News Releases and Statements
News Releases and Statements
According to court documents, in August 2013 the parents of the female victim advised the Fresno County Sheriff's Office they had discovered text messages on a cellphone suggesting their daughter was engaging in sexual relations with someone from out-of-state.
Trevion Lechay Ethridge, 23, of Newton, Texas, was sentenced to 280 months in federal prison for producing child pornography by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. Ethridge pleaded guilty to the charges June 3. Judge Clark further ordered that 10 years of Ethridge’s federal sentence run concurrent with any state sentence that may result from pending state charges for sexual assault and online solicitation of a minor.
Former banker pleads guilty to cashing more than $400,000 in fraudulently obtained tax refund checks
Edwin Mejia, 31 of Yonkers, New York participated in a scheme to cash more than $400,000 in fraudulently obtained federal tax refund checks issued in other people’s names.
This is the first time an HSI team has been honored by the Chicago Crime Commission, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected citizen groups of its kind. Awards are presented to individuals and task forces in local, state and federal law enforcement that have made significant contributions to crime-fighting efforts.
Margarita Del Carmen Orellana Rivas, 25, was removed to El Salvador Nov. 26 via government charter flight from Dallas and was turned over to officials from El Salvador's Policia Nacional Civil (PNC). In addition to aggravated murder, she's also wanted for “crimes of solicitation and conspiracy in the crime of aggravated murder, aggravated murder as co-conspirator, and illegal gatherings.”
Upon learning of Jose Antonio’s condition in 2012, staff at the HSI Albuquerque Assistant Special Agent in Charge Office began facilitating the humanitarian parole needed for both Jose and his parents to lawfully enter the United States. Since then, they’ve closely monitored his case and status to ensure he received the necessary medical treatment for his condition.
Margarita del Carmen Orellana-Rivas assisted MS-13 gang members with the murders of Patricia Beatriz Avalos-Caceres, Orlando Moran-Alvarado and Luis Osmaro Menjivar-Landaverde.
Rassie Cleveland Martin, 57, who remains on bond, faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report; a sentencing date will be set after that report is completed.
Pedro Nel Moreno-Romero, 51, was convicted of aggravated murder in 2013 in Colombia and sentenced to 35 years imprisonment. Moreno-Romero allegedly murdered a friend, then dismembered the body with a machete and later discarded the remains in a plastic bag.
Cory Cooke, 45, of Newark, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of producing false identification documents.
Michael Tway Smith, 66, of New York, was arrested and charged in Camden federal court with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Smith was arrested in Maple Shade, New Jersey, where he was expected to meet the girl.
Once it is determined that the items are counterfeit, federal officials will seize the merchandise. But in many instances, the damage to the consumer and the economy has already been done.
The members of ICE’s Buffalo SRT are no strangers to dealing with adverse situations, training to protect our country and ensuring public safety, but they’re the first to admit, tackling the extreme snow here is a challenge — a challenge so demanding, the Buffalo ICE Field Office Director Michael Phillips authorized deployment Nov. 20 of the SRT to assist the Erie County Emergency Command Center in humanitarian relief efforts in the aftermath of the monster storm.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforces more than 400 federal statutes and focuses on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism and combating the illegal movement of people and goods. ICE has offices in every state in America and 48 countries in the world and enforces immigration and customs laws that touch on nearly every egregious criminal activity known. Yet, because ICE is a relatively new government agency, established under the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, some still ask “who and what is ICE?”
Nicholas Todd Freed was arrested by an HSI Task Force Officer Jan. 28 as he was attempting to claim a package containing anabolic steroids at the Deep Ellum Postal Center in Dallas. Pursuant to the arrest, law enforcement discovered Freed possessed a counterfeit U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) credential and badge.
The following people were taken into custody in Pennsylvania: David Folweiler, 27, of West Pittston; Alan Folweiler, 21, of West Pittston; John Pearce, 29, of West Pittston; Frank Xavier Brennan, 33, of Kingston; Maura Kathio, 25, of Yatesville; Tiffany Pradel, 30, of Pittston Township; Marguerita Ann Davis, 59, of Pittston.
Joseph Ernest Purcella III, 34, from Albuquerque, entered a not-guilty plea during Monday’s arraignment hearing. He was arrested Oct. 30 on a criminal complaint alleging that he unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition in Sandoval County, New Mexico, April 7.
Since 2010, Ford and HSI Detroit have collaborated on dozens of enforcement efforts that resulted in the seizures of websites selling counterfeit diagnostics equipment, charges against individuals selling counterfeit airbags and airbag components, seizures of faulty Engine Control Modules (ECMs), which act as the vehicle’s “black box,” and seizures of other sensitive automotive parts.
Yichun Xu was placed on a commercial flight back to China Thursday afternoon by ERO officers. The former Puget Sound Community College student came to the attention of ERO following his November 2012 arrest on multiple vehicular assault charges
U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings ordered Nicholas W. Schofield, 26, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, who has been on bond, to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons Jan. 25.
Randy Way Wesson, 28, from Hurst, Texas, made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton in federal court in Fort Worth Nov. 21.
Andres Tomas Gutierrez, 52, from Jarrell, Texas, was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
Donnie Waldo Jr., 47, of Dover, Arkansas, was charged by criminal complaint Nov. 10; he was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver Nov. 17.
Company owner Daniel Lewis “Danny” Hendon, 64, of Paradise Valley, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Neil V. Wake to 12 months in prison followed by a year of home confinement. Hendon also agreed to divest himself of any future ownership, managerial or profit-sharing interest in the DFC organization.
Hundreds of children in the Tampa Bay area learned more about the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) during the Great American Teach-In.
Updated: