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In recognition of the CCHT and to continue to advance its critical work, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas directed DHS components to incorporate a victim-centered approach into all policies, programs, and activities governing DHS interactions with victims of crime.  

Beginning Oct. 13, authorities placed several decoy advertisements on websites known to be linked to prostitution and commercial sex cases. The focus of the operation was to identify individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts with minors.

Macario Ulises Barragan-Cisneros, 45, of Mexico, is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 10, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash. A conviction for conspiracy to transport and harbor undocumented people for profit carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.

ICE HSI Tampa Special Agent Carlos Carrasquillo was recently honored for his work in federal law enforcement at the 2021 Viva Tampa Bay Hispanic Heritage Awards Ceremony.

William David Brice, 42, was arrested on October 3, and charged with ten felony counts, including one count of causing or allowing child sexually abusive material; three counts of attempting to produce child sexually abusive material; one count of distributing child sexually abusive material; three counts of possessing child sexually abusive material; and finally, one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes.

Abid Ali Khan allegedly operates a Pakistani-based smuggling network to facilitate the travel of undocumented individuals into the United States from the Middle East and southwest Asia in exchange for payment.

Maria Tello, 39, was also ordered to  serve five years supervised release after completing her sentence. Tello pleaded guilty March 29, 2018.

Anastacio Alvarez-Lion, 41, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Joel Alex Sandate, 32, of Los Fresnos, Texas, was sentenced Oct. 7 in federal court to 120 months in federal prison. His sentence is to be followed immediately followed by 20 years of supervised release.

Robert Henderson, Jr., 59, of Tucson, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 10 years in prison. Henderson pleaded guilty March 5, 2020, to distribution of child pornography.

Oswald Rukemuye, 58, was removed via ICE Air Operations and turned over to law enforcement authorities in Rwanda to face justice for his crimes.

Jerod Brown, 35, was arrested and booked into the Cochise County Jail for discharging a weapon at an occupied residence, disorderly conduct involving weapons, endangerment, possession of narcotics for sale, possession of narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jorge Estrada Torres, 34, from Quemado, Texas, also was ordered to serve three years supervised release after completing his sentence.

Roberto Benavides, 47, was arrested at his residence in the 14000 block of Warren Belin Drive in Horizon City, Texas. He was a target of an HSI El Paso investigation for more than a year.

Noncitizens can now schedule their initial check-in with ICE in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole and French, using the recently announced ICE Appointment Scheduler. The ICE Appointment Scheduler is a web-based, multilingual, and smartphone compatible appointment scheduler for noncitizens. The tool allows noncitizens to schedule their required check-in appointments at ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) offices as they await immigration proceedings.

Following a probe by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Hawaii County Police Department, Samuel K. Kapoi, 35, pleaded guilty on May 25 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

A Venezuelan man in the custody of ICE passed away Oct. 1 at Merit Health River Oaks, Flowood, Mississippi. The preliminary cause of death was from complications with acute respiratory failure, AIDS, pneumonia, acute kidney failure, anemia, and COVID-19.

Zoulin “Allen” Cai, 30, of La Puente, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered the defendant to pay $9,227,543 in restitution and a $25,000 fine.

Anthony Brown, 57, of Lakewood, was arrested Wednesday morning by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles. At his arraignment in U.S. District Court Wednesday afternoon, Brown pleaded not guilty to three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Francisco Alberto Sanchez-Romero, 27, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, pleaded guilty April 21 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. HSI Nogales special agents arrested him March 13, 2020.

Bowen Hu, 26, of Hacienda Heights, and Tairan Shi, 27, of Diamond Bar, both Chinese nationals, were taken into custody today and are expected to be arraigned this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

Mohamad Milon Hossain, 41, was sentenced Sept. 28 in federal court to 46 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty March 5.

Andranik Amiryan, 42, was sentenced late Thursday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who also ordered him to pay $650,600 in restitution. Amiryan pleaded guilty on April 28 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

The “Gilgamesh Dream Tablet,” originated in what is now modern-day Iraq and entered the United States in violation of federal law. An international auction house (the “Auction House”) later sold the tablet to Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. (“Hobby Lobby”), an arts-and-crafts retailer based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for display at the Museum of the Bible.

However, the Brazilian national had already fled the United States for Brazil by crossing into Mexico on foot and requesting an emergency travel document from the Brazilian embassy in Mexico. A Brazilian national cannot be extradited under the Brazilian Constitution, indicating the suspect fled to avoid arrest and prosecution by American authorities.