Minnesota Resident Sentenced for Transporting Illegal Aliens

A southern Minnesota man was sentenced in federal court Thursday, January 31, 2013, for transporting illegal aliens.

The sentence resulted from an investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in cooperation with the St. Peter Police Department, the Nicollet County Sheriff's Office, the LeSueur County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

John Arrazolo, 44 of St. Peter, Minn., was sentenced to three years probation, six months home confinement, and a $2,000 fine on one count of transporting illegal aliens. Arrazolo was indicted on April 16 and pleaded guilty Aug. 16.

"Those who transport or harbor illegal aliens require secrecy and often coercion to succeed," said Special Agent in Charge Michael Feinberg, of HSI St. Paul. "HSI works with our state and local law enforcement partners to bring justice to anyone who exploits others for illegal profit."

In his plea agreement, Arrazolo admitted that between October 2006 and October 2011, he transported two illegal aliens from Texas to Minnesota to work in his business.

Arrazolo's company, Poultry Service Management, provided manual labor to large corporate chicken farms in Minnesota and the surrounding area. The workers loaded chickens for shipping, vaccinated chickens, trimmed chicken beaks and provided other general labor as requested by the poultry producers.

Arrazolo admitted that one of the individuals he transported was a citizen of Mexico, and that he knew the individual was not a U.S. citizen when he transported him from Texas to Minnesota.

Woman Indicted for Visa Fraud, Tax Fraud, and Identity Theft

A federal grand jury indicted Karen Kimble, aka Karen Kimble-Mamah and Karen Mamah, 38, of Owings Mills, Md., on charges of wire fraud, subscribing to a false tax return, aiding in the filing of a false tax return, aggravated identity theft and visa fraud.

The indictment was returned Jan. 24 and Kimble had her initial appearance Jan. 28 in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan K. Gauvey.

The 21-count indictment alleges that from February 2008 through at least April 2012, Kimble, who falsely held herself out to others as a "certified tax preparer," conducted a tax fraud scheme by submitting fraudulent tax returns for clients. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Kimble falsely inflated credits and deductions and clients' tax returns, as well as on her own tax returns, in order to fraudulently increase the tax refund. Kimble provided her clients with a tax return that did not reflect the false deductions and credits, nor did she inform them of the fraudulent deductions and credits. Kimble filed the fraudulent returns without her clients' knowledge or permission, using their personal identifiable information.

Kimble directed that the tax refunds be mailed or directly deposited with all of the refund sent to Kimble, or with some of the refund sent to the taxpayer and some to Kimble. The indictment alleges that Kimble received a total of more than $221,000 in fraudulent federal tax refunds, none of which she reported as income on her own tax returns. The indictment seeks forfeiture in the amount of $221,698, alleged to be the proceeds of the scheme.

The indictment also alleges that on Feb. 14, 2008, Kimble married a Ghanian citizen, knowing that the marriage was not valid because the Ghanian was not legally divorced from his first wife.

Kimball faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each of six counts of wire fraud, three years in prison for each of five counts of subscribing to a false tax return and for each of five counts of aiding in the filing of a false tax return, a mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence for each of four counts of aggravated identity theft and 10 years in prison for visa fraud.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Baltimore District Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter M. Nothstein.

Connecticut Teacher Sentenced to Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation

A former Connecticut teacher was sentenced Monday, January 28, 2013, by Senior U.S. District Judge Ellen Breen Burns to 121 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for child sexual exploitation offenses. The sentence is the result of an extensive investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Richard D. Hendricks, 32, of Ashford, Conn., was formerly employed as a computer teacher at the East Hampton Middle School in East Hampton, Conn.

"This solemn but important prosecution revealed that the defendant, a middle school teacher, paid for and viewed live webcasts showing the sexual abuse of children overseas, and voyeuristically photographed and videotaped female students in his classroom," said U.S. Attorney David B. Fein, District of Connecticut. "His criminal behavior represents an extreme violation of trust, which we at the U.S. Attorney's Office, along with our law enforcement investigative partners, are committed to combating."

"The receipt and of possession of child pornography by a teacher is one of the most heartbreaking violations of trust imaginable," said Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge of HSI Boston. Foucart oversees HSI throughout New England. "We have an obligation to ensure that individuals who hold positions of trust in our community are held accountable for their actions. Today's sentence is a stern reminder about the consequences awaiting those who use the Internet to sexually exploit innocent children."

According to court documents and statements made in court, a national HSI investigation revealed that Hendricks purchased Internet access to live sex shows involving minors from approximately October 2009 to April 2010. The abusive shows originated in the Philippines.

HSI special agents seized two laptop computers, one desktop computer and two external hard drives from Hendricks's residence June 6, 2011. Subsequent forensic evaluation revealed that Hendricks used his computer to receive numerous images and video files of child pornography – including images of children under the age of 12 – and images portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.

Investigators also discovered numerous images and videos of Hendricks' students at East Hampton Middle School. While many of the pictures were related to Hendricks' duties as yearbook advisor, investigators discovered that Hendricks secretly took voyeuristic photos and videos of female students in his classroom. He also manipulated some of these images to enhance their visibility, and used a software program to attempt to visualize the private areas of clothed girls.

During the course of the investigation, parental notification was made when investigators identified children who Hendricks secretly photographed or video recorded. With parental consent, agents conducted dozens of forensic interviews of the children.

Hendricks has been detained since his arrest June 9, 2011. On Jan. 19, 2012, he pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.

HSI received assistance in investigating this case from the Connecticut State Police and the East Hampton Police Department.

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

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ray Miller and Deborah Slater, District of Connecticut, prosecuted this case on behalf of the U.S. government.

US Citizen Sentenced for Connection to Terror Plots in India and Denmark

A U.S. citizen, partly of Pakistani descent, was sentenced Thursday, January 24, 2013, to 35 years in prison for a dozen federal terrorism crimes relating to his role in planning the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, and a subsequent proposed attack on a newspaper in Denmark.

David Coleman Headley, 52, pleaded guilty in March 2010 to all 12 counts that were brought against him following his arrest in October 2009 as he was about to leave the country. 

Immediately after his arrest, Headley began cooperating with authorities.

This prison sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by the Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force, led by the Chicago Office of the FBI, with assistance from FBI offices in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) also provided assistance.

Headley was ordered to serve 35 years, followed by five years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber. There is no federal parole, and defendants must serve at least 85 percent of their sentence.

"Mr. Headley is a terrorist," Judge Leinenweber said in imposing the sentence. "There is little question that life imprisonment would be an appropriate punishment for Headley's incredibly serious crimes but for the significant value provided by his immediate and extensive cooperation," the government argued in seeking a sentence of 30 to 35 years.

In pleading guilty and later testifying for the government at the trial of a co-defendant, Headley admitted that he attended training camps in Pakistan operated by Lashkar e Tayyiba, a terrorist organization operating in that country, on five separate occasions between 2002 and 2005. In late 2005, Headley received instructions from three members of Lashkar to travel to India to conduct surveillance, which he did five times leading up to the Mumbai attacks in 2008 that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans, and wounded hundreds more.

Headley's plea agreement in March 2010 stated that he "has provided substantial assistance to the criminal investigation, and also has provided information of significant intelligence value." 

In consideration of Headley's past cooperation and anticipated future cooperation, including debriefings for gathering intelligence and national security information, the Attorney General of the United States authorized the U.S. Attorney's Office not to seek the death penalty. Headley's cooperation also includes testifying in any foreign judicial proceedings by way of deposition, via video-conferencing or letters.

"Today's sentence is an important milestone in our continuing efforts to hold accountable those responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attacks and to achieve justice for the victims. Our investigations into Mumbai attacks and the Denmark terror plot are ongoing and active. I thank the many agents, analysts and prosecutors responsible for this investigation and prosecution," said Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

Headley was convicted of the following crimes:

·                             conspiracy to bomb public places in India;

·                             conspiracy to murder and maim persons in India;

·                             six counts of aiding and abetting the murder of U.S. citizens in India;

·                             conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in India;

·                             conspiracy to murder and maim persons in Denmark;

·                             conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in Denmark; and

·                             conspiracy to provide material support to Lashkar.

According to Headley's guilty plea and testimony, he attended the following training camps operated by Lashkar:

·                             a three-week course starting in February 2002 that provided indoctrination on the merits of waging jihad;

·                             a three-week course starting in August 2002 that provided training in the use of weapons and grenades;

·                             a three-month course starting in April 2003 that taught close combat tactics, the use of weapons and grenades, and survival skills;

·                             a three-week course starting in August 2003 that taught counter-surveillance skills; and

·                             a three-month course starting in December 2003 that provided combat and tactical training.

Mumbai Terror Attacks

After receiving instructions in late 2005 to conduct surveillance in India, Headley changed his given name from Daood Gilani in February 2006 in Philadelphia to facilitate his activities on behalf of Lashkar by portraying himself in India as an American who was neither Muslim nor Pakistani. In the early summer of 2006, Headley and two Lashkar members discussed opening an immigration office in Mumbai as a cover for his surveillance activities.

Headley eventually made five extended trips to Mumbai - in September 2006, February and September 2007, and April and July 2008 - each time making videotapes of various potential targets, including those attacked in November 2008. Before each trip, Lashkar members and associates instructed Headley regarding specific locations where he was to conduct surveillance. After each trip, Headley traveled to Pakistan to meet with Lashkar members and associates, report on the results of his surveillance, and provide the surveillance videos. Before the April 2008 surveillance trip, Headley and co-conspirators in Pakistan discussed potential landing sites in Mumbai for a team of attackers who would arrive by sea. Headley returned to Mumbai with a global positioning system device and took boat trips around the Mumbai harbor, and entered various locations into the device.

Between Nov. 26 and 28, 2008, 10 attackers trained by Lashkar carried out multiple assaults with firearms, grenades and improvised explosive devices against multiple targets in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, the Leopold Café, the Chabad House and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station. Headley had scouted each site in advance, which the resulting terrorist attacks killed 164 victims and wounded hundreds more.

