Making Immigration Happen
Chicago Woman Arrested for Selling Fraudulent Identity Documents to Illegal Aliens
A woman was arrested Wednesday, February 13, 2013, on charges she allegedly sold fraudulent identity documents to illegal aliens. These charges resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigra
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Tag Archives: ATF

Four Men Arrested and Charged with Drug and Firearm Offenses

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Federal criminal complaints filed in the District of Maryland charge four men, initially arrested and charged in Worcester County,Md., with gun and drug violations. The charges follow an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Maryland State Police (MSP), Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, the Berlin Police Department and the Ocean City Police Department with the assistance of the Worcester County State’s Attorney Office.

Tony Lamont Mills, 32, of Berlin,Md., has been charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm by a felon. The second criminal complaint charges Ramon M. Diamos, 47, and Arlon J. Macatangay, 51, both of Jersey City, N.J., and Ricky Ibanga, 38, of Bayonne, N.J., with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute in excess of 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

The State’s Attorney for Worcester County Beau Oglesby said, “I applaud the combined efforts of Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland State Police, the Ocean City Police Department, the Berlin Police Department, ATF and HSI for their investigations in these cases. The adoption of these cases by the United States Attorney’s Office demonstrates the strength of the relationship between local and federal authorities as we work together to pursue the eradication of controlled dangerous substances from our streets and to remove the criminals who are armed with illegal firearms from our communities.”

According to Mills’ criminal complaint, on at least two occasions in August 2012, an undercover police detective conducted two hand to hand purchases of heroin from Mills after meeting Mills in his vehicle. On Aug. 31, 2012, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mills’ residence and discovered Mills hiding in a bedroom closet, where officers also located a loaded .32 caliber revolver and a box of .32 caliber ammunition. During the search, officers also recovered heroin, marijuana and drug packaging material.

Mills faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin and up to life in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Mills also had an initial appearance Feb. 13 in U.S. District Court in Baltimore and is detained.

According to the statement of facts filed in support of the arrest of Diamos, Macatangay and Ibanga, the three were pulled over by a MSP trooper on Route 13, near the Virginia state line for a traffic stop. The trooper learned that Diamos was wanted on a New Jersey warrant and he was subsequently arrested. A clear glass pipe and a small amount of methamphetamine were recovered from Diamos’ front pants pocket. During a subsequent search of the car, the trooper discovered a manilla envelope that contained 240 grams of crystal methamphetamine and a receipt in Macatangay’s name. Macatangay and Ibanga were then arrested and additional methamphetamine was recovered from Macatangay’s jacket pocket.

Diamos, Macatangay and Ibanga face a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Diamos, Macatangay and Ibanga had an initial appearance Feb. 13 in U.S. District Court inBaltimoreand are detained. Ibanga is scheduled for a detention hearing Feb. 15.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Hanlon and Christopher J. Romano.

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

Operation Dark Night Charges 13 Additional Defendants for Sex Trafficking

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A superseding indictment, returned Thursday, February 7, 2013, in federal court, has added 13 more defendants for their roles in an alleged sex trafficking and prostitution ring operating in Mexico, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and elsewhere. In total, 25 defendants have now been charged in the superseding indictment, which follows the original 12-defendant indictment returned in January.

The federal charges follow a lengthy investigation dubbed “Operation Dark Night,” led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). In addition to the 12 arrests and nearly 20 search warrants executed in January, federal authorities rescued 11 women alleged to have been forced into prostitution. The investigation of this case remains ongoing.

United States Attorney Edward Tarver said, “The superseding indictment adds even more gruesome details to the allegations of an already reprehensible human trafficking ring operating within our very own communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will not stop until all of those responsible are brought to justice.”

“The superseding indictment alleges that this sex trafficking ring was even more extensive and ruthless,” said Brock D. Nicholson, special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta. “Over a dozen new suspects, including ‘johns,’ have now been added. Of more concern are new allegations that members of this conspiracy arranged to hold some of their victims’ children hostage in Mexico to ensure their compliance as prostitutes in the United States. The investigation in Operation Dark Night will continue until we have rooted out all of the bad actors in this conspiracy and have brought them to justice.”

According to allegations in the superseding indictment, some of the defendants would entice women from Mexico and elsewhere to travel to the United States with false promises of the American dream. Once inside the United States, these women were allegedly threatened and forced to commit acts of prostitution at numerous locations in Savannah, Ga., and throughout the southeast. Women were alleged to have been forced to perform as many as 25 acts of prostitution a day.

Tarver stressed that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

HSI provides relief to victims of human trafficking by allowing for their continued presence in the United States during criminal proceedings. Victims may also qualify for a T-visa, which is issued to victims of human trafficking who have complied with reasonable requests for assistance in investigations and prosecutions. 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 the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Anonymous calls are welcome.

Operation Dark Night was led by HSI, with assistance from the FBI; the ATF; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP Air and Marine Operations; Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS); IRS-Criminal Investigations; the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department; the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office; the Garden City Police Department; and, the Chatham County Counter Narcotics Team.

20 Indicted for Marijuana Trafficking Ring

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A federal indictment, returned by a grand jury December 2012, was unsealed Friday, January 18, 2013, charging 20 Dallas-Fort Worth area residents with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana.

More than half of the defendants are in custody, following an operation this week conducted by the following law enforcement agencies: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); the Dallas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA); the Desoto, Dallas, Balch Springs, Arlington and Midlothian police departments; Dallas County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.

This announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

During the course of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation, law enforcement executed federal and state search warrants that resulted in the seizure of about 25 pounds of hydroponic marijuana, more than 600 marijuana plants, 10 vehicles and five firearms.

The indictment charges the below-named defendants in the drug conspiracy:

  • Sylvespa Eugene Adams, aka “Sylvesta Adams,” “Pa,” and “Paw,” 25,
  • Alma Diane Smith, aka “Diane Williams,” 30,
  • Michael Wayne-Cortez Ayers, aka “Big Mike,” 33,
  • Isaac Demon Mathis, aka “Ike” “Issac Damone Mathis,” 30,
  • David Laploise Jones, aka “Nino,” 31,
  • Kory Lamonte Crayton, aka “Mokmu Tave” and “Coon,” 39,
  • Taurus Kion Silmom, aka “T.K.,” 30,
  • Nathan Dewayne Brown, 21,
  • Connell Heads, 50,
  • Marvin Jamel Fantroy, aka “Seven,” 32,
  • Lamondrius Denard Kidd, 28,
  • Modrick Jamal Spencer, 28,
  • Waymon Madison, 39,
  • Edward Lee Witherspoon, 50,
  • Robin James Criss, aka “June Bug,” 30,
  • Andre Demacus Reid, aka “Black,” 27,
  • Rachael O’Neal, 20,
  • Natasha Brown, 34,
  • Jovanna Renee Bonner, 19, and
  • Precious Starr Lecreas Gowans, 30.

Defendants Sylvespa Eugene Adams and Alma Diane Smith are also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment alleges that since January 2010, Adams and Smith conspired together, and with others, to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds of their crime that were designed to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source or ownership of the proceeds. The indictment alleges the following:

  • they stored and concealed drug proceeds,
  • caused cash to be transported as payment for drugs,
  • disposed of proceeds derived from the distribution and sale of narcotics by purchasing assets to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the proceeds,
  • structured deposits of U.S. currency, and
  • used a business front to create the appearance of a legitimate of source of funds to hide the true nature and source of the funds.

A federal indictment is an accusation by a grand jury; a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. If convicted, however, the conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana count carries a statutory sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in federal prison and a $5 million fine. The conspiracy to commit money laundering count, upon conviction, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine.

In addition, the indictment includes a forfeiture allegation, which would require convicted defendants to forfeit the proceeds of their criminal activity. It would also require some of the defendants, upon conviction, to forfeit numerous vehicles, including a Mercedes, a Porsche and a Bentley, as well as numerous pieces of real estate.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Phelesa Guy, Northern District of Texas, is in charge of the prosecution.

4 Arrested for Conspiracy to Sell Alleged Hussein Family Firearms

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Four men, including two New Jersey residents, were arrested Thursday, December 20, 2012, and charged with conspiring to sell seven stolen firearms believed to have belonged to the family of Saddam Hussein, the late Iraqi president.  The arrests and joint investigation were conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The following four men were charged with one count each of conspiracy to transport stolen firearms and conspiracy to sell and receive stolen property:  David Phillip Ryan, 48, of Miami,Fla.; Karlo Christian Sauer, 42, of Pittsburgh,Pa.; Howard A. Blumenthal, 74, of Fort Lee,N.J.; and Carola M. Quirola, aka Carlos Quirola-Ordonez, 55, of New Milford,N.J. Ryan is also charged with one count of unlawfully mailing firearms. Blumenthal and Quirola made their initial court appearances Thursday, December 20, 2012, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court. Ryan made his initial appearance in federal court in the Southern District of Florida; and Sauer made his in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

“Trading another country’s cultural treasures or artifacts is a major crime that HSI actively investigates,” said Andrew McLees, special agent in charge of HSI Newark. “In this case, we are talking about the weapons of a dictator who brought untold suffering during his reign.  These weapons are not for sale to the highest bidder, and HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, have taken the appropriate steps to return these properties to their rightful owners.”

According to court documents, in April 2012, law enforcement received information that valuable firearms allegedly belonging to members of the family of the late Iraqi president Saddam Hussein were available for sale (“Hussein Family Firearms”). The Hussein Family Firearms were believed to be kept in Florida, and attempts were made to find a buyer for the weapons in New Jersey.

The federal investigation revealed that the four defendants worked together to try to find a buyer for the Hussein Family Firearms in New Jersey. The firearms had been appraised at $250,000 to $350,000. During the course of the conspiracy, seven firearms were shipped to New Jersey for viewing by potential buyers.

Federal law enforcement officers seized the following firearms during the investigation:

  • One Coonan Arms Inc., .357-caliber semi-automatic pistol, nickel finish, made in St. Paul, Minn., with gold inlay and a medallion “QS” on left side grip (believed to be the initials of Qusay Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti, the second son of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein).
  • One Korth, .357 magnum revolver (six shot) stamped “Made in W. Germany Waffenfabrik Koth Ratzeburg/LBG,” with gold inlay, black finish, wood grips, which displays a drawing of a wild boar.
  • One Korth, .357 magnum, revolver (six shot) stamped “Made in W. Germany Waffenfabrik Koth Ratzeburg/LBG,” with gold inlay, black finish, wood grips, which displays a drawing of a moose.
  • One Chinese State Factories type 64 pistol, .32-caliber semi-auto pistol, black finish, with Yemen flag icon on both sides of grip and Arabic writing on the slide.
  • Two Cosmi, 12-gauge shotguns, break top, single barrel.
  • One Llama Semiautomatic .45-caliber ACP pistol with gold leaf and gold inlays, hand engraved, bearing the initials “Q.S.”

The counts with which the four defendants are charged are punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The unlawful mailing count, which Ryan is additionally charged with, is punishable by a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Latin Kings Street Gang Member Sentenced for Racketeering, Conspiracy, and Gang Crimes

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A Latin Kings streetgang member was sentenced Wednesday, November 28, 2012, to 15 years in federal prison for racketeering conspiracy and other crimes in support of the gang. Two other gang associates were sentenced Monday, November 26, 2012, on related charges. These sentences were announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s (DOJ) Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David Capp of the Northern District of Indiana.

 The sentences resulted from an investigation conducted by the following agencies: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the National Gang Intelligence Center; Chicago Police Department; and the Indiana police departments of East Chicago, Griffith, Highland, Hammond and Houston.

 David Lira, aka “Flaco,” 39, of Chicago, was sentenced Nov. 28 to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty July 13 to racketeering conspiracy. Gang associates Bianca Fernandez, 23, and Serina Arambula, 23, both of Chicago, were sentenced Nov. 26 to 36 months and 21 months in prison, respectively. U.S. District Judge Rudy Lozano, Northern District of Indiana, imposed the sentences.

Fernandez pleaded guilty Aug. 8 to conspiring to murder in aid of racketeering. Arambula pleaded guilty Aug. 7 to withholding information on a murder.

 According to the third superseding indictment filed in this case, the Latin Kings is a nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out throughout the United States. The Latin Kings is a well-organized street gang that has specific leadership and is composed of regions that include multiple chapters. The third superseding indictment charges that the Latin Kings were responsible for more than 20 murders.

 Also according to the third superseding indictment, the Latin Kings enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the Latin Kings. Members are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, including taking on assignments often referred to as “missions.”

 During his guilty plea proceeding, Lira admitted to being a Latin Kings member at an early age. He also acknowledged he was aware that the Latin Kings, specifically some of his co-defendants, distributed more than 150 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 kilograms of marijuana over the course of the racketeering conspiracy.

 Lira also acknowledged that on Feb. 24, 2007, Jose Zambrano, a regional enforcer for the gang, and other Latin Kings members dropped two firearms off at Lira’s residence in Lansing, Ill.The next evening, Zambrano and the others returned to retrieve the weapons from Lira before riding to the Soprano’s Bar in Griffith, Ind., where they gunned down and killed two rival gang members.

 Fernandez admitted in court that on Nov. 26, 2006, at the direction of a Latin Kings member, she accompanied two members of the rival Latin Dragons gang to Jackson Park, Ill., near La Rabida Children’s Hospital on the south side ofChicago. Fernandez also admitted to making arrangements for Latin Kings gang members to meet them at the location, where those gang members shot the Latin Dragons gang members, killing one. Fernandez admitted that when interviewed by Chicago police, she concealed the true nature of the murder.

 During her guilty plea proceeding, Arambula admitted accompanying Fernandez and the Latin Dragon members to Jackson Park, and providing false information to Chicago police regarding the identity of the shooters.

 Twenty-three Latin Kings members and associates have been indicted in this case; 20 have pleaded guilty; one was found guilty following a jury trial; one awaits trial; and one remains a fugitive.

