News Releases and Statements

On Sept. 17, state and federal authorities arrested eight El Paso residents for their roles in the RICO conspiracy. Those arrested include: Raul Lopez, aka Garfield, 34; Manuel Minjares, aka Manny, 54; Eugene Lozano, aka Gino, Polvos, 43; Gabriel Aldana, aka Mookie, 43; Rito Alvarez, aka Ewok, 35; Jose Minjares, aka Paz, 55; Ramon Sanchez, aka Magic, 48; and Jose Angel Barrios, aka Chamuco, 43.

Investigators released photos Wednesday of the drugs seized Sept. 10 in Ferndale at the Grandview Business Center.

ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Sept. 12, 2014

Erik A. Hentzen, 26, of Lexington, was sentenced Sept. 16 by U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood to 20 years in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release. Under federal law, Hentzen will have to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence.

Erik Perez-Bazan, 27, from Hidalgo, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez to 75 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

In June 2014, Dereck Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking children.

The 10-count indictment charges Marla Ahlgrimm, 59, of Madison, Wisconsin, and Balbir Bhogal, 67, of Las Vegas, Nevada, with importing and distributing controlled substances and misbranded drugs, trafficking in counterfeit drugs, mail and wire fraud, smuggling and money laundering.

Juan Ramon Yuen-Rodriguez, of Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty to the charge in May. According to the plea agreement, Yuen-Rodriguez and co-defendant Jose Felix-Burgos were stopped by law enforcement in August 2013 while driving to deliver methamphetamine to an undercover officer acting as a buyer in Heyburn, Idaho. In a box in the back seat of the vehicle officers found more than 2 kilograms of actual methamphetamine.

Mark Marmilev, 35, of Brooklyn, was principally responsible for designing and maintaining the technological infrastructure for Liberty Reserve, a company that operated one of the world's most widely used digital currency services. Marmilev was arrested in Brooklyn in May 2013.

Cesar Mujica-Aranda, 25, of Liberty, Missouri, pleaded guilty Sept. 15 before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to the charge contained in a March 20 federal indictment.

Benjamin J. Daniels, 37, of West Bountiful, Utah, admitted to conspiring to distribute and posses with the intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana. His brother, Michael Daniels, 32, of Tiverton, Rhode Island, pleaded guilty August 28 to conspiracy to distribute and posses with the intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana.

On Sept. 5, 2013, Pedro Luis Baez-Torres, of Cidra, was arrested at his place of work in Cayey after an HSI investigation, stemming from a Puerto Rico Police Department referral, revealed he allegedly requested sexually explicit images from a 14-year-old female minor.

Ian Quincy Winn, 48, admitted in an April plea agreement to receiving child pornography and engaging in online chats about child sex abuse with undercover HSI special agents.

Tong Yang, 46, of Stella, Missouri, was sentenced Sept. 15 by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 13 years in federal prison without parole. Yang pleaded guilty May 1, admitting to traveling to Minnesota to pick up a 15-year-old girl and bring her back to Missouri with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity.

Paul David Culbreth, 52, of Loxahatchee, pleaded guilty to enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity May 15.

According to court documents, Darrell Roby, 41, of Orlando, sold prescription pills to a confidential informant (CI) Jan. 27. He also sold prescription pills and a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver to a CI Feb. 12.

"This case is a testament to the great work of HSI, and clearly shows that the Department of Homeland Security will follow the trail of criminal proceeds wherever it leads, whether it's around the block or around the world," said Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. "With the help of our Taiwanese law enforcement partners, these seizures not only deny criminals their profits, they also disrupt their ability to further fund their criminal activity."

Jack Frison Sr., 65, of Frontenac, Missouri, was convicted on one felony count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, one felony count of aiding and abetting copyright infringement, and one felony count of aiding and abetting trafficking counterfeit goods.

Operation Buckeye Storm commenced in March 2010 after special agents connected a loose network of heroin traffickers who were already under scrutiny by local authorities.

Johnny Ray Martinez, 25, from Abilene, Texas, pleaded guilty in May to one count of attempting to produce child pornography. He has been in custody since his arrest in February on a related criminal complaint.

Counterfeit jerseys, headwear, T-shirts, and other souvenir items are among the counterfeit merchandise typically sold at and around these events. Large sporting events are prime targets for counterfeiters, many of whom travel the country with the sole intention of scamming sports fans.

"It's important for all of ICE to have our employees recognized for the hard work they're doing in the field. And it shows our collaboration with the Justice Department," said HSI Executive Associate Director Peter Edge.

According to documents filed in the case, in July 2013, Steven Edward Robb, 59, of Abilene, Texas, knowingly received two video files depicting minor females engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

IMAGE stands for ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers. As part of this agreement, Titania has pledged to maintain a secure and stable workforce and curtail the employment of unauthorized workers through outreach and education.

HSI Special Agent Emily Evans, originally from Pittsburgh, received the prestigious award in late August at WIFLE’s annual leadership training conference in Washington, D.C.