News Releases and Statements

Jesus Ortiz-Tun, a Mexican man wanted in his native country on murder and torture charges, was turned over to Mexican law enforcement authorities at the Dennis DeConcini port of entry Friday by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers.

"More than 300 search warrants and 150 arrest warrants were executed Wednesday in 33 states, targeting the upper echelon of designer synthetic drug trafficking organizations. ""Project Synergy"" was announced by the Drug Enforcement Administration, ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection."

Two Cleveland-area residents, Ryan Kralik and Ruth Eimers, were indicted Wednesday on charges of intent to distribute bath salts. The charges resulted from an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Portage County Drug Task Force and the Portage County Sheriff's Office.

Andres Ruiz-Huertas, a 60-year-old man charged with production of child pornography, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday following an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF).

Niyaz Sainudeen of Bethlehem, Pa., was sentenced Tuesday to 151 months in federal prison for distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography. During a March 2012 search of Sainudeen's computer, HSI special agents discovered hundreds of images and dozens of videos of child pornography.

27-year-old Benjamin Mahoney was sentenced to five years in a United Kingdom prison for enticing two minor girls residing in Maine to perform sex acts on each other in front of a web camera following a joint investigation led by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the South Wales Police.

During this investigation, no firearms were permitted to be exported to Mexico.

Officers executed a search warrant at the residence and seized several plastic bags containing methamphetamine and marijuana.

Ramirez was unaware that the driver of the tractor-trailer was an undercover police officer.

John Robert Stevens, III, knowingly downloaded child pornography in 2011 from the Internet to his personal computer, including many images of children younger than 12 years old, as well as images depicting the sadistic and violent treatment of children.

ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) signed a letter of intent to establish a trade transparency unit in Manila to exchange information and promote the detection of trade-based money laundering and commercial fraud violations.

Ralph Allen Jackson Jr., a Long Beach man who allegedly forced a 17-year-old girl to work as a prostitute, has been named in a federal criminal complaint that charges him with child sex trafficking.

Michael J. Barndt, a Pennsylvania man who allegedly traveled to Delaware to engage in sexual relations with an individual whom Barndt believed to be a 14-year-old girl, was arrested Wednesday at a Delaware shopping mall.

Raul and Fidel Villarreal, two San Diego-area brothers who formerly served as US Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agents, were sentenced Friday for orchestrating a scheme to smuggle more than 1,000 illegal immigrants into the United States in exchange for more than $1 million in bribes.

One of 30 others who have been sentenced so far for this drug smuggling conspiracy

Rolin Eli Escober, 50, of Humble, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore to 108 months in federal prison.

The Department of Justice today restrained the 1909 Pablo Picasso painting ""Compotier et tasse"" in response to an official request by the government of Italy for assistance in connection with its ongoing criminal investigation and prosecution of Gabriella Amati.

A Baltimore man, Lorenzo Solomon, was sentenced Monday for a conspiracy to import cocaine from St. Vincent, U.S. Virgin Islands, and distribute it in Maryland, following an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Metropolitan Area Drug Task Force.

In September 2012, officers with the Fort Worth Police ICAC Unit executed a search warrant at Richard D. Anderson's home and seized computers and removable storage media. A forensic exam of these seized items revealed images and videos of child pornography.

From 2009 to July 2012, Angel Campos Tellez was a leader of a network that transported women to engage in commercial sex acts in Manassas, Woodbridge, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News, Baltimore and Delaware.

John J. Frazer, 32, of Silvis, Ill., was sentenced June 20 by U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, Central District of Illinois, to 300 months in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Frazer pleaded guilty to the charges Feb. 6.

Two Mexican men made their initial appearance in court on state felony drug and weapons charges following their arrest for allegedly possessing nearly 2,500 pounds of marijuana and three firearms.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, working jointly with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers arrested five individuals and indicted three companies who allegedly participated in a conspiracy to smuggle and clandestinely introduce aluminum imported from China by passing false and fraudulent invoices...

The U.S. ICE Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) office strives to administer true transparency and accountability with the public. The office handles as many as 1,000 requests every week, each requiring expert logistical skills, in-depth coordination and countless hours of work.

Twenty members of the Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs, Criminal Investigation Department will join the fight against transnational organized crime following their graduation Friday from an elite training program in the United States.