News Releases and Statements

A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Alan Verschleisser, 66, and Thomas Jefferson, 49, both of Baltimore, with conspiracy and possession of stolen nickel briquettes and ferrochrome stolen from foreign shipments.

Jorge Alberto Lopez-Cordova, 32, was charged April 20 with illegally re-entering the United States as a convicted felon after having been previously deported.

Kyochung Lee, A South Korean national wanted in his native country for a fraud scheme that cost victims more than $100 million, was turned over to South Korean law enforcement representatives at the airport in Seoul Wednesday by officers from U.S. ICE and the Korean National Police Agency.

The father and son owners of the Chuy's Mesquite Broiler regional Mexican restaurant chain, along with the company's accountant, will be arraigned in federal court in Tucson Thursday on tax and immigration violations contained in a 19-count indictment stemming from a lengthy probe by U.S. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the IRS.

Federal agents led by the DEA, working closely with local and state law enforcement arrested 15 people from southern Colorado who had been named in four separate indictments for drug trafficking offenses. Law enforcement in Colorado became aware that three aliens involved in the drug-trafficking organization were transporting illegal aliens...

Sharon Lee Anderson, 38, and her husband, Buddy Anderson, 39, were arrested March 24 by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on charges outlined in a federal criminal complaint.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday began using the Secure Communities program in Adams, Darke, Greene, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Preble and Scioto counties.

Federal charges were unsealed Tuesday against 14 members of a criminal street gang who allegedly operated a crack distribution network based in Irvington, N.J., following an investigation led by federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Zhe Li of Wichita, Kan. was sentenced in federal court Tuesday for passing over $100,000 worth of counterfeit casino chips at the Argosy Riverside Casino. The case was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Gaming Division working jointly with U.S. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Missouri Department of Social Services.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday began using the Secure Communities program in the following seven Missouri counties: Douglas, Howell, Laclede, Oregon, Ozark, Pulaski and Texas.

U.S. ICE on Tuesday began using the Secure Communities program in Wicomico County to help federal immigration officials identify criminal aliens in state prisons and local jails by running their fingerprints against federal immigration databases when they are booked into the system.

Robert John Devalk, 38, of Saginaw, Texas, who pleaded guilty in November 2010 to one count of receiving child pornography, was also ordered to register as a sex offender and serve a lifetime of supervised release following his imprisonment. He has been in custody since his arrest in August 2010.

New Jersey businessman, company plead guilty to contracting fraud

ICE agents return more than $3,500 to victim of telemarketing fraud

The Association of Former Customs Special Agents (AFCSA) consists of more than 850 individuals who work tirelessly to preserve the history of the U.S. Customs Service.

Federal authorities unsealed an indictment Monday charging an Oceanside, Calif., motel and 38 individuals, mostly members and associates of the Oceanside Crips street gang, with racketeering and other charges related to the sex trafficking of underage girls and women.

The owner and the madame of a Korean room salon in Falls Church, Va., were sentenced today for conspiracy to both harbor illegal aliens and to induce illegal aliens to reside in the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain following an investigation by U.S. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The former director of case management at Las Palmas Medical Center in El Paso was sentenced April 15 to 10 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography, following an investigation by special agents from U.S. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Omar Jose Magana, 39, was also ordered to forfeit his home, valued at $152,605...

Border security task force seizes more than $1.3 million at cargo facility

John E. Widdows, 72, of Cumberland, Md pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a minor to produce child pornography. Law enforcement seized from Widdows' home three videos of a prepubescent female engaging in sexually explicit conduct at Widdows' direction and at least 100 additional images of child pornography.

ICE deports suspect wanted in Mexico for murdering a 4-year-old boy

Two illegal aliens from Mexico were sentenced on Thursday to federal prison for their roles in attempting to export munitions from the United States without a license, following an investigation conducted by U.S. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

In addition to the prison time, Anthony Bernard Ellrodt, 38, will be subject to 25 years of supervised release upon completion of his sentence. Ellrodt was previously convicted in September 1994 in Harvey County, Kansas, for aggravated indecent liberties with a child, for which he received a 32-month prison term.

"Special Agent James ""JD"" Kanatzar, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), was presented the Crystal Kipper and Ali Kemp Memorial Award Thursday for his outstanding service to crime victims."

Douglas Lazarus, 49, a Michigan resident and prior sex offender, was sentenced Thursday on a child pornography conviction following a ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court in the case that held that viewing child pornography on websites constitutes possession of child pornography.