Thread: I.C.E. News Releases Feb. 2015

I.C.E. News Releases Feb. 2015


02/27/2015

WASHINGTON, DC


CULTURAL PROPERTY, ART AND ANTIQUITIES INVESTIGATIONS


HSI Rome supports preparation for U.S.-Italian bilateral agreement renewal
Foster, along with HSI and Embassy Rome officials, visited several archeological sites in the Lazio Region. In a visit to Ceveteri, an ancient Etruscan archeological site that has been subjected to recent looting, the U.S. team observed a community effort to work with archaeologists to better excavate tombs before looters could remove the contents.


02/27/2015

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO



FINANCIAL CRIMES


ICE, Department of State host anti-money laundering international symposium in Mexico City
Special agents, investigators and attorneys gathered in Mexico City for a three-day law enforcement symposium to collaborate and share information on current money laundering trends. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Attaché Office in Mexico City and the Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) hosted the symposium that ended Thursday.


02/27/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION


ICE African-American History Month spotlight: Acting Principal Legal Advisor Riah Ramlogan
When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Acting Principal Legal Advisor Riah Ramlogan first arrived in the United States in the 1980s, she didn’t know what Black History Month was, nor why it was celebrated.


02/27/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION


ICE African-American History Month spotlight: ERO Operations Support AD William C. Randolph
“I think there is a responsibility to know from whence you came,” Randolph said reflecting on Black History Month. “That makes the tough days that you have today easier when you understand the sacrifices that were made and the challenges that were faced by your ancestors.”



02/27/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



OPERATIONAL


U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Senior Special Agent Thomas Doolittle continues the charity his son, Joey, began
Joey Doolittle used his brief time on this earth living with courage, kindness and in service to others. Joey died at the age of nine years old from cancer, but not before creating his legacy ― Joey’s Toy Box (JTB).



02/26/2015

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Southeast Texas man sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for possessing child pornography
Terry Lee Clark, 48, was sentenced Feb. 26 to eight years, one month in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo. Clark’s prison sentence will be immediately followed by a life term of supervised release and registration as a sex offender. Clark pleaded guilty Oct. 31, 2014.


02/26/2015

NEWARK, NJ



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE deports Salvadoran man wanted for extortion
Pedro Dubon-Interiano was arrested Nov. 13, 2014, after the U.S. Marshals Service alerted ERO Newark that he was being sought by Interpol on extortion charges.


02/26/2015

HIDALGO, TX



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


South Texas ICE officers deport Mexican man wanted for kidnapping, raping and murdering a minor
ICE officers transferred Angel Daniel Vasquez-Aleman to the custody of Mexican law enforcement authorities at the border crossing in Hidalgo, Texas, Feb. 26.


02/26/2015 BUENOS AIRES,ARGENTINA



FINANCIAL CRIMES


ICE, Argentine customs agency sign agreement establishing trade transparency unit
Ambassador Mamet signed a proclamation memorializing the partnership between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Southern Cone of the Americas Attaché Office and the AFIP. The establishment of the TTU will enhance the detection of trade-based money laundering and commercial fraud violations.


02/26/2015

EL PASO, TX



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


HSI 'BEST' agents in El Paso arrest Mexican man for alien smuggling
Marco Antonio Yudico-Vega, 43, was arrested Feb. 24 by agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Border Patrol (OBP) who were investigating alien smuggling activity in the area. About noon, Yudico-Vega crossed legally into El Paso from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and proceeded to a motel in the 4100 block of Alameda Avenue.


02/26/2015

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


ICE, Department of Justice, Mexico collaboration leads to indictment of 42 involved in human trafficking organization
The indictments result from the close collaboration between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Mexico City Attaché Office, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Mexican Office of the Attorney General of the Republic (PGR).


02/25/2015

JACKSONVILLE, FL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Florida man sentenced to more than 19 years for child pornography
According to court documents, on Nov. 15, 2013, law enforcement agents executed a federal search warrant at the residence of John Dewey Todd, 61, of Fernandina Beach, during which they recovered several electronic devices. In an interview with agents, Todd admitted to having child pornography on his computers.



02/25/2015

THE HAGUE,NETHERLANDS



CHILD EXPLOITATION


International effort leads to rescue of 22-month-old Romanian baby being molested
“This case illustrates HSI’s unyielding commitment in working with our world-wide law enforcement partners to protect our children,” said Peter T. Edge, HSI executive associate director. “When it comes to protecting the most vulnerable among us, we will leave no stone unturned.”


02/25/2015

NEW YORK, NY



CULTURAL PROPERTY, ART AND ANTIQUITIES INVESTIGATIONS


19 cultural treasures returned to the government of Italy
During the course of two separate investigations, HSI New York seized two stolen cultural treasures from Christie’s auction house in New York. The TPC contacted HSI Rome to help locate a Lucanian red-figured bell krater (circa 420-400 B.C.) and other stolen artifacts. That tip led HSI New York special agents to Christie’s where they seized the stolen krater in July 2013.


02/25/2015

NEWARK, NJ



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


7 criminal aliens arrested, 19 unlicensed movers fined after probe by ICE, NJ Consumer Affairs
Nineteen companies face state penalties of $2,500 each, for soliciting intrastate moves without the required New Jersey license.


02/24/2015

BEAUMONT, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


East Texas man sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography
Jason Ryan Bickham, 32, from Orange, Texas, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison Feb. 24 by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield. Bickham pleaded guilty to the charges Sept. 17, 2014 after being indicted by a federal grand jury June 4.


​02/24/2015 WASHINGTON, DC



MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION


ICE African-American History Month spotlight: OSLTC AD Harold Hurtt
“I told myself that every opportunity I get I needed to take advantage of it,” he said. “Black History Month gives us all an opportunity to reflect on who we are, who influenced us to get us to where we are and to appreciate the struggle of those who came before us.”


02/24/2015

NACO, AZ



NARCOTICS


$3 million marijuana bust leads to discovery of sophisticated smuggling tunnel
Federal agents continue to investigate Tuesday morning’s discovery of a sophisticated cross-border drug tunnel uncovered overnight in Naco, following a traffic stop by local police that yielded more than two tons of marijuana.


02/23/2015

NEWARK, NJ



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Former Newark official sentenced for producing fraudulent birth certificates
Cory Cooke, 45, of Newark, pleaded guilty on Nov. 21, 2014, in federal court to one count of producing false identification documents.


02/23/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION


ICE African-American History Month spotlight: ODCR AD Scott Lanum
As a high school dropout from the south side of Chicago, the only role models that Lanum, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Assistant Director for Diversity and Civil Rights (ODCR), knew were the ones who roamed the streets up to no good.



02/23/2015

SAN FRANCISCO, CA



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


Bay Area gang member extradited from Mexico to face murder charges
Jamie Balam, aka Tweety, was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2012 on allegations he conspired to conduct the affairs of MS-13 through a pattern of racketeering activity that included murder, attempted murder, and other acts of violence.


02/20/2015

INDIANAPOLIS, IN



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Indiana man sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for producing child pornography
Joel D. Hilton, 42, of Muncie, Indiana, was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for producing and distributing child pornography. Hilton was arrested less than six hours after authorities learned of his identity, saving many more potential victims. Federal sentencing guidelines allow for stiffer penalties for crimes involving children younger than 14.


02/20/2015

DAVENPORT, IA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Iowa man sentenced to nearly 4 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography
Anthony Arn, 44, of Coralville, Iowa, was sentenced to 45 months in prison on one count of possessing child pornography.


02/20/2015

DALLAS, TX



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Texas immigration lawyer arrested on federal charges
Sherin Thawer, 45, of Coppell, Texas, was arrested by HSI special agents at her residence. She made her initial appearance on Friday in federal court, and was later released under supervision. The charges are outlined in a multi-count federal indictment, which was returned by a grand jury and unsealed Friday.

02/20/2015

ALEXANDRIA, LA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes Japanese national convicted of terror attack on US Embassy
Tsutomu Shirosaki, 67, was convicted in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in February 1998 of assault with intent to murder, attempted destruction of buildings, attempted murder of internationally protected persons and violent attack on official premises of internationally protected persons.


02/20/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



OPERATIONAL


ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Feb. 20, 2015
ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Feb. 20, 2015


02/19/2015

CHICAGO , IL



COUNTER PROLIFERATION INVESTIGATION UNIT


Chicago-area company, owner charged with illegally exporting, importing military articles
Vibgyor Optical Systems Inc., a company located in Arlington Heights, Illinois, purported to manufacture optics and optical systems, including items that were to be supplied to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Instead of manufacturing the items domestically, as it claimed, Vibgyor illegally sent the technical data for, and samples of, the military articles to manufacturers in China. The company then imported the items from China to sell to its customers, including DoD prime contractors.


02/19/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE supervisory immigration enforcement agent logs more than 1 million miles in air travel enforcing the law
To the layman, world travel seems exotic, but to an IEA or DO, it means being away from family, their country and their home. It’s a sacrifice that takes a special kind of person – a person who works for something greater than himself or herself. It means missed birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and other notable milestones.



02/19/2015

CHICAGO, IL



PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY


Chicago-area mother and son sentenced to federal prison for extorting, threatening Salvadoran national in elaborate scam
Vincenta Edith Peralta-Saavedra, 58, of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced Feb. 18 to 16 months; her son, Geovanni Ozuna-Peralta, 25, also of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced Jan. 22 to five years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge John J. Tharp.


02/18/2015

NEW YORK, NY



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Westchester man sentenced to 50 years in prison for engaging in sexual activity with minors and videotaping the assaults
Richard Dinizo, 60, of Cortlandt Manor, New York, videotaped the sexual abuse and transported the videos depicting him engaging in sexual activity with minors to recipients outside of New York. Dinizo plead guilty in May 2014 before United States District Judge Vincent Briccetti, who also imposed Tuesday's sentence at White Plains federal court.


02/18/2015

FORT WORTH, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Texas man pleads guilty to federal child pornography offenses
Randy Ray Wesson, 29, of Hurst, Texas pleaded guilty Feb. 18 to possessing and receiving child pornography. He faces a maximum statutory sentence on the possession charge of 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release.


02/18/2015

NEWARK, NJ



COUNTER PROLIFERATION INVESTIGATION UNIT


Florida man sentenced to 110 months in prison for sale and smuggling of deadly toxins and for his role in an international murder conspiracy
Jesse William Korff, 19, of LaBelle, Florida, pleaded guilty on August 12, 2014, to five counts of developing, producing, transferring and possessing toxins, five counts of smuggling toxins and one count of conspiring to kill a person in a foreign country. Federal agents arrested Korff on January 18, 2014, in Florida.

02/18/2015

LOS ANGELES, CA



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


Long Beach mother and son plead guilty to sex trafficking female teens
Sharilyn Kae Anderson, 46, pleaded guilty to conspiring with her son to engage in sex trafficking, following a joint probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD).


02/18/2015

LAREDO, TX



NARCOTICS


Illegal alien from south Texas sentenced for importing meth, heroin
Sergio Cobaruvias-Romero, 55, of Mexico was sentenced Feb. 18 by Senior District Judge George Kazen to 120 months in federal prison. As an illegal alien, Cobaruvias-Romero is expected to face deportation proceedings following his release from prison.


02/17/2015

FARGO, ND



CHILD EXPLOITATION


North Dakota man sentenced to 32 years in federal prison in state’s first "sextortion" case
Dustin Coleman, 22, of Wahpeton, North Dakota, was sentenced to 384 months in prison on three counts of producing child pornography, two counts of extorting sexually explicit images and videos from a child by threat of injury and damage to reputation, and three counts of possessing child pornography. "Sextortion" involves the coercion of an individual to commit sexually explicit acts.


02/17/2015

RIVERSIDE, CA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Federal, state charges filed against 3 men linked to sex trafficking and child pornography ring
Those charged so far in the ongoing investigation are John David Yoder, 43, a former teacher’s aide for the Palm Springs Unified School District; Erick Alan Monsivais, 29, of Los Angeles; and William Clyde Thompson, 54, of Las Vegas. The men are named in a five-count federal indictment filed in the District of Nevada last week and in three separate criminal complaints filed by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.



02/17/2015

BEAUMONT, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


East Texas man sentenced to 6 ½ years in prison for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor
John “Johnny” Anthony Sassine, 53, was sentenced Feb. 17 to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. He pleaded guilty to the charge Nov. 4.


02/17/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



OPERATIONAL


ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Feb. 13, 2015
ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Feb. 13, 2015


02/17/2015

KANSAS CITY, KS



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


Kansas hotel owner sentenced to 21 months for employing illegal aliens
Rhonda R. Bridge, 42, of Overland Park, Kansas, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for employing illegal aliens, who were paid less than other employees. In addition to her prison sentence, Bridge also agreed to forfeit her interest in two hotels and the funds derived from the crime.


02/13/2015

LOS ANGELES, CA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Suspected Southern California ‘sex traveler’ arrested boarding flight at LAX
Ronald Carey Shirley, 64, was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport as he boarded a Philippines Air flight. The former accountant is charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to produce and attempting to receive child pornography. The charges stem from online communications of a sexual nature the defendant had with underage females in the Philippines and Vietnam, including some messages in which he allegedly solicited sexually explicit images of the victims.



​02/13/2015 NEW ORLEANS, LA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


‘Operation Roundtable’ ringleader sentenced to 21 years after ICE investigation
Dubbed “Operation Roundtable,” the case against Johnson has thus far resulted in ten additional individuals being criminally charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Orleans. To date, all ten defendants have pleaded guilty to crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.


02/13/2015

ASHEVILLE, NC



CHILD EXPLOITATION


North Carolina man sentenced to 40 years on child pornography charges
Kieron Mann, 45, was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to continue to register as a sex offender and to pay $50,000 as restitution to his victims.


02/13/2015

LUBBOCK, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


North Texas man sentenced to 27 months in federal prison on obscenity conviction
U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings ordered Christopher Wayne Howard, 26, of Joshua, Texas, to surrender to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to commence his sentence on March 20.


02/13/2015

ATLANTA, GA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Atlanta immigration attorney faces additional charges in fraud case
Bonnie Monique Youn, 45, has been charged in a superseding indictment with two new counts of visa fraud, two new counts of alien harboring, and two new counts of witness tampering.



02/13/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes Pakistani man who pleaded guilty to supporting terrorist organization
Irfan Ul Haq pleaded guilty in 2011 to providing material support to the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, a designated foreign terrorist organization. As part of the guilty plea, Haq agreed to a stipulated order of removal upon the completion of his criminal sentence.


02/13/2015

HOUSTON, TX



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE deports Saudi national convicted of illegally entering military base
Mustasim Abdulaziz Alati, 24, was escorted by ERO officers and turned over to officials with the Saudi Arabia Ministry of the Interior (MOI) Feb. 12. Alati last entered the United States as a student Aug. 12, 2014 to attend the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas.


02/13/2015

MIAMI, FL



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Jamaican man first to be extradited to face fraud charges in lottery scam
Damion Bryan Barrett, 28, was charged in a 38-count indictment with conspiracy and 37 counts of wire fraud and committing these offenses via telemarketing. Barrett is the first Jamaican citizen to be extradited from that country to the United States based on charges of defrauding Americans in connection with a lottery scheme.


02/13/2015

ATLANTA



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


Atlanta MS-13 gang members sentenced for murder, shootings
Three members of the street gang known as Mara Salvatrucha 13, or MS-13, were sentenced Friday for violent crimes they committed in the Atlanta metropolitan area, including the murder of one man and the shootings of two others, one of whom was a 14-year-old boy.


02/12/2015 MIDLAND, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Texas man sentenced to life in federal prison for transporting minor to Mexico for sexual purposes
Joel Aguirre-Lara, 35, of Greenville, Texas, was convicted Oct. 15, 2014, of transporting a minor to engage in sexual activity and aggravated sexual abuse of a child under 12 years of age.


