News Releases and Statements

It wasn’t until Bernando Ruiz, who was in the process of writing and directing a film that would highlight the realities and consequences of drug trafficking along the United States – Mexico border, contacted Hagelsieb and began to interview him that he began to fully reflect on the significance of his job. As Hagelsieb began to share his personal experiences, he realized that the work he does was far from normal, and inherently presented challenges that most Americans will never be faced with.

Keith L. Countess, 55, of Lawrence, Kansas, and five others were charged via a federal indictment alleging they were part of a scheme to convert more than $13 million in payroll checks into cash to pay crews of undocumented workers installing drywall in the Kansas City metro area.

Steven Sadler, 40, of Bellevue, pleaded guilty last May to conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs, following an investigation by the Seattle-Tacoma Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST Seattle), including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. According to investigators, Sadler was one of the top-ranked sellers on the site.

Pavel Semenovich Flider, 65, of San Rafael, and his company, Trident International Corporation, LLC, were indicted by a federal grand jury March 5 for smuggling goods; conspiracy to commit international money laundering; and money laundering. The case is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the FBI.

Clemente Chavez-Cruz, 68, and Manuel Orpinela-Servin, 47, were handed over to Mexican law enforcement officials at El Paso’s Stanton Street Bridge Port of Entry.

Those arrested include: Rubén Darío Sosa, Luis Manuel Martínez Castillo, Franklin Sánchez García, Rolfi Ismael Ventura, Manuel Emilio Martínez, Idalia Luciano Ferrera and Aniberca Castro Peña.

"Like Secretary Johnson, I am determined to do what we can to improve and reform our immigration system within the confines of existing law," said ICE Director Sarah R. Saldaña. "Today’s announcement is an example of this, and I believe it will enhance public safety and public confidence in our enforcement and administration of the immigration laws."

Tony Lasiter, 33, of Duneweg, was sentenced to 23 years and 10 months in federal prison for one count of sexually exploiting a child. Lasiter previously pleaded guilty to the charges Sept. 4, 2014.

Farhan Ali Abu Siam, 42, and Mohammed Abuawada, 26, both of Philadelphia, were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud against the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as the federal food stamp program.

Gabriel Toro, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of online enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct.

Rickie Sitler, age 57, allegedly persuaded and induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images. The indictment alleges that Sitler committed the crime between November 2014 and Dec. 20, 2014.

The indictment alleges that between August 2013 and January 2015, Robert Ferraro, 44, persuaded and induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images.

Shilan Zhao, 51, of Newcastle, and her ex-husband Jianjun Qiao, 51, are charged in a federal grand jury indictment unsealed Tuesday with conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and international transport of stolen funds, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering. Additionally, Zhao is charged with one count of immigration fraud.

In August 2014, Petr Vana, 38, was convicted federally of bank fraud in Chicago. On Dec. 5 2014, the District Court in Uherske Hradiste issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of breaking and entering, theft, larceny and violation of domestic freedom. On Dec. 29 2014, ICE issued a final order of removal against Vana as an aggravated felon.

Ramiro Varela-Garcia, 38, a Mexican national who was living in Cambridge, Wisconsin, was sentenced March 16 by U.S. District Judge William Conley to 42 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after having been deported, which is a felony. Varela-Garcia pleaded guilty to this charge Dec. 19, 2014.

Raul Oropeza Lopez, 47, and Ana Maria Oropeza, 41, both of Delano, were arrested Tuesday. They are named in a 10-count indictment accusing them of mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Both defendants have been released on bond. Their next court appearance is scheduled for May 4.

John Dale Clark, 61, of Newton, was sentenced March 17 to 180 months in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield. Clark was indicted by a federal grand jury Sept. 4, 2013, and pleaded guilty Oct. 28, 2014.

On Dec. 19, 2014, a federal grand jury returned a three-count sealed indictment charging Tian with importing a controlled substance and manufacturing a controlled substance knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States from China. This indictment was unsealed following Tian’s arrest.

More than 60 Iraqi cultural treasures illegally smuggled into the United States were returned to the Republic of Iraq Monday, following five separate investigations led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The objects were seized at the culmination of investigations led by HSI offices in New York; Baltimore, Maryland; Austin, Texas; and New Haven, Connecticut. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney’s Office assisted in two of the investigations.

Hsien Tai Tsai, aka Alex Tsai, pleaded guilty in October 2014, admitting that he conspired with others to interfere with and obstruct U.S. regulations that seek to disrupt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Tsai, 69, was arrested in May 2013 in Tallinn, Estonia, and was later extradited to the United States, where he remains in federal custody.

ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Mar. 13, 2015

Special Agent in Charge John Kelleghan presented the annual HSI "Exemplary Partnership Award" to Delaware Child Predator Task Force/Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) members for their combined efforts to investigate a group of registered child sex offenders in Delaware involved in the distribution and production of child pornography.

Han Woon Liew, 46, of Sugar Land, Texas, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Lynn C. Hughes; to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay $2.6 million in restitution. Liew pleaded guilty to the charges Nov. 18, 2014.

In addition to the 13 arrests, 10 kilograms of cocaine were seized. It is alleged that this DTO annually distributed about two to three tons of cocaine. To date, 16 individuals have been arrested and 688 kilograms (1,517 pounds) of cocaine have been seized.

Wei Zhang, aka David Liteng, 35, of Tianjin, China, also pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting the importation of controlled substances and cathinones, also known as “bath salts.” He faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in federal prison.