News Releases and Statements

Special agents from HSI Baltimore and officers from CBP Baltimore embarked on an outreach effort to spread awareness about the practice of female genital mutilation. Operation Limelight USA strives to protect women and girls around the world from the harmful practice of female genital mutilation through education and outreach.

Juan Pablo Ortiz-Herrera, 24, is wanted in his native Mexico for homicide. He was transported from ERO detention in Las Vegas, Nevada via ground transport and arrived on the same day at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego, California.

HSI is the principal investigative component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – investigating, disrupting, and dismantling transnational criminal organizations and terrorist networks that threaten or seek to exploit the customs and immigration laws of the United States.

ERO Houston, with assistance from ERO El Salvador and the SAFE Task Force, removed Celestino Andrade, a 71-year-old unlawfully present Salvadoran fugitive, from the United States on Aug. 18.

Victor Coronado Jr., 40, of Tucson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States.

Award winners were recognized for particular career achievement and serve as role models for women in law enforcement.

The noncitizen has an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the District Court in Leon, Nicaragua, for murder.

The knowledge shared provided a valuable opportunity for HSI, local leaders, law enforcement partners, and non-governmental stakeholders to ensure everyone has the same, up-to-date information concerning the indicators of human trafficking, how to appropriately respond to the crime, and how to best support its victims.

Individuals who lack a lawful basis to stay in the United States are ordered removed, consistent with U.S. law – all individuals who are removed have been screened for protection concerns.

Billy Eggleston, 50, of St. Albans, received the sentence Aug. 15 at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in Charleston. Eggleston must also register as a sex offender.

HSI is opening two job announcements. One is specifically geared toward women with the intention of increasing diversity. The agency’s goal is to employ 30% women agents by 2030. The second call is specific to Puerto Rico and requires candidates to be Spanish-proficient.

Individuals who lack a lawful basis to stay in the United States are ordered removed, consistent with U.S. law – all individuals who are removed have been screened for protection concerns.

Fabian Alvarado was sentenced Aug. 15 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to 10 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release for human smuggling and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines.

Emilio Ramon Torres was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine and 1 or more kilograms of heroin, as well as possession with intent to distribute 16 kilograms of cocaine.

Deportation officers from ERO Baltimore’s Criminal Apprehension Program arrested the 53-year-old, who has been present in the United States for more than 25 years and was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor, third-degree sex offense and incest in Montgomery County.

The summit featured a collection of guest speakers, including former professional athletes, professional sports executives and community leaders.

An ICE ERO Chicago deportation officer assigned to the U.S. Marshals Service’s KFATF assisted in the identification and arrest of a 37-year-old Bosnian noncitizen who had an active criminal arrest warrant issued by the Wyandotte County, Kansas, District Court for murder in the second degree on Aug. 8.

Jose Luis Lara, 27, of Cotulla, was ordered by U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo to serve a 20-year prison term — the maximum allowed under the statute. In handing down the sentence, Marmolejo noted the extremely disturbing nature of Lara’s acts toward a minor child, remarking that she would have given him more time if she could.

ERO New York City arrested Alejandro Pixtun-Hernandez, a 56-year-old international fugitive wanted in Guatemala for aggravated rape in a continuous manner and with special aggravating circumstances Aug. 10.

Antonio Jose De Abreu Vidal Filho, 29, became the subject of an active Interpol Red Notice issued by the international criminal police organization after he was convicted of 11 murders and sentenced to 275 years and eleven months in prison in June 2023 by a criminal court in the state of Ceara, Brazil.

Karla Jackelin Morales, a 24-year-old resident of Houston, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced in Harris County for her role in the 2018 killing of Jose Alfonso Villanueva.

William George Price, 65, of Land O’ Lakes, Florida, faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison following his guilty plea.

Francisco Javier Quintanilla-Alcocer, 39, and Brandon Cibriano-Gonzalez, 22, both Mexican citizens residing illegally in the United States, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez.

Florencia Renderos Morales, 24, of Houston, Texas, entered a guilty plea to one count of obstruction of justice. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison with three years of supervised release and $500,000 in fines.

Individuals who lack a lawful basis to stay in the United States are ordered removed, consistent with U.S. law – all individuals who are removed have been screened for protection concerns.