Secretary Mullin Highlights Multiple Murderers, Gang Members, Weapons Traffickers, and Other Dangerous Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested by ICE Yesterday

 News Release:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Office of Public Affairs

Secretary Mullin Highlights Multiple Murderers, Gang Members, Weapons Traffickers, and Other Dangerous Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested by ICE Yesterday Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more criminal illegal aliens convicted for horrific crimes including murder, aggravated assault, battery, conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud, and burglary. “Every single day we deal with sanctuary cities and sanctuary states turning criminals that are illegal aliens out on the streets,” said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “All we’re trying to do is protect our homeland, and all we want is cooperation. But some of these crazy liberal mayors, judges, prosecuting attorneys, and governors are protecting criminals instead of protecting you.”    Yesterday’s arrests include: Jose Luis Mata-Flores, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for murder in Los Angeles, California. Nhan Tu Hoang, a criminal illegal alien from Vietnam, convicted for murder in Jefferson County, Texas. Luis Alonso Serrano-Sarmiento, a criminal illegal alien from Honduras and member of the 18th Street Gang, convicted for possession of a weapon, TWO counts of aggravated assault with a weapon, battery, conspiracy to commit weapon trafficking, and conspiracy to commit cocaine sell in Boston, Massachusetts. Johnson Ogunlana, a criminal illegal alien from Nigeria, convicted for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud in the United States District Court - District of Maryland. Kartik Sharma, a criminal illegal alien from India, convicted for burglary in Queens, New York. Americans can see more public safety threats arrested in their communities on our webpage WOW.DHS.Gov.

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ICE Asks Sanctuary Wisconsin Politicians to Not Release Illegal Alien From Jail Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Elderly Patients at Assisted Living Facility

 News Release:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Office of Public Affairs

ICE Asks Sanctuary Wisconsin Politicians to Not Release Illegal Alien From Jail Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Elderly Patients at Assisted Living Facility Dane County, Wisconsin sanctuary politicians refuse to cooperate with ICE and choose to RELEASE criminals back into Wisconsin communities WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer asking sanctuary politicians in Wisconsin to not release an illegal alien from jail who is charged with sexual assault of an elderly victim. On April 27, 2026, ICE lodged a detainer requesting that officials in Dane County, Wisconsin not release Julio Cesar Morales Jarquin, an illegal alien from Nicaragua, who is currently facing TWO counts of second-degree sexual assault – elderly victim. Julio Cesar Morales Jarquin According to local reports, police arrested Morales Jarquin after an investigation into reports that an employee at an assisted living facility had assaulted elderly vulnerable residents. Dane County is a sanctuary jurisdiction that refuses to honor ICE detainers. Sometimes they give ICE a mere 30 minutes to pick up a criminal illegal alien in their custody. Response from Dane County sanctuary politicians on previous ICE detainers “This illegal alien is charged with two counts of sexual assault of an elderly victim at an assisted living facility,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This dirtbag was released into the country by the Biden Administration. DHS is calling on sanctuary politicians in Dane County, Wisconsin to NOT release this criminal from jail back onto the streets to commit more crimes. We need Wisconsin sanctuary politicians to cooperate with us to remove criminals from our country.” Morales Jarquin was released into the United States in 2023 under the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Nicaragua. After the Trump administration terminated this parole program in April of 2025, Morales Jarquin remained in the United States illegally.

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MINNESOTA MADNESS: Minnesota Board of Pardons Unanimously Pardons Criminal Illegal Alien Convicted of Three Assaults

 News Release:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Office of Public Affairs

MINNESOTA MADNESS: Minnesota Board of Pardons Unanimously Pardons Criminal Illegal Alien Convicted of Three Assaults The board’s pardon removed his qualifying convictions that made him removable from the U.S. WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the following statement after the Minnesota Board of Pardons’ unanimous decision to pardon a criminal illegal alien from Laos who was convicted of three assaults, criminal convictions that made this illegal alien lose his green card and removable from the U.S. At Xayasounethone Chandee, an illegal alien from Laos, was convicted of assault in 1992. An Immigration Judge issued Chandee a final order of removal in 1995. Chandee was convicted again in 2008 on two felony counts of aggravated assault – weapon. Now, the Minnesota Board of Pardons’ decision could thwart his removal from the United States. “The Minnesota Board of Pardons’ unanimous decision pardoning an illegal alien convicted of three violent assaults is absolute INSANITY,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “At Chandee lost his green card following his convictions for aggravated assault with a weapon. Following his criminal convictions, he was placed in removal proceedings and issued a final order of removal by a judge. Minnesota's sanctuary politicians' pardon took away this violent thug’s qualifying convictions that made him removable from the U.S.” Chandee entered the country as a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) when he was a minor. It is a privilege to be granted a visa or green card to live in the United States of America. When you break our laws, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country.

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 Press Release

Leading Dark Web Marketplace Creator and Operator Extradited from Colombia to the United States

Thursday, April 30, 2026

A German national living in Colombia was extradited to the United States on charges that he owned and operated “The Versus Project,” an online dark web marketplace that enabled its over 380,000 registered users to buy and sell illegal goods.

The Versus Project, also known as Versus, was a leading dark web marketplace that enabled users to buy and sell illegal goods, including heroin and other illicit drugs, stolen and fraudulent identification documents and access devices, counterfeit currency, malware, and hacking tools. Versus operated from about November 2019 through about May 2022. During that time, Versus had over 380,000 registered users, offered over 32,000 product listings and facilitated over 300,000 completed orders, resulting in millions of dollars’ worth of transactions.

According to court documents, Patrick Schmitz, 37, of Taganga, Colombia, was a cofounder of Versus and handled the day-to-day management, such as responding to user tickets for assistance with issues on the platform, reviewing vendor applications, and resolving disputes between vendors and customers. Over time, Schmitz recruited and supervised staff who worked on Versus and reported to him. Schmitz also promoted Versus on the dark web, recruited vendors, and developed strategies to monetize Versus. Schmitz received a portion of the profits generated and his virtual currency wallets transacted in cryptocurrency worth millions of dollars.

“This extradition demonstrates the strength of the Justice Department’s international partnerships, and our ability to identify dark web criminals running platforms engaging in such widespread and varied illegal conduct,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Versus Project allowed thousands of criminals to endanger the American people with heroin, illegal drugs, and tools for fraud and hacking. Although Versus hid on the dark web, today’s announcement demonstrates that Versus was not beyond the reach of the Justice Department and its international partners. Illegal online criminal marketplaces, no matter where they are located, will be targeted and brought down.”

“The indictment makes clear that law enforcement will shine a bright light on criminal conduct on the dark web,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “We will investigate and prosecute those who seek to use the anonymity of the dark web to profit from the sale of illegal goods. No matter how many monikers a user hides behind or where in the world they are, we will use all legal means to find them and bring them to justice.”

“HSI Newark’s unwavering efforts led to the identification, arrest, and extradition of a key international cybercriminal, significantly disrupting a major illicit online marketplace,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Office. “This action underscores the dedication of HSI and our partners to combating cyber-enabled crime and ensuring individuals who exploit the internet for illegal activities are held accountable.”

Versus was modeled after an e-commerce website. Users could choose a username and password to create a free account to access Versus. Users could then search for products by keyword or scroll through listings by category. The categories of products on Versus included “drugs,” “fraud,” “digital items,” “services,” and “software & malware.”

Versus required its users to transact in digital currencies, including Bitcoin and Monero, and did not allow for transactions in fiat currencies. Versus and its users were therefore able to bypass traditional financial systems, which collect information about their customers and maintain anti-money laundering and fraud programs. Versus generated revenue through multiple methods, including by keeping a percentage of each completed transaction as a commission and vendors were required to pay penalties if they were found to have violated Versus’ rules.

In June 2024, Schmitz was arrested in Colombia pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest request. On April 29, Schmitz was extradited to the United States and earlier today had an initial appearance, was arraigned, and was ordered detained pending trial.

Schmitz is charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to import controlled substances, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; one count of distribution of controlled substances by means of the internet, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; one count of use of a communications facility, which carries a maximum penalty of 4 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to unlawfully transfer an identification document, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison; and one count of money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison.

The investigation was led by HSI Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. Valuable support was provided by the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeff Berkebile, and the IRS- Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan. The Justice Department’s Office of the Judicial Attache in Bogota, Colombia, and the Policía Nacional de Colombia provided valuable assistance concerning Schmitz’s provisional arrest and extradition. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the United States Marshals Service also provided valuable assistance in securing Schmitz’s arrest and extradition.

Trial Attorneys Jorge Gonzalez and Stefanie Schwartz of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the Cybercrime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting this case.

This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This is also the latest in the Justice Department’s ongoing JCODE efforts (Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement) to address the growing number of illicit vendors operating on the darknet providing large quantities of harmful substances to thousands of people across the United States. The Justice Department established the FBI-led JCODE team to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics, along with identifying and dismantling their supply chains.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 Press Release

Mexican National Sentenced to 10 years for Drug-Trafficking

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in prison without parole for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

According to court documents, in 2019 law enforcement began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of a co-defendant. The investigation identified the co-defendant as a primary organizer of a drug trafficking organization responsible for methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine distribution. Members of the organization included Lopez-Sanchez, and several others. 

On April 16, 2021, surveillance observed Lopez-Sanchez arriving at a residence in Belton, Mo., in a black 2015 GMC Yukon with Texas license plates. Lopez-Sanchez had arrived prior to an arranged controlled drug purchase by a confidential human source. Lopez-Sanchez was observed carrying a blue bag into the residence. Later that day, the Missouri State Highway Patrol stopped the black Yukon as it was travelling westbound on Interstate 44 near the Oklahoma state line. Inside the Yukon, law enforcement recovered 995 grams of cocaine and $58,601.00.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Homeland Security Task Force

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.

MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: ICE Arrests Murderers, Child Predators, Violent Assailants, and Other Criminal Illegal Aliens

 News Release:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Office of Public Affairs

MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN: ICE Arrests Murderers, Child Predators, Violent Assailants, and Other Criminal Illegal Aliens Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, ICE will not back down from going after illegal criminal aliens to MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more criminal illegal aliens convicted for horrific crimes including murder, sex abuse of a minor, assault, cocaine trafficking, and aggravated robbery. “While sanctuary politicians are busy protecting criminal illegal aliens, the NICE men and women of ICE are risking their lives to go after heinous criminals including murderers, pedophiles, violent assailants, and other public safety threats,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “By taking these criminal illegal aliens off our streets, ICE is putting the safety of Americans first. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, criminals are not welcome in the United States.” Yesterday’s arrests include: Bonifacio Diaz-Cuevas, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for murder in Brooklyn, New York. Jonathan Alberto Miranda-Ramos, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, convicted for sex abuse of a minor in Rockville, Maryland. Onedelio Ramos-Funez, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala, convicted for assault in Wake County, North Carolina. Julio Cesar Chavez-Valdenea, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in Tarrant County, Texas. Wilmer Labarca-Ysea, a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela, convicted for cocaine trafficking (400 grams or more but less than 150 kilograms) in Hialeah, Florida.  Americans can see more public safety threats arrested in their communities on our webpage WOW.DHS.Gov.

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Meet One of the Media’s ‘Non-Criminals’: ICE Arrests MS-13 Gang Member in Sanctuary Virginia

 News Release:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Office of Public Affairs

Meet One of the Media’s ‘Non-Criminals’: ICE Arrests MS-13 Gang Member in Sanctuary Virginia WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a member of the terrorist organization MS-13 in the sanctuary state of Virginia. On May 4, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Harrisonburg in Virginia arrested Josue Saul Garcia-Lopez, an illegal alien from El Salvador. According to an international warrant, Garcia-Lopez is an active member of the MS-13 gang and was involved in extortion and robbery schemes in El Salvador for several years. He has prior arrests in El Salvador for unlawful possession of a firearm and disorderly conduct. Garcia-Lopez entered the country at an unknown date and location. “This gang member is wanted in his home country of El Salvador for running extortion and robbery schemes as a member of the vicious MS-13 gang,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This is an example of an arrest that the media counts as ‘non-criminal’ because he lacks a rap sheet in the United States. It's not surprising that MS-13 members flock to sanctuary Virginia where they know Governor Abigail Spanberger and Virginia sanctuary politicians will protect them. Governor Spanberger made that clear when she ended state cooperation with ICE.” During her first days in office, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed executive orders banning state cooperation with ICE as well as terminating 287(g) state and local agreements. The state has been a hotbed for illegal alien crime: In April, Roni Mendez-Escobar, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was arrested by ICE after previously being released by Fairfax County, despite being charged with possession of child porn with intent to distribute. In April, ICE lodged a detainer asking sanctuary politicians in Arlington County to not release Luzvin Orvando Garcia Moran, an illegal alien from Guatemala, after he was arrested for attempted rape. In April, Israel Christopher Flores-Ortiz, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, was convicted for NINE counts of assault and battery after he groped multiple underage girls at a high school in Fairfax County. In April, the Fairfax County District Attorney’s Office offered an insane plea deal of just 5 years to two illegal aliens who murdered a man at a park and walking trail in Oakton, Virginia in July of 2024.   In April, Misael Lopez Gomez, another illegal alien from Guatemala, was arrested and charged with murder and felony child abuse after bludgeoning his own 3-month-old daughter to death in Fairfax County. In March, Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was arrested and charged with second degree murder after fatally stabbing a man inside his home in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia. In February, Abdul Jalloh, an illegal alien from Sierra Leone with more than 30 prior arrests, was charged with murder after fatally stabbing 41-year-old Stephanie Minter at a bus stop in Hybla Valley, Virginia.

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