News Releases and Statements

Jose Torres, aka 'Jose Quilestorres,' aka 'Carlos Jose Luis,' 47, of Bronx, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court to conspiracy to defraud the United States, theft of government property and aggravated identity theft.

A Montana man was sentenced Friday to 13 years and four months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Four members of a virtual kidnapping ring based in Tijuana and Southern California have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly extorting Latino families across the United States, falsely claiming a family member had been kidnapped and demanding thousands of dollars in ransom.

According to court documents, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism officers encountered John Malcolm Nealy, 66, of Florence, Mont., in Arkansas's White Oak State Park on Sept. 3, 2012. Nealy had a stolen license plate on his vehicle at the time and was a fugitive wanted for violating the terms of his release for a prior federal child pornography possession conviction in Montana.

Two sales representatives for Gallant Pharma International, Inc., pleaded guilty Thursday to selling misbranded and non-FDA-approved intravenous chemotherapy drugs and injectable cosmetic drugs and devices.

Upon questioning, Travis James McReynolds admitted to obtaining child pornography by chatting with others via the Internet. Forensic analysis resulted in discovering 132 images and 35 videos of child pornography on two seized computers.

Mark Lawrence Wilson, a 45-year-old resident of Big Fork, was arraigned and pleaded guilty to unlawful drug user in possession of firearms and ammunition. Sentencing is set for Feb. 20.

Larry James Kerfoot, 38, of Dundalk, and Robert Marzola, 31, of Essex, were sentenced respectively to 28 and 29 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander.

Andrew Blane Fields, 62, of Lutz, faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a statutory maximum of life in prison on each of the 5 sex trafficking convictions.

Between September 2012 and April 2013, Dustin Metz possessed child pornography on his personal computer at his residence in D.C.

Joseph Ortiz, a Bay Area gang member linked to multiple murders as part of HSI gang racketeering probe who previously pleaded guilty to 25 federal charges, including three counts of racketeering murder, was sentenced Thursday to five life terms, plus 60 years in federal prison.

Matthew Crisafi, 38, of Hampton, was arrested by HSI special agents on a federal criminal complaint charging him with three counts: the unlicensed sale of firearms; smuggling of firearms from the United States to an overseas destination; and conspiring to commit money laundering in connection with firearms trafficking activities.

Curtis Green pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to distribute and possess with attempt to distribute cocaine. On Nov. 5, in a related case, Jacob Theodore George IV pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute drugs, including heroin.

A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment Thursday charging three Fresno-area men with methamphetamine trafficking, following a multiagency probe that resulted in the seizure of nearly 100 pounds of the drug.

In October, undercover HSI special agents in Utah discovered a person in Canada, later identified as Lee David Hughes, sharing child pornography over the Internet.

From October 2012 to December 2012, Tarran Arnel Brinson conspired, attempted to recruit, and recruited, enticed, transported, provided, and obtained girls under of 18 years of age knowing the teenage girls would be caused to engage in commercial sex acts.

Michael Slattery Jr. pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y., Tuesday to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act in relation to illegal rhinoceros horn trafficking. The guilty plea follows an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).

Two Romanian natives residing in Queens, N.Y., pleaded guilty Wednesday to a scheme to steal account information from bank customers throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut by installing secret card-reading devices on ATMs.

Fake auto parts, including counterfeit brake pads, tires, suspension components, steering linkages and other accessories, are also universally being distributed and sold to consumers in greater volumes, officials warned.

Joel Rodriguez Padilla, aka Isaias Rodriguez Padilla, a previously deported Mexican national illegally living in Denver, was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury this week on immigration and drug charges.

Jose Ramirez Chavez and Pablo Bernal Moreno were remanded to the custody of representatives from the Mexican Attorney General's Office by ICE ERO officers at the San Ysidro border crossing Tuesday morning under tight security.

A Winter Park art gallery and owner were charged federally with obstruction of justice in connection with the importation of ancient Chinese artifacts that were interdicted at the Port of Miami.

Althea Angela Peart and Charmaine Anne King were arrested Monday for their roles in a fraudulent lottery scam.

Returning a nation's looted cultural heritage or stolen artwork protects the world's cultural heritage and knowledge of past civilizations. The Smithsonian Institution's Museum Conservation Institute provides HSI special agents with on-site training on how to handle, store, photograph and authenticate cultural property and works of art.

The defendants - Ali Chahine, 43, Imad Elcheikhali, 48, Wassim Faisal, aka Michael Saissan, 44, Haissam Saleh, 28, Mehdi Saleh, 37, and Kassem Tohme, 40 - are charged with trademark counterfeiting and conspiracy.