I.C.E. Top Stories Last Week 8/20/18
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https://content.govdelivery.com/atta...018-1_crop.jpgICE arrests 45 in Houston area during 5-day operation targeting criminal aliens, immigration fugitives
Federal Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 45 illegal aliens in the Houston area for violating U.S. immigration laws during a five-day enforcement action. Full Story
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ICE removes El Salvadoran national wanted for murder
Man charged with child pornography production, additional victims sought
Los Angeles-area man pleads guilty in scheme to violate US sanctions against Syria
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A Walnut man pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring to export U.S.-origin tactical gear to Syria, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Syria Sanctions. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by ICE HSI, among others. Full Story |
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A Romanian national and weapons trafficker, convicted of conspiring to kill officers and employees of the U.S. government, and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, was returned to his home country by ICE ERO deportation officers. This is following a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Montenegrin National Police, and Romanian law enforcement authorities, which led to a guilty plea and subsequent sentencing. Full Story |
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I.C.E. News Releases
08/20/2018
MIAMI, FL
CHILD EXPLOITATION
Florida man sentenced for traveling to Dominican Republic for child sex
According to court documents, Theodore Williams Symonds, 51, of Wesley Chapel, Florida, travelled frequently between the United States and the Dominican Republic including a trip on March 20, 2017. Symonds was arrested March 23, 2017 by local Dominican authorities for crimes related to the sexual abuse of children.
08/16/2018
NEW YORK, NY
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
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33 charged in half a billion dollar smuggling scheme of counterfeit luxury goods
33 individuals were charged Thursday following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) into a scheme to illegally bring into the United States millions of dollars of Chinese-manufactured goods by smuggling them through ports of entry on the East and West Coasts. One defendant is also charged with unlawful procurement of naturalization.
08/16/2018
TAMPA, FL
CHILD EXPLOITATION
Man charged with child pornography production, additional victims sought
According to the indictment, between 2015 and January 2017, William Matthew Napolitano, 35, of New Port Richey enticed and coerced a minor to engage in sexual activity. Napolitano is also charged with persuading a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography in June 2015.
08/15/2018
NEW YORK, NY
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
ICE returns Romanian national convicted of providing support to a foreign terrorist organization
ERO deportation officers escorted Cristian Vintila, 47, to Romania via a commercial flight. Vintila was transferred to the custody of Romanian law enforcement authorities upon arrival in Bucharest.
08/15/2018
LOS ANGELES, CA
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Former ICE special agent arrested on federal civil rights charges that allege he sexually assaulted 2 women
John Jacobs Olivas, 43, of Riverside, was arrested this morning without incident by special agents from the FBI and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
08/14/2018
LOS ANGELES, CA
COUNTER PROLIFERATION INVESTIGATION UNIT
Los Angeles-area man pleads guilty in scheme to violate US sanctions against Syria
Rasheed Al Jijakli, 57, a Syrian-born naturalized U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty Monday before U.S. District Judge James V. Selna.
08/13/2018
BEAUMONT, TX
FIREARMS, AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVES
Honduran man sentenced to nearly 3 years in federal prison for illegally possessing firearm, shooting son of off-duty law enforcement officer
Santos Alfredo Paz-Ruiz, 42, was sentenced Aug. 13 to 33 months in federal prison for firearms violations. On May 10, 2018, Paz-Ruiz pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien unlawfully possessing a firearm.
08/13/2018
HOUSTON, TX
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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ICE arrests 45 in Houston area during 5-day operation targeting criminal aliens, immigration fugitives
Of the individuals arrested during the operation, 15 had previously been removed (deported) and 42 had prior criminal convictions. Several had felony convictions for serious or violent criminal offenses, such as rape, child exploitation, robbery, drug trafficking and assault.
08/13/2018
NEWARK, NJ
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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ICE removes El Salvadoran national wanted for murder
Brian Alejandro Martinez, who has also gone by the name Maximiliano Cornejo, departed the U.S. and was turned over to Salvadoran law enforcement authorities where he is wanted for the offense of homicide.
08/13/2018
DENVER, CO
NARCOTICS
Federal law enforcement in Colorado targets marijuana grown on federal land
More than 71,000 marijuana plants were removed from about 38 acres of Colorado public lands (not including the islands on the Colorado river) during last year’s growing season.
08/10/2018
SEATTLE, WA
NARCOTICS
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Police seize date-rape drug, guns, other narcotics after undercover investigation at Belltown nightclub
Twelve people were arrested following an undercover narcotics investigation at the Foundation Nightclub in Belltown by the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
08/10/2018
COVINGTON, KY
CHILD EXPLOITATION
Kentucky man sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography
Ryan J. Brock, 34, of Covington, previously admitted to sexually abusing a minor relative and producing photographs and videos of the abuse using a tablet device.
