News Releases and Statements

According to the indictment that led to the arrest of Betsian Carrasquillo-Peñaloza, 35, of Loiza, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 3, 2012, she enticed, harbored and transported a 14-year-old female identified as N.M.C.C. to engage in commercial sex acts. Carrasquillo-Peñaloza allegedly knew that the female was a minor. HSI special agents arrested her on Oct. 3, 2012. She entered a guilty plea Oct. 11, 2013.

Kurtis Head, 32, of Jasper, was convicted of 12 counts of receiving child pornography. He was sentenced July 8 to 97 months in federal prison by U.S. District Chief Judge Richard Young.

According to court documents, on May 10, 2012, Daniel Lewis Dolde, 44, of Coraopolis, possessed approximately two to three gigabytes of videos and images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending July 3, 2014

Mohammad Ajmal Choudhry, 61, orchestrated the murders of family members of a man who helped his daughter escape from Pakistan to the U.S.

Pedro Rayon-Perez, 28, of Mexico, was sentenced July 1 to 96 months in federal prison for harboring illegal aliens. Rayon-Perez previously pleaded guilty to the charge, as did three others. As an illegal alien, Rayon-Perez was further sentenced to 21 months for re-entering the United States after having been previously deported.

Damion St. Patrick Baston, 37, of New York, was convicted on four counts of sex trafficking – both in the United States and Australia – five counts of transporting multiple individuals for prostitution, one count of importation of an alien for prostitution, one count of using a passport secured by false statement, one count of aggravated identity theft and nine counts of money laundering. Baston was also found guilty of illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed.

Feeley and 21 other passengers took a four-hour flight over the blue skies of Idaho with the 151st Air Refueling Wing, Air National Guard, Salt Lake City, Utah. The crew's mission: aerial refueling A-10 Warthogs from the 124th Fighter Wing, Idaho Air National Guard.

Juan Pedro Guzman-Zavala, aka Alvaro Julio Luna, 28, was convicted by a jury March 13 of being an alien in possession of a firearm. The defendant elected to go to trial on that charge after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft and making a false statement in a passport application.

The revamped site also features streamlined navigation and a blog geared to international students and school officials. Users can translate the site into multiple languages.

The 215-count indictment unsealed in Brooklyn Supreme Court charges that the defendants obtained khat from Yemen, Kenya and Ethiopia; shipped it to the U.S. through countries including the United Kingdom, China, Holland and Belgium; and trafficked it around New York City and several other New York counties, as well as Massachusetts and Ohio. The ring then laundered the proceeds through operations in Minnesota and wired the money to various locations abroad, including Dubai and England.

Robert Glassmeyer, 61, was arrested Sunday at the Blue Water Bridge after returning from Ontario. During the course of a routine CBP inspection, officers searched a video camera that was in Glassmeyer's possession. The camera contained several images of child pornography. He was arrested on charges of possession and transportation of child pornography.

Heriberto Barajas-Coria, of Mexico, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for conspiring to transport and harbor aliens, resulting in the death of one of the aliens. Barajas-Coria previously pleaded guilty to the charge Feb. 6. As an illegal alien, Barajas-Coria is also expected to face deportation proceedings following his release from prison.

Manuel Hidalgo Flores, 40, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in racketeering, interference with commerce by robbery, and conspiracy to launder money. Further, the defendant is illegally within the United States and faces deportation after he completes his prison sentence.

George F. Harb, II, 56, appeared in Prescott Justice Court Thursday, where he was charged in a preliminary complaint. His case is pending in Yavapai County Superior Court.

In addition to his prison term, Lawrence H. Dorman, aka Howie, 43, forfeited a truck, electronic media and his interest in a property located on Gardner Place in Lakeland. He pleaded guilty Dec. 3, 2013.

ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending June 27, 2014

Charles Keith Rolfe, 60, of Heyburn, Idaho, faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison. He also faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervision. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Carlo Lee Reyes, aka El Raton, 41, of San Antonio, was sentenced to 240 months for aiding the attempted exportation of a firearm from the United States and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Reyes' prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release and he must pay a $5,000 fine.

Robert Harold Dolin, 55, of Irvine, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography in January. He was sentenced Monday morning by U.S. District Judge James V. Selna, who wrote in his sentencing memorandum that "possession of child pornography – especially material that involves prepubescent minor and masochistic or violent conduct is a real crime with real victims. It is serious and it must be deterred."

Jerald Vrbas, 60, of Palisade, Nebraska, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on a single count of producing child pornography. His sentence will be followed by an additional 15 years of supervised release.

William Paez Rubiano, 40, of Colombia, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count, and a fine of up to $2,000,000. He is currently detained pending his sentencing hearing Sept. 15.

Dale Wray Fulford, 77, of Slaton, Texas, was sentenced June 27 to 15 years in federal prison following his guilty plea in March 2014 to one count of production of child pornography.

Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets Inc., the largest employee-owned grocery chain in the United States, became the latest employer Friday to partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) employment compliance program.