News Releases and Statements

Roger Lee Martinez, a 40-year-old Three Rivers, Texas resident, was sentenced in the Southern District of Texas to 10 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Martinez had waived his right to appeal.

In October 2014, Smith was honorably discharged from the military. Though he received several job offers, none fulfilled his desire to continue to serve his community. During a routine appointment at the Omaha VA Medical Center, Smith and his physical therapist began discussing the cybersecurity degree Smith was pursuing. His clinician suggested Homeland Security Investigations, commonly called HSI, and its HERO program. Smith, interested in learning more, began researching it.

Alfonso Salcido Herrera Jr., 45, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for Dec. 20.

Charles Willoughby III, 39, who served as a youth group leader at New Life Worship Center in Norfolk, faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for his offenses.

A federal grand jury indicted Harold Lloyd Blair Jr., 66, in Springfield on Dec. 6, with one count of using a minor to produce child pornography. The indictment alleges that Blair used the child to produce pornography from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2013.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Doe was first encountered by immigration authorities in January 1985 in Miami when he attempted to enter the United States from Jamaica by claiming to be a U.S. citizen named Freddie Davis.

On Dec. 8, a judge sentenced Onilson Dario Juarez-Mendez, 41, to 188 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

An HSI Jacksonville investigation led to the sentencing of Oscar Molina-Avila to four years and four months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. to impede the lawful functions of the IRS.

The investigation into the seizures began in September 2022, when HSI received information from a representative of FIFA identifying several sites being used to distribute copyright infringing content, specifically World Cup games, without FIFA’s authorization.

Armando Anthony Vidales, 25, from Poteet, Texas, will serve 360 months in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release. The judge also ordered him to pay $5,000 in restitution. Vidales pleaded guilty March 31.

According to the investigation, Ana Patricia Landaverde, 47, of Williamsburg, Virginia; Jeffrey Dean Vaughan, 64, of Williamsburg, Virginia; and George William Evans, 68, of Midlothian, Virginia engaged in a conspiracy to harbor, transport and benefit from employing undocumented noncitizens at their commercial laundry business, Northstar Holdings of Virginia, LLC, d/b/a Magnolia Cleaning Services, LLC.

U.S. District Court Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Gabriel Allen Pelz, 44, after a May 18 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of use of a communication facility to commit a felony drug crime. Pelz will serve 188 months in confinement and a six-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal prison system.

Joel Cypert, 35, of Columbus, is accused of creating sexually explicit images of a prepubescent, minor victim.

A judge sentenced Dillon Everman, 30, to 345 months in prison for conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child (production of child pornography) following an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations, commonly called HSI, and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

William “Bill” Dexter Lucas, 60, and Deborah Jean Lucas, 64, both of Bryan, Texas, pleaded guilty Dec. 8. Brian Corpian, 45, of Houston, entered his plea Dec. 2.

Elias Lopez III, a 35-year-old resident of San Benito, Texas, was sentenced Thursday in the Southern District of Texas to 33 months imprisonment to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release for conspiring to transport unlawfully present noncitizens within the United States. Lopez pleaded guilty to the charges July 26.

Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Kansas City Joshua Armstrong and Acting United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Dallas Faamausili, 36, of Renton, Washington, was sentenced to more than five years in prison Thursday in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska.

A judge sentenced Paul John McNicol, 30, of LeClaire, Iowa to 216 months in prison for receiving child pornography on Nov. 30 following a Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, probe.

HSI welcomed seven new forensic analysts into its ranks during the HERO Corps graduation ceremony Dec. 8.

According to court documents, Dillon Everman, 30, of Parsons, Kansas, admitted in his guilty plea that he encouraged his 26-year-old co-defendant, Dustin Strom, to sexually abuse two young children and send him images of the abuse. Everman then saved the images and created a shareable link that he made available to Strom and others.

A jury convicted a West Plains man Dec. 6 of sexual exploitation of a 13-month-old child and distributing child pornography following a joint investigation between HSI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and the West Plains, Mo., Police Department.

ERO Los Angeles officers apprehended Marcelino Guzman-Jimenez, 41, during a targeted enforcement operation. Guzman entered the United States at an unknown date, time and location without being admitted or paroled by an immigration officer. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and will be returned to his home country.

Renato Tejada-Alvarez, 35, entered the U.S. on March 4, 2021 as a nonimmigrant and violated his terms of admission. Officers from the ERO Fugitive Operations Newburgh, New York sub-office arrested him in Spring Valley on Dec. 1. Tejada-Alvarez is being held in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

Rolando Joaquin-Miguel, 35, an undocumented noncitizen from Guatemala, is charged with human smuggling and hostage taking in the District of New Mexico. He is being held without bond pending judicial proceedings in federal court.

The charges and criminal convictions of those arrested included domestic violence, assault, drug possession, drug trafficking, attempted murder, driving under the influence and identity theft. Cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution for illegal reentry may be presented to the U.S. attorney’s office. These individuals are being held in ICE custody pending removal from the U.S. or removal proceedings with the immigration court.