News Releases and Statements

Freddy David Santos Campuzano, 32, faces a maximum of 40 years' imprisonment, a fine of $750,000 and three years of supervised release when he is sentenced Sept. 10. Further, Campuzano is illegally in the United States and faces deportation following his prison sentence.

Ming Zheng, aka Uncle Mi, 48, of New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to conspiracy to launder money. Judge Salas imposed the sentence Monday in Newark federal court.

ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending May 30, 2014

Victor Duane Smith, 59, was sentenced by Judge Anthony W. Ishii, who also ordered the defendant to pay $5,000 to a child shown in five of the images he received. According to court documents, in July 2013, law enforcement began tracking an individual who was using the Fresno County Public Library's public wireless system to view child pornography through a file-sharing program. Investigators were able to watch Smith in the library while he used the program. Smith later confessed to the offense.

Marcos Guillen-Guillen, and Johnny Martinez-Palacios, both 32, were charged in separate indictments with being in the country illegally. Both men formerly resided in Cumberland County.

Jose Cruz Romero-Flores, 39, aka "Chato," Felix Rios-Martinez, 48, and Raul Romero-Castillo, 31, each pleaded guilty Wednesday before Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels in Ocean County to second-degree conspiracy to facilitate human trafficking for their roles operating the Lakewood brothels. The prosecution is seeking a five-year prison sentence in state prison for these defendants. Santos Lazaero Flores-Cruz, 59, of Union City, and Haliro Bueno, 22, of Lakewood, each pleaded guilty to third-degree promoting prostitution. The prosecution is seeking a three-year prison sentence in state prison for these defendants.

In an effort to dramatically reduce the number of children falling prey to sexual predators online, HSI announced Friday a partnership with Clear Channel to generate awareness about online safety. The partnership comes at the end of the school year as young people will have more free time for social networking and other online activities.

Cesar Lisandro Anaya, 27, was removed to El Salvador May 28 via government charter flight from Dallas and was turned over to officials from El Salvador's Policia Nacional Civil (PNC).

Michael Gallon, 49, must also serve a concurrent term of 20 years for distribution of child pornography.

Suresh Hiranandaney, Anita Chabria, Lalit Chabria and Samir Hiranandaney are charged with fabricating and manipulating documents in student financial aid files at MCI to hide MCI's widespread non-compliance with federal regulations.

In addition to his role in the direct sex trafficking of women by force, fraud, and coercion, Bonifacio Flores-Mendez, together with his brother Isaias Flores-Mendez, also owned and operated a sprawling network of brothels in and around New York City that sexually exploited at least five women per day, each of whom saw up to 20 customers per day. Many of the victims of this sex trafficking-prostitution enterprise were forced to engage in prostitution against their will under abhorrent conditions.

In support of this Strategy, HSI Bangkok hosted the Advanced Wildlife Trafficking Investigations Training in Cha-am, Thailand, in April. HSI Bangkok was joined by HSI's Commercial Fraud Unit, FWS and Freeland, which is an NGO focusing on wildlife trafficking and human trafficking. During the 5-day training, instructors provided advanced investigation techniques to the participants through classroom lecture, practical demonstration and hands-on practice and application during real world scenarios. The focus of the training was the investigative steps leading to a controlled delivery. Fourteen Thai officers and six officers from Laos participated.

Damian Gasdaska was charged May 29 with one count of conspiracy, six counts of wire fraud, seven counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Xian Chen Chen, 37, was charged in a nine-count with trafficking in counterfeit goods. According to court documents, on November 13, 2013, Chen attempted to traffic goods containing counterfeit marks, including goods purported to be from Beats Electronics, LLC, Chanel Inc., Coach Services Inc., Gucci America Inc., Louis Vuitton Malletier, Michael Kors, LLC, The North Face Apparel Corp., Tiffany (NJ), LLC and Tory Burch, LLC.

Dilshod Sidikov, aka Dema, 26, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 37 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending May 23, 2014

A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment Thursday charging former Illinois State Rep. Keith Farnham with possessing, receiving and transporting child pornography. Farnham was initially charged with one count of possessing child pornography in a criminal complaint filed last month in U.S. District Court.

Adrian Tino Guerrero, 28, of Slaton, Texas, pleaded guilty in February to one count of receiving child pornography and has been in custody since his arrest in November 2013 on a related charge.

Sadith Chavez-Perez, 23, was arrested in May 2013 in Ely, Nevada, while transporting a methamphetamine load to Idaho. In the vehicle officers found more than 1,300 grams of actual methamphetamine.

The defendants include four Los Angeles County residents – Philip Tolentino Sarmiento, Laurence Viernes, German Zagada and Jude Dagza Leoncio; two individuals from Kern County – Juan Malaluan Tenorio, Jr. and Glyn Cordova Villegas; and an Orange County man, James Quijano Leoncio. All of the defendants applied for licenses to practice as registered nurses in California using false and forged nursing school transcripts from the Philippines. They now face up to three years in prison.

Through CBFIT, HSI provides specialized training, technical assistance and best practices to foreign law enforcement personnel, border control personnel, intelligence and regulatory agencies, and judicial authorities on cross-border financial crimes. This HSI-led training and technical assistance covers the following various topics: money laundering, moving and smuggling bulk currency, money service businesses, informal value transfer systems (such as Hawalas), trade-based money laundering, cross-border fraud, investigative techniques, kleptocracy and asset forfeiture. This training includes practical exercises which enable participants to learn how TCOs and terrorist organizations collect, store, and move illicit proceeds.

John Doe, aka Habteab Berhe Temanu, aka Habteab B Temanu, aka "TUFA," aka Kefelegn Alemu, aka Kefelegn Alemu Worku, about 62 years old, a Denver resident from Ethiopia, was sentenced May 23 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge John L. Kane to the lengthy prison term for unlawfully procuring citizenship, making false statements on immigration documents and identity theft.

According to court documents, Fadi Bazzi, 49, made false statements on his naturalization application to become a U.S. citizen. During his application for citizenship, Bazzi, withheld information that he had previously been convicted of theft in his native country. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment for the theft conviction.

Mark Anthony Pape, 23, has been in federal custody since his arrest last month in San Marcos, Texas, on a related charge outlined in a federal criminal complaint.

Mark Stein, 48, was sentenced to four months in prison, a $10,000 fine and three years of supervised release for five counts of wire fraud in connection with fraud on the unemployment compensation fund. Stein is the CEO of Land Tech Enterprises, a landscaping company in Bucks County.