Top Stories: Last Week


06/30/2017

BOSTON, MA

OPERATIONAL


ERO Boston officers give an assist to local police department
The team of ERO officers reacted quickly and professionally in a dangerous situation.


06/29/2017

ALEXANDRIA, LA

ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL

African criminal alien convicted of obstructing ICE deportation attempts
Sheku Kumalah, 31, faces up to four years in federal prison at sentencing for obstructing his removal. According to court documents, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers twice attempted to place Mr. Kumalah on escorted commercial flights to his home country at the Alexandria International Airport in July 2016 and August 2016.


06/28/2017

SAN ANTONIO, TX

NARCOTICS

Los Zetas Cartel assassin who became a Northern Mexico Plaza Boss sentenced in San Antonio to 7 life prison terms
Marciano Millan Vasquez, 34, was sentenced by a U.S. District Judge to seven consecutive life imprisonment sentences for committing and aiding and abetting the commission of numerous murders and other acts of violence that included drug and weapons trafficking in Northern Mexico in furtherance of a drug distribution operation.


06/26/2017

FLAGSTAFF, AZ

CHILD EXPLOITATION

3 Arizona men arrested in multi-agency sting targeting underage prostitution
The men, who were texting with undercover agents up until their arrests, were taken into custody June 22 by authorities at a hotel in Prescott. The defendants allegedly knew the “prostitutes” were minors, but still intended to exploit them through paid sex acts.

https://www.ice.gov/news/top-stories...week&created=1



I.C.E. News Releases


07/03/2017

LOS ANGELES, CA

OPERATIONAL


ICE Los Angeles attends major recruiting event
At the recent Recruit Military Los Angeles Job Fair, which was held in Los Angeles, more than 600 veterans were the focus of 60 exhibitors, including ICE. ICE HSI Special Agent Kim Speakman and ERO Assistant Field Office Director Marisa Flores represented the agency as a united force. A veteran himself, Speakman enjoyed the event.



06/30/2017

YUMA, AZ



CHILD EXPLOITATION


ICE seeks public’s help to identify additional victims in Yuma child exploitation case
Aaron Turk, 31, of Yuma, who provided babysitting services at the residence he shared with his girlfriend, was re-arrested Thursday morning by HSI special agents after a forensic examination of his electronic devices revealed more than 500 images of child pornography.



06/30/2017

BOSTON, MA



OPERATIONAL


ERO Boston officers give an assist to local police department
The team of ERO officers reacted quickly and professionally in a dangerous situation.



06/30/2017

WASHINGTON, DC



CULTURAL PROPERTY, ART AND ANTIQUITIES INVESTIGATIONS


ICE returns Royal Seals valued at $1,500,000 to Korea
The Royal Seals belonged to Queen Munjeong, who reigned from 1545 to 1565 and King Hyeonjong, who reigned from 1659 to 1674. The seal belonging to Queen Munjeong is believed to have been stolen during the Korean War (1950-1953) and illegally removed from Korea. King Hyeonjong’s seal is believed to have been stolen during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945).




06/30/2017

NEW YORK, NY



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE arrests previously removed Dominican national after New York City declines to honor ICE detainer and federal felony warrant
Joselin Medina, 58, a citizen and national of Dominican Republic, was previously removed from the United States in 2002. He has a past felony conviction for criminal sale of a controlled substance and a pending misdemeanor charge and felony re-entry charge.



06/29/2017

ALEXANDRIA, LA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


African criminal alien convicted of obstructing ICE deportation attempts
Sheku Kumalah, 31, faces up to four years in federal prison at sentencing for obstructing his removal. According to court documents, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers twice attempted to place Mr. Kumalah on escorted commercial flights to his home country at the Alexandria International Airport in July 2016 and August 2016.



06/29/2017

HOUSTON, TX



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Repeat sex offender from Mexico denaturalized in Houston
Jose Arizmendi, 54, a native of Mexico, pleaded guilty in April 1996 to aggravated sexual assault of a child in the District Court of Harris County, Texas. When Arizmendi applied for naturalized U.S. citizenship later that month — and again when he was interviewed in connection with his application in October 1996 — he answered “no” when asked if he had “ever been arrested, cited, charged, indicted, convicted, fined, or imprisoned for breaking or violating any law or ordinance excluding traffic regulations.”



06/29/2017

PRESIDIO, TX



OPERATIONAL


HSI Presidio more than just an assignment
HSI Presidio’s area of responsibility covers more than 10,000 square miles, including 230 miles along the U.S-Mexico border. Special agents investigate all crimes that fall under the HSI mission. During a week when agents are on duty, they may be assigned human and narcotics smuggling cases, or cases involving customs violations, or more likely all three.




06/29/2017

TUCSON, AZ



NARCOTICS


7 additional defendants arrested as ICE dismantles major drug trafficking ring
Among the Tucson residents taken into custody Tuesday was the organization’s alleged ringleader, Sean Player Dixon, 43. Also arrested were Ricky Manning Jr., 36; Jeneayi Manning Qualls, 34; Raymond Pro, 40; Makayla Bower, 23; Anthony Torres, 43 and; Jennifer Estrada, 39.



