News Releases and Statements

HSI welcomed seven new forensic analysts into its ranks during the HERO Corps graduation ceremony Dec. 8.

According to court documents, Dillon Everman, 30, of Parsons, Kansas, admitted in his guilty plea that he encouraged his 26-year-old co-defendant, Dustin Strom, to sexually abuse two young children and send him images of the abuse. Everman then saved the images and created a shareable link that he made available to Strom and others.

A jury convicted a West Plains man Dec. 6 of sexual exploitation of a 13-month-old child and distributing child pornography following a joint investigation between HSI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the West Plains, Mo., Police Department.

ERO Los Angeles officers apprehended Marcelino Guzman-Jimenez, 41, during a targeted enforcement operation. Guzman entered the United States at an unknown date, time and location without being admitted or paroled by an immigration officer. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and will be returned to his home country.

Renato Tejada-Alvarez, 35, entered the U.S. on March 4, 2021 as a nonimmigrant and violated his terms of admission. Officers from the ERO Fugitive Operations Newburgh, New York sub-office arrested him in Spring Valley on Dec. 1. Tejada-Alvarez is being held in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

Rolando Joaquin-Miguel, 35, an undocumented noncitizen from Guatemala, is charged with human smuggling and hostage taking in the District of New Mexico. He is being held without bond pending judicial proceedings in federal court.

The charges and criminal convictions of those arrested included domestic violence, assault, drug possession, drug trafficking, attempted murder, driving under the influence and identity theft. Cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution for illegal reentry may be presented to the U.S. attorney’s office. These individuals are being held in ICE custody pending removal from the U.S. or removal proceedings with the immigration court.

An investigation led by HSI Philadelphia landed a former Middlesex County, New Jersey sheriff’s deputy in federal prison for 15 years, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for producing, distributing and possessing child pornography. Joshua Padilla, 37, of Eatontown, New Jersey, was also ordered to pay $15,300 in special assessments when he received the lengthy prison sentence Friday.

According to the indictment, Carlos Favian Martinez, 36, of Mission; Marco Antonio Medina, 32, Rigoberto Brown, 38, and Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart, 70, all of Brownsville; Pedro Antonio Calvillo Hernandez, 47, Tamaulipas, Mexico; Roberto Garcia Villareal, 56, San Benito; Sandra Guerra Medina, 68, Rancho Viejo; and Mireya Miranda, 56, La Feria, conspired to fix prices and allocate the market for transmigrante services in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act.

HSI field offices in Dallas and Tampa were recognized during the 2022 Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Director’s Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony, Dec. 1.

Deportation officers with ICE ERO Newark field office apprehended three unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of sex offenses during a nationwide enforcement action from Oct. 22 through Nov. 4. ERO’s law enforcement action resulted in a total of 138 arrests nationally, including some people who were previously ordered removed from the U.S. but failed to depart.

On Dec. 1, Integral Hygienic Solutions, Inc., a La Mesa-based sanitation company doing business as TruClean, pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding customers by falsely claiming that its antimicrobial cleaning product was tested and approved by the EPA.

ATD allows for closer monitoring of non-detained noncitizens at varying levels of supervision, using several different monitoring technologies. ATD effectively increases court appearance rates, compliance with release conditions, and helps the participants meet basic needs and understand immigration obligations.

Eric Hernandez Bonilla, a 24-year-old unlawfully present Salvadoran national, was flown from Alexandria, Louisiana, to the El Salvador International Airport. Upon arrival, he was turned over to the proper authorities.

Oscar Sun Acuna, Jr., 36, of Tucson, Arizona, additionally forfeited a .40-caliber handgun and ammunition. Acuna previously pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death in connection with the overdose death of a young woman in May 2020.

Foreign fugitive officers with ERO Los Angeles arrested 32-year-old Roberto Nunez Aguayo Nov. 28, pursuant to a release from the Federal Correction Complex in Lompoc, California.

On Dec. 1, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Gabriel Anthony Pena, 26, of Corpus Christi, Texas, to serve to 260 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. In determining the sentence, the court found that Pena’s role was that of an organizer or leader, as he had recruited another person to transport narcotics from the Rio Grande Valley to Corpus Christi.

This enforcement operation was implemented to address unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of sex offenses. Cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution may be presented to the appropriate U.S. attorney’s office. Individuals listed here will remain in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.

R. Sean Fitzgerald has been selected as the SAC for the HSI Chicago area of operations. A native of Illinois who has also served as HSI Chicago’s deputy SAC, Fitzgerald brings a wealth of international and domestic operations experience to his new position.

Upon notification, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took swift action to immediately rectify the error.

On Nov. 28, a federal judge sentenced Gerardo Jimenez, 31, of Pharr, Texas, to serve up to 188 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

This enforcement operation was implemented to address unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of sex offenses. Cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution may be presented to the appropriate U.S. attorney’s office. Individuals listed here will remain in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.

Ryan Odell Oliver, 40, of Baltimore, received the lengthy prison sentence Monday, after pleading guilty to trafficking three female victims. Upon completion of his sentence, Oliver will be subject to 15 years of supervised release.

ICE's IHSC senior health policy administrator announced the American Academy of Nursing inducting Rear Adm. Aisha K. Mix into the 2022 Class of Fellows, Oct. 29. The announcement was made at the academy’s annual Health Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.

Kody Ryan Kelso, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 19 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Kelso to spend 15 years on supervised release following incarceration.