ICE provides updates to Operation Sunflower unsolved cases

WASHINGTON – Following last week's public appeal for leads in three unsolved child pornography cases, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announces the following updates:

• "Unknown Suspect #2" was successfully identified through Interpol Monday as having been convicted and sentenced in France, and his victim safeguarded. Jean-Luc Desomber, 53, a French citizen, was sentenced in 2003 by the Correctional Court in Nanterre, France, to seven years of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release.
• Criminal charges are expected to be filed late Monday in the U.S. District Court of Arizona against Lance Robert Fries, 43, of Tucson, previously known as "Unknown Suspect #1," for production of child pornography. Investigators were able to identify the victim and confirm that the victim is now safe.
• Letha Mae Montemayor, 52, previously known as "Jane Doe" was slated to make her initial appearance in federal court Monday at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, where she is being prosecuted for possession, distribution, production and conspiracy to produce child pornography.
• "John Doe," Montemayor's co-conspirator is still being sought and his identity and whereabouts remain unknown. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 866-347-2423 or visit www.ICE.gov/tips. Tips may be reported anonymously.

In order to protect the privacy of the victims, no further details are being released about their identities or relationships to the alleged offenders.

These unsolved cases were publicized as part of HSI's Operation Sunflower, a recently concluded enforcement action aimed at rescuing victims and targeting individuals who own, trade and produce child pornography. Operation Sunflower was conducted as part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 866-347-2423 or by completing its online tip form at www.ICE.gov/tips. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 800-843-5678.

HSI is a founding member and chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse. NCMEC is also a member of the VGT.