06/28/2017

SCRANTON, PA



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Pennsylvania man sentenced to 54 months for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft offenses
Rehan A. Merchant, 40, pleaded guilty in June 2016, admitting that from Sept. 2014, through Sept. 2015, he and his co-conspirators used and attempted to use counterfeit and stolen credit and debit cards to make fraudulent purchases at the Cigar and Tobacco Outlet.



06/28/2017

AUSTIN, TX



CONTRABAND


San Antonio pilot pleads guilty to transporting more than 200 pounds of hydroponic marijuana from Oregon to Texas on his plane
Wayne Douglas Burnet, 64, from San Antonio pleaded guilty June 28 before a U.S. District judge in Austin to possession with intent to distribute between 50 to 100 kilograms of marijuana.



06/28/2017

SAN JUAN, <acronym title="Google Page Ranking">PR</acronym>



CONTRABAND


ICE, CCSF arrests 3, seizes 151 kilograms of cocaine in Puerto Rico
On June 26, a Coast Guard maritime patrol aircraft detected a 25-foot boat traveling southbound without navigation lights approximately 22 nautical miles north of Loiza.




06/28/2017

SAN ANTONIO, TX



NARCOTICS


Los Zetas Cartel assassin who became a Northern Mexico Plaza Boss sentenced in San Antonio to 7 life prison terms
Marciano Millan Vasquez, 34, was sentenced by a U.S. District Judge to seven consecutive life imprisonment sentences for committing and aiding and abetting the commission of numerous murders and other acts of violence that included drug and weapons trafficking in Northern Mexico in furtherance of a drug distribution operation.



06/28/2017

PHOENIX, AZ



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Air Force reservist indicted for attempted child exploitation
Brandon Quinn Vasquez, 31, of Phoenix, was taken into custody June 20 by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).



06/28/2017

HOUSTON, TX



INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS


Houston woman charged with smuggling into the US and selling counterfeit drugs
The criminal complaint alleges that Carolina Aguilar Rodriguez, 47, aka “Doctora” sold the counterfeit Diprospan to undercover federal agents on at least five occasions. According to the charges, Rodriguez was not licensed to dispense prescription medications in Texas, and Naturavida was not licensed as a Texas pharmacy.



06/27/2017

HOUSTON, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Houston-area man pleads guilty to receiving, possessing child pornography
Jake Nicholas Luera, 31, from Webster, Texas, came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation dubbed “Operation Back to School” in August 2015 that targeted predators who solicit minors online. During the operation, Luera engaged in online chats with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old female and drove to a location where he believed he would make sexual contact with her.




06/26/2017

HONOLULU, HI



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Hawaii woman indicted on federal bank fraud and tax violations
Johanne P. Jarlego, 44, of Kapolei, was indicted by a federal grand jury June 21 following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.



06/26/2017

DENVER, CO



CHILD EXPLOITATION


South Carolina sex offender sentenced in Denver to 30 years in federal prison for coercing and enticing 6 Colorado teens into sending him explicit photographs
Christopher George White, 38, of McCormick, South Carolina, must also serve a lifetime of supervised release for his conviction on six counts of coercing and enticing a minor.



06/26/2017

TULSA, OK



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Oklahoma man sentenced to nearly 22 years for possessing and distributing child pornography
Clint Tirone Barger pleaded guilty to a two-count Information on March 30, 2017.



06/26/2017

FLAGSTAFF, AZ



CHILD EXPLOITATION


3 Arizona men arrested in multi-agency sting targeting underage prostitution
The men, who were texting with undercover agents up until their arrests, were taken into custody June 22 by authorities at a hotel in Prescott. The defendants allegedly knew the “prostitutes” were minors, but still intended to exploit them through paid sex acts.




06/23/2017

WASHINGTON, DC



STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM


New report notes 77 percent of international students hail from Asia; F, M student population up 2 percent since May 2016
Based on data extracted from SEVIS May 5, the international student population increased 2 percent compared to May 2016, with 76 percent of students enrolled in higher education programs of study.



06/23/2017

ALBUQUERQUE, NM



CHILD EXPLOITATION


NM man sentenced to 120 years for producing, distributing child pornography resulting from him sexually molesting 2 toddlers
Michael Dameon Blackburn, 31, was also ordered to pay $430,800 in restitution to the two children who were victims of his criminal conduct; he must register as a sex offender if he is ever released from prison.



06/22/2017

SANTA ANA, CA



NARCOTICS


Orange County man who spearheaded scheme to illegally import and distribute synthetic narcotics sentenced to 10 years in prison
Sean Libbert, 41, was sentenced June 21 by U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney. The case was the result of a lengthy probe by the Los Angeles HIDTA Southern California Drug Task Force, which includes ICE’s HSI, the DEA, and the IRS - Criminal Investigation.

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