03/22/2017
SAN JUAN, <acronym title="Google Page Ranking">PR</acronym>
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
ICE, CBP seize thousands of fake condoms
In the past, seized cosmetics have been found to contain hazardous substances including cyanide, arsenic, mercury, lead, urine and rat droppings. Fake condoms will not guard the user against sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
03/22/2017
LOS ANGELES, CA
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Los Angeles-area man pleads guilty to illegally importing ED drugs which were sold as ‘herbal’ sexual enhancement products
Joseph Jinn, also known as Tzong Hwan Jinn, 60, of Diamond Bar, admitted in a plea agreement filed in federal court that he imported Tadalafil, Sildenafil, and Dapoxetine – the active ingredients in pharmaceutical medications such as Viagra and Cialis – by falsely claiming to customs officials that the multi-kilogram shipments were “cooked powder and tools,” “Chinese bread baking mixture,” and other innocuous materials.
03/22/2017
BALTIMORE, MD
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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Brazilian woman convicted of human trafficking deported from US
Stefania Joaquina Campos Rezende, a 39-year-old citizen of Brazil, was arrested Feb. 14 by a Fugitive Operations Team assigned to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) office in Baltimore. She was identified as a fugitive alien after an immigration judge issued her a final order of removal in 2006. She arrived at Belo Horizonte International Airport in Brazil yesterday and was turned over to local authorities to serve the sentence in her human trafficking conviction.
03/22/2017
BOSTON, MA
FINANCIAL CRIMES
Massachusetts fraudster sentenced to 6 years for billion dollar pyramid scheme
James Merrill, 55, of Ashland, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to six years in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2016, Merrill pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy and eight counts of wire fraud. He also agreed to forfeit approximately $140 million and other assets.
03/21/2017
PHILADELPHIA, PA
FINANCIAL CRIMES
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Philadelphia District Attorney indicted for bribery, extortion
Rufus Seth Williams, 50, is charged with 10 counts of travel and use of interstate facilities to promote and facilitate bribery contrary to Pennsylvania law, two counts of Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right, five counts of honest services wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud.
03/21/2017
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
CHILD EXPLOITATION
3 arrested in Manila on charges of child exploitation and offering children for sex to an undercover HSI special agent
Danica Agustin, 31, Mary Ann Buan, 43 and Jagvie Lopez, 21, were taken into custody March 19 by the NBI with assistance of HSI Manila. The arrests resulted in HSI and the NBI rescuing two children, ages 8 and 13 years old.
03/20/2017
EL CENTRO, CA
CHILD EXPLOITATION
Brawley woman charged with multiple counts of child molestation
Diane Christina Deveaux was taken into custody Feb. 13 at her residence after investigators with the Imperial Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (IV-ICAC) discovered evidence of child molestation during a search of her apartment.
03/20/2017
SANTA ANA, CA
CHILD EXPLOITATION
Orange County man sentenced to 12 years in prison for using social media to entice minors into committing lewd acts
Michael Theodore Mordaunt, 47, of Cypress, pleaded guilty to 19 felony counts of contacting a child with the intent to commit a specified crime, five felony counts of lewd acts upon a child age 14 or 15, two felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, three felony counts of meeting a minor with the intent to engage in lewd conduct, one felony count of possession and control of child pornography, and a sentencing enhancement allegation for substantial sexual conduct with a child.
03/20/2017
WASHINGTON, DC
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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DHS releases U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Declined Detainer Outcome Report
This report will be issued weekly to highlight jurisdictions that choose not to cooperate with ICE detainers or requests for notification, therefore potentially endangering Americans.
03/17/2017
PHILADELPHIA, PA
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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Philadelphia ICE officers committed to public safety
ICE officers in the ERO Philadelphia field office helped prevent a murder suspect from fleeing the country one day and helped apprehend a fleeing suspect the next day earlier this month.
03/17/2017
BALTIMORE, MD
HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING
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ICE HSI agents in Maryland fight human trafficking
Special Agent Vaughn Harper and Special Agent Cara Rose, both reporting to the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) regional office in Baltimore, Maryland, were presented with citations after providing key human trafficking prevention training to thousands of individuals in Maryland representing federal, state and local law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, faith-based groups and governmental and non-governmental organizations.
03/17/2017
NEW YORK, NY
OPERATIONAL
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HSI New York graduates its inaugural Citizens Academy
The 19 community leaders selected to attend the academy underwent an eight-week course where they experienced a unique opportunity to learn about the agency in an active environment that included classroom instruction as well as practical exercises.
03/17/2017
WASHINGTON, DC
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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ICE removes man wanted in El Salvador on child molestation charges
ERO’s Washington, D.C.-based Fugitive Operations Team arrested Henry Parada-Orellana, 26, Sept. 1, 2015, at the 6000 block of Springfield Mall Drive in Springfield, Virginia. Upon his arrest, ERO deportation officers charged Parada-Orellana with felony re-entry charges since he was a previously removed alien.
03/16/2017
NEW YORK, NY
TRANSNATIONAL GANGS
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49 charged in NY-area drug trafficking, robbery and firearms probe
This combined effort led to two Indictments charging 49 members of two Bronx-based drug-distribution organizations with various narcotics, robbery and firearms offenses, including the murder of Jose Morales on Dec. 11, 2016.
03/16/2017
NOGALES, AZ
FIREARMS, AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVES
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Nogales man sentenced to more than 7 years for attempting to export ammunition into Mexico
Gabriel Rivero, 41, appeared in federal court Tuesday before U.S. Senior District Judge Frank R. Zapata. At the sentencing, Judge Zapata ordered that Rivero will be subject to three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
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