MANITOWOC COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed two dozen arrests from a September 25 operation in Manitowoc County targeting a human and drug trafficking ring.
According to a release, the joint operation was between ICE, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Border Protection along with several other federal agencies.
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Officials received information from the FBI, which interviewed victims of the trafficking ring in question, including children.
“While interviewing victims—many of whom were children— of a human trafficking and drug trafficking ring, ICE identified multiple illegal aliens,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said. “In total, ICE arrested 24 illegal aliens, including those convicted of sexually assaulting a child, hit and run, DUI, identity theft and possession of narcotic equipment.”
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Multiple individuals who were arrested have been identified as the following:
Jose Hilario Moreno Portillo – Honduras, previously removed from the Unites States in August of 2020, arrested for sexual assault of a child in May 2025. (Credit: DHS)
Abraham Maldanado Almanza from Mexico, convicted of identity theft. (Credit: DHS)
Roel Francisco Monroy Orellana – Hondruas, convicted of hit and run and four additional traffic offenses. (Credit: DHS)
Darvin Uriel Villavicencio – Nicaragua, convicted of disorderly conduct and two counts of traffic offenses. (Credit: DHS)
Erlin Joel Villavicencio – Nicaragua, convicted of two counts of driving under the influence of liquor, pending charge of failure to appear (Credit: DHS)
Christian Naun Diaz-Alfaro – Honduras, convicted of possession of narcotic equipment and driving under the influence of liquor. (Credit: DHS)
Other agencies involved were the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service.
