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.

COLOMBIAN NATIONAL RECEIVES PRISON TERM FOR ROLE IN DRUG MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEME

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Colombian National Sentenced to 63 Months for Conspiring to Launder Drug Trafficking Proceeds

A Colombian national was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for conspiring to launder drug trafficking proceeds, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Tito Miller Parra-Isaza, 45, pleaded guilty on May 26, 2015.  U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade of the Northern District of Texas imposed the sentence.

According to a factual stipulation filed in connection with his guilty plea, Parra-Isaza coordinated the deposit of bulk cash, which he knew to be the proceeds of drug trafficking, into financial institutions in Mexico and elsewhere.  The bulk cash was later wire transferred into bank accounts in Dallas and then transported to Panama and elsewhere for distribution to individuals involved in drug trafficking.

Four other defendants previously pleaded guilty.  Of the remaining charged defendants, three are fugitives and one is deceased.

This case is being investigated by the DEA.  This case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Mark Irish and Trial Attorney Nicole Grosnoff of the Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section.  The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also 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”.

FUGITIVE WANTED FOR MURDER SINCE 2008 CAUGHT IN MEXICO

FROM:  U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE 

March 17, 2015 Yvette Soto, Deputy U.S. Marshal

Fugitive Wanted for 2008 Murder Apprehended in Mexico, Deported to U.S.

Allegedly left victim’s burned, bullet-riddled body in West Mesa

Las Cruces, NM - The U.S. Marshals Service South West Investigative Fugitive Team (SWIFT) task force took custody of one of New Mexico’s most wanted fugitives, U.S. citizen Mario Jerardo Talavera, on Friday, March 13.

In 2011, Talavera was featured on Fox’s America’s Most Wanted in connection with the gruesome 2008 murder of Danny Baca, a 53-year-old Albuquerque resident. Talavera and two associates allegedly killed Baca over a drug deal gone wrong, and left his burned, bullet-riddled body in the West Mesa where it was found by the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department.

“After the crime, Talavera allegedly fled,” said Conrad Candelaria, U.S. Marshal of the District of New Mexico. “We joined the manhunt for him soon after.”

The fugitive investigation gained momentum when U.S. Marshals determined Talavera had fled to Mexico. Further investigation by U.S. Marshals and Mexican authorities revealed that Talavera was located in the city of Cuauhtémoc, where he was then arrested by Mexican authorities. Talavera was deported to the United States and booked into the Otero County Prison Facility in New Mexico. He is facing charges for federal drug trafficking, murder and kidnapping.

“The final chapter of justice denied has been written,” said Candelaria. “This dangerous and violent fugitive will now be held accountable for the gruesome and unconscionable acts of violence committed.

“The U.S. Marshals worked closely with the local district attorney, the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office and many other agencies in the law enforcement community both local and international to ensure justice was served.”

U.S. MARSHALS APPREHEND FOREIGN HOMICIDE SUSPECT

FROM:  U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE 

Foreign Fugitive Apprehended in Small Town Georgia

Atlanta, GA – The U.S. Marshals from Northern District of Georgia, Gainesville office, with the assistance of Gainesville Police Department, arrested a foreign fugitive yesterday who is charged with aggravated homicide in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

Marcos Trejo Villeda, aka Marco Antonio Trejo Villeda, 33, has been a fugitive since 2011 when he was indicted for the murder of two individuals in the town of Xilitla. On July 3, 2008, Trejo Villeda attended a party where he began arguing with Tito Herrera Trejo. As he was leaving the party Herrera Trejo threw a beer can at him. Trejo Villeda did not respond but continued to leave the party. Shortly thereafter, Trejo Villeda returned and without a word, fired a gun at Herrera Trejo and Meregildo Rojo Martinez, shooting them in the head, killing both victims. Trejo Villeda then fled from the party.

On October 22, 2013, a provisional arrest warrant was received by the U.S. Marshals in Houston, Texas. Marshals in Houston located Trejo Villeda in Gainesville through a 2011 arrest by Hall County Sheriff’s Office for DUI. He was sentenced and released. Trejo Villeda believed he was in the clear because in September 2013 he renewed his driver’s license and vehicle registration under his legal name.