The six Americans killed during the siege were Ben Zion Chroman, Gavriel Holtzberg, Sandeep Jeswani, Alan Scherr, his daughter Naomi Scherr, and Aryeh Leibish Teitelbaum. In March 2009, Headley made a sixth trip to India to conduct additional surveillance, including of the National Defense College in Delhi, and of Chabad Houses in several cities.

Denmark Terror Plot

Regarding the Denmark terror plot, Headley admitted and testified that in early November 2008, he was instructed by a Lashkar member in Pakistan, to conduct surveillance of the Copenhagen and Aarhus offices of the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten in preparation for an attack in retaliation for the newspaper's publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed. After this meeting, Headley informed co-defendant Abdur Rehman Hashim Syed (Abdur Rehman), also known as "Pasha," of his assignment. Abdur Rehman told Headley words to the effect that if Lashkar did not go through with the attack, Abdur Rehman knew someone who would. Although not identified by name at the time, Headley later learned this individual was co-defendant Ilyas Kashmiri. Abdur Rehman previously told Headley that he was working with Kashmiri and that Kashmiri was in direct contact with a senior leader of Al Qaeda.

While in Chicago in late December 2008 and early January 2009, Headley exchanged emails with Abdur Rehman to continue planning for the attack and to coordinate his travel to Denmark to conduct surveillance. In January 2009, at Lashkar's direction, Headley traveled from Chicago to Copenhagen to conduct surveillance of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper offices in Copenhagen and Aarhus and scouted and videotaped the surrounding areas.

In late January 2009, Headley met separately with Abdur Rehman and a Lashkar member in Pakistan, discussed the planned attack on the newspaper, and provided them with videos of his surveillance. About the same time, Abdur Rehman provided Headley a video produced by the media wing of Al Qaeda in about August 2008, which claimed credit for the June 2008 attack on the Danish embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, and called for further attacks against Danish interests to avenge the publication of the offending cartoons.

In February 2009, Headley and Abdur Rehman met with Kashmiri in the Waziristan region of Pakistan, where they discussed the video surveillance and ways to carry out the attack. Kashmiri told Headley that he could provide manpower for the operation and that Lashkar's participation was not necessary. In March 2009, a Lashkar member advised Headley that Lashkar put the newspaper attack on hold because of pressure resulting from the Mumbai attacks. In May 2009, Headley and Abdur Rehman again met with Kashmiri in Waziristan. 

Kashmiri told Headley to meet with a European contact who could provide Headley with money, weapons and manpower for the Denmark attack, and relate Kashmiri's instructions that this should be a suicide attack and the attackers should prepare martyrdom videos beforehand. Kashmiri also stated that the attackers should behead captives and throw their heads on to the street in Copenhagen to heighten the response from Danish authorities, and added that the "elders," whom Headley understood to be Al Qaeda leadership, wanted the attack to happen as soon as possible.

In late July and early August 2009, Headley traveled from Chicago to various places in Europe, and met with and attempted to obtain assistance from Kashmiri's contacts and, while in Copenhagen, he made about 13 additional surveillance videos. When he returned to the United States Aug. 5, 2009, Headley falsely told a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector in Atlanta that he had visited Europe for business reasons. On Oct. 3, 2009, Headley was arrested at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, intending ultimately to travel to Pakistan to deliver about 13 surveillance videos to Abdur Rehman and Kashmiri.

One of Headley's co-defendants, Tahawwur Rana, 52, of Chicago, was sentenced last week to 14 years in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to the Denmark terror plot and providing material support to Lashkar. Headley testified for the government at Rana's trial in June 2011.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Collins and Sarah E. Streicker, Northern District of Illinois, with assistance from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department's National Security Division. Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have worked on a broader investigation of the Mumbai attacks. 

New York Man Convicted for Sex Trafficking

A New York man was convicted after a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara of sex trafficking by force, sex trafficking of a minor by force and sex trafficking of a minor. When sentenced, he faces up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The conviction is the result of an extensive investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and local law enforcement agencies.

Between winter 2010 and August 2012, Kenneth Graham, 25, of Amherst, N.Y., recruited, promoted and profited from the prostitution activities of two minor girls knowing that the girls were under the age of 18. Graham also recruited, promoted and profited from a third victim, a woman in her 20s.

Graham placed advertisements on the website "backpage." One ad read, "Amazingly Sexy Sweet Petite Companion 20 working out of the airport area." The acts took place in various hotels in the towns of Amherst and Cheektowaga, N.Y., and customers were charged between $100 and $200.
According to evidence presented by the government, two of the victims were assaulted and threatened by the defendant. One victim testified that Graham told her "I'll kill you" and a second victim testified that Graham brandished a weapon at her. Under cross examination, the defendant admitted to pushing one of the victims into a wall and over a piece of furniture.

"This is the first sex trafficking conviction at trial in the Western District of New York," said U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr., Western District of New York. "Based on charges recently filed by our office, the problem of human trafficking appears to be growing but so too is our ability to investigate and prosecute these crimes. In the past year, we have filed charges against seven defendants who are accused of victimizing a total of 12 victims. Freedom is a basic human right and individuals should not be forced into actions or behaviors that are both illegal and can cause long term physical, psychological and emotional damage."

"Today's guilty verdict is the result of the great partnership HSI has with law enforcement in Western New York in our unyielding resolve to bring human traffickers to justice," said James C. Spero, special agent in charge of HSI Buffalo. "Trafficking children for sex is one the most deplorable crimes our HSI special agents investigate. My agency is committed to protecting those who cannot protect themselves. These cases are extremely difficult to investigate - and prosecute - and would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our special agents and attorneys."

The conviction is the result of an investigation on the part of HSI, Amherst Police Department, Cheektowaga Police Department. and Buffalo Police Department. Additional support was provided by the Western District of New York Human Trafficking Task Force and Alliance. Anyone who has knowledge of any form of trafficking is encouraged to contact the task force or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 888-373-7888.

Sentencing has been scheduled for May 8, 2013, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert C. Moscati and Kathleen A. Lynch, Western District of New York, are prosecuting this case on behalf of the U.S. government.

Pakistani Native Sentenced for Supporting Terrorists

A Pakistani native, who operated a Chicago-based immigration business, was sentenced Thursday, January 17, 2013, to 14 years in prison for conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist plot in Denmark and providing material support to Lashkar e Tayyiba, a terrorist organization operating in Pakistan, that was responsible for the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India.

The defendant, Tahawwur Rana, was convicted of the charges June 9, 2011 following a three-week trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

This prison sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by the Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force, led by the Chicago Office of the FBI, with assistance from FBI offices in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) also provided assistance.

Rana, 52, a Canadian citizen, was ordered to serve 14 years, followed by five years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber, Northern District of Illinois. "This certainly was a dastardly plot," Judge Leinenweber said in imposing the sentence.

Rana was convicted of conspiring to provide material support to a plot from October 2008 to October 2009 to commit murder in Denmark, including a horrific plan to behead employees of Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper, and throw their heads onto a Copenhagen street. Rana was also convicted of providing material support, from late 2005 to October 2009, to Lashkar, a militant jihadist organization operating in Pakistan. Lashkar planned and carried out the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans, before initially planning the terrorist attack in Denmark in retaliation for the newspaper's publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed. Rana was acquitted of conspiring to provide material support to the Mumbai attacks.

"This serious prison sentence should go a long way towards convincing would-be terrorists that they can't hide behind the scenes, lend support to the violent aims of terrorist organizations, and escape detection and punishment," said Gary S. Shapiro, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

"Today's sentence demonstrates that, just as vigorously as we pursue terrorists and their organizations, we will also pursue those who facilitate their violent plots from a safe distance. As established at trial, Tahawwur Rana provided critical support to David Headley and other terrorists from his base in the United States, knowing they were plotting attacks overseas. I thank the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who helped bring about today's result," said Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

"It is my hope that the judge's decision today sends a message to those who plot attacks and those who provide the support to make the plots possible, both here and abroad, that you will be held accountable for your actions. Our mission, detecting and preventing terrorist acts and eliminating the enabling support provided by terrorist sympathizers, remains our top priority," said Cory B. Nelson, special agent in charge of the Chicago FBI office.

Rana is one of two defendants to be convicted among a total of eight defendants who have been indicted in this case since late 2009. Co-defendant David Coleman Headley, 52, pleaded guilty in March 2010 to 12 terrorism charges, including aiding and abetting the murders of the six Americans in Mumbai. Headley, who is scheduled to be sentenced next Thursday, January 24, 2013, has cooperated with the government since his arrest in October 2009, and testified as a government witness at Rana's trial. He is facing a maximum of life in prison.

The evidence at Rana's trial showed that he knew he was assisting a terrorist organization and murderers, knew their violent goals, and readily agreed to play an essential role in achieving their aims. The government contended that Rana knew the objective of his co-conspirators was to retaliate against and influence the Danish government for its perceived role in the publication of the Prophet Mohammed cartoons. In addition, Rana knew that the goal of Lashkar was to retaliate against and influence the Indian and Danish governments; he intended that the support he provided - enabling Headley's activities - would be used toward that purpose.

In a post-arrest statement in October 2009, Rana admitted knowing that Lashkar was a terrorist organization and that Headley had attended training camps that Lashkar operated in Pakistan. Headley testified that he attended the training camps on five separate occasions between 2002 and 2005. In late 2005, Headley received instructions from members of Lashkar to travel to India to conduct surveillance, which he did five times leading up to the Mumbai attacks three years later that killed more than 160 people and wounded hundreds more.

In the early summer of 2006, Headley and two Lashkar members discussed opening an immigration office in Mumbai as a cover for his surveillance activities. Headley testified that he traveled to Chicago and advised Rana, his long-time friend since the time they attended high school together in Pakistan, of his assignment to scout potential targets in India. Headley obtained approval from Rana, who owned First World Immigration Services in Chicago and elsewhere, to open a First World office in Mumbai as cover for his activities. Rana directed an individual associated with First World to prepare documents supporting Headley's cover story, and advised Headley how to obtain a visa for travel to India, according to Headley's testimony, as well as emails and other documents that corroborated his account.

Between Nov. 26 and 28, 2008, 10 attackers, trained by Lashkar, carried out multiple assaults with firearms, grenades and improvised explosive devices against multiple targets in Mumbai, some of which Headley had scouted in advance.

Regarding the Denmark terror plot, Headley testified that in the fall of 2008, he met with a Lashkar member in Karachi, Pakistan, and was instructed to conduct surveillance of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper offices in Copenhagen and Aarhus.

In late 2008 and early 2009, after reviewing with Rana how he had performed surveillance of the targets attacked in Mumbai, Headley testified that he advised Rana of the planned attack in Denmark and his intended travel there to conduct surveillance of the newspaper's facilities. Headley obtained Rana's approval and assistance to identify himself as a representative of First World and gain access to the newspaper's offices by falsely expressing interest in placing advertising for First World in the newspaper. Headley and Rana caused business cards to be made that identified Headley as a representative of the Immigration Law Center, the business name of First World, according to the evidence at trial.

The trial evidence also included transcripts of recorded conversations, including those in September 2009, when Headley and Rana spoke about reports that a co-defendant, Ilyas Kashmiri, an alleged Pakistani terrorist leader, had been killed and the implications of his possible death for the plan to attack the newspaper. In other conversations, Rana told Headley that the attackers involved in the Mumbai attacks should receive Pakistan's highest posthumous military honors. In the late summer of 2009, Rana and Headley agreed that funds that had been provided to Rana could be used to fund Headley's work in Denmark. The evidence showed that Rana pretended to be Headley in sending an email to the Danish newspaper.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Collins and Sarah E. Streicker, Northern District of Illinois, with assistance from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department's National Security Division. Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have worked on a broader investigation of the Mumbai attacks.

Guatemalan Alien Smugglers Sentenced

Two Guatemalan men were sentenced by a federal judge Monday, January 14, 2013, to lengthy prison terms for their roles in a hostage-taking conspiracy that resulted in the violent treatment of smuggled aliens held captive in a Mesa drop house.

Domingo Agustin-Simon, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 42 years in federal prison for conspiracy, hostage taking and brandishing a shotgun in connection with hostage taking. Leonardo Rabanales-Casia, 30, was sentenced at the same hearing to 25 years in prison for conspiracy and hostage taking.

The sentences follow the pair's October conviction by a federal jury on charges stemming from a probe led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

"These lengthy sentences serve not only to punish and deter such cruel and inhumane activity but also to protect the public from dangerous individuals that prey upon the vulnerabilities of their victims," said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo.

"This case illustrates the ruthlessness and brutality of the human smuggling trade," said Matt Allen, special agent in charge of HSI Arizona. "The smugglers treated the people in the drop house as a mere business commodity, with no qualms about jeopardizing their lives in order to extort personal profit. Investigating these cases is a top priority for HSI, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring those who would choose to exploit people in this despicable way to justice."

Evidence presented at trial showed the defendants were part of an alien that smuggled aliens into the U.S. to a drop house in Mesa. In August 2011, HSI special agents and officers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Phoenix Police Department went 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.

Four other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in the drop house and were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 24 months to eight years.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Keller and Sean K. Lokey of the U.S. Attorney's Office-District of Arizona.

6 Human Smugglers Sentenced for Alien Trafficking and Harboring

Six people were sentenced Tuesday, December 18, 2012, following their convictions in an illegal alien harboring/transportation conspiracy, 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).

The defendants sentenced Dec. 18 are: Christian Lara-Reyes, 29; Victor Lara Bravo, 52; and Jose Alfonso Hernandez, 30, all Mexican citizens; and Raquel Dainese Phillips, 23; Dale Franklin Jones, 51; and Clarence Leroy Teel, 53, all of Houston. All previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport and harbor illegal aliens within the United States.

U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller sentenced Lara-Reyes to 24 months in prison. Hernandez and Jones were ordered to serve 11 and four months, respectively. Bravo and Teel were each ordered to serve 12 months in federal prison. Phillips was sentenced to probation and will serve two years on home confinement. Jones and Teel will serve two and three-year-terms of supervised release, respectively, following completion of their prison terms. Lara-Reyes, Bravo and Hernandez are expected to face deportation proceedings upon their release from prison.

The case against these six began after HSI special agents obtained information during the investigation of an alien smuggling operation in the Corpus Christi area headed by Armando Olmedo-Trevino, 47, of Wharton, Texas. Lara-Reyes admitted he transported undocumented aliens from south Texas to the Houston area in order to further facilitate the aliens' movement into the United States at the request of Olmedo-Trevino. Lara-Reyes transported and harbored the undocumented aliens with the assistance of Bravo and Hernandez. Bravo and Hernandez watched over the aliens until smuggling fees were paid by the aliens' friends and family members.

