News Releases and Statements

A illegal Salvadoran alien, identified as Juan Alonso Barrientos-Quintanilla, 23, was sentenced March 25 by a federal judge to serve 120 months in prison for his role in a deadly 2021 human smuggling operation.

Felipe Orduna-Torres, 30, also known as Cholo, Chuequito, and Negro and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega, 55, also known as El Don and Don Gon were found guilty by a jury for their roles in the mass casualty alien smuggling event.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement joined the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control in announcing sanctions against Jumilca Sandivel Hernandez Perez, a prominent leader of the Lopez Human Smuggling Organization, March 18.

Sushil Kumar, 35, and three others were indicted in connection with a scheme to smuggle illegal aliens across the northern border for profit. The group was connected to two smuggling episodes in November and December 2023.

Tian Tao, 54, a citizen of China, was arrested by Rockland Police and ICE for sex trafficking violations and entered ICE custody Feb. 20.

Tyree Eugene Rideaux, 31, of Henderson, Nevada, was sentenced, Feb. 25, to 132 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, and subject to registering as lifetime sex offender due to an investigation conducted by ICE, HSI with significant assistance provided by the Mesa Police Department.

Last week, a grand jury returned an indictment against Edgar Guadalupe Jimenez-Aguilar, an illegal alien living in Phoenix, for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and possession with intent to distribute heroin.

Eduardo Domingo Renoj-Matul aka Turko, 51, of the Westlake neighborhood near downtown Los Angeles, was arrested Feb. 28 with his alleged right-hand man, Cristobal Mejia-Chaj, 49, also of the Westlake neighborhood.

Jovanna Netzay Diaz, 31, from Dallas, is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver in Dallas. She will then be expected in Laredo federal court shortly thereafter.

ICE HSI Laredo agents and LEOs intercepted a human smuggling operation, discovered 8 illegal Mexican nationals locked in compartments of a utility truck. This operation highlights our commitment to dismantling criminal networks.

Eusebio Cavazos, a 33-year-old resident of Alamo, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to transporting aliens into or within the U.S. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 15 and faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 possible fine.

Jesus Ortiz-Plata, 46, of Independence, Oregon was arrested May 23, 2024, in Everett, Washington, with aliens who had been smuggled into the United States from Canada.

An ICE investigation with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation led to a four-count indictment which was unsealed in the Middle District of Tennessee charging eight defendants, with ties to the Tren da Aragua (TdA) gang, with various offenses stemming from their involvement with a transnational commercial sex enterprise.

Approximately 23 individuals suspected of being involved with a human trafficking network were arrested, and more than 80 human trafficking victims were rescued, including three minors.

Jose Refugio Torres, 28, from Roma, Texas, was sentenced on Feb. 5 by U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera to serve 36 months in prison, immediately followed by one year of supervised release.

Jasmin Osteen, 27, of Jamestown, was sentenced to serve 144 months in prison, the U.S. District Court for the District of Western New York announced Feb. 4. She was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.

Jesus Jonathan Rodriguez, a 19-year-old Houston resident, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to 42 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release for carjacking.

Monica Hernandez-Palma, also known as Moni, 32, a Mexican national, was arrested in Mexico pursuant to a U.S. request for her extradition and surrendered by Mexico to U.S. authorities on Jan. 16 to face charges.

Gerber David Santos-Gonzalez, age 26, was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. He was found guilty following a jury trial in October 2024.