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.

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. 

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.

Operation Concord Arrests 30 Boston Gang Members for Drug and Firearms Charges

Over 300 federal, state and local law enforcement officers carried out arrests and executed search warrants early the morning of Thursday, January 17, 2013, in Operation Concord, a large-scale collaborative investigation into the violence and distribution of drugs by the Hendry Street and Woodward Avenue gangs and their associates who terrorized residents in the Bowdoin-Geneva section of Dorchester, Mass., and the Uphams Corner section of Roxbury, Mass. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was an integral part of the operation, working alongside their federal, state and local law enforcement partners in arresting these gang members.

"This effort shows our collective resolve in Boston and the Commonwealth to attack and dismantle these dangerous street gangs," said Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge of HSI Boston. "For too long, gangs here and elsewhere have used violence and intimidation to hold communities hostage. As this operation shows, now it's the gang members who have something to fear."

"This community has been in desperate need of reprieve from the violence. We hope the arrests and prosecution of the defendants will quiet the streets and improve the quality of life for all residents," said U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, District of Massachusetts.

"Today is a great day for the hardworking people of Bowdoin-Geneva and Uphams Corner," said Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. "Thanks to their help, and the help of our law enforcement partners, drugs have been taken from our streets, and these violent individuals who profit from harming others will no longer terrorize our neighborhoods."

Teams of law enforcement arrested a total of 27 people on Thursday, January 17, 2013:

• Twenty-five from the local area;
• One from California; and
• One from Maine.

Two other defendants are already in custody on federal supervised release violations and one remains a fugitive. Search warrants were executed at 12 locations.

As stated in court documents, the investigation, which involved controlled drug purchases, surveillance and a wiretap, began in the summer of 2011. It is alleged that the defendants have been involved in gang, gun and drug activity in the Bowdoin-Geneva corridor or other areas of Dorchester and Roxbury at the direction of Alexis Hidalgo, 31, of Dorchester, and Jonathan DaSilva, 29, of Roxbury. Wiretap evidence was a crucial component of the investigation and provided investigators with information regarding the alleged partnership between Hidalgo, alleged leader of the Hendry Street gang, and DaSilva, alleged leader of the Woodward Avenue gang.

Hidalgo and DaSilva are alleged to be responsible for the distribution of kilos of crack cocaine and thousands of oxycodone pills throughout greater Boston, as well as hundreds of pounds of marijuana, which they branded as high-grade and sold for up to $5,200 a pound. In a wiretap recording, a "mother-load" shipment of drugs was described in a call intercepted between Hidalgo and his associate. It is alleged that Hidalgo responded by saying, "You just got us indicted bro. If they are listening, I sell weed man."

"From the Berkshires to Cape Cod, the FBI and our law enforcement partners actively analyze and investigate hot spots of gang activity in Massachusetts. As a result, we have concluded several lengthy gang investigations over the past year like today's, which targets the Hendry Street and Woodward Avenue gangs," said Richard DesLauriers, special agent in charge of the FBI, Boston Field Division. "Because of today's multiple arrests, neighborhoods in Boston and several surrounding cities and towns are safer now than they were mere hours ago. Our unified law enforcement goal is to eradicate the scourge of gang activity which adversely impacts the safety of our communities."

"This case demonstrates, working with our law enforcement partners, we are keeping the pressure on violent criminals involved in the drug trade," said Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis. "We will not tolerate these defendants and others like them from terrorizing our neighborhoods. We are committed to rooting out the bad actors who make our communities unsafe."

 "The Massachusetts Department of Correction is committed to working with other criminal justice agencies in a joint effort to ensure public safety," said Luis S. Spencer, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Correction.

U.S. Marshal John Gibbons said, "The success of this investigation demonstrates the excellent working relationships the federal government shares with its state and local partners."

Special thanks to Suffolk (Mass.) District Attorney Daniel Conley and members of his office and the numerous local law enforcement agencies who provided substantial cooperation and assistance throughout the course of the investigation and during the execution of the arrests and searches Thursday, January 17, 2013.

Washington Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

A Snohomish County methamphetamine dealer was sentenced to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and counterfeiting.

The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation designated "Operation Black ICE" was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Snohomish Police Department.

Christopher Frick, 38, was arrested in March 2012 and pleaded guilty October 2012 to the charges. Court records say Frick came to the attention of authorities in 2011 when they caught him on court authorized wiretaps arranging drug deals during the investigation of the Berrelleza-Verduzco drug trafficking organization.

At the time, Frick was already being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service for using a counterfeit $50 bill that he made by altering a $5 bill. A search of his Monroe, Wash., residence following his arrest turned up methamphetamine and counterfeit U.S. currency. According to prosecutors, Frick has more than 30 prior convictions, ranging from burglary and drug possession to vehicle theft and forgery and fraud.

Operation Black ICE resulted in 34 indictments, and the seizure of more than 20 pounds of heroin, more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly $200,000 and 31 firearms - including 10 assault rifles. Frick is one of the first defendants in this case to plead guilty and be sentenced. The others are scheduled for trial later this year.

The investigation was assisted by OCDETF member agencies, including the Seattle, Lake Stevens, Everett, Monroe and Marysville police departments; the Eastside Narcotics Task Force; the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force; the Skagit County Inter-local Drug Enforcement Unit; the Snohomish County Sheriff's Department; the Washington State Patrol; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Offices of Field Operations and Border Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington. 

Mexican National Arrested After Drug Dog Finds Smuggled Narcotics

A Mexican national woman faces federal criminal charges after a drug-sniffing canine alerted on dog food bags in her vehicle which were subsequently found to contain more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine.

America Alejandra Quintana, 26, was arraigned in Fresno Wednesday, January 9, 2013, on federal methamphetamine trafficking charges and pleaded not guilty. She was indicted Jan. 3 on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Quintana's next court date is Feb. 19.

According to court documents, on Dec. 10, 2012, Quintana was stopped for a traffic violation in Madera County and a drug detection dog alerted on the dog food bags. Inside, investigators discovered 52 plastic bags each containing about one pound of methamphetamine. Quintana was arrested on state charges, which were dropped following the issuance of the federal indictment.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Methamphetamine Task Force, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Justice. Assistant United States Attorney Melanie L. Alsworth is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Quintana faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

New York Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

On Monday, January 7, 2013, a Niagara Falls, N.Y., man pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to conspiracy to possess, with the intent to distribute, 100 kilograms of marijuana. The man faces up to 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine.

Wally Reynolds, 36, supervised other individuals in a drug conspiracy who imported marijuana from Canada into the United States. The defendant then distributed the marijuana to his customers in the United States.

The plea is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Sentencing is scheduled for May 6 before Judge Arcara.

Puerto Rican Drug Ring Leader Sentenced to Life in Prison

The leader of a major drug trafficking organization arrested during the execution of Operation Grayskull by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was sentenced Wednesday, December 12, 2012, to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Carmen Consuelo Cerezo.

Ismael Vazquez-Larrauri, 39, of Cayey, Puerto Rico, was found guilty June 15 of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, cocaine base and marijuana within public housing projects and schools.

HSI special agents, working jointly with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, conducted simultaneous enforcement actions Aug. 25, 2008, in an operation dubbed Operation Grayskull in the Puerto Rican municipalities of Cayey, Salinas, Guayama, Coamo, Santa Isabel and Jayuya that resulted in the arrest of 64 individuals allegedly involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Vazquez-Larrauri, the leader of the organization, remained fugitive but was subsequently arrested May 1, 2009.

According to the Aug. 5, 2008, indictment, which charged 71 individuals for drug trafficking, the object of the conspiracy was to purchase wholesale quantities of heroin, cocaine, marijuana, Oxycodone (Percocet) and Alprazolam (Xanax) for distribution at several public housing projects in Cayey and at drug distribution points in the municipalities of Salinas, Coamo, Santa Isabel, Guayama and Jayuya, all for a significant financial gain and profit.

The indictment further alleges that some of the cocaine purchased was cooked in order to make cocaine-based crack that was later distributed, along with heroin, cocaine and marijuana, in small bags at the drug selling points. The leaders of the organization divided the proceeds of the drug trafficking sales among themselves and their subordinates.

The 71 individuals charged had different roles in the conspiracy, such as leaders, suppliers, runners, enforcers and facilitators to further the goals of the conspiracy. The charging document also alleges that some of the co-conspirators used residences in order to package and conceal the controlled substances as well as the materials to process the contraband.

"The importation of illegal narcotics into the United States is a very serious crime and the unscrupulous persons involved will not receive reprieve from law enforcement," said Angel Melendez, acting special agent-in-charge of HSI San Juan. "In our efforts to keep drugs off the streets of Puerto Rico, we will continue using all of our resources to identify and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations that operate within our jurisdiction."

ICE encourages the public to report suspected weapons and narcotics smuggling, and related information by calling at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. For more information, visit www.ice.gov.

4 Texas Policemen Charged with Drug Conspiracy

Two complaints were filed Thursday, December 13, 2012, charging two Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) deputies and two Mission Police Department (MPD) officers with a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

MPD officer Alexis Espinoza, 29, of Alamo, was arrested Wednesday, December 12, 2012, and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramos Thursday, December 13, 2012. A decision on his bond has not yet been determined by the court.

A second complaint was filed Thursday, December 13, 2012, charging MPD officer Jonathan Trevino, 28, of McAllen; Fabian Rodriguez, 28, of Edinburg, and Gerardo Duran, 30, of Pharr, both with HCSO. They were arrested Thursday, December 13, 2012, and appeared before Judge Ramos Friday, December 14, 2012.

According to court records, in early 2012 agents learned that members of HCSO's Panama Unit were involved in distributing narcotics. The Panama Unit is a task force designed to target narcotics trafficking in Hidalgo County, and is comprised of law enforcement officers from HCSO and MPD.

This investigation revealed that members of the Panama Unit, including Trevino, Espinoza, Rodriguez and Duran, allegedly used their law enforcement positions to escort and protect loads of smuggled narcotics; and they were paid for their services.

The case is being investigated by the following agencies: the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility, the FBI, the Texas Rangers, and the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anibal Alanis and James Sturgis, Southern District of Texas, are prosecuting the case.

Canadian National Sentenced for Smuggling Ecstasy into U.S.

Following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a Canadian man was sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to import large amounts of ecstasy pills into the United States.

James Elliott, 62, of Windsor, Ontario, was sentenced Thursday, December 6, 2012, in federal court to eight years in prison.

"HSI will not tolerate the illegal movement of drugs into the United States," said John Kelleghan, special agent in charge of HSI Philadelphia. "HSI stopped these criminals, who are motivated by greed, from distributing large quantities of illegal drugs in our community and endangering the welfare of our citizens."

Elliott helped recruit and organize a group of smugglers, mostly from the Windsor area, who imported large quantities of drugs into the United States. These drugs were manufactured in Canada by Asian drug trafficking organizations. These organizations then hired Elliott and his couriers to transport the drugs to other drug dealers across the United States. Elliott's conduct came to light in September 2007 when two couriers were stopped in Philadelphia and law enforcement officers seized 102,000 ecstasy pills which the couriers had attempted to distribute to drug dealers in Philadelphia and Boston.

Eastern District of Pennsylvania Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Livermore prosecuted the case.

Deputy US Marshal Arrested for Revealing the Identity of Undercover HSI Agent During Drug Trafficking Investigation

A deputy U.S. Marshal was arrested Tuesday, December 4, 2012, and charged with disclosing the identity of an undercover agent who infiltrated a Starr County drug trafficking organization.

The arrest and charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Inspector General, and the FBI.

A federal criminal complaint was filed Dec. 4 against Deputy U.S. Marshal Lucio Osbaldo Moya, 29, of Rio Grande City. He was charged with being an accessory after the fact, and obstruction of a proceeding. He was arrested and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramos Dec. 4. He was set to appear again the afternoon of Tuesday, December 4, 2012, for a bond hearing.

According to court documents, in June 2011, an HSI special agent posed as a tractor-trailer driver and agreed to transport 1,800 pounds of marijuana in return for $50,000 for Francisco Javier Treviňo, 29, of Mission, and Lauro Arturo Treviňo Sr., 60, of Roma, Texas. That shipment was eventually seized by special agents. But Treviňo Sr. later contacted the undercover special agent to transport another load of marijuana.

Subsequently, Trinidad Dominguez, 43, and Juan Norberto Moya, 51, both of Roma, allegedly asked Treviňo Sr. to get more information concerning the undercover special agent. Treviňo Sr. then asked Treviňo to get a copy of the undercover special agent's driver's license, which he did, according to the complaint. Treviňo Sr. then got into an SUV and allegedly provided the copy of the undercover special agent's license to the SUV driver. A record check on the Texas license plate of that SUV showed that its registered owner was a brother of Dominguez.

On Oct. 5, 2011, Deputy U.S. Marshal Moya showed up at work with a copy of the undercover special agent's driver's license. While at work, Deputy Marshal Moya allegedly approached another deputy U.S. marshal and told him a confidential source had given it to him. He further allegedly stated the source was transporting thousands of pounds of marijuana to Houston, and that he probably had a corrupt Border Patrol agent at the checkpoint because he had never been caught. Shortly thereafter, according to the complaint, Deputy U.S. Marshal Moya had an analyst obtain a color copy of the license and showed it to another deputy U.S. Marshal.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Moya was told the person depicted in the driver's license was an HSI special agent.

Subsequently, Deputy U.S. Marshal Moya was interviewed by agents with the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General. The criminal complaint indicates he stated the license was given to him, not by a confidential source, but by his father, Juan Norberto Moya. He further claimed his father got the copy from someone he only knew as "Lauro." The reason he said his father gave it to him was so he could pass it along to another agency in an effort to become a confidential source. During the meeting, agents allegedly told Deputy U.S. Marshal Moya the HSI special agent was working undercover conducting drug trafficking investigations and all agreed to keep the information secret for the safety and well-being of the special agent.

According to the criminal complaint, Deputy U.S. Marshal Moya left the meeting and allegedly sent a text message to his father indicating that the person depicted in the driver's license was a federal agent.

During the course of the investigation, agents conducted a forensic examination of Deputy U.S. Marshal Moya's work computer. The examination allegedly showed that on Oct. 5, 2011, he conducted several searches on "Yahoo" and "Facebook" of the name of undercover special agent.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Moya is charged with assisting his father by informing him of the status of the undercover special agent in order to hinder and prevent his father's apprehension, trial and punishment. He's also charged with corruptly influencing, obstructing and impeding the proper administration of the law.

Moya faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $2.5 million fine if convicted of being an accessory after the fact. He could also receive another five years in federal prison for obstruction of a proceeding, upon conviction, as well as another $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anibal J. Alaniz, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting the case.

Target Operation Arrests Four Alleged Drug Traffickers

Federal and local investigators fanned out across San Joaquin County and the San Jose area the morning of Thursday, November 29, 2012, to execute nine search warrants and arrest four suspects as part of a multi-agency probe into a local drug ring suspected of distributing high-grade methamphetamine.

The enforcement actions are the latest development in an ongoing investigation that commenced in March after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a lead about a possible methamphetamine distribution scheme operating in and around Lodi and Stockton. During the ensuing investigation, HSI undercover special agents posing as drug dealers bought methamphetamine from the case suspects on two occasions. Subsequent tests by a Drug Enforcement Administration lab indicated the substance was 99 percent pure D-methamphetamine-hydrochloride.

"This investigation has dealt a serious blow to a ring we believe was funneling significant quantities of high-grade methamphetamine into the San Joaquin Valley," said Clark Settles, special agent in charge for HSI San Francisco. "In fact, the methamphetamine seized in this case is some of the most pure we've seen locally. These arrests have disrupted a potentially deadly supply chain and prevented dangerous drugs from reaching our streets."

The defendants taken into custody Thursday, November 29, 2012, as part of the case are:

·                             Thomas Jaime Orozco, 31, of Stockton, the alleged leader of the organization;

·                             Vincent Joseph Camarillo, 25, of Stockton, Orozco's cousin;

·                             Theodore Roosevelt Ohagen, 21, of Stockton; and

·                             Jeffrey Lawrence Lamendola, 50, of Lodi.

During the enforcement actions of Thursday, November 29, 2012, investigators seized three pistols, including two that had been stolen, approximately $15,000 in cash, more than 1/4 pound of methamphetamine, along with small quantities of marijuana and cocaine.

The defendants are charged in a criminal complaint with distribution of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. They were expected to make their initial appearance in federal court the afternoon of Friday, November 30, 2012, in Sacramento. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California.

The allegations in the complaint are only accusations and all persons are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

HSI received substantial assistance with the case from the Lodi Police Department, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force and the Manteca Police Department.

ICE Puerto Rico Target Operation Arrests 27 Drug Traffickers

Twenty-seven alleged members of a Puerto Rican drug trafficking and money laundering organization responsible for the importation of multi-kilograms of cocaine into the United States were arrested Friday, November 9, 2012, in several municipalities of Puerto Rico.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, working jointly with Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) and San Juan Police Department (SJPD) officers, launched Operation Caribbean Pirates Phase II as part of HSI’s strategy to dismantle drug lord Jose Figueroa-Agosto’s, aka Junior Capsula’s, drug trafficking organization.

"The indictment and arrest of these individuals sends a clear message to those involved in drug trafficking and money laundering that HSI will go after them, bring them to justice and seize the assets produced by their illicit activity," said Angel Melendez, acting special agent in charge of HSI Puerto Rico.

Jose Figueroa-Agosto, 47, the leader of the largest drug trafficking organization in the Caribbean, and 12 other members of his organization were arrested by HSI special agents Nov. 21, 2010.

The group was charged in a 12-count indictment with conspiracy to import narcotics into the United States, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. The indictment also seeks to forfeit the proceeds obtained as a result of such offenses, up to an amount of $100 million.

On Friday, November 9, 2012, HSI special agents arrested 27 additional alleged members of Figueroa-Agosto’s drug trafficking organization who, according to the indictment, played the role of transporters and facilitators for the organization. As part of the conspiracy, it is alleged that these individuals smuggled hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic in private vessels. The narcotics were then distributed in Puerto Rico and the continental United States. Part of the drug proceeds would also be smuggled from Puerto Rico back into the Dominican Republic in bulk cash quantities.

Those arrested were:

·                             Alex Manuel Rivera-Figueroa

·                             Alexis Centeno-Luciano

·                             Axel Ramos-Echeandia

·                             Bryan Mulero-Rivera

·                             Carlos Rodriguez-Millan

·                             Carlos Latoni-Morales

·                             Carme Gonzalez-Colon

·                             Esaul Hernandez

·                             Felipe Encarnacion-Paredes

·                             Fernando Nieves-Lopez

·                             Harold Luciano-Betancourt

·                             Ismael Otero-Paris

·                             Jeffrey Nunez-Jimenez

·                             Jonathan Alfonso-Rodriguez

·                             Jose Luis Morales-Varona

·                             Luis Rivera-Dones

·                             Norma Vazquez-Figueroa

·                             Obie Colon-Pena

·                             Paulino Mejias-Garcia

·                             Rafael Fuentes-Miranda

·                             Reinaldo Martes-Perez

·                             Ruben Mendez-Matias

·                             Yamil Davila-Lopez

·                             Yolymar Negraon-Cosme

·                             Ysmael King-Almeida

·                             Juan Carlos Berrios-Sanchez

·                             Eddie Brito-Martinez

Those arrested were transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. One remaining suspect, Cesar Caballero-Collazo, remains a fugitive.

If the allegations contained in the indictment result in convictions, all defendants shall forfeit to the United States properties and/or cash for a total of $100 million.

If convicted, the defendants face a sentence of a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, and fines of up to $4 million. Defendant Figueroa-Agosto is facing a mandatory life sentence if found guilty of the continuing criminal enterprise charge.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected weapons and narcotics smuggling and related information by calling at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. For more information, visit www.ice.gov.

Life Sentence for JFK Baggage Handler who Ran Drug Trafficking Ring

A former American Airlines baggage handler was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday, October 16, 2012, for his leadership of an international drug trafficking organization. This sentencing comes as a result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Port Authority (of New York & New Jersey) Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

"Victor Bourne and his crew of corrupt former American Airline employees mistakenly viewed drug smuggling as a path to riches. The sentencing today serves as a stern warning about the consequences awaiting drug smugglers," said James T. Hayes Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New York. "HSI will continue to use its resources and the expertise of its law enforcement partners to flush out criminals who attempt to exploit our borders."

"Using his insider status, Bourne turned American Airlines into his personal narcotics shuttle service, running a criminal organization that ignored passenger safety and security in the pursuit of their greater goal - enriching Victor Bourne," said Loretta E. Lynch, U.S. attorney of the Eastern District of New York. "Bourne not only abused the trust of American Airlines to satisfy his own financial greed, but by compromising security at JFK Airport he placed all travelers at risk. In this post-9/11 era, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those at our ports of entry who violate our nation's drug trafficking laws and threaten the integrity of our borders."

Victor D'Costa Bourne, 37, was the leader of an international drug trafficking organization that smuggled narcotics from the Caribbean into the United States through John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). A federal jury in Brooklyn returned guilty verdicts against Bourne on charges of leading a continuing criminal enterprise, importing and distributing illegal narcotics, and money laundering, after a month-long trial in October 2011.

In total, the investigation that culminated in Bourne's conviction and sentence has resulted in 20 convictions, including the conviction of 19 airline employees, the seizure of 13 kilograms of cocaine and 2,900 pounds of marijuana, and the forfeiture of $6.9 million.

The evidence at trial proved that, between 2000 and 2009, the Bourne organization utilized corrupt employees of commercial airlines, including American Airlines, working at domestic and international ports of entry to smuggle illegal narcotics into the U.S. and throughout the Caribbean. Bourne paid dispatching crew chiefs at American Airlines to assign crews of baggage handlers, who, in turn, were paid tens of thousands of dollars by the Bourne organization to retrieve the cocaine from the flights upon arrival.

The cocaine smuggled aboard American Airlines flights into JFK was hidden behind panels in the front and rear cargo holds, the ceiling, wing assembly, avionics, and other vital equipment compartments. After removing the cocaine from these locations, the corrupt baggage handlers hid the drugs inside their coats and airline equipment bags to avoid detection by law enforcement and safely transport the drugs to Bourne.

The government proved at trial that, in this manner, the Bourne organization was responsible for the importation into the U.S. of over 150 kilograms of cocaine. At the time of his arrest in 2009, Bourne was preparing to transport even larger quantities of cocaine in cargo containers from the Caribbean to the United States.

The evidence presented by the government at trial included testimony from six former American Airlines employees who pleaded guilty to narcotics trafficking charges resulting from their participation in the Bourne organization. Each witness described Bourne's control of the drug smuggling operation, including the recruitment and payment of his workers, the secret locations on the aircraft where the cocaine was hidden, and the growth of the organization over time. One of the employees recounted a conversation in which Bourne stated, in substance, that he "started with half a kilo, then got 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 30, 50."

Another government witness, an American Airlines employee at JFK who was not involved in drug trafficking, testified that Bourne accused him of stealing two kilograms of cocaine. This witness testified that Bourne threatened to "kill me, my family, my kids" if the drugs were not returned. Shortly thereafter, Bourne confronted the same employee at the airport and pushed him off of a truck, causing a neck injury.

The evidence at trial also established that Bourne was responsible for the shipment of over 5,000 pounds of marijuana aboard cargo vessels, in part through a Brooklyn footwear company, to businesses in Barbados.

Bourne reaped millions of dollars in illegal cash proceeds from his illegal drug trafficking, and laundered his drug proceeds through businesses and real estate ventures in Brooklyn and Barbados.

In addition to a lifetime term of imprisonment, Bourne was ordered to forfeit $5.1 million.

Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Smuggling Marijuana on Vegetable Trucks

Three men who planned to use a Gainesville warehouse to unload their vegetables and marijuana were sentenced to prison Thursday, October 11, 2012, by Senior United States District Judge William C. O'Kelley. The investigation leading to the sentences was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Marco Ortiz-Barajas, 19, Angel Zamudio-Martinez, 54, and Jose Luis Chavez-Morfin, 43, all of whom are from Mexico but resided in the Atlanta metropolitan area, were convicted based upon their June 29 guilty pleas to a charge of conspiracy to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute.

"Today's sentences are a reminder that drug trafficking carries with it serious consequences and that no community is immune from its presence or its potentially destructive effects," said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.

"This case demonstrates that Atlanta and its surrounding environs continue to serve as a hub for the distribution of marijuana and other drugs smuggled into the United States from Mexico," said Brock D. Nicholson, special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta. "HSI will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to target the organizations responsible for drug trafficking in Georgia and to send a strong message that their criminal activity will not be tolerated here."

Chavez-Morfin was sentenced to five years, 10 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Zamudio-Martinez was sentenced to four years, two months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Ortiz-Barajas was sentenced to three years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Each defendant will be deported to Mexico at the end of his sentence.

According to information presented in court, during the course of an undercover investigation HSI special agents learned that Ortiz-Barajas, Zamudio-Martinez and Chavez-Morfin were planning to unload a shipment of marijuana at a Gainesville warehouse. As soon as the tractor trailer arrived at the warehouse, law enforcement executed a search warrant. Under the cilantro, peppers and other green vegetables, law enforcement located and seized 1,572 pounds of marijuana.

The approximate street value of the marijuana seized is $3,144,000.

ICE recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following website: www.justthinktwice.com. Additional information can be found at www.DrugFree.org.

In May 2012, the Partnership at Drugfree.org released the findings of a new, national study entitled "The Partnership Attitude Tracking Study." This study, which tracks drug use and attitude trends among high-school aged teens in America, revealed some troubling findings. Most notably, it found that in 2011 marijuana use among teens rose over the preceding three years, with an especially sharp rise in heavy, past-month use (i.e., 20 or more times in the past 30 days) of the drug. Heavy, past-month use of marijuana saw an 80 percent increase among U.S. teens since 2008.

This case was investigated by HSI and members of the Gainesville-Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad. The agencies involved with the arrests include the Hall County Sheriff's SWAT Team, Gainesville Police Department and Hall County Sheriff's Office uniform patrol divisions, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Georgia State Patrol and Georgia State Patrol Aviation Division.

Texas Men Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking

Two south Texas men were sentenced Thursday, October 11, 2012, after admitting their guilt to trafficking cocaine in Weslaco, Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

Jose Santos Casas-Gonzalez Sr., 51, and Rogelio Mata-Ramirez, 50, both previously pleaded to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 29 kilograms of cocaine. Senior U.S. District Judge Hayden Head, who accepted their guilty pleas, sentenced Casas-Gonzalez and Mata-Ramirez to 188 months Oct. 11 for trafficking cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to their sentence, the judge also ordered them to serve five-year terms of supervised release following completion of their prison terms.

During sentencing, Judge Head noted that both men were partners in the organization and were equally responsible, and both were involved in multiple loads of cocaine that were received from the Zetas and moved throughout the United States. The court also entered a final order of forfeiture for the real property located at 8129 North F.M. 88, in Weslaco – the location of Rio Shallow Boats Inc.

According to court documents, Casas-Gonzalez and Mata-Ramirez admitted to hiring a driver in December 2010 to transport approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine through a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint. They also admitted to utilizing Casas-Gonzalez's business, Rio Shallow Boats Inc., to help in the facilitation of their drug trafficking activities. Casas-Gonzalez further acknowledged he used the profits from his drug business to make his boat company appear legitimate. Casas-Gonzalez admitted to using drug money to buy vehicles, pay for personal expenses and reinvest into his business, Rio Shallow Boats Inc.

Casas-Gonzalez and Mata-Ramirez were part of a cocaine conspiracy operating between the Rio Grande Valley and areas north, circumventing U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints by utilizing ranches in South Texas. Both were smuggling large amounts of narcotics, primarily cocaine, through and around the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints to various destinations throughout the United States.

They trafficked narcotics using tractor-trailers, boats in the Intracoastal Waterway and in various other ranch vehicles around the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita, Texas. Mata-Ramirez is a former employee of the King Ranch and is one of the coordinators for the drug smuggling operations, working for Casas-Gonzalez.

Members of the Zeta organization would supply Casas-Gonzalez with cocaine in which he used Rio Shallow Boats Inc. to fabricate compartments for the smuggling of this contraband in boats, tractor trailers and trucks.

They have both been in custody where they will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

This was a multi-agency investigation dubbed Operation Rio Shallow that was conducted in Corpus Christi, led by HSI.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie K. Hampton, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.