News Releases and Statements

Rafael Enrique Pinto Franceschi (Pinto), 40, of Miami, Florida, and Franz Herman Muller Huber, 68, of Weston, Florida, were charged in a five-count indictment returned in the Southern District of Texas on Feb. 21 and unsealed Feb. 26. Pinto and Muller are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to launder money.

Raul Beltran Jr., 50, and his son Edward Beltran, 24, both of Rio Grande City, Texas, pleaded guilty Feb. 25 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance (more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana).

Juan Ramon-Vasquez, 51, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment, to be served consecutive to his state sentence, for his federal crime of illegal reentry to the United States after deportation.

Information disclosed in the case shows that, on or about June 23, 2018, Guilherme Alves De Melo (Alves), 34, a citizen of Brazil, was a passenger on an international American Airlines flight originating in Calgary, Canada, and bound for Chicago, Illinois.

Adrian Paul Baron, 64, was removed to London, via a commercial flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Mergia Negussie Habteyes, 58, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully procuring naturalization contrary to law before U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III of the Eastern District of Virginia. A sentencing hearing before Judge Ellis is scheduled for May 17, 2019.

Eighteen members and associates of a white supremacist gang, the Universal Aryan Brotherhood, were charged in federal court Thursday for their alleged roles in conspiring in a racketeering enterprise, kidnapping, and drug conspiracy.

On Tuesday, Feb. 12, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Casa Grande and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office arrested 45-year-old Scott Buckley of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Oscar Antonio Rosas-Alas, 23, was arrested without incident by ICE deportation officers in Eagle County, Colorado, on March 19, 2018.  Rosas-Alas is a fugitive wanted on an Interpol warrant for aggravated extortion; he is described in the warrant as being armed and dangerous, an escape risk and having violent tendencies.

The Philippine nationals were arrested for violations of the Philippine Republic Act 10364 (RA 10364) Expanded Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012, in relation to Republic Act 10175, Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, Philippine Republic Act 9775 (RA 9775), Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, and Philippine Republic Act 9208 (RA 9208) as amended by RA 10364, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.  RA 9208 is a no-bail offense and if convicted, they will be sentenced to life imprisonment. 

On July 9, 2018, ERO deportation officers arrested Benitez-Flores in Bayshore, New York, on immigration charges. On Jan. 29, 2019, Benitez-Flores was ordered removed by an immigration Judge in New York City, paving the way for his removal to El Salvador.

Representatives from a variety of federal and state law enforcement agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations hit the streets of Charlotte early Thursday morning to target potential human traffickers and aid victims in the hours leading up to NBA All-Star 2019.

Josue Eduardo Cota, 33, of Douglas, Ariz., was sentenced Feb. 13, to serve 720 months in prison for producing and distributing child pornography following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Saul Ernesto Orellana-Jandres, 25, is wanted by Salvadoran authorities for membership to a terrorist organization.

During the operation, 26 individuals working at the market were determined to be in the United States without authorization. They were temporarily taken into custody and released pending the outcome of their immigration case.

William Derek Williams, 39, of Cameron, Missouri, was charged with three counts of producing child pornography, involving three different minor victims, from Jan. 1, 2013, to Sept. 6, 2018. Williams is also charged with one count of possessing child pornography.

On Feb 7, while investigating a suspicious yola-type vessel in Vieques, HSI and CBP special agents and officers, respectively, learned that a Coast Guard air unit, while on a routine patrol, detected another incoming vessel at approximately 10 nautical miles south of Vieques.

Don Hyun Choi departed the U.S. and was turned over to South Korean law enforcement authorities for the aforementioned criminal convictions.

ICE's HSI office partnered with Clear Channel Outdoor on a Tampa Bay area human trafficking awareness outreach campaign utilizing billboards across the region.

The drugs, which consisted of three containers targeted for inspection, were seized at the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport by officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on January 11 – intercepting the shipment before it could reach Australian shores.

Funes-Herrera, 52, came into ICE custody Sept. 5, 2018, after apprehension by the U.S. Border Patrol.  At that time, he was detained, and placed into removal proceedings.