News Releases and Statements

Sharafat Ali Khan, 32, a Pakistani citizen and former resident of Brazil, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to smuggle undocumented migrants into the United States for profit before U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton of the District of Columbia.

This case is part of the ongoing efforts of the HSI San Juan Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) and the AirTAT. Launched in January 2015, AirTAT is a multi-agency initiative created to identify, locate, disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute domestic and transnational criminal organizations and its operatives using the LMMIA, the Fernando Luis Rivas Dominicci Airport and peripheral airports as platforms to smuggle narcotics, weapons, human cargo, counterfeit documents and illicit proceeds.

Joseph Edward Conner, 47, of Bay Point, admitted he negotiated the sale of methamphetamine on three separate occasions.

Dauryn Orlando Duran-Maradiaga, 24, is wanted in Honduras for a warrant issued on Sept. 17, 2010, for aggravated homicide, a warrant issued on June 25, 2012, for robbery, and a warrant issued on May 24, 2013, for illegal possession of firearms.

Ambrose Ledezma, 24, of San Angelo, Texas, was sentenced last week to 135 months in federal prison. Ledezma pleaded guilty in December 2016 to one count of distributing child pornography.

Paul Binh Do, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter on charges stemming from a probe by the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Investigators found 83 images and three videos of a 6-year-old girl that had been shot with Eric Allen Haensgen’s iPhone and downloaded to a computer, according to court documents.

Edgar Solorzano, 24, of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of assault on a federal officer, and one count of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during in relation to a crime of violence.

With the objective of bolstering relationships with key community partners, HSI San Juan recruited participants from diverse employment areas including media, congressional affairs, non-government agencies and the financial industry to attend the academy. HSI employees nominated members of the community who they felt would be suitable candidates.

The two-day meeting, which was held March 30-31, centered on the theme “Culture as a Tool for Dialogue among Peoples.” The event brought together officials from Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Japan and the United States, to discuss the preservation and protection of cultural heritage, and the fight against trafficking of artistic and historic items.

Ryan Bono, 36, of Oro Valley, was taken into custody by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). He is charged in a criminal complaint with one count of distributing child pornography.

Ali Kakande, 37, of Los Angeles, and Sulaiman Lutale, 35, of Woodland Hills, were taken into custody by investigators with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the California Department of Insurance.

The majority of those arrested — 23 of the 26 — had criminal histories that included convictions for the following crimes: dangerous drugs, domestic violence, driving under the influence (DUI), drug possession, illegal entry, larceny, possession of a controlled substance, selling heroin, sex offenses and sex offense against a child. Eleven of those arrested had DUI convictions.

Of the 82 individuals arrested, 68 had previous criminal convictions for crimes like armed robbery, larceny and drug distribution. Of the remaining 14, two had ties to the MS-13 street gang; two had outstanding final orders of removal; three had overstayed their visas; one was wanted by a foreign law enforcement entity; one was a verified human rights violator and two had pending local charges. The remainder had unlawfully entered the United States in violation of U.S. immigration laws.

Charles Jason Lore, 43, is charged by indictment to have submitted fraudulent forms on behalf of more than 150 clients, claiming a rare exception intended for individuals with extraordinary achievements in the entertainment industry.

Evgeny Buryakov, aka Zhenya, 42, formerly of the New York area, was repatriated on board commercial flights, escorted by Cleveland-based ERO deportation officers and turned over to Russian authorities.

Francisco Javier Soledad, 24, of Eastvale, is named in a 17-count indictment that alleges six counts of producing of child pornography; six counts of using the internet to induce a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity; two counts of advertising child pornography; two counts of distributing child pornography; and one count of possessing child pornography on an iPhone.

Joshua Ray Johnson, 35, from Cypress, Texas, was indicted by a federal grand jury in SDTX for producing and possessing child pornography. He was also charged with distributing child pornography in the District of Alaska which was later transferred to SDTX.

Of those arrested during the enforcement action which ended Monday, 30 had criminal histories, including prior convictions for sex crimes, drug offenses and fraud. One has a pending dangerous drug charge and a final order of removal.

According to court documents, from March 14 to on or about April 3, Ubaldo Badillo-Márquez, 57, of Trujillo Alto, attempted to sexually entice a minor whom he believed to be 13 years old to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. The criminal complaint also alleges that Badillo-Márquez attempted to engage in criminal sexual conduct with the minor.

Martin Perez, 37, from Mercedes, Texas, was sentenced April 4 by Senior U.S. District Judge Janice Graham Jack to 262 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release.

Biyu Situ, 48, owned and operated the Blue Angel massage parlor, which served as a front for prostitution activity. According to evidence introduced in court, Situ offered an HSI special agent $5,000 to protect the facility - including giving advance notice about any enforcement actions by authorities.