News Releases and Statements

The Crime Museum today unveiled a new exhibit entitled 'Securing the Homeland - ICE,' offering insight into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its efforts to promote homeland security and public safety through the enforcement of more than 400 federal laws governing homeland security, customs, trade and immigration.

HSI special agents arrested Jose Fernando Rodriguez-Vargas after they received information from the Puerto Rico Police Department regarding Rodriguez-Vargas's attempt to use his cellular telephone to clandestinely take photographs of a 14-year-old girl at a local supermarket.

Harry K. Roche, 43, was convicted in 2003 in Delaware of using a computer to depict a child engaging in a prohibited sexual act and possession of child pornography, which involved Roche producing sexually explicit images of children in his Magnolia apartment.

Genaro Olaguez-Rendon, a Mexican national who resided in the Sacramento area, was deported to his native country Tuesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He faces multiple homicide charges stemming from an attack 14 years ago that killed eight government officials in the Mexican state of Sinaloa.

Gustavo Ramirez-Ramirez, 45, pleaded guilty Nov. 27 in U.S. District Court to unlawful procurement of U.S. citizenship and admitted to submitting false information to obtain a U.S. passport.

'HSI is proud to recognize the key role that the Trenton Police played in bringing this case to a successful resolution,' said Special Agent in Charge Marlon Miller. 'These funds will allow the Trenton Police Department to continue the excellent work they do in the community.'

Kristopher K. Sims, 30, of Augusta, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography. In his plea, Sims admitted that on Nov. 20, 2012, he made a recording, via the Internet, of a 12-year-old girl engaging in a sexual act.

An indictment was unsealed Monday charging four individuals with multiple counts of conspiracy, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and mail and wire fraud.

Juan Carlos Hernandez, 44, is charged with enticing a minor online to engage in illicit sexual activity, and interstate travel to meet a minor with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. He remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing and detention hearing, which have yet to be scheduled.

Andrew Michael Spofford, 23, of Fargo, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison for his involvement in a drug conspiracy with international ties that investigators titled 'Operation Stolen Youth.'

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced it will extend the suspension of certain requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant Haitian students who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti.

Jonathan Scott Lee took sexually explicit photos of an 11-year-old girl and shared them on the Internet. Forensic analysis of digital media seized from Lee's home revealed thousands of images and videos of child exploitation.

William Vergara-Alamo began text messaging with a 14-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe, after she mistakenly called his cellphone. Within two weeks of communicating with her, Vergara-Alamo asked Jane Doe to send him photographs of herself.

Raymundo Silva, 35, was convicted of conspiracy and five bank-fraud charges. The jury acquitted Silva on two other bank-fraud charges after a four-day trial.

Of the 110 arrests, there were 84 in Spain, 20 in the UK, two in the United States and four in Serbia with the majority of people arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraud offences.

Michael Joseph Pepe, a retired Marine Corps captain who was convicted of drugging and sexually abusing girls in Cambodia, was sentenced Friday to 210 years in federal prison.

Rodolfo Reyna Sanchez admitted someone had paid for the truck and instructed him to register it in his name. He was en route to Houston where he was to receive $50,000 for transporting the marijuana. He admitted he knew the truck contained marijuana.

Special agents with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Friday seized an ancient Roman marble sarcophagus lid featuring a high-relief sculpture of a sleeping woman from convicted antiquities dealer Gianfranco Becchina.

On Feb. 26, agents arrested 25 of the 29 defendants during an early-morning law enforcement operation led by HSI and the HIDTA Region II Narcotics Task Force. Two other defendants were arrested during the course of the investigation.

Approximately 160 stolen cars worth more than $8 million were recovered during 'Operation Jacked,' a 10-month joint HSI investigation led by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police, along with the Port Authority of New York, the New Jersey Police and 12 other agencies.

Syed Maaz Shah, 26, was convicted of being an alien in possession of a firearm in September 2007 in Houston federal court, a federal felony charge. U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon subsequently sentenced Shah to 78 months in federal prison.

Seven adults were arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute smokable synthetic cannabinoids, Schedule I controlled substances, with the intent for human consumption, and drug paraphernalia following an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington.

Luis Cortez-Garcia and Emiliano Cortez-Garcia are accused of illegally manufacturing and selling firearms; conspiracy; and several criminal counts involving the unlawful possession, manufacture and sale of short-barreled rifles, machine guns and silencers.

Cephas Msipa, who resided in Plano, Texas, pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding Information in August 2013 charging one count of conspiracy. He has been in federal custody since his arrest on an indictment in November 2012.