I.C.E. Top Stories: Last Week


09/23/2016

WASHINGTON, DC

NATIONAL SECURITY


ICE arrests 36 fugitives across US during Operation Safe Nation and Operation No Safe Haven III
During the operations that concluded Wednesday, the ICE National Fugitive Operations Program arrested the fugitives in coordination with the ICE Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, the ICE Counterterrorism Section and ICE field offices in the following cities: Atlanta; Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco and St. Paul, Minnesota.



09/22/2016

NEW ORLEANS, LA

CHILD EXPLOITATION

Former Louisiana teacher sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for transporting child pornography
Don Francis, Jr., 46, of Metairie, previously admitted during his guilty plea in April 2016, that he transported child pornography. According to court documents, Feb. 5, 2014, HSI and state and local investigators executed a search warrant of Francis’ residence and discovered child pornography on a computer maintained and controlled by Francis.



09/20/2016

NEW YORK, NY

CHILD EXPLOITATION

Former Long Island educator, coach sentenced to 5 years in prison for receiving child pornography
Kevin Barry O’Connell was sentenced to five years in prison following his guilty plea to receiving child pornography at his residence in Patchogue, New York. O’Connell was also sentenced to five years supervised release to follow his prison sentence, during which time he must register as a sex offender and he will not be allowed unsupervised contact with minors.


09/19/2016

TAMPA, FL

CHILD EXPLOITATION

New sex trafficking law results in first guilty verdict in Tampa
According to evidence presented at trial, Matheus William Geronasso, 23, of Tampa, responded to an advertisement posted on Backpage.com by a person looking for individuals willing to pay to have sex with his girlfriend’s 14-year-old daughter.



09/19/2016

ABILENE, TX

CHILD EXPLOITATION

West Texas man sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for enticing a minor to have sex with him
William David Harden, 65, formerly of Tye, Texas, has been in custody since his arrest based on a federal indictment in August 2015.

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


09/26/2016

NASHVILLE, TN

OPERATIONAL


ICE Nashville hosts first-ever forensic lab training with Tennessee law enforcement agencies
HSI Nashville hosted the first-ever training for state and local agencies to include the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Metro Nashville Police Department, the Transportation Security Administration and others.



09/23/2016

EL PASO, TX

FINANCIAL CRIMES

Jury convicts El Paso attorney in connection with multi-million dollar fraud, money laundering scheme
Marco Antonio Delgado (aka Marco Delgado Licon), 50, was found guilty on three counts of wire fraud, seven counts of money laundering, and nine counts of engaging in monetary transactions of criminally derived property.



09/23/2016

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


New York apparel businesses charged in double-invoice scheme
The complaint alleges violations of the False Claims Act by Yingshun Garments Inc., an importer of women’s apparel manufactured in China; Marie Rogers former Managing Director of Yingshun; Import Global Designs Inc. and Olgrem Llc, successor entities to Yingshun; and Notations, Inc., a wholesaler of women’s apparel and Yingshun’s biggest customer.



09/23/2016

DENVER, CO



NARCOTICS


ICE Denver announces results from 3-month heroin enforcement operation
The objective of this operation was to apply an organized, methodical approach to locating and arresting ICE fugitive aliens, previously removed aliens, removable criminal aliens, and otherwise dangerous aliens at large who are involved in transnational gangs and/or heroin trafficking organizations in Denver, Colorado.




09/23/2016

WASHINGTON, DC



NATIONAL SECURITY


ICE arrests 36 fugitives across US during Operation Safe Nation and Operation No Safe Haven III
During the operations that concluded Wednesday, the ICE National Fugitive Operations Program arrested the fugitives in coordination with the ICE Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, the ICE Counterterrorism Section and ICE field offices in the following cities: Atlanta; Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco and St. Paul, Minnesota.



09/22/2016

NEW ORLEANS, LA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Former Louisiana teacher sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for transporting child pornography
Don Francis, Jr., 46, of Metairie, previously admitted during his guilty plea in April 2016, that he transported child pornography. According to court documents, Feb. 5, 2014, HSI and state and local investigators executed a search warrant of Francis’ residence and discovered child pornography on a computer maintained and controlled by Francis.



09/22/2016

AMARILLO, TX



NARCOTICS


Heroin trafficker sentenced in Texas Panhandle to more than 5 years in federal prison
On Sept. 20, Carlos Castro-Noriega, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater to 63 months in federal prison. Last month, Judge Fitzwater sentenced Cristina Melissa Gomez, 24, to 46 months in federal prison.



09/22/2016

DALLAS, TX



NARCOTICS


Dallas-area man sentenced to nearly 16 years in federal prison for smuggling cocaine on flights from DFW airport
That superseding indictment charged Moniteveti Katoa, and the following three others, with the cocaine distribution conspiracy offense: Funaki Falahola, 34, Molitoni Katoa, 34, and Janelle Isaacs, 42.




09/22/2016

LAS CRUCES, NM



NARCOTICS


Mexican man residing in NM sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine
Joel Dominguez-Morales, 41, was arrested May 6, 2015, on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and participation in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Lea County, New Mexico. His co-defendants include Javier Amador-Flores, 49; Maria Marcelina Cardoza-Burciaga, 40; Jose Manuel Trujillo, 41; and Myrna Orozco, 32, a U.S. citizen.



09/21/2016

BUFFALO, NY



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes Guatemalan fugitive sought for aggravated kidnapping
Mynor Guillermo Pinto-Lopez , 35, was repatriated on board an ICE Air flight that originated in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. After arriving in Guatemala City, ERO officers transferred Pinto-Lopez to the custody of Guatemalan law enforcement.



09/20/2016

NEW YORK, NY



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Former Long Island educator, coach sentenced to 5 years in prison for receiving child pornography
Kevin Barry O’Connell was sentenced to five years in prison following his guilty plea to receiving child pornography at his residence in Patchogue, New York. O’Connell was also sentenced to five years supervised release to follow his prison sentence, during which time he must register as a sex offender and he will not be allowed unsupervised contact with minors.



09/20/2016

CHICAGO, IL



NATIONAL SECURITY


2 Illinois cousins sentenced to decades-long prison terms for conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization - ISIL
Hasan Edmonds, 24, also pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Jonas Edmonds, 31, pleaded guilty to an additional count of making a materially false statement to a law enforcement officer regarding an offense of international terrorism.




09/20/2016

ALEXANDRIA, VA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Ashburn man pleads guilty to international identity theft, money laundering conspiracy
According to the court documents, Amit Chaudhry, 44, is an Indian national who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2005. Beginning in 2011, he was part of a large, international wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy that involved processing stolen credit card numbers and laundering the proceeds through hundreds of bank accounts.



09/20/2016

SEATTLE, WA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


22 arrested in western Washington child predator sting
A multi-agency law enforcement operation in Thurston County targeting individuals intending to sexually exploit children resulted in the arrest of 21 males and one female, and the rescue of four children at risk of being abused.



09/20/2016

SHERMAN, TX



FINANCIAL CRIMES


4 North Texas business owners found guilty in 2-year, $16 million money laundering scheme
On Sept. 19, a jury found the following four men guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering after a weeklong trial before U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant: Miguel Rivas Estrada, 29, of Michoacán, Mexico; Felipa Torres, 49, of Dallas, Texas; Justa Centeno, 52, of Dallas; and Jose Angel Olvera, 40, of Dallas.



09/20/2016

DALLAS, TX



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Leader of North Texas fraud scheme involving family members sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison
Rolando Minano, 48, pleaded guilty in May 2016 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Rolando Minano’s ex-wife, Martha Irene Collantes, 53, and his stepson, Carlos Arturo Pastor Collantes, 32, were sentenced in May 2016 to 12 months and just over 10 months, respectively.




09/19/2016

TAMPA, FL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


New sex trafficking law results in first guilty verdict in Tampa
According to evidence presented at trial, Matheus William Geronasso, 23, of Tampa, responded to an advertisement posted on Backpage.com by a person looking for individuals willing to pay to have sex with his girlfriend’s 14-year-old daughter.



09/19/2016

WASHINGTON, DC



OPERATIONAL


ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents honored
In a September 15, 2016, ceremony at Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, DC, four ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents were among those honored with the FBI Director’s Award for Excellence.



09/19/2016

ABILENE, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


West Texas man sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for enticing a minor to have sex with him
William David Harden, 65, formerly of Tye, Texas, has been in custody since his arrest based on a federal indictment in August 2015.



09/16/2016

WASHINGTON, DC



NARCOTICS


Film featuring HSI ASAC makes world television premiere
“Kingdom of Shadows,” a film that features ICE HSI ASAC Oscar Hagelsieb, and highlights the realities and consequences of drug trafficking along the United States-Mexican border made its national television premiere Monday, Sept. 19, on PBS.


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