Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report

Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report

December 18, 2023

Lars:

The “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” in the third full week of December 2023 has for your radio listeners and webpage followers the topic of an identified foreign national who has been arrested by law enforcement three separate times on major drug related charges in year 2023, after each arrest he was released from custody of the county jail, he’s currently only been criminally charged in a state district court on two of his previously mentioned drug arrests, furthermore, this same individual had two prior outstanding arrest warrants on him for not showing up in court to face those ongoing criminal charges out of Multnomah County, Oregon.

Some background information, on the morning of Thursday, December 7, 2023 Luis Funez (Multnomah County District Court Case Numbers: 23CR01069 and 23CR04532) was arrested by the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) North Precinct, and booked into the custody of the Multnomah County Jail (MCJ) in Portland, Oregon on numerous drug related charges, nevertheless, on the same day for some undisclosed reason MCJ Deputies released him from the custody of the jail.

The following day, on Friday, December 8, 2023 the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) issued a news release titled “Investigation takes down drug trafficking ring with international ties” who the subject of interest was Luis Funez.

Here is an extended excerpt from MCSO’s December 8th news release on Luis Funez:

“A months-long investigation by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Dangerous Drugs Team resulted in one of the largest illegal fentanyl seizures in state history, and the largest seizure in agency history.

The Dangerous Drugs Team (DDT), a grant-funded narcotics task force (more information below), executed an early morning search warrant on December 7, 2023, culminating an investigation into a drug trafficking organization selling fentanyl in the tri-county area.

During the investigation, DDT identified several suspects and their co-conspirators, as well as cars and houses believed to be involved. Search warrants were executed at locations in Portland and Oregon City. At the Portland location, law enforcement located more than 52 pounds of fentanyl powder. At the Oregon City location, more than one pound of fentanyl powder and over 8,000 fentanyl pills were discovered.

In addition to the drugs, over $30,000 in cash and multiple firearms were seized. The weapons found included two firearms that were broken down and concealed in packages addressed for locations outside the United States.

DDT estimates that the more than 50 pounds of fentanyl powder seized would have yielded 11 million individual doses, which would have otherwise been sold in the Portland-area.

Due to the excessive amount of fentanyl powder being processed, detectives used personal protective equipment and had NARCAN (Naloxone nasal spray) available in case of accidental exposure. The bulk fentanyl, over 50 pounds, was found open in a cardboard box lined with a trash bag.

Three people were booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center: 23-year-old Luis Funez, 21-year-old Gerson Isaac Hernandez Betancurt, and 37-year-old Dezirae Ann Torset. The case has been referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” – Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.

Some history, the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” did a OREGON JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT – Online Records Search on Luis Funez (Case Number: 23CR01069) that revealed on January 9, 2023 he was arraigned and charged in Multnomah County Circuit Court with one count of Mfg/Delivery Controlled Substance in Schedule II, one count of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, one count Delivery of Methamphetamine, one count of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, one count of Trademark Counterfeiting in the First Degree and one count of Trademark Counterfeiting in the Second Degree.

On December 11, 2023 a Failure to Appear Warrant was issued on Luis Funez (Case Number: 23CR01069) in regard to the preceding criminal charges.

More history, the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” did another OREGON JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT – Online Records Search on Luis Funez (Case Number: 23CR04532) that revealed on January 29, 2023 he was charged in Multnomah County Circuit Court with one count of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance.

On December 11, 2023 a Failure to Appear Warrant was issued on Luis Funez (Case Number: 23CR04532) in regard to the preceding criminal charge.

Five days later, on the evening of Wednesday, December 13, 2023 Luis Funez now being identified as German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez (Multnomah County District Court Case Numbers: 23CR01069 and 23CR04532) was rearrested by the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and once again booked into the custody of the Multnomah County Jail (MCJ) in Portland, Oregon on the same numerous drug related charges.

The same day, later in the evening of Wednesday, December 13, 2023 the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) issued a follow-up news release titled “Luis Funez arrested by deputies, held in custody” who the subject of interest has now been identified as being German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez (aka Luis Funez).

Here is an excerpt from MCSO’s December 13th news release on German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez:

“The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Dangerous Drug Team arrested 23-year-old German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez also known as Luis Funez, shortly after 5:30 p.m., on Wednesday, December 13, following a traffic stop in the area of SE 174th Avenue & SE Stark Street. He was booked into the Multnomah County jail at 6:45 p.m. He is being held in custody on arrest warrants with multiple charges. MCSO was aided by the U.S. Marshals Service and Portland Police Bureau.” – Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.

Seeking information on German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez’s immigration status on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” contacted via e-mail U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office Public Affairs (OPA), for the Northwest Region.

