News Releases and Statements

Clyde Rudolph Allen Jr., 64, was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers Feb. 29 after he applied for admission into the United States at the Port of Entry in Presidio. Allen is the president of A Natures Sanctuary, Inc., a non-profit company established to preserve nature.

Robert Vincent Peace, a former youth recreational soccer coach, was sentenced Friday to eight years and eight months in state prison for coercing teenage girls into sending him sexually explicit videos of themselves after meeting in an online chat room.

Laura Shauger, 35, of Quakertown, Pa., and Patrick Mergen, 40, of Sewell, N.J., were arrested by HSI special agents and were charged Thursday with manufacturing, distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography.

A central Minnesota man was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to six years in federal prison for sexually abusing two minor boys. The sentence resulted from an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Air Force's Office of Special Investigations.

It is expected that Anthony Zane Austin, 20, of Childress, Texas, will surrender to federal authorities and appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clinton Averitte Sept. 20 for his initial appearance.

Joshua Taylor was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison Tuesday for the distribution of child pornography.

Timothy Brehmer, 35, of Broadalbin, N.Y., was sentenced earlier today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Gary L. Sharpe.

According to the criminal complaint, Charles Lee Gorish, 66, of St. Augustine sent a package, via Federal Express, to an individual in Ontario, Canada. The package contained, among other things, two micro Secure Digital (SD) media cards with numerous images of child pornography.

Krister Kaj Vilen, 40, of Titusville, Fla., was sentenced to 98 months in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography. After he completes his prison sentence, he must serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Steven Mazer of Philadelphia, Pa. was arrested Friday by ICE HSI special agents for producing child pornography. Mazer taught karate at a school in the Bustleton section of Philadelphia, which offers classes to young children.

Johnny Lee Cole, 43, is a convicted sex offender who was previously found guilty of enticing a child for indecent purposes.

Robert Chace, 25, of East Providence, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. Judge McConnell also ordered the defendant to participate in sex offender treatment, mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment.

John David Baker, 29, of Celebration, Fla., is charged with production, transportation and possession of child pornography.

Akeem R. Gumbs was sentenced in federal court Thursday in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, to 25 years in prison for production and distribution of child pornography, and for the sexual exploitation of a minor. The investigation was conducted by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

John Wyss, aka "Bones," 55, of Monroe, Wis., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Maurice Hicks in the Western District of Louisiana. On May 17, Wyss was found guilty on three counts after trial, including: one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, one count of conspiracy to advertise child pornography, and one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

Joe N. Flowers Jr., 42, of Henrietta, N.Y., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. The sentence will be served consecutive to a state sentence the defendant is currently serving.

Roland J. Flath, 72, of Fond du Lac, Wis., was sentenced Thursday to five years in federal prison for traveling to a foreign country and having illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

Thomas E. Stickle, 41, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Warren W. Eginton. According to court documents and statements made in court, from December 2009 to May 2010, Stickle traded images of child pornography with other individuals by email.

Adam Joshua Cortez, 31, is most recently a resident of Justin, Texas. He was sentenced following his conviction at trial in May. In July 2011, Cortez used the Internet and a cell phone to try to entice an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl to have sex with him.

The nationwide search by ICE's HSI for a "Jane Doe" suspected child pornographer ended Tuesday with the arrest of two Salem, Ore., residents on federal child exploitation charges.

A 26-year-old Puerto Rican man, Angel M. Medina-Ayala, was arrested in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, Friday for sexually enticing a 15-year-old female minor. The charges resulted from an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF).

Jesse Jeff Stewart, 33, of Albert Lea, Minn., was sentenced to 85 months in prison on one count of receiving child pornography. He was indicted Jan. 10 and pleaded guilty April 18.

Shawn Suri, 37, pleaded guilty May 16 to possessing child pornography and was sentenced Sept. 4, to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

John Andrew Blaes, 49, of Parkville, Md., pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to produce child pornography and to transporting a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The investigation was conducted by ICE HSI, the FBI and the Baltimore County Police Department.

Juan A. Villarreal, 52, of Houston, was arrested by HSI special agents Aug. 31. Villarreal taught third grade with the Houston Independent School District (HISD).