News Releases and Statements

A Mexican citizen was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison Tuesday following his guilty plea in a violent human smuggling case investigated by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). David Alejo-Ortiz led a violent group of alien smugglers who, in May 2008, physically, verbally and sexually abused at least 23 hostages in Phoenix.

A woman from Spain was sentenced to a year and a day in prison on Wednesday for her role in illegally importing more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States.

Timothy Whitaker, 46, of Baltimore, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz. Judge Motz ordered that upon his release from prison, Whitaker is required to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Two women have pleaded guilty to marijuana trafficking crimes. The investigation is being conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The z-angle pre-Columbian feasting bowl was created by Mayan Indians. It is nearly 1800 years old.

Veniamin Gonikman pleaded guilty Tuesday to crimes related to an international conspiracy to compel women to work in exotic dance clubs in the Detroit-area. He is the ninth and final member of the charged conspiracy to be convicted. The investigation was conducted by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Juan Arroyo-Pantoja, 33, of Wilmington, N.C., was sentenced today to 44 months in prison after pleading guilty to participating in a racketeering conspiracy with cells in 19 cities within the United States and 11 states, including three cells in Virginia. The conspiracy was investigated by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Roger Elkins, 45, of Bossier City, La., pleaded guilty to the distribution and receipt of child pornography.

HSI teams with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to prevent child exploitation throughout New England. The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces help state and local law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to cyber enticement and child pornography cases.

Alleged members and associates of the Bloods gang in Newburgh, N.Y. and members of a related crack cocaine dealing conspiracy were charged with racketeering, narcotics, robbery and firearms offenses. These charges stem from an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the New York State...

A criminal complaint unsealed today in federal court charges a Raleigh man, 68, with falsely assuming and pretending to be an officer acting under the authority of the United States and, in that capacity, demanding and obtaining money.

Three and a half hours after departing John F. Kennedy International Airport, on what seemed to be an uneventful flight, ICE Immigration Enforcement Agents Lonnie Cody and Carl Ulmer were approached by a flight attendant, asking for assistance with an uncooperative passenger.

Theodore Robert Larsen was arraigned Monday in federal court charged with possessing child pornography. This indictment resulted from an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Ronnie Lee Neely of York, South Carolina was sentenced Tuesday to serve 240 months in prison for cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking charges. The case was investigated by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and the York County Sheriff's Office.

Richard Mullen of Dickinson, N.D, who pleaded guilty to charges of receiving child pornography, was sentenced on Monday to nine years in federal prison. This investigation was led by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). He had downloaded more than 16,000 images depicting children being sexually abused.

A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to trafficking in counterfeit professional sports apparel and accessory items.

A California man was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for attempting to export military items to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The sentence is the result of an extensive investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

David Peter Rounbehler, 75, of New Mexico will serve a five-year term of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Jeffrey W. Herschell, 52, of Washington, Pa., is charged with possession of images and videos in computer graphics files of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Leonard Wasylyk of Wilmington, Delaware pleaded guilty in federal court to production and transportation of child pornography following an undercover ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigation. During forensic review of Wasylyk's computer, agents discovered over 60 images of a young boy engaged in sexually explicit conduct with him...

Three men were indicted on charges of conspiring to manufacture and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, knowing that the cocaine would be unlawfully imported into the United States.

At a hearing today before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates in Washington, D.C., Irfan Ul Haq, 37, Qasim Ali, 32, and Zahid Yousaf, 43, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Richard D. Crisman, 27, of Rio Rancho, N.M., was arraigned on a six-count indictment charging him with six counts of child pornography offenses. The indictment charges Crisman with three counts of receiving a visual depiction of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and three counts of possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

A Bay Area couple who own a chain of local Mexican restaurants pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal immigration and tax fraud charges after a multi-agency probe revealed the chain underreported its payroll taxes and employed dozens of aliens who were not authorized to work in the United States.