News Releases and Statements

The investigation on Samuel Castro-Flores, aka 'Chame' or 'Chamuco,' 41, a Mexican national, began in mid-August 2012 after two illegal aliens had been smuggled into the country and their family members began to receive extortion calls demanding money for their release.

Emilio Perez-Solis, 39, of Oakland, and Hernan Cortes, 53, of Tulare, are named in a four-count indictment handed down Thursday charging them with criminal copyright infringement for private financial gain, criminal copyright infringement, trafficking in counterfeit labels, documentation and packaging, and conspiracy.

U.S. District Judge Crane sentenced south Texas attorney Jose Luis Palacios Jr., 38, of Mission, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.

Specifically, U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade sentenced Ulises Sandoval, 27, to 300 months on the production conviction, and 240 months on the possession conviction; the sentences will run concurrently.

Todd Morgans, 34, of West Pittston, pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (A-PVP), an analogue of methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) before U.S. District Judge Malachy Mannion.

Stephen Ardrey, 30, was arrested Sept. 12, 2013, when he was located walking with the victim along a Coventry, R.I., highway three days after the victim had been reported missing from her home in Medfield, Mass.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) dispatched a marine unit to intercept the suspicious vessel for further inspection.

U.S. and Canadian authorities request information regarding the whereabouts of Khaophone Sychantha, aka Kao, a fugitive suspected to be the ring leader of a large-scale narcotics and weapons smuggling operation that spanned both countries.

The Crime Museum today unveiled a new exhibit entitled 'Securing the Homeland - ICE,' offering insight into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its efforts to promote homeland security and public safety through the enforcement of more than 400 federal laws governing homeland security, customs, trade and immigration.

Gary Anthony Harris, 50, of Carle Place, N.Y., and his co-defendant Eric Bernard Harris, 46, of St. Albans, N.Y., were charged by criminal complaint Aug. 8, 2013, with conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Gary Harris pleaded guilty to the charges March 5.

Harry K. Roche, 43, was convicted in 2003 in Delaware of using a computer to depict a child engaging in a prohibited sexual act and possession of child pornography, which involved Roche producing sexually explicit images of children in his Magnolia apartment.

Genaro Olaguez-Rendon, a Mexican national who resided in the Sacramento area, was deported to his native country Tuesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He faces multiple homicide charges stemming from an attack 14 years ago that killed eight government officials in the Mexican state of Sinaloa.

HSI special agents arrested Jose Fernando Rodriguez-Vargas after they received information from the Puerto Rico Police Department regarding Rodriguez-Vargas's attempt to use his cellular telephone to clandestinely take photographs of a 14-year-old girl at a local supermarket.

Gustavo Ramirez-Ramirez, 45, pleaded guilty Nov. 27 in U.S. District Court to unlawful procurement of U.S. citizenship and admitted to submitting false information to obtain a U.S. passport.

Kristopher K. Sims, 30, of Augusta, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography. In his plea, Sims admitted that on Nov. 20, 2012, he made a recording, via the Internet, of a 12-year-old girl engaging in a sexual act.

An indictment was unsealed Monday charging four individuals with multiple counts of conspiracy, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and mail and wire fraud.

'HSI is proud to recognize the key role that the Trenton Police played in bringing this case to a successful resolution,' said Special Agent in Charge Marlon Miller. 'These funds will allow the Trenton Police Department to continue the excellent work they do in the community.'

Andrew Michael Spofford, 23, of Fargo, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for his involvement in a drug conspiracy with international ties that investigators titled 'Operation Stolen Youth.'

Juan Carlos Hernandez, 44, is charged with enticing a minor online to engage in illicit sexual activity, and interstate travel to meet a minor with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. He remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing and detention hearing, which have yet to be scheduled.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced it will extend the suspension of certain requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant Haitian students who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti.

Jonathan Scott Lee took sexually explicit photos of an 11-year-old girl and shared them on the Internet. Forensic analysis of digital media seized from Lee's home revealed thousands of images and videos of child exploitation.

Raymundo Silva, 35, was convicted of conspiracy and five bank-fraud charges. The jury acquitted Silva on two other bank-fraud charges after a four-day trial.

Of the 110 arrests, there were 84 in Spain, 20 in the UK, two in the United States and four in Serbia with the majority of people arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraud offences.

William Vergara-Alamo began text messaging with a 14-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe, after she mistakenly called his cellphone. Within two weeks of communicating with her, Vergara-Alamo asked Jane Doe to send him photographs of herself.

Michael Joseph Pepe, a retired Marine Corps captain who was convicted of drugging and sexually abusing girls in Cambodia, was sentenced Friday to 210 years in federal prison.