News Releases and Statements

ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Eric Dionida German-Pena, 25, a native and citizen of the Dominican Republic, following his apprehension in Lynn for his alleged role in the murder of a Massachusetts sandwich shop owner during an apparent home-invasion robbery.

Approximately 23 individuals suspected of being involved with a human trafficking network were arrested, and more than 80 human trafficking victims were rescued, including three minors.

ICE HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, conducted routine, daily enforcement actions in South Texas that began during the week of Jan. 22.

ICE removed Serafin Leon Rojas, a citizen of Mexico with a final order of removal, to Mexico on Feb. 4. Leon is a foreign fugitive wanted by law enforcement authorities in Mexico for domestic violence.

ICE, as part of a joint federal law enforcement effort captured 5 illegal aliens with a history of unlawful entry into the U.S.

Serawit Gezahegn Dejene, a 45-year-old citizen of Ethiopia in the custody of ICE, was pronounced deceased by medical professionals at the Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, Jan. 29 at 1:21 p.m.

ICE apprehended an illegally present Dominican national convicted of heroin distribution crimes, who is currently charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and shoplifting crimes when ICE officers arrested Santor Aibar, 56, in East Boston Jan. 22.

ICE's HSI played a key role, alongside the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security and other partners, in an announcement Feb. 6 by the Justice Department that Dominican Republic authorities, working in coordination with U.S. federal law enforcement and based on violations of U.S. export control and sanctions laws, seized a Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft used by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company.

ICE apprehended a Salvadoran alien convicted of possession of a loaded handgun when officers with arrested German Ronal Del Cid Carranza, 33, Feb. 4, in Silver Spring, Maryland.

ICE and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 3-time previously deported criminal alien Feb. 5 wanted in Harris County, Texas, for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.

On Feb. 6, 2025, Ippei Mizuhara, a former Japanese-language interpreter was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for illegally — and without authorization — transferring nearly $17 million from the bank account of Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani to pay off his own substantial gambling debts incurred with an illegal bookmaking operation and for signing a false tax return, following a joint Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), IRS Criminal Investigation probe.

ICE apprehended an illegally present Brazilian fugitive wanted for armed robbery in his home country when officers arrested the 38-year-old alien in Everett Jan. 22.

ICE apprehended an illegally present 41-year-old Salvadoran fugitive wanted in his home country for aggravated homicide when officers arrested the fugitive Jan. 22 in Everett,

The affidavit alleges the suspect who uploaded the photos, later determined as Gordillo, lived in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City police detectives investigated the tip, and others from Facebook, determining that Gordillo was communicating with a child living out of state.

Jose Refugio Torres, 28, from Roma, Texas, was sentenced on Feb. 5 by U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera to serve 36 months in prison, immediately followed by one year of supervised release.

A ICE arrest led to Gustavo Ignacio Salas Ortega, 33, a Chilean alien, being charged Feb. 4 in the U.S. District Court in Newark, New Jersey, with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property that had crossed state lines and one count of receiving stolen property that had crossed state lines.

The 42-year-old Mexican male was arrested on Feb. 6, 2025, for illegal re-entry after deportation. At the time of his arrest, authorities discovered that the individual was in possession of a fraudulent immigration card and narcotics for personal use.

Anderson Morales-Calderon, 19, and Ever Morales-Calderon, 25, were arrested and charged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas with aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm as undocumented aliens.

Chad Michael Sadlowski, 34, of St. Johns, was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months, and was ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. The court also ordered him to register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty in October 2024.

Jasmin Osteen, 27, of Jamestown, was sentenced to serve 144 months in prison, the U.S. District Court for the District of Western New York announced Feb. 4. She was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.

In total, more than 214,507 counterfeit items were seized, including jerseys, t-shirts, hats, jewelry, and various other memorabilia. Since its launch in 2013, Operation Team Player has seized more than $455 million in counterfeit sports merchandise and apparel, making it the largest anti-counterfeiting initiative within the federal government.

Colin John Thomas Walker, 23, of Bridgeton, New Jersey, and Clint Jordan Lopaka Nahooikaika Borge, 41, of Pahoa, Hawaii, were arrested pursuant to a grand jury indictment charging them with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. They are expected to make initial court appearances later today in New Jersey and Hawaii. Two additional defendants, Rohan Sandeep Rane, 28, of Antibes, France, and Kaleb Christopher Merritt, 24, of Spring, Texas, were also charged in the indictment.

The goal of this operation was to arrest individuals perpetrating access device fraud through unauthorized cash withdrawals from victim Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

HSI, in partnership with U.S. Border Patrol, FBI, ATF, DEA, and the El Paso Sheriff’s Office, arrested several criminal aliens during targeted enforcement actions in West Texas that began during the week of Jan. 20.

ICE removed Francisco Javier Melendez Torres, a citizen of El Salvador with a final order of removal, to El Salvador on Jan. 31. Melendez is a foreign fugitive wanted by law enforcement authorities in El Salvador for aggravated rape of a minor and sexual harassment.