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April 17, 2025Yuma, AZ, United StatesFirearms, Ammunition and Explosives

Mexican national sentenced to federal prison for attempted firearms smuggling, following ICE Arizona investigation

YUMA, Ariz. — A local area man was sentenced April 7 to more than three years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after attempting to smuggle firearms and suspected narcotics across the border into Mexico, following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation.

“Trafficking firearms to Mexico is a federal offense and further it directly contributes to transnational organized crime that explicitly endangers public safety on both sides of the border,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigation Arizona Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola. “HSI and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to curb any attempts of firearms smuggling that has proven time and time again to severely impact communities.”

Abel Airam Franco Garcia, 22, of Sonora, Mexico previously plead guilty to smuggling goods from the United States.

Franco Garcia’s conviction stems from an incident that occurred June 25, 2024, when authorities stopped him at the San Luis, Arizona, Port of Entry. An inspection of his vehicle led to the discovery of four firearms, six magazines — including two high-capacity ones — ammunition, and suspected fentanyl. Franco Garcia confessed to driving to Phoenix earlier that day, and that individuals were paying him to transport the firearms to Mexico.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice aims to bolster PSN through measures that build community trust, endorse violence-prevention organizations, prioritize strategic enforcement and evaluate outcomes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Goldberg from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Phoenix handled the prosecution.

Updated: 04/17/2025
March 4, 2025Orlando, FL, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

Mexican previously removed from US 4 times arrested again for illegal reentry

OCALA, Fla. – An investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement resulted in Kerin Orellana-Serrano, 30, an illegal alien from Mexico, being arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Orellana-Serrano faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

Orellana-Serrano was arrested in Marion County Feb. 14, on state charges for domestic violence battery and providing false identification to law enforcement. ICE was notified of the arrest and confirmed Orellana-Serrano is a citizen of Mexico and determined that he previously had been removed from the United States four times— Sept. 14, 2018, Sept. 19, 2018, Oct. 25, 2018, and Feb. 8, 2024. Orellana-Serrano has not applied for or received permission from the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reenter the U.S. Orellana-Serrano was previously convicted of illegal reentry by a previously deported alien in January 2024 in the Middle District of Florida.

This case was is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Updated: 03/05/2025
February 3, 2025Tampa, FL, United StatesEnforcement and Removal, National Security

Mexican woman charged with illegal reentry, faces 2 years in prison

OCALA, Fla. – An investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Miami has led to the unsealing of an indictment in the Middle District of Florida charging an illegal alien from Mexico with illegal reentry after previously being deported.

Elizabeth Ramirez-Medina, 39, faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison if convicted. She was arraigned on Jan. 28, 2025, and is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case.

Ramirez-Medina was previously deported from the United States on one prior occasion, according to the indictment and, after her removal, did not receive the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. Ramirez-Medina was found to be voluntarily in the United States on Oct. 3, 2024.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

Updated: 02/04/2025
March 16, 2026Grand Rapids, MI, United StatesChild Exploitation

Michigan orthodontist sentenced to 60 years for exploiting children following ICE investigation

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — ICE Homeland Security Investigations announced that Thomas Shannon, 44, previously of Byron Center, was sentenced to 60 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children on Feb. 23.

“Protecting children from exploitation is at the heart of Homeland Security Investigations’ mission,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “This offender preyed on vulnerable children, but through extensive collaboration between HSI and our law enforcement partners, we were able to identify victims and ensure the defendant was held accountable. We hope this sentence delivers some measure of justice to his victims. We relentlessly investigate these crimes and tirelessly pursue those who exploit children.”

From 2019 through 2024, Shannon exploited at least 18 children online, ranging in ages from 12 to 17. Police discovered his crimes when a 16-year-old in North Carolina reported that she had been sexually exploited on Snapchat. Investigators identified the perpetrator as Shannon, then an orthodontist in Grandville, Michigan. HSI special agents reviewed Shannon’s Snapchat account and found at least 16 additional child victims, one of whom was only 12 years old.

One additional child victim came forward. Shannon met and exploited her through a different online app while he was on bond for state child sexual abuse material charges. He did this from his yacht in Ottawa County, which was forfeited as part of the criminal prosecution.

