News Releases


I.C.E. Top Stories: Last Week


09/08/2016

GULFPORT, MS

FINANCIAL CRIMES


Nigerian man, 6 others sentenced to prison for online fraud schemes
Funso Hassan, 27, of Ibadan, Nigeria and Anthony Shane Jeffers, 44, of Maryville, Tennessee, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison. Ann Louise Franzen, 70, of Kiln, Mississippi; Gary Melvin Barnard, 64, of Palestine, Texas; Michele Gayle Fee, 55, of Stockton, California; Tanya Lynn Thomas, 52, of Turlock, California; and Shawn Ann White, 44, of Manteca, California, were each sentenced to five years in prison.



09/08/2016

PHILADELPHIA, PA

ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL

ICE arrests convicted Guatemalan national released from local custody after detainer request ignored
Milton Berrera-Lopez, 29, a Guatemalan national, was released from local custody Aug. 30, two weeks after being convicted of two counts of indecent exposure and providing false identification to a law enforcement officer, for which he was sentenced to 23 months’ time served, two years’ probation and ordered to have no contact with minors.



09/06/2016

WASHINGTON, DC

CULTURAL PROPERTY, ART AND ANTIQUITIES INVESTIGATIONS


ICE-rescued ancient fossil on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Museum of Natural History paleontologist Matt Lamanna played a key role in HSI’s investigation and ultimately identified the fossil as a kind of feathered predatory dinosaur. To highlight this case, the Chinese government loaned the fossil to the Carnegie Museum as a temporary part of their permanent dinosaur exhibit.



09/06/2016

ALBUQUERQUE, NM

NARCOTICS


2 Mexican men plead guilty in NM to trafficking methamphetamine
Miguel Rangel Arce, 36, and Rogelio Santiago Quiroa-Valdez, 25, were among eight San Juan (New Mexico) County residents charged with federal narcotics trafficking offenses. Their co-defendant, Luis Rangel Arce, 44, also a Mexican national, pleaded guilty plea in this case the previous week.

 https://www.ice.gov/news/top-stories...week&created=1
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I.C.E. News Releases



09/12/2016

EL PASO, TX


HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


Ex-CBP supervisor sentenced to 7½ years in federal prison for alien smuggling
On May 26, a federal jury in El Paso found Lawrence Madrid, 54, guilty of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, aiding and abetting alien smuggling for financial gain, and two substantive counts of accepting a bribe.


09/09/2016

HOUSTON, TX



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE Houston officers deport Salvadoran gang member wanted for aggravated homicide
Henry Omar Vigil-Castellon, 27, was flown to El Salvador Sept. 9 onboard a charter flight coordinated by ICE’s Air Operations (IAO) Unit. Upon arrival, the suspect was turned over to officials from El Salvador’s Civilian National Police (PNC).



09/09/2016

NEW ORLEANS, LA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Louisiana man sentenced to 12½ years in federal prison for receiving, distributing child pornography
Darion Veal, 21, of Gray, previously admitted during his guilty plea in December 2015, that he received and distributed child pornography.



09/09/2016

MADERA, CA



INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS


2 arrested in crackdown on northern California businesses suspected of selling counterfeit and misbranded goods, including medications
Nicholas Ramon Ramirez, 60, of Madera, was taken into custody at Del Valle Food, located in the 200 block of 9th Street. During a search of the store, HSI special agents recovered a large quantity of misbranded medications and pharmaceuticals, including three bottles of the powerful pain killer Tramadol, a controlled substance which can cause addiction and even death if misused.




09/09/2016

TUCSON, AZ



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Tucson man sentenced to 30 years for producing child pornography
Eric James Alvarez, 29, pleaded guilty in October 2015 to producing child pornography in conjunction with an HSI-led probe that began two years ago.



09/09/2016

DENVER, CO



CHILD EXPLOITATION


South Carolina man pleads guilty to creating fake Facebook profiles to coerce 6 Colorado girls into taking and sending him sexually explicit photographs
Christopher George White, 37, of McCormick, South Carolina, who is in custody, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Jackson Dec. 14.



09/08/2016

SPRINGFIELD, IL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Michigan man charged with sexually exploiting a minor in Illinois
Damian N. Delacruz, 23, of Cadillac, Michigan, was charged Sept. 7 with three counts of sexually exploiting a minor and one count of enticing a minor.



09/08/2016

LOUISVILLE, KY



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Illegal alien from Mexico indicted in Kentucky on immigration fraud charges
Juan Carlos Ortega-Santos, 26, was charged with the following immigration fraud-related counts: two counts of using a false document for purposes of obtaining employment, one count of possessing a counterfeit alien registration card, and one count of possessing a counterfeit Social Security card.




09/08/2016

GULFPORT, MS



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Nigerian man, 6 others sentenced to prison for online fraud schemes
Funso Hassan, 27, of Ibadan, Nigeria and Anthony Shane Jeffers, 44, of Maryville, Tennessee, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison. Ann Louise Franzen, 70, of Kiln, Mississippi; Gary Melvin Barnard, 64, of Palestine, Texas; Michele Gayle Fee, 55, of Stockton, California; Tanya Lynn Thomas, 52, of Turlock, California; and Shawn Ann White, 44, of Manteca, California, were each sentenced to five years in prison.



09/08/2016

PHILADELPHIA, PA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE arrests convicted Guatemalan national released from local custody after detainer request ignored
Milton Berrera-Lopez, 29, a Guatemalan national, was released from local custody Aug. 30, two weeks after being convicted of two counts of indecent exposure and providing false identification to a law enforcement officer, for which he was sentenced to 23 months’ time served, two years’ probation and ordered to have no contact with minors.



