News Releases and Statements
News Releases and Statements
Victor Anthony Nottoli, 51, of Hillsborough, Calif., pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of causing at least 24 tons of misbranded SSC to be introduced into interstate commerce. Additionally, four other defendants arrested last week for manufacturing and distributing SSC were indicted Thursday.
The two-day bench trial of Michael T. Laursen, 47, came as a result of a multiagency investigation, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Laursen now faces up to 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years.
Three ICE employees were among ten individuals who received this prestigious award. The DHS Award for Valor is the highest departmental recognition for extraordinary acts of valor by an employee, occurring while on or off duty, and it's only given in extraordinary circumstances. It's presented to select individuals who performed courageously in a dangerous or life-threatening situation to protect another's life or to save significant assets or infrastructure from harm.
Tomas Steven Quiñones, 48, admitted to producing a video in December 2010 that contained child pornography. Specifically, Quiñones admitted to knowingly persuading and enticing two minors to take part in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a video depiction of such conduct. In the video he is seen and heard instructing the children on how to have sex.
Jucontee Thomas Woewiyu, aka Jucontee Thomas Smith, 68, of Collingdale, was charged with seven counts of perjury, two counts of fraudulently attempting to obtain citizenship, four counts of fraud in immigration documents and three counts of false statements in relation to naturalization. If convicted, he faces a maximum possible sentence of 110 years in prison, a $4,000,000 fine, not more than three years supervised release and a $1,600 special assessment.
An Altavista man, who previously pleaded guilty to charges related to trafficking in counterfeit sports apparel, was sentenced Tuesday to five months in prison, followed by five months of home confinement. The sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington.
As part of his sentence, George E. Hall, 46, must also pay approximately $64,000 in restitution.
Israel Berrios-Berrios, a 58-year-old suspended Catholic priest, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and sexual trafficking of minors.
Switzerland is the latest country to join the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT), an international alliance of law enforcement and private sector agencies dedicated to combating online child sexual exploitation and other forms of transnational child sexual exploitation. An official signing-in ceremony was held in Brussels Tuesday, which was attended by both the U.S. and Swiss ambassadors to the European Union.
The United States signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) Tuesday with Uruguay marking a significant milestone in collaboration between the two countries. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske signed the agreement on behalf of CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Uruguay's Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Almagro signed the agreement on behalf of Uruguay. The bilateral agreement is a valuable tool for the United States and Uruguay's respective customs administrations to prevent, repress and investigate customs offenses.
Sung Hoon Ha, 30, formerly of Tacoma, pleaded guilty in December 2013 to encouraging and inducing an alien to unlawfully enter the United States, following an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations. Ha was sentenced to 137 days' time served and two years' supervised release. He was turned over to ERO, placed into removal proceedings and held at the Northwest Detention Center until his deportation.
Retired Navy SEAL sentenced for removal of classified documents while employed as defense contractor
Bruce Schliemann, 50, of Virginia Beach, previously waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with the unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents.
Shane Padilla, 30, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, a U.S. Air Force C-130 pilot stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, was initially arrested on the charges April 4. He faces between five years and 20 years in federal prison as well as a $250,000 fine if convicted of the charges.
Carlos Arnoldo Lobo, aka Negro, 39, allegedly owned and operated several dozen vessels off the eastern coast of Honduras which he outfitted to smuggle cocaine. The drugs were shipped from Colombia and Panama to Honduras, then into Guatemala and beyond, including Mexico and ultimately the United States. Lobo allegedly controlled drug shipments into and out of the eastern coast of Honduras.
Zackary Adam Knight was charged in a criminal complaint filed May 9 in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg.
A 34-year-old Baltimore man was sentenced Monday to 10 years in federal prison on conspiracy charges related to distribution and possession of methamphetamine.
Jordan Barraco also received five years of supervised release as part of his sentence.
Alexander Ortega, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Hilda G. Tagle to 360 months in prison for each of the four counts of conviction, which are to be served concurrently. In handing down the sentence, Judge Tagle noted the amount of drugs involved and Ortega's role as leader of the conspiracy. Ortega will also be required to serve five years of supervised release after he completes his prison term.
Frederick Simonelli, 69, is charged in a March 26 federal grand jury indictment unsealed Monday. According to court documents, an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) found Simonelli allegedly received child pornography through the Internet on at least two occasions in January 2012.
Nichole Bires, 36, of McKeesport, the manager at H&H Fish market, a small local food store, pleaded guilty to exchanging customers' food stamp benefits for cash on a discounted basis, usually giving the customers only 50 cents on the dollar for food stamp benefits.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) recognized the efforts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) during its annual congressional breakfast May 7 in Washington, D.C.
The HSI members were among other law enforcement professionals honored by NCMEC for performing above and beyond the call of duty in safely recovering a missing child or successfully resolving a child sexual exploitation case. HSI personnel were recognized in two separate investigations.
Nathan Brochstein, 40, of Wayside, N.J., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Mary L. Cooper in Trenton federal court to one count of distribution of child pornography.
ICE employees, leadership, family members of ICE fallen officers and distinguished guests, including DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson and DHS Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, gathered at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on May 12 and gave a moving tribute to law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty.
May 9, 2014 – SEVP report provides snapshot of international students studying in US
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), released "SEVIS by the Numbers," a quarterly report of international students studying in the United States, May 7. Full Story
Rony Abimael Gonzalez-Herrera, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Jarvey to 57 months in federal prison. Gonzalez pleaded guilty Jan. 9 to conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens.
Kevin D. Woolsey, 22, of Jenks, Oklahoma, was sentenced by U.S. Court Judge Claire V. Eagan to serve 84 months, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. On Sept. 19, 2013, Woolsey was charged by sealed Information with receiving child pornography; he pleaded guilty to the charge Nov. 5. Woolsey targeted boys between 14 to 16 years old who primarily participated in the Boy Scouts or who were members of a church youth group.
The painting, entitled "Composition abstraite [Abstract composition]" by Serge Poliakoff, once belonged to Brazilian banker Edemarcid Ferreira. He was the founder and former president of Banco Santos, and was convicted in Brazil of crimes against the national financial system and money laundering. In December 2006, Ferreira was sentenced in Brazil to 21 years in prison.
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