News Releases and Statements

Following an investigation by the HSI Los Angeles BEST, Chavon Sayles, a.k.a. “Amber,” 28, of Chino, was arrested this morning at her residence. She is expected to be arraigned this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

Jose Luis De Jongh Atencio (De Jongh), 48, a former procurement officer and manager in Citgo’s Special Projects Group, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has signed a short-term contract with the non-profit division of Endeavors to provide temporary shelter and processing services for families who have not been expelled and are therefore placed in immigration proceedings for their removal from the United States.

Sergey Medvedev, aka “Stells,” “segmed,” and “serjbear,” 33, of Russia, pleaded guilty in the District of Nevada to one count of racketeering conspiracy in June 2020, and was sentenced today to 10 years in prison. Marko Leopard, aka “Leopardmk,” 31, of North Macedonia, pleaded guilty in the District of Nevada to one count of racketeering conspiracy in November 2019 and was sentenced today to five years in prison.

Former Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen has been sentenced to five years in state prison on March 19, for running an adoption scheme that was unlawfully paid for by Arizona taxpayers following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZ DPS). This sentence will be in addition to his federal sentence.

The report highlights calendar year 2020 data from SEVIS, a web-based system that includes information about international students, exchange visitors and their dependents while they are in the United States.

Former Fire Chief Otis Garbe, received an indeterminate 58.5-month to life prison sentence Wednesday, with the additional conditions of lifetime community custody and registration as a sex offender, after attempting to meet a female child he believed was 13 years old for the purpose of having sex in a Richland, Washington, park. 

A Colombian man in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) passed away Monday evening at Valley Baptist Medical Center (VBMC) in Harlingen, Texas.

On March 17, Sebastian Tovar, 24, from Austin appeared in federal court and was charged for his role in a conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants resulting in death.

Clarence McFarland, 40, from San Antonio, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. McFarland pleaded guilty Oct. 1, 2020 to conspiracy to make false statement during the purchasing of multiple firearms.

As the result of a probe by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas, assisted by the Northern Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Eric Blair McCartt, aka Aeryne McCartt, 37, of Reno, pleaded guilty in Jan. 2019, to producing child pornography.

The HERO, or Human Exploitation Rescue Operative corps is an annual initiative managed by the HSI Cyber Crimes Center in partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Association to Protect Children (PROTECT).

Operation Keiki Shield 7 was led by Maui Police Department and was part of a joint effort by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), including resources from HSI Honolulu, the State of Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General, the United States Secret Service and the FBI.

After a four-day jury trial, Rickon Amyon Wade, aka “Ricky Wade,” 35, was found guilty of one count of Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits and Documents, and one count of Misuse of a Social Security Number.

The five men were booked into the Obion County Jail in Union City on state charges, where a $10,000 bond was set for each.

Mohamed Mokbel, 56, and Fathy Elsafty, 62, both of Houston, were arrested at their Houston-area homes early Tuesday morning. They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison at 2 p.m.

Michael David Miller, 40, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Miller previously pleaded guilty June 2, to the coercion and enticement of a minor.

The HSI Phoenix case began Oct. 8, 2013, when special agents were contacted by a representative of the Chandler Historical Society regarding multiple suspected pre-Columbian Chinesco-Western pottery figures with origins as far back as 100 B.C., which were in the possession of the City of Chandler Museum. HSI special agents promptly met with the museum’s director who turned over 10 Shaft Tomb artifacts for further review and investigation. Through an archeological expert analysis, the authenticity of these artifacts was confirmed as being more than 1,500 years old and originating from Mexico.

Yi Chen, aka “Brian Chen,” 33, of Monrovia, pleaded not guilty this afternoon to charges in a 21-count grand jury indictment that alleges conspiracy, visa fraud and aggravated identity theft.

This process is the continuation of efforts to develop an orderly immigration system that treats individuals humanely while ensuring national security, border security and public safety. The ICR process offers another channel through which noncitizens and their representatives can request that ICE exercise its prosecutorial discretion on a particular noncitizen’s behalf, and to resolve questions and concerns, consistent with law, policy and the interests of justice.

Stephen Folson, 36, and Desiree Saraficio, 29, admitted to conspiring to possess and manufacture methamphetamine after federal agents searched their home.

After the seizure of 618 boxes and 40 bags of merchandise for alleged trademark infringement, the case was turned over to HSI as part of a collaborative effort with CBP’s Electronics and Machinery CEEs.

Jason Wesley Matthews, 45, was arrested at his home in the 3500 block of Proud Eagle Way after HSI special agents executed federal search warrants at his residence. The Texas Department of Public Safety assisted in the case.

Noe Victelio Rivera-Batres, aka “Colocho”, 50, is a known or suspected member of the transnational criminal street organization known as Mara Salvatrucha or “MS-13”. Rivera illegally entered the United States in June 2018 near McAllen, Texas, and was issued a Notice and Order of Expedited Removal by the U.S. Border Patrol on June 12, 2018.

Alan Herrera-Valenzuela, 27, pleaded guilty Oct. 18, 2019. At his hearing, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez informed him that his actions troubled the court because, as a noncitizen, he was willing to cause harm by engaging in criminal activity that brought drugs into our community.