Assistant U.S. Attorney Awarded by his for Assistance in Operation Holitna

A local federal prosecutor, who has a well-earned reputation for successfully prosecuting cases investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston, received top honors from the agency Friday, January 18, 2013. He was honored for his outstanding professional achievements as a leading member of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Yoon was recognized for his contributions to federal child exploitation prosecutions, particularly Operation Holitna. His work with HSI, focused on child exploitation investigations, has resulted in the arrests of numerous child predators worldwide.

Operation Holitna is an ongoing HSI-led investigation that originated in Boston in 2010. In November 2010 the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts and HSI Boston arrested Robert Diduca on child pornography production charges. He was convicted and subsequently sentenced in June 2012.

Forensic analysis of Diduca's computer led investigators to the Netherlands where a Dutch national was arrested and charged with production, distribution and possession of child pornography, as well as the sexual abuse of 87 minors. Since the launch of this worldwide operation, more than 160 children have been rescued and 50 perpetrators arrested worldwide.

"The grim reality is that online child exploitation is a very real part of our modern lives and it is going on throughout the world, right now, on a grand scale," said ICE Director John Morton. "Thanks to the expertise of Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Yoon - who has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to prosecuting these types of cases - child predators are being brought to justice each and every day. Michael's dedication to the cause ultimately led to the discovery of the largest case of child exploitation in Dutch history."

"During his time in the Major Crimes Unit, Michael demonstrated unwavering commitment to prosecuting child exploitation cases," said U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, District of Massachusetts. "It was Michael's extraordinary ability to balance the complexity of a constantly expanding case - that demanded the collaboration of national and international law enforcement agencies - which led to the prosecution and sentencing of Robert Diduca and a vast network of online child sex offenders. We are fortunate to have such a passionate and dedicated prosecutor working on our team."

His expertise on prosecuting these cases continues to this day, as Operation Holitna continues to arrest pedophiles who are sexually abusing children and producing child pornography in Europe, Asia and North America.

HSI special agents, who have worked closely with Assistant U.S. Attorney Yoon for years stated:

• "There was never a day or night that Michael wouldn't respond to calls from HSI Boston for assistance - even at 2:30 in the morning. His efforts were constantly going above and beyond the normal expectations special agents have of federal prosecutors."
• "He is the most responsive assistant U.S. attorney I have ever worked with in my career. When working with Mike, there was never any doubt we were one team."
• "Mike has a unique blend of legal experience - with an investigator's mindset - which fit perfectly with the goals of Operation Holitna. Without his guidance and support, I am certain that we wouldn't have achieved the many successes over the past two years."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Yoon has been assigned to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts since 2010. From 2005 to 2010, Yoon worked as a trial attorney in Washington for the Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. He has been recently reassigned to the U.S. Attorney's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Operation Holitna, and other New England-based investigations that 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, are run out of HSI's state-of-the-art forensic laboratory in Boston. This facility, located in the John F. Kennedy Federal Building, assists federal, state and local law enforcement authorities in New England with a wide range of forensic investigative support in cases that are often complex, and require significant examination and analysis.

The forensic lab prepares investigators as they team with other state and local investigative experts, as well as prosecutors throughout New England. Several other federal, state and local law enforcement authorities have expressed their support of efforts to strengthen investigative techniques to remain competitive with the ever-changing world of scientific technology. The lab employs the latest technology to collect evidence and track the activities of individuals and organized groups who sexually exploit children through the use of websites, chat rooms, newsgroups and peer-to-peer trading. As Internet access continues to expand, the forensic lab brings the full range of HSI computer and forensic assets together in a single location to combat such Internet-related crimes.

These types of investigations are part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators.

HSI Intelligence Officers Awarded for Leadership

Three employees assigned to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)/Homeland Security Investigations' (HSI) Intelligence Office have been honored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Kirstin F. Grote and Erin G. Zappas were both awarded with a DHS Intelligence Leadership Award for their work on Project Global Shield. John W. Clifton also received the DHS Intelligence Leadership Award for his work as an intelligence research specialist at the National Bulk Cash Smuggling Center (BCSC). Both were awarded this distinction by DHS Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Caryn Wagner.

Grote and Zappas are critical members of Project Global Shield, a multilateral law enforcement initiative targeting the illicit diversion and trafficking of explosive precursor chemicals used by terrorist and other criminal organizations to manufacture improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Cooperating with international partners is essential to protecting the global supply chain and the safety of American citizens. HSI is partnering with the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to form Project Global Shield. This aims to thwart the smuggling of precursor chemicals that could be used to build IEDs, which are weapons commonly used against American troops and U.S. interests overseas.

In November 2010, Project Global Shield initially began as a pilot with more than 70 participating nations that shared information about 14 precursor chemicals. Based on its initial success and importance to multiple countries, the WCO's 177 members voted to continue Project Global Shield long-term in June 2011. This was the first time that the international community, as a whole, addressed the threat posed by these dangerous precursor chemicals. With real-time information and intelligence sharing, partners are now better equipped to identify whether or not shipments are legitimate.

"These two employees have shown exceptional leadership in their work, providing high quality, actionable intelligence products that were instrumental in providing leads to law enforcement personnel - both in the United States and abroad - as well as in shaping policy," said James Chaparro, director of HSI Intelligence. "Both have enhanced collaboration throughout DHS and beyond, leveraging HSI's intelligence capabilities to develop new relationships between our agency and our law enforcement counterparts dedicated to addressing the IED threat. I know that these two employees will continue to dedicate themselves to furthering our mission of protecting the homeland and U.S. interests abroad."

The work of the Project Global Shield intelligence team produced time sensitive and actionable intelligence products that directly resulted in seizures of explosive precursor chemicals in multiple locations around the globe, and several arrests. The seizure of the explosive precursor chemicals helped to save the lives of countless numbers of coalition forces and civilians. This team has also helped to drive best practices and policy changes among participating nations in the WCO to strengthen the global supply chain.

Clifton, who works at the BCSC, has proven himself as an outstanding leader in the intelligence field. Clifton has singlehandedly developed three high-priority and highly complex money laundering investigations in the last two years. 

"The breadth and scope of these investigations is unprecedented at HSI," added Chaparro. "He has worked tirelessly with field special agents and analysts alike, educating them on the myriad of potential violations and assisting them in tracing billions of dollars in illicit proceeds. His devotion to duty is unsurpassed, and I am proud that he has been recognized by DHS for his accomplishments in this area."

HSI Intelligence is a robust intelligence force that supports the enforcement needs of HSI's executive leadership and operational field units.

Cutting edge technology, complex intelligence gathering tools, multifaceted investigative techniques and a high level of professionalism have enabled HSI Intelligence to set the standard for federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. HSI Intelligence collects, analyzes and shares strategic and tactical data. It also supports federal, state, local, tribal and international law enforcement partners.

HSI Intelligence analysis and targeting information plays a vital role in supporting investigations related to illegal immigration, terrorism, weapons proliferation, war crimes, financial crimes, trade fraud, drug smuggling, human smuggling and trafficking, child sex tourism and other criminal activities.