News Releases and Statements

Agents conducting surveillance around the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry observed a white box truck with Arizona license plates parked near the Morley Pedestrian Gate. After noticing suspicious activity, agents followed the truck when it departed the area, and with assistance from the Nogales Police Department conducted a traffic stop.

Guillermo Villarreal, a convicted drug trafficker whose criminal history includes a conviction for conspiring with a former Laredo Police officer to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to 10 years in prison without parole last week. This case was investigated by the following agencies: U.S. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the FBI...

A man from Reading, Pa., was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison for drug possession and his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.

Gustavo G. Olvera, 38, of Farmers Branch, Texas, pleaded guilty in March to one count of enticing a child, and was sentenced on Monday to 14 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas.

Wilch Dewalt, the leader of a New York-based identity fraud ring, was sentenced to 85 months in prison last week. This sentencing was the result of an ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) joint investigation with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYS-DMV).

Iranian national sentenced for efforts to illegally export components for the TOW missile system to Iran.

Jacinda Jones of Ypsilanti, Mich. was sentenced today to two years in prison for selling more than $400,000 worth of counterfeit computer software after an extensive investigation by IPR Center in Washington.

ICE investigations are often complex, requiring significant examination and analysis. That's when the honed skills of the staff at the agency's Forensic Document Lab (FDL) come into play. Established in 1978, the lab serves as the authority on determining the authenticity of travel and identity documents.

Samuel Martinez Gonzalez, who was charged with sex trafficking, is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court Monday following his arrest Friday night, when authorities rescued three teenage girls he allegedly brought from Texas for the purpose of having them work as prostitutes.

"Pedro Marcos-Marcos, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was sentenced Monday to 240 months in federal prison for overseeing a human smuggling operation that used a ""drop house"" in Lancaster, Calif., where illegal aliens were rescued in 2009 after being held against their will, denied food and physically assaulted."

Hernandez had previously been convicted six times of driving under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, he had been convicted for public intoxication, twice for theft of property and once for possession of a forged instrument.

Reginald Estrada and Michael Rose, both of Brooklyn, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine. The case is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Port Authority Police Dept. of New York and New Jersey

Biodun Okunnuo, 39, was arrested Feb. 18 at the Blaine, Wash., Port of Entry after she was refused entry into Canada. At that time, Okunnuo presented a false U.S. passport, which she had obtained by using a stolen identity. Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discovered an outstanding Florida State warrant for her arrest under the alias used on the fake document.

Two Orlando men were sentenced Friday for conspiracy to import heroin, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Orange County Sheriff's Office, and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation.

A former supervisor with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and his son were sentenced Thursday on federal corruption charges to 60 months and 48 months in prison, respectively, following an investigation by U.S. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General.

Hector Hugo Tovar-Sanchez, a legal permanent resident of the United States from Texas and Mexican native, was sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for his role in a scheme to smuggle cocaine into the Allentown, Pa., area from Mexico. He was convicted in February 2011 following an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Christopher J. Stephani, 41, of Columbia Crossroads, Pa., used a computer to download and distribute more than 800 images and 35 movies of child pornography between 2008 and March 4, 2010.

A Costa Rican national wanted on an International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) Red Notice for indecent assault, sexual abuse of a minor and corruption of minors in his native country was deported from the United States Wednesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers.

A Dominican national, who illegally re-entered the United States, was sentenced to three years in jail followed by three years of supervised release for identity theft and falsely representing his citizenship. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Richard Boerckel, 68, was charged after HSI conducted an undercover investigation into the operators and subscribers of websites containing child pornography.

Members of an online network called Dreamboard allegedly traded graphic images and videos of adults molesting children 12 years old and younger.

Dougless Perlitz was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing at least eight minor victims over the course of a decade.

Five 'Sur-13'gang members from Georgia were sentenced Monday to lengthy federal prison terms after being arrested for carjacking and firearms offenses by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations.

The theft of so-called intellectual property - creative expressions like trade secrets, proprietary products and parts, literature, music, and films - comes at a high price.

Shaoxiong Zhou, 42, and Shaoxia Huang, 33, both of Shantou, Guangdong, China, pleaded guilty to one count each of trafficking in counterfeit goods. Zhou pleaded guilty on Aug. 5, 2011, and Huang pleaded guilty on Aug. 3, 2011