09/08/2016

WASHINGTON, DC



STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM


ICE announces extension of employment authorization eligibility for certain Syrian students
Through the new notice, the DHS Secretary suspends certain regulatory requirements in order to allow eligible Syrian F-1 students to obtain employment authorization, work an increased number of hours during the school term, and, if necessary, reduce their course load while continuing to maintain their F-1 student status.



09/07/2016

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



CONTRABAND


ICE, AirTAT partners seize more 40 kilograms of cocaine, arrest 4
Juan C. Rodriguez-Quinones, 34, of Bayamon, was arrested by HSI special agents when TSA officers encountered 11.5 kilograms of cocaine in his luggage. Another passenger, Alexander Negron-Zavala, 25, of San Juan, was arrested for allegedly carrying 5.6 kilograms of cocaine. Both men were bound to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.




09/07/2016

EL PASO, TX



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


Ecuadorian couple sentenced to more than 5 years in federal prison for alien smuggling conspiracy
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone sentenced Paul Esteban Estrella Villota, 40, of Cuenca, Ecuador, and his wife Magaly Alemania Malagon Sandoya, 42, to six years and five years in federal prison, respectively. Judge Cardone also ordered both defendants each to pay a $5,000 special assessment and be placed on supervised release for three years after they the complete their prison terms.



09/06/2016

EAGLE PASS, TX



CONTRABAND


South Texas brothers each sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for distributing cocaine
According to court documents, from January 2009 until April 2014, the Cardona brothers used Real Street Paint and Body Shop and Michael’s residence to sell cocaine and launder drug proceeds. A search of the residences of both brothers resulted in seizing $162,795 in currency, about 160 packages of cocaine ready for distribution and five weapons.



09/06/2016

WASHINGTON, DC



CULTURAL PROPERTY, ART AND ANTIQUITIES INVESTIGATIONS


ICE-rescued ancient fossil on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Museum of Natural History paleontologist Matt Lamanna played a key role in HSI’s investigation and ultimately identified the fossil as a kind of feathered predatory dinosaur. To highlight this case, the Chinese government loaned the fossil to the Carnegie Museum as a temporary part of their permanent dinosaur exhibit.



09/06/2016

FARGO, ND



CHILD EXPLOITATION


British citizen sentenced in North Dakota to 12 years in federal prison for child exploitation
Simon William Riley, 21, of Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom, was sentenced on one count of sexually exploiting a minor, two counts of advertising material involving the sexual exploitation of minors, and one count of receiving child pornography.




09/06/2016

FRESNO, CA



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Stockton man pleads guilty to staging car accidents as part of large-scale insurance fraud scheme
Cristopher Santiago Sanchez-Becerra, 32, appeared in federal court Tuesday morning to answer to the charges stemming from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the California Department of Insurance, Fraud Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick R. Delahunty and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.



09/06/2016

ALBUQUERQUE, NM



NARCOTICS


2 Mexican men plead guilty in NM to trafficking methamphetamine
Miguel Rangel Arce, 36, and Rogelio Santiago Quiroa-Valdez, 25, were among eight San Juan (New Mexico) County residents charged with federal narcotics trafficking offenses. Their co-defendant, Luis Rangel Arce, 44, also a Mexican national, pleaded guilty plea in this case the previous week.



09/02/2016

MCALLEN, TX



OPERATIONAL


South Texas man pleads guilty for pointing laser at airborne CBP helicopter
Juan Peralez, from La Joya, Texas, pleaded guilty Sept. 2 to pointing a laser at CBP helicopter. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted Peralez’s plea and set sentencing for Nov. 17.



09/02/2016

FORT WORTH, TX



NARCOTICS


7 Aryan Brotherhood of Texas gang members/associates convicted in North Texas methamphetamine distribution conspiracy
In addition, between April and August 2016, 80 defendants charged in drug conspiracy cases related to this one have pleaded guilty.




09/02/2016

LAS CRUCES, NM



NARCOTICS


Las Cruces, NM man pleads guilty to methamphetamine trafficking
Benjamin David Romero, 38, and co-defendant Roque Henry Atencio, 42, both of Las Cruces, were arrested Feb. 6 on a criminal complaint charging them with methamphetamine trafficking. According to the complaint, Romero and Atencio sold two bags containing an aggregate of 47.35 grams of pure methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement agents in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, on April 2, 2015.



09/02/2016

LAS CRUCES, NM



NARCOTICS


New Mexico man pleads guilty to methamphetamine trafficking
Ruben David Martinez III, 29, of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, was arrested in May and charged by criminal complaint with possessing methamphetamine and heroin with intent to distribute May 16 in Sierra County, New Mexico.


09/02/2016

TUCSON, AZ



COUNTER PROLIFERATION INVESTIGATION UNIT


Pakistani national extradited and sentenced for attempting to export sensitive US technology to Pakistani military
Syed Vaqar Ashraf, 71, of Lahore, Pakistan, previously pleaded guilty to attempting to procure multiple models of gyroscopes from a U.S. company and illegally ship them to Pakistan so they could be used by the Pakistani military. The devices have a variety of applications, including use in unmanned aircraft and missile delivery systems.



09/01/2016

PHOENIX, AZ



NARCOTICS


Multiagency federal probe leads to conviction of prison drug dealer
Information provided to federal investigators by detectives with the Mesa Police Department indicated Luis Felix-Hernandez, 28, had obtained a cellphone to continue directing the activities of his drug trafficking organization while incarcerated.

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