Teel recruited and provided drivers to transport undocumented aliens on behalf of the alien smuggling organization. Teel admitted he began smuggling illegal aliens in 2008 and eventually graduated to recruiting drivers for the alien smuggling organization.

Additional evidence revealed that on multiple occasions, Phillips and Jones transported undocumented aliens for the alien smuggling organization. Phillips informed HSI special agents she was recruited to transport illegal aliens by Jeffery Mark Williams, 55, of Sugar Land, Texas.

On Sept. 7, Williams entered a guilty plea to conspiring to transport and harbor illegal aliens.

He is scheduled to be sentenced March 15, 2013, at which time he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

The case against Olmedo-Trevino was prosecuted in the Corpus Christi Division by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Cowan and Jeffrey Preston, Southern District of Texas. He received the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison.

The Houston case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Menes and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimani Eason, Southern District of Texas.

MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced for Sex Trafficking

Yimmy Pineda-Penado, aka Critico, 22, of Alexandria, Va., was sentenced by United States District Judge Anthony J. Trenga Friday, December 14, 2012, to 210 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a gang-run juvenile prostitution ring.

The sentencing follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Washington, D.C., and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Washington Field Office with assistance from the Fairfax County Police Department and the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force.

"Homeland Security Investigations is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate gang members and associates involved in sex trafficking, especially those instances involving juveniles forced into prostitution," said HSI Washington, D.C., Special Agent in Charge John P. Torres. "HSI will continue to aggressively investigate transnational gang members, like Yimmy Pineda-Penado, who engage in sex trafficking and other violent crimes."

According to court documents and testimony, Pineda-Penado, originally from El Salvador, became involved in juvenile sex trafficking through his membership in MS-13. He was personally responsible for prostituting at least one juvenile female. His involvement in MS-13's juvenile sex trafficking scheme lasted from the fall 2009 until the spring 2010.

MS-13 members prostituted the victim at various motels and apartments in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, and Falls Church, Va., as well as in Maryland. The victim was not permitted to leave the prostitution scheme and MS-13 members plied her with drugs and alcohol to make her more compliant while her body was being exploited for profit.

Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies – along with nongovernmental organizations – dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes. From FY 2011 to the present, 44 defendants have been prosecuted in 25 cases in the Eastern District of Virginia for human trafficking and trafficking-related conduct involving at least 32 victims.

Anyone who suspects instances of human trafficking is encouraged to call the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or to complete its online tip form:

http://www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.

Anonymous calls are welcome.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Terwilliger and Patricia Giles.

Texas Lawyer Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Identity Theft Conspiracy

A Houston lawyer was sentenced Friday, December 14, 2012, to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa and the U.S. Secret Service's Tampa and Newark, N.J., field offices.

Nicolette Loisel, 56, is the second lawyer to be sentenced in the scheme. On Aug. 9, Roger Shoss, 67, also a Houston lawyer, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by 36 months of home confinement.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, from February 2005 through July 2006, Loisel and Shoss conspired to steal the identities of dormant, publicly-traded companies. They then used the corporate identities they had stolen to create fraudulent, empty-shell companies that had the appearance of being publicly traded.

They subsequently sold the fraudulent empty-shell companies for a profit. The four companies featured in the indictment were Mobilestream Inc., Regaltech Inc., Nanoforce Inc. and Rocky Mountain Gold Mining Inc., which emanated from 3E International Inc., Pacific Chemical Inc., Webgalaxy Inc. and Greensmart Corporation, respectively.

The administrative and money laundering functions of this scheme were headquartered in Pinellas County, Fla. Multiple wire transfers, totaling at least $800,000, were initiated from the Middle District of Florida to Shoss, in payment for the companies. Shoss, in turn, paid Loisel more than $450,000 for her role in the scheme.

"These individuals – both lawyers – conspired to make a profit through a sophisticated investment fraud and money laundering scheme," said Sue McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. "HSI works closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute con-artists like Loisel and Shoss."

In addition to their prison sentences, Loisel and Shoss are required to pay a final forfeiture money judgment, in the amount of $800,000. This amount represents proceeds obtained by Loisel and Shoss as a result of their criminal activities.

"The U.S. Secret Service and HSI continually strive to enhance our law enforcement partnership by leveraging our respective capabilities, expertise and manpower in support of our distinct law enforcement missions," said John Joyce, U.S. Secret Service's Tampa special agent in charge. "The U.S. Secret Service and HSI will continue to effectively investigate, deter and diminish the threat posed by various types of criminals to our nation's financial infrastructure."

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.

Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Hire Illegal Aliens and Mail Fraud

Following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a Pennsylvania woman pleaded guilty Thursday December 6, 2012, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

Eleni Nguyen, 29, of Phoenixville, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court to the charge in connection with filing false documents with the Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation program. Nguyen is the third person charged in a scheme involving a temporary employment agency hiring illegal alien employees. Nguyen is the owner of the employment agency.