02/12/2015

LAREDO, TX



CONTRABAND


Illegal alien indicted in south Texas for smuggling $109,000, gun and ammunition
Jesus Roldan Rubio, of Puebla, Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint Jan. 20. He was indicted Feb. 3 and on Feb. 12 he made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker.


02/12/2015

MADISON, WI



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


Mexican national sentenced in Wisconsin to 3 years in federal prison for illegally re-entering US
Juan Manuel Larios-Buentello, 50, a Mexican national encountered in New Richmond, Wisconsin, was sentenced Feb. 12 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 36 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after having been deported. Larios-Buentello pleaded guilty to this charge Nov. 25.


02/12/2015

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Atlanta attorney arrested in World Trade Center transit hub insurance fraud scam
The charges against Darius X. Johnson are the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Inspector General for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Johnson made an initial appearance Wednesday in Atlanta federal court.



02/12/2015

CHICAGO, IL



INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS


Chicago-area chiropractor charged with illegally selling steroids
Gregory Zimmerman, 43, of Oswego, Illinois, was charged with possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance in a criminal complaint that was filed Feb. 4 in federal court and unsealed Tuesday. Zimmerman, a licensed chiropractor, self-surrendered to authorities Feb. 9 and was released on a $25,000 bond.


02/12/2015

TUCSON, AZ



NARCOTICS


2 Tucson men sentenced for role in multistate cocaine trafficking ring
Joel Sesma-Garcia, 40, was sentenced Feb. 10 and Gerald Fidel Herrera, 41, was sentenced Jan. 30 by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps. Judge Zipps ordered Sesma-Garcia to serve a term of 25 years, while Herrera received a 15-year sentence. According to investigators, the cocaine trafficking ring operated from 2008 to 2012.


02/11/2015

FORT SMITH, AR



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Physician indicted on child sex charge following ICE investigation
According to court documents, Donald W. Lamoureaux, 68, of Ash Flat, was arrested following an undercover investigation in which Fort Smith officers posed in an Internet chat room as a mother offering her 4-year-old daughter for sex.


02/11/2015

LUBBOCK, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


West Texas man pleads guilty to transporting child pornography
Larry Richie Fields, 45, of Wingate, Texas, has been in federal custody since his arrest in January on related charges. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of not less than five years and up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release.



​02/11/2015 LAREDO, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Illegal alien arrested, charged in south Texas with possessing child pornography
Fidel Perales-Castillo, 43, of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, was arrested and charged Feb. 11 with possessing child pornography.


02/11/2015

ALBUQUERQUE, NM



CONTRABAND


NM man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to methamphetamine trafficking, firearms charges
Casey Wayne Stallings, 30, of Kirtland, New Mexico, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison according to the terms of his plea agreement. His co-defendant, Jessica Chance Lucero, 25, also of Kirtland, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.


02/11/2015

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO



NARCOTICS


ICE, Caribbean Corridor Strike Force seize $29 million worth of cocaine, arrest 13
The initial arrests involved two suspected smugglers identified as Hector Alexander Sanchez-Acosta and Guillermo Boada-Gonzalez, of Venezuela, on board a delivery vessel after it was launched from the Atlantic VII, a 268-foot St. Vincent and Grenadines-flag coastal freighter.


02/11/2015

CHICAGO, IL



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


32 defendants face federal or state charges in Illinois alleging laundering more than $100 million in drug proceeds through cash-for-gold scheme
Thirty-one defendants were charged with conspiring to launder narcotics proceeds for the Sinaloa Cartel in a 311-page criminal complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court and unsealed Tuesday. The federal defendants arrested Feb. 10 in the Chicago area appeared Tuesday before Magistrate Judge Daniel Martin in U.S. District Court; eight remain in federal custody pending detention hearings scheduled for later this week.



02/10/2015

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO



CHILD EXPLOITATION


ICE arrests 2 men for possession of child pornography, sexually enticing minor
On Feb. 6, HSI special agents arrested Irian Jesus Pagan-Rivera, 18, of Dorado, following an investigation that revealed he used Grindr, a location-based networking smartphone application, to send sexually explicit images of prepubescent minors to another user of the application.


02/10/2015

TYLER, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


East Texas man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography
Joshua Quick, 25, from Palestine, Texas, pleaded guilty Oct. 14, 2014 to receiving child pornography and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis. Quick was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he’s released from prison.


02/10/2015

NEW HAVEN, CT



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Connecticut man admits role in massive stolen identity, tax refund scheme
Julio Lara Trinidad, 28, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty to a tax refund scheme that authorities believes resulted in a loss of more than $7.5 million from the U.S. Treasury.


02/10/2015

ANCHORAGE, AK



NARCOTICS


California man sentenced to 6 years for trafficking oxycodone
Anwar Hasan, 69, of Oakland, California, acquired oxycodone pills in California then sold them to distributors in four states including Alaska, according to court records. Prosecutors say he then laundered more than $284,000 earned from the drug sales.

02/09/2015

ORLANDO, FL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Former Florida man sentenced for attempted sex trafficking
According to court documents, Patrick R. Minga, 50, formerly of Cape Coral, used Craiglist to advertise a sex tourism business in Ecuador that could facilitate lodging, transportation, meals and unlimited access to females for a fee.


02/09/2015

ORLANDO, FL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Florida man sentenced to life in federal prison for child exploitation
According to court documents, from Oct. 11, 2012, through Oct. 11, 2013, Michael Glenn Glascock, 39, of Merritt Island, used a three-year-old victim to produce visual depictions of the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct.


02/09/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



OPERATIONAL


ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Feb. 6, 2015
ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Feb. 6, 2015


02/06/2015

MADRID, SPAIN



CHILD EXPLOITATION


ICE, NCMEC lead helps Spanish authorities take down child pornography ring
Based on HSI and NCMEC information, the Spanish Guardia Civil conducted a two-day law enforcement operation dubbed "Dustman" on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. They executed 47 simultaneous search warrants in 24 Spanish cities, arresting 26 suspected child predators.



02/06/2015

TRENTON, NJ



CHILD EXPLOITATION


New Jersey man sentenced for distributing child pornography
Superior Court Judge in Mercer County, Timothy P. Lydon sentenced Celalletti Koc, 27, aka Steve, of Hamilton, New Jersey, to five years in state prison, including two and a half years of parole ineligibility. Koc pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2014, to distributing child pornography. Koc will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law.


02/06/2015

ALEXANDRIA, LA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


Egyptian man convicted of resisting deportation order
Mohamed Admed Hassan Abdallah Omran, 38, of Egypt, was found guilty of two counts of failure to depart for resisting removal after final deportation orders. The defendant’s trial started Wednesday and ended Thursday with the jury returning the guilty verdict after deliberating for 10 minutes.


02/06/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS


ICE recognizes International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM/C
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) joins U.S. and foreign government partners, NGOs and local communities on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) to call for eradication of the practice.



02/06/2015

PHILADELPHIA, PA



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


Sex trafficker sentenced to over 24 years
Deshawn King, 35, pleaded guilty in January 2014, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of women by force, fraud and coercion; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion. King’s co-defendant, Daniel Blount, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced on July 15, 2014 to 20 years in prison.

02/06/2015

ALEXANDRIA, VA



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


Houston man pleads guilty to sex trafficking of a child
Michael Anthony Randall, aka “Divine tha Victorious Mack,” 32, previously from Charlottesville, Virginia, and Galveston, Texas, but mostly recently from Houston, faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.


02/06/2015

DETROIT, MI



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


Michigan food distributor partners with ICE
GKI Foods LLC of Brighton, has pledged to protect the integrity of their workforce by joining IMAGE. The partnership was marked Friday by an official signing at the company’s headquarters.


02/05/2015

AMARILLO, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


9 men in Texas Panhandle face federal charges following their arrest for online solicitation of a child for sex
Each of the defendants has been charged in a separate federal complaint, just unsealed, with attempting to entice a child. Each made his initial appearance in federal court Feb. 4 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clinton E. Averitte.


