TOP STORY: ICE proudly selects veterans for employment and internships

In June 2009, doctors told U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Sandra Ambotaite that she may never walk again. Less than three years later, she proved them wrong, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak on the African continent.

After a terrible motorcycle accident, Ambotaite was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. In 2010, she connected with an organization in Colorado that provides services to military personnel and veterans with traumatic brain injuries. She began to rehabilitate, both physically and mentally. It was an arduous process, but she persevered to make a significant recovery.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) proudly selects service members like Ambotaite through the Department of Defense's Operation Warfighter internship program to work in ICE offices nationwide as they recover from their injuries. ICE also recruits and hires veterans through a variety of outreach and recruitment programs that take place at career fairs, transition workshops, medical centers and military installations. ICE makes every effort to place individuals in a location of his/her choice, often close to family and support systems.

"It is important to recruit veterans at ICE because they bring unique skills and experience to the workforce and the ICE mission," said Joseph Arata, ICE's chief of strategic recruitment. In fiscal year 2012 ICE brought on 190 veterans that are new to the federal government."

Currently, approximately 30 percent of the ICE workforce is comprised of veterans.

Ambotaite has worked at ICE since April 2012. As an intern in Mission Support, she logs inventory, issues special agent raid gear, conducts audit reports, processes packets and creates spreadsheets.

When asked what advice she has for other veterans with disabilities, she optimistically replies, "Life is too short to sit around think about the negatives. Use the energy that's left to learn something new, to meet someone new or to see and experience different things…the only disability in this life is a negative attitude."

Juneau Man Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Meth

ANCHORAGE—U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced that Darrell W. Dawson, 43, a resident of Juneau, Alaska, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie Longenbaugh on an indictment for drug conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to the indictment, Dawson was involved in a conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine on or about January 2011 to on or about July 7, 2012.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $4,000,000, or both for the drug conspiracy charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

Judge Longenbaugh ordered Dawson be detained in federal custody pending trial. The court set a trial date of September 11, 2012, for the defendant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Alaska State Troopers, and the Juneau Police Department Metro Drug Unit conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Week in Review—Hammond

HAMMOND, IN—The United States Attorney’s Office announced the following activity in federal court:

Pleas:

■Osvaldo Herrera, 23, of Calumet City, Illinois, pled guilty before Senior Judge James Moody to the felony offense of distribution of 50 grams or more of crack cocaine. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Joshua Kolar.

■Cesar Diaz, 39, of Calumet City, Illinois, a defendant in the case U.S. v Herrera et al., pled guilty before Senior Judge James Moody to the felony offense of distribution of 50 grams or more or crack cocaine. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Joshua Kolar.

If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Dispositions:

■Ronald Zastro, 42, of Chicago, Illinois, a defendant in the case U.S. v DeLeon et al., was sentenced by Chief Judge Philip Simon to 112 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to possess and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration HIDTA Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

■Otiniel Nava-Barragan, 46, of Chicago, Illinois, a defendant in the case U.S. v Martinez et al., was sentenced by Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 46 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of conspiracy to distribute heroin. This case was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Indiana State Police, and the Chicago Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Kolar.

■Victor Wiggins, 29, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen to 78 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. According to the Plea Agreement filed in this case, Wiggins has two previous convictions for battery. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.

Major overseas supplier of phony pharmaceuticals pleads guilty to federal charges

LOS ANGELES — A foreign physician suspected of being a large-scale supplier of phony erectile dysfunction drugs to distributors in California, Texas and Europe faces up to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges stemming from a long-term probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Robin Han, 43, a New Zealand citizen who resided in China prior to his arrest earlier this year, pleaded guilty Thursday morning to three criminal counts that could also result in a fine of up to $6 million. Han's sentencing is set for Oct. 4 before U.S. District Judge George Wu. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.

"Trafficking in counterfeit prescription drugs of any kind represents a serious threat to public safety," said United States Attorney André Birotte Jr. "The Department of Justice will continue to work with all of its law enforcement partners — at both the federal and local levels — to help secure federal convictions that should send a strong message to international counterfeiters like Mr. Han."

Han was originally indicted in December 2007, but remained at large until March 29. He was taken into custody at San Francisco International Airport following his arrival on a flight from Hong Kong. Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detained Han after determining he was the subject of an international law enforcement lookout. Subsequently, Han was transferred to Los Angeles where he has remained in federal custody ever since.

"The challenge in intellectual property investigations is that large-scale suppliers like Han are typically based overseas," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles. "But as this case clearly demonstrates, these defendants are not beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement. We owe it to consumers to pursue these cases vigorously given the significant public safety risks posed by these counterfeit medications."

The HSI probe targeting Han began in 2006 after CBP officers at a mail facility in northern California intercepted a parcel shipped from China that contained counterfeit Cialis tablets and phony Cialis packaging. The ensuing investigation identified Han as the sender.

According to the case indictment, Han advertised the sale of counterfeit pharmaceuticals on a number of websites, including alibaba.com. During the course of the probe, HSI special agents made undercover buys of some 20,000 counterfeit Viagra, Cialis and Levitra tablets with an estimated retail value of approximately $200,000. On the parcels Han shipped to the undercover special agents, the packing slips falsely claimed the contents were plastic stationery holders and pen boxes.

HSI, CBP and the Department of Justice are working together to combat intellectual property crimes. In fiscal year 2011, HSI and CBP made nearly 25,000 seizures involving counterfeited and pirated products, a 24 percent increase compared to fiscal year 2010.

 

As the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, HSI plays a leading role in targeting criminal organizations responsible for producing, smuggling and distributing counterfeit products. HSI focuses not only on keeping counterfeit products off our streets, but also on dismantling the criminal organizations behind such illicit activity.

The HSI-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) is one of the U.S. government's key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. The IPR Center uses the expertise of its 21 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters.

Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Transportation of Child Pornography

WASHINGTON—Anthony Mangione, 51, of Parkland, Florida, pleaded guilty today to one count of transportation of child pornography, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Mazanec of the FBI’s Miami Field Office; and Sheriff Al Lamberti of the Broward County, Florida Sheriff’s Office.

Mangione pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James M. Hopkins in U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was taken into custody pending sentencing.

According to court documents, between March 2010 and September 2010, Mangione transported visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Mangione faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Mangione also faces a term of supervised release of five years to life following his prison sentence and will be required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction in which he lives, works or attends school. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 5, 2012.

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 sexual 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 is being investigated by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI’s Miami Field Office. Assistant Deputy Chief Alexandra R. Gelber and Trial Attorney Michael Grant of the Criminal Division’s CEOS are prosecuting the case.