November 7, 2007

ICE arrests Arizona man for attempting to smuggle $3 million worth of stolen wedding dresses into Mexico
Dresses were stolen in 2006 from Breast Cancer Foundation

TUCSON, Ariz. - An Arizona man is facing charges for attempting