News Releases and Statements

Steven Terrell Lewis, 39, of El Cajon, was convicted by a federal jury May 6 for attempted coercion and enticement of a 14-year-old high school student and attempted sex trafficking by force or coercion of a 22-year-old woman. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, the National City Police Department, the El Cajon Police Department, the San Diego Sheriff’s Office and the San Diego District Attorney’s Office are investigating this case.

The scheme involved suspects applying for store credit cards using stolen identities, then using those credit lines to purchase merchandise with no intention to pay them back. The scheme was carried out in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.

According to court documents, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, 36, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years.

Officers with ICE Boston and agents with DEA New England and ATF Boston arrested Emerson Esteban Arias-Polanco, 27, in Boston March 20.

Such examinations have successfully stopped child abduction, interdicted criminals fleeing prosecution, interdicted illegal contraband such as controlled substances, precursor drugs, and arms, and uncovered myriad other violations involving currency reporting requirements, stolen vehicles, trade, and immigration.

On April 29, ICE joined more than 1,000 service members, law enforcement professionals, government officials, and participants from 26 allied and partner nations gathered in Trinidad and Tobago to officially launch TRADEWINDS 2025 — a multinational, multi-domain exercise sponsored by U.S. Southern Command and led by U.S. Army South.

Officers with ICE Boston took custody of Juan Rene Barcenes-Velasquez, 56, when officers from the Worcester District Court turned him over to ICE March 31.

ICE arrested an illegally present Honduran national after local authorities dropped his charges for abduction of a person with intent to defile and burglary: entering a house to murder, rape, etc. Officers with ICE Washington, D.C. arrested Hyrum Baquedano-Rodriguez, 26, in Fairfax, Virginia, May 2.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in coordination with the U.S. Secret Service and other federal, state and local partners, carried out a large-scale enforcement and interdiction operation targeting high-traffic ATM locations known for rampant fraudulent electronic benefit transfer card activity May 1 and 2.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection thwarted an attempted smuggling incident with an unaccompanied alien child in Yuma April 29. U.S. border officials apprehended a woman attempting to smuggle a 5-year-old boy — identified as “John Doe” in the legal complaint — after the child’s mother allegedly paid a smuggler to transport him illegally into the United States.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, jointly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other partners, executed search warrants involving illegal immigration, cockfighting and other criminal activity in Southern Mississippi May 3.

Mailon Almendares-Martinez, a 21-year-old resident of New Orleans, was convicted of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens April 30 for his role in a botched human smuggling attempt that resulted in two of the aliens being shot by suspected rival smugglers.

ICE Phoenix officers and agents arrested criminal alien Francisco Alexander Pablo-Antonio, 23, on May 2, following a routine vehicle stop.

Marcia Lorena Bueno Guartatanga, arrested by ICE New York City May 1

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Philadelphia removed 90 Central Asian illegal aliens April 29 as part of a greater mission that ultimately involved more than 130 aliens.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Uzbekistan national Ulugbek Davronov April 28.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in partnership with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Department of Justice Diplomatic Security Service, arrested three illegal aliens during routine daily operations April 21 in Northern Virginia.

The in-residence partnership between HSI Tampa and TRA better positions trade enforcement resources and also enables more effective enforcement of the President’s Executive Orders and focus on international trade, Customs revenue, and economic security. 

ICE removed Roxana Juarez-Balbastro, a 31-year-old Mexican fugitive wanted in Mexico for domestic violence, April 29.

Officers from ICE Boston and agents from DEA New England arrested Jomar Henrique Souza-Santos, 33, in Marlboro March 20.

ICE ERO officers in Newark arrested Juan Luis Ramos Marin, 23, an illegal alien and Venezuelan fugitive wanted for homicide in his home country, in East Orange April 29.

According to court records, between July 7, 2022, and March 21, 2023, Jose Luis Avalos, 42, the leader of the organization and the final defendant to plead in the case, along with co-conspirators and his wife, Kristina Hardin, coordinated the illegal transportation and harboring of illegal aliens throughout New Mexico.

Arrests included 378 criminal illegal aliens with final orders of removal issued by an immigration judge. Officers arrested various violent offenders, gang members, sex offenders, fugitives from justice and those who pose significant public safety threats.

An investigation conducted by ICE, along with the FBI and the Diplomatic Security Service led to the federal indictment of Cameroonian national, Eric Tano Tataw, 38, of Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The scheme involved suspects applying for store credit cards using stolen identities and credit lines to purchase merchandise. T