News Releases and Statements

Over the past five years, this recently apprehended criminal alien has been arrested by local law enforcement at least seven times. ICE lodged eight detainers with local law enforcement following his arrests. Due to sanctuary laws, he was released back into the community to reoffend. He is currently in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.

Jason Somchanmavong, 31, an aggravated felon, is now in ICE custody waiting removal to his home country. He was convicted of attempted homicide and discharging a firearm from a vehicle Feb. 13, 2006.

On Dec.12, 2018, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested Mejia-Santos, after he illegally entered the U.S. near Lukeville, Arizona and placed him in removal proceedings.

The indictment charges that from on or about Jan. 4, 2012, through on or about July 24, 2017, the defendants and other co-conspirators conspired and agreed to devise a scheme to defraud Unique Builders, Inc., a family business engaged in short and long-term construction and improvement projects using wire communications.

On Monday, March 2, 2020, Gary Peck, 44, of Clark County, Washington, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison and 3 years’ supervised release for his role in a credit card fraud ring that operated in the greater Portland metropolitan area from February 2017 to February 2018.

Miguel Federico Ajqui-Ajtzalam was arrested by the NYPD Feb. 27, on the charges of felony rape in the 2nd, sexual abuse in the 2nd for sexual contact with a person less than 14 yrs., and act in manner to injure a child less than 17 yrs.

Daniel Seibert, 28, of Lake Forest, was taken into custody this morning by HSI special agents, and is expected to make his initial appearance tomorrow afternoon in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), FBI, and the IRS – Criminal Investigation Division. The Korean National Police of the Republic of Korea provided assistance and coordinated with their parallel investigation. U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Shea, of the District of Columbia, announced the indictment.

U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced Rody L. Bowden, age 41, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, to 22 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, on the charge of sex trafficking of a minor.

On Feb. 26, ICE Enforcement and Removals Operations (ERO) officers arrested Leobardo Saldana Florentino in Pine Plains without incident. ICE officers originally encountered Florentino in March 2019 in Hudson. During that encounter, an individual interfered with the enforcement action against Florentino, causing ICE officers to instead depart the scene in the interest of public safety. Florentino has a June 2018 DUI conviction.

Livio Alexander Valdez Zabala, entered the U.S. March 12 as a nonimmigrant visitor with authorization to remain until Sept. 11. Valdez Zabala, however, failed to depart the U.S. in accordance with the terms of his admission.

Jose Mendoza, 32, and Natalie Mendoza, 35, of Medanales, New Mexico; Ryan Rodriguez, 27, of Chamita, New Mexico; Andrea Rodriguez, 28, and Edvardo Carlson, 39, of Española, New Mexico; and Bridget Archuleta, 31, of San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, appeared in federal court Friday for arraignment on an indictment charging them with various drug trafficking offenses involving crack cocaine (cocaine base) in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, from Oct. 2, 2019, to Feb. 25, 2020.

ICE uses statutorily-established subpoenas to obtain information as part of investigations regarding potentially removable aliens. Historically, ICE has not needed to use its subpoena authority to obtain information from other law enforcement agencies as most law enforcement agencies throughout the country willingly exchange information with ICE regarding aliens arrested for crimes in the interest of public safety and law enforcement.

A Hungarian national, who has pending charges for sex trafficking and previous sex convictions was arrested last week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) during ongoing enforcement efforts in New York City and the surrounding region, targeting at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants and other immigration violators.

On Feb. 24, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed Thai national Apichart Srivaranon, 35, to Thailand.

O’Neill Ventures, Inc., a tomato greenhouse and packing plant in O’Neill, Nebraska, entered a felony guilty plea in federal court to conspiracy to harbor undocumented aliens. The plea was entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cheryl R. Zwart.

IMAGE is a nationwide program that assists employers, strengthens hiring practices and curtails the employment of unauthorized workers through outreach, education and partnership.

Cleveland James McKinney, 30, of Atlanta, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison Tuesday, followed by five years of supervised release, for illegally transporting 41.97 kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine and 4.5 kilograms of heroin that had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico.

Katrina (Katie) Lynn Danforth, 32, of Post Falls, Idaho, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 120 months in federal prison for use of interstate commerce facilities in commission of murder for hire.

Ingrid Corzo-Armas, 49, who had previously been convicted and served a state prison sentence in California on kidnapping and murder charges, was charged with one-count of illegal reentry by the Office of U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Andrew E. Lelling.