News Releases and Statements

ICE's HSI special agents seized nearly 127,000 counterfeit items, retailing at more than $2.5 million dollars, during a six-day enforcement action leading up to the NBA All-Star Game.

The charge stems from a bribery investigation involving Benito Barrientes, 42, from Lyford; Exy Adelaida Gomez, 42, from Los Fresnos; and Damian Ortiz, 30, and her brother and McAllen attorney Roel Alanis, 39, both from Weslaco. They were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery in relation to obtaining alien detainee roster lists.

Under Oregon’s sanctuary laws, county and law enforcement officials are prohibited from providing ICE with non-public information about criminal aliens necessary for federal law enforcement, including the release dates of those criminal aliens from local jails. In addition, Oregon law enforcement does not honor immigration detainers due to Oregon court rulings.

David Hernandez Colula, 34, was pronounced dead at 1:49 a.m. local time by medical professionals at Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, where he was transported after facility staff found him unresponsive in his cell. Efforts by facility staff and emergency personnel to revive him were unsuccessful. The preliminary cause of death appears to be self-inflicted strangulation; however, the case is currently under investigation.

Daniel Peggs, 32, of Altoona, Wisconsin, was indicted Feb. 12 by a federal grand jury. The indictment, unsealed after his arrest, alleges he recruited a minor to engage in a commercial sex act, and caused the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography using a cell phone.

Saul Rodriguez-Soto, 39, of Indianapolis, operated SR Bulls Auto Sales LLC, Bulls Auto Sales II Inc., and Chicago Auto Sales LLC. He was also ordered to three years of supervised release following his sentence.

Twenty-four of the 30 are in federal custody, one is in state custody on a separate charge, four others are believed to be in Mexico, and one remains at-large in the United States.

Terry Lee Miksell, 63, of Diamond, Missouri, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. This indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Miksell Jan. 28.

Alfredo Mendoza-Mendez, 24, a citizen and national of Guatemala was suspected by Hillsborough County Child Protective Services of child endangerment/abuse against a minor.

Jaime Omar Vasquez-Benitez, 40, was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol Nov. 10, 1997, near Douglas, Arizona. He claimed he was a Mexican citizen and voluntarily returned to Mexico.

On Jan. 13, 2006, Kirk Odain Anthony Golding, 26, was admitted into the United States in New York as a non-immigrant visitor with authorization to remain in the United States until July 12, 2006; however, Golding failed to depart the United States as required.

Law enforcement officers seized $22,123 in U.S. currency, 6.2 pounds of heroin, 12.1 pounds of fentanyl pills, five weapons, 311 rounds of ammunition and two vehicles. Additionally, two suspects were arrested during a traffic stop prior to the warrant service. Julian Sepulveda-Virrueta, 28, of Phoenix, and Selina Luna, 21, of Phoenix were both booked into jail on multiple charges.

Under Oregon’s sanctuary laws, county and law enforcement officials are prohibited from providing ICE with non-public information about criminal aliens necessary for federal law enforcement, including the release dates of those criminal aliens from local jails. In addition, Oregon law enforcement does not honor immigration detainers due to Oregon court rulings.