Tag Archives: homicide

MS-13 Gang Members Arrested by Operation Community Shield

February 7, 2013blogarrest, gang, gang activity, homicide, HSI, HSI National Gang Unity, ICE, Operation Community Shield, organized crime, transnational gang memberAlex Meyerovich

Two members of the Mara Salvatrucha aka MS-13 gang, Jose Rodas-Alvarado aka Mini, and Roni Arriola-Palma aka Maniaco, were arrested Monday, January 28, 2013, on charges of first- and second-degree attempted murder, kidnapping, first- and second-degree assault, theft, and reckless endangerment following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Prince George’s County Police Department and Prince George’s County Sheriff’s office.

According to the arrest warrant, on Jan. 14, 2011, Rodas-Alvarado and Arriola-Palma along with several other MS-13 gang members attacked and forced a male victim into a minivan before physically assaulting him while in the 5800 block of 10th Place in Hyattsville, Md. The suspects allegedly undressed and threw the male victim from the van, dragging him into a wooded area, where they began stabbing him with knives. All suspects subsequently fled the scene.

HSI special agents and Sheriff Deputies investigating the whereabouts of Rodas-Alvarado and Arriola-Palma were led to the 6000 block of 20th Avenue in Hyattsville, Md.where Rodas-Alvarado was taken into custody and transported to the County Police Criminal Investigations Division.

HSI special agents and Sheriff Deputies located Arriola-Prima in the 1800 block of L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.where he was taken into custody after a brief foot chase. He was transported to the District of Columbia Department of Corrections, where he will await extradition to Prince George’s County,Md.

This investigation was part of HSI’s Operation Community Shield initiative. Operation Community Shield partners with existing federal, state and local anti-gang efforts to identify violent street gangs and develop intelligence on gang members and associates, gang criminal activities and international movements to arrest, prosecute, imprison and, or deport transnational gang members. HSI’s National Gang Unit’s goal is to deter, disrupt and dismantle gang operations by tracing and seizing cash, weapons and other assets derived from criminal activities.

Since the inception of Operation Community Shield in February 2005, HSI special agents working in conjunction with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide have arrested more than 29,366 street gang members and associates linked to more than 2,300 different gangs. At least 40 percent of those arrested had a violent criminal history. More than 374 of those arrested were gang leaders and more than 4,163 were MS-13 gang members or associates. Through this initiative nationally, HSI has seized 4,137 firearms.

The case is being prosecuted by the Prince George’s County States Attorney Office.

Honduras Man Deported by ICE; Wanted for Violent Murder with Machete

January 30, 2013blogarrest, criminal alien, deportation, detention, ERO, gang, gang member, homicide, Honduras, ICE, ICE Air Operations, illegal alien, illegal re-entry, immigration fugitive, MS-13, murder, organized crime, removal, US Marshal ServiceAlex Meyerovich

An illegal alien residing in Randallstown, Md. wanted in Honduras, his native country, for homicide and robbery was deported early Friday, January 25, 2013, by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). He was turned over to Honduran law enforcement authorities after arriving on an ICE Air Operations repatriation charter flight.

Oscar Orlando Amador Centeno, 30, a known MS-13 gang member, was deported Jan. 29, 2010 for the offense of illegal entry into the U.S. and illegally re-entered the country at an unknown time and place. He was arrested April 9, 2012 by ERO Baltimore officers attached to the U.S. Marshal’s Service Capital Area Regional Task Force at his Maryland residence after he was identified as illegally re-entering the country after having been removed, a federal felony offense. Prior to his arrest, the task force obtained an Interpol Red Notice issued September 2011, stating that Amador Centeno was wanted in his native country pursuant to an Aug. 12, 2011 arrest warrant for murder and robbery. On Aug. 1, 2012, he was convicted of re-entry of removed alien inMarylandand sentenced to four months with credit for time served. On Sept. 28, 2012, he was released to ICE custody on a detainer.

“Removing known gang members and foreign fugitives from theU.S.is an ICE priority in maintaining the safety and quality of life that the citizens of Marylandexpect,” said Calvin McCormick, field office director for ERO Baltimore. “This deportation should serve as a reminder to foreign fugitives who mistakenly believe they can elude justice by fleeing to the U.S. ICE will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners, both domestic and abroad, not only to ensure that criminals are held accountable for their actions, but to safeguard the rights of law-abiding citizens here and overseas.”

According to Amador Centeno’s Interpol Red Notice, on July 19, 2010 in Olancho, Honduras, he struck his victim three times in the head with a machete on a soccer field and stole their wallet. If convicted on the murder charges, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

ERO has removed numerous individuals wanted for violent crimes to Honduras. This is attributed to the expanded cooperation between ICE and law enforcement authorities in Honduras to identify, arrest and repatriate Honduran criminal suspects who flee to the U.S. to avoid justice. ICE officers are working closely with the Honduras National Police Interpol Officers and Honduras Immigration as part of this effort. As a result, in fiscal year 2012, ICE assisted the Honduras National Police in taking custody of 60 suspected criminals, immediately upon their return to Honduras aboard ICE Air Operations removal flights. More than a fourth of those suspects involved homicide related charges.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 566 foreign fugitives from theU.S.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 U.S. and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in 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.”

Mexican National Deported for Homicide

December 28, 2012blogarrest, criminal alien, deportation, detention, ERO, foreign fugitive, homicide, ICE, ICE Office of International Affairs, illegal alien, illegal re-entry, murder, removalAlex Meyerovich

A man from Mexico with a U.S. manslaughter conviction, who is also wanted in his home country for homicide, was deported and turned over to Mexican law enforcement authorities Wednesday, December 19, 2012, by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Jorge Gonzalez-Acosta, 46, first illegally entered the United States in August 1982. He pleaded guilty in 1987 to voluntary manslaughter in the Southern District of Texas, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. While serving this sentence, a federal immigration judge ordered his deportation. He was released from prison and removed to Mexico in June 1996.

Afterwards, and on various occasions, Gonzalez-Acosta illegally re-entered the United States, which is a felony. He was twice prosecuted for this crime, and was sentenced to 37 months in prison and 57 months in prison in December 2004 and March 2009, respectively.

Gonzalez-Acosta was released from his latest prison sentence into ICE custody Dec. 11, 2012. ICE officers worked with Mexico’s Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) to identify that Gonzalez-Acosta was wanted for homicide in Mexico. PGR’s attaché to ICE assisted with providing copies of the warrant and assisted with coordinating the removal with PGR authorities at the U.S./Mexico International Border at Laredo,Texas, Dec. 19.

“This particularly egregious case shows how our ERO officers help protect public safety on a daily basis,” said Simona Flores, field office director for ERO Dallas. “We work closely with our law enforcement partners to remove dangerous criminal aliens from our local communities, and then remove them from the country.”

ERO 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. ERO 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.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 500 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.

MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Scheme that Resulted in Two Murders

December 11, 2012blogarrest, criminal activity, DEA, Department of Justice Organized Crime and Gange Section, drug smuggling, drug trafficking, gang, gang activity, guilty plea, homicide, ICE, international gang activity, money laundering, MPD, MS-13, murder, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, racketeeringAlex Meyerovich

Dennis L. Gil-Bernardez, an MS-13 member who also is known as Pando, pled guilty Friday, December 7, 2012, to taking part in a federal racketeering conspiracy that was responsible for numerous crimes, including two murders, in the Washington, D.C., region. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. of the District of Columbia, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Gil-Bernardez, 36, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Judge Rosemary M. Collyer sentenced him to 76 years in prison. The sentence will run concurrently with an 80-year prison term that Gil-Bernardez already is serving in another gang-related case in Virginia.

The defendant was among a group of MS-13 members indicted in November 2011. As part of his plea, he admitted that he was in MS-13’s Normandie clique, and that, after consulting with an incarcerated member of MS-13 in El Salvador, he ordered the murder of Louis Membreno-Zelaya, which was committed by other MS-13 members. Membreno-Zelaya, 27, was found, stabbed to death, on Nov. 6, 2008, in Northwest Washington.

In his plea, Gil-Bernardez admitted that MS-13 is a transnational criminal street gang with a presence in at least 20 states and the District of Columbia, as well as many Central American countries, including El Salvador and Honduras, which is Gil-Bernardez’s country of origin. According to court documents, members of MS-13 use violence and intimidation to protect the gang and enhance its reputation. The gang is involved in murder, attempted murder, robbery, extortion and obstructing justice through the intimidation and threatening of witnesses.

In addition to ordering the murder of Membreno-Zelaya, Gil-Bernardez also admitted today to shooting a person whom he believed to be a rival gang member in April 2008. The victim was shot five times and hospitalized for a week after undergoing life-saving surgery.

Finally, Gil-Bernardez admitted to murdering Luis Chavez-Ponce, 22, July 29, 2008, in Riverdale Park, Md., believing Chavez-Ponce to be a rival gang member. Gil-Bernardez stopped one of the other MS-13 members from chasing after the victim, who was on a bicycle. Gil-Bernardez chased Chavez-Ponce around the corner of a building and fired several shots, killing him.

The gun which Gil-Bernardez used in the murder of Chavez-Ponce was determined to be the same weapon used in the shooting of three people in Reston, Va., in October 2008, to which Gil-Bernardez also admitted. His 80-year sentence in Virginia is a result of those crimes, which were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. This latest plea is one of several by MS-13 members in recent months in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The prosecution grew out of the efforts of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the nationwide program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

This case was investigated by ICE, MPD, Prince George’s County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department and Fairfax County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Laura Gwinn, of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar R. Mohanty and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill O’Malley.

El Salvador Murder Suspect and Prison Fugitive Deported by ICE

December 10, 2012blogarrest, deportation, detention, El Salvador, ERO, ERO Air Operations Unit, foreign fugitive, fugitive, homicide, ICE, ICE Office of International Affairs, murder, removalAlex Meyerovich

A Salvadoran gang member who escaped from prison in his native country while serving a life sentence for murder was handed over to authorities in El Salvador Wednesday, December 5, 2012, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the latest results of stepped up collaborative efforts to locate Salvadoran criminal fugitives in the U.S. and return them to El Salvador to face justice.

Diego Quintanilla, 29, was repatriated to El Salvadoron board a charter flight coordinated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Air Operations Unit. Upon arrival, ERO officers turned the fugitive over to awaiting officers from the Salvadoran national police and Interpol.

Quintanilla, a documented member of the18th Street Gang in the U.S.and the Mara 18 Gang in El Salvador, was serving a sentence for murder and attempted murder at Cojutepeque prison in Cuscatlan, El Salvador, when he and 36 other Mara 18 Gang members escaped in August 2006. Subsequently, Salvadoran authorities issued an arrest warrant charging Quintanilla with evading capture. He was also the subject of an Interpol Blue Notice.

Quintanilla was taken into custody by officers with the Los Angeles Police Department Aug. 30 during a gang enforcement operation. Following his arrest, Quintanilla was turned over to ICE and the agency placed him in removal proceedings. In October, an immigration judge ordered Quintanilla deported, paving the way for his repatriation. During a pre-removal interview in Los Angeles last month, Salvadoran consular officials confirmed the existence of the outstanding arrest warrant.

“Criminals who seek to escape justice by fleeing to the United States will find no sanctuary in our communities” said John Duncan, ICE Assistant Attaché El Salvador. “As this case makes clear, ICE is working closely with its foreign law enforcement counterparts to promote public safety and hold criminals accountable — no matter where they commit their crimes.”

Officials point to Quintanilla’s deportation as yet another benefit of the expanded cooperation between ICE and authorities in El Salvador to identify, arrest and repatriate Salvadoran criminal suspects who flee to the U.S. to avoid justice. ICE officers are working closely with the El Salvadoran Civilian National Police (PNC), the Salvadoran National Interpol Office and Salvadoran Immigration as part of this effort. As a result, in fiscal year 2012, the PNC was able to execute more than 130 criminal arrest warrants immediately upon fugitives’ return to El Salvador aboard IAO removal flights. More than a fourth of those arrests involved homicide-related charges.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 500 foreign fugitives from theUnited Stateswho 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.

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

December 4, 2012blogarrest, assault, ATF, Chicago Police Department, DEA, DOJ, drug trafficking, drugs, FBI, gang crime, gang member, gang violence, homicide, HSI, ICE, illegal firearms, Latin Kings Gang, murder, narcotics, National Gang Intelligence Center, racketeering, weapons traffickingAlex Meyerovich

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.

MS-13 Gang Officially Designated a Transnational Criminal Organization by HSI

October 12, 2012blogcriminal activities, Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, DHS, drug trafficking, gang, gang activity, homicide, HSI, human smuggling, human trafficking, ICE, immigration fraud, MS-13, murder, National Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime, Operation Barbed Wire, Operation Community Shield, racketeering, sex trafficking, street gang, TCO, transnational criminal organization, violenceAlex Meyerovich

On Thursday, October 11, 2012, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) designated the Latin American gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) as a transnational criminal organization (TCO). This group is being designated by Treasury pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13581, which targets significant TCOs and their supporters. E.O. 13581 is a key part of the National Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime.

Using the authority provided in E.O. 13581, Treasury is targeting the economic power of MS-13 as a transnational criminal network – and those individuals and entities who work with them, enable them and support them – by freezing any assets those persons may have within U.S. jurisdiction. Any property or property interests in the U.S., or in the possession or control of U.S. persons in which these targets have an interest are blocked, and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

“This designation allows us to strike at the financial heart of MS-13 and is a powerful weapon in our fight to dismantle one of the most violent, transnational criminal organizations operating today,” said ICE Director John Morton. “History has proven that we can successfully take down organized crime groups when we combine sophisticated investigative techniques with tough street level enforcement, cutting off cash flows, contraband and collaborators to ensure they no longer find safe haven in our communities.”

“MS-13 is an extremely violent and dangerous gang responsible for a multitude of crimes that directly threaten the welfare and security of U.S. citizens, as well as countries throughout Central America,” Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen stated. “This action positions us to target the associates and financial networks supporting MS-13, and gives law enforcement an additional tool in its efforts to disrupt MS-13’s activities.”

MS-13 is being designated for its involvement in serious criminal activities, including drug trafficking, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and violence, racketeering, and immigration offenses. MS-13, consisting of at least 30,000 members and present in at least five countries, including the United States, is one of the most dangerous criminal gangs in the world today. MS-13 violently protects its illicit interests through murder, murder for hire, kidnapping, blackmail, extortion and assassination. MS-13’s creed is exemplified by one of its mottos, “mata, roba, viola, controla,” which translates in sum and substance to “kill, steal, rape, control.” In addition, MS-13 members have been responsible for numerous killings within the United States.

The HSI National Gang Unit will take the law enforcement lead, under this MS-13 enforcement effort dubbed, “Operation Barbed Wire.” The National Gang Unit removes gang members from our neighborhoods and, when appropriate, from the United States. In 2005, HSI initiated Operation Community Shield, an international law enforcement initiative to enhance U.S. public safety. Operation Community Shield partners with existing federal, state and local anti-gang efforts to identify violent street gangs and develop intelligence on gang members and associates, gang criminal activities and international movements, to arrest, prosecute, imprison and/or deport transnational gang members as well as to suppress violence and prosecute criminal enterprises. The National Gang Unit’s goal is to deter, disrupt and dismantle gang operations by tracing and seizing cash, weapons and other assets derived from criminal activities. Since 2006, HSI has arrested 4,078 MS-13 gang members and, partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice, has successfully brought to indictment numerous MS-13 racketeering investigations in Washington, D.C., Virginia, New York, San Francisco, Houston, and Atlanta.

MS-13 is the first transnational criminal street gang designated as a TCO. Others TCOs include the The Brothers’ Circle, Camorra, Yakuza, and Los Zetas in the United States.

Nigerian Man Sentenced for Stealing Murder Victim’s Identity

September 18, 2012blogarrest, citizenship fraud, convicted felon, criminal alien, detention, document fraud, guilty plea, homicide, HSI, ICE, identity theft, immigration fraud, murder, sentencingAlex Meyerovich

A Nigerian man, who came to the U.S. in 1989 and assumed the identity of a murder victim to remain in the country illegally, has pleaded guilty to exhibiting a false government document. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Office of Inspector General, the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and the New Jersey State Police.

Bimbo Peter Oyewole, 54, of Elizabeth, N.J., pleaded guilty to the third-degree offense, before Superior Court Judge Peter V. Ryan in Essex County, N.J.

“Document fraud poses a significant threat to both national security and public safety,” said Andrew McLees, special agent in charge of HSI Newark. “HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and other critical infrastructures in protecting the American public.”

According to court documents, Oyewole admitted that he used the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a man named Jerry E. Thomas, who was murdered in Queens, N.Y., in 1992, to obtain an airport security ID card, called a Secure Identification Display Area Card (SIDA). Oyewole used the SIDA card as a supervisor for FJC Security Services, a private firm contracted to staff vehicle access gates and provide other security services at EWR. The card gave him access to secure areas, including the tarmac and airplanes.

“The Port Authority moved swiftly to arrest this defendant and remove him from his security position at the airport when they learned he was using a false identity,” said Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa. “My office, in turn, worked closely with the Port Authority’s Office of Inspector General, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the New York City Police to investigate him, ensure he was not a threat to national security, and prosecute him for his crime.”

“Whatever the motive, it’s a serious crime to falsify government documents, particularly when it involves identity theft and issues of public security,” said Stephen J. Taylor, director of the Division of Criminal Justice. “This defendant has rightly faced serious consequences. By the time he is sentenced, he will have spent roughly six months in custody and he will be a convicted felon.”

Port Authority Inspector General Robert E. Van Etten said, “Today’s conviction will serve notice to all that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will not tolerate fraud or any other criminal misconduct at its facilities. The Port Authority Office of Inspector General and its law enforcement partners will aggressively identify, investigate and bring to justice those who corrupt the integrity and security of our airports and facilities. I wish to thank the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and all of our law enforcement partners for their invaluable assistance, participation and contribution to this investigation.”

Oyewole entered the U.S. in January 1989 on a temporary work visa. He began using Jerry E. Thomas’ identity several weeks before Thomas was murdered on July 20, 1992. Thomas was shot outside a YMCA in Queens where he was staying. Oyewole used his identity to obtain a New Jersey driver’s license and high school equivalency diploma. He also obtained employment in Thomas’ name, holding security jobs at EWR under several private contractors.

Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Oyewole be sentenced to a term of probation. Oyewole is scheduled for sentencing October 19.

Oyewole came into ICE custody September 11 and is in removal proceedings. He is being detained in an ICE detention facility pending an immigration hearing before an immigration judge.

El Salvador Homicide Fugitive Apprehended, Deported

July 9, 2012blogCBP, deportation, detention, El Salvador, ERO, fugitive, homicide, ICE, murder, removalAlex Meyerovich

A man from El Salvador, who is wanted in his home country for homicide and aggravated assault, was deported and turned over to El Salvadoran law enforcement officials Thursday, July 5, 2012, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Carlos Alberto Tobar-Guevara, 33, was deported viaU.S.government charter flight July 5. An Interpol arrest warrant was issued for Tobar-Guevara June 3, 2010 in connection with the homicide and aggravated assault of an El Salvadorian national.

Tobar-Guevara illegally entered the United StatesMay 31 near Rio Grande City, Texas. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol agents apprehended him at that time. During routine processing June 2, CBP discovered that he was wanted in El Salvador for two egregious crimes. CBP transferred him to ERO custody where he remained until his removal July 5.

“ICE ensures that aliens do not escape justice in their home countries by seeking safe haven in the United States,” said Enrique M. Lucero, ERO San Antonio field office director. “ICE’s primary priority is to identify and remove aliens who pose a threat to our communities, which is a significant overall benefit to public safety.”

ERO 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. ERO 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.

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 theUnited States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.