Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/070319ny.htm
March 19, 2007
Woman pleads guilty to million-dollar fraud of immigration applications
NEW YORK, NY - Michael J. Garcia, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Kevin Delli-Colli, the Acting special agent in charge of the New York Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that Maria Maximo, 56, pleaded guilty today in Manhattan federal court to charges relating to two schemes to defraud immigrants by charging them between $500 and $2,500 to file immigration applications that Maximo knew were baseless and would ultimately be denied. According to the felony Information to which Maximo pleaded guilty, and other documents publicly filed in this case:
Between June 2004 and early 2005, Maximo, on behalf of approximately 500 illegal immigrants, prepared applications to a purported "work permit program" through which, Maximo claimed, the immigrants would receive valid United States work permits. Maximo charged $500 for the preparation of each of these approximately 500 applications. United States Citizenship and Information Services (USCIS) had no such "work permit program" and offers employment identification cards only to immigrants who have visas allowing them to work in the United States, or who are applying for immigration status which, if granted, would allow them to work. As a result, USCIS denied the approximately 500 invalid applications.
In another facet of the scheme, between May 2005 and January 2006, Maximo charged approximately 1,700 people between $500 and $2,500 for the preparation of applications to what she promoted as a "legalization program" open to virtually any illegal immigrant. Maximo claimed that through the "legalization program" applicants could receive work permits and ultimately green cards. Instead, Maximo filed applications for what is known as the LULAC program (named after a lawsuit involving the League of United Latin American Citizens), a limited amnesty program of which one of the eligibility requirements is that applicants have resided in the United States since at least January 1, 1982. Nevertheless, Maximo told applicants who had resided in the United States for a shorter period that they were eligible for a green card under the LULAC program and submitted applications on their behalf. As a result, at the time charges were filed against Maximo on March 29, 2006, USCIS had already rejected more than 750 of Maximo's LULAC applications on the ground that the immigrant had not lived in the United States since 1982. Hundreds of additional applications are in the process of being evaluated and appear not to be legitimate.
Maximo received well in excess of $1,000,000 from these immigration schemes.
Maximo was arrested in connection with these charges on April 4, 2006. She pleaded guilty today to two counts of mail fraud -- one for the "work permit" scheme and one for the "legalization" scheme. During her plea, Maximo admitted that she knew some of the applicants did not qualify for the programs and that she failed to tell the applicants that they did not qualify but rather took their money and submitted their applications to USCIS.
On each count, Maximo faces a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and a maximum fine of the greater of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense. Maximo may also be required to make restitution to her victims and forfeit to the United States the proceeds of her schemes. To date, the government has seized approximately $998,000 in funds that constitute or are derived from proceeds traceable to the commission of the offenses.
Mr. Garcia praised the efforts of ICE for the investigation of this case. In addition, Mr. Garcia thanked USCIS, the Bronx District Attorney's Office, the New York State Police Department, and the New York Attorney General for their assistance in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Arlo Devlin-Brown and Margaret Garnett are in charge of the prosecution and Assistant United States Attorney Seetha Ramachandran is in charge of the forfeiture proceedings.
-- ICE --
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/070320la.htm
March 20, 2007
Gang member wanted for murder of Mexican state police officer captured in Los Angeles and deported
LOS ANGELES - A man wanted by the Mexican government for the murder of a police officer and the attempted murder of two others in Zacatecas, Mexico, was turned over to the custody of Mexican law enforcement officials today following his arrest yesterday.
Odilon Carlos, also known as Odilon Carlos-Marquez, 27, of Zacatecas, Mexico, was taken into custody yesterday morning by the FBI's Fugitive Task Force near his girlfriend's residence in Huntington Park, aided by officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fugitive operations team.
Carlos, a member of the 18th Street "transnational" gang in Los Angeles, was previously deported in 2005 after serving five years in prison for a 1999 felony conviction for possession of an UZI automatic weapon. On December 28, 2006, Carlos allegedly used an UZI 9 mm machine gun to fire on three Zacatecas municipal police officers. One officer was killed and the others sustained serious injuries. An exhaustive manhunt ensued after Carlos was thought to have fled into the mountains near Zacatecas. Police searched several days for Carlos utilizing helicopters and canines, but were unable to locate him in the rugged terrain.
In March 2007, agents with the FBI's Mexico City Legal Attaché, stationed in Guadalajara, Jalisco, were contacted by Mexican law enforcement authorities who had developed information that Carlos had illegally returned to the United States and was residing in Los Angeles.
"This capture should send a message to fugitives from justice that crossing the U.S.-Mexican border does not provide sanctuary," said J. Stephen Tidwell, assistant director in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles. "The FBI has and will continue to work jointly with Mexico and other foreign governments, and our partners in the United States, to apprehend violent criminals whose capture serves the interest of law-abiding citizens in any country."
Carlos, a convicted felon, was previously removed from the United States in 2005. ICE reinstated that previous removal in order to carry out his deportation today. ICE officers and members of the Fugitive Task Force transported Carlos to the border crossing at San Ysidro today, where he was turned over to Mexican immigration officials.
"Since January of last year, ICE's Los Angeles fugitive operations teams have taken custody of 39 foreign nationals who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including rape and murder," said Jim Hayes, Director for ICE's Los Angeles Field Office. "As a result of these efforts, these suspects have been returned to their home countries to face justice. The message for violent fugitives who flee to the United States is clear - you can't outrun the law."
This successful apprehension was the result of a joint operation by Mexican law enforcement authorities working cooperatively with the FBI's Legal Attaché in Mexico City and the FBI's Fugitive Task Force in Los Angeles, with assistance provided by ICE. Agents with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Division of Adult Parole Operations also provided assistance. Analytical support on the case was provided by L.A. CLEAR. The FBI's Fugitive Task Force in Los Angeles is made up of officers with the Los Angeles Police Department and agents with the FBI.
-- ICE --