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to the criminal conviction, his legal status was revoked.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.
An Albanian national residing in Dedham, Mass., who was wanted in his home country on murder charges, was turned over to Albanian law enforcement authorities the morning of September 11, 2012, at the Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza in Tirana, Albania. He was removed from the United States by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Sokrat Stambolliu, 45, aka Albert Kapllanaj, was arrested by ERO officers March 10, 2011, as he attempted to register as a convicted sex offender at the Dedham Police Department. He had remained in ERO custody until his removal September 11, 2012.
ERO was contacted by the U.S. Marshals Service in early March 2011, requesting assistance in locating Stambolliu, who was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice for "willful homicide" in Albania.
An Interpol Red Notice is used to alert law enforcement agencies in member countries that arrest warrants have been issued and extradition will be sought for the fugitives. Being the subject of this type of notice is not a presumption of guilt. Interpol is the world's largest international police organization with 190 member countries. It serves as a facilitator of international police cooperation.
At the time of his arrest, Stambolliu admitted to being in the United States unlawfully. He was arrested on administrative immigration violations, and placed in removal proceedings. An immigration judge with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) ordered him removed from the United States June 14, 2011. However, the case was appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). The BIA dismissed the appeal, and he was served a final order of deportation May 31, 2012.
Stambolliu was previously arrested in 2002 in Boston for the alleged rape of a child. In 2003, he was indicted in Suffolk (Mass.) Superior Court, and convicted in 2005 of attempted rape of child.
"Thanks to our excellent partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service, we have ensured that this individual will be prosecuted for his alleged crimes in Albania," said Dorothy Herrera-Niles, field office director for ERO Boston. Herrera-Niles oversees ERO throughout New England. "His arrest and removal should serve as a reminder to foreign fugitives who mistakenly believe they can elude justice by fleeing to this country. ICE will continue to work closely with its foreign law enforcement counterparts not only to ensure that criminals are held accountable for their actions, but to safeguard the rights of law-abiding citizens here and overseas."
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 455 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.
A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted a suspected Bay Area gang member Tuesday, July 31, 2012, for allegedly attempting to kill three special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) when they went to his residence in May seeking to arrest him on racketeering charges.
Victor Flores, aka Little Creeper, 20, of Petaluma, Calif., is charged in a second superseding indictment that adds additional counts to the charges he already faces. The indictment alleges Flores attempted to kill three HSI special agents May 3. He is further alleged to have used a firearm during that incident.
According to the second superseding indictment, Flores is a member of the 500 Block/C Street Gang, which is a racketeering enterprise. Its members and associates agreed to conduct the affairs of the enterprise through, among other crimes, narcotics trafficking, extortion, robbery and murder. The 500 Block/C Street Gang was a Norteño gang that warred not only with Sureño gangs, but also with rival Norteño gangs.
"As this incident illustrated, our special agents put their lives on the line every day in their ongoing efforts to promote public safety," said ICE Director John Morton. "We want to thank the law enforcement officers who've worked tirelessly to investigate the shootings and we are gratified the alleged perpetrator will now be held to answer for those crimes."
Of the three HSI special agents who were wounded during the May enforcement action, one has returned to duty full time. The other two are continuing to undergo therapy and both are making progress on their recovery.
The defendant has been in federal custody since May 4, when he was arraigned on charges alleged in the first superseding indictment. The defendant's next scheduled court appearance is Aug. 3 for a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston.
The maximum statutory penalty for each count of attempted murder of a federal agent is 20 years. The maximum statutory penalty for using and possessing a firearm is life in prison.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the FBI, HSI, and the police departments of Petaluma, South San Francisco and Daly City. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Acadia L. Senese and W.S. Wilson Leung with the support of Kevin Costello and Daniel Charlier-Smith.