Andri Gunawan, a representative for the company, previously entered guilty pleas to various crimes, including conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, harboring illegal aliens and mail fraud.

Both Gunawan and Nguyen are awaiting sentencing.

As part of the scheme, members of the employment agency contracted with various third party businesses to provide temporary employees. The conspirators would fulfill these contracts by hiring illegal aliens and paying them in cash "under the table," failing to pay various federal, state and local taxes, fees or compensation insurance. Using this scheme, the temporary employment agency was able to maximize its profits.

At sentencing, Nguyen faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services assisted in the investigation.

Honduran National Sentenced for Hostage-Taking and Alien-Harboring

A Honduran national was sentenced Monday, November 5, 2012, to 35 years in federal prison following multiple convictions in a hostage-taking and alien-harboring conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. The investigation was conducted by the Houston Police Department (HPD), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Cesar Avila, 38, was sentenced Nov. 5 to 420 months in prison and ordered him to pay a $1,000 special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal. Avila was convicted of hostage-taking conspiracy, four counts of hostage-taking, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and four counts of aiding and abetting the harboring of illegal aliens. Avila was convicted by a jury following a three day jury trial that concluded June 6.

Additional testimony was presented by one of two female victims who Avila sexually assaulted. She provided graphic testimony about how she was abused, and how that abuse has affected her. In handing down the sentence, Judge Rosenthal noted that Avila's statement that he had himself been a victim of smugglers was "chilling" in light of the evidence presented at trial. As an illegal alien, Avila is expected to face deportation proceedings after he completes his 35-year prison sentence.

Trial testimony showed that on Aug. 19, 2011, the Houston Emergency Center received a 911 call from a subject who spoke only Spanish. The victim advised he was being held against his will at a house in Houston by alien smugglers who had been hired to smuggle him to an unspecified location in the United States. He claimed Avila was armed with a handgun and had threatened them with death, and they were in fear of their lives.

HPD officers eventually located the residence on the 100 block of Jamaica Street in Houston. The location had no windows and the French doors on the north side of the residence had the glass panes covered with aluminum foil. Once inside the location, several people, who were later identified as hostages, began pointing to Avila as the hostage-taker and smuggler. Officers also discovered a semi-automatic handgun and a ledger detailing payments by the smuggling organization under the mattress where Avila was sitting.

Several of the aliens who were held hostage also identified Carlos Martinez-Aguilar, 44, an illegal alien from Mexico. They stated that Martinez-Aguilar came into the building where they were being held and drank beer with Avila in the hours prior to law enforcement arriving. They also stated that Martinez-Aguilar asked about the status of payments of smuggling fees. The victims indicated Martinez-Aguilar was not involved in abuse or threats, and he had provided them food and blankets. Officers discovered Martinez-Aguilar had been living in the larger house in front of the building where the aliens were housed.

One of the victims advised officers he had been in the Houston area for about eight days, and had been moved from house to house in the Houston area with five other aliens. He admitted he was in the country illegally and that he had paid smugglers $5,000 to smuggle him into the United States. He identified Avila as the subject who was holding him. He stated that Avila was constantly armed with the handgun, and had threatened to kill him if he tried to escape. Further testimony revealed that the smugglers were threatening to kill him if his family did not pay an additional $5,000.

The mother of one of the victims testified at trial that she and her family had been contacted by smugglers demanding more money and threatening her son's life, as well as the life of her family if the additional money was not paid. She was so frightened she contacted police who conducted surveillance to protect them. Her daughter also testified that the family raised money by borrowing it from friends, and they sent as much money as they could via wire transfer to smugglers in Mexico.

Avila will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Martinez-Aguilar was previously sentenced to 36 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of harboring illegal aliens.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Searle and Douglas Davis, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.

"Soccer Dad" Sentenced for Running International Cocaine and Marijuana Smuggling Ring

A Kirkland man was sentenced Friday, October 19, 2012, to 15 years in federal prison for his part in leading a transnational drug smuggling ring uncovered by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and member agencies of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).

Jacob Saul Stuart, 39, pleaded guilty in November 2011 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. DEA and HSI special agents, using court authorized wiretaps, determined Stuart's smuggling ring was transporting and distributing up to 2,000 pounds of marijuana and as much as 440 pounds of cocaine every month.

"This defendant tried to hide his international drug dealing while posing as a stay-at-home soccer dad," said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. "His lust for drug money disregarded the harm he spread throughout communities in the U.S. and Canada, and enriched a violent criminal gang."

The operation involved smuggling marijuana into the U.S. from Canada, where it was distributed across the country to California, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia and New Jersey, among other locations. Proceeds from the marijuana sales were then used to purchase cocaine in Southern California. The cocaine was delivered to members of the outlaw motorcycle gang Hells Angels in British Columbia for distribution in Canada.

