News Releases and Statements

Perez-Lopez was arrested Dec. 19, 2013 in Eagle Pass, Texas, by agents with U.S. Border Patrol while illegally entering the United States. She was convicted of illegal entry and sentenced to 30 days in prison. After serving time, Perez-Lopez was transferred to ICE custody Jan. 16. She was subsequently ordered to be removed from the United States by an immigration judge on March 20.

Michael Darnell Boswell Jr., 31, must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

HSI special agents investigating this case believe "John Doe," whose real first name may be Shaun, is an adult male between 40 and 50 years old. They do not have a photo of the suspect. Based on investigative clues, HSI special agents believe this person may be living within a 100-mile radius of the New Haven, Connecticut, area.

Bradley W. Pattee, 57, of Henrietta previously pleaded guilty Jan. 31, to 13 counts of producing, distributing and possessing child pornography.

Eric Olaniyan must pay $65,040.46 in restitution. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be transferred into ICE custody for immigration removal proceedings.

ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending June 6, 2014

HSI Shadow Wolves trained 12 Polish border guards, who already have experience in tracking, on instruction techniques so they can share their experience and knowledge with their colleagues.

During the enforcement effort, which concluded late Wednesday, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers assigned to the agency's Fugitive Operations Teams sought to locate and take custody of deportable alien sex offenders in six Southland counties - Los Angeles (31), San Bernardino (11), Riverside (8), Orange (4), Ventura (2) and Santa Barbara (1). The majority of those arrested were Mexican citizens (38), but the group also included nationals of El Salvador (8), the Philippines (4), Honduras (2), Guatemala (2), Vietnam (1), Samoa (1) and Panama (1).

Christopher Lee, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez-Ramos. Lee will also serve 10 years of supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the Internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Lee pleaded guilty March 3.

During the operation, ICE officers arrested a total of 27 individuals; seven immigration fugitives who ignored lawful orders of removal, eight individuals who illegally re-entered the United States after being deported and 12 other immigration violators. It's a felony for someone to re-enter the United States after being deported, which if convicted, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Of the total 27 arrested, 22 had criminal histories including assault, battery, burglary, child endangerment, counterfeiting, disorderly conduct, DUI, heroin possession, prostitution, resisting arrest and theft.

In the first DTO, known as "Operation Gangster Disciples," 21 defendants were named in two separate related indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Denver on charges ranging from Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute to distribution of various drugs, including: cocaine, crack, methamphetamine, and heroin.

Lenyn Acosta, 33, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon to 97 months in federal prison. Judge Harmon accepted all the guilty pleas in the case, finding that Acosta was the organizer and leader of an ongoing and extensive conspiracy involving hundreds of undocumented aliens, including juveniles. Judge Harmon also found Acosta caused serious bodily injury to a female alien he harbored by sexually assaulting her during the course of the conspiracy.

Patrick Taylor, 34, of Pittsburgh, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release.

Karin Yamilec Aguilar-Melgor, 22, pleaded guilty June 5 before U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos.

Shannon Adams, 44, of Searcy, was previously convicted in March of forcing her minor child to engage in sexual acts with Don Ray Harris, 59, of Heber Springs. Harris pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in February and agreed to testify against Adams.

Edgar Ulices Velasquez, aka "Edgar Giovanni Hernandez," 32, of Allentown, who was originally removed from the country in 2002, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Ricardo Guerrero, 55, from Mathis, Texas, was sentenced to life in prison June 5 by Senior U.S. District Judge Hayden Head. As part of his sentence, Guerrero was also ordered to forfeit three properties to the United States and pay a $500,000 money judgment. A federal jury in Corpus Christi convicted Guerrero March 18 after deliberating about two hours following an eight-day trial. Guerrero was also sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Thomas Silber, 50, of Yardley, was charged with 10 counts of knowingly receiving, and attempting to receive child pornography.

Scott L. Divine, 34, of Seymour, Indiana, pleaded guilty June 4 to one count of distributing child pornography through email and was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison.

The 26 officers are assigned to the Puerto Rico police regions of Guanica, Cabo Rojo, Añasco, Arecibo, Vega Baja and San Juan. They join a select group of colleagues at the local level and more than 900 nationally who have been give the responsibility, privilege and authority to enforce the nation's customs laws.

Jose Gallegos, 47, was convicted by a Corpus Christi federal jury Dec. 10, 2013, after a two-day trial and about 45 minutes of deliberation.

Dereck Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking children. If the Court accepts the plea agreement executed between the defendant and the government, the parties agree the appropriate term of imprisonment in this case is 15 years in federal prison.

Trevion Lechay Ethridge, of Newton, Texas, pleaded guilty to enticing a minor to record child pornography.