Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/080131chicago.htm
Immigration fraud ringleader gets 3 years for arranging sham marriages
CHICAGO - An immigration fraud ringleader who conspired to arrange bogus marriages by pairing U.S. citizens and illegal aliens was sentenced in federal court today to three years in prison. The sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Jeremy Starnes, 32, of Chicago, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wayne Anderson to 37 months in prison and three years supervised release for conspiring to commit marriage fraud to circumvent U.S. immigration laws.
Starnes pleaded guilty Sept. 19 to conspiring with others to arrange sham marriages between nine U.S. citizens and nine Eastern European foreign nationals. He admitted recruiting U.S. citizens by promising them $5,000 to enter into fraudulent marriages with foreign nationals. These sham marriages enabled the foreign nationals to illegally receive U.S. permanent residence and obtain what are commonly known as “green cards.” Starnes promised to pay the U.S. citizens the $5,000 in installments over the time period beginning on the day of the marriage and ending at the time the foreign national received a green card.
As part of the conspiracy, the U.S. citizens took steps to make each other’s marriage fraud appear to be legitimate. For example, they drove each other to and attended each other’s weddings, and they posed for photographs after the weddings; all the while they knew that the photos would be unlawfully used to support the legitimacy of the fraudulent marriages. Starnes also offered advice to the other defendants on what actions they needed to take to make their marriages appear legitimate.
Starnes himself entered into a sham marriage with a foreign national and falsely claimed to an immigration official that they had a child together in an effort to obtain a green card for the woman.
Starnes is one of 18 defendants originally charged in the conspiracy. To date, the investigation has resulted in 16 arrests and 13 guilty pleas.
“Our national security and public safety depend on an immigration system with integrity,” said Elissa Brown, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago. “ICE is committed to identifying and dismantling marriage fraud rings that circumvent our immigration laws. We ensure that those involved in these crimes experience the full weight of the law.”
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General assisted ICE in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Drury successfully prosecuted the case against Starnes.
— ICE —
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/080130laredo.htm
Three sentenced for alien smuggling following ICE investigation
Smugglers operated in Laredo, Hebbronville, San Antonio, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico
LAREDO - Two illegal aliens and a U.S. citizen were sentenced here Tuesday following their earlier guilty pleas for alien smuggling. These sentences resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
All three men were indicted in June. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez imposed the following sentences:
Oscar Laza-Villatoro, 31, a citizen of El Salvador, was sentenced to four years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens Oct. 10.
Jose Escobar Ruiz, 43, a Mexican national, was sentenced to five years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens Aug. 22.
Louise Martinez, 23, a U.S. citizen and Laredo resident, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens Nov. 7.
“ICE and our law enforcement partners in Laredo will continue to work together to detect and apprehend lawbreakers,” said Jerry Robinette, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in San Antonio. “We will pursue and prosecute anyone who tries to use U.S. territories as a springboard to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States.”
ICE began working this investigation in the summer of 2006 after first being contacted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), another Department of Homeland Security agency. CBP had arrested four suspected alien transporters who later provided substantial information leading to the arrest of six smugglers operating in Laredo; Hebbronville; San Antonio; and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. They reportedly smuggled into the United States more than 200 illegal aliens per week.
The investigation revealed that the smugglers had distinct work roles. For example, Laza-Villatoro collected smuggling fees; Escobar-Ruiz organized the stash house locations in Laredo; and Martinez was the guide and transporter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gracie Linburg Rodriguez, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.
ICE encourages the public to report illegal activity to its toll-free hotline: 1- 866 DHS-2ICE, which is monitored 24 hours a day.
— ICE —