News Releases and Statements

During the day’s enforcement actions, investigators seized approximately 600 pounds of synthetic cannabinoids and dismantled a possible spice lab. Investigators also seized several luxury vehicles and over $350,000 in cash.

According to the first indictment, between Feb. 1 and July 21, Christopher Martinez Sr., 45; Randy Seja, 24; Felix Gago, 40; and Christopher Martinez Jr., 23, conspired to possess and distribute methamphetamine. In the second indictment, Gilberto Zarate, 34; Jorge Calestino Alvarez-Arias, 27; Marco Mosqueda, 27; Frances Reyna, 55; Gabriel Galvan, 27; Rafael Delatorre, 32; Jose Delatorre, 22; Alfonso Esparza, 38; and Gabriel Esparza, 37, are charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and distribution of  methamphetamine. Zarate, along with Alfonso Esparza and Gabriel Esparza, are also charged with being felons in possession of firearms. The third indictment adds defendant Cecilio Alaniz, 26, and Christopher Valdez, 35, to an indictment that originally charged Jesse Mendoza, 36, and Roxana Dodier, 23.

“This case, once more, exemplifies that those involved in the distribution of narcotics and other contraband will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted,” said Ricardo Mayoral, acting special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. “HSI thanks our federal and local federal law enforcement partners for their significant cooperation in dismantling this drug trafficking organization.”

Shawn Shannon, 44, a traveling gospel singer from Muncie, Indiana, was convicted July 27 after a three-day trial of 19 counts of sexually exploiting a minor and one count of distributing child pornography.

On July 25, deportation officers conducting a targeted law enforcement action in and around Chesapeake, Virginia, encountered one of the worst kinds of criminals, an aggravated felon, who had already been removed from the United States.

Russell Dean Millsaps, 69, was sentenced July 1 by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joseph P. Mikitish on multiple counts of child molestation, crimes against children, and sexual exploitation of a minor. The case against Millsaps was prosecuted by Rebecca Jones of the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County.

Luis A. Flores-Mendoza, 26, of Santa Ana, was arrested Monday by special agents with ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). He was charged in a criminal complaint filed by federal prosecutors last week.

Joohoon David Lee, 43, who currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who called the bribery “a very, very grave crime.” Lee pleaded guilty last December to one count of bribery, following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

Yousef Aezah, 27, Adhim Aezah, 22, and Dirar Aezah, 18, all of Bakersfield, were arraigned following their arrest before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. In addition to manufacturing and distributing spice, the men are charged in a four-count indictment handed down Thursday with conspiracy and maintaining drug-involved premises. 

Daniel Barrera Barrera, 48, aka, Loco Barrera, a citizen of Colombia, worked with two Colombian terrorist organizations to manufacture and distribute thousands of kilograms of cocaine per year. He also laundered tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds.

Following a two week trial, a federal jury found Gregorio, 60, and Angelo Gigliotti, 36, guilty for their involvement trafficking cocaine through multiple countries. Gregorio Gigliotti was also convicted of possessing a stash of firearms in connection with the operation.

In pleading guilty, Lawrence Ham, 52, admitted that between June 26, 2015, and July 14, 2015, he possessed sexually explicit images of children on his computer and in print. Ham further admitted the images included depictions of prepubescent children engaged in conduct involving sadistic or masochistic abuse of the victims.

In Skagit County, 10 individuals were taken into custody, including nine from Mt. Vernon and one from Burlington. In Whatcom County, nine individuals were taken into custody from cities including: Bellingham (3), Bow (1), Everson (2), Ferndale (2) and Lynden (1).

Jonathan Brent Wulf, 62, of Seattle, was arrested in September 2015 when he arrived at a meeting place for a sexual encounter with what turned out to be an undercover ICE HSI agent. At Friday’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted Wulf’s career as a clinical psychologist saying “You’ve been able to see the kind of damage this activity can cause.

Angelo Harper Jr., 21, was found guilty of advertising child pornography, a crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. Harper was found guilty by U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who presided over a two-day bench trial.

According to the agreement, in March 2012, HSI audited employee I-9 immigration forms at Mary’s Gone Crackers Inc., based in Gridley. Later, in May 2012, HSI notified the company that 49 of its employees appeared not to be authorized to work in the U.S. After one employee provided corrected documentation, Mary’s Gone Crackers informed ICE the other 48 had resigned or been terminated.

The indictment charges the following individuals with conspiring to cultivate marijuana at two sites in the Sequoia National Forest: Sair Eduardo Maldonado-Soto, 21, Coral Herrera, 19, both of Perris; Abel Toledo-Villa, 34, of Michoacán, Mexico; and Alfredo Cardenas-Suastegui, 55, of Mexico.

Artem Vaulin, 30, of Kharkiv, Ukraine, was arrested in Poland and is charged via criminal complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, with conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement, conspiracy to commit money laundering and criminal copyright infringement.  

All of the 100 men and 12 women taken into custody by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers during this week’s operation, which concluded late Wednesday, had criminal histories. The majority (62) had prior felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as child sex crimes, weapons charges, and assault.

Christian Lancaster, 46, of Alameda, is charged in an indictment with knowingly possessing one or more images of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Up until January, Lancaster was a teacher with the San Francisco Unified School District.

Edwin Alexander Garcia-Pimentel, aka Huezo, 41, was transferred by ERO officers to the custody of Salvadoran law enforcement officials. An arrest warrant issued in June 2013 by a judge in El Salvador charges Garcia with aggravated murder.

Richard Wayne Barton, 51, of Dickinson was sentenced July 21 to 235 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay restitution to known victims. He was further ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the Internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The 24 arrestees were all male citizens and/or nationals of several different countries across the globe, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, Ghana, Ethiopia, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama and had previously been convicted of crimes, including rape of a minor, child abuse/neglect, grand larceny, drug distribution and more. Arrests took place in Fairfax, Woodbridge, Manassas, Falls Church, Annandale, Winchester, Sterling, Herndon, Springfield, as well as the District.

Delvin Phuong Pham, aka Kevin Pham, 49, appeared in federal court before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan Oki Mollway. In addition to the prison term, Judge Mollway ordered the defendant to forfeit more than $96,000 in personal property and 14 illegal gambling machines.