News Releases and Statements

Mustafa Muhammad, 36, of Clinton, Maryland, faces between 10 years and life in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 11.

Arley Fernando Garces, 34, of Colombia, pleaded guilty on April 14. Garces is the last of three co-defendants to be sentenced in this case. U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew also previously sentenced Santos Cerros-Maldonado to 12 years and four months in prison. Gregorio Campo-Rodriguez was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison.

Patrick R. Minga, 50, formerly of Cape Coral, faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 20.

According to court documents, HSI conducted consent searches of various locations in the Mission, Texas area on Oct. 24, 2012. These locations were known to harbor illegal immigrants. During the search at Los Benitez Ranch, special agents encountered the seven defendants.

Renato de la Cruz, 40, was convicted on Wednesday of theft of public money, use of a falsely obtained Social Security Number, and aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Oct. 14.

Osbaldo Carrillo-Peralta, 39, was escorted to the Brownsville Port of Entry and turned over to Mexico's Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) June 24. On April 13, 2011, the 8th Judicial Court of the State of Durango, Mexico issued an arrest warrant for Carrillo-Peralta for homicide.

One way HSI helps foster such an environment is through workshops like the one it hosted June 16-18, when HSI Hong Kong partnered with the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service – Overseas Criminal Investigations Division, the American Institute in Taiwan, the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, and End Child Prostitution and Trafficking International to share knowledge and techniques concerning online child exploitation investigations.

Robert Jacaman Sr., 60, former owner of Jacaman Guns and Ammo, was sentenced June 24 by visiting U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Jacaman, who pleaded guilty in January, was further ordered to pay a $4,000 fine. As a convicted felon, Jacaman surrendered his federal firearms license, is no longer a firearms dealer and is prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition and destructive devices.

Alvin Westley, 50, of Palestine, Texas, previously pleaded guilty in January to possessing child pornography. He was sentenced June 24 to 156 months in federal prison.

Richard Donald Ragsdale, 56, of Tampa, made his initial appearance on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas B. McCoun, III.

Abel De Leon, 60, of Asherton, Texas, was sentenced on one count of receiving child pornography. De Leon had previously pleaded guilty to the charge June 5, 2013.

ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending June 20, 2014

As part of the PSA campaign, Radio One will air on two Columbus-area stations a 30-second and 60-second PSA, which features HSI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Steve Francis discussing some basic tips on how parents and young people can avoid online predators.

HSI special agents arrested Oscar Gonzalez-Vazquez at his residence after a preliminary investigation revealed that he produced sexually explicit images of a 4-year-old girl.

Jerry J. Zechmeister, 61, of Lake Forest, was taken into custody Thursday by investigators from the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force (OCCETF), including special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and detectives from the Newport Beach Police Department.

According to the complaint filed Monday in Newark federal court, Cellular Next, which operates out of New York and Miami, and is registered as a business entity in New Jersey, has a history of receiving proceeds from illegal drug sales. HSI Newark special agents along with DEA and NYDETF investigators acting in an undercover capacity sent wire transfers of these illegal proceeds to the company at the direction of BMPE brokers based in Colombia.

David Wayne Sweet Jr., of St. Leonard, must also register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

On Wednesday night, following three days of trial and four hours of deliberation, the jury convicted Erik A. Hentzen, 26, of the charges.

HSI special agents and officers with the Michigan State Police and Battle Creek Police Department arrested John Baylo, 35, Friday, without incident on state charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Baylo is an on-air personality at Gaylord's Family Christian Radio station, WCSG.

Norman Cipriano, 41, of Warwick, was sentenced for trafficking more than 14,500 counterfeit sports jerseys, clothing accessories and health and beauty products valued at more than $1 million. An amount of restitution to be paid by the defendant to various companies impacted in this matter will be determined at a later date. Cipriano pleaded guilty Aug. 5, 2013, to trafficking in counterfeit goods and services.

"Courses like the International Taskforce Agent Training program help strengthen the relationships we share with law enforcement agencies around the world," said Eddie Agrait, ICE deputy assistant director for the Western Hemisphere. "These relationships are critical as we continue the fight against the transnational criminal organizations who recognize no national boundaries when it conducting their crimes."

Jose Raul Ramirez Grande, aka Pecos, 35, was transferred to the custody of representatives from the Mexican Attorney General's Office in Tijuana. An arrest warrant issued in 2006 by authorities in Tijuana's judicial district accuses Ramirez of rape and aggravated sexual abuse against a minor involving three victims.

Aldo Contreras-Liberati, 46, left the country via an ICE Air Operations flight, departing from Louisiana.

Hai Dong Jiang, aka Jimmy, aka Dong, 37, of Staten Island, New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit.