ICE's top 10 anti-gang achievements

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TOP STORY: ICE's top 10 anti-gang achievements

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protects the United States by promoting homeland security and public safety through the criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration. To accomplish this mission, ICE coordinates with its federal, state, local and tribal partners to arrest and remove dangerous individuals during anti-gang operations and projects around the country.

Below are 10 of ICE's anti-gang achievements.

Operation Community Shield

ICE conducted its largest ever nationwide gang surge Oct. 1, 2008, during Operation Community Shield.
In the course of the ICE-led operation, 1,759 gang members and associates, criminals and immigration violators were arrested.
ICE announced March 1, 2011, the arrests of 678 gang members and associates from 133 different gangs during Project Southern Tempest, an intensive law enforcement operation executed in 168 U.S. cities targeting gangs affiliated with drug trafficking organizations.
During this operation the ICE arrested the 20,000th gang member since inception of the anti-gang program in 2005.

Project Nefarious

The goal of Project Nefarious was to identify, locate, arrest, prosecute and remove gang members and associates affiliated with human smuggling and trafficking organizations.
ICE announced April 25, 2012, the arrests of 637 gang members and associates from 168 different gangs during Project Nefarious. The operation was executed in 150 U.S. cities and Honduras targeting transnational street gangs, prison gangs and outlaw motorcycle gangs involved with human smuggling and trafficking organizations.

Project Big Freeze

Project Big Freeze was the largest nationwide ICE-led enforcement operation targeting transnational gangs with ties to drug trafficking organizations.
ICE announced Jan. 27, 2010, the arrests of 476 gang members, associates and other criminals.

Crystal Palace

Oct. 16 2012, the results of a long-term probe, which dismantled one of San Diego County's largest single-day weapons seizures, and drug and gun trafficking rings involving members of 13 different Southern California gangs, are announced. Special agents from ICE seized a cache of 60 weapons during the two-year investigation dubbed.
This case was unique because of the number and type of weapons seized. The items included Uzi submachine guns, AR-15 rifles, shotguns, high-powered rifles with optics and laser sighting systems, silencers and a law enforcement Taser.

Operation Barbed Wire

The U.S. Department of the Treasury with the assistance of ICE designated the Latin American gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) as a transnational criminal organization Oct. 11, 2012. MS-13 was the first transnational criminal street gang designated as a transnational criminal organization.
MS-13 was designated for its involvement in serious criminal activities, including drug trafficking, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and violence, racketeering, and immigration offenses. MS-13 is one of the most dangerous criminal gangs in the world today. MS-13 members have been responsible for numerous killings within the United States.

Operation Red Rein

The federal government indicted the majority of the 20th Street clique members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang Oct. 23, 2008.
Twenty-two individuals in the San Francisco Bay Area were indicted on federal racketeering and other charges arising from their participation in the MS-13.

Operation Devil Horns

When the federal government indicted the majority of the 20th Street clique members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, Oct. 22, 2008, Danilo Velasquez, aka "Triste," assumed leadership.
Velasquez was sentenced to life in federal prison Feb. 15, 2012, on racketeering-related charges arising from Operation Devil Horns, a long-term probe led by ICE. Velasquez was described by a federal judge as a "vicious murderer."

Operation Red Tidings

Federal and local authorities announced the indictment May 3, 2012, of 19 members of a South San Francisco street gang on racketeering and other federal charges.
This indictment and the related arrests served as a warning to gangs about the consequences of using violence and fear to maintain control of their turf.
Three ICE special agents with were injured during the enforcement action. They were transported to a Bay area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The indictment was the culmination of investigations originally initiated by the Daly City Police Department and the South San Francisco Police Department following separate shootings in those communities. The Daly City shooting occurred Dec. 18, 2010, and left three people injured. Four days later, a shooting in South San Francisco killed three individuals and wounded three others.

Rancho San Pedro Busts

More than 1,300 federal and local law enforcement officers fanned out April 28, 2011, across the Los Angeles harbor area to arrest 80 alleged members and associates of the Rancho San Pedro gang. The charges stem from a sweeping investigation involving more than a dozen federal, state and local agencies. During the course of the investigation, informants and undercover officers purchased 90 firearms along with significant quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana. During the takedown, officers seized an additional 14 firearms and a silencer.
The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office has filed a gang injunction and nuisance abatement actions against the gang. This is the first time a gang injunction and nuisance abatement lawsuits have been filed simultaneously in conjunction with the takedown of a major Southern California street gang.

Central Participant in Human Smuggling Ring Sentenced to Prison

A Guatemalan national who admitted playing a central role in a large-scale human smuggling organization that brought thousands of illegal aliens from Central America to Southern California, often holding them against their will in so-called drop houses, has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison.

Fredy Oswaldo Gamez Reyes, 44, was sentenced Wednesday, February 6, 2013, by Judge S. James Otero, who pointed to the smuggling organization's tactics, including the use of weapons and guard dogs to intimidate the illegal aliens, as the basis for the 96-month prison term.

Gamez pleaded guilty in May 2012 to six criminal counts of harboring and concealing illegal aliens for financial gain, following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). According to court documents, Gamez acknowledged he served as a supervisor for a criminal organization that smuggled more than 6,000 illegal aliens into Southern California during a three-year period, beginning in 2008, generating an estimated $10 million in income.

HSI's probe revealed Gamez held a number of jobs within the organization, including locating and renting drop houses, overseeing the operation of those locations, and collecting smuggling fees from the illegal aliens' relatives in exchange for the illegal aliens' release. HSI's investigation also uncovered numerous incidents perpetrated by members of the organization involving beatings, sexual assaults and hostage taking.

"As this sentence makes clear, those who exploit people in this brutal and despicable way will themselves face serious consequences," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles. "Alien smugglers view their clients as nothing more than a payday and they have no qualms about using threats and violence to collect their smuggling fees."

The smuggling organization originally came to authorities' attention in July 2009 after HSI special agents and Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies responded to a drop house in Compton where 20 individuals were reportedly being held against their will. Two of the captive aliens wrote a plea for help on a napkin and threw it out the window, where it was found by neighborhood children.

Evidence uncovered during the ensuing the investigation showed Gamez was responsible for overseeing the operation of the Compton location, along with three other human smuggling drop houses in Baldwin Park, Lynwood and Hesperia.

HSI's investigation into this smuggling organization is ongoing. To date, 11 other individuals involved in the ring have been arrested and/or convicted of federal charges, resulting in sentences of 33 to 51 months. 

Dominican Republic National and Murder Suspect Deported by ICE

A Dominican Republic man, who resided unlawfully in the Inwood section of Manhattan, was deported early Thursday January 24, 2013, and turned over to Dominican Republic authorities by officers with U.S. Immigration and Custom's Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). The man, who was wanted in connection with four murders, was previously removed from the United States after a felony criminal conviction for selling narcotics. After his prior deportation, he illegally re-entered the country.

Hector Vargas-Valero, 39, a Dominican Republic national, was deported from the United States via an ICE charter flight. ERO officers turned him over to Dominican Republic authorities early Thursday, January 24, 2013. His removal follows his Jan. 7, 2013, arrest by ERO officers assigned to the agency's Criminal Alien Program.

On Aug. 26, 2011, Vargas-Valerio and co-conspirators allegedly kidnapped four individuals in which all were murdered in Santiago, Dominican Republic. On Sept. 22, 2011, a judge in Santiago issued a warrant for Vargas-Valerio's arrest in relation to this alleged crime.

On July 12, 2012, Interpol issued a "diffusion notice" for Vargas-Valerio. This notice requests the arrest or location of an individual - or additional information - in relation to a police investigation.

"Vargas-Valerio is an international fugitive who allegedly kidnapped and ended four lives in the Dominican Republic," said Raymond A. Simonse, acting field office director for ERO New York. "He illegally entered the United States in an attempt to evade justice and start a new life. We discovered who he really is, and now we have returned him to his homeland to face prosecution for his alleged crimes."

Vargas-Valerio was admitted into the United States as a lawful permanent resident July 18, 1984. New York Superior Court convicted him Oct. 6, 1993, for selling a controlled substance. He was subsequently sentenced to 54 months in prison.

Due to the criminal conviction, his legal status was revoked. On Nov. 18, 1998, the legacy Immigration and Nationality Service removed Vargas-Valerio from the United States to the Dominican Republic.

After his deportation, Vargas-Valerio returned to the United States unlawfully. The agency reinstated his final order of removal from 1998.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 566 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 ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

Religious Leader and Indian National Sentenced for Visa Fraud

A religious leader from India, who founded a local Hindu temple, was sentenced Tuesday, January 22, 2013, to more than three years in prison in connection with a religious visa fraud scheme that operated in India and Wisconsin.

This sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Sagarsen Haldar, aka Gopal Hari Das, 33, was sentenced Jan. 22 in the Eastern District of Wisconsin to 37 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit immigration fraud. He was found guilty by a federal jury Nov. 10, 2011 of fraudulently obtaining religious worker visas – known as "R-1" visas – for Indian nationals in exchange for substantial cash payments. After he completes his prison sentence, Haldar will be turned over to ICE and placed into removal proceedings.

Haldar identifies himself as the founder, president, CEO and spiritual leader of Gaudiya Vaisnava Society (GVS), a religious temple located at 2425 W. Ramsey Ave. in Milwaukee.

According to evidence at trial, Haldar conspired to sponsor more than two dozen Indian nationals to enter the country under R-1 visas. Typically, the R-1 applications falsely stated that the individuals were religious workers from India who planned to be priests and perform religious work at the GVS temple in Milwaukee. In fact, the Indian nationals had no religious training or experience, and they had no intention of being priests or performing religious work once they arrived in the United States.

Haldar was charged in June 2010 after HSI special agents arrested him at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago as he arrived in the United States from India. A search of Haldar's luggage revealed that he was transporting identification documents – including passports and other Indian identification documents – bearing the names and photographs of other Indian nationals. 

His arrest was the culmination of a lengthy HSI investigation into Haldar and GVS.

The investigation into Haldar was initiated in June 2008 after HSI received information from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's (USCIS) Benefit Fraud Unit that GVS had filed numerous petitions for R-1 religious workers from India. Subsequent investigation by HSI revealed that Haldar used the GVS temple as a front for an elaborate religious visa fraud scheme.

In the scheme, Haldar charged Indian nationals as much as $30,000 each in exchange for his assistance to fraudulently obtain R-1 visas. The fraudulent priests typically made substantial cash payments to Haldar and his associates in India, and were indebted to Haldar for the balance once they arrived in the United States. They worked at convenience stores and other Milwaukee-area locations, drove taxi cabs, and paid Haldar from what they earned.

"This country's immigration system is not for sale, and those who think they can exploit the system for personal gain will pay the price for their crimes," said Gary Hartwig, special agent in charge for HSI Chicago. "Visa fraud not only undermines the integrity of our legal immigration process, it also poses a significant security vulnerability."

HSI was assisted in the investigation by USCIS and the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad, Eastern District of Wisconsin, successfully prosecuted the case. 

ICE Target Operation Arrests 39 Criminal Aliens and Immigration Fugitives

As part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) ongoing commitment to prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators, 39 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and immigration violators were arrested during a two-day operation in Lexington.

This operation concluded Sunday, January 13, 2013, and was conducted by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations teams from Louisville, Ky.

Of the 39 arrested, 36 had convictions for crimes such as: assault, possessing a concealed deadly weapon, hit and run, drunken driving, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, domestic violence, and drug possession. One of the convicted criminals was also an immigration fugitive who had been previously ordered to leave the country but failed to depart.

The three individuals arrested who did not have any criminal convictions had been previously removed and illegally re-entered the United States, making them an enforcement priority for ICE. Anyone who re-enters the United States after having been previously deported commits a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.

Of the 39 men arrested in Lexington, 38 are from Mexico, and one is from Honduras.

Following are summaries of two individuals arrested during this operation:

·                             A 38-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for possessing a controlled substance and assault causing bodily injury of a family member. He was deported in 2005 and illegally re-entered the United States. He was arrested Jan. 12 and remains in ICE custody pending removal.

·                             A 33-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for aggravated assault on a police officer, first-degree indecent exposure, and endangering the welfare of a child. He was arrested Jan. 13 and remains in ICE custody pending removal.

"Our focus on priority targets significantly improves the safety and security of communities in Lexington and throughout the state," said Ricardo Wong, field office director for ERO Chicago. "By targeting criminal aliens and egregious immigration violators, we ensure the best use of agency resources with a continued focus on public safety."

This enforcement action was spearheaded by ICE's National Fugitive Operations Program, which is responsible for investigating, locating, arresting and removing at-large criminal aliens and immigration fugitives.

ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ICE also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system, including immigration fugitives or criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

ICE Announces 2012 Deportation Statistics; Announces New Detainer Guidance

On Friday, December 21, 2012, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton announced the agency's fiscal year (FY) 2012 year-end removal numbers, highlighting trends that underscore the administration's focus on removing from the country convicted criminals and other individuals that fall into priority areas for enforcement.

To further focus ICE resources on the most serious criminal offenders, on Friday, December 21, 2012, ICE also issued new national detainer guidance. This guidance limits the use of detainers to individuals who meet the department's enforcement priorities and restricts the use of detainers against individuals arrested for minor misdemeanor offenses such as traffic offenses and other petty crimes, helping to ensure that available resources are focused on apprehending felons, repeat offenders and other ICE priorities. It is applicable to all ICE enforcement programs, including Secure Communities.

"Smart and effective immigration enforcement relies on setting priorities for removal and executing on those priorities," said Director Morton. "In order to further enhance our ability to focus enforcement efforts on serious offenders, we are changing who ICE will issue detainers against. While the FY 2012 removals indicate that we continue to make progress in focusing resources on criminal and priority aliens, with more convicted criminals being removed from the country than ever before, we are constantly looking for ways to ensure that we are doing everything we can to utilize our resources in a way that maximizes public safety."

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano has directed ICE to focus its resources on key priorities in all aspects of its immigration enforcement efforts. ICE's implementation of this directive includes the new national detainer policy announced Friday, December 21, 2012, as well as the continued use of investigations and programs like Operation Cross Check that target criminal aliens and ICE's expanded collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to remove recent border crossers.

ICE priorities include the identification and removal of those that have broken criminal laws, threats to national security, recent border crossers and repeat violators of immigration law. Overall, in FY 2012 ICE's Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations removed 409,849 individuals. Of these, approximately 55 percent, or 225,390 of the people removed, were convicted of felonies or misdemeanors – almost double the removal of criminals in FY 2008. This includes 1,215 aliens convicted of homicide; 5,557 aliens convicted of sexual offenses; 40,448 aliens convicted for crimes involving drugs; and 36,166 aliens convicted for driving under the influence.

ICE continues to make progress with regard to other categories prioritized for removal. Some 96 percent of all ICE's removals fell into a priority category – a record high.

To support DHS' efforts to secure our nation's borders, ICE prioritizes the identification and removal of recent border crossers and conducts targeted enforcement operations with the U.S. Border Patrol. The historic results along the Southwest Border are attributable to the joint efforts of U.S. Border Patrol agents and ICE officers and agents, and the emphasis ICE places on the removal of recent border crossers.

As part of the effort to ensure that the immigration system can focus its resources on priority cases, ICE has also implemented policies and processes that ensure that those enforcing immigration laws make appropriate use of the discretion they have in deciding the types of individuals prioritized for removal from the country. In addition, ICE has also decided not to renew any of its agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies that operate task forces under the 287(g) program. ICE has concluded that other enforcement programs, including Secure Communities, are a more efficient use of resources for focusing on priority cases.

ICE will continue to analyze its policies and the results of its programs, making improvements where necessary to meet our priorities.

ICE Target Operation Arrests 17 Criminal Aliens and Immigration Fugitives

Nine criminal aliens, two fugitives and six repeat immigration violators were arrested during a three-day operation in southeast Alabama that concluded Sunday, December 16, 2012, conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

ICE's Birmingham fugitive operations team led the effort, which resulted in the arrest of priority targets in multiple Alabama cities including: Montgomery (6), Opelika (5), Auburn (1), Phenix City (1), Eufaula (1), Skipperville (1), Prattville (1) and Clanton (1).

"These arrests of convicted criminals and repeat immigration violators demonstrate ICE's ongoing commitment to public safety," said ERO New Orleans Field Office Director Philip T. Miller. "When ICE prioritizes these individuals for arrest, our officers and agents work tirelessly to pursue the leads." Miller oversees ERO activities in Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The nine criminal aliens arrested during the weekend operation have criminal convictions for crimes to include aggravated assault, burglary, drug smuggling, forgery, stalking, drunken driving, hit-and-run and domestic violence.

Two of the 17 arrested are fugitives who failed to depart the country after an immigration judge ordered them removed from the United States. Nine of the illegal aliens arrested – including six convicted criminals – had been previously deported. Illegally re-entering the United States after removal is a felony offense.

These arrests were coordinated with ICE's National Fugitive Operations Program. The program investigates, locates, arrests and removes at-large criminal aliens and immigration fugitives – aliens who have ignored final orders of deportation handed down by the nation's immigration courts. ICE's fugitive operations teams give top priority to cases involving aliens who pose a threat to national security and public safety, including members of transnational street gangs and child sex offenders.

ERO is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ERO also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system, including immigration fugitives or criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

In fiscal year 2011, ERO removed 396,906 individuals nationwide – the largest number in the agency's history. Of these, nearly 55 percent, or 216,698 of the people removed, were convicted of felonies or misdemeanors. This includes 1,119 aliens convicted of homicide; 5,848 aliens convicted of sexual offenses; 44,653 aliens convicted of drug related crimes and 35,927 aliens convicted of driving under the influence.

ERO achieved similar results with regard to other categories prioritized for removal. Ninety percent of all ERO's removals fell into a priority category, and more than two-thirds of the other removals in 2011 were either recent border crossers or repeat immigration violators.

ICE Target Operation Arrests 17 Criminal Aliens and Immigration Fugitives

As part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) ongoing commitment to prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators, 17 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and immigration violators were arrested during a three-day operation in the Madison area.

This operation concluded Sunday, December 9, 2012, and was conducted by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations teams in Milwaukee.

All 17 arrested had prior convictions for crimes, such as: assault, battery, drunken driving, child abuse causing serious injury, felony stalking, false imprisonment and theft. One of those arrested was an immigration fugitive who had been previously ordered to leave the country but failed to depart; five others had been previously deported and illegally re-entered the United States, which is a felony.

Following is the nationality breakdown of the 17 men arrested: Mexico (15), Honduras (1) and Nicaragua (1). Nine arrests occurred in Madison; additional arrests were made in the following Wisconsin communities: Fitchburg, Fort Atkinson, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Watertown, Waukesha and Windsor.

Following are summaries of three individuals arrested during this operation:

·                             A 37-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for child abuse causing serious injury and criminal damage to property. He was previously deported to Mexico in 2000 and illegally re-entered the United States. He was arrested Dec. 7 near his Waukesha residence and faces federal prosecution for illegally re-entering the United States after being deported.

·                             A 35-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for petty theft, hit and run of an attended vehicle, criminal damage to property, misappropriation of an ID and escape. He was previously deported to Mexico three times: in 2000, 2002 and 2009. He was arrested Dec. 7 in Ft. Atkinson and remains in ICE custody pending removal. He may face federal prosecution for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation.

·                             A 24-year-old Mexican national has prior criminal convictions for battery, bail jumping and disorderly conduct. He was previously deported to Mexico in 2007 and illegally re-entered the United States. He was arrested Dec. 8 at his Madison residence and remains in ICE custody pending removal. He may face federal prosecution for illegally re-entering the United States after being deported.

"ERO is committed to improving the safety of our communities by arresting and removing convicted criminal aliens and egregious immigration violators who have no regard for U.S. laws," said Ricardo Wong, field office director for ERO Chicago. "By prioritizing our efforts on criminal aliens, we significantly improve public safety while making the best use of our resources."

This enforcement action was spearheaded by ICE's National Fugitive Operations Program (NFOP), which is responsible for investigating, locating, arresting and removing at-large criminal aliens and immigration fugitives. ICE received substantial assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ICE also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system including immigration fugitives or criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced to Life for Narcotics Smuggling

Two Mexican men involved in separate narcotics smuggling conspiracies were sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, December 5, 2012, in North Carolina. Both investigations involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to filed documents and court proceedings, Alejandro Salinas Garcia, 31, led a conspiracy that lasted from 2002 to 2009, and involved the importation of more than 600 kilograms of cocaine, in excess of one kilogram of crack cocaine, approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 5,000 pounds of marijuana, primarily from Mexico through the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Court filings indicate that Garcia was the leader of the conspiracy and the local source of supply for the drug trafficking organization.

Court records show that, among other things, Garcia used his co-defendants to distribute the narcotics and to enforce and collect debts from customers.

The investigation of Garcia's trafficking organization was conducted by HSI, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NC SBI), the North Carolina Alcohol Enforcement Agency, the Hickory Police Department, the Catawba County Sheriff's Office, the Newton Police Department, the Iredell County Sheriff's Office and the Davie County Sheriff's Office.

Garcia was sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Voorhees following his prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina.

Cesar Sierro-Pineda, 34, of Mexico, was also sentenced to life in prison by Judge Voorhees for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. According to filed court documents and court proceedings, Sierro-Pineda, aka "El Chocado," was a distributor for the Mexican drug cartel La Familia Michoacana. From November 2010 through February 2011, Sierro-Pineda imported into the United States from Mexico near-pure crystal methamphetamine, also known as ice. The defendant also cooked the methamphetamine in an informal superlab in his home in Duluth, Ga., court records show. A superlab is a laboratory capable of producing 10 or more pounds of methamphetamine in a single production cycle.

Court filings indicate that on Nov. 8, 2010, Sierro-Pineda attempted to import approximately 6.5 kilograms of ice into the United States using a courier. U.S. authorities seized the methamphetamine at the International Port of Entry in Laredo, Texas. Sierro-Pineda continued selling methamphetamine to customers in other states, including North Carolina, court records show.

On Feb. 25, 2011, law enforcement raided Sierro-Pineda's superlab in Duluth, seizing five gallons of liquid methamphetamine in the process of being converted to crystal methamphetamine. That volume of liquid methamphetamine could be converted into 20 pounds of methamphetamine. During the investigation, law enforcement also seized more than two additional pounds of methamphetamine and 20 firearms.

The investigation was conducted by HSI, NC SBI, the Rowan County Sheriff's Office, the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office and the Iredell County Sheriff's Office.

Kidnapping Suspect Deported to Mexico

A Mexican national wanted for kidnapping in Mexico was escorted out of the United States by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers Friday, November 30, 2012, and turned over to Mexican law enforcement officials.

Joel Quintero-Cisneros, 30, is wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant in Mexico for aggravated kidnapping. According to the warrant, dated March 13, the crime occurred May 6, 2011, in Santa Gertrudis in the Mexican state of Oaxaca at approximately 9 p.m. Quintero-Cisneros, armed with a .38 caliber handgun, and two co-conspirators who have already been sentenced, kidnapped the victim – a mother of three young children – at her home and demanded 1.5 million pesos (approximately $116,000) in ransom from the victim's relatives.

"Mr. Quintero-Cisneros will now have to face justice for this alleged horrific crime," said M. Yvonne Evans, field office director for ERO Washington. "My office is committed to working closely with our foreign law enforcement partners to remove and return individuals like this, who are wanted for violent crimes in their home countries."

Quintero-Cisneros entered the United States illegally on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On Aug. 22, ERO's fugitive operations team apprehended Quintero-Cisneros at his residence in Danville, Va., based on his illegal status in the United States.

On Nov. 1, an immigration judge in Arlington, Va., granted Quintero-Cisneros voluntary departure under safeguards. Due to the active warrant in Mexico, ERO escorted him back to his home country and turned him over to the custody of Mexican law enforcement officials.

Quintero-Cisneros was flown via an ERO Air Operations Unit (IAO) charter flight to Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas, and then escorted by ERO San Antonio's special response team to the Gateway International Bridge Port of Entry in Brownsville, Texas. Prior to his removal, Quintero-Cisneros was being held in ERO custody at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth, Va.

Since 2006, the IAO Unit, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., has supported ERO by providing mass air transportation and removal coordination services to ERO field offices nationwide. Staffed by ERO officers, these air charters enable the agency to repatriate large groups of deportees in an efficient, expeditious and humane manner.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 500 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 ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

54 Month Sentence for Mexican National Who Trafficked Stolen Identities of Puerto Rican U.S. Citizens

A Mexican national was sentenced Monday, November 26, 2012, to 54 months in prison for trafficking the identities of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and corresponding identity documents, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Rosa E. Rodríguez-Vélez for the District of Puerto Rico; Director John Morton of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Postal Inspector Guy J. Cottrell of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Director Scott P. Bultrowicz of the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chief Richard Weber.

Jose Sergio Garcia-Ramirez, 37, formerly of Rockford, Ill., was sentenced Nov. 26 by U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí, in the District of Puerto Rico. Judge Gelpí also ordered Garcia-Ramirez to forfeit $35,900 in proceeds and ordered the removal of Garcia-Ramirez from the United States after the completion of his sentence.

On July 17, Garcia-Ramirez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit identification fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce J. McGiverin in the District of Puerto Rico.

Garcia-Ramirez was charged in a superseding indictment returned March 22 by a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico. To date, 53 individuals have been charged for their roles in the identity trafficking scheme; 18 defendants have pleaded guilty.

Court documents allege that individuals located in the Savarona area of Caguas, Puerto Rico (Savarona suppliers), obtained Puerto Rican identities and corresponding identity documents. Other conspirators located in various cities throughout the United States (identity brokers) allegedly solicited customers and sold Social Security cards and corresponding Puerto Rico birth certificates for prices ranging from $700 to $2,500 per set.

The superseding indictment alleges that identity brokers ordered the identity documents from Savarona suppliers, on behalf of the customers, by making coded telephone calls. The conspirators are charged with using text messages, money transfer services and express, priority or regular U.S. mail to complete their illicit transactions.

Court documents allege that some identity brokers assumed a Puerto Rican identity themselves and used that identity in connection with the trafficking operation. Their customers allegedly generally obtained the identity documents to assume the identity of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and to obtain additional identification documents, such as legitimate state driver's licenses. Some customers allegedly obtained the documents to commit financial fraud and attempted to obtain a U.S. passport.

According to court documents, various identity brokers were operating in the following locations: Rockford, Ill.; DeKalb, Ill.; Aurora, Ill.; Seymour, Ind.; Columbus, Ind.; Indianapolis; Hartford, Conn.; Clewiston, Fla.; Lilburn, Ga.; Norcross, Ga.; Salisbury, Md.; Columbus, Ohio; Fairfield, Ohio; Dorchester, Mass.; Lawrence, Mass.; Salem, Mass.; Worcester, Mass.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Nebraska City, Neb.; Elizabeth, N.J.; Burlington, N.C.; Hickory, N.C.; Hazelton, Pa.; Philadelphia; Houston; Abingdon, Va.; Albertville, Ala.; and Providence, R.I.

Garcia-Ramirez admitted that he was an identity broker in the conspiracy, operating in Illinois. Garcia-Ramirez is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in this case.

The charges are the result of Operation Island Express, an ongoing, nationally-coordinated investigation led by HSI Chicago and USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices in Chicago, in coordination with HSI San Juan. The following agencies provided substantial assistance: Illinois Secretary of State Police; Elgin (Ill.) Police Department; Seymour (Ind.) Police Department; and Indiana State Police. The HSI Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center, as well as various ICE, USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices around the country, also provided invaluable assistance.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys James S. Yoon, Hope S. Olds, Courtney B. Schaefer and Christina Giffin of the Justice Department Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, with the assistance of Acting Deputy Chief Jeannette Gunderson of the Criminal Division's Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, and the support of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico. The U.S. Attorney's Offices in the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Indiana, District of Connecticut, District of Massachusetts, District of Nebraska, Middle District of North Carolina, Southern District of Ohio and Western District of Virginia provided substantial assistance.

Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Alien Smuggling Scheme that Resulted in Fatality

A south Texas man pleaded guilty Wednesday, November 14, 2012, to alien smuggling and harboring that resulted in the death of a 24-year-old Mexican national in September 2011, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Lewey Martinez, 31, of Falfurrias, pleaded guilty Nov. 14 to alien smuggling and harboring before Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack. The government detailed that for five years, Martinez coordinated transporting aliens around the U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint in Falfurrias. On the evening of Sept. 15, 2011, Martinez arranged for about 20 illegal aliens to hike around the checkpoint with the assistance of brush guides. After walking around the checkpoint, the aliens were driven to a stash house on Martinez's property.

Shortly after the group's arrival, two brush guides drove to the stash house with an additional alien who died from exposure and dehydration. Martinez and two others loaded the victim's body into a pickup truck and drove it to a public intersection. Martinez then called the emergency operator from a payphone and directed police to the body.

Following his arrest, Martinez admitted his role in the smuggling operation and his involvement in disposing the body.

Martinez faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 25. He will remain in federal custody pending sentencing.

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

Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Re-entry

A Mexican national was sentenced Friday, November 2, 2012, to 26 months in federal prison and two years of supervised release for illegal re-entry into the United States, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers.

After Mario Estrella, 29, completes his prison sentence, he will be turned over to ERO for removal from the United States.

According to court documents, Estrella was convicted Nov. 17, 2004, of throwing a deadly missile at or into an occupied vehicle, a felony in Florida. He was deported to Mexico Dec. 17, 2009. Estrella re-entered the United States at an unknown place and date.

On May 13, the ERO Miami Interoperability Response Center filed an immigration detainer on Estrella with Florida's Orange County Jail. ERO officers interviewed and fingerprinted Estrella May 14. ERO Violent Criminal Alien Section officers arrested Estrella July 2 for illegally re-entering the United States without permission.

He was indicted by a federal grand jury July 25 and pleaded guilty Aug. 16.

ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities. ICE also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system including immigration fugitives or criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

Michigan Man Convicted in Extreme Human Trafficking Case

A Michigan resident was found guilty Tuesday, October 20, 2012, by a federal jury, after less than a day of deliberation, on charges related to the forced slavery of minors from his native Togo. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge William Hayes.

Evidence introduced during the trial established that Jean-Claude "Kodjo" Toviave, a native of Togo, West Africa, used force, and threats of force, to obtain the domestic labor of four minors from Togo from January 2006 to January 2011. Toviave brought the four minors into the United States by giving them passports with false names and dates of birth. In immigration documents, Toviave represented that the four individuals were his biological children.

Toviave pleaded guilty Feb. 24 to visa fraud, mail fraud and harboring aliens in connection with bringing the four minors to Michigan from Togo.

The four victims testified at trial that Toviave regularly beat them with broomsticks, a toilet plunger, sticks, ice scrappers and phone chargers if they failed to obey his orders to complete household labor. The victims' testimonies during trial detailed the work they were forced to do on a weekly, and occasionally, daily basis, spanning nearly five years. They were required to cook and clean for the household, wash laundry by hand, iron Toviave's suits, shine his shoes, wash and vacuum his car, babysit his friends' children and clean a friend's home. In addition to force and threats of force, Toviave used food and sleep deprivation as punishment for the minors.

"This conviction is a victory not only for the young victims in this particular case, but also for human dignity and the rule of law," said Hayes. "HSI is fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners, both local and international, to combat the crime of human trafficking. Sadly, this crime occurs every day in America. We encourage anyone who suspects that human trafficking or forced labor is occurring in their community to report it to authorities immediately."

"Many people are shocked to learn that slavery and human trafficking still exist in this country, but the victims are often hiding in plain sight," said McQuade. "We are working with victim advocates and law enforcement agencies to expose these crimes. This conviction and the liberation of these victims occurred because of the diligence of school teachers, advocates, investigators and prosecutors."

Toviave's sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2013, where he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Guatemalan Nationals Convicted for Human Smuggling and Hostage-Taking

Two Guatemalan men accused of multiple human smuggling and hostage-taking charges were convicted Thursday, October 11, 2012, by a federal jury, following an investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Domingo Agustin-Simon, 31, and Leonardo Rabanales-Casia, 30, were both convicted of conspiracy to commit hostage taking, hostage taking, bringing in illegal aliens for profit, and harboring illegal aliens for profit. Both defendants remain in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 14, 2013. The men face maximum penalties of life in prison, $250,000 fine, or both.

Evidence presented at trial showed the defendants were part of an alien smuggling ring that smuggled aliens into the U.S. to a drop house in Mesa. In August 2011, HSI special agents responded to the drop house and found more than 40 illegal aliens being held inside.

Trial testimony revealed the smugglers used a shotgun to keep order in the house and threatened the aliens with physical harm and death in an effort to extort monetary payments from the aliens’ families. One hostage was beaten by the smugglers and women in the drop house were sexually assaulted.

HSI was assisted in the investigation by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Phoenix Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Keller and Sean K. Lokey of the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona.

Salvadoran Fugitives Wanted for Murder and Weapons Trafficking Deported by ICE

Two Salvadoran criminal fugitives recently captured in northern California – one wanted for murder, the other for weapons trafficking – were handed over to authorities in their native country Wednesday, October 10, 2012, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the latest results of stepped up collaborative efforts to locate Salvadoran criminal fugitives in the U.S. and return them to El Salvador to face justice.

Josue Alfredo Melendez-Martinez, 34, and Manuel De Jesus Serpas Hernandez, 34, were repatriated to El Salvador on board a charter flight coordinated by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Air Operations (IAO) Unit. Upon arrival, ERO officers turned the suspects over to awaiting officials from the El Salvadoran Civilian National Police (PNC). The two former fugitives were both located following encounters with local law enforcement authorities in northern California.

Melendez-Martinez is wanted on a criminal warrant issued in 2006 in El Salvador for trafficking and possession of firearms. The documented member of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13) gang is also facing charges in his native country for his alleged involvement in the killing of a police officer. ERO took Melendez-Martinez into custody in August 2012 after receiving a lead from Stanislaus County probation officers. He was detained by ERO and ordered deported by an immigration judge Aug. 28.

The second fugitive, Serpas Hernandez, is the subject of a Salvadoran criminal warrant charging him with murder and "serious wounding." According to an Interpol Red Notice, the suspect allegedly fatally shot his former girlfriend and seriously wounded her friend following an argument in Usulutan, El Salvador, in 1999.

In December 2011, an ERO Los Angeles officer who had been searching for Serpas Hernandez for more than a year discovered he was incarcerated at the San Francisco County Jail on local charges. ERO lodged an immigration hold on Serpas Hernandez and he came into ICE custody in March 2012 after serving his sentence for child endangerment. On Aug. 21, an immigration judge ordered Serpas Hernandez deported, paving the way for his repatriation to El Salvador.

"Criminals who seek to escape responsibility for their actions by fleeing to the United States will find no sanctuary in our communities," said Gary Mead, executive associate director of ERO. "As this case makes clear, ICE is working closely with its foreign counterparts to promote public safety and hold criminals accountable – no matter where they commit their crimes."

Officials point to the deportation of the two high-profile criminal fugitives as yet another benefit of the expanded cooperation between ICE and authorities in El Salvador to identify, arrest and repatriate Salvadoran criminal suspects who have fled to the U.S. to avoid prosecution.

ICE officers are working closely with the PNC, the Salvadoran National Interpol Office and Salvadoran Immigration as part of this effort. As a result, in fiscal year 2012, the PNC was able to execute more than 130 criminal arrest warrants immediately upon fugitives' return to El Salvador aboard IAO removal flights. More than a fourth of those arrests involved homicide-related charges.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 500 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 ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

Illegal Alien Wanted for Rape is Arrested by ICE

An illegal alien from Mexico wanted by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office on rape charges was arrested late Wednesday, October 10, 2012, after officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) tracked him down at a residence in southwest Detroit where he was holed up.

Miguel Angel Davila-Ruiz, 33, was wanted on a four-count warrant charging him with first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. The crime is alleged to have occurred in Pontiac, Mich. When the warrant was issued in July, ERO and sheriff's deputies initiated efforts to find Davila-Ruiz. Crime Stoppers last month offered a $2,000 reward for information leading to his arrest, sparking regional media interest in the case.

Working from information provided by various sources, ERO Fugitive Operations officers were able to locate Davila-Ruiz Oct. 10 at a residence in the 1200 block of Central St. in southwest Detroit. When ERO officers arrived and attempted to make entry, Davila-Ruiz and a male associate fled from the house on foot exiting at the rear before officers gave chase. Both Davila-Ruiz and the associate were taken into custody in the backyard of the home. No one was injured during their apprehension.

Davila-Ruiz was turned over to the sheriff's office last night. An ICE detainer has been filed against him. After the full measure of criminal charges is resolved, to include any possible conviction and sentence, Davila-Ruiz will be returned to ICE custody and processed for deportation. His associate was arrested on administrative immigration violations and will remain in ICE custody pending his removal from the U.S.

"The arrest of this alleged violent criminal alien is at the absolute core of what we do," said Rebecca Adducci, field office director for ERO Detroit. "ICE is using its unique immigration enforcement authorities to safeguard our communities from criminal aliens and others who pose a public safety threat, including suspects attempting to evade law enforcement. I'm very fortunate to lead a team of officers who day in and day out exhibit unmatched skill and professionalism in the pursuit of criminal aliens."

"It is great when our work with our law enforcement partners result in removing dangerous criminals from our streets," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard. "I thank ICE for their work and look forward to holding this perpetrator responsible for all his crimes."

ERO is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ERO also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system including immigration fugitives or those criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

Mexican National Wanted for Murder is Captured in Virginia

A Mexican murder suspect captured in Charlottesville, Va., was removed from the United States late Friday, October 5, 2012, and turned over to Mexican law enforcement officials by officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Alfredo Santana Miranda, 40, is wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant in Mexico for the murder of Alcindo Roman Roman on Feb. 12, 2006.

Seven days after the alleged murder, Miranda had attempted to elude inspection to enter the United States from Mexico through the San Ysidro Port of Entry by concealment under the back seat of a vehicle. He was removed by U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers the same day. He then reentered the United States illegally on an unknown date.

ICE officers in Virginia received a tip about Miranda's whereabouts and confirmation from the Mexican Attorney General's Office (Procuraduría General de la República) of the active murder warrant.

Miranda was arrested Sept. 7 on a reinstatement of his prior removal order at a hotel in Charlottesville by ICE's fugitive operations teams based in Richmond and Fairfax, Va., for illegally reentering the country after deportation, a felony offense.

"Criminals who seek to escape responsibility for their actions by fleeing to the United States will find no sanctuary in our communities," said M. Yvonne Evans, field office director for ERO Washington. "As this case makes clear, U.S. law enforcement agencies are working closely together to promote public safety and hold criminals accountable - no matter where they commit their crimes."

Miranda was flown via an ICE charter flight to Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas, and then escorted by ERO San Antonio's special response team to the Gateway International Bridge Port of Entry in Brownsville, Texas, where he was turned over to the custody of Mexican law enforcement officials. Prior to his removal, Miranda was being held in ICE custody at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth, Va.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 500 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 ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

ERO Deports El Salvador National Wanted for Murder and Extortion

An El Salvador man, wanted in his country for murder, organized crime and extortion, was deported and turned over to officials of El Salvador Friday, Sept. 28 by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Walter Fernando Alfaro-Pineda, 33, was encountered by officers assigned to the Criminal Alien Program (CAP) at the Lee County Jail in Texas, after an Interpol fugitive warrant was revealed following his arrest June 18. The warrant indicated that Alfaro-Pineda was wanted by El Salvadoran officials for murder, organized crime and extortion. Alfaro-Pineda was released into ERO custody June 20, and subsequently ordered removed from the U.S. by an immigration judge Sept. 5.

"This removal is the positive result of ICE's thorough screening of jails and prisons throughout the nation," said David W. Jennings, field office director for ERO Houston. "This case is representative of the hard work and service by ERO and our law enforcement partners to ensure public safety."

ERO is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ERO also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system including immigration fugitives or those criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally reentered the country.

This international fugitive was removed on a charter flight via the ICE ERO Air Operations (IAO) Unit. Since 2006, the IAO Unit, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., has supported ERO by providing mass air transportation and removal coordination services to ERO field offices nationwide. Staffed by ERO officers, these air charters enable the agency to repatriate large groups of deportees in an efficient, expeditious and humane manner.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 500 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 ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

Through CAP, ERO seeks to identify potentially deportable aliens incarcerated in jails and prisons throughout the United States. This is accomplished through interviews and reviews of inmates's biographical information. Although ERO initiates removal proceedings against criminal aliens through CAP, these individuals may remain in prison or jail to complete criminal hearings or sentences. Under CAP, ERO uses a risk-based approach to make determinations about the detention and arrest of criminal aliens, with priority given to cases involving individuals deemed to be a security or public safety threat.

Mexican National Arrested for Attempt to Smuggle 17 Aliens in Cabin Cruiser

A Mexican man made his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday, September 19, 2012, on charges stemming from his alleged role in an effort to smuggle seven Mexican nationals into the United States from Mexico onboard a cabin cruiser that came ashore near San Clemente the morning of Monday, September 17, 2012. The incident remains under investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Jesus Quinones-Chavez, 57, of Turron, Cohuila, Mexico, is accused of bringing illegal aliens into the United States in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court-Central District of California.

Quinones' arrest occurred after a dispatcher at the California State Parks Service alerted U.S. Border Patrol agents in San Clemente the morning of Monday, September 17, 2012, that a vessel had run aground on the beach in the Cyprus Shore area of San Clemente. Border Patrol agents searched the area and discovered a beached 24-foot Bayliner cabin cruiser and apprehended seven people, including Quinones, who were soaking wet and covered in sand. An eighth individual eluded arrest. One man was later taken to a local hospital.

Investigators assigned to HSI's Los Angeles Border Enforcement Security Task Force responded to the scene and interviewed a local resident who had witnessed the boat come ashore. Additional interviews with the members of the smuggling load revealed they had each paid fees ranging from $7,000 to $12,000 to be smuggled from Puerto Nuevo, Baja California, to Newport Beach in the cabin cruiser, which allegedly was piloted by Quinones.

"Investigators are seeing an increase in the use of pleasure boats to smuggle humans and drugs into the United States," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of HSI Los Angeles. "Smugglers use the cabins on these boats to attempt to conceal people and contraband, unlike the open pangas that have traditionally been used in maritime smuggling attempts along the California coast. Law enforcement is alert to this new tactic and we encourage the public to be vigilant and report suspicious pleasure boat activity to authorities."

So far this fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2011, through Sept. 6, 2012), there have been more than 190 occurrences of maritime smuggling in Southern California. Of those, 112 were human smuggling events.

Maritime security efforts off the California coastline are being overseen by the Department of Homeland Security's Central California Maritime Agency Coordination Group. The group is comprised of HSI; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the U.S. Coast Guard; and several state and local law enforcement agencies. The state and local partners include the California Highway Patrol; the California Department of Parks and Recreation; the sheriff's departments of Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties; and the Los Angeles and Long Beach police departments. The group is also receiving substantial assistance from members of the California National Guard's Counterdrug Program.