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July 21, 2025San Juan, PR, United StatesChild Exploitation

Puerto Rico man arrested for child exploitation after ICE San Juan investigation

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Aneudy Jazzan Pérez-Santiago, a 30-year-old teacher from Carolina, on criminal charges related to child exploitation.

On July 10, a federal grand jury indicted Pérez-Santiago on charges involving the coercion and enticement of a minor and the transfer of obscene material to a 14-year-old girl.

According to court documents, from February 2023 to February 2025, Pérez-Santiago used a cellphone, online instant messaging services and social media to knowingly persuade, induce, entice and coerce a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity and transferred obscene material to her.

“This case demonstrates the importance of adult supervision on digital devices,” said HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos. “A responsible father monitoring social media platforms discovered sexually explicit conversations between a teacher and their student. This individual, who also calls himself a minister of a church, exploited his role as an educator and spiritual guide to approach a minor and engage in sexually explicit conversations. The defendant does not represent the amazing teachers of Puerto Rico’s Department of Education, who day to day, work with us to identify and report these predators. The perfect formula to protect our children is strong parental supervision, engaged personnel from Puerto Rico’s Department of Education, and HSI’s Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose main mission is to keep our children safe from sexual predators.”

If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties:

Coercion and enticement of a minor: A mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and up to life in prison.
Transfer of obscene material to a minor: Up to 10 years in prison.

All charges of conviction will be followed by a term of supervised release of no less than five years and up to life. A federal district court judge will determine Pérez-Santiago’s sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

Members of the public with information can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by completing the online tip form.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to IntelHSISanJuan@hsi.dhs.gov.

Learn more about HSI San Juan mission to increase public safety in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands: @HSISanJuan on Instagram, @HSISanJuanPR on Facebook and @HSISanJuan on X.

Updated: 09/11/2025
February 27, 2025Orlando, FL, United StatesChild Exploitation

Recidivist child predator, sex offender sentenced to more than 22 years

ORLANDO, Fla. – A Florida man was sentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 22 years and 7 months in federal prison for attempting to entice or induce a minor to engage in sexual activity and committing a felony offense involving a minor when required to register as a sex offender following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Orlando.

Chad Allen Pease, 49, of Fort Pierce, was found guilty by a federal jury on Nov. 20, 2024.

“This predator intentionally singled out a child, devised a plan, and executed it with the sole purpose of harming the most vulnerable in our community,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “HSI investigators, alongside our partners, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, have successfully removed another predator from the streets.”

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 3, 2024, Pease began communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer whom Pease believed to be the father of a 13-year-old girl. Over the course of the conversation, Pease made plans to meet up with the undercover agent and his “daughter” so that Pease could have sex with the child. Pease drove 18 miles to the meeting location and conducted counter-surveillance before fleeing the scene. Law enforcement identified Pease, reconstructed his activities that evening, and later arrested him at his residence.

Pease was previously convicted of a sex offense in 2008, after sending explicit photographs and traveling to have sex with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. He has been required to register as a sex offender ever since.

This case was investigated by ICE Orlando and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Varadan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.

Updated: 02/27/2025
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August 14, 2025Chicago, IL, United StatesLaw Enforcement

Reckless sanctuary laws result in needless death of innocent American

Local law enforcement handcuffed by the Illinois Trust Act

CHICAGO — An illegal alien from Guatemala with a longstanding criminal record, killed an innocent Illinois woman in a head-on vehicle collision, Aug. 9, after local authorities were unable to transfer custody of the dangerous alien at least seven separate times over the last three years.

Rolando Ico-Choc, 30, was arrested repeatedly for driving under the influence and other serious offenses, including endangering the life of a child, domestic battery, resisting law enforcement, multiple DUIs, and operating uninsured vehicles. Despite his repeated disregard for the law and continued danger to the public, local jurisdictions were unable to transfer him to federal custody, due to irresponsible sanctuary laws.

Following the repeat offenders most recent DUI conviction, in January, he was sentenced to just seven days in jail – and just as the six previous occurrences he was released back into the community.

A short seven months later, while driving southbound on Illinois Route 26, Ico-Choc crossed into the northbound lane and slammed head-on into a vehicle driven by Darcy Brunner, 61, of Freeport, Illinois. Brunner, a U.S. citizen died instantly.

“This was not an innocent accident. It was a preventable tragedy made possible by policies that release dangerous offenders back onto our streets,” said ERO Chicago acting Field Office Director Shawn Byers. “Seven times ICE asked for custody, and seven times local law enforcement was forced to ignore those requests placing the death of this innocent women directly on the hands of those who voted the Illinois Trust Act into law.”

ICE detainers are requests to local law enforcement to hold individuals in custody for up to 48 hours so federal officers can take them into immigration custody. When ignored, dangerous offenders like Ico-Choc are released back into the community, often with deadly results.

“How many more lives must be lost before Illinois lawmakers care enough about their constituents to ensure all law enforcement, federal and local are able to work together?” concluded Byers.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROChicago.

