News Releases and Statements

Domingo Agustin-Simon, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 42 years in federal prison for conspiracy, hostage taking and brandishing a shotgun in connection with hostage taking. Leonardo Rabanales-Casia, 30, was sentenced at the same hearing to 25 years in prison for conspiracy and hostage taking.

A Tampa Police Department detective embarked on the investigation.

Jeffrey W. Herschell of Washington, Pa., pleaded guilty today for coercing and enticing a minor and possessing child pornography. Herschell sent money to the Philippines in February 2010 for a live, online sex show that included a 12-year-old minor female engaging in sexual activity.

A Nigerian man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to wire fraud. The guilty plea is the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Robert Gray, 37, of Northfield, Vt., had previously pleaded guilty to the charge Sept. 18, 2012. According to court records, a search warrant was executed at Gray's home in Northfield Feb. 24, 2012, at which time two computers used by Gray were seized.

Christopher Vernon George was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey to 40 months in federal prison and a 10 year term of supervised release, following his guilty plea in October 2012 to one count of possessing child pornography.

As part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) ongoing commitment to prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators, 39 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and immigration violators were arrested during a two-day operation in Lexington.

Shortly after obtaining citizenship, suspects divorced their U.S. citizen spouses and married each other.

Troy Douglas Brimm was sentenced Thursday to 34 years in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release for traveling from the United States to the Dominican Republic to engage in illicit sexual conduct with minors. The sentence resulted from an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Dominican National Police.

A local man was sentenced Friday to 41 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for purchasing ammunition that was to be smuggled into Mexico. The case was investigated by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

In the premiere episode of Extreme Smuggling, airing tonight on the Discovery Channel, former smugglers, law enforcement and military professionals will give first-hand accounts of their experiences in the ongoing war against the drug trade.

Martin J. Villalobos, 41, of Lodi, N.J., was convicted following a one week trial before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler. U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman, District of New Jersey, and Andrew McLees, special agent in charge of HSI Newark, announced the verdict.

As part of ICE's ongoing efforts to focus agency resources on the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators, 97 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and other immigration violators were arrested during a four-day operation in West Michigan.

ICE Director John Morton attended the Friday opening of the new European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), based at Europol's headquarters in The Hague. EC3 will be the focal point in the European Unions' fight against cybercrime, protecting citizens and businesses against cybercrime threats.

Thirty-six individuals - including two top leaders and six upper-level managers - have been indicted as alleged participants in a major narcotics network with ties to the Netas street gang.

Andrew Boryski, a Canadian national who operated a Los Angeles-area immigration consulting business that sought visas on behalf of aspiring foreign actors, faces multiple criminal charges for allegedly cheating his clients out of thousands of dollars in an immigration scam.

Thomas Joseph Barrett, a 49-year-old federal employee from Lynnwood, Wash., made his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday on child pornography charges following his arrest at the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Office of Disability Adjudication and Review in Seattle.

James Hector Alcala, a Salt Lake City immigration attorney who fled following his 2009 indictment on alien smuggling and visa fraud charges, is headed to back to Utah after being captured while attempting to re-enter the U.S. on Christmas Day at the San Ysidro Port of Entry near San Diego.

British businessman Christopher Tappin, 66, of Orpington, Kent, was sentenced Jan. 9 to two years and nine months in federal prison.

David Ettlinger of Newton, Mass., was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison Tuesday for his participation in an international criminal network, known as Dreamboard, which produced and disseminated depictions of graphic child sexual abuse via the internet.

Christopher Frick, 38, was arrested in March and pleaded guilty last October to the charges.

America Alejandra Quintana, 26, was arraigned in Fresno Wednesday on federal methamphetamine trafficking charges and pleaded not guilty.

Domingo Quesada-Hernandez was convicted Tuesday of bulk cash smuggling after he pleaded guilty to evading a currency-reporting requirement in his attempt to conceal $610,535 in a vehicle while trying to smuggle the money into Mexico.

Anthony L. Ferguson was sentenced Monday to nearly 20 years in prison for producing child pornography with a 5-year-old girl for rent money.

A Chinese national pleaded guilty late yesterday to conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement and wire fraud. The individual operated a website used to distribute over $100 million worth of pirated software around the world, making it one of the most significant cases of copyright infringement ever uncovered - and dismantled - by ICE.