 Joseph A. Cooley of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and David J. Nozick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana are prosecuting the case. Andrew Porter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois provided significant assistance.

 The third superseding indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants who have not been convicted are innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Texas Gun Store Owner and Wife Arrested for Illegally Selling Firearms and Ammunition to Mexico

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A local gun store owner and his wife were arrested Monday, August 20, 2012, after an 11-count  federal indictment charged them with illegally selling firearms and ammunition  they knew were destined for Mexico,  announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This investigation is being led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of the Bureau of  Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Robert Jacaman Sr. and his wife, Veronica Jacaman, were arrested Aug. 20 at their residence without incident. The couple is expected to make their initial appearances Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga, at which time the United States will seek their continued detention pending further criminal proceedings.

During the enforcement action on Monday, August 20, special agents executed search warrants at the couple’s residence and businesses, Jacaman Guns and Ammo at 504 E. Calton Road in Laredo, and A-Frame 4 You, which is adjacent to the gun store.

“Today’s arrests demonstrate our ongoing commitment to identifying  and arresting anyone who smuggles firearms or ammunition into Mexico,” said Jerry Robinette, special agent in charge of HSI San Antonio. “HSI investigates and dismantles organizations that smuggle firearms  and ammunition to organized criminals in Mexico.”

According  to court documents, the sealed indictment returned Aug. 14 was automatically unsealed following the the arrests of Aug. 20 arrests by HSI and ATF officers with the assistance of local law enforcement. The 11-count indictment charges the Jacamans with conspiring to provide and providing ammunition and firearm magazines for smuggling into Mexico, selling ammunition to illegal aliens and to a convicted felon, and selling an assault rifle to a convicted felon.

The  investigation revealed that from about January to July 2012 the Jacamans allegedly conspired with each other to acquire large quantities of ammunition and high-capacity firearms magazines for sale and delivery to others knowing they were intended to be illegally exported to Mexico. Both are also charged with four counts of illegally selling ammunition, and one count of illegally selling a firearm to a prohibited person. Specifically, the indictment alleges that the Jacamans unlawfully sold the following items:

  • thousands of rounds of .223-caliber ammunition to an illegal alien,
  • 1,000 rounds of .223-caliber and 1,000 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition to an alien admitted into the United States under a non-immigrant visa,
  • two instances of selling hundreds of rounds of .223-caliber ammunition to a convicted felon, and
  • a CMMG, Model 4SA, semi-automatic rifle to a convicted felon.

Included in the indictment are also two charges of illegally exporting ammunition and three counts of illegally exporting firearm magazines to include more than 10,000 rounds of 7.62x39mm, 28,000 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition, and 788 high-capacity assault-rifle magazines. The indictment charges the Jacamans with facilitating the sale of such items knowing they were intended to be illegally exported Mexico.

Law enforcement intercepted all firearms, ammunition and magazines referenced in the indictment before they could be delivered to Mexico.

If convicted of the conspiracy charge, the Jacamans each face up to five years in prison, and a maximum of 10 years in prison for each count of illegal sale and illegal export. All charges also carry a possible fine of up to $250,000 on  each count.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez, Southern District of Texas is prosecuting the case.

One of HSI’s top priorities is dismantling organizations involved in smuggling firearms to Mexican drug cartels. The collective expertise and authorities of our law enforcement partners during this investigation significantly contributed to preventing hundreds of rifles and handguns from reaching violent criminal organizations and pursuing prosecution for those charged.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process  of law.

Second Michigan Man Arrested for Possession of Explosives

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A second man suspected to be involved in an explosives investigation was arrested
Thursday, April 19, by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and deputies with the Chippewa County Sherriff’s Department.

Kenneth Kassab, 53, of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., was taken into custody without incident Thursday, April 19, on charges related to the unlawful transportation of explosives and possession of explosives by a convicted felon.

Both charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison.

Donald Davis, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan; David McCain, ATF
special agent in charge in Detroit; and Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge for HSI Michigan andOhio, announced the arrest.

Kassab was listed in a superseding indictment as a co-defendant with John Francis
Lechner, 65, also a resident of Sault Ste. Marie. Lechner was originally the sole defendant in an explosives case stemming from the discovery of 4,200 pounds of a mixture of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, commonly known as “ANFO,” and various other explosive materials, in September 2011. Lechner was arrested last September and remains in custody.

The superseding indictment repeats Lechner’s original charges and also adds charges
relating to his possession of ANFO with Kassab in November 2010.

Lechner had been set to be tried on the original charges May 21, 2012. With the
addition of Kassab as a co-defendant, the trial date is likely to be rescheduled for later in the summer.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until
proven guilty.

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