News Releases and Statements

Josue Gamaliel Vidal Quintanilla, 28, who teaches mathematics at Shandin Hills Middle School in San Bernardino, was arrested Wednesday morning by special agents with ICE's HSI during the execution of a search warrant at his residence.

Leonidas N. Mavrogenis, Jr., 62, of Salem, Massachusetts, was sentenced to five years in prison for distribution of child pornography, it was announced by Michael Shea, acting special agent in charge, ICE's HSI Boston and Scott W. Murray U.S. attorney for New Hampshire in a New Hampshire federal court Sept. 22.

David Keith Wills, 68, a previous resident of Rockport and South Padre Island, was sentenced to life in federal prison and was ordered to pay $172,000 in restitution to the victim along with $85,000 in fines for multiple counts of sex trafficking, enticement of a child and conspiring to obstruct justice. A federal jury convicted Wills, the founder and part owner of Global Blue Technologies, Oct. 8, 2019.

Alexander Nathan Barter, a resident of Joaquin, Texas, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and ordered to submit to a lifetime of supervised release for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and distribution of child pornography Sept. 17 by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale. He pleaded guilty to the charges Dec. 20, 2019.

Samuel Aaron Leonard was arrested July 2, in Vancouver, Washington, just outside the home of the 14‑year-old girl he had spent months enticing online for sexual abuse.

On Sept. 2, a federal grand jury indicted Kention Obryan Johnson, 35, and Sergio Trinidad Carvajal, 30, for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking of children. HSI special agents arrested the defendants in Dallas on Sept. 9; their court documents were unsealed Sept. 16.

Andres Rafael Viola, 36, an Argentine citizen residing in Las Vegas, pleaded guilty in February 2020 to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.

Vince Edward Lasane, 48, Orlando, faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 30, 2020. Lasane was indicted on November 13, 2019.

Kurt Batucan Sheldon, 29, of Interlachen, faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to 50 years, in federal prison.

El Salvador national Francisco Josue Cardona, 29, a former Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, was released to ICE custody from the Utah State Prison.

Cameron Michael Pittman, 34, a resident of Orange Grove, Texas, pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography Sept. 9 in the Southern District of Texas.

Dubbed “Operation Home Alone 2,” it is the culmination of a months-long proactive operation to combat child sexual exploitation and child sex trafficking in Pinal County. The Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) detectives lead the joint effort comprised of local, state and federal agencies to include HSI, who targeted sexual predators who attempted to lure underage children with the intent of engaging in sexual activity.

David Pettigrew, 48, a former pastor at the Denison Church of the Nazarene in Denison, Texas, and Chad Michael Rider, 46, of Anna, Texas, were indicted by a grand jury Aug. 19 with conspiring to sexually exploit children and the charges were publicly announced today.

Steven Lee McBride, 51, faces a mandatory minimum 15-years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle on Oct. 26.

Following an ICE HSI and PRCACTF investigation, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Francisco Xavier Ortiz-Colón charging him with 12 counts of child exploitation.

On August 18, 2020, Oscar Sepulveda was sentenced to 108 months in prison and ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution for distributing and possessing child pornography.

On Nov. 20, 2019, Enrique Sánchez-Hernández, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography.

Taryn Goin Naidoo, 41, of Diamondhead, Miss., received three sentences totaling 170 months, set to run concurrently, followed by 15 years of supervised release.

McKenna Danilo Bernardo, 23, of Burien, Washington, was charged by criminal complaint April 30, 2020, following an investigation by HSI, the King County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Department of Corrections. Jason Allen Legg, 44, of Seattle, was charged by criminal complaint April 30, 2020, with possession of child pornography. David Craig Martin, 64, of Seattle, was charged by criminal complaint May 14, 2020, with possession of child pornography.

David Pettigrew, 48, was arrested Aug. 6 for transporting child pornography.

Carlos Brewer, 42, of Pocatello, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 235 months in federal prison for receiving sexually explicit images of minors.

Dishay Henderson, 36, was sentenced last week following a January jury verdict finding him guilty of enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution and two counts of sex trafficking of a minor.

According to court documents, in 2013 Todd Joseph Simmerman, 30, Titusville, pleaded guilty to traveling to meet a child to engage in unlawful sexual conduct, after using a computer to lure a child, in violation of Florida law.