Tag Archives: Chicago

ICE Target Operation Arrests 51 Immigration Fugitives and Criminal Aliens in Chicago Area

January 31, 2013blogarrest, Chicago, criminal alien, deportation, detention, ERO, felony, HSI, ICE, ICE National Fugitive Operations Program, illegal alien, illegal re-entry, immigration fugitive, removalAlex Meyerovich

As part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) ongoing commitment to prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators, 51 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and immigration violators were arrested last week during a four-day operation in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana.

This operation concluded Sunday, January 27, 2013, and was conducted by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago.

Of the 51 arrested, 44 had prior convictions for crimes such as: child molesting, aggravated battery, drunken driving, criminal sexual abuse, fraud and drug possession. Eighteen of the 51 were immigration fugitives who had been previously ordered to leave the country, but failed to depart; some of these also had prior criminal convictions, in addition to an outstanding deportation order. Nine of those arrested had been previously deported, but illegally re-entered the United States, which is a felony.

Of the 46 men and five women arrested, 41 are Mexican nationals; one national from each of the following countries was also arrested: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Guatemala, Jordan, Korea, Pakistan and Poland.

Arrests were made in Chicago and the following 25 northern Illinois communities: Addison, Algonquin, Bellwood, Berwyn, Blue Island, Cicero, Crest Hill, Elgin, Elmwood Park, Evanston, Franklin Park, HanoverPark, Joliet, Justice, Lansing, Maywood, Melrose Park, NorthLake, Oak Brook, Palatine, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Park, Streamwood, Wauconda and Westmont. Arrests were also made in the northern Indiana communities of East Chicago, Hammond, Highland, Munster and Valparaiso.

Following are summaries of two individuals arrested during this operation:

A 39-year-old Syrian national has eight aggravated felony convictions for residential burglary, retail theft, theft, burglary and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested Jan. 23 in Melrose Park, Ill., and remains in ICE custody pending a hearing before a federal immigration judge.
A 25-year-old Mexican national is a registered sex offender with prior criminal convictions for sexually exploiting a child, public indecency and lewd exposure. He was arrested Jan. 27 in Elgin, Ill., and remains in ICE custody pending removal from the United States.

“Our focus on criminals has an immediate positive impact by significantly improving the safety and security of our communities,” said Ricardo Wong, field office director for ERO Chicago. “By arresting and removing criminals and egregious immigration violators, we ensure the best use of agency resources and a continued focus on public safety.”

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

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

Polish Fugitive Wanted for Attempted Murder is Deported by ICE

October 17, 2012blogarrest, attempted murder, Board of Immigration Appeals, CBP, Chicago, commercial flight, criminal alien, custody, deportation, detention, DHS, ERO, extortion, field office director, foreign fugitive, fugitive, Fugitive Operations Team, HSI, ICE, illegal entry, international crime, Interpol, kidnapping, law enforcement, murder, Office of International Affaird, Poland, prison time, removal, sentence, serious crimes, warrant, WarsawAlex Meyerovich

A Polish national – who is wanted in his home country for extortion, kidnapping and attempted murder – was deported and turned over to Polish law enforcement officials Tuesday, October 16, 2012, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Dariusz Gordziejczyk, 42, departed from Chicago via commercial flight Monday, October 15, 2012, and arrived in Warsaw, Poland, Oct. 16.

An arrest warrant was issued for Gordziejczyk Sept. 14, 2001 by the Bialystok Criminal Court in Poland on charges of extortion, kidnapping and attempted murder. He was found guilty of the charges in Poland but has yet to serve his prison sentence. According to the arrest warrant, Gordziejczyk and others beat and kicked a man in 1999 in an attempt to extort money from him, but the victim escaped. Gordziejczyk was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison. In another case, Gordziejczyk and others kidnapped a man in 1999, drove him into the woods, doused him with gasoline and threatened to set him on fire unless he gave them his BMW. Gordziejczyk was found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison, but he fled before he served his prison time.

Gordziejczyk fled to the United States in February 2006 entering on a visitor’s visa. He remained in the United States illegally after his visa expired in February 2007.

ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information from the FBI that Gordziejczyk might be living in the Chicago area and that he was wanted on an active arrest warrant in Poland. On July 12, 2011, HSI special agents located and arrested Gordziejczyk at his River Grove, Ill., residence and took him into custody.