02/05/2015

PHILADELPHIA, PA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Pennsylvania man arrested for child pornography
Hundreds of images of child pornography and more than a dozen videos were found in Ronald Rhodes's, 57, home after a December 2014 search warrant. The investigation by HSI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Uniontown Police Department is continuing with additional electronics and documents seized currently under forensic examination.



02/05/2015

PENSACOLA, FL



NARCOTICS


California methamphetamine trafficker sentenced
Between January and October 2013, Javier E. Rivas, 35, of San Francisco, furnished multi-ounce quantities of high purity methamphetamine, known as “ice” and “crystal meth,” to a California drug supplier, who, in turn, mailed the drugs to local distributors in the Pensacola area. In September 2014, Rivas pleaded guilty to a one-count indictment charging him with conspiracy.


02/05/2015

AMARILLO, TX



NARCOTICS


Texas Panhandle man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for selling methamphetamine
Hugo Gomez-Barrientos, 46, most recently of Hereford, Texas, pleaded guilty in November 2014 to an indictment charging one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He has been in custody since his Sept. 25 arrest at his residence after the indictment was returned.


02/05/2015

BEAUMONT, TX



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


Houston couple sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for Chinese restaurant racketeering employment conspiracy
Lina Sun, 55, and Chenglun Ma, 58, were sentenced Feb. 5 by Judge Thad Heartfield for the racketeering influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) conspiracy. Sun and Ma were sentenced to 18 months and 13 months in federal prison, respectively.


02/04/2015

FORT SMITH, AR



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Arkansas man sentenced to 75 months in prison for child pornography
According to court records, in May 2014 agents with HSI identified a computer that was being used to download suspected child pornography via the internet. A subsequent investigation revealed that the subscriber information for that computer returned to Raymond Freitas, 42, of Hackett.

02/04/2015

DALLAS, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Dallas man faces up to life in federal prison for sex trafficking a 17-year-old runaway
Ladestro Douglas, aka “Derek Douglas,” 35, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David L. Horan and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children. Douglas faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in federal prison. Sentencing is set for June 3.


02/04/2015

SEATTLE, WA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Canadian youth soccer coach charged with attempting to meet child for sex in US
Kuldip “Kelly” Singh Mahal, 47, of Surrey, British Columbia, made his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday. The criminal complaint filed in the case alleges Mahal answered a posting on the Vancouver Craigslist website and began communicating with an undercover HSI special agent posing as 12-year-old girl from northwest Washington. Mahal is charged with attempted enticement of a minor.


02/04/2015

NEWARK, NJ



CONTRABAND


New Jersey man admits conspiring to sell firearms purported to belong to the family of Saddam Hussein
Carlos Manuel Quirola, aka Carlos Quirola-Ordonez, aka Manny, 58, of New Milford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to transport stolen firearms.


02/04/2015

LAS CRUCES, NM



CONTRABAND


California man sentenced in NM to more than 8 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking
Eddieberto Garcia, 36, of Oceanside, California, was sentenced to 97 months in prison, and to four years of supervised release following his prison term. Garcia was convicted of possessing about two kilograms (4.5 pounds) of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.



02/04/2015

NEW YORK, NY



CONTRABAND


Jury convicts owner, operator of Silk Road website
Ross William Ulbricht, 30, of San Francisco, created Silk Road in approximately January 2011, and owned and operated the underground website until it was shut down by law enforcement authorities in October 2013.


02/04/2015

ERIE, PA



NARCOTICS


20 drug trafficking suspects arrested after ICE-led, multistate investigation
The 16-count indictment named the following individuals who have been arrested: Raul Gerardo Ruiz-Maldonado, 41, Houston; Maria Remedios Urrutia, 23, Erie; Marco Antonio Melchor, 34, Erie; Dana Scott Ball, 37, Waterford, Pennsylvania; Jorge Daniel Montes-Cervantes, 25, Erie; Jenny Eileen Urrutia, 34, Elkhart, Indiana; Reyna Urrutia, 35, Elkhart; Christina Urrutia Rojas, 29, Edinboro, Pennsylvania; Sammar Aimee Melchor, 33, Erie; Ancelmo Ayala, 40, Elkhart, Indiana; Jose Merced Gomez Murillo, 54, Columbus, Ohio; Oscar Mata Garcia, 26, Forrest City, Arkansas; Safa Gobah, 21, Forrest City, Arkansas; Juan Jose Ramos, 28, Akron, Ohio; Robert Jovaun Harris, 36, Erie; Efrain Ramon Pagan Rosario, 24, Erie; and Nathanael Ortiz Andino, 28, Erie.


