Tag Archives: conviction

California Man Convicted for Smuggling Heroin in Tortilla Press

January 29, 2013blogarrest, CBP, charges, conviction, drug smuggling, drug trade, drug trafficking, heroin, HSI, ICE, Mexico, narcoticsAlex Meyerovich

A Bay Area man faces at least 10 years in prison after being found guilty Tuesday, January 22, 2013, by a federal jury on charges stemming from his involvement in a scheme to import heroin into the United States from Mexico.

Mike Gama, 23, of Mountain View, was convicted of both possession with intent to distribute a kilogram or more of heroin and importation of a kilogram or more of heroin. The charges are the result of an 18-month probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The jury found that Gama had knowingly participated in a scheme to import heroin into the U.S. when he accepted delivery of a package containing more than a kilogram of heroin concealed inside a wooden tortilla press. The guilty verdict followed a weeklong jury trial.

Evidence presented during the trial showed that on June 20, 2011, Gama received a package shipped from Michoacan, Mexico, via DHL Express. Inside the package, which was addressed to Gama, was a wooden tortilla press containing more than one kilogram of a black tar-like substance. Subsequent lab tests confirmed the substance was Mexican black tar heroin. After Gama signed for the package, HSI special agents executed a search warrant to recover the parcel containing the heroin.

The package was initially intercepted by CBP officers inspecting arriving international shipments at DHL’s hub in Cincinnati, Ohio. CBP alerted HSI special agents inSan Jose, who then made preparations to seize the parcel when it arrived in California.

Following the guilty verdict, Gama, who had been free on bond, was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. His sentencing is scheduled for April 15 before U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Davila in San Jose. The maximum statutory penalty for each of the two counts is life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million, with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary G. Fry and Amie D. Rooney, with further support provided by Tracey Andersen and Laurie Worthen.

ICE Convicts Record Number of Illegal Aliens in South Texas During 2012

January 28, 2013blogarrest, conviction, criminal alien, deportation, detention, ERO, felony conviction, ICE, illegal alien, illegal immigrant, illegal immigration, illegal re-entry, removal, San Antonio Violent Criminal Alien SectionAlex Meyerovich

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) efforts led to a record number of aliens being federally prosecuted in south Texas in fiscal year 2012, which ended Sept. 30.U.S.attorneys in the Southern and Western Districts of Texas successfully obtained convictions for 2,417 criminal aliens who illegally re-entered the United States after having been previously deported.

“These prosecutions send an important message to criminal aliens who believe they can treat deportation as little more than a revolving door. That message is, ‘there are significant consequences for flagrantly disregarding our laws,'” said Enrique Lucero, field office director for ERO San Antonio.

The San Antonio Violent Criminal Alien Section (VCAS) was established in 2008. Officers assigned to the unit are focused on pursuing prosecution for aliens with felony convictions who have been deported and have illegally re-entered the United States. Of the cases referred by the San Antonio VCAS since 2008, nearly 6,800 federal convictions have been obtained. Any alien who is deported based on a felony conviction, and who illegally re-enters the United States, commits a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Following are three examples of aliens who have been federally prosecuted by San Antonio’s VCAS unit for illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously deported:

A 35-year-old Mexican man, who is a convicted felon, was sentenced in October to seven years in federal prison. Some of his prior convictions include: possessing a firearm/knife during commission of felony, drug trafficking, and hit-and-run.
A 34-year-old Mexican man, who is a convicted felon and had been deported multiple times, was sentenced in August to eight years in federal prison. Some of his prior convictions include: burglary, alien smuggling and possessing a controlled substance.
A 40-year-old Mexican man, who is a convicted felon, was sentenced in July to five years in federal prison. Some of his prior convictions include: aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, and drunken driving.

In central and south Texas, 2,003 aliens were federally prosecuted in fiscal year 2010, and 2,370 aliens in fiscal year 2011. According to ERO, the local increase in felony immigration cases stems from greater investigative and prosecutorial resources dedicated to such offenses.

Previously deported aliens targeted for criminal prosecution are those who have been re-arrested in the Southern or Western Districts of Texas. Historically, most aliens federally prosecuted for “re-entry after deportation” usually receive sentences of between two to 10 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal prison system.

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 those criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

Lithuanian National Deported for 2005 Murder of Chicago College Student

January 25, 2013blogarrest, conviction, criminal alien, deportation, detention, ERO, homicide, HSI, ICE, murder, removal, US permanent residentAlex Meyerovich

A Lithuanian national, who was convicted of second-degree murder for his role in the 2005 beating death of University of Illinois at Chicago student Tombol Malik, was deported Wednesday, January 23, 2013, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Mantas Matulis, 27, was deported via commercial flight Tuesday, January 22, 2013, under the escort of ERO officers and arrived Jan. 23 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Matulis was convicted of second-degree murder in the Circuit Court of Cook County May 18, 2007, in connection with the Chicago slaying of 23-year-old Tombol Malik. Malik was beaten to death with a bicycle lock near the University of Illinois’ Chicago campus July 9, 2005. Matulis’ co-defendant, Muaz Haffar, fled to Syria before trial and was convicted in absentia April 16, 2007, of second-degree murder.

Matulis was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the crime, receiving credit for the 670 days of the time he had already served. He was released from the Illinois Department of Corrections Nov. 29, 2012, and turned over to ICE. He remained in ICE custody until his removal.

Matulis entered the United States March 23, 2000, as a U.S. permanent resident. ERO officers encountered Matulis at the Dixon Correctional Center in 2008 and placed him into removal proceedings. On March 10, 2009, Matulis was issued an administrative removal order by a federal immigration judge in Chicago.

“This individual’s conviction and resulting deportation underscore ICE’s commitment to promoting public safety,” said Ricardo Wong, field officer director for ERO Chicago. “We hope this case will serve as a stern reminder about the consequences awaiting those who show such willful disregard for our nation’s laws.”

U.S. Citizen Residing in Mexico Convicted for Smuggling Methamphetamine

January 23, 2013blogarrest, conviction, drug smuggling, drug trade, drug trafficking, HSI, ICE, methamphetamine, Mexico, sentencingAlex Meyerovich

A federal jury on Friday, January 18, 2013, convicted a woman, a U.S. citizen who resided in Reynosa,Mexico, on one count of possessing with intent to distribute more than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of methamphetamine, announced U.S Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

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

Jennifer Ellen Marie Rodriguez, 31, was convicted by a jury following a three day trial. During the trial, the government presented testimony that Rodriguez was pulled over June 23, 2012, by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper near Encino. During that traffic stop, Rodriguez claimed to be traveling to San Antonio to attend her grandfather’s funeral. Rodriguez did not know the name or location of the funeral home and did not have appropriate attire expected for such an event.

Rodriguez provided consent to search her vehicle and was arrested after the methamphetamine was discovered hidden in a void behind the vehicle’s dashboard. The government also provided evidence that Rodriguez’s grandfather was a lifelong resident of Michigan and had passed away in 2011.

Rodriguez admitted at trial that she made up the story about the funeral. She testified she did not know the drugs were hidden in her vehicle, but was driving to San Antonio to exchange the vehicle for her kidnapped cousin. Rodriguez claimed that on the previous day, her cousin was kidnapped in Mexico and kidnappers demanded she deliver the vehicle to San Antonio in exchange for her cousin.

The government countered with evidence demonstrating that Rodriguez never told this story to law enforcement at the time of her arrest. In fact, the government proved that Rodriguez had only made the claim just a few days before trial began.

Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced April 24, at which time she faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, as well as a possible $10 million fine. Rodriguez will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad W. Cowan, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.

Jamaican National Sentenced for Illegal Re-entry

November 6, 2012blogaggravated felony, arrest, conviction, criminal alien, deportation, detention, DHS, ERO, ICE, illegal alien, illegal re-entry, Jamaica, removalAlex Meyerovich

A previously deported immigrant from Jamaica was sentenced Friday, November 2, 2012, for illegally re-entering the United States without permission, after having been convicted of an aggravated felony.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Andrew Anthony Maylor, who was deported in 2008 after being released from prison from a 1993 conviction for federal drug conspiracy charges, was sentenced to 57 months of federal incarceration for illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously removed, and for 37 additional months for violation of his prior term of supervised release, for a total of 94 months.

“Mr. Maylor’s blatant disregard for the criminal and immigration laws of the United States have been judged today. When aggravated felons re-enter the United States, we will continue to focus our resources on smart, effective enforcement that targets these individuals and work with our partners to aggressively prosecute them,” said M. Yvonne Evans, field office director for ERO Washington, D.C. “We continue to strive to improve the quality of life for our communities through these efforts.”

“Mr. Maylor committed a serious felony in the early 1990’s and was justly punished for that crime and deported,” U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Timothy J. Heaphy said today. “He committed another crime when he re-entered the United States without authorization. We will do all we can to enforce federal immigration laws, which help keep criminals like Mr. Maylor out of this country.”

According to court documents, Mr. Maylor admitted to re-entering the United States, without permission, on Feb. 4, 2011. He admitted that he came into Miamiby boat without inspection and that he never applied for re-entry to the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Wright prosecuted the case for the United States.

Former CBP Agents Convicted for Extensive Alien Smuggling Ring

August 15, 2012blogalien smuggling, alien trafficking, arrest, bribery, CBP, conviction, DHS, HSI, ICE, illegal alien, illegal immigration, immigration attorney, immigration lawyer, money laundering, Office of Professional ResponsibilityAlex Meyerovich

Two former San Diego-area U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agents face up to 50 years in prison following their conviction Friday, August 10, 2012, for operating a lucrative human smuggling ring that brought hundreds of Mexicans and Brazilians illegally into the United States using official agency vehicles.

Raul Villarreal, 42, and his brother, Fidel Villarreal, 44, both of San Diego, and a co-defendant, Armando Garcia, 44, of Tijuana, Mexico, who acted as a foot guide for the ring, were found guilty by a jury on multiple felony counts of conspiracy to smuggle aliens, money laundering and receiving bribes. The defendants will be sentenced in November by U.S. District Court Judge John Houston. In addition to prison time, the defendants could be required to pay more than $1.25 million in fines.

A fourth co-defendant, Claudia Gonzalez, of Tijuana, pleaded guilty in December 2009 to conspiracy to smuggle aliens for financial gain, bribery and money laundering. Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced in September.

The verdicts of August 10, 2012, are the latest developments in a probe by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), aided by ICE Homeland Security Investigations, that began after the agency received a tip in 2005 involving allegations of public corruption tied to an alien smuggling ring.

“Raul and Fidel Villarreal committed an egregious breach of the deep trust placed in DHS employees by the American people they swore to protect and serve,” said Joe Jeronimo, special agent in charge for OPR Western Region. “While their actions are atypical of the dedication and integrity demonstrated by the vast majority of DHS employees, this verdict should nonetheless send a message about the serious consequences facing those who would exploit their positions and violate the law. The ICE Office of Professional Responsibility and the DHS Office of Inspector General will continue to aggressively investigate such allegations and seek to prosecute perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law.”

All four defendants were arrested in Tijuana in October 2008 on arrest warrants obtained by ICE. The defendants were then extradited in March 2009 to the United States to face the federal charges.

According to court documents, ICE special agents conducted extensive surveillance of the defendants’ smuggling operations, using surveillance aircraft, GPS devices and video cameras mounted on poles along the California-Mexico border. The video showed Fidel Villarreal picking up groups of illegal aliens with his official Border Patrol vehicle and transporting them to designated staging locations to await their transportation into the interior.