"Stuart and his partners created an elaborate drug distribution scheme that not only benefited them, but also a violent Canadian crime syndicate," said Brad Bench, special agent in charge of HSI Seattle. "HSI is dedicated to working with law enforcement partners to disrupt transnational criminal organizations and bring to justice those who torment our communities with their criminal activities."

One of the telephone calls recorded in the case captured the defendant discussing the purchase of guns, bats and chemical sprays for Canadian members of the criminal ring who were traveling to Washington state to investigate the theft of more than 220 pounds of their cocaine. What Stuart did not know was that the drugs had actually been intercepted and seized by law enforcement.

In their remarks to the court, prosecutors highlighted Stuart's knowledge of his violent criminal associates saying: "Stuart knew – and apparently did not care – that he was working with a large Canadian organized crime group that was willing to use violence to further its ends. These facts call for a very lengthy sentence."

Over the course of the investigation, officials seized more than $2 million and 300 pounds of cocaine; and more than 2,200 pounds of marijuana from locations across the country.

Twelve people in U.S. and Canada have been charged in the case. Five have already been sentenced to prison, they include: Michael Murphy, a pilot who transported drugs, 12 years in prison; Jacob Burdick, who stored and organized transportation of the drugs, 12 years in prison; John Washington, a drug distributor for the group, 11 years in prison; Mario Joseph Fenianos, a Canadian who obtained and smuggled cocaine for the ring, 13 years in prison; and Michael William Dubois, another Canadian associated with the cocaine side of the smuggling scheme, 10 years in prison.

This multijurisdictional case involved: DEA Seattle, Chicago, Las Vegas, Fresno, Los Angeles and New Jersey; HSI Seattle and Sacramento; U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Air and Marine; the King County Sheriff's Office; the Seattle Police Department; the Washington State Patrol; the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force; and the California Bureau Of Narcotics Enforcement.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington.

Rwandan National Connected to 1994 Genocide Sentenced for Immigration Fraud

A Rwandan woman was sentenced to 21 months in prison Thursday, October 11, 2012, for immigration fraud and other charges. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Department of State.

Prudence Kantengwa, aka Prudentienne, 47, of Boston, was sentenced Oct. 11 to nearly two years in prison for immigration fraud, perjury in immigration court and obstruction of justice. She was previously convicted in May 2012 of lying to enter the U.S. and again when seeking asylum status.

The case arose out of the 1994 conflict in Rwanda in which tensions between rival Tutsi and Hutu peoples burst into genocide in which as many as 900,000 Rwandans, most of Tutsi origin, perished. The charges against Kantengwa stemmed from lies she told about her membership in the Hutu-dominated party in Rwanda, her husband's role as the director of Rwanda's internal security service, and her knowledge of the existence of a genocidal roadblock. The roadblock was erected in front of the residence where she spent half the period of the genocide in the company of individuals subsequently convicted of genocide in the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Kantengwa was convicted of using a visa she fraudulently obtained to enter the United States. She obtained that visa by providing false information about her background on a questionnaire designed by the State Department to identify individuals involved in or associated with the genocidal government in Rwanda. Kantengwa was also convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in connection with her testimony in immigration court in order to remain in the United States.

"No amount of prison time can adequately punish a person who had any role in the atrocities committed during the Rwandan genocide, but the surviving families can take solace in the fact that those responsible for this tragedy will be held accountable," said Special Agent in Charge Bruce Foucart of HSI Boston. "The United States will never be a place where individuals seeking to distance themselves from their pasts can hide."

"This case should send a strong message to all those who would seek to cheat the immigration system by lying about their background or otherwise deceiving U.S. immigration authorities," said U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. "The United States will not be a safe haven for those who lie or conceal their past in order to gain the privilege of living in this country."

"The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to making sure that those who commit visa and passport fraud face consequences for their criminal actions," said Special Agent in Charge Todd Ziccarelli of the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service's Boston office. "Diplomatic Security's strong relationship with the U.S. Attorney's Office and other law enforcement agencies around the world continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice."

ICE's Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center investigates human rights violators who try to evade justice by seeking shelter in the United States, including those who have participated in war crimes and acts of genocide, torture and extrajudicial killings. These individuals may use fraudulent identities to enter the country and attempt to blend into communities in the United States.

Members of the public who have information about foreign nationals suspected of engaging in human rights abuses or war crimes are urged to call the toll-free HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or to complete its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. To learn more about the assistance available to victims in these cases, the public should contact ICE's confidential victim-witness toll-free number at 1-866-872-4973. Tips may be provided anonymously.

Since fiscal year 2004, ICE has arrested more than 225 individuals for human rights-related violations under various criminal and/or immigration statutes. During that same period, ICE obtained deportation orders and physically removed more than 540 known or suspected human rights violators from the United States. Currently, HSI has more than 140 active investigations and ICE is pursuing more than 1,900 leads and removal cases involving suspected human rights violators from nearly 95 different countries.

U.S. Attorney Ortiz, SAC Foucart and SAC Ziccarelli made the announcement today.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aloke S. Chakravarty, John Capin and Jeffrey Auerhahn of Ortiz's Anti-Terrorism and National Security Unit.