08/10/2018
NAIROBI, KENYA
OPERATIONAL
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ICE HSI Nairobi, Kenyan National Police Service implement CyberTipline
After facilitating the December 2017 signing of the official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Kenya (GOK) and NCMEC, HSI Nairobi partnered with both the AHTCPU and other stakeholders to ensure both the technical capacity and resources were in place to begin delivering actionable child exploitation leads to the GOK.
08/09/2018
NASHVILLE, TN
TRANSNATIONAL GANGS
Federal indictment of MS-13 gang members with murder in aid of racketeering
Oscar Degaldo Flores, a.k.a. Flaco, 24, of El Salvador, and Luis Colindres, a.k.a. Listo and Joe, 21, of Honduras, were also charged with conspiracy; witness tampering; using, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and causing death through the use of a firearm.
08/09/2018
NEW YORK, NY
FINANCIAL CRIMES
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12 charged in nationwide cellphone fraud scheme which caused million dollar losses
In connection with the fraud, the defendants and their associates improperly accessed more than 3,300 customers’ cellphone accounts, fraudulently obtained more than 1,200 cellphones, and caused losses exceeding $1 million.
08/09/2018
BOSTON, MA
OPERATIONAL
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ICE HSI Boston, US Attorney, FBI announce arrest for contract killing threat of ICE agent via Twitter
Brandon J. Ziobrowski, 33, was charged in an indictment unsealed Thursday with one count of use of interstate and foreign commerce to transmit a threat to injure another person. Ziobrowski was arrested Aug. 9 in New York and will appear in Boston at a later date.
08/08/2018
GRAND ISLAND, NE
WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT
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ICE executes federal search warrants in Nebraska, Minnesota and Nevada
This enforcement action is part of a 15-month, ongoing HSI investigation based on evidence that these companies allegedly knowingly hired illegal aliens at their facilities, and that many of these aliens are using fraudulent identification belonging to U.S. citizens.
08/08/2018
PHILADELPHIA, PA
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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ICE removes murder suspect wanted in Guatemala
Alexander Revolorio, 27, entered the United States on an unknown date and place without inspection or parole by an immigration officer.
08/07/2018
PHILADELPHIA, PA
ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL
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ICE removes rape suspect wanted in Mexico
Francisco Javier Diaz-Lua, 28, entered the United States on an unknown date and place without inspection or parole by an immigration officer.
08/07/2018
LOS ANGELES, CA
DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD
Los Angeles-area man who allegedly led prescription drug ring arrested on new charges of fraudulently procuring US citizenship
Armen Simonyan, 44, who was free on bond in the narcotics-trafficking case, was arrested after being named in a two-count indictment returned today by a federal grand jury.
08/07/2018
NEW YORK, NY
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
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5 charged in multimillion dollar counterfeiting scheme following ICE HSI investigation
As alleged in the complaint, from at least in or about January 2016 up to and including in or about July 2018, Suen, Huang, Songhua Qu, Kin Lui Chen, and Fangrang Qu, imported at least 42 shipping containers holding an estimated more than 380,000 pairs of sneakers from China. These sneakers were manufactured to resemble Nike Air Jordans.
08/06/2018
WASHINGTON, DC
STATEMENT
Statement from ICE Deputy Director Ron Vitiello on his nomination
"ICE’s mission is critical to protecting national security and public safety, and the men and women of this agency continue to carry out that mission with courage, dedication, and integrity – even in the face of unfair attacks and threats. I am honored that the president plans to nominate me to serve as director alongside the brave men and women of ICE." – ICE Deputy Director Ron Vitiello
08/06/2018
WASHINGTON, DC
STATEMENT
DHS statement regarding safety and enforcement during northern California wildfires
ICE is deeply concerned by the devastation wildfires have caused in significant portions of northern California. Our thoughts remain with those impacted by this tragedy, while our highest priority remains the preservation of life and safety wherever possible.
08/03/2018
NEW YORK, NY
NARCOTICS
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More than 2 dozen arrested in NYC following a wiretap investigation
Beginning early Friday morning, 32 individuals were arrested in New York City, Massachusetts, Georgia and Florida. An indictment filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP) for the City of New York follows a long-term wiretap investigation by HSI and NYPD's Narcotics Borough Manhattan South, Gang Squad Manhattan South and Vice Squad.
08/03/2018
GLYNCO, GA
OPERATIONAL
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ICE HSI Academy trains special agent candidates
CITP is a 56-day program that provides HSI special agent trainees, as well as criminal investigators from other federal agencies, with an understanding of basic criminal investigative techniques. Seasoned HSI special agents, along with instructors from FLETC and numerous other federal agencies, bring their expertise and knowledge to instruct trainees on topics such as criminal law, enforcement operations, courtroom testimony and other interdisciplinary approaches to becoming an effective criminal investigator in today’s fast-paced and changing world.
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