News Releases and Statements

Andrian Page, 36, was sentenced in the Southern District of Texas to 28 years in federal prison for the production of child pornography; 60 months for the distribution of child pornography; 60 months for the receipt of child pornography; and 60 months for the possession of child pornography.

HSI Houston and the HPD are cautioning fans to beware of individuals and businesses selling counterfeit merchandise or tickets during 2022 MLB ALCS games in Houston. The city of Houston is scheduled to host games one and two of the series beginning today and would host a potential game six or seven if they are needed.

The fugitive operations initiative, dubbed “Operation Secure Streets,” took place in the Houston area from Sept. 12 – 30, and targeted unlawfully present noncitizens who have previously been convicted of a DWI with certain aggravating factors or criminal histories, such as multiple DWIs; felony DWIs; DWIs resulting in bodily injury, property damage or death; and DWIs with other felony convictions.

Richard Orlinski “Sugar” Sanchez, 44, was sentenced to 23 years in prison after pleading guilty to various drug, weapons and money laundering charges, following an investigation by HSI. The DEA, USMS, the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force, the Pecos Valley Drug Task Force, and IRS participated in the case.

This enforcement operation was implemented to address unlawfully present noncitizens convicted of violating multiple local DUI laws. In addition to DUI convictions, criminal histories of those arrested include, but were not limited to crimes involving assault, cruelty toward children, weapons violations, domestic violence, fraud, homicide by vehicle, hit-and-run, and larceny. Cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution may be presented to the appropriate U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The Federative Republic of Brazil officially commemorated its 200 years of independence on Sept. 7. ERO attended the celebration to continue our tradition of diplomacy and bilateral partnership with Brazil.

Manuel Moya, 28, was sentenced in the Southern District of Texas to 25 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. Moya was convicted on July 27 of possessing a firearm as a felon and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Operation Trigger VII, which took place Sept. 24 – 30, saw officers from 19 countries coordinate controls at airports, seaports, land border, and inland hotspots, acting on intelligence pointing to organized crime groups and individuals involved in firearms trafficking.

Partnering with federal, state, local law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as financial, retail, freight transportation, and other industries Operation Boiling Point provides a multi-faceted approach to disrupt and dismantle OTGs through partnerships, investigations, and consumer awareness.

Jose Duenas-Topete, 29, from Hawarden, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine.

ICE is firmly committed to the health and welfare of all those in its custody and undertaking a comprehensive agency-wide review of this incident, as it does in all such cases. Fatalities in ICE custody, statistically, are exceedingly rare and occur at a fraction of the national average for the U.S. detained population.

Officers with the ICE ERO Seattle Field Office removed Manuel Antonio Baldizon, 52, a citizen of Guatemala, who was convicted in the U.S. of conspiracy to commit money laundering and is wanted by law enforcement authorities in his home country for criminal conspiracy, passive bribery, and laundering of money or other assets.

Jose Maria Guerrero, 68, and Rodolfo Solis Zepeda, 75, both from San Antonio, were arrested and charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and five counts of false statements.

Jamel Muldrew, 34, of Houston, was sentenced Oct. 5, 2022, after a TBHTTF investigation revealed that he had been trafficking the minor victim across the country to engage in commercial sex acts.

According to the ICE Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) designation by the National Security Law Section, Bakhtiyo Bazarovich Jumaev, 55, poses a threat to national security due to terrorism activities.

As part of Operation Poyais, the Brazilian Federal Police executed 20 search and seizure warrants in the states of Parana, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for multiple violations of Brazilian criminal statutes.

Ricardo Reyes-Garcia, 26, from Reynosa, Mexico, was indicted on two counts for both receipt and possession of child pornography.

Othell Corneilous Brown, 46, from Montalba, Texas, was sentenced Oct. 5 to 41 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that detailed Brown’s prior training as a truck driver and whether it assisted him in the smuggling attempt. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Brown was extremely lucky that nobody was injured or killed during the smuggling attempt as it would have resulted in a much higher sentence.  Brown pleaded guilty June 28.

Jose Ricardo Zamora-Ibarra, 35, illegally residing in Palmview was sentenced Oct. 4 to 180 months in prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. Zamora-Ibarra was further ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to known victims and must register as a sex offender.

HSI reported the arrest of Marlon Pitts, aka “Cali”, a resident of Capital Heights, Maryland, on Aug. 11, as well as the arrests of Maurice Monroe, aka “Moeazy”, a resident of Washington, D.C., and Alexander Stevens III, aka “Cas”, a resident of Accokeek, Maryland, on Sept. 7.

A painting stolen from the University of Arizona Museum of Art 37 years ago has been brought back home due in large part by the careful and meticulous planning by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in coordination with university police.

Antonio Montes, a 55-year-old resident of Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty Wednesday in the Southern District of Texas to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamines.

According to evidence presented at trial, Nameer Mohammad Atta, of San Diego, sold counterfeit “M30” pills in April and May 2020 to the Marine, identified in court records as C.M.R., knowing that these pills are counterfeit oxycodone pills that contain illicit fentanyl.

Jesus Ochoa, 27, from Laredo, was sentenced Sept. 28 by a federal judge to serve 186 months in federal prison while Luis Armando Garcia, 29, illegally residing in Laredo, was sentenced to 192 months in prison.

Dominguez Martinez, the first law enforcement partner outside the U.S. to receive the award, was recognized for leading Interpol Mexico’s contributions to ERO Mexico City’s Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) — a robust information sharing relationship with the Government of Mexico that supports ERO’s ability to identify, arrest, and remove fugitives with active criminal arrest warrants in Mexico from the United States.