Indictment: Former Immigration Officer Pretended to Be ICE Supervisor

WICHITA, KAN. – A former ICE officer was indicted today on a charge of impersonating a federal officer, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Andrew J. Pleviak, 42, Topeka, is charged with one count of false impersonation of a federal officer. In court documents, Pleviak is alleged to have tried to have a man who was arrested by the Kingman County Sheriff’s Department released from custody.

Juan Tapia-Alfaro was arrested after deputies allegedly found a Kansas driver’s license he fraudulently obtained using a birth certificate and Social Security number of a person living in Puerto Rico. On the same day, Pleviak is alleged to have called the Sheriff’s Department claiming to be a supervisor with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In fact, Pleviak was no longer an ICE employee. In 2018, he was convicted of violating a federal computer security statute.

On Sept. 3, 2019, Pleviak allegedly gave the Sheriff’s Department a letter on ICE letterhead claiming that Tapia-Alfaro was working as a confidential informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration and requesting charges be dropped. Sheriff’s Department officers saw through the ruse and arrested Pleviak on the spot.

According to court records, Tapia-Alfaro said he knew Pleviak from doing work on Pleviak’s house.

If convicted, Pleviak could face up to three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Kingman County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Shawn Richard Seburn, 41, Hutchinson, Kan., is charged with one count of transporting child pornography through a Tumblr account via the internet. The crime is alleged to have occurred in August and September 2018 in Reno County, Kan.

If convicted, he could face a sentence of not less than five years and not more than 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

John Dean Hopkins, 61, Haysville, Kan., is charged with two counts of transporting child pornography through Dropbox via the internet. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in January 2017 and October 2018 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he could face a sentence of not less than five years and not more than 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting

Danny Del Real, 30, Dodge City, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with seven counts of distributing methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2018 and 2019 in Dodge City, Kan.

If convicted, he could face a sentence of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million on each count. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Dodge City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

Tomas Juan Tomas-Andres, 39, a citizen of Guatemala, is charged with one count of using another person’s Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in October 2017 in Arkansas City, Kan.

If convicted, he could face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the Social Security count and a mandatory two years (consecutive) and a fine up to $250,000 on the identity theft count. The Kansas Department of Revenue investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.

Cornel A. Owens, 42, Iola, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2018 and 2019 in Iola and Independence, Kan.

If convicted, he could face a sentence of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $4 million on the drug charge and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated, the Iola Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Independence Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.

Laveil D. Mansaw, 34, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The crimes are alleged to have occurred on Feb. 15, 2019, in Bonner Springs, Kan.

If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the marijuana charge, not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the first firearm charge and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the second firearm charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

Sonia Hernandez-Smith, 41, Wichita, Kan., is charged with 20 counts of making false statements in federal tax returns. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

The indictment alleges Hernandez-Smith prepared taxpayers’ returns that falsely stated they were eligible to claim Child Tax Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Credit.

If convicted, Hernandez-Smith could face up to three years in federal prison and a fine up to $100,000 on each count. The Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

Gerson Ramos-Matamoros, 33, a citizen of Honduras, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Sept. 20, 2019, in Republic County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

Wade Dunn, 30, Wichita, Kan., was indicted by a grand jury on one count of escaping from federal custody. The indictment alleges that on Sept. 23, 2019, he failed to return to Mirror, Inc., Residential Re-Entry Center in Wichita after leaving the facility on a pass.

Initially, Dunn was charged Sept. 25, 2019, in a sealed criminal complaint filed in federal court.

On Sept. 28, Wichita police announced they had arrested Dunn in connection with a stabbing incident.

The federal complaint was unsealed Sept. 30.

If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.