Illegal alien criminals are making headlines in Livingston Parish, La., near Baton Rouge, with one recently arrested for allegedly raping his neighbor and two others reportedly busted with 361 pounds of methamphetamine.
In a joint press conference, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana on Wednesday announced a major drug bust involving two illegal immigrants that stemmed from a traffic stop.
The sheriff’s office seized approximately 361 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of $4 million.
In an update on social media, the sheriff’s office called the bust the “LARGEST IN LPSO HISTORY and “ONE OF THE LARGEST IN LA.”
LPSO arrested Jostin Antonio Orellana-Romero, 22, of Honduras, and Edenilson Alexander Castaneda-Del Valle, 18, of El Salvador. The two male aliens are in the country illegally and removable from the United States.
A federal grand jury indicted the two men on charges of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. The charges were announced Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana.
Local news outlet WBRZ News also aired the press conference. Sheriff Jason Ard joined U.S. Attorney Kurt Wall and Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Adam Parks to talk about the recent traffic stop that uncovered the large-scale drug trafficking operation.
The LPSO Narcotics Division with help from the K9 Division, Uniform Patrol Division and other agencies made the record seizure, including digital weighing scales, packaging material and $7,100 in U.S. currency. A 2017 Jaguar XE is also pending seizure, according to the sheriff’s office.
According to the indictment, on or about Feb. 7, deputies with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop along Interstate 12. The vehicle was operated by Orellana-Romero and Castaneda-Del Valle.
During a search of the vehicle, deputies located a hidden compartment with two digital scales, numerous rubber bands, plastic baggies, $7,100 in U.S. currency, and approximately 164 kilograms, or over 361 pounds, of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III.
If convicted, Orellana-Romero and Castaneda-Del Valle each face a minimum of ten years and up to life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $10 million. They are also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completion of their sentences.
In a separate recent incident, an illegal alien from Honduras is behind bars after allegedly breaking into his neighbor’s home and sexually assaulting her.
Irlando Giron, 37, identified as the victim’s neighbor, was arrested and charged with first-degree rape, home invasion, aggravated assault with a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm.
Deputies from the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a Denham Springs home around 2:30 a.m. Feb. 6. Denham Springs is a suburb east of Baton Rouge in Livingston Parish, La.
The victim was taken to a local hospital for medical care while deputies located the suspect at another home on the same road, Louisiana First News reported.
According to the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Ard said, “Upon arrival, a female victim revealed that an armed male broke into her home and sexually assaulted her.”
During the investigation, deputies found the handgun used and said it was stolen out of Texas.
Ard said it appeared to be an isolated incident, and there was no forced entry found on scene.
“I want to remind you to secure your homes: lock doors, invest in a good lighting system, make sure any cameras are in working order,” Ard said. “The perpetrator in this case now sits behind bars. Join me in praying for the victim in this case.”
Governor Jeff Landry commended the arrest in a Facebook post: “Thank you to Livingston Parish law enforcement for quickly apprehending this illegal alien. We have no place for those who break our laws. I hear Camp 57 is nice in the spring.”
The Attorney General Liz Murrill also weighed in on the arrest, sharing a post on social media:
“Excellent work by Sheriff Jason Ard and his deputies at the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office for quickly arresting this illegal alien sexual predator. My prayers are with the victim in this disturbing case. This predator should never have been in our country to begin with. He must face Louisiana justice before being deported.”
In a separate Facebook post from Monday, Murrill gave an update on the results of Operation NOLA Safe and the creation of a Regional Homeland Security Task Force to combat violent crime and transnational organized crime.
“The operation resulted in 175 arrests, 114 firearms seized, and large quantities of illegal narcotics taken off the streets of the Greater New Orleans area,” Murrill said. “This is another prime example of strong partnerships working together to eliminate crime across our State.”
