News Releases and Statements

A federal grand jury Tuesday indicted Derrick Elrod, 35, of Philadelphia, Pa. in connection with a bank fraud scheme to use stolen, personal identifying information to open bank accounts and fraudulently obtain cash, merchandise and services.

A south Texas man pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

Bo B. Burdick, 21, of Trementon, Utah, pled guilty last August. According to the plea agreement, Burdick began an online relationship with a 13-year-old Idaho girl on Facebook. He admitted to trading sexually explicit photos with the girl and travelling to Idaho to have sex with her.

Francis Ortiz Gonzalez was sentenced Monday to two years in federal prison for being a key member of an organization that distributed large quantities of Chinese-made, counterfeit pharmaceuticals across the United States.

Richard D. Hendricks, a former Connecticut middle school teacher, was sentenced today to 121 months in federal prison for child sexual exploitation offenses. Hendricks paid for and viewed live webcasts showing the sexual abuse of children overseas, and voyeuristically photographed and videotaped female students in his classroom.

A federal grand jury indicted Karen Kimble, aka Karen Kimble-Mamah and Karen Mamah, 38, of Owings Mills, Md., on charges of wire fraud, subscribing to a false tax return, aiding in the filing of a false tax return, aggravated identity theft and visa fraud.

Federal prosecutors filed criminal charges Monday against William McMahon, the CEO of an Orange County electronic components company who paid kickbacks for years to ensure contracts for his firm, and against Sean Volin, an official with Panasonic's American subsidiary who accepted the bribes.

James Galen Brown, 40, admitted that he used his cell phone and its texting functions to intentionally send and receive images and videos of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings ordered Brown to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons March 1.

Oscar Orlando Amador Centeno, a Honduran national residing in Randallstown, Md. wanted in his native country for homicide with a machete and robbery, was deported earlier today by officers with ICE's Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO).

A jewelry wholesaler has pleaded in federal court to forging the seal of a U.S. government federal agency. The guilty plea is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

Two New Jersey men were arrested Wednesday in North Bergen, N.J., for distributing 9,600 pills of counterfeit Viagra. The counterfeit Viagra had a suggested retail price of $130,000.

Hector Vargas-Valero, a Dominican Republic man wanted in connection with four murders who resided unlawfully in the Inwood section of Manhattan, was deported earlier today and turned over to Dominican Republic authorities by officers with ICE's Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO).

Matthew M. Hansen, 39, of Winfield, Mo., was indicted on eight felony counts of attempting to produce child pornography, and one felony count of possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges the crimes were committed between 2007 and 2012.

ICE's Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) efforts led to a record number of aliens being federally prosecuted in south Texas in fiscal year 2012, which ended Sept. 30. More than 2,400 criminal aliens were convicted for illegally re-entering the United States after a previous deportation.

David Coleman Headley, 52, pleaded guilty in March 2010 to all 12 counts that were brought against him following his arrest in October 2009.

A Bay Area man, Mike Gama, faces at least 10 years in prison after being found guilty Tuesday by a federal jury on charges stemming from his involvement in a scheme to import more than a kilogram of heroin into the United States from Mexico concealed inside a wooden tortilla press.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) seized more than $100,000 of counterfeit cosmetics, designer handbags and electronics after executing a search warrant at a Conway home Jan. 16.

Sagarsen Haldar, aka Gopal Hari Das, a religious leader from India who founded a local Hindu temple, was sentenced Tuesday to more than three years in prison in connection with a religious visa fraud scheme that operated in India and Wisconsin.

A Lithuanian national, who was convicted of second-degree murder for his role in the 2005 beating death of University of Illinois at Chicago student Tombol Malik, was deported Wednesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

The head of an extensive alien smuggling organization operating in and around south and southeast Texas, Jose Aguirre-Nunez, was sentenced to 12 ½ years in federal prison.

Teofanes Salas-Campos, 40, Mission, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Randy Crane to 135 months in prison. He pleaded guilty Sept. 17, 2012 that he intended to have sex with a minor for money. After he completes his prison term, Salas-Campos will also serve a five year term of supervised release, and will be required to register as a sex offender.

Joseph Fellhauer was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. Forensic review of Fellhauer's media devices revealed more than 12,000 images and 350 videos of child pornography. This investigation was conducted by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

A Montana man was sentenced Thursday to four years in federal prison following his guilty plea to growing marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter, District of Montana.

Following his prison sentence, Steven Raines, 35, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was also ordered by U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson to serve a life time on supervised release. Raines appeared at the hearing in custody, and was remanded immediately after.

A New York man who attempted to smuggle nearly two pounds of cocaine out of the United States concealed inside his body faces more than six years in prison after pleading guilty last Thursday to federal drug charges.