On March 19, a federal immigration judge in Chicago ordered Gordziejczyk’s deportation. The Board of Immigration Appeals denied Gordziejczyk’s appeal July 12. He remained in ICE custody until he was turned over to Polish authorities Tuesday, October 16, 2012.

“This individual tried to escape justice in Poland for the crimes he committed there,” said Ricardo Wong, ERO Chicago field office director. “On a daily basis, ICE protects public safety by arresting and removing international fugitives who pose a threat to our communities.”

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed about 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.

Dozens of Drug-Trafficking Gang Members Arrested and Face Federal Charges

October 4, 2012blogarrest, charges, Chicago, cocaine, CPD, criminal complaint, DEA, drug distribution, drug trade, drug trafficking, FBI, heroin, HSI, ICE, indictment, marijuanaAlex Meyerovich

Two leaders of separate but sometimes collaborating drug-trafficking organizations were arrested and are among 39 defendants facing federal drug charges, federal and local law enforcement officials announced Friday, September 28, 2012.

The charges stem from an investigation led jointly by the following agencies: FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Chicago Police Department.

Agents executed three federal search warrants Thursday, September 27, 2012 at the same time they began arresting defendants in the Chicago area, Indiana, Texas and California. Agents seized about 2.5 kilograms (about 5.5 pounds) of cocaine, more than $175,000 in cash, and several firearms. The two alleged leaders, Jesus Ramirez-Padilla, 39, and Humberto Jimenez, 26, were among 27 defendants arrested. The whereabouts of four others were accounted for, and eight remain fugitives. Previously, during the one-year investigation that began in July 2011, agents had seized more than 13 kilograms of cocaine, 10 kilograms of marijuana, 1.5 kilograms of heroin, and about $75,000 in cash.

All 39 defendants were charged with various drug distribution offenses in a criminal complaint filed Wednesday, September 26, 2012, in the Northern District of Illinois and unsealed Sept. 27 following the arrests. The defendants who were arrested began appearing Thursday, September 27, 2012, before Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez in U.S. District Court; they remain in federal custody pending detention hearings scheduled for next week.

The operation of Thursday, September 27, 2012, brings to nearly 100 the number of defendants who have been arrested and charged in Chicago with federal or state drug trafficking offenses in the last three weeks.

Gary S. Shapiro, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, praised the dedication and teamwork of the FBI, DEA, and HSI agents who worked diligently with the Chicago Police Department to disrupt these alleged drug-trafficking organizations. Shapiro announced the charges with the following: William C. Monroe, acting special agent-in-charge of the FBI in Chicago; Jack Riley, special agent-in-charge of DEA in Chicago; Gary Hartwig, special agent-in-charge of HSI Chicago; and Garry F. McCarthy, superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.

The following agencies also participated: U.S.Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Illinois State Police, Cook County Sheriff’s Police, and the Illinoispolice departments of Berwynand Oak Lawn. The investigation was conducted under the umbrella of the U.S. Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).

According to the complaint affidavit, the investigation determined that Ramirez-Padilla and Jimenez, both of Chicago, each led their own drug trafficking organization. Both organizations regularly bought and sold multi-kilogram quantities of powder cocaine on Chicago’s southwest side. Each organization had its own wholesale distributors, drug couriers, stash houses, workers and suppliers. Although the Ramirez and Jimenez organizations operated independently, they sometimes supplied each other with kilograms of powder cocaine. Both organizations took steps to protect themselves from detection by law enforcement, such as: using code words to disguise references to narcotics and other items, regularly replacing telephones, using different vehicles to transport drugs, and engaging in counter-surveillance techniques.

The 205-page affidavit details conversations among various defendants who were intercepted on 26 different telephones during the investigation pursuant to court-authorized electronic surveillance.

Sixteen defendants, who were charged in two separate conspiracies to possess and distribute cocaine and/or heroin, face a mandatory minimum of 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The remaining defendants face maximum sentences of up to 20 or 40 years in prison, and maximum fines of $2 million or $5 million.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathalina Hudson, Joseph Thompson, and John Kness Northern District of Illinois, are prosecuting this case.

The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.