News Releases and Statements

Philip Goodwin, 37 of Lynn, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to traffic counterfeit drugs, one count of trafficking counterfeit drugs, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Feb. 28, 2018.

Joel Paul, 45, of Fishers, Indiana, pleaded guilty to one count each of mail fraud, immigration document fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to submit fraudulent “U-visa” applications.

Inocente Orlando Montano, 75, formerly residing in Everett, Massachusetts, and 19 other former Salvadoran military officials were indicted in Spain for the 1989 murders of five Spanish Jesuit priests during the 10-year Salvadoran civil conflict.  An arrest warrant for Montano was issued in March 2011 by a Spanish magistrate judge.

Juan Perez-Alcoser, 21, from Mission, was sentenced Nov. 28 by U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez to 160 months in prison. At the hearing, Judge Alvarez noted that Perez-Alcoser’s behavior was slightly less culpable than the other defendants, but that it was still a serious matter. “People were stolen like merchandise,” she noted. “You’re selling people to make money,” she added when comparing the criminal behavior to that of slavery.

Last week’s arrestees (46 men and 9 women) included nationals from 22 countries – Mexico (20); Jamaica (5), Ecuador (4), Honduras (3), Colombia (2), Dominican Republic (2), El Salvador (2), Guatemala (2), Yemen (2), Bangladesh (1), France (1), Guyana (1), Jordan (1), Nigeria (1), Poland (1), Romania (1), Slovakia (1), Spain (1), Trinidad (1), Yemen (1), Serbia (1), Egypt (1).

Victoria Chan, who along with her father operated a San Gabriel-based business called California Investment Immigration Fund, LLC (CIIF), admitted that she exploited the EB-5 visa program, which provides lawful permanent residence – commonly known as a “Green Card” – to foreign nationals who invest at least $500,000 in a domestic business that creates 10 new American jobs.

Alexander Jovel-Guillen, 23, aka “El Crimen,” came into ICE custody Oct. 26, 2016, after apprehension by the U.S. Border Patrol. At that time, he was detained for illegal entry and held for removal from the United States.

Jose Manuel Ohajacao-Ramos, was transferred Nov. 9 to the custody of Guatemalan law enforcement officials by ERO officers in Guatemala City, Guatemala. According to Guatemalan authorities, Ohajacao-Ramos is accused of fatally shooting a store owner in his store in June 1997. Guatemalan law lists the charge as an assassination.

A former Massachusetts man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to possessing and distributing child pornography, and to failing to register as a sex offender. The offenses stem from two separate cases.

Jason Lee Randall, 33, of Mesquite, Texas, pleaded guilty to producing, transporting and possessing prepubescent child pornography; he also pleaded guilty to penalties for registered sex offenders.

Illegal aliens risk everything when they come across the border. They have no rights, no freedom and are at the mercy of their smugglers or captors.

In April 2017, Edgar Solorzano, 24, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to the following charges:  one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; two counts of assault on a federal officer; and one count of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  He has been in custody since the time of his arrest in August 2016.  On Nov. 20, 2017, U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay sentenced him to 231 months in prison.

According to court documents, Jose Carlos Hernandez-Lopez, 22, was encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol after a traffic stop on Sept. 6. At that time, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) was operating under an emergency operation due to Hurricane Irma. Based on the emergency operations procedures, the defendant was placed on the Alternates to Detention (ATD) Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) using a GPS ankle bracelet monitoring system and released from ICE ERO custody with instructions to return back to the ERO Office on Sept. 19.

U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings remanded Michael Doerr, 45, from San Angelo, Texas, into immediate custody to begin serving his sentence.  Doerr pleaded guilty in August 2017 to one count of receiving child pornography.

The crackdown on counterfeiting intensified this week as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) welcomed Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC) industry representatives from multiple sectors, and IP enforcers from across the federal government, to exchange intelligence and develop new strategies in the fight against IP crimes that support transnational criminal organizations and threaten the health and safety of American consumers.