News Releases and Statements

Justin Craig Smith was ordered held without bond last week following his indictment by a federal grand jury for sexually exploiting two children, and possessing and distributing child pornography. Forensic evaluation of Smith's computer uncovered images of his sexually molesting children, as well as a large collection of toddler videos.

Michael David Wilson, 30, was indicted July 25 for receiving and distributing child pornography and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Jesse Tyrone Chavful, a co-defendant of former professional football player Samuel George Hurd III, was sentenced Wednesday to 97 months in federal prison for his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy.

Nares Lekhakul, 36, a Thai national and U.S. lawful permanent resident living in Bellevue, and his Thai brother Naris Lekhakul, 42, now face recommended sentences of 48 months and 30 months respectively.

Special agents with HSI and the FBI arrested Rasmieh Yousef Odeh, 66, at a Chicago-area residence for unlawfully procuring U.S. citizenship.

ICE protects the United States by promoting homeland security and public safety through the criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration.

According to court documents, Campos-Gonzalez is wanted for a 2009 murder in Aguascalientes, Mexico. He was turned over to Mexican authorities Oct. 16 to answer to the murder charge.

One loses U.S. citizenship, both face deportation

According to court documents, Allen Trent Carter, 53, of McCammon, Idaho, was identified during the course of an investigation into his son, Bradley Vaine, 27, of Fresno.

Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, announced that Evelyn LaChapelle, 28, Natalia Wade, 30, and Corvain Cooper, 33, all from California, were convicted following a four-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr.

Joshua I. Suter, 24, of San Angelo, Texas, has been in custody since his release was revoked earlier this month.

Brittanie S. Brattain, 22, was sentenced Oct. 15 to 72 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means. Brattain's co-defendant, Deundrea R. Miller, 27, also pleaded guilty in June to the same offense and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 12.

Conor Ryan Kelly Broderick, a Washington man with a history of child exploitation, was sentenced Thursday to 151 months in prison and 20 years' supervised release for possession of child pornography.

Carlos Manuel Cruz, 40, was sentenced Thursday to 5 years, 6 months in federal prison for possessing child pornography.

During the interview, Colby William Ochsenhirt admitted he viewed the child pornography video. He did not know whether the video was a live stream, meaning he did not know if the child was being victimized at the time he viewed it.

Javier Martinez, 48, was convicted in June of one count of unlawful reentry after deportation, five counts of making false claims of U.S. citizenship, five counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.

Acting DHS Secretary Rand Beers today joined ICE Acting Director John Sandweg, U.S. Special Operations Command Director of the Care Coalition Kevin McDonnell and National Association to Protect Children Executive Director Grier Weeks in a swearing in ceremony for 17 veterans as part of the inaugural class of HERO Corps.

ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents provided investigative leads to the National Police Agency of Japan (NPA) resulting in the Sept. 26 arrest of two Japanese nationals and the seizure of a firearm.

Parrish Kappes, 47, of Tuscola, Ill., was convicted Oct. 2 in the Central District of Illinois.

Ross William Ulbricht, aka Dread Pirate Roberts and DPR, 29, of San Francisco, was charged in a three-count indictment in the District of Maryland with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, attempted witness murder and using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire.

All the defendants were taken into custody in the morning hours of Sept. 30 at various locations in and around Chicago. They appeared later in the day before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel G. Martin, and all were ordered held until their next court appearances.

Erick Anderson Mejia-Ayala, a Salvadoran man wanted for murder in his home country, was deported Friday by officers with ICE's Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO).

A California woman was sentenced Monday to three years in federal prison for illegally transporting hundreds of container loads of Chinese-origin honey through the Chicago area after it unlawfully entered the country.

The owners of two El Cajon neighborhood markets are expected to appear in state court tomorrow on charges they defrauded a state and federal food stamp program out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Michael Ortiz, the father of a Bay Area gang member, was sentenced Friday to 70 months in prison for obstruction of justice and being an accessory-after-the-fact to three racketeering murders committed by his son, Joseph Ortiz.