News Releases and Statements

53 arrested in El Salvador, 214 arrested across the US

Bruce Trenshel Davis, aka “Wheatie,” 25, of Shreveport, Louisiana, and Brandon Ray Austin, aka “Pep,” 31, of Fort Worth, appeared Wednesday in federal court on a federal criminal complaint stemming from their attempt to threaten witnesses who were cooperating with law enforcement to prosecute a child sex trafficking organization. Demarcus Davis, Kentrell Davis, Pierre Lagrone, Herman Sanders and Reginald Smith were among the eight charged.

Frank Vega-Marrero, 56, was arrested in Humacao following allegations that he was impersonating an HSI special agent in order to gain access to the Center for Emergency Management (CEM) of the municipal government of Humacao.

Participants for the academy were nominated by local HSI employees for inclusion in the program.  Once nominated, the interested community members had to submit an application and undergo a limited background check before ultimately being selected to participate.  The HSI Tampa Citizens’ Academy received more applicants than there were slots available so acceptance was limited, but the office is already looking forward to hosting the next class.

Timothy Paul Malone, 39, of River Oaks, Texas, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children. Malone faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years and not more than 90 years, a total of $750,000 in fines and up to a lifetime of supervised release. Malone has been in custody since the time of indictment in September 2017.

Jorge Ochoa-Martinez 35, was transferred Nov. 14, to the custody of Mexican law enforcement officials by ERO officers at the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry in Laredo, Texas. According to Mexican authorities, in 2006, Ochoa-Martinez and other suspects are accused of fatally bludgeoning a man with a screw driver. Authorities said the beating lasted for approximately 20 minutes.

In addition to his prison sentence Anthony Lee Gambino, 45, of Farmington, New Mexico, must serve three years on supervised release after he completes his prison sentence. According to court filings, Gambino was the owner and operator of Gambino Security Safety Corp., a security company based in Aztec, New Mexico. 

Green began his military career in December 1985 as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army.  As he reflects on Veterans Day, he thinks of service to the nation and the opportunity to pay tribute to his fellow soldiers who served with him.

A criminal complaint against Keith Liwang, 26, was unsealed Thursday with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announcing the charges of conspiracy to produce child pornography. Liwang is alleged to have directed women on Facebook to abuse children and send him photographs of the abuse in exchange for cash.

Adam Thomas Simington, 31, from Corpus Christi, on Nov. 9 pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.

In the course of Operation Secure Streets, ERO deportation officers apprehended 25 individuals, 24 of whom have been convicted of violations concerning the operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. One individual, who was arrested for immigration violations, did not have a DUI-related conviction. Each was taken into custody and is currently being detained pending the completion of removal proceedings.

Those arrested during the Nov. 7 enforcement actions include:  Houston residents Giovani Alecio, aka Whiteboy, 26, Victor Javiel Gonzalez, 29, Maria Angelica Moreno-Reyna, aka Patty, 51, Gabriela Gonzalez-Flores, aka Gabby, 46, Eddie Torres, aka Monterrey 38, Jose Luis Moreno, aka Lucky, 23, Gilberto Espinoza Garcia, 49, Hector Reyna, aka Pantera, 26, Jimmy Mejia Chavez, 33, and Grisel Salas, aka Cris, 34, from Donna, Texas; and Jose Ruben Palomo-Martinez, 48, from Mission, Texas. Those arrested in the Houston area made their initial appearances in federal court Nov. 8 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson.

Those arrested also face charges for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. During the investigation and leading up to Wednesday’s arrests, authorities seized 35 firearms, including 20 pistols and 15 rifles, including five machine guns.

The defendants, Jose Emanuel Garcia Sota, aka Juan Manuel Maldonado Amezcua, aka “Zafado,” 36, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and Jesus Ivan Quezada Piña, aka “Loco,” 29, of Matamoros, Mexico, are among seven Mexican nationals who were extradited to the United States on federal charges in this case.  They were found guilty by a jury on July 27, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and sentenced by the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth.

Since January, ICE arrests comprise over 70 percent convicted criminals. Of the remaining individuals not convicted of a crime, approximately 70 percent have either been charged with a crime, are an immigration fugitive, or have been removed from the United States and illegally re-entered.

Joshua Noble, 39, was charged by felony information on April 17, 2017, and pleaded guilty on June 29, 2013, to one count of distributing child pornography. Noble was sentenced Nov. 2 before Judge Ann D. Montgomery.  He was also sentenced to 10 year term of supervised release, $26,000 in restitution to the victims, and he must pay a $5,000 special assessment to the Domestic Trafficking Victims Fund.

Alexander Robert McManus, 56, of Jamestown, North Dakota, was sentenced Nov. 3 before Judge Ralph R. Erickson following his guilty plea to one count of receiving materials containing child pornography and two counts of possessing materials containing child pornography.

Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings sentenced Leopoldo Herrera-Gandara, aka “Polo,” 33 of Arch, New Mexico, to 121 months in federal prison. Herrera-Gandara pleaded guilty in August to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Hazrat Khalid Khan, 58, a Pakistani national residing in Middletown, New York, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and one year of supervised release, and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Khan was also ordered to pay restitution of $2,343,155 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and $27,863 to two insurance companies he defrauded.

Ramon Castillo-Muñoz, 50, was placed in ICE custody June 31 and deported from the United States Nov. 2.

On Sept. 8, 2017, Jose Antonio Cordova-Rodriguez, 33, was arrested outside his Chicago residence by special agents and officers with ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force. 

Jorge Luis Malaga-Estrada, 32, was transferred to the custody of Mexican authorities through the Nogales DeConcini Port of Entry by ERO officers with the Phoenix field office.