The Marshals in Houston sent the lead to the Gainesville sub-office. The deputies quickly started working the case. After conducting surveillance at the two addresses in Gainesville, they soon realized that this case would be more than just a discrete locate. The Assistant United States Attorney in Atlanta obtained an arrest warrant on January 15, 2014.

On Tuesday, deputies conducted surveillance at the home address and located two vehicles registered to Trejo Villeda with an apartment address. Yesterday morning, while conducting surveillance at the apartment, deputies observed the truck registered to Trejo Villeda leave and drive to the home. Trejo Villeda parked the truck, entered a van and left to a nearby Racetrak gas station, where he was arrested by the Marshals Service with the assistance of Gainesville Police Department.

Trejo Villeda is currently awaiting extradition to Mexico to answer the allegations in the indictment.

FOREIGN MURDER SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN EDINBURG, TEXAS

FROM:  U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE 
October 09, 2013
DUSM Martin Gomez
Southern District of Texas
 Fugitive Task Force Arrest Murder Suspects in Edinburg, TX

McAllen, Texas – The United States Marshals Service-multi agency led Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force (GCVOFTF) announce the arrests of two fugitives wanted in Mexico.

Humberto Villasenor-Soto and Osvaldo De La Paz-Soto are wanted by Mexican Authorities of the Procuraduria General De Justicia Del EDO for Homicide. On January 2013, Villasenor-Soto and his cousin De La Paz-Soto allegedly shot and killed a young male in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, as he attempted to help and protect his mother from Villasenor-Soto and De La Paz-Soto. It is alleged that Villasenor-Soto and De La Paz-Soto held a gun to the victim’s mother as they carjacked her vehicle from the front driveway of her residence. The teenage boy victim was fatally shot as Villasenor-Soto and De La Paz-Soto drove away with the stolen vehicle. Mexican Authorities from the Procuraduria General De Justicia Del EDO contacted the United States Marshals Service when they learned that the assailants fled into the United States to avoid apprehension. The GCVOFTF in McAllen, Texas, were requested to assist in the apprehension of the two foreign fugitives.

On October 8, 2013, members of the GCVOFTF developed information that Villasenor-Soto and De La Paz-Soto were hiding in an apartment complex in Edinburg, Texas. Members of the GCVOFTF approached and made entry into the apartment after observing De La Paz-Soto walk into the apartment. Members of the GCVOFTF arrested Villasenor-Soto and De La Paz Soto after finding them inside a bedroom. Villasenor-Soto and De La Paz-Soto were turned over to Mexican Authorities at the Hidalgo Port of Entry with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The GCVOFTF is a team comprised of law enforcement officers from the Bureau of Alcohol
Tobacco & Firearms, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations,
McAllen P.D., Mission P.D., San Juan P.D., Starr County Sheriff’s Department, TDCJ Office of
Inspector General, Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S. Marshals Service and Weslaco
P.D.

SINALOA CARTEL LEADER'S ASSOCIATES, BUSINESSES TARGETED BY TREASURY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY 
Action Targets Supporters and Businesses Linked to Sinaloa Boss Ismael Zambada Garcia

 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated three individuals and three entities linked to Ismael Zambada Garcia, one of the principal leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel.  Those designated include Jose Antonio Nunez Bedoya, a Mexican attorney and notary public who helps to create front companies in order to conceal and launder assets on behalf of Zambada Garcia, members of Zambada Garcia’s family, and other members of the Sinaloa Cartel.  Nunez Bedoya incorporated Estancia Infantil Nino Feliz and Establo Puerto Rico on behalf of Zambada Garcia, and he notarized real estate purchases on behalf of Santa Monica Dairy, all of which were previously designated by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in May 2007.  Additionally, Nunez Bedoya notarized real estate purchases on behalf of Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin Guzman Loera and his wife, Griselda Lopez Perez, whom OFAC designated in September 2012.

“Treasury will continue to target and disrupt financial operations linked to the Sinaloa Cartel by taking action against any facilitators, legal or financial professionals, or businesses that are laundering their narcotics proceeds,” said OFAC Director Adam J. Szubin.

The cash-intensive businesses designated by OFAC today were Parque Acuatico Los Cascabeles, a Sinaloa-based water park, Centro Comercial y Habitacional Lomas, a shopping mall in Culiacan, and Rancho Agricola Ganadero Los Mezquites, a cattle ranch in Sinaloa.  Nunez Bedoya incorporated and notarized all three businesses on behalf of Zambada Garcia.

Also designated today were Tomasa Garcia Rios and Monica Janeth Verdugo Garcia, wife and daughter of deceased narcotics trafficker Jose Lamberto Verdugo Calderon.  Verdugo Calderon, who was killed by the Mexican military in January 2009, was widely identified by U.S. and Mexican authorities as a major financial operative and lieutenant for Zambada Garcia.  Tomasa Garcia Rios and Monica Janeth Verdugo Garcia own Rancho Agricola Ganadero Los Mezquites and Parque Acuatico Los Cascabeles.

Today’s action would not have been possible without critical support from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

“The Sinaloa Cartel cannot hide behind front companies like a water park or agricultural business,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman.  “We are working with OFAC to expose these traffickers’ front companies for what they really are – illegal enterprises that fuel the drug trade, its violence and corruption.  As we continue to follow the money trail, we starve these traffickers of their assets and eventually put their global criminal networks out of business.”

Today’s action, pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act), generally prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these designees and also freezes any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction.  The President named Ismael Zambada Garcia and the Sinaloa Cartel as significant foreign narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Kingpin Act in May 2002 and April 2009, respectively.

Internationally, OFAC has designated more than 1,300 businesses and individuals linked to 103 drug kingpins since June 2000.  Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation to more severe criminal penalties.  Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million.  Other individuals could face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act.

3 PLEAD GUILTY TO AMBUSH MURDER

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Three Defendants Plead Guilty to Participating in Ambush Murder and Attempted Murder of Ice Agents in Mexico
Julian Zapata Espinoza, also known as "Piolin," 32, pleaded guilty today to the 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 court also unsealed today the guilty pleas of three other defendants on related murder, attempted murder, racketeering and accessory charges.

The guilty pleas, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, were announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Assistant Director Ronald T. Hosko of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division; and ICE Director John Morton.

As set forth in court filings, on Feb. 15, 2011, Espinoza, a commander in Los Zetas Cartel, a heavily armed Mexican narco-trafficking cartel and transnational criminal organization, attempted to hijack Special Agent Zapata’s and Special Agent Avila’s armored government vehicle as the agents were driving on Highway 57 in San Luis Potosi. Two armed Zetas hit squads, or "estacas," forced the agents off the road and surrounded their vehicle. Espinoza, the leader of the attack, ordered the agents to exit their vehicle. When the agents refused and attempted to identify themselves as American diplomats from the U.S. Embassy, the hit squad members fired weapons near and into the vehicle, striking both agents. Estaca members continued to fire at the vehicle as the agents attempted to escape by driving away. Special Agent Zapata died as a result of the gunshot wounds he suffered during the attack, and Special Agent Avila was seriously injured.

On April 19, 2011, Espinoza was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia on multiple counts pertaining to the murder of ICE Special Agent Zapata and the attempted murder of ICE Special Agent Avila and, on Dec. 20, 2011, was extradited from Mexico to the United States. This morning, the defendant entered a guilty plea before Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth to the murder of Special Agent Zapata, an officer and employee of the United States, and the attempted murder of Special Agent Avila, an officer and employee of the United States.

In addition to the announcing the guilty plea of Espinoza, prosecutors also announced related guilty pleas by three other defendants. Ruben Dario Venegas Rivera, also known as "Catracho," 25, 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, also known as "Cacho," 30, pleaded guilty on Jan. 4, 2012, also to federal charges concerning the murder and attempted murder of the ICE agents. Francisco Carbajal Flores, also known as "Dalmata," 38, 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 Feb. 15 attack.

All four defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison. No sentencing date has been set for the defendants.

"Special Agent Zapata died for his country in a senseless and brutal attack, and Special Agent Avila was grievously wounded in the same ambush by members of Los Zetas Cartel," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman. "Both men are American heroes who dedicated themselves to protecting the United States, only to be attacked by vicious thugs. I hope that today’s announcement of guilty pleas by the Cartel members directly responsible for the attack brings some measure of justice to the victims and their families. A team of dedicated prosecutors and investigators has worked day and night to identify and hold these defendants accountable. Our work is far from over, and we will continue to devote our full resources and work with our law enforcement partners here and abroad to investigate and prosecute those responsible."

"The deadly ambush of two highly dedicated and courageous American law enforcement officers by the Los Zetas drug cartel demanded an intense, dedicated and forceful response," said U.S. Attorney Machen. "The message to any criminal who dares to commit an act of violence against a U.S. law enforcement officer serving in a foreign land is unmistakable - if you commit such a heinous crime, we will not forget, we will not falter, and we will not rest until you are brought to justice. Our work in this critical case will continue until all of those who participated in the murder of Special Agent Zapata and attempted murder of Special Agent Avila are held accountable."

"With the assistance of our law enforcement partners, assailants responsible for murdering Agent Zapata and wounding Agent Avila have been brought to justice," said FBI Assistant Director Hosko. "While there is nothing we can do to change what happened that fateful day in Mexico, let it be known that an attack against any federal agent serving his or her country is an attack on all federal agents and as such remains a priority for the FBI until those responsible are brought to justice."

"Today’s announcement is a very important milestone in the effort to see that justice is served in the murder of ICE Special Agent Zapata and the attempted murder of ICE Special Agent Victor Avila," said ICE Director Morton. "Both men were trying to make the world a safer place, and today’s result is a very welcome step to honor their service and sacrifice."

This 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 Protection, the Diplomatic Security Service and the U.S. Marshals Service.

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

U.S. MARSHALS ANNOUNCE RECOVERY OF 2 ABDUCTED CHILDREN IN MEXICO

FROM: U.S. MARSHALS SERVIE

TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Marshals Service investigators along with detectives with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department worked with law enforcement in Mexico to recover two girls, ages 1 and 2, Thursday in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, who had been abducted by their non-custodial parents.

This investigation stems from suspicious circumstances that surround an investigation involving Child Protective Services in Pima County due to injuries sustained by one of the girls. It is alleged that in November 2012 Luis Fernando Palacio, 26, fled to Sonora, Mexico, with his 2-year-old daughter after being ordered to return the child to the mother. In January, Danielle Nicole Lovemore, 22, allegedly kidnapped her 1-year-old daughter, who was in CPS custody.

Based on the Marana Police Department investigation into this incident, a felony arrest warrant was issued on Lovemore, charging her with custodial interference. It was believed Lovemore fled to Mexico in an attempt to reunite with Palacios. At that time, assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service was requested. U.S. Marshals Service investigators began to work around the clock with Mexican law enforcement to locate Lovemore in an attempt to recover the missing children.

Lovemore and the two children were located Thursday at a residence in Hermosillo after being tracked there by Mexican law enforcement. The U.S. State Department’s American Citizens Services are currently caring for the children pending their safe return to the United States. Lovemore was deported to the U.S. Thursday night through the Nogales Port of Entry where Deputy U.S. Marshals took her into custody and transported her to the Pima County Jail.

"International child abduction cases are the most difficult to execute due to conflicting parental agendas and international jurisdictions," said U.S. Marshal for the District of Arizona David Gonzales. "The quick and safe return of these two children was paramount to all of the American and Mexican agencies that worked diligently on this case. Child abduction cases continue to rise and have increased nearly 70 percent since 2009. This increase is primarily attributed to more international couples."

DRUG CARTEL LEADER GETS LIFE, ADMITS LINKS TO OVER 1,500 MURDERS

FROM DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Juarez Drug Cartel Leader Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to U.S. Consulate Murders and Is Sentenced to Life in Prison Defendant Admits to Directing or Participating in More Than 1,500 Murders since 2008

WASHINGTON – The Juarez Drug Cartel’s leader in Juarez and Chihuahua, Mexico, pleaded guilty today in El Paso, Texas, and was sentenced to life in prison for his participation in drug-trafficking and numerous acts of violence in connection with the Barrio Azteca gang, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman for the Western District of Texas, FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Morgan of the FBI’s El Paso Office and Administrator Michele M. Leonhart of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Jose Antonio Acosta-Hernandez, 34, aka “Diego,” “Dienton,” “Diez” and “Bablazo,” of Chihuahua, was extradited to the United States from Mexico on March 16, 2012.  Today, he pleaded guilty to four counts of racketeering, narcotics trafficking and money laundering.  Acosta-Hernandez also pleaded guilty to seven counts of murder and weapons charges, which specifically related to the March 13, 2010, triple homicide in Juarez of U.S. Consulate employee Leslie Enriquez, her husband Arthur Redelfs and Jorge Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of another U.S. Consulate employee.  Immediately after the guilty plea hearing, Acosta-Hernandez was sentenced to seven concurrent life terms, three additional consecutive life terms and 20 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone of the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division.

Today’s action is the result of close coordination between U.S. law enforcement and the government of Mexico in the investigation and prosecution of this case.  The cooperation and assistance of the government of Mexico was essential to achieving the successful extradition, plea and sentencing of Acosta-Hernandez.  

“As the leader of La Linea’s enforcement wing, Mr. Acosta-Hernandez directed a reign of terror,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.  “Today’s guilty plea and sentence are a significant step in our effort to bring to justice those responsible for the consulate murders, and it would not have been possible without the extraordinary assistance of our law enforcement partners in Mexico, including Attorney General Marisela Morales Ibáñez.  We are determined to hold accountable those individuals who committed the consulate murders, and to dismantle the dangerous criminal enterprise that fueled these and many other tragic and senseless acts of violence.  Gangs and other criminal organizations that threaten public safety on both sides of the border are on notice that we are working more closely than ever with our Mexican counterparts to shut them down.”

“This plea represents the culmination of a virtual textbook example of cooperation among law enforcement agencies, both in the United States and in Mexico, to hold accountable those at the highest level of the drug trafficking trade,” said U.S. Attorney Pitman.  “We will continue to work together with our counterparts in Mexico to target those responsible for the heinous crimes associated with cartel activity.”

“This investigation exemplifies the FBI’s commitment and that of our federal, state, local and international partners to investigate and prosecute individuals and organized criminal organizations who commit violent acts and other crimes impacting the U.S. and our border area with the Republic of Mexico,” said Special Agent in Charge Morgan.  “The joint effort included the participation of USM Service, CBP, DEA, HSI, DOS, Texas DPS, El Paso Police, El Paso County Sheriff’s office and our Mexican partners.”
“Acosta-Hernandez is a cold blooded murderer with no respect for human life or the rule of law,” said DEA Administrator Leonhart.  “His violent and deadly actions were put to a stop due to the combined efforts of U.S. law enforcement, and the will of the Mexican government. Together, we will relentlessly continue our pressure on the Mexican cartels and gangs that carry out violence on both sides of the border.”

The third superseding indictment, returned on March 2, 2011, alleged that Acosta-Hernandez was an associate of the Barrio Azteca (BA), a violent street and prison gang that began in the late 1980s and expanded into a transnational criminal organization.  According to information presented in court, the BA formed an alliance with “La Linea,” which is part of the Juarez Drug Cartel and is also known as the Vincente Carrillo Fuentes Drug Cartel or “VCF.”  The purpose of the BA-La Linea alliance was to battle the Chapo Guzman Cartel and its allies for control of the drug trafficking routes through Juarez and Chihuahua.  The drug routes through Juarez, known as the Juarez Plaza, are important to drug trafficking organizations because they are a principal illicit drug trafficking conduit into the United States.  

Acosta-Hernandez admitted that in approximately 2008, he became the leader of La Linea’s armed enforcement wing and acted as the VCF’s plaza boss in Chihuahua and Juarez.  In this role, Acosta-Hernandez, in coordination with the BA, led violent attacks against their common enemies.  Acosta-Hernandez admitted that he directed or participated in more than 1,500 murders since 2008.

For example, Acosta-Hernandez admitted that on Jan. 30, 2010, he ordered hit-men in his organization to kill members of the opposition that were sighted at a daytime birthday party at a home in Juarez.  As part of this incident, 16 individuals were killed and 10 individuals were wounded at three different residences in Juarez.  On July 15, 2010, Acosta-Hernandez directed a car bombing in Juarez that ultimately killed four people.
       
Acosta-Hernandez admitted that his purpose for engaging in these violent attacks was, in part, to protect and enhance the La Linea-BA alliance’s importation of heroin, cocaine and marijuana into the Western District of Texas and elsewhere, and ultimately to make possible the distribution of those drugs in the United States.  Acosta-Hernandez admitted that he knew that the La Linea-BA alliance earned millions of dollars in drug trafficking profits each year.  He also knew that these profits were reinvested into the organization to purchase additional drugs to import into the United States and/or to purchase weapons, ammunition or supplies to continue fighting enemies of La Linea and the BA.

During the guilty plea hearing, Acosta-Hernandez also pleaded guilty to charges relating to the triple homicide of Enriquez, Redelfs and Salcido, based on his leadership position within La Linea and association with the BA.  According to information presented in court, on March 13, 2010, Enriquez, her husband Redelfs, and Salcido, the Mexican national husband of a second U.S. Consulate employee, were shot and killed by other BA members in Juarez in separate but related incidents.  According to information presented in court, on March 13, employees of the U.S. Consulate hosted a child’s birthday party in Juarez.  Salcido was shot and killed in his vehicle as he left the party.  His three children also were in the car and sustained minor injuries.  His wife, a Mexican national employee at the U.S. Consulate, was following Salcido in a separate vehicle and was unharmed in the attack.

At approximately the same time, U.S. citizens Enriquez and Redelfs left the same party and were shot and killed in their vehicle.  Enriquez was four months pregnant at the time of the shooting.  Enriquez’s and Redelfs’ nine-month-old daughter also was in the vehicle but was unharmed.
 
During the hearing, Acosta-Hernandez acknowledged that Salcido, Enriquez and Redelfs were murdered by members and associates of the BA to further the gang’s racketeering activities.  Acosta-Hernandez admitted that at the time, under his leadership as VCF’s plaza boss and coordinator of enforcement actions with the BA in Juarez, La Linea and the BA had agreed to unite and commit murders to further their criminal enterprise.
A total of 35 defendants were charged in the third superseding indictment and are alleged to have committed various criminal acts, including racketeering, narcotics distribution and importation, retaliation against persons providing information to U.S. law enforcement, extortion, money laundering, obstruction of justice and murder, including the 2010 Juarez consulate murders.  Of the 35 defendants charged, 32 have been apprehended; 23 of those defendants have pleaded guilty, while seven others are pending extradition from Mexico.  U.S. and Mexican law enforcement are actively seeking to apprehend the three remaining fugitives in this case, including Eduardo Ravelo, an FBI Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitive.  Trial against Ramon Renteria, aka “Spooky,” is scheduled to begin in El Paso on May 18, 2012.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph A. Cooley of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Trial Attorney Brian Skaret of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal of the Western District of Texas - El Paso Division.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico provided significant assistance in this case, including by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Davenport.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Criminal Division’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s El Paso Field Office, Albuquerque Field Office (Las Cruces Resident Agency), DEA Juarez and DEA El Paso.  Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Diplomatic Security Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; El Paso Police Department; El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; El Paso Independent School District Police Department; Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission; New Mexico State Police; Dona Ana County, N.M., Sheriff’s Office; Las Cruces, N.M., Police Department; Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility; and Otero County Prison Facility New Mexico.