02/04/2015

THOMASVILLE, NC



OPERATIONAL


ICE Special Agent gets pleasant surprise with achievement award
Burnett, who has been with HSI for five years, works with Thomasville about three times a week assisting in cases ranging from human trafficking to narcotics. He has been a key piece to the success of the department and was recognized for his dedication and collective years of service.


02/03/2015

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CHILD EXPLOITATION


ICE arrests Peñuelas man on child sexual exploitation charges
HSI special agents arrested William Y. Maldonado-Rivera, 35, after an investigation stemmimg from a complaint by the victim's mother led to HSI special agents discovering that Maldonado-Rivera transported the minor from Peñuelas to a motel in Ponce with the intent to engage her in sexual criminal conduct.


02/03/2015

FARGO, ND



CHILD EXPLOITATION


North Dakota man sentenced to 6 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography
Peter Alan Karl, 52, of West Fargo, North Dakota, was sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison for receiving materials depicting minors being sexually exploited.


02/03/2015

SAN DIEGO, CA



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


San Diego-area employer joins IMAGE program
Hyperikon Inc. is the 17th San Diego-area business to become an IMAGE member. IMAGE is a voluntary partnership that helps employers maintain a lawful workforce and reduce unauthorized employment and the use of fraudulent identity documents.


02/02/2015

URBANA, IL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Illinois man sentenced to 25 years in prison for child pornography offenses
Shannon Logan, 35, of Urbana, was sentenced Feb. 1 to 25 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, who found that Logan has engaged in a pattern of sexual abuse of a minor. In addition, Logan was ordered to register as a sex offender for natural life and to remain on supervised release for an additional 30 years following completion of his prison sentence.


02/02/2015

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CONTRABAND


ICE dismantles major transnational drug trafficking, money laundering organization
The individuals named in the indictment are Carlos A. Segura-Galvis, Adolfo Leon García-Sierra, Jair Eudoro Ramirez-Diaz, Roque Caballero-Caballero, Hugo Ocampo-Gutierrez, Mireya Cabra-Traslaviña, Elkin Melendez-Santiago, Gamalier Gonzalez-Maldonado, Giovanni Cosme-Fernandez, Eduardo Esteras-Rosado, José O. Medina-Nery, Hugo Enrique Romero-Vargas, Edison Miranda-Angulo, Noe Carbajal, Felipe Francisco De La Plaza, Edwin Lozada-Flores, Miguel Vargas-Roa, Ricardo Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Jorge Villarran-Romero, Francisco Otero-Retamar, Miguel A. Lebron-Hernandez, Eldin Melendez-Santiago, Angel M. Sierra-Rivera, Bergman Santiago-Contes, Jose Martínez-Meléndez, Flor Marina Gonzalez-Rojas, Geovanny Mosquera-Vanegas, Yurgen Gabriel Alvarez-Gutierrez and Brian Montalvo-Tolentino.



02/02/2015

NEW ORLEANS, LA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes fugitive murder convict to Honduras
Marlon Joel Paz-Mendoza, 29, was convicted on murder charges and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by Honduran courts Sept. 5, 2013.


02/02/2015

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Former Liberty Reserve manager sentenced to 3 years in prison
Maxim Chukharez, 29, of Costa Rica, was primarily responsible for maintaining Liberty Reserve’s technological infrastructure and for implementing systems designed to create the false appearance that Liberty Reserve had an effective anti-money laundering program.


02/02/2015

WASHINGTON, DC



OPERATIONAL


ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Jan. 30, 2015
ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Jan. 30, 2015

http://www.alipac.us/f12/c-b-p-media...2015-a-317921/