U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said he was not surprised at the sentence imposed.

“Shannon’s selfish and senseless exploitation of these children has exposed them to a lifetime of emotional damage,” VerHey said. “I sincerely hope they can overcome it. But preying on our children must stop, and we will seek long sentences against people like Shannon until it does stop.”

“This investigation demonstrates how local, state and federal partners work together to identify offenders, locate victims, and hold those responsible accountable,” said Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young. “Our Human Trafficking Task Force continues to work aggressively to identify both victims and suspects in cases involving the exploitation of children.”

This case was investigated by HSI Grand Rapids, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Fuquay-Varina Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department, and is part of Project Safe Childhood.

Updated: 03/16/2026
May 19, 2026St. Louis, MO, United StatesChild Exploitation

Missouri man sentenced to 50 years for recording child sexual abuse after HSI St. Louis investigation

Richard James Miller was sentenced for abusing and exploiting multiple young children over several years

ST. LOUIS — Homeland Security Investigations St. Louis and the Department of Justice announced that Richard James Miller, 41, of St. Francois County, was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison. Miller pleaded guilty in February to two counts of production of child sexual abuse material.

“Richard James Miller committed horrific crimes that inflicted unconscionable trauma on children,” said HSI St. Louis Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gregory Paris. “I am extremely proud of our agents’ diligent work in putting him behind bars so he can’t abuse another child. HSI works hard every day to find individuals like this who have no moral compass and exploit the weak and vulnerable who are unable to defend themselves.”

HSI St. Louis began investigating Miller in 2024, when a court-approved search of a New Jersey man’s home uncovered Kik messenger chats with Miller containing images constituting child sexual abuse material. HSI St. Louis located and interviewed Miller, who admitted engaging in sex acts with young girls at his home in the past. He also admitted distributing photos of one of the victims in a Kik group chat.

The investigation revealed Miller recorded his sexual abuse of the two juveniles between Jan. 1, 2022, and May 24, 2024. One victim told investigators her abuse began when she was 15 years old while the second stated she began spending time in Miller’s apartment when she was 8 or 9 years old. Miller initially told the second victim to undress so he could take pictures of her and send them to friends. In statements read to the court Monday, both victims stated Miller threatened to kill their relatives. One stated he threatened to make her watch as he killed her two dogs.

In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman told U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp that although a third juvenile victim was not presenting a statement, she was abused in the same manner.

HSI St. Louis partnered with the Park Hills Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control to investigate this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. For more information, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Updated: 05/19/2026
June 30, 2025Nashville, TN, United StatesLaw Enforcement

Multiagency investigation leads to arrest of criminal illegal alien wanted for homicide

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, in collaboration with the Metro Nashville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives successfully apprehended Josue Hernandez Moxje, 23, a Honduran national, in connection with a double homicide.

On April 28, HSI Nashville, ATF Nashville and the Metro Nashville Police responded to a double homicide near Percy Priest Lake and Lincoya Bay Apartments. The victims were identified as Amir Landan Wilkerson, 19, and Jaime Valdez-Garcia, 18, both from Alabaster, Alabama. Through extensive investigative efforts and interagency cooperation, Hernandez was identified as the prime suspect.

Hernandez, who entered the United States without inspection around 2013 or 2014, was apprehended June 6 in Louisiana by HSI New Orleans and its state and federal partners following a Tennessee arrest warrant.

Hernandez, a convicted felon with prior charges including domestic violence with strangulation, fraud, and theft, was extradited to Nashville June 24. He is currently in the Metro Nashville Police Department’s custody.

Updated: 06/30/2025
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July 24, 2025Corpus Christi, TX, United StatesHuman Smuggling/Trafficking

National Guard soldier deployed to South Texas to help secure border convicted of smuggling illegal aliens into US

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A National Guard member deployed to South Texas to help secure the border was convicted of smuggling illegal aliens into the U.S. July 21. Findings of the smuggling were due to the combined investigation efforts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Corpus Christi, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of the Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility.

Mario Sandoval, a 27-year-old resident of Houston, was found guilty of conspiring to smuggle illegal aliens at the end of a one-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

“Driven exclusively by greed, this individual betrayed the solemn oath he swore to defend when he enlisted in the National Guard,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “His actions directly undermined the very mission he was deployed to support and put his fellow guard members in danger. Working closely with our partners, we were able to expose his scheme and hold him accountable for this unconscionable betrayal of our nation’s trust.”

Sandoval was deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border with the Texas National Guard as part of Operation Lonestar. Following release from his orders, Sandoval remained in the Rio Grande Valley and began smuggling illegal aliens into the country in July 2024.

During his trial, the jury was provided with text messages from Sandoval’s phone expressing that drivers were needed for trips from the Rio Grande Valley to destinations north of the immigration checkpoint. Surveillance showed Sandoval’s location at the immigration checkpoint while he was sending text messages about law enforcement and K-9 patrol presence. The defense attempted to convince the jury no conspiracy existed, and his text messages were out of context. The Jury did not believe those claims and found Sandoval guilty as charged after deliberating for less than an hour.

“The conduct in this case represents an unthinkable violation of public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Thousands of brave men and women, military and civilian alike, work tirelessly to keep our border secure. It is truly disheartening that one bad apple chose to betray his fellow soldiers, his fellow citizens, and his country by engaging in human smuggling. I wish to thank the jury for their time and attention to this matter.”

Sandoval was discharged from the Texas National Guard in October 2024. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 22. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lamont and Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.

For more news and information on how HSI Houston combats alien smuggling and other transnational criminal activity in Southeast Texas follow us on X at @HSIHouston.

Updated: 07/24/2025
March 11, 2025Jacksonville, FL, United StatesNational Security

Naval reservist charged for bribe to obtain military identification cards for unauthorized individuals, including a Chinese national

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A U.S. Navy Reservist from New York was indicted March 3, for bribery of a public official to purchase unauthorized U.S. Department of Defense identification cards in exchange for cash following a joint investigation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Raymond Andres Zumba, 27, of Staten Island, New York, faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Zumba has been ordered detained pending trial.

According to court documents, in January 2025, a confidential source reported to law enforcement that Zumba, who serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve, was asked whether the source would be willing to issue real, but unauthorized, identification cards for an under-the-table payment. Acting at the direction of federal agents, the source proceeded to engage in a series of communications with Zumba during which they discussed Zumba’s plan to obtain unauthorized ID cards in exchange for cash.

After driving from New York, Zumba arrived in Jacksonville on Feb. 13, with three individuals, all Chinese born. Zumba brought these individuals to NAS Jacksonville where they went into the personnel office after business hours and initiated the process for two of them to receive ID cards. The following day, Zumba met with the source, who gave him two ID cards in exchange for $3,500. Zumba was promptly arrested, and the ID cards were recovered.

It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Mesrobian and Michael J. Coolican.

Updated: 03/11/2025
April 8, 2026Washington, DC, United StatesIntellectual Property Rights and Commercial Fraud, Narcotics

New alliance targets fake drugs: IPR Center partners with Rx-360 to protect patients and supply chains

WASHINGTON — The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center and the International Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Consortium, known as Rx-360, announced a new partnership to strengthen efforts against illicit pharmaceutical trade April 6, protecting a vital sector of the U.S. economy and safeguarding public health. Rx-360 is a nonprofit organization that brings together pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers to enhance patient safety through stronger global supply chain security, integrity and quality.

“Illicit pharmaceutical trade poses a significant threat to both economic stability and the health of our communities,” said IPR Center Director Ivan Arvelo. “By joining forces with Rx-360, we are expanding our reach and leveraging industry expertise to disrupt these criminal networks and protect patients across the country.”

The partnership combines the IPR Center’s expertise in investigating and disrupting criminal organizations involved in counterfeit pharmaceuticals and medical devices with Rx-360’s global network of pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers. Together, they will enhance supply chain security, promote best practices and prevent unauthorized products from infiltrating legitimate markets.

“Our partnership with the IPR Center strengthens our shared commitment to protecting patient safety,” said Interim CEO and Senior Director of Supply Chain Security and Brand Protection Ryan Kelly. “By combining the IPR Center’s enforcement capabilities with Rx360’s industry expertise, we are able to better safeguard global pharmaceutical supply chains, prevent counterfeit threats and ensure that patients receive the safe, authentic products they depend on.”

Through this partnership, Rx-360 will facilitate outreach and collaboration between the IPR Center, pharmaceutical manufacturers and government agencies, supporting comprehensive strategies to disrupt illicit trade.

As part of the agreement, the IPR Center will share areas of concern and investigative leads with Rx-360, leveraging its industry relationships to further investigative efforts. Both organizations will conduct outreach and training at industry-led events, fostering stronger relationships within the pharmaceutical community.

This partnership underscores the shared commitment of the IPR Center and Rx-360 to protect public health, ensure fair competition and maintain the integrity of the global pharmaceutical supply chain.

Updated: 04/08/2026
Related Information

Child Exploitation

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January 24, 2025New Haven, CT, United StatesChild Exploitation

New Britain man admits recording his sexual abuse of a child

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A New Britain man admitted he recorded his sexual abuse of a child following an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Orlando Guzman, 73, of New Britain, pleaded guilty Jan. 22 in New Haven to child exploitation offenses stemming from his sexual abuse of a minor and using an app to share and receive child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents and statements made in court, HSI special agents were investigating a network of individuals using private groups on an internet chat application to share images and videos of child sexual abuse. The investigation revealed that an account associated with Guzman was an active member of two of these groups. HSI’s investigation further revealed that, between February and August 2022, Guzman sexually abused a female child and used mobile devices to record and store images and videos of the abuse.

On Sept. 2, 2022, HSI special agents conducted a court-authorized search of Guzman’s mobile devices. Analysis of the devices revealed more than 4,000 video files and more than 7,000 image files of child sexual abuse material, including images and videos depicting Guzman’s abuse of the child.

HSI arrested Guzman on Sept. 7, 2022, and he has been detained since.

Guzman pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.

HSI New England’s Hartford Resident Agent in Charge office investigated the case with the assistance of the New Britain Police Department.

HSI is a global leader in the fight against child exploitation. Last year, HSI special agents dedicated 1.2 million case hours toward investigating child exploitation. This heinous crime harms the most vulnerable in our society: our kids. As technology evolves and more people have access to the internet, children are at a greater risk than ever. HSI’s special agents and analysts around the world are dedicated to countering this threat.

Report suspected child exploitation to the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's website.

Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSINewEngland to learn more about HSI’s global missions and operations.

Updated: 06/13/2025
June 4, 2025El Paso, TX, United StatesNarcotics

New Mexico man indicted in Texas for drug, firearm, murder charges following ICE El Paso investigation

EL PASO, Texas — A New Mexico man is in federal custody after being indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso in 2021 and expelled to the United States by Mexican authorities on May 27. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Texas Attorney General’s Office.

Jaime Renteria-Fernandez, 31, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is charged in a superseding indictment with nine counts related to alleged offenses committed in support of the Barraza drug trafficking organization. Co-conspirator Alex Barraza was the leader of the DTO and was sentenced to life in federal prison Oct. 24, 2024.

“Jaime Renteria-Fernandez tried to evade justice by fleeing the country, but the law has a long reach,” said Jason T. Stevens, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso. “HSI is relentless in its mission to seek out members of drug trafficking organizations who wreak havoc on the security and well-being of our border community.”

Renteria-Fernandez made his initial appearance in federal court May 29. The indictment includes multiple counts related to drug possession and trafficking, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, as well as discharging firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and murder resulting from the use and carrying of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, with a maximum of life in federal prison, and possibly the death penalty. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Johnston, Andres Ortega and Susanna Martinez are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Updated: 06/04/2025
August 4, 2025Albuquerque, NM, United StatesChild Exploitation

New Mexico police officer pleads guilty to federal child exploitation charges after ICE El Paso investigation

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A Deming, New Mexico, police officer pleaded guilty July 30 to federal charges related to sexually exploiting a child following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and New Mexico State Police probe. Jesus Lopez Jr., 35, participated and recorded multiple sexually explicit acts with the child. He faces between five and 15 years in prison and at least five years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender.

“It is especially disturbing when those sworn to protect exploit the most vulnerable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens. “Investigating child predators is a top priority for HSI, and I commend the agents assigned to this case for their diligence and dedication to keeping our children safe, regardless of whether the perpetrator wears a badge.”

Read the full story here.

Updated: 08/04/2025