Skip to main content

News Releases and Statements

News Releases and Statements

Search Help:

The displayed items are limited to the latest 1,250 news releases that match your filter criteria. Please try narrowing your filter criteria by date, topic or location if you do not find the news release you are seeking.

December 21, 2022
|Child Exploitation
Richard Lee Molinar, 44, of Safford, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 60 months in prison for child exploitation offenses.
December 21, 2022
|Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives
According to court documents, on Dec. 4, Customs and Border Protection officers encountered Santos Lozano-Martinez, 36, at the Camino Real International Bridge II in Eagle Pass. Investigators discovered a firearm and ammunition during an inspection of Lozano-Martinez’s vehicle.
December 21, 2022
|Organized Crime
Three Missouri men have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a scheme to transport tens of thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines as part of a multimillion-dollar business following an HSI and law enforcement partner investigation.
December 21, 2022
|Document and Benefit Fraud
Perla Vidalez, 39, was arrested at her Lower Valley home, from where she operated an immigration preparation business. Her clients would supply Vidalez with the required immigration paperwork for submission to USCIS, and even though they didn’t qualify for an application fee waiver, Vidalez is charged with altering the paperwork to show they did qualify for one.
December 20, 2022
|Child Exploitation
Todd Christopher Roatsey, 43, a former counselor at Pinch Elementary School in Kanawha County received the lengthy sentence Monday for attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. Roatsey must also pay $23,000 in restitution to his victims and register as a sex offender.
December 20, 2022
|Human Smuggling/Trafficking
According to court documents, Rosalio Cano Jr., 22, transported an undocumented noncitizen to multiple locations in or around San Antonio over a five-day period. During this time, co-conspirators were in contact with the now-kidnapping victim’s family and repeatedly raised demands for payment.
December 20, 2022
|Intellectual Property Rights and Commercial Fraud
The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) announced a new partnership between Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Pharmaceutical Security Institute (PSI) to combat illicit pharmaceutical trade and protect patients from the health and safety threats posed by counterfeit medications, Dec. 19.
December 20, 2022
|Enforcement and Removal
Afghani national Tariq Mohammad Intezar, 25, was flown from John F. Kennedy International Airport Sunday and arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, the following day on a flight coordinated by ICE’s Air Operations Unit.
December 19, 2022
|Enforcement and Removal
Paulo Jorge Meneses Pacheco, 37, a citizen of Portugal, entered the United States lawfully in Dec. 2010 but violated the terms of his agreement when he failed to depart in March 2011.
December 19, 2022
|Intellectual Property Rights and Commercial Fraud
Special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Field Office seized 23 separate internet domains Friday for allegedly live streaming World Cup matches, an infringement of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) copyrights. Individuals visiting the sites will now see a message that the site has been seized by the federal government and be redirected to another site for additional information.
December 19, 2022
|Cyber Crimes, Child Exploitation
A large percentage of these sextortion schemes originate outside the United States, primarily in West African countries such as Nigeria and Ivory Coast. As children enter winter breaks this holiday season, HSI and whole-of-government partners encourage parents and caregivers to engage with kids about sextortion schemes to help prevent them from becoming victims.  
December 19, 2022
|Enforcement and Removal
On an unknown date and at an unknown location, Galeas entered the United States without being inspected by an immigration official. On Oct. 13, 2022, ERO New York prepared a Notice to Appear, charging removability pursuant to Section 212(a)(6)(A)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as a noncitizen present without admission or parole.
December 19, 2022
|Operational
HSI’s 45 criminal arrests involved suspects with alleged offenses such as murder, attempted murder, rape, assault, handgun possession, home invasion, burglary, threat of mass violence, theft, drug possession and probation violations.
December 16, 2022
|National Security
A judge in the Southern District of Texas sentenced Leatrice Malika DeBruhl-Daniels, 49, to nine years in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release for obstructing justice, making false statements, and accepting money and gifts for official acts. In handing down the sentence, the court cited DeBruhl’s breach of trust and deterrence.
December 16, 2022
|Enforcement and Removal
ERO Los Angeles Officers apprehended Luciano Trejo-Dominguez, 31, during a targeted enforcement operation in the city of Santa Ana, California. A Newark, New Jersey immigration judge ordered Trejo, one of ICE’s 10 most wanted fugitives, removed on October 5, 2021.
December 16, 2022
|Enforcement and Removal
Eduardo Rocha-Dos Santos, 41, unlawfully entered the United States on Jan. 31 and an immigration judge placed him in removal proceedings. In July, ERO Boston discovered that Rocha was wanted for attempted murder by Court of Descanso-Santa Catarina in Brazil and was subject to an Interpol Red Notice.
December 15, 2022
|Narcotics
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.
December 15, 2022
|Employee Spotlight
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.
December 14, 2022
|Child Exploitation
Alfonso Salcido Herrera Jr., 45, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for Dec. 20.
December 14, 2022
|Child Exploitation
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.
December 14, 2022
|Child Exploitation
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.
December 14, 2022
|Enforcement and Removal
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.
December 14, 2022
|Human Smuggling/Trafficking
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.
December 13, 2022
|Financial Crimes
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.
December 12, 2022
|Intellectual Property Rights and Commercial Fraud
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.
Resource

Featured Story Archive

View ICE's featured stories

Resource

Multimedia

View images and videos

Updated: