News Releases and Statements

The court sentenced Angel Amed Gomez-Garcia, 43, to 108 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Gomez-Garcia will likely face removal proceedings. Gomez-Garcia pleaded guilty Nov. 9.

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced 24-year-old Abraham J. Ahumada of Laredo to 262 months in prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court also ordered him to pay $4,077 in restitution.

ERO Denver officers apprehended 2 unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of drug trafficking or possession offenses involving methamphetamine and heroin during a nationwide enforcement effort Jan. 23 through Feb. 6.

ERO Los Angeles officers apprehended 16 unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of drug trafficking or possession offenses involving methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin during a nationwide enforcement effort Jan. 23 through Feb. 6.

The CNMI and Guam are geographically isolated in the Pacific Ocean and nearly all available goods arrive by sea and air. Based on the Mariana Islands’ proximity to Asia, transnational criminal organizations use the CNMI and Guam as transit points for illegal activities.

ERO Seattle officers apprehended three unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of drug trafficking or possession offenses involving methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin during a nationwide enforcement effort Jan. 23 through Feb. 6.

ERO Dallas removed Arnoldo Antonio Vásquez Alvarenga, a 60-year-old citizen of El Salvador who was previously a naturalized U.S. citizen, from the United States.

ERO New Orleans officers apprehended two unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of drug trafficking or possession offenses involving methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin during a nationwide enforcement effort Jan. 23 through Feb. 6.

ERO Salt Lake City officers apprehended six unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of drug trafficking or possession offenses involving methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin during a nationwide enforcement effort Jan. 23 through Feb. 6.

A federal jury sitting in Laredo deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Ana Maria Pena Gutierrez, 53, of Houston, on two charges following a two-day trial.

ICE ERO officers apprehended 67 unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of drug trafficking or possession offenses involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin during a nation-wide enforcement effort Jan. 23 through Feb. 6.

ERO New York City officers effected the voluntary return of Abdiel Emanuel De la Garza Hernandez, an unlawfully present Mexican citizen wanted for homicide Feb. 2.

An indictment was unsealed Feb. 8 charging Carlos Algredo Vazquez, 57, and Francisco Pulido Coracero, 65, both of Michoacan, Mexico, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine for importation into the United States and conspiracy to distribute listed chemicals for the purpose of manufacturing methamphetamine for importation into the United States.

Xavier Jay Reyes, 26, pleaded guilty to the charges Aug. 15.

Daniel Del Rio Sanchez, a 38-year-old Mexican fugitive wanted for robbery, is handed over by ICE officers to Mexican law enforcement authorities Feb. 9 at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in, Laredo, Texas. Del Rio has illegally entered the U.S. on 10 occasions.

Tobias Penner Peters, 46, piloted an aircraft carrying five undocumented noncitizens on Dec. 30, 2021, and crashed shortly after taking off from the Presidio Airport, according to court documents.

Gladstone Njokem, 36, pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft on Feb. 3, in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1.3 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act unemployment insurance benefits.  

A federal jury convicted Abdul Fatani, 57, of Richmond, Texas, of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of unlawful monetary transactions (money laundering).

U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark sentenced Tabitha Nicole Rodgers, 43, and her husband, Clint Travis Rodgers, 49, in separate appearances. Tabitha Rodgers was sentenced to four years in federal prison without parole. Clint Rodgers was sentenced to one year in federal prison without parole.

Officers turned over Misael Estrada-Virgin, 37, who has a prior final order of removal, to Mexican authorities at the international boundary at the Stanton Street Bridge in downtown El Paso.

The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) announced the seizure of approximately 180,000 counterfeit sports-related items, worth an estimated $22.7 million during a joint press conference with the National Football League (NFL).

ERO Boston officers arrested De-Sales Gomes, who is the subject of an active criminal warrant in Brazil as the result of his drug trafficking conviction in the Judicial Court of Cartagina, Mina Gerais, Brazil, in February 2022.

Mexican American businessman Julio Santamaria, 49, pleaded guilty Feb. 7 after admitting he conspired to sell and use private computer-hacking tools in Mexico and the U.S. to monitor political and business rivals.

An ERO assessment revealed Condor Vaca legally entered the United States on March 15, 2021, and failed to depart as required. ERO Atlanta officers served him with a Notice to Appear, and he will remain in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody pending removal proceedings.

HSI San Antonio Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee at the podium providing remarks during the USAO Southern District of Texas boating press conference. He provided information regarding HSI’s role in the investigation that led to the arrest of six suspects.