News Releases and Statements

Two indictments were unsealed Monday charging eight men and one woman from Long Island with conspiring to commit wire fraud, stealing identities and concealing and harboring illegal aliens employed at 7-11 Inc. franchise stores located throughout Long Island and Virginia.

The two have been in custody since their arrest Jan. 17

A letter written by famous Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was one of eight documents returned to the Russian Federation during a repatriation ceremony Thursday by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the Spaso House, a neoclassical style mansion and residence of every U.S. ambassador to Russia since 1933, in Moscow, June 13.

Victor Lopez, 47, of San Angelo, Texas, has been in federal custody since his arrest after HSI special agents executed a federal search warrant at his residence Jan. 23.

The charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and/or a $250,000 criminal fine.

Jeffrey Steven Telsey was sentenced Thursday for his role in a scheme to traffic counterfeit razor blades to a Michigan retailer. In January 2008, HSI special agents learned that counterfeit Gillette Mach3 razor refills were being distributed through Meijer Stores. Meijer Stores purchased the razors from JCA Enterprises, which was owned by Telsey.

Richard McNeal of Randallstown, Md., pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to felony charges of trafficking in counterfeit goods. He sold thousands of dollars worth of fraudulent tickets to Super Bowl XVII in February 2013 and the Allstate BCS National Championship in January 2012.

Carlos Ugarte, 31, was arrested at his place of residence after a search of his home computer revealed hundreds of child pornography images of prepubescent female minors.

Jennifer Ellen Marie Rodriguez, a U.S. citizen residing in Reynosa, Mexico, was sentenced Friday to 188 months in prison for trafficking more than 10 kilograms (22 lbs.) of methamphetamine after an investigation conducted by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, working jointly with Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) officers, arrested Jalmar Diaz-Melendez, a man allegedly associated with a drug trafficking organization operating in the Las Piedras-Juncos area, on Wednesday.

"Ryan Breen pleaded guilty Wednesday to trafficking in counterfeit goods involving the sale of unauthorized merchandise from the popular FX Network television series ""Sons of Anarchy."" The plea follows an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). "

Javier Martinez, an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic living in Alaska, was convicted Thursday by a federal jury of firearms violations, immigration benefit fraud and identity theft. Martinez came to the attention of federal investigators after he allegedly shot and killed his former supervisor at the Millennium Alaskan Hotel.

The indictment alleges that as a result of the conspiracy, lenders provided more than $3.5 million for fraudulently obtained loans.

Federal officials and representatives from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington announced the seizure of a long-lost diary kept by a close confidant of Adolph Hitler.

Patrick Regan was sentenced to 101 months in prison for smuggling more than 300 firearms to organizations in Colombia that take over and control areas of the country by killing law abiding citizens and legitimate police officers.

Antonio Rivera, the former owner of the bars Sonidos de la Frontera in Lake Ronkonkoma and La Hija del Mariachi in Farmingville, was sentenced to 60 years of imprisonment Wednesday for his lead role in a sex trafficking and forced labor ring.

Chavez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

Federico Mendez-Hernandez, 28, was last apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol May 9 on the Rio Grande River near Hidalgo and transferred to ICE custody three days later. On May 18, Mendez-Hernandez was transported to the Christus Spohn Hospital Kleberg in Kingsville after he reported symptoms compatible with rabies, which included anxiety, vomiting, trouble swallowing, shortness of breath and rapid heart rate.

Kenneth Gaylord Stokes was indicted Wednesday in federal court for "sex tourism," and producing and distributing child pornography with five juvenile victims. Stokes also has a prior conviction for the statutory rape of a 7-year-old child in the state of Washington.

Matthew Edward Shubart, of Yakima, Wash., admitted in a plea agreement to seeking and offering to exchange, distribute and receive child pornography over the Internet. According to prosecutors, Shubart was one of 109 members of an online child pornography trading group.

Jason Jordan, a 34-year-old Washington state man who sold counterfeit air bags over the Internet, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods. Jordan admitted in a plea agreement that from at least July 2010 to August 2012, he imported counterfeit Ford, GM, Honda, and Toyota air bags from sources in China.

The eight defendants are charged together in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.

Forensic analysis of his seized phone determined Heath Trahan had used it to take photographs of two minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Examination of his computers also revealed approximately 500 images and 60 videos of child pornography, which he had in his possession but did not produce.

Austin J. Correll, 32, of Johnstown, Pa., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kim R. Gibson. Correll pleaded guilty to the charge Jan. 24.

Todd Stumpf and William Jewell were sentenced on felony charges in federal court Tuesday after pleading guilty for their participation in an international criminal network known as Dreamboard, which produced and disseminated depictions of graphic child sexual abuse via the Internet.