Updated: 08/14/2025
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January 22, 2025Tampa, FL, United StatesChild Exploitation

Registered sex offender indicted for transporting, possessing child sexual abuse material, AI-generated child sexual abuse material

TAMPA, Fla. — A Polk County man, and registered sex offender, has been indicted with the transportation and possession of child sex abuse material and possession of obscene visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct generated by artificial intelligence (AI) following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa.

James Oxley, 52, of Polk City, faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison for transporting child sex abuse material and up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession and AI offenses. The indictment also notifies Oxley that the United States intends to forfeit a cellphone, which was used in the commission of the offense.

According to court documents, on Dec. 22, 2024, Oxley entered the Tampa seaport on board a cruise ship. The ship had traveled to two destinations in Mexico before returning to Tampa. Between Dec. 17 and 22, 2024, Oxley transported child sex abuse material. Agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted a search of Oxley’s cellphone, which he had traveled with, and observed images and videos of child exploitation. Beginning on an unknown date and continuing to Dec. 22, 2024, Oxley possessed images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including minors under 12 years of age. He also possessed AI generated images that appeared to depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Oxley was previously convicted in 2012 of three counts of possessing images showing the sexual performance by a child, in violation of Florida state laws.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by HSI Tampa and CBP. It will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.

HSI Tampa’s area of responsibility, which includes 10 geographically strategic offices, covers more than 51,600 square miles of the total 65,757 square miles in the state of Florida. This region has more than 14.2 million people and includes 58 of the 67 counties. HSI Tampa also includes five of the 10 largest cities in Florida, 15 primary commercial service airports, and 11 seaports.

Learn more about HSI Tampa’s mission to increase public safety in Florida communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSITampa.

Updated: 06/13/2025
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March 13, 2025Houston, TX, United StatesChild Exploitation

Repeat child predator sentenced to 25 years for possessing, distributing child sexual abuse materials following ICE investigation

GALVESTON, Texas – A registered sex offender who was previously convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a 3-year-old child was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison March 12 for the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse materials following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Robert Earl Cochran Jr., a 63-year-old resident of Alvin, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to serve 25 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by 10 years of supervised release, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Restitution will be determined at a later date. Cochran pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2024.

“With today’s sentence we have removed an extremely dangerous child predator from the community who was an immediate threat to every child he encountered,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “After spending time in prison for sexually assaulting a 3-year-old child, he brazenly admits to getting out and actively seeking, possessing and distributing child sexual abuse materials with absolutely no remorse for the physical, psychological and emotional trauma inflicted on the innocent children who were victimized to produce them. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our special agents in Galveston, he is returning to prison and will no longer be free in the local community to harm children.”

ICE HSI’s investigation revealed that Cochran utilized multiple virtual identities to distribute, receive and possess CSAM of children approximately three to 12 years of age from Feb. 24, 2015, to July 16, 2019. Following his arrest, Cochran admitted he began viewing child pornography in 2015, shortly after his release from prison, and heavily traded it between 2015-2016. He also acknowledged using three cellphones to download and view the material. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement located nine images and 54 obscene representations of children depicting child pornography on those devices.

Cochran will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse is prosecuting the case.

To learn more about ICE’s mission to combat child exploitation in Southeast Texas follow us on X at @HSIHouston.

Updated: 06/13/2025
February 24, 2025McAllen, TX, United StatesNarcotics

Repeat drug trafficker is heading back to prison another 15 years following ICE Rio Grande Valley, federal partner investigation

MCALLEN, Texas — A South Texas man and convicted felon was sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking while on federal supervision, following an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in coordination with the ATF and Texas Department of Public Safety. The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation was conducted with assistance from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and the Mission and Alton police departments.

Salvador Noyola, 56, from Mission, Texas, was sentenced Feb. 20 by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane to serve 188 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. On supervised release when he committed the crime, the court included 18 months as part of the sentence for violating that term. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane warned Noyola, stating “You’ve got to get out of this business… I hope that you will find another way to make money.” Noyola pleaded guilty May 3, 2024.

‘Today's sentencing of a repeat drug trafficker to 15 years underscores the serious consequences of continuous involvement in these illegal activities. This significant penalty highlights our dedication to enforcing drug laws and maintaining public safety,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Mark Lippa. “We hope this sentence acts as a powerful deterrent for others and reinforces the importance of adhering to the law. This outcome is a testament to the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies working together to uphold justice and strive for a drug-free society."

According to court documents, in December 2023, authorities arrested Noyola following a search at his residence. At the time of the search, law enforcement seized over a kilogram of powdered cocaine.

Noyola remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt and Brittany Jensen from the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

Updated: 02/24/2025
February 10, 2025Newark, NJ, United StatesChild Exploitation

Repeat offender gets 10-year sentence after ICE HSI Newark investigation

NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County man was sentenced for possessing child sexual abuse material, following an investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Newark with support from CBP Port of New York/Newark.

Jonathan Lattif, 46, of Jersey City, N.J., who was sentenced to 120 months in prison on February 6, 2025. Lattif previously pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography at the District of New Jersey in Newark.

“It is inconceivable that a market exists for the disturbing and depraved images Lattif had in his possession,” said ICE HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “HSI Newark is constantly working with our law enforcement partners to protect children who are victimized in the heinous crime of online child sexual exploitation and abuse.”

According to the investigation, on March 18, 2022, Lattif possessed videos depicting sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent children, on his mobile device. He possessed over 500 videos files and 1 photograph of child sexual abuse material.

Lattif also has a prior state conviction for possession of child pornography.

In addition to the prison term, Lattif was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.

Updated: 02/10/2025
June 6, 2025Providence, RI, United StatesFinancial Crimes

Romanian national sentenced for defrauding hundreds of banking customers

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — An illegally present Romanian national described in court documents as an “undeterred serial scammer” has been sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison and will face deportation proceedings after a joint U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation found he had stolen and used the personal banking information of hundreds of victims.

Mario Demarco, aka Marius Lupu aka David Adamec, 30, pleaded guilty in January to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He was sentenced June 3 to 33 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release. Additionally, the court ordered Demarco to pay restitution totaling $16,567.06.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations has lodged an immigration detainer and he will face removal proceedings after he has completed his criminal sentence.

Court documents show that beginning in October 2022, Demarco traveled up and down the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic installing skimming devices on ATMs. These devices intercepted hundreds of customers’ debit card and banking information, which Demarco used to create fraudulent debit cards. The bogus cards were then used to make unauthorized cash withdrawals, attempted withdrawals and purchases.

Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Demarco installed skimming devices on at least 10 ATMs and compromised at least 952 cards. Demarco owes restitution to 15 different banks.

ICE HSI Providence led the investigation with assistance from the Warwick Police Department, the Cranston Police Department, the East Greenwich Police Department, North Kingstown Police Department, the East Providence Police Department, the Boston Police Department, the New York City Police Department, and the Stratford Police Department in Connecticut.

Updated: 06/06/2025
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July 25, 2025Boston, MA, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

Salvadoran serial criminal convicted of unlawful reentry after ICE Boston arrest

Illegal alien previously convicted of assault with deadly weapon, assault on police officer, drunk driving, larceny, malicious destruction of property

BOSTON — A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation resulted in a federal conviction for an illegally present Salvadoran national who unlawfully reentered the United States after having previously been deported. Arsenio Valladares, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien July 7 at the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts.

“Not only did Arsenio Valladares display a blatant disregard for U.S. immigration laws; his presence in our community placed the safety of our residents in danger,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “He has been convicted of several violent crimes and represents a threat to our neighbors. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from New England.”

ICE deported Valladares from the United States April 23, 2008. Sometime after his removal, Valladares illegally reentered the United States without permission.

Prior to his removal, Valladares was convicted of assault and battery with a deadly weapon, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery, operating a vehicle under the influence, larceny and malicious destruction of property.

In November 2024, ICE Boston became aware of Valadares’ presence in the United States after being notified that his fingerprints were taken in connection with criminal charges in Massachusetts. Officers with ICE Boston arrested him on immigration charges March 18.

Valladares faces to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 at his sentencing hearing, scheduled for later this month. Furthermore, Valladares is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts is prosecuting the case.

Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROBoston and @HSINewEngland.

Updated: 07/25/2025
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July 3, 2025San Antonio, TX, United StatesHuman Smuggling/Trafficking

San Antonio man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for transporting 25 illegal aliens inside tanker trailer following ICE Eagle Pass, federal partner investigation

DEL RIO, Texas — A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court to 10 years in prison for one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol.

Richard Rindeikis, 44, was sentenced July 2 by a federal judge to 120 months for his role in a human smuggling event. Rindeikis was arrested Nov. 18, 2024. He pleaded guilty Feb. 5 to one count for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.

“This sentencing is a grim reminder of the extreme measures smugglers will take for profit, endangering the lives of vulnerable individuals in the process,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “Smuggling human beings inside a tanker trailer is not only illegal, but also inhumane. Thanks to the swift work of law enforcement, the victims were rescued before tragedy struck. HSI remains relentless in our mission to dismantle smuggling networks and protect human life at every turn.”

“This district has seen far too many instances of human smuggling like this one end in tragedy. If not for the excellent work by the U.S. Border Patrol in this case, we may have seen another,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “My office will continue to pursue, prosecute, and seek to punish those who selfishly value profit over human life.”

According to court documents, on Nov. 18, 2024, Rindeikis was driving a truck connected to a tanker trailer when he was subjected to inspection at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Carrizo Springs. He claimed the tanker was empty and, when he couldn’t locate his driver’s license, was referred to secondary inspection. USBP agents observed that the hatches on top of the tanker trailer were closed and completely secured. When they opened the hatches, they discovered numerous people sitting inside the tanker. A total of 25 illegal aliens from Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico, were removed and Rindeikis was placed under arrest. He was indicted for two counts and pleaded guilty to count one on Feb. 5, 2025.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Duarte II for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case.

Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by calling the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by completing the online tip form.

For more information about HSI San Antonio and its public safety efforts in Central and South Texas, follow HSI San Antonio on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.

Updated: 07/07/2025