News Releases and Statements

Court documents allege that Roberto Ramirez, 21, of Tucson, arrived at the Border Patrol checkpoint on I-19 near Amado, Dec. 24, while transporting two suspected illegal aliens.

Hebert Veloza Garcia, 50, a former leader of Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia or AUC, was deported via ICE Air Operations under escort by ERO deportation officers. Veloza Garcia was transferred into ERO custody from the Bureau of Prisons in October 2016, after serving more than eight years in federal prison. He is wanted by Colombian officials for forced displacement and threats. Veloza admitted in Colombian court that he ordered or personally participated in the killing of dozens while leading the AUC.

HSI and Department of Commerce OEE Special Agents partner to address vulnerabilities in the export sector and work to conduct Project Shield America (PSA) outreach presentations to certain “reshipper” businesses that are unique to Delaware. 

According to Salvadoran authorities, Leandro Cruz aka Jose Arturo Gonzalez Martinez, was involved with the murders of eight, which prompted law enforcement officials there to list him as one El Salvador’s 100 Most Wanted. Cruz, identified as No. 6, is listed as Martinez or “Gasper” on the Salvadoran Los 100 Mas Buscados list.

The 21 listed in the indictment are being charged with a variety of criminal offenses including: first, second and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance; first, second and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; second and fourth-degree conspiracy; and other related charges. Two individuals, Mario Martinez, 46, of the Bronx and Joan Velez, 36, of the Bronx, have been indicted for operating as major traffickers, moving major narcotics throughout the New York Metropolitan area.  Each face a maximum of 25 years to life in prison if convicted of that charge. 

Giovanni Zannoni, 35, of Gavorrano, Italy, has pleaded guilty to illegally exporting and attempting to export night vision equipment and assault rifle components.  As part of his plea, Zannoni agreed to forfeit $436,673.73, in addition to the dozens of gun parts and night vision and thermal imaging devices recovered by the government in connection with this prosecution.

The investigation into Kimball Hoff, 61, began in October 2015 when HSI special agents received information regarding child pornography being downloaded and shared from a specific internet protocol address. On Oct. 27, 2015, HSI special agents executed a search warrant at Hoff’s Pima County residence.

Scott McKinney, a flight attendant, is charged with conspiracy to violate airport security requirements and operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.

Elvis Recinos-Agreda, 39, was removed from the country via an ICE Air Operations Charter flight and transferred into the custody of Salvadoran authorities upon arrival to the capital of San Salvador.

A 30-year-old Mexican national, Juan Eduardo Meraz-Flores, serving his third stint in federal prison for entering the United States illegally, has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a Fort Worth auto shop owner in 2007.

Yomtov Scott Menaged, 40, of Phoenix, was sentenced Dec. 19 by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow.  Menaged had previously pleaded guilty in October to charges of bank fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Menaged to serve 36 months of supervised release after he completes his prison term; he must also pay $33,558,407.76 restitution to the various victims.

John B. Alwood, 54,  was identified by HSI Delaware as having accessed an online conferencing application in order to gain sexual gratification by viewing child pornography with other men.

Sean Price, 39, met the Australian teen online and encouraged her to join him in New York.  The superseding indictment charged him with interstate and foreign enticement to engage in sexual activity, interstate and foreign transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity, a Mann Act violation, and attempted sexual exploitation of a child.

Brian Tate, age 35, previously pleaded guilty to traveling to a hotel to engage in sex with a six-year-old female. Between October 17, 2016 and November 9, 2016, Tate used the internet to arrange for the minor to be brought to the hotel to meet him for sex.

Milan Trisic, 54, pleaded guilty to a single count of obtaining a Permanent Resident Card, commonly referred to as a “green card,” by making materially false claims and statements.

Randy Wang, 33, was arrested on charges stemming from his scheme to defraud his former employer, a company based in Manhattan that manages a global airline alliance whose members consisted of approximately 13 international airlines and their affiliates (“Company”), by incurring more than $2.2 million in unauthorized charges on the Company’s credit card account, and then making changes to the Company’s accounting system to evade detection.

ERO deportation officers escorted Jose Martinez, 41, who was removed to San Salvador via an ICE Air Operations Charter flight, and transferred to the custody of El Salvadoran law enforcement authorities.

Following an investigation by ICE's HSI New York’s Cultural Property, Arts and Antiquities group, in coordination with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, three marble statues originally excavated from the Temple of Eshmun in Lebanon were repatriated to their home country. The Consul General of Lebanon in New York accepted the return of the artifacts on behalf of Lebanon.

“These criminals conspired to circumvent and exploit our nation's immigration laws for personal financial gain,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “This undermines the very objectives of our immigration laws and services, which are based on the honesty of the people who apply for immigration benefits.”

Ruben Arnoldo Madrid, 21, from Laredo, was sentenced Dec. 14 by U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release.  On June 2, 2017, Madrid pleaded guilty for his role in smuggling firearms into Mexico.

Jon Anthony Terry, 28, of Rockwall, Texas, is currently in custody on a related criminal complaint. A date has not yet been set for him to make his initial appearance.

ICE continues to prioritize its resources to enhance public safety and border security, which is demonstrated by the Fiscal Year 2017 data, which reflects that 92 percent of aliens ICE administratively arrested between January 20, 2017 and the end of FY2017, were removable aliens who had a criminal conviction or a pending criminal charge, were an ICE fugitive, or were an illegal re-entrant.

Hakeem James Hughes, 28, allegedly coerced and enticed a minor to engage in sex acts for the purpose of making visual images of those acts in Feb. and April 2014. The two-count indictment charges Hughes with production of child pornography on separate dates.

Geoffrey Comstock, 54, owner and operator of the Frio Nevado Corporation, was convicted Dec. 13 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six substantive counts of wire fraud.