US Federal Agents arrest counterfeit document ring in Chicago www.privateofficer.com
Chicago IL Oct 30 2010 Special agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on Thursday arrested seven alleged members of a counterfeit document ring in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
Jorge Castillo, 48, and Jorge Castillo-Arroyo, 24, father and son, were two of seven defendants who were arrested early Oct. 28. ICE HSI agents executed arrest warrants to dismantle the “Avers Crew,” which is comprised of several Castillo family members and allegedly made and sold fake identification documents in and around the area of 26th Street and Avers Avenue.
“Counterfeit identity documents, like the ones allegedly produced by this ring, can be used by criminals, enabling them to mask their identities and operate with ease in the United States,” said Gary Hartwig, special agent in charge of ICE HSI in Chicago. “Given the public security implications, ICE aggressively targets these kinds of document fraud schemes and shuts them down.” Hartwig announced the charges, which were unsealed today, with Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The Chicago and Elgin police departments and the Drug Enforcement Administration also assisted in the investigation
