News Releases and Statements

Ralph Colamussi, of East Northport, NY pleaded guilty to charges of forced labor of employees at the Thatched Cottage, a catering and wedding venue in Centerport, New York. When sentenced, Colamussi faces up to 20 years in prison, as well as restitution and a fine of up to $250,000.

On Sept. 10, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo accepted the guilty pleas of Mario Emiliano-Herrera and Julio Cesar Lopez-Nino, both 19 and from Mexico, for their role in transporting illegal aliens, resulting in a death.

Following a four-day trial in April 2018, Demarcus Davis, aka “Zigg,” 26, of Fort Worth, Texas, and co-conspirators, Herman Sanders, aka “Pooh,” 29, and Pierre Lagrone, “P” or “Pedro,” 34, were found guilty for their roles in a conspiracy to sex traffic underage girls.

The operation is the first phase of Operation Vesta, a long-term joint U.S. and Colombian law enforcement investigation that focused on Transnational Criminal Enterprises engaging in human trafficking, sex tourism, prostitution, child exploitation, and conspiracy in Cartagena, Colombia.

Following a four-day trial in April 2018, Pierre Lagrone, aka “P” or “Pedro,” 34, and co-conspirators, Herman Sanders, aka “Pooh,” 29, and Demarcus Davis, aka “Zigg,” 26, were found guilty for their roles in a conspiracy to sex traffic underage girls. Lagrone was sentenced July 23 to life in federal prison.  Sanders was previously sentenced before U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 420 months; Davis is scheduled for sentencing July 30.

Special agents with ICE's HSI and agents with U.S. Border Patrol arrested 18 alien smugglers and seized cash, vehicles and more than 1,000 lbs. of marijuana last month in a joint effort.

According to court documents, Danny Josue Zelaya-Ortiz, aka “Jose Castro”, 29, was part of a conspiracy to charge illegal aliens in the United States a fee for transporting them from Texas to other states across the country.

On June 17, 2018, U.S. Border Patrol agents initiated immigration inspections on three vehicles – a 2013 Tahoe, a 2007 Suburban, and a 2008 Tahoe – traveling in a convoy on FM 2644 between El Indio and Carrizo Springs, Texas.

HSI special agents arrested three U.S. citizens. All three are facing federal human smuggling charges. 

All 54 suspected smuggled aliens were rescued Tuesday night after being discovered inside a tractor trailer; one of those rescued remains hospitalized.

Tyler Robert Bachtel and two others were charged, on May 24, with sex trafficking and related crimes, following an investigation by special agents with HSI Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania State Police.

In addition to the 39 illegal aliens administratively arrested on immigration violations, HSI special agents also criminally arrested one U.S. citizen who is a suspected human smuggler; he has been federally charged with human smuggling.

Kashamba John, 30, of Atlanta, and Tyler Robert Bachtel, 34, of Montclair, California, were charged by indictment with one count of sex trafficking by means of force, threats of force, fraud and coercion (Count One). John was additionally charged with one count of transporting an individual in interstate commerce with the intent that the individual engage in prostitution (Count Two). Bachtel remains at large.

Omar Gonzalez-Herrera, 25, from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico was sentenced April 26 by U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana to 121 months in prison. Since Gonzalez-Herrera is not a U.S. citizen he is expected to face deportation proceedings after he completes his prison sentence.

Jose Luis Soto-Lopez, 52, and his daughter, Erica Janine Soto, 27, both residing in Brownsville, Texas, were respectively sentenced to 54 months and 21 months in federal prison for their roles in the alien smuggling scheme that Soto-Lopez led. Soto will also serve two years of supervised release.

James Matthew Bradley Jr., 61, from Louisville, KY appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David A. Ezra, April 20 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Judge Ezra also ordered that Bradley forfeit to the Government his tractor-trailer rig, plus approximately $5,600 in U.S. currency and a .38 caliber pistol recovered from inside the cab.

The jury convicted Pierre Lagrone, aka “P” or “Pedro,” 33, on one count of conspiracy to sex traffic children, four counts of sex trafficking of children and one count of possessing child pornography. Lagrone faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a $1 million fine.

Vishnubhai Chaudhari, 50, and Leelabahen Chaudhari, 44, both citizens of India unlawfully residing in Kimball, Nebraska, were each sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after both pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2017, to alien harboring for financial gain and conspiracy to harbor an alien.

A federal grand jury indicted Maurice M. Johnson on child sex trafficking charges on Dec. 3, 2014.  He pleaded guilty to child sex trafficking on Jan. 30, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Robin J. Cauthron.  In August 2017, he was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and five years of supervised release.

This week’s episode: “Crossroads” highlights HSI’s efforts to gather information about third country nationals and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and their activities before they reach the United States.

Zachary Steven Blizzard, 27, from Kingport, Tennessee, was sentenced Feb. 8 by U.S. District Judge Hilda G. Tagle to 48 months in federal prison and to three years of supervised release.  Blizzard pleaded guilty to the human smuggling charges Sept. 5, 2017.

Victoriano Zamora-Jasso aka “Tata,” 51, from Mexico living in Houston made an appearance Jan. 29 in federal court on the eve of jury selection.