News Releases and Statements

HSI began investigating Victor Francisco Mendez, 35, of Douglas, in June 2023, when the Douglas Police Department received information from the Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The judge ordered Jesus Hector Lagarda-Gil, 45, of Mexico, to forfeit a 2018 Mazda CX5 automobile and $148,000 in U.S. currency. Lagarda-Gil pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 21, 2023.

Veronica Pech, 57, of Ridgecrest, California, was sentenced Jan. 29 to 76 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine for operating several stash houses in Del Rio and facilitating harboring and transportation of noncitizens.

Sentencing for Maria Mendoza-Mendoza aka “La Guera,” 51, of Honduras, is scheduled for April 2 before U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins.

Phil Cuellar III, a 36-year-old resident of Corpus Christi and documented gang member, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to 168 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines.

Abiel Alejandro Saldivar, 33, of San Antonio, was sentenced by a federal judge to 360 months in prison with a lifetime of supervised release and $45,000 in restitution. The judge also ordered him to pay $55,100 in special assessments.

The Center for Healthy Communities invited HSI Baltimore and other experts, activists and local leaders to take part in the fourth annual Anti-Human Trafficking Conference at the Salisbury University campus.

Project iGuardian is a leader in the fight against online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Over 1,000 students, teachers and school staff received valuable information on cyberbullying, child exploitation and the transfer of sexually explicit images.

Jose Angel Hinojosa Jr., 36, of Weslaco, pleaded guilty Jan. 19 before U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey. As part of his plea, Hinojosa admitted to attempting to smuggle more than 40 firearms.

According to court documents, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce aka Rrili aka Rilay, 31, was a member of the human smuggling organization responsible for the failed smuggling attempt that brought adults and children from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico into the United States.

Gilbert John Montez, 24, of Edinburg, was sentenced Jan. 16 to 200 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the judge noted that when an individual is involved in a criminal enterprise, he can be held accountable for the actions of all the participants involved.

A federal judge sentenced Juan Mendoza, 53, to 62 months in federal prison. He also faces loss of his legal status and possible removal proceedings. At the hearing, the judge heard evidence that Mendoza had smuggled illegal narcotics on other occasions.

The policy calls for the use of BWCs in all aspects of ICE enforcement activities conducted by ICE personnel in furtherance of the ICE mission, excluding certain investigative activities. ICE is working to secure resources required to ensure full implementation of the new policy.

Noe De Jesus Martinez-Montelongo, 36, and Fidel Rodriguez-Saldana, 35, both from Nuevo Leon, Mexico, were sentenced by a federal judge to 235 months in prison as well.

Each year, HSI, in conjunction with the DHS Blue Campaign, raises awareness to prevent human trafficking, conducts outreach to the public via the media and nongovernmental organizations.

Following Siragusa Romero’s arrest, only two of the 42 original fugitives remain at large — Christopher Maldonado-Lopez and Christian Maldonado-Lopez.

On Jan. 11, Monica Mata Vasquez, 49, was sentenced to 136 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the judge emphasized the significance of the case, noting that fentanyl is destroying the community and killing people across the country.

For the past several months since Operation Youngblood was executed on Sept. 22, 2023, Homeland Security Investigations San Juan has shared updates on the status of the fugitives of the Hasta Los Marcian criminal organization.

The teamwork, community-based partnerships, and strategic law enforcement initiatives helped reduce homicides in Baltimore in 2023 by more than 20%.

Frederick Sayre Anderson, 63, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty Jan.9 to concealing, harboring and shielding a noncitizen from detection.

Paz Gomez-Magdaleno, a 43-year-old resident of Cameron County, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to 60, 120 and 240 months for the transportation of undocumented noncitizens, possession of child pornography, and enticement of a minor, respectively.

Tenorio pleaded guilty on Aug. 8, 2023, admitting that he transported two of his victims from California to Arizona and Texas for the purpose of offering them for commercial sex for his own financial gain.

Cory Johns, 42, of Nicholasville, was identified in November 2015, when the Lexington Police Department connected with him via a file sharing program and downloaded images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

According to court documents, Erminia Serrano Piedra aka Irma aka Boss Lady, 32, conspired with at least 14 other members of a human smuggling organization she led that facilitated the unlawful transportation and movement of hundreds of migrants within the United States and harbored and concealed the migrants from law enforcement authorities.

Nora Nely Avila, 35, pleaded guilty Jan. 3 after she fraudulently presented a nursing license.