On the afternoon of Friday, December 15, 2023 an ICE Public Affairs Officer (PAO) responded via e-mail with the following statement on German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez:

“ICE officers make enforcement decisions on a case-by-case basis in a professional and responsible manner, informed by their experience as law enforcement officials and in a way that best protects against the greatest threats to the homeland.

ON BACKGROUND:

German Arteaga-Sanchez, also known as Luis Funez, 21, is a citizen of Honduras encountered by Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Seattle as part of a task force investigating local drug trafficking organizations (DTO) in Portland, Oregon. Arteaga-Sanchez remains in custody of the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office under a hold by the U.S. Marshals Service, pending federal charges. ERO Seattle placed an immigration detainer with the U.S. Marshals Service Dec. 14.

###” – ICE Public Affairs Spokesperson.

On Friday, December 15, 2023 the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” checked Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office (MCDAO) website to see if a news release had been issued indicting the MCDAO had indicted and charged German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez (aka Luis Funez) in Multnomah County Circuit Court for his third major drug arrest in 2023, nothing in the news section of the website.

Also on Friday, December 15, 2023 the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” checked the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon (USAODO) website to find out if a news release had been issued by USAODO indicating German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez had been indicted and charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon on drug trafficking, nothing in the news section of the website.

Summing up the topic of this week’s report, an important fact, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) is law enforcement agency that manages the county’s jail.

Clearly something went terribly wrong on December 7, 2023 when already twice arrested and charged in Multnomah County District Court alleged trafficker German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez aka Luis Funez was released on the same day of his third arrest on drug charges in 2023 from the custody of the Multnomah County Jail (MCJ) in Portland, Oregon by MCJ Deputies back into the community.

Fortunately after five days the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) along with U.S. Marshal Service (USM) put an end to German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez’s untimely release from the county’s jail.

With a U.S. Marshal Service USM Hold now in place on German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez with Multnomah County Jail officials that federal action means he will less likely be released again by MCJ Deputies from jail custody before facing state court drug charges or possibly in the future in U.S. district court federal drug charges.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), immigration detainer placed on German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez will follow him though out his future custody in local county jails, furthermore, incarceration in state or federal prisons (Note: to learn more about how ICE immigration detainers are used see the ICE Detainers 101 webpage).

A bit of educated speculation, apart from the two separate criminal cases in Multnomah County Circuit Court relating to drug charges German Ariel Arteaga-Sanchez (Case Numbers: 23CR01069 and 23CR04532) currently faces in the state of Oregon, if the Honduran national is convicted federally of drug trafficking charges in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, he could be sentenced to serve time in the not-too-distant-future in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) prison system with more than 24-thousand criminal aliens.

A special thank you goes out once again to the ICE Public Affairs team who contributes significant information to help make the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” possible.

Lars, the third full week of December 2023 and another “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” for Lars Larson Show KXL FM 101.1 Pacific Northwest radio listeners and website followers.

docfnc

Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report

Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report

December 11, 2023

Lars:

The “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” in the second full week of December 2023 has for your radio listeners and webpage followers the case of a criminal alien and repeat immigration violator who has been federally charged, convicted and sentenced in court to prison for his actions in drug trafficking and role in a kidnapping that resulted in the death of man who resided in the state of Washington.

Some background information, on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon (USAODO), issued a news release titled “Portland Area Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 26 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Deadly Kidnapping of Washington State Man” who the main subject of interest was Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal (U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon Case Number: 3:19-cr-00489-IM).

Here is an extended excerpt from USAODO’s May 3rd news release on Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal:

“PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican National residing in Marion County, Oregon was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in the 2019 kidnapping and murder of a Washington State man and other drug trafficking crimes.

Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal, 48, was sentenced to 312 months in federal prison and 10 years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in 2018, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) began investigating a Mexican drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and counterfeit OxyContin in the Portland area. The DTO was an intermediate source of supply to other organizations in Portland, on the Oregon coast, and in the Olympia, Washington area. In January 2019, Castillo-Bernal assumed control of the DTO and, along with various co-conspirators, was directly responsible for distributing large quantities of the illegal drugs in and around Portland.

From on or about April 9, 2019, until on or about April 13, 2019, Castillo-Bernal and others kidnapped, held hostage, and murdered Ricardo Corral-Moreno, of Olympia, Washington, and disposed of his body in a rural area near Molalla, Oregon. Castillo-Bernal and his co-conspirators targeted Corral-Moreno because of money he owed to Castillo-Bernal and others. Investigators identified ligature marks on Corral-Moreno’s wrists consistent with his having been tied up and determined he died of blunt force injuries to the back of his head. Castillo-Bernal’s DNA was also found on Corral-Moreno’s left cheek and ankle.

On January 6, 2022, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging Castillo-Bernal with various drug trafficking crimes and for his role in Corral-Moreno’s kidnapping and murder. He made his initial appearance in federal court the same day.

On January 18, 2023, Castillo-Bernal pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances, conspiring to commit kidnapping resulting in death, and illegally reentering the U.S.” – U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon.

Currently, on November 27, 2023 Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal (BOP Register Number: 20498-047) is incarcerated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) at Herlong FCI located in Herlong, California.

Seeking information on Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal’s immigration status on Monday, November 27, 2023 the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” contacted via e-mail U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office Public Affairs (OPA), for the Northwest Region.

On the afternoon of Friday, December 8, 2023 an ICE Public Affairs Officer (PAO) responded via e-mail with the following statement on Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal:

“ICE officers make enforcement decisions on a case-by-case basis in a professional and responsible manner, informed by their experience as law enforcement officials and in a way that best protects against the greatest threats to the homeland.

ON BACKGROUND:

Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal, 48, is a Mexican national convicted of illegal reentry, drug trafficking, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death, removed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) two times. Castillo-Bernal was first encountered by the legacy U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) March 7, 1995, and was voluntarily returned to Mexico. He later unlawfully re-entered the U.S. on an unknown date, at an unknown location without inspection by an immigration official. ERO Seattle has placed an immigration detainer with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), where Castillo-Bernal is serving his prison sentence.

Dates and courts of criminal conviction:

• June 23, 2006 – U.S. District Court, District of Oregon, felony distribution of heroin, sentence of 30 months followed by supervised release for three years.
• April 8, 2011 – U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, illegal reentry, sentence of 37 months followed by supervised release for two years.
• May 3 – U.S. District Court, District of Oregon, illegal reentry, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death, concurrent sentences on each charge of 41 months, 312 months, and 312 months.

Dates of removal performed by ICE, as ordered by an immigration judge:

• Feb. 8, 2008
• March 27, 2013

###” – ICE Public Affairs Spokesperson.

Summing up the topic of this week’s report, Mexican national Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal, convicted two times for illegal reentry into the United States, sentenced for each conviction to incarceration time in federal prison, ordered removed by U.S. Immigration Judge two times in the past from the United States, is clearly brazenly unlawfully present in the country.

Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal’s most recent criminal convictions and sentencing in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon translates in him having joined more than 13-thousand Mexican nationals incarcerated in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) prison system. On November 25, 2023 Mexican nationals were 52.6 percent of the criminal aliens incarcerated in BOP prisons.

Followers of the “Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report” interested in learning more about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), important role in “managing all aspects immigration enforcement process” of this country should visit the ERO webpage titled “Enforcement and Removal Operations.”

A special thank you goes out to the ICE Public Affairs team who contributes significant information to help make the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” possible.

Lars, the second full week of December 2023 and another “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” for Lars Larson Show KXL FM 101.1 Pacific Northwest radio listeners and website followers.

docfnc

U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons: Criminal Alien Report November 2023

U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons: Criminal Alien Report November 2023

December 4, 2023

By David Olen Cross

The United States having a significant foreign national population residing within the nation’s boundaries, be they legally or illegally present in the country, unfortunately includes those who commit crimes.

The extent and impact of foreign national crime on the U.S. citizens and residents of this country is clearly revealed by a simple search on the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmates statistics website under the heading of inmate citizenship.

Here are the countries of origin, moreover, the number and percentage of those countries citizens recently incarcerated in the U.S. BOP prison system (Note: The most recent BOP crime numbers available were from November 25, 2023.).

Inmate Citizenship:

– Mexico 13,074 inmates, 8.3 percent;
– Dominican Republic 1,635 inmates, 1.0 percent;
– Colombia 1,491 inmates, 0.9 percent;
– Cuba 687 inmates, 0.4 percent;
– Other / unknown countries 7,969 inmates, 5.1 percent;
– United States 132,553 inmates, 84.2 percent;

Total: 157,409 inmates.

To explain the meaning of these preceding criminal alien inmate numbers and percentages, I will translate them into words:

Combining November 25th BOP criminal alien inmate numbers, there were 24,856 criminal aliens in the BOP prison system. Alien inmates were 15.8 percent of the federal prison population.

With 13,074 Mexican nationals being incarcerated in the BOP prison system, at 52.6 percent, they represent a significant majority of criminal aliens in federal prisons.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons breaks down the federal prison population into 13 types of offenses. One of the top five offenses, the reason inmates are serving time in federal prisons is for immigration crimes. There were 7,332 inmates in the BOP prison system incarcerated for immigration crimes; they were 5.0 percent of the federal prison population.

David Olen Cross of Salem, Oregon is crime researcher who writes on immigration issues and foreign national crime. The preceding report is a service to federal, state, county and city elected and non elected governmental officials to help them assess the impact of foreign national crime in the United States of America. He can be reached at docfnc@yahoo.com. His past crime reports can be found at https://docfnc.wordpress.com/.