MAN CHARGED FOR ALLEGED ROLE IN MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER OF ICE SPECIAL AGENTS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Defendant Charged with Alleged Participation in the Murder of Ice Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the Attempted Murder of Ice Special Agent Victor Avila Extradited from Mexico

Four Others Have Already Pleaded Guilty to Charges in the Case

A Mexican national was extradited from Mexico to face charges for his alleged participation in the February 2011 murder of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of ICE Special Agent Victor Avila in Mexico.

The charges and extradition were announced today by Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Vincent H. Cohen Jr. of the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Joseph S. Campbell of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division and Director Sarah R. Saldaña of ICE.

Jose Emanuel Garcia Sota, aka Juan Manuel Maldonado Amezcua, Zafado or Safado, 34, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, was charged on May 6, 2013, in a four-count indictment with one count of murder of an officer or employee of the United States; one count of attempted murder of an officer or employee of the United States; one count of attempted murder of an internationally protected person; and one count of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.  The indictment was unsealed today when Garcia Sota made his initial appearance before Chief U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the District of Columbia.  His next appearance in court is scheduled for Oct. 9, 2015.

“It has been over four and a half years since ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata valiantly lost his life and Special Agent Victor Avila suffered grave injuries when they were ambushed by gunfire while on assignment in Mexico,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell.  “As evidenced by today’s announcement, the passage of time has not lessened our resolve to keep our promise to the family of Special Agent Zapata and to Special Agent Avila and his family, and bring to justice those responsible for this senseless and brutal attack.  And we are grateful to the Government of Mexico for its continued partnership in this case.”

“Four years ago, on a Mexican roadside, two American heroes came under attack in a violent ambush by members of Los Zetas, a dangerous criminal cartel,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Cohen.  “Four people have already accepted responsibility for their actions, and now a fifth will be brought to an American courtroom for justice.  We will not stop in the pursuit of justice – no matter how far away and how long it takes.”

“Today's announcement is the direct result of unwavering resolve and unrelenting cooperation to bring to justice those accountable for the murder of Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of Victor Avila,” said Assistant Director Campbell.  “Although this cowardly act of violence occurred more than four years ago, this investigation remains a priority for the FBI.”

“This extradition is another step closer to the justice Special Agents Zapata and Avila deserve,” said ICE Director Saldaña.  “ICE is grateful to our partners whose tireless efforts brought about today's news.  Their dogged pursuit of justice, often in face of great danger, enables us to continue in our quest to make these criminals pay for their deeds.  While nothing can ever truly heal such a loss, we hope today's news brings Agent Zapata's family and friends a measure of peace.  His ultimate sacrifice will always be honored by the men and women of ICE.”

Four defendants previously pleaded guilty to offenses based on their roles in the murder and attempted murder of the ICE agents.  Julian Zapata Espinoza, aka Piolin, 34, pleaded guilty on May 23, 2013, to the murder of Special Agent Zapata and the attempted murder of Special Agent Avila.  Ruben Dario Venegas Rivera, aka Catracho, 27, pleaded guilty on Aug. 1, 2011, to federal charges concerning the murder of Special Agent Zapata and attempted murder of Special Agent Avila.  Jose Ismael Nava Villagran, aka Cacho, 33, pleaded guilty on Jan. 4, 2012, also to federal charges concerning the murder and attempted murder of the ICE agents.  Francisco Carbajal Flores, aka Dalmata, 40, pleaded guilty on Jan. 10, 2012, to conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and to being an accessory after the fact to the murder and attempted murder of the ICE agents.

As part of their guilty pleas, Espinoza, Rivera and Villagran admitted to being members of a Los Zetas hit squad and to participating directly in the Feb. 15, 2011, ambush of the two special agents.  The fourth defendant, Flores, acknowledged assisting Zetas members after the attack.

An indictment is a formal charging document and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, with substantial assistance from ICE, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Customs and Border Patrol, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the U.S. Marshals Service.  The investigation was also coordinated with the assistance of the Government of Mexico.

The case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia.  The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has provided substantial assistance.

USMS ANNOUNCES FUGITIVE ON THE RUN FOR 16 YEARS CAPTURED IN MEXICO

FROM:  U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE

June 30, 2015

Fugitive's 16 Year Run Comes to an End in Mexico

Sioux City, IA – Mitchell Meyer, a fugitive who fled the United States after failing to appear for trial in 1999, was arrested June 29th, 2015 by Mexican Federal Police and Immigration Agents in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Mexico City, Mexico Foreign Field Office, and the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force in Sioux City, Iowa. Meyer was detained by Mexican authorities and expelled from Mexico. After being expelled, Meyer was arrested by U.S. Marshals in the Southern District of Texas, where he is being held pending transportation back to Sioux City, Iowa.

Mitchell Meyer was arrested by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office in Iowa in February 1998 on 2 counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Meyer was released on bond and scheduled for trial on May 25, 1999; Meyer never appeared for trial.

In 2005 the United States Marshal Service Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force adopted the case and began searching for the whereabouts of Meyer. Unfortunately family members were uncooperative, and the only promising lead was that Meyer was in Mexico. In 2014, Deputy Marshal Dave Hubbell put a fresh set of eyes on the case and began to search for new leads. In May of 2015 Hubbell featured Meyer on Siouxland’s Most Wanted; a collaborative effort with KPTH Fox 44 and KMEG television stations. The tips began to roll in; many were simply old news, however one particular tip put Meyer in El Mezquitillo Mexico and ultimately led to the arrest of Meyer by Mexican Authorities.

United States Marshal Kenneth Runde offered praise for Deputy Hubbell’s efforts, stating; “Hubbell’s tenacity and sheer determination is reflective of the dedication and commitment to the community that the United States Marshal Service exhibits every day enforcing the laws of the United States”.

U.S. MARSHALS ANNOUNCE TWO AND A HALF YEAR FUGITIVE ARRESTED

FROM:  U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE 

February 04, 2015

Chris Atwater, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal 

Middle District of North Carolina 

Michael Potter, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal 

Middle District of North Carolina 

Greensboro U.S. Marshals End Suspect's Two and a Half Year Run From Justice

Greensboro, NC –  This morning at 06:00 AM, Javier Antonio Benitez-Fuentes, a 37 year old, Hispanic Male, was arrested by members of the U.S. Marshals Joint Fugitive Task Force (JFTF), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Greensboro Police Department. Benitez-Fuentes was wanted by the Greensboro Police Department for First Degree Sex Offense with a Child (two counts). Benitez-Fuentes had been on the run for approximately two and a half years.

The case began to progress after new information was received through a crime stoppers tip. Investigators were told that Benitez-Fuentes was living at 111 Concord Street under the alias of “Jose Benitez”. Investigators corroborated this information and set up surveillance. JFTF surrounded the residence and knocked on the door, the suspect refused to open the door. JFTF forced entry into the residence and located Benitez-Fuentes and detained him until further investigation. Benitez-Fuentes gave the officers’ an identification card in the name of “Jose Benitez”. The ICE agent on the scene finger-printed Benitez-Fuentes to confirm his identity and the print came back positive for Javier Antonio Benitez-Fuentes. Benitez-Fuentes was arrested without further incident and was transported to the Guilford County Detention Center where he was given a $100,000 bond.

The U.S. Marshals Joint Fugitive Task Force for the Middle District of North Carolina is comprised of investigators from the U.S. Marshals Service, Chapel Hill Police Department, Durham Police Department, Greensboro Police Department, High Point Police Department, Winston-Salem Police Department, Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Department of Community Corrections – Probation & Parole.

IDENTITY TRAFFICKER LEADER RECEIVES 91 MONTH PRISON SENTENCE

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Identity Trafficker in Puerto Rico Sentenced to 81 Months in Prison

A leader of a Puerto Rican identity trafficking organization was sentenced today to serve 81 months in prison. 

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rosa E. Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Thomas S. Winkowski of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Chief Postal Inspector Guy J. Cottrell of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Director Bill A. Miller of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and Chief Richard Weber of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.

Enrique Rogelio Mendez-Solis aka Rogelio Quero-Mendez, Roberto Marquez-Prada, 40, a Mexican national formerly of Seymour, Indiana, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Juan M. Pérez-Giménez in the District of Puerto Rico for his leading role in trafficking the identities and corresponding identity documents of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens.  Judge Pérez-Giménez also ordered the defendant to serve three years of supervised release and to forfeit $422,793 in illegal proceeds.  Mendez-Solis illegally entered the United States and the government will seek his deportation following the service of his prison sentence.  On Dec. 3, 2013, Mendez-Solis pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit identification fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit human smuggling for financial gain and three counts of aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, individuals located in the Savarona area of Caguas, Puerto Rico, obtained Puerto Rican identities and corresponding identity documents.  Other conspirators located in various cities throughout the United States solicited customers and sold Social Security cards and corresponding Puerto Rico birth certificates for prices ranging from $700 to $2,500 per set.  The identity brokers in the United States ordered the identity documents from the document suppliers in Savarona on behalf of their customers by making coded telephone calls.  The conspirators were charged with using text messages, money transfer services and express priority or regular U.S. mail to complete their illicit transactions.

Court documents allege that some of the conspirators assumed a Puerto Rican identity themselves and used that identity in connection with the trafficking operation.  Their customers generally obtained the identity documents to assume the identity of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and to obtain additional identification documents, such as legitimate state driver’s licenses.  Some customers obtained the documents to commit financial fraud and attempted to obtain a U.S. passport.  According to court documents, the organization trafficked at least 1,500 identities.

Various identity brokers were operating in Rockford, DeKalb and Aurora, Illinois; Seymour, Columbus and Indianapolis, Indiana; Hartford, Connecticut; Clewiston, Florida; Lilburn and Norcross, Georgia; Salisbury, Maryland; Columbus and Fairfield, Ohio; Dorchester, Lawrence, Salem and Worcester, Massachusetts; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Nebraska City, Nebraska; Elizabeth, New Jersey; Burlington and Hickory, North Carolina; Hazelton and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Houston, Texas; Abingdon and Albertville, Alabama; and Providence, Rhode Island.

To date, 53 individuals have been charged for their roles in the identity trafficking scheme.  All 49 arrested defendants have pleaded guilty and 46 defendants have been sentenced, including:

• Jorge Luis “Daniel” Mendez, 38, a Dominican national formerly of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, sentenced to 75 months in prison on April 28, 2014, followed by 3 years of supervised release;

• Daniel Aparicio-Lara, 30, a Mexican national formerly of Burlington, North Carolina sentenced to 65 months in prison on Dec. 18, 2012, followed by 3 years of supervised release;

• Rafael Joaquin Beltre-Beltre, 36, a Dominican national formerly of Caguas, Puerto Rico, sentenced to 63 months in prison on Sept. 4, 2012, followed by deportation;

• Wilfredo Blanco-Diaz, 41, a Dominican national formerly of Caguas, Puerto Rico, sentenced to 61 months in prison on March 11, 2014, followed by deportation;

• Jose Sergio Garcia-Ramirez, 39, a Mexican national formerly of Rockford, Illinois, sentenced to 54 months in prison on Nov. 26, 2012, followed by deportation;

• Moises Lara-Ceballos, 37, a Mexican national formerly of Seymour, Indiana, sentenced to 54 months in prison on Jan. 21, 2014, followed by deportation; and

• Wilson Antonio Hernandez-Fernandez, 40, a Dominican national formerly of Caguas, Puerto Rico, sentenced to 48 months in prison on Feb. 4, 2014, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

The charges are the result of Operation Island Express, a nationally coordinated investigation led by the ICE Homeland Security Investigations’ (ICE-HSI) Chicago Office and USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices in Chicago, in coordination with the ICE-HSI San Juan Office and the DSS Resident Office in Puerto Rico.  The Illinois Secretary of State Police; Elgin, Illinois Police Department; Seymour, Indiana Police Department and Indiana State Police provided substantial assistance.  The ICE-HSI Assistant Attaché office in the Dominican Republic and International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2) as well as various ICE, USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices around the country provided invaluable support.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys James S. Yoon, Hope S. Olds, Courtney B. Schaefer, and Christina Giffin of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, with the assistance of the Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section and the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.  The U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Indiana, District of Connecticut, District of Massachusetts, District of Nebraska, Middle District of North Carolina, Southern District of Ohio, Middle District of Pennsylvania, District of Rhode Island, Southern District of Texas and Western District of Virginia provided substantial assistance.

TWO PLEAD GUILTY TO IMPORTING, SELLING HAZARDOUS AND COUNTERFEIT CHILDREN'S TOYS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Two Individuals Plead Guilty to Importing and Selling Hazardous and Counterfeit Toys in New York

Two New York residents pleaded guilty today in connection with importing more than 100,000 counterfeit and hazardous children’s toys from China for sale in the United States.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch of the Eastern District of New York, Special Agent in Charge James T. Hayes Jr. of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, Director Robert E. Perez of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) New York Field Operations, Chairman Elliot F. Kaye of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Commissioner William J. Bratton of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) made the announcement.

“In a criminal twist on a toy story, the defendants made millions importing dangerous, knock-off toys that put children in harm’s way,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “The defendants used a continuously shifting series of corporate entities in an effort to stay one step ahead of law enforcement. But their game has now come to an end. The Department of Justice is committed to stopping those who would smuggle hazardous, counterfeit goods into the United States.”

“For eight years, the defendants lined their pockets while putting at risk the health of our children by smuggling dangerous and copyright-infringing toys into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Lynch. “Today’s guilty pleas signify the end of this dangerous pipeline from China. We will continue to be vigilant and prosecute those who would smuggle dangerous and unlawful items into our country and neighborhoods.”

“The United States has some of the strongest toy standards and lowest lead limits in the world, specifically to keep children safe,” said CPSC Chairman Kaye. “We have no more important mission than protecting children. For that reason, the CPSC will continue to work with our federal partners to enforce toy safety requirements at the ports and in the marketplace.”

“The defendants in this case endangered thousands of American children by manufacturing for sale counterfeit toys made with unsafe amounts of lead and other hazardous chemicals,” said Special Agent in Charge Hayes Jr. “HSI focuses its efforts to protect intellectual property, first and foremost, on those counterfeit goods that present health and safety hazards to consumers.”

Chenglan Hu, 52, and Hua Fei Zhang, 53, of Bayside, New York, pleaded guilty in connection with importing children’s toys with copyright-infringing images and counterfeit trademarks of popular children’s characters, as well as unsafe lead levels, small parts that presented risks of choking or ingestion, easily-accessible battery compartments, and other potential hazards. Hu and Zhang were the last of nine defendants to plead guilty in this investigation; Guan Jun Zhang, Jun Wu Zhang, and five corporations – Family Product USA Inc., H.M. Import USA Corp., ZCY Trading Corp., Zone Import Corp. and ZY Wholesale Inc. – previously pleaded guilty to Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) and trademark counterfeiting charges. In pleading guilty to trafficking in hazardous consumer goods in violation of CPSA, Hu and Zhang also agreed to forfeit $700,000 and more than 120,000 unsafe children’s toys. The government previously seized three luxury vehicles and six bank accounts, and filed lis pendens against two real properties owned by Zhang in Queens, New York.

According to court filings and facts presented at the plea hearings, from July 2005 through January 2013, Hu, Zhang, and the other individual defendants used the companies they owned to import and sell toys from China from a storefront and warehouse in Ridgewood, New York, and other locations in Brooklyn, New York and Queens, New York. According to the indictment, CBP seized toys imported by the defendants from shipping containers entering the United States from China on 33 separate occasions. Seventeen of the 33 seizures contained toys prohibited from import into the United States because of excessive lead content, excessive phthalate levels, small parts that presented risks of choking, aspiration or ingestion, and easily-accessible battery compartments. Sixteen of the 33 seizures contained toys bearing copyright-infringing images and counterfeit trademarks, including a wide variety of popular children’s characters, such as Winnie the Pooh, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Betty Boop, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Spiderman, Tweety, Mickey Mouse, and Pokémon, as well as those from movies such as “Cars,” “Toy Story” and “High School Musical.”

Hu, Zhang, and the other individual defendants changed their use of the companies, sometimes even forming new companies, and alternated their formal titles in order to conceal their continued importation and distribution of the hazardous and counterfeit toys.

Hu and Zhang pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein of the Eastern District of New York. Sentencing will be announced at a later date.

The case was jointly investigated by the HSI Intellectual Property Rights Group and the NYPD, through its participation in the New York Border Enforcement Security Task Force, with the assistance of CBP and CPSC. The case was prosecuted by Senior Counsel Evan Williams of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Campos and Claire Kedeshian of the Eastern District of New York.

MAN CONVICTED IN "VIOLENT SEX TRAFFICKING CONSPIRACY"

FROM:   U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 
Thursday, March 20, 2014

Maryland Man Convicted in Violent Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

A federal jury convicted Jean Claude Roy, aka Dredd the Don and Dreddy, age 31, of Germantown, Md., late yesterday of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, three counts of interstate transportation for prostitution and witness and evidence tampering.
 
The verdict was announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels for the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department.

“This defendant preyed on vulnerable young women and exploited them for prostitution,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Samuels.  “The Civil Rights Division is committed to seeking justice on behalf of victims of human trafficking.”

“Protecting our communities from those who engage in human trafficking is a top priority for HSI,” said Special Agent in Charge Winter.  “As a member of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, HSI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate human trafficking, as well as working with our local non-governmental, community-based and faith-based organizations to identify, rescue and assist victims of trafficking.”

According to evidence presented during the two week trial, between August and September 2012, Roy transported a victim across state lines to engage in prostitution and forced the victim to engage in prostitution by taking the victim’s identity documents, keeping all of the victim’s money and bragging about beating murder charges.  

In November 2012, Roy recruited co-defendant Brittney Creason to engage in prostitution at his direction.  Thereafter, Creason helped Roy recruit and transport girls from Illinois and North Carolina to engage in prostitution.  He continued to force women to engage in prostitution by bragging about beating murder charges, taking their identity documents and taking their money.  

Trial evidence also showed that from Jan. 1 through Jan. 10, 2013, while Roy was in jail on related state charges, he called an individual several times and had that person access online accounts and storage services belonging to Roy and Creason in order to erase evidence related to these charges.

Roy faces a statutory maximum sentenced of life in prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison for each of three counts of interstate transportation for prostitution; and a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison for witness and evidence tampering.  U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm scheduled sentencing for July 16, 2014.
The jury found Roy not guilty of sex trafficking and attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; and possessing and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

Creason, aka Kitty Amor, age 19, of Decatur, Ill., previously pleaded guilty to using a facility in interstate commerce for an illegal activity and awaits sentencing.  
This case was investigated by the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders.  Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members.  For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit this website.  

Report suspected instances of human trafficking to HSI's tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form.  Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.  

Acting Assistant Attorney General Samuels and U.S. Attorney Rosenstein commended HSI Baltimore and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi N. O’Malley and Trial Attorney William E. Nolan of the Civil Rights Division's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, who are prosecuting the case.

NEW SMARTPHONE APP LAUNCHED TO FIND PREDATORS AND RESCUE EXPLOITED CHILDREN

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 
ICE launches smartphone app to locate predators, rescue children from sexual abuse and exploitation

WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is launching a new smartphone app – the first of its kind in U.S. federal law enforcement – designed to seek the public's help with fugitive and unknown suspect child predators. All tips can be reported anonymously through the app, by phone or online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The most urgent case involves an unidentified man wanted for producing child pornography involving the sexual abuse of a 10 to 12-year-old girl. This "John Doe" is an unknown suspect and is believed to be living somewhere in the United States or Canada, but he could be anywhere in the world. The first video file was discovered by Interpol and submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in 2006. The full series was last seen by HSI special agents in Los Angeles in 2013 during execution of a search warrant. The four videos show the prepubescent girl being sexually abused by an adult male with short brown hair and blue eyes. In the videos, the offender has a full beard and wears glasses. Both he and the child are seen in a room with wood paneled walls with framed photos, a black computer, desk with sewing machine and brown patterned curtains.

In addition to profiling John Doe cases like this, the new smartphone app contains photos and information about known fugitives in HSI criminal cases involving sexually abused and exploited children.

"When children are being sexually abused and exploited, it's a race against the clock to rescue the child and bring the predator to justice," said ICE Acting Director John Sandweg. "These investigations are one of our highest priorities, and in today's world, we need to be technologically savvy and innovative in our approach."

ICE's Office of Public Affairs developed the app with special agents from HSI's Cyber Crimes Center (C3) and field offices across the country in order to seek the public's help with information about child predators wanted for criminal prosecution.

"The creation and launch of this application provides ICE another useful tool to reach the public," said ICE Director of Public Affairs Brian Hale. "We recognize that people receive a great deal of information on their mobile devices and we are hopeful that this app will encourage them to submit tips about suspects and to learn more about our work investigating child exploitation crimes."

The Operation Predator App enables those who download it to receive alerts about wanted predators, to share the information with friends via email and social media tools, and to provide information to HSI by calling or submitting an online tip. Additionally, the app enables users to view news about arrests and prosecutions of child predators and additional resources about ICE and its global partners in the fight against child exploitation.

Currently, the app can be downloaded from Apple's App Store or iTunes. ICE is also planning to expand compatibility to other smartphones in the near future.

HSI is requesting that anyone with information about John Doe or the other fugitives profiled to contact the agency in one of two ways: Call the ICE Tip Line, which is staffed 24-hours a day: (866) 347-2423 from the U.S. & Canada or (802) 872-6199 from anywhere in the world, or complete an online tip form at www.ice.gov/tips/.

INVESTIGATION INTO DEATH OF CARLOS LAMADRID IS CLOSED BY FEDS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Friday, August 9, 2013

Federal Officials Close the Investigation into the Death of Carlos LaMadrid
The Justice Department will not pursue federal criminal civil rights or other federal criminal charges against the United States Border Patrol (USBP) agent involved in the shooting incident that resulted in the death of Carlos LaMadrid, the Department announced today.

Officials from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) met today with LaMadrid’s family members and their representatives to inform them of this determination.  The department’s decision is based on the facts developed during an independent and comprehensive investigation into the matter.

The department devoted significant time and resources to investigating the events surrounding LaMadrid’s death on March 21, 2011, around noon, at the international boundary fence separating the United States from Mexico in Douglas, Ariz.  A team of experienced federal prosecutors reviewed thousands of pages of evidence generated by the DHS OIG investigators, the Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Internal Affairs Unit.  They conducted a detailed and lengthy analysis of numerous materials including videotapes of the incident, the autopsy report, physical evidence reports, official law enforcement use of force training materials, law enforcement accounts and civilian witness accounts.  Federal prosecutors also interviewed several key witnesses and physically examined the scene of the shooting to gather additional information.

The evidence developed during the investigation indicated that LaMadrid, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen, was observed by Douglas Police Department (DPD) officers loading suspected bundles of narcotics into a Chevrolet Avalanche.  DPD officers pursued the vehicle, but LaMadrid failed to yield and drove toward the international boundary fence.  The Avalanche ran into a USBP agent’s service vehicle near the fence.  LaMadrid exited the driver’s door, ran toward the fence, and climbed up a ladder that was resting against the fence.  On top of the fence, near LaMadrid, was another male throwing brick-sized rocks at the USBP agent.  At the time the shots were fired by the agent, LaMadrid was in the line of fire between the rock-throwing male and the agent.   LaMadrid was struck by four bullets, causing him to fall to the ground.  He was transported to a nearby hospital where he died in surgery several hours later.

While a civilian witness who climbed up the ladder behind the victim stated that he did not see anyone throwing rocks at the time of the shooting, his account is contradicted by the physical, testimonial and video evidence.  A law enforcement officer who witnessed the shooting stated that he saw a man on top of the fence throw three rocks at the agent, forcing the shooting agent to duck down behind his vehicle for cover.  The videotapes of the incident, although poor in quality, show an individual on top of the border fence making an overhead throwing motion as the victim ascends the ladder.  Crime scene investigators recovered several brick-sized rocks at the scene, including one that shattered the windshield of the USBP agent’s service vehicle, which the agent was standing or stooping next to when he fired five shots.

  Under the applicable federal criminal civil rights law, prosecutors must establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that an official “willfully” deprived an individual of a constitutional right, meaning that the official acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids.  This is the highest standard of intent imposed by the law.  Neither accident, mistake, fear, negligence nor bad judgment is sufficient to establish a federal criminal civil rights violation.  After a careful and thorough review, a team of experienced federal prosecutors determined that the evidence was insufficient to pursue federal criminal civil rights charges.

This matter is also not prosecutable under the federal homicide statutes, although it was committed within the Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States, because there is insufficient evidence for the government to disprove that the agent was acting in self-defense when he fired at the rock thrower and mistakenly struck the victim, who was in his line of fire.

VERMONT RESIDENT CHARGED WITH OBTAINING U.S. CITIZENSHIP THROUGH FRAUDULENT DISCLOSURES

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 
Friday, July 26, 2013
Vermont Man Charged with Obtaining U.S. Citizenship by Failing to Disclose Violent Crimes Committed During the Bosnian Conflict

Edin Sakoè, 54, of Burlington, Vt., was arrested today on charges that he obtained his naturalized citizenship through fraud by failing to disclose his prior acts of persecution and crimes committed during the Bosnian conflict, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Tristram J. Coffin of the District of Vermont, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge in Boston Bruce M. Foucart and Special Agent in Charge Andrew W. Vale of the FBI’s Albany, N.Y., Field Office.

According to the indictment filed in Burlington, Sakoè committed naturalization fraud by providing false and fraudulent information about his commission of crimes and his participation in the persecution of Bosnian Serbs during the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina.  Specifically, the indictment alleges that, in July 1992, Sakoè kidnapped and raped a Bosnian Serb woman and aided and abetted the murder of her elderly mother and aunt.  Sakoè also allegedly aided and abetted the burning of the victims’ family home.  According to the indictment, Sakoè allegedly failed to disclose his participation in these activities during his immigration and naturalization process.
   
Sakoè was charged in a two-count indictment filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court in the District of Vermont.  The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison as well as automatic revocation of his U.S. citizenship and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case is being investigated jointly by HSI Burlington and the FBI’s Albany Division.  ICE’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center assisted in this investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and its counterpart at the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.


The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Matthew C. Singer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles of the District of Vermont.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

DOJ ANNOUNCES MAN CHARGED IN COUNTERFEIT SEMICONDUCTOR CASE

FROM:   U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Monday, July 15, 2013
Massachusetts Man Charged with Selling Counterfeit Semiconductors Intended for Use on Nuclear Submarines

Peter Picone, 40, of Methuen, Mass., has been charged with importing counterfeit semiconductors from China for sale in the United States.

The charges were announced today by Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Deirdre M. Daly; Special Agent in Charge Bruce Foucart of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston; Acting Special Agent in Charge of Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Northeast Field Office Craig W. Rupert; and Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Northeast Field Office Cheryl A. DiPrizio.  

The eight-count indictment charges Picone with conspiring to traffic in counterfeit goods, conspiring to traffic in counterfeit military goods, trafficking in counterfeit goods, conspiring to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering.  The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in New Haven on June 25, 2013, and was unsealed today.

The indictment charges that from February 2007 through April 2012, Picone, through two companies he owned and operated, Tytronix Inc. and Epic International Electronics, purchased counterfeit semiconductors from sources in Hong Kong and China.  According to the indictment, Picone made false representations about the semiconductors and sold them to customers throughout the United States, including companies believed by Picone to be defense contractors in Connecticut and Florida.  Certain semiconductors sold by Picone were intended for use on nuclear submarines.
“By allegedly purchasing and reselling counterfeit semiconductors for military applications, Peter Picone put personal gain above the safety and well-being of dedicated U.S. servicemen and women,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman.  “As charged in the indictment, Picone went to great lengths to conceal the true origin of counterfeit semiconductors in order to sell the devices as seemingly legitimate and reliable components for use in nuclear submarines and other complex machinery.  The charges unsealed today demonstrate our steadfast commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to prosecute counterfeiters and others who risk the security of the men and women of the U.S. military.”

“Counterfeit semiconductors pose a serious health and safety risk to consumers and end-users, and an even greater threat to the safety of the men and women of our armed services when they are sold for use in the military,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daly.  “We will prosecute these types of cases to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Today’s charges demonstrate the continued commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and our peer agencies to protect the Department of Defense’s supply chain from being infiltrated and compromised with inferior components,” said DCIS Northeast Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Rupert.  “Safeguarding our warfighters and ensuring their equipment functions at the absolute highest levels is vital to our nation’s defense and readiness.  Detecting and dismantling the operations of suppliers who choose to make a profit by supplying counterfeit or inferior products is a DCIS priority.  I applaud the agents and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to bring about this result.”

“Trafficking in counterfeit sensitive technologies is an extremely dangerous practice on several fronts. Not only are there significant risks associated with the transportation of this faulty equipment, but our own American servicemembers are also put in harm’s way when they encounter substandard equipment,” said ICE-HSI Special Agent in Charge Foucart.  “One of HSI's top enforcement priorities is protecting the integrity of U.S. military products and other sensitive technology.”

“Counterfeit semiconductors represent a serious threat to the safety of our military service members and raise national security concerns,” said NCIS Special Agent in Charge DiPrizio.  “The introduction of defective equipment into the military supply chain can result in product failure, property damage and even serious bodily injury, including death.  Some of these counterfeit devices can also be preprogrammed with malicious code and enable computer network intrusion.  NCIS has worked closely with our law enforcement partners at DCIS and ICE-HSI in identifying unscrupulous suppliers and bringing them to justice.”

Picone was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez of the District of Connecticut in Hartford, Conn., and was released on bond.  Trial is scheduled for Sept. 9, 2013, before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford.

If convicted of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, Picone faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.  If convicted of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit military goods, Picone faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison.  If convicted of trafficking in counterfeit goods, Picone faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison.  If convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, or wire fraud, Picone faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.  If convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, Picone faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison.

The indictment also seeks forfeiture of proceeds from illicit trafficking in counterfeit goods and wire fraud as well as the seizure of the goods and any property involved in the money laundering conspiracy.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was jointly investigated by HSI, DCIS and NCIS.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang of the District of Connecticut and Trial Attorneys Kendra Ervin and Carol Sipperly of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.  Trial Attorney Kristen M. Warden of the Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section is assisting with the forfeiture aspects of the case.

The enforcement action announced today is one of many efforts being undertaken by the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property (IP Task Force). Attorney General Eric Holder created the IP Task Force to combat the growing number of domestic and international intellectual property crimes, protect the health and safety of American consumers, and safeguard the nation’s economic security against those who seek to profit illegally from American creativity, innovation, and hard work. The IP Task Force seeks to strengthen intellectual property rights protection through heightened criminal and civil enforcement, greater coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and increased focus on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders.

U.S. RESTRAINS PAINTING BY PICASSO

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Monday, June 24, 2013

U.S. Restrains 1909 Pablo Picasso Painting Valued at $11.5 Million

The Department of Justice today restrained the 1909 Pablo Picasso painting "Compotier et tasse" – estimated to be worth $11.5 million – on behalf of the Italian government, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton.


The restraining order was obtained in response to an official request by the government of Italy, pursuant to the treaty between the United States of America and the Italian Republic on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters for assistance in connection with its ongoing criminal investigation and prosecution of Gabriella Amati. Amati and her late husband, Angelo Maj, were charged by the Italian Public Prosecutors’ Office in Milan with embezzlement and fraudulent bankruptcy offenses under Italian law, and Italian prosecutors have obtained a restraining order for the Picasso painting in connection with the criminal proceeding.

According to documents filed in the Italian criminal proceeding, Amati and Maj, in collaboration with a public official of the city of Naples, Italy, employed various schemes to misappropriate tax receipts collected for Naples by companies the couple controlled. In addition, the Italian prosecutors alleged that Amati and Maj orchestrated a number of schemes to embezzle Naples’ tax revenue, including the use of fraudulent service contracts, forged accounting records, inflated operational expenses and fraudulently claimed refunds to Naples taxpayers, all to justify transfers to the couple’s own bank accounts of the taxes that were collected for the city, resulting in a loss of approximately 33 million Euros ($44 million) to Naples.

On May 21, 2013, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents in New York located and recovered the painting, which was being offered for private sale in the amount of $11.5 million.

An application to enforce the Italian restraining order was filed on June 21, 2013, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeking to restrain the Picasso painting belonging to Amati and Maj and located in New York City. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero granted the U.S. government’s application and issued a restraining order prohibiting the removal, sale or disposition of the Picasso painting from the court’s jurisdiction. The United States is working in close cooperation with the Italian Public Prosecutors’ Office in Milan and the Justice Department’s Attaché in Rome to forfeit the painting in an effort to repatriate the Picasso to Italy.

"Restraining this Picasso painting is yet another example of the Justice Department’s close partnership with law enforcement around the world," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman. "Our asset forfeiture section is committed to finding and securing every last penny of criminal proceeds and putting those ill-gotten proceeds back in the hands of victims, regardless of where they reside."

"We are pleased to have played a role in securing this valuable work of art by the celebrated artist, Pablo Picasso, on behalf of the Italian government," said U.S. Attorney Bharara. "Our commitment to ‘taking the profit out of crime’ transcends national boundaries and is the operating principle of our asset forfeiture program."

"Restraining this valuable artwork is an effort to help recover some of the estimated $44 million that this couple stole from the tax-paying citizens of Naples," said Director Morton. "We are very pleased that our investigation has led to the recovery of this painting that is so significant to the Italian people. This is an example of the fine work of our HSI cultural repatriation special agents. We will continue our efforts to return stolen antiquities to their rightful owners. "

The U.S. enforcement of the Italian order is being handled by Assistant Deputy Chief Jack de Kluiver and Trial Attorney Jennifer Wallis of Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section and Asset Forfeiture Unit Chief Sharon Cohen Levin and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Magdo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, ICE HSI New York and Rome, and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs. In Italy, the case is being handled by the Italian Public Prosecutor’s Office in Milan, and investigated by the Guardia di Finanza police service.

CALIFORNIA WOMAN GOES TO PRISON FOR SEX TRAFFICKING

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Former Sacramento woman sentenced to 9 years for sex trafficking


OAKLAND, Calif. — A former Sacramento woman was sentenced Wednesday to nine years in federal prison on charges stemming from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI that linked her to a scheme to sex traffic teenage girls.

Helen Jean Singh (née Kearney), 22, pleaded guilty earlier this year to participating in a sex trafficking conspiracy involving the prostitution of teenage females. During Wednesday's sentencing, Singh accepted responsibility for her actions.

A federal grand jury indicted Singh and her husband, Mahendar "Mike" Singh, on the sex trafficking conspiracy charge in December 2011. According to the indictment, the pair recruited teenage girls by promising money, drugs and a "family-like environment." The couple maintained control over their victims by providing drugs, using physical force and threats of physical force, and fostering a climate of fear. The Singh's used the Internet to advertise their prostitution enterprise, which spanned from Sacramento County to multiple Bay Area counties.

"Few crimes strike at our community the way sex trafficking does," U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said. "By sexually exploiting children and young adults for financial gain, sex traffickers have shown that greed has no bounds. My office will continue to lead efforts by law enforcement to fight the menace that is sex trafficking."

The Singhs were arrested in August 2011 after the South San Francisco Police Department responded to a motel near the San Francisco Airport and found Mahendar Singh with three teenage girls. The affidavit alleges the defendants used an Internet website to advertise their victims and employed cell phones and text-messaging to make arrangements with customers.

"While no prison sentence can ever compensate for the physical and emotional toll experienced by trafficking victims, this lengthy prison term should serve as a sobering warning about the consequences facing those who engage in this reprehensible practice," said Clark Settles, special agent in charge ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco. "Human traffickers prey on the powerless and the vulnerable. ICE Homeland Security Investigations and its federal law enforcement partners are committed to protecting those who cannot protect themselves."

"The FBI will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue and bring to justice sex traffickers who exploit and victimize juveniles," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Gavin of FBI San Francisco. "We will also work with our community partners to help those who are victimized get the assistance they need."

In addition to HSI and the FBI, the other agencies involved in the case included the South San Francisco Police Department; the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office; the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Criminal Section, Civil Rights Division; U.S. Department of Justice; and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice.

The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton. Judge Hamilton also sentenced Helen Singh, who was and will remain in custody, to a five-year period of supervised release following her prison term and ordered her to forfeit property and make restitution of $45,000 to one of the victims. Mahendar Singh, who also pleaded guilty previously, received the same sentence April 18.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Huang prosecuted the case with the assistance of legal assistant Vanessa Vargas.

Human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes that HSI investigates. In its worst manifestation, human trafficking is akin to modern-day slavery. HSI relies on tips from the public to dismantle these organizations. Trafficking victims are often hidden in plain sight, voiceless and scared. The public is urged to report suspicious human trafficking activity to the ICE HSI Tip Line at
1-866-347-2423 or report tips online at www.ice.gov/tips.

FORMER ICE AGENT IN CHARGE OF MIAMI OFFICE, SENTENCED FOR TRANSPORTING CHILD PORNOGRRAPHY

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Friday, November 9, 2012
Former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Miami Office Special Agent in Charge Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Transporting Child Pornography

WASHINGTON – A former Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Miami Office was sentenced today to serve 70 months in prison for transporting child pornography, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach of the FBI Miami Field Office and Sheriff Al Lamberti of the Broward County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office.

Anthony Mangione, 52, of Parkland, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra in West Palm Beach, Fla. In addition to his prison term, Mangione was sentenced to serve 20 years of supervised release.

On July 16, 2012, Mangione pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida. He was indicted on Sept. 27, 2011, by a grand jury in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

According to court documents, between March 2010 and September 2010, Mangione used a computer and other means to transport visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Specifically, according to court documents, Mangione established several AOL email accounts to transport numerous images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including transmitting several images to an individual in Delaware.

During the period of time in which he transported child pornography, Mangione served as the Special Agent in Charge for the ICE Miami Office. Mangione was placed on administrative leave by ICE in April 2011 and has since retired.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Alexandra R. Gelber and Trial Attorney Michael W. Grant of CEOS. The investigation was conducted by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General.

DESIGN FIRM FOUNDER GETS 18 MONTHS FOR CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

The following excerpt is from the Department of Justice website:

“JULY 13, 2011

WASHINGTON — A founder and president of a Washington-area design firm was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for her role in a conspiracy to defraud the United States in the award of a government contract for U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Justice announced today.
Darlene Mathis-Gardner was also sentenced by Judge Richard J. Leon to 36 months of supervised release after her incarceration and to pay $389,738 in restitution to ICE. Mathis-Gardner was charged with the conspiracy in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on April 8, 2011, and she pleaded guilty on April 18, 2011.
According to the two-count felony charge, Mathis-Gardner conspired with others to defraud the United States in order to obtain the award of a contract by the General Services Administration (GSA) for interior design work to be performed on Potomac Center North, a building in the southwest of Washington that ICE was renovating as a new headquarters. Mathis-Gardner provided false information and documents to GSA officials in order to obtain the contract. According to the court documents, Mathis-Gardner and her co-conspirators misrepresented their company's background and qualifications and created fictitious documentation of the company's past performance in order to convince government officials that they were qualified to perform the work. Based on the misrepresentations and false documents, the government awarded Mathis-Gardner's company a contract worth approximately $1.3 million. The department said that the conspiracy to fraudulently obtain the contract took place from in or about March 2007 until at least in or about June 2007.
The charges further state that once the contract was obtained, Mathis-Gardner knowingly presented invoices to GSA that falsely overstated the number of hours that her firm had worked. The department said that the falsely inflated invoices were submitted during the period between June 2007 and January 2009. According to the court documents, as a result of the charged offenses, ICE suffered a loss of $389,738.
Mathis-Gardner's plea arose from an investigation into procurement fraud occurring against ICE conducted by the Antitrust Division's National Criminal Enforcement Section (NCES) and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility.”