ICE deports fugitive Mexican murder suspect captured in Los Angeles

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August 27, 2013

San Diego, CA

SAN DIEGO – A Mexican national, who fled to the United States to avoid prosecution for a murder three years ago in his native country, was turned over to Mexican authorities Monday following his recent capture in the Los Angeles area by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Mateo Perez Hernandez, 28, was remanded to the custody of representatives from the Mexican Attorney General’s Office by officers from ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) at the San Ysidro border crossing Monday afternoon under tight security.
Perez is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by authorities in Mexico’s Baja peninsula charging him with the bludgeoning death of a Mexicali, Mexico, man in September 2010. Mexican authorities allege Perez struck the victim, Eduardo Fuentes, with a baseball bat after Fuentes and the suspect’s brother became embroiled in a heated argument in the street outside a party.
On Aug. 8, ERO San Diego received information from the FBI advising that Perez was wanted in Mexico for homicide. After conducting exhaustive background checks, ERO officers determined Perez was likely residing in La Habra. Working in conjunction with ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles, a law enforcement lookout was relayed to the La Habra Police Department.
On Aug. 25, La Habra police officers encountered Perez and detained him on a drug charge. The La Habra Police Department alerted ERO’s San Diego’s Fugitive Operations Team who took Perez into custody.
Department of Homeland Security databases show Perez had been previously deported from the United States in February 2010. ERO reinstated Perez’s prior removal order, paving the way for his repatriation to Mexico Monday.
"Violent criminals who seek to escape responsibility for their actions by fleeing to the U.S. will find no sanctuary in our communities," said Gregory J. Archambeault, field office director for ERO San Diego. "As this case makes clear, ICE works closely with its international partners through its HSI Office of International Affairs to promote public safety and hold criminals accountable – no matter where they commit their crimes."
Monday’s removal demonstrates the expanded bilateral cooperation to identify, arrest and repatriate Mexican fugitives who have fled to the United States to avoid prosecution. The ICE Attaché Office in Mexico City is working closely with the Mexican government as part of this effort. Many of those arrests involved homicide-related charges or other violent crimes.
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 640 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with HSI’s Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

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Civil Rights and Immigration History Connected

NEW YORK August 26, 2013 (AP)

By DEEPTI HAJELA Associated Press

When 250,000 marchers converged on Washington in August 1963, the issues were jobs and freedom.
Now, as the crowds come together to mark the 50th anniversary of that seminal event in the civil rights movement, those issues have been joined by others, including one, immigration reform, that wasn't nearly on the political radar then like it is today.
"They were fighting for equality, and that's exactly what we're fighting for," said Mikhel Crichlow, 28, a native of Trinidad and Tobago now living in Brooklyn. Crichlow said he was going to Washington for the commemoration.
The push for comprehensive immigration reform was heard from the speakers' podium on Saturday, when tens of thousands marched to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and down the National Mall.
"It doesn't make sense that millions of our people are living in the shadows," said Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., who was a speaker at the 1963 event. "Bring them out into the light and set them on the path to citizenship."
Immigrant advocates came from near and far to be part of the commemoration. They included Casa de Maryland, founded by Central American immigrants in the D.C. area in 1985. The organization connected Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have A Dream" speech to the dreams of immigrants in the United States illegally who are looking for legal status.
"One of the big reasons immigrant groups wanted to participate was to show the connection," said Shola Ajayi, the group's advocacy director, who said Casa mobilized hundreds of people to attend.
The link between the civil rights activism and America's immigration reality brings history full circle as the demographic change being seen across the United States owes some of its existence to the decades-ago movement.
It was with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 that the federal government radically altered immigration policy, opening America's doors to the world after decades of keeping them shut to entire geographic regions. That decision planted the seeds for the demographics explosion the country is living in now, a shift that historians say happened in part because of a hunger for change and equality created by the civil rights movement.
The movement "broke through the whole aura of political stagnation that was created by the McCarthy era and the Cold War, and allowed us to imagine another" world, said Mark Naison, professor of African-American studies and history at Fordham University in New York. "It was the civil rights movement ... that broke through the logjam and allowed people to talk about real issues in our domestic lives."
Immigration activist Renata Teodoro, who came here from Brazil as a child, studied the tactics of the civil rights movement and incorporated them into her own activism. The Boston resident has long been a proponent of granting legal status to immigrants who, like her, were brought to the U.S. as children.
The Civil Rights movement, she said, humanized the issues of the day, and by doing so, "that changed the culture, that's what changed a lot of hearts and minds."
While the United States has its roots in being a welcoming place for immigrants, that hasn't always been the case. It is true that a wave of new arrivals flooded U.S. shores in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but a movement to restrict who was allowed into the country took hold as well.
In 1882, Congress enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act, the first major federal law to put immigration limits in place and the only one in American history aimed at a specific nationality. It came into being in response to fears, primarily on the West Coast, that an influx of Chinese immigrants was weakening economic conditions and lowering wages. It was extended in 1902.
Other laws followed, like the Immigration Act of 1917, which created an "Asiatic Barred Zone" to restrict immigration from that part of the world, and the Emergency Quota Act of 1921, which limited the number of immigrants from any country to 3 percent of those people from that country who had been living in the United States as of 1910.
The 1924 Immigration Act capped the number of immigrants from a particular country at 2 percent of the population of that country already living in the United States in 1890. That favored immigrants from northern and western European countries like Great Britain over immigrants from southern and eastern European countries like Italy.
It also prevented any immigrant ineligible for citizenship from coming to America. Since laws already on the books prohibited people of any Asian origin from becoming citizens, they were barred entry. The law was revised in 1952, but kept the quota system based on country of origin in the U.S. population and only allowed low quotas to Asian nations.
The American children of Italian and other European immigrants saw that law "as a slur against their own status" and fought for the system to be changed, said Mae Ngai, professor of history and Asian American studies at Columbia University. In fighting for change, they looked to the civil rights movement.
The political leaders who agreed with them saw it in the same terms, as a change needed for equality's sake, as well as to be responsive to shifting relationships with nations around the world.
Speaking to the American Committee on Italian Migration in June 1963, President John F. Kennedy cited the "nearly intolerable" plight of those who had family members in other countries who wanted to come to the U.S. and could be useful citizens, but were being blocked by "the inequity and maldistribution of the quota numbers."
Two years later, in signing into law a replacement system that established a uniform number of people allowed entry to the United States despite national origin, President Lyndon B. Johnson said it would correct "a cruel and enduring wrong in the conduct of the American nation."
Stephen Klineberg, sociology professor at Rice University in Houston, said the civil rights movement "was the main force that made that viciously racist law come to be perceived as intolerable," precisely because it raised questions about fairness and equality.

Colombian drug kingpin extradited to US following HSI, DEA investigation

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NEW YORK — After spending years in hiding, the Colombian leader of a cocaine trafficking conspiracy responsible for manufacturing hundreds of tons of cocaine annually in Colombia, trafficking it to various parts of the world, including the United States, and laundering tens of millions of dollars in proceeds from that narcotics trafficking activity was extradited to the United States Tuesday.
Daniel Barrera Barrera, aka Loco, 44, was arrested following an international law enforcement operation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
In March 2010, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Barrera as a "Special Designated Narcotics Trafficker," pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. Barrera was arrested in Venezuela Sept.18. Thereafter, he was sent to Colombia, from where the United States sought his extradition. The extradition of Barrera is the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation led by the DEA and HSI. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation's illegal drug supply.
HSI Executive Assistant Director James Dinkins said, "Barrera and his co-conspirators stand accused of running one of the largest cocaine trafficking operations in history. His extradition to the United States represents a major victory for the rule of law. While Mr. Barrera may have thought he was safe hiding and conducting his illicit activities in South American countries, an international team of law enforcement agencies worked tirelessly and cooperatively towards bringing him to justice."
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara said, "For more than a decade, as alleged, Daniel Barrera Barrera has operated at the center of a truly evil web spun between his narcotics trafficking organization and two violent and sworn enemy terrorist organizations. By purchasing raw cocaine paste from the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC), which he processed in laboratories in areas controlled by the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), to whom he paid fees, Barrera's behemoth cocaine organization reached an annual production rate of upwards of 400 tons, enriching itself and the two terrorist organizations it paid off, as the indictment describes. This was truly cocaine with blood in its background. With his arrival in the United States, Barrera must now answer for his alleged crimes, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, both here and abroad, to prosecute him and other alleged titans of the transnational drug trade."
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta E. Lynch said, "As alleged in the three indictments on which he was extradited, Daniel "Loco" Barrera was the kingpin of a stunningly prolific Colombian drug cartel, which flooded the globe with its deadly product. Barrera also allegedly wrought destruction closer to home, working with not one but two terrorist organizations responsible for decades of death and destruction in Colombia, all to ensure his deadly business ran smoothly. His extradition to the United States marks the fall of the last don of an organization marked by its worldwide reach, ruthless criminality and staggering profits. This investigation exemplifies the global cooperation necessary to combat international drug traffickers and our commitment to dismantle these criminal organizations from the highest levels down."
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Wifredo A. Ferrer said, "Daniel "Loco" Barrera's arrest and extradition is the direct result of strong international cooperation with Colombian authorities. It also reflects the hard work and perseverance of our law enforcement partners – both at home and abroad – whose dedicated efforts led to the capture of one of the world's most notorious drug traffickers. While Barrera evaded capture for several years, the time has finally come for him to answer for his crimes and face justice. As this case confirms, the United States will never tire in its pursuit of those who profit from the illegal drug trade."
DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart said, "Barrera allegedly worked with terrorist organizations in operating his drug trafficking syndicate, becoming one of the most prolific drug traffickers of the past twenty years. Charged with manufacturing upwards of 400 tons of cocaine a year, Barrera's alleged impact on the global trade of cocaine was immense – but so was DEA's response. Thanks to the cooperative efforts of our Colombian and U.S. law enforcement counterparts, Barrera's criminal career is over as he now faces charges that may bring him a life behind bars."
NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, "If any one case epitomizes the nexus between terrorism and drug trafficking and the destructive impact on Colombian society, this is it; not to mention the crime and suffering cocaine addiction has fueled on the demand-side of the equation in the streets of New York. Barrera's extradition is a milestone, and we're indebted to the detectives, agents, and prosecutors who've made it possible."
Since 1998, Barrera has run a cocaine manufacturing and trafficking syndicate that processed approximately 30,000 kilograms of raw cocaine base each month into about the same amount of cocaine powder – in total, up to approximately 400 tons of cocaine annually.
Barrera purchased the raw cocaine base or paste from the designated terrorist group, the FARC, which has been the world's largest supplier of cocaine and which has engaged in bombings, massacres, kidnappings and other acts of violence within Colombia.
Barrera converted the raw cocaine into powder at laboratories he owned and operated in an area of Colombia controlled by the since demobilized terrorist group, the AUC. For years, the AUC's main political objective was to defeat the FARC in armed conflict, and it financed its terrorist activities through the proceeds of cocaine trafficking in AUC-controlled regions of Colombia.
Although Barrera purchased raw materials for cocaine production from the FARC, he was able to maintain his network of cocaine-processing laboratories in AUC-controlled territory, in part by paying monthly taxes to the AUC. The fees Barrera paid to the AUC also allowed him to safely move the processed cocaine through and out of Colombia, into locations on four continents – including into the U.S.
Barrera reaped tens of millions of dollars of profits from cocaine trafficking, which he laundered through illicit means.
The FARC and the AUC are both designated by the U.S. Department of State as foreign terrorist organizations.
Barrera is charged in the Southern District of New York with one count of conspiring to distribute and manufacture cocaine knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. On that count, Barrera faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Barrera is charged in the Eastern District of New York with one count of conspiracy to launder money. On that count, Barrera faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Barrera is charged in the Southern District of Florida with one count of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and one count of conspiring to manufacture and distribute cocaine knowing that it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. On those counts, Barrera faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The investigation was completed under the auspices of the OCDETF, working in cooperation with HSI New York's El Dorado Task Force, the DEA's Bogota Country Office, the DEA's Caracas Country Office, the DEA's Miami Field Division, the DEA's New York Drug Enforcement Task Force – which is comprised of agents and officers of the DEA, the New York City Police Department, and the New York State Police – as well as HSI Bogota. The Colombian National Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs also provided considerable assistance.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Fugitive Appears in Court; Charged with Narcotics and Firearms Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Criminal Conspiracy

A former Passaic County man who has been a fugitive since 2009 made his initial court appearance Friday, February 8, 2013. The investigation leading to his apprehension was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Kujtim Lika, 47, formerly of Passaic County, N.J., appeared in Newark Federal Court Friday, February 8, 2013, to face numerous charges, including narcotics and firearms trafficking, money laundering, interstate transportation of stolen property, and criminal conspiracy.

According to court documents, three years ago, 26 individuals were charged – including Lika – with multiple crimes in connection with an investigation into several loosely connected Balkan criminal enterprises operating throughout New Jersey, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Canada, and the Netherlands. The arrests were part of a federal joint operation that began in 2003.

Lika's case was featured on the television program "America's Most Wanted." He was subsequently apprehended May 24, 2012, by the Toronto Police Department/Toronto Task Force in Canada. He had been using the alias, "Dashamir Cela" at the time of his arrest.
He was detained without bail.

The charges and allegations against Lika are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Maryland Man Arrested for 2012 Murder

An Anne Arundel County, Md. man was arrested recently at a New York airport after a warrant was issued charging him with the murder of a Frederick County, Md. man, whose body was found in the trunk of his car last December by a special agent of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Michael A. Stahlnecker, 51, of the 1700-block of Fallsway Drive, Crofton, Md., is charged in the District Court of Maryland for Anne Arundel County with first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault, reckless endangerment, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, violent crime.

Stahlnecker was arrested shortly before 6:00 a.m. Feb. 12 by HSI New York and Frederick special agents, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the U.S. Marshals Service, as he prepared to board a flight at the JFK International Airport. Investigators from the Maryland State Police (MSP) Homicide Unit, the State Apprehension Team and the Frederick County Narcotics Task Force were with federal agents and Port Authority Police when the arrest was made. Stahlnecker is currently held on a fugitive warrant in New York pending extradition proceedings to return him to Maryland.

The victim is identified as John P. Ryan, 37, of Frederick, Md., whose body was found in his 2007 Lexus in a parking lot in the 15000-block of Somerville Drive, Derwood, Md., on the afternoon of Dec. 3, 2012. Police had been searching for Ryan since his wife reported him missing to the Frederick Police Department on Nov. 29, 2012.

Since the MSP Homicide Unit became involved with this investigation, investigators have worked closely with the Frederick County Narcotics Task Force. HSI special agents along with task force investigators had initiated an investigation in the summer of 2012 into allegations that Ryan and associates were involved in the importation and distribution of marijuana. Stahlnecker was identified as a close associate of Ryan's in this operation.

MSP homicide investigators believe Ryan had a meeting scheduled with Stahlnecker on the morning of Nov. 28, 2012, at a warehouse leased by the suspect in the 3300-block of Laurel Fort Meade Road, Laurel, Md. A search warrant served at the address resulted in the recovery of Ryan's blood near the rear loading dock and on the bristles of a broom outside the rear of the business.

Investigators believe evidence indicates Ryan was shot at the warehouse location and then driven in his car to the address in Montgomery County where his body was found in the trunk. A motive has not been confirmed at this time, however, investigators determined Stahlnecker owed large amounts of money to several persons.

The investigation is continuing and the case is being prosecuted by the Anne Arundel State Attorney's Office.

3 California Men Indicted for Credit Card Fraud Scheme

Three Los Angeles-area residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Secret Service that allegedly revealed the defendants orchestrated a far-reaching scheme to import and produce counterfeit debit and credit cards.

The defendants - Jose Rolando Renderos, 38, of Montebello; his son, Jose Ulloa, 18, of San Bernardino; and Milagro del Carmen Alvarez Hernandez, 27, of Montebello - are charged in a nine-count indictment handed down Tuesday, February 12, 2013, with a variety of violations, including access device fraud; possession of counterfeit access devices; and trafficking in counterfeit goods. All three defendants are currently in federal custody. They are expected to be arraigned Feb. 25.

According to the case indictment, defendants Renderos and Ulloa would obtain blank counterfeit credit cards from China. The phony cards bore the names and logos of such well-known financial institutions as American Express, Capitol One, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo. The indictment alleges the father and son then embossed and activated the counterfeit cards using actual credit card numbers illegally obtained from point of sale devices.

"Credit card fraud scams like this result in major losses for the affected financial institutions and it's ultimately consumers who pay the price," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles. "HSI will continue to work closely with its federal law enforcement partners to target criminal schemes that undermine the integrity of our financial system."

The defendants allegedly kept unembossed card stock in a storage unit in Monterey Park. When federal agents executed a search warrant at the location Feb. 6, they recovered a cache of more than 80,000 cards, along with an embossing machine and multiple credit card skimmers. So far, investigators have seized more than 90,000 counterfeit credit cards in connection with the case. Given the minimum credit limit of $500 per card, authorities conservatively estimate the value of the phony access devices at $45 million.

"Cooperation and partnerships have allowed us to focus our resources and respond quickly to uncover and prevent these types of crimes, whether they originate within or outside our borders," said U.S. Secret Service, Los Angeles Field Office Special Agent in Charge Joseph F. Beaty Jr.

The probe into the credit card scheme is still ongoing, but investigators believe the defendants may have been using the counterfeit cards to purchase high-end merchandise for re-sale. According to the indictment, Alvarez used one of the counterfeit cards in December to purchase more than $1,600 worth of merchandise at a children's boutique in Los Angeles.

The probe leading to the indictments of Tuesday, February 12, 2013, began two weeks ago after officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intercepted four packages from China that were being shipped to San Bernardino, Calif. Inside, officers discovered more than 12,000 counterfeit credit cards.

The probe is being spearheaded by HSI with substantial assistance provided by the Los Angeles Field Office and Riverside Residence Office of the U.S. Secret Service.

Federal Authorities Shut Down Mexican Drug Tunnel

On Wednesday, February 13, 2013, federal authorities shut down a just-completed, cross-border drug smuggling tunnel and seized more than 1,200 pounds of marijuana following a multi-agency investigation by the Nogales Tunnel Task Force, with significant assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol in Nogales.

Officers with the Tunnel Task Force, which is led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), were conducting surveillance in Nogales around noon and observed a van in a parking lot at the south end of Nelson Avenue, approximately 200 yards east of the Morley Pedestrian Gate. After noticing suspicious activity, the investigators approached the van, which was loaded with marijuana bundles. Two men near the van attempted to flee on foot, but were apprehended by task force officers not far from the tunnel and taken into custody.

Task force officers seized 22 bundles of marijuana from the van and 29 bundles of marijuana from inside the tunnel, weighing a total of 1,210 pounds.

The crude, hand-dug tunnel is approximately 68-feet-long and averages approximately two feet wide. The passageway does not contain any wooden shoring, ventilation or electrical equipment. The tunnel location closely parallels a March 2012, drug tunnel discovered in the same location. The tunnel entrance is located in the front yard of a private residence in Nogales, Mexico, and runs for approximately 26-feet underground before passing under the international boundary and running 42-feet on the U.S. side of the border. The tunnel exits on an embankment at the south end of Nelson Avenue.

Mexican authorities responded to the area and secured the tunnel entrance in Mexico. The tunnel will be guarded by Border Patrol agents until it is rendered unusable. The investigation remains ongoing, but investigators believe the tunnel had just been completed early Wednesday, February 13, 2013.

"Members of the Tunnel Task Force each bring unique capabilities from their respective agencies, which greatly enhances our ability to identify and interdict drug tunnels," said Eric Balliet, assistant special agent in charge of HSI Nogales. "In this case, the task force developed information that a tunnel was being excavated in the area. Through the diligence and hard work of all the participating agencies, we were able to shut this tunnel down just as it was completed, stopping its very first load of drugs."

In the last three years, federal authorities have discovered and shut down 26 completed cross-border smuggling tunnels in the Nogales area.

The Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) is an HSI-led, multi-agency U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiative to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that seek to exploit vulnerabilities along U.S. borders. There are currently 34 BEST units deployed across the country, covering major seaports and southern and northern border regions. BEST units are composed of more than 750 law enforcement officers from more than 100 federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement and intelligence resources.

BEST Nogales Tunnel Task Force is composed of full time members from HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Border Patrol, Nogales Police Department, the Santa Cruz County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. BEST Nogales Tunnel Task Force is responsible for identifying, investigating and eliminating illicit subterranean tunnels in one of the nation's busiest border areas with Mexico and combating the Transnational Criminal Organizations that finance, build and use them.

Texas Resident Guilty of Smuggling Marijuana

A Kingsville, Texas, man was found guilty Monday, February 4, 2013, of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.

This conviction resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Kingsville Narcotics Task Force.

Michael "Mickey" Pena, 45, was found guilty by a federal jury for participating in a drug trafficking organization that transported large amounts of marijuana concealed in the hulls of altered shallow-bottom fishing boats. The marijuana was transported via the intracoastal waterway from Port Mansfield to Corpus Christi to circumvent Border Patrol checkpoints in Falfurrias and Serta, Texas. The federal jury returned their verdict in Corpus Christi after deliberating only 30 minutes following the trial that lasted less than a day.

"Drug smugglers seek the path of least resistance," said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of HSI Houston. "The great collaborative work of our special agents and law enforcement partners in this case should give pause to trafficking organizations who seek to exploit our coastal waters to move illegal drugs into this country."

Court testimony revealed that in early 2012, drug trafficking organization members deconstructed a 21-foot Dargel Scout fishing boat over 20 days. The hull of the vessel was then loaded with more than 1,100 pounds of marijuana, and the deck of the boat was rebuilt. The boat was then launched in Port Mansfield and co-defendant Rogelio Mendoza drove it north. 

Marine interdiction agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intercepted the vessel just south of Corpus Christi.

Subsequent investigation by HSI revealed that Pena arrived at marker 37 with an empty boat trailer shortly after the boat was intercepted and had registered the vessel in his name two weeks earlier. Certified state documents showed that the previous owner of both the boat and the empty trailer were members of the drug trafficking organization. Special agents also testified that they had conducted surveillance of organization members scouting boat ramps near marker 37 about six weeks before the seizure and then immediately drove to Pena's Kingsville residence.

Mendoza, 37, and five other members of the conspiracy had previously pleaded guilty before U.S. district judges in Corpus Christi and have been or are awaiting sentencing. Those drug trafficking members include: Alberto Lopez, aka Alberto Lopez-Reyna, 39, Lombardo Zarate, 49, Glen Dial, 56, Luz Ramirez, 25, and Hector Perez-Gonzalez, 39.

Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack, who presided over the trial, has set sentencing for April 17, at which time Pena will face a minimum of five and up to 40 years in prison, as well as a possible $5 million fine, and a substantial money judgment. Pena will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey D. Preston, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case. 

California Company Fined by ICE for Hiring Illegal Immigrant Employees

As part its enforcement strategy to reduce illegal employment and protect job opportunities for the nation's lawful workforce, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Tuesday, February 5, 2013, that 10 employers in San Diego and Imperial counties were fined by ICE during fiscal year 2012 for various employment-related violations.

Collectively, the fines totaled more than $173,800, with the largest fine, $50,000, being lodged against a San Diego-area medical transportation service. The fines were imposed after ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) found the businesses had failed to comply with laws prohibiting the hiring of unauthorized workers.

One of the ways HSI identifies potential hiring violations is by auditing employers' Form I-9s, the document businesses use to verify an employee's eligibility to work. Employers are required to complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual they hire. In fiscal year 2012, HSI conducted 151 worksite audits in San Diego and Imperial counties, compared to 86 audits the previous year and 63 audits in fiscal year 2010.

"Employers who build their business model upon an illegal workforce will be held accountable," said Derek Benner, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. "We encourage employers to take the employee verification process seriously. Employers must understand that the integrity of their employment records is just as important to the federal government as the integrity of their tax files or banking records."

Below, in alphabetical order, is a list of the businesses in San Diego and Imperial counties that received final fine notices from ICE in fiscal year 2012:

·                             Aquarius Yacht Services – $13,744 fine

·                             Balboa Ambulance Incorporated – $50,000 fine

·                             El Sol Meat Market – $24,050 fine

·                             Harmony Egg Ranch – $9,000 fine

·                             International Consolidated Cargo – $7,480 fine

·                             Mexicali Chicken and Salad – $21,500 fine

·                             Old Town Buffet – $15,000 fine

·                             Rocha Trucking & Parking Inc. – $8,000 fine

·                             Stanford Sign and Awning Inc. – $9,600 fine

·                             TDG Aerospace – $15,427.50 fine

The $173,800 in civil fines lodged against area San Diego-area companies in fiscal year 2012 represents an 18 percent increase over fiscal year 2011, when HSI imposed $146,577 in civil fines locally against 11 employers.

While HSI continues to pursue criminal cases against unscrupulous employers, it now places increased emphasis on gaining employers' compliance and outreach to the business community. As part of this effort, HSI utilizes all available civil and administrative tools, including Form I-9 inspections, civil fines and debarment. HSI also actively promotes the ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) outreach program. IMAGE is a voluntary partnership between the government and the private sector where employers receive invaluable training and are provided with additional tools to strengthen the integrity of their workforce and curtail the employment of unauthorized workers. There are currently 11 San Diego-area companies that are certified members of the IMAGE program.

Nationwide, HSI conducted more than 3,000 worksite audits in fiscal year 2012 as compared to 2,496 the previous year. In fiscal year 2012, the worksite audits and related investigations resulted in the issuance of 495 final fine notices totaling more than $12.4 million. That compares to 385 civil fines assessed in fiscal year 2011 totaling $16.3 million. 

Man Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Tax Evasion

A New Jersey man pleaded guilty Wednesday, January 30, 2013, in connection with his role in a large-scale identity-theft scheme. If convicted, he faces up to 52 years in prison. This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), FBI, Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) Criminal Investigation and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.

Sang-Kyu Seo, 63, of Palisades Park, N.J., pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to unlawfully produce identification documents and false identification documents, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and tax evasion.

According to court documents, Seo was the owner and operator of Hang Jin Yi Inc., doing business as Hwangini, a salon located in North Bergen, N.J., and Pier 7 Corporation, a purported small business located in Palisades Park.

Seo conspired with Sang-Hyun Park, aka Jimmy, and others, to obtain a Social Security number beginning with the prefix '586' for another individual. These 586 Social Security numbers were issued by the U.S. to individuals, usually from China, who were employed in American territories, such as Guam. Park is alleged to have been the leader of a criminal organization headquartered in Bergen County that obtained, brokered and sold identity documents to customers to commit credit card fraud, bank fraud, tax fraud and other crimes.

Park pleaded guilty Jan. 9 to his role in the enterprise, and is awaiting sentencing.

This criminal enterprise engaged in the fraudulent 'build-up' of credit scores associated with the Chinese identities. They did so by adding the Chinese identity as an authorized user to the credit card accounts of various co-conspirators - members of the enterprise's credit build-up teams who received a fee for this service. By attaching the Chinese identities to these existing credit card accounts, the teams increased the credit scores associated with the Chinese identities to between 700 and 800. The members of the build-up teams did not know the real person to whom the identity belonged or virtually any of the customers who had purchased the identities.

After building up the credit associated with these identities, Park and his co-conspirators directed, coached and assisted the customers in opening bank accounts and obtaining credit cards. Park and his co-conspirators then used these accounts and credit cards to commit fraud. Park relied on several collusive merchants who possessed credit card processing machines. For a fee, known as a 'kkang fee,' these collusive merchants charged the fraudulently obtained credit cards, although no transaction took place. After receiving the money into their merchant accounts from these fraudulent transactions, the collusive merchants gave the money to Park and his co-conspirators, minus their kkang fee.

Seo admitted that he obtained a 586 Social Security card and counterfeit driver's licenses through Park for a family member, who then used this identity to 'bust out' credit cards. Seo also admitted that he gave his corporate and personal credit cards to Park for the purpose of 'busting out' these maxed-out credit cards. In furtherance of this conspiracy, Park and his co-conspirators issued worthless checks, drawn on bank accounts that had been established using the 586 identities, as payment toward the balances on Seo's credit cards.

Before the banks and credit card companies realized that these checks were bogus, Park and his co-conspirators charged Seo's credit cards through collusive merchants or used them to purchase merchandise.

Seo also admitted that in 2007, with the assistance of a loan broker, he fraudulently obtained a $100,000 commercial loan on behalf of Pier 7. Seo admitted that he and the loan broker made false statements to obtain the loan including falsely representing that his businesses annual revenue was about $620,000.

Finally, Seo admitted that he committed tax evasion by issuing checks to himself and others, representing income derived through the operation of Hwangini, and then failing to report this income on his personal tax returns.

Seo admitted that in April 2008, he filed an individual income tax return for tax year 2007. This return declared that his taxable income for calendar year 2007 was about $197, and the amount of tax due and owing was about $19. Seo admitted that this return failed to include $304,848 in additional taxable income that he had received in 2007, thus having an additional tax of $81,643 due to the United States government.

Seo's sentencing is scheduled for May 14.

Iowa Child Predator Sentenced

An Iowa man was sentenced Thursday, January 31, 2013, to 20 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving images of child pornography and transmitting obscene material to a minor under the age of 16 years old. 

The sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Jupiter Police Department.

According to court documents, Eric Runyan, 31, of Earlham, Iowa, used an online social networking application to contact and initiate a chat with a 9-year-old girl in Jupiter, Fla.

Runyan, using his screen name Hard_n_big2000, asked the victim, "How old u?"
The 9-year-old immediately responded, "10 … Leave me alone."

Runyan continued to chat with the victim and sent the child a picture of his genitals. He then proceeded to ask the 9-year-old to take and transmit sexually explicit images of herself, which she did. When the 9-year-old tried to end the conversation, Runyan sent her threatening text messages, saying that he would ruin the 9-year-old's iPhone. He also threatened to find and kill her.

When the 9-year-old reported the incident to her parents, Jupiter Police Department detectives and HSI special agents were able to determine that the communications originated from Runyan's home.

Runyan was arrested and confessed to his involvement in the crime. He stated that he used his iPod Touch to communicate with the 9-year-old victim, transmit the images of himself to her and receive the sexually explicit images of the child.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423 or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-843-5678.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

Texas Resident Extradited from Mexico for Defense Articles Smuggling

An Eagle Pass, Texas, man appeared Monday, February 4, 2013, in San Antonio federal court following his extradition from Mexico Friday, February 1, 2013, on federal charges of smuggling prohibited defense articles.

This extradition and criminal charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman, Western District of Texas, and Deputy Special Agent in Charge Monica Mapel, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio.

A federal grand jury in Del Rio returned an indictment in June 2012 against Erik Alan Garza, 25, on six counts of aiding and abetting smuggling goods from the United States. According to the indictment, on various occasions between June 19, 2010 and Feb. 17, 2012, Garza and an accomplice, Rolando Tamayo, 32, also of Eagle Pass, illegally attempted to smuggle defense articles into Mexico from the United States.

These defense items included: night-vision monocular goggles, a thermal goggle, 400 sets of AR-15 front and rear flip-up tactical sights, about 5,000 high-capacity assault rifle magazines, and about 6,000 rounds of ammunition, including 100 rounds of .50-caliber ammunition.

The indictment also charges Tamayo, who remains a fugitive, with two counts of aiding and abetting the smuggling of goods from the United States. Each charge calls for a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison upon conviction.

"Gun and drug trafficking fuels violence by criminal organizations, and threatens the security of the people along our borders and throughout the country," said Mapel. "HSI special agents will continue to work jointly with our law enforcement partners to utilize our expertise in import and export enforcement to help keep our citizens safe and secure."

This case was investigated by special agents with HSI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Marshals Service assisted with Garza's extradition.

An indictment is merely a charge, and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Galdo, Western District of Texas, prosecuted the case. 

Vietnamese Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Credit Card Fraud Conspiracy

Tri Tran, aka Tony, 35, a citizen of Vietnam unlawfully in the country and residing in Maryland, pleaded guilty Friday, February 1, 2013, to mail fraud in connection with a scheme to skim credit card account data and re-encode the data onto different credit cards used to buy merchandise at retail stores. As a result of the scheme, more than 50 victims incurred losses totaling more than $70,000.

The guilty plea follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; U.S. Secret Service, Baltimore Field Office; Harford County Sheriff's Office and the assistance of the Harford County State's Attorney Office.

According to his plea, beginning in 2009 through Feb. 28, 2011, co-conspirator Nghia Nguyen, 35, a Vietnamese citizen residing in Santa Ana, Calif., mailed an electronic skimming device to Tran in Maryland, who used the device at the business where he was employed to access data from customer credit cards. During 2009, Tran mailed Nguyen the skimming device approximately twice a month, typically when the data of five to 15 credit cards were stored on the skimmer. This pace picked up slightly in 2010 and in 2011 there were about four or five exchanges prior to his arrest. Tran would also mail several credit cards bearing his name to Nguyen.

Nguyen would then extract the data from the skimmer and re-encode the magnetic strip of the other cards with the victims' data. Nguyen would then send Tran three or four re-encoded cards in return, and Tran would use these cards, typically for one or two transactions at about $200 per transaction before the accounts were shut down. This process was repeated several times over the course of the scheme.

On Jan. 14, 2011, the Harford County Sheriff's Office began investigating a complaint related to credit card skimming activity at the retail location where Tran worked. On Feb. 28, 2011, Tran's residence was searched and HSI special agents seized computer equipment and peripheral devices used in the creation of the fraudulent credit cards.

Tran faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for mail fraud at his May 24 sentencing before U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar.

Nguyen previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the scheme and was sentenced Dec. 17, 2012, to six years in prison.

Today's announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which was created November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys' offices and state and local partners, it's the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. 

Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.

HSI Orange County, the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Postal Inspection Service in California, City of Orange Police Department, Costa Mesa Police Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California assisted in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Judson T. Mihok.

Virginia Korean Gang Leader Sentenced to 210 Months for Extortion, Violence, and Organized Crime

Han Sa Yu, 44, a resident of Maryland who is originally from South Korea, was sentenced Friday, February 1, 2013, to 210 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for extorting Korean businesses operating in Annandale, Va. Yu also agreed to pay more than $98,000 in restitution to the victims of his extortion. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. and assisted by the Fairfax County Police Department.

Yu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion on Nov. 9, 2012, and was sentenced Friday, February 1, 2013. Yu founded the Korean Night Breeders (KNB) to carry out extortions of various businesses in Annandale. The KNB targeted businesses owned by persons of Korean descent and frequently sought out businesses that employed illegal aliens.

"HSI (Washington, D.C.) is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat violent gangs who prey upon those in our communities," said Special Agent In Charge John P. Torres. "Today's sentencing of Yu sends a message that extortion, especially under the threat of violence, will not be tolerated. HSI (Washington, D.C.) will continue to identify, investigate and dismantle gangs who are a threat to public safety."

The KNB also sought out Korean taxi drivers, karaoke bars, restaurants and billiard halls to extort cash. Many business owners were assaulted and others threatened in an effort to instill fear in their victims.

The gang members frequently would dress in black suits, which became their recognized uniform. They would surround an extortion victim to further instill fear and implicitly threaten victims. From one victim alone KNB extorted more than $30,000. Various restaurants in Annandale either paid extortion or provided free food and drink to the gang.

Yu, also known as "Thunder" and "Bungay," modeled the gang after Asian organized crime syndicates. He sometimes would hold weekly meetings where the gang would discuss potential victims, and Yu would teach fighting techniques and his extortion protocol. The size of the gang varied over time, but at times had 15 or more members. Yu and his gang used the extortion proceeds to purchase marijuana and cocaine, among other things.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Frank and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

This investigation was part of HSI's Operation Community Shield initiative. Operation Community Shield partners with existing federal, state and local anti-gang efforts to identify violent street gangs and develop intelligence on gang members and associates, gang criminal activities and international movements to arrest, prosecute, imprison and, or deport transnational gang members. HSI's National Gang Unit's goal is to deter, disrupt and dismantle gang operations by tracing and seizing cash, weapons and other assets derived from criminal activities.

Since the inception of Operation Community Shield in February 2005, HSI special agents working in conjunction with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide have arrested more than 29,366 street gang members and associates linked to more than 2,300 different gangs. At least 40 percent of those arrested had a violent criminal history. More than 374 of those arrested were gang leaders. Through this initiative nationally, HSI has seized 4,137 firearms. 

Puerto Rican National Sentenced for Distributing Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals

A Puerto Rican man was sentenced Monday, January 28, 2013, to two years in federal prison for being a key member of an organization that distributed large quantities of Chinese-made, counterfeit pharmaceuticals across the United States.

Francis Ortiz Gonzalez, 36, was sentenced the morning of Monday, January 28, 2013, by U.S. District Judge George H. Wu, who also ordered the defendant to pay $324,530 in restitution to the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture brand name products such as Lipitor, Viagra, Xanax and Cialis.

The case is the result of investigations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

In September 2009, federal agents executed a search warrant at Ortiz Gonzalez's residence in Trujillo Alto, a suburb of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Inside the home, investigators found more than 100,000 pills that resembled a variety of popular prescription medications made by companies such as Pfizer Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company. Investigators found evidence that Ortiz Gonzalez obtained the counterfeit pills from China and had shipped more than 140,000 of them to individuals throughout the United States. If the drugs had been authentic, the retail value of the pills Ortiz Gonzalez possessed in his home and shipped would be more than $1 million.

Following a six-day trial last summer, Ortiz Gonzalez was convicted on one count of conspiracy and seven counts of trafficking in counterfeit pharmaceuticals. Ortiz Gonzalez was acquitted on three charges. His wife, Ideliz Aleman-Valentin, was acquitted on all charges.

Ortiz Gonzalez packaged and shipped more than 140,000 counterfeit tablets during a seven-month period in 2009 while working as a "dropshipper" for a counterfeit drug ring allegedly headed by Bo Jiang, 34, a Chinese national whose last known residence was in New Zealand. In January 2011, Jiang was taken into custody on a provisional arrest warrant by New Zealand law enforcement authorities, but he fled shortly after being released on bond. Jiang remains a fugitive.
In a related case before Judge Wu, a North Hollywood man was found guilty on January 11 of federal charges involving the trafficking of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

Edward Alarcon, 44, was convicted of two counts of trafficking in counterfeit OxyContin and Cialis; he was acquitted on two other counts. The evidence presented during a three-day jury trial showed that Alarcon had purchased the counterfeit OxyContin from Bo Jiang, the same man who allegedly supplied Ortiz Gonzalez.

On Nov. 10, 2009, HSI special agents found approximately 237 counterfeit OxyContin pills and approximately 1,592 counterfeit Cialis pills in Alarcon's car and house. Investigators also found hundreds of other counterfeit pills, including Viagra and Levitra. Only a month before the federal search, Alarcon had been convicted in state court on counterfeit drug charges for selling counterfeit Cialis to an undercover Los Angeles Police Department officer in 2008.

Alarcon is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wu April 4. At that time, Alarcon faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

California Men Charged with Wire Fraud and Bribery

Federal prosecutors filed criminal charges Monday, January 28, 2013, against the CEO of an Orange County electronic components company who paid kickbacks for years to ensure contracts for his firm, and against an official with Panasonic's American subsidiary who accepted the bribes.

The two men charged Monday, January 28, 2013, with "honest services" wire fraud are William McMahon, 47, of Norco, the CEO and co-owner of Trustin Technology, and Sean Volin, 38, of Oakland, New Jersey, a manager with Panasonic Corporation of North America in Secaucus, New Jersey.

In addition to criminal informations filed in U.S. District Court, prosecutors filed plea agreements in which both men admitted their criminal conduct and agreed to cooperate in the ongoing probe conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI.

According to court documents, for the past decade, Trustin sold RAM modules and hard drives to Panasonic – Trustin's largest and most important customer – for use in at least one line of laptop computers.

Approximately 10 years ago, Volin approached the then-CEO of Trustin to discuss a price reduction for hard drives Trustin was supplying to Panasonic. In response, the then-CEO proposed a kickback scheme in which Panasonic would continue to pay the same price for hard drives, but Trustin would give Volin half of the proposed price reduction for each unit sold. 

Volin "agreed with the former CEO's proposal, did not obtain a price reduction for Panasonic, and a stream of illicit payments between Trustin and Volin began," according to Volin's plea agreement.

McMahon became CEO of Trustin in 2005, and he learned of the kickback arrangement that had already paid more than $100,000 to Volin. The payments stopped under McMahon's watch for a period of time, but resumed as McMahon's relationship with Volin developed. Instead of paying a kickback for each hard drive sold to Panasonic, McMahon made regular payments in exchange for Volin "looking out for Trustin's interests and as a reward for his prior assistance to Trustin," according to Volin's plea agreement.

From November 2005 through the end of 2011, McMahon oversaw payments of more than $555,000 that went to a company Volin had established to accept the illicit payments from Trustin. In total, Volin was paid more than $664,900 by Trustin. Volin and McMahon also admitted in the court documents that Volin received other benefits, including trips to the Kentucky Derby and Napa Valley.

"In exchange for this stream of payments, and acting with the intent to defraud Panasonic of Volin's duty of honest services, Volin continued to assist Trustin in obtaining additional business from Panasonic, resulting in Panasonic's designating Trustin a 'master vendor,' according to court documents, which say that as a result of the scheme "Trustin was able to obtain tens of millions of dollars of business from Panasonic."

McMahon and Volin will be summoned to appear in federal court in Orange County in February. The wire fraud charge alleged in the two cases filed Monday, January 28, 2013, carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

Panasonic Corporation of North America fully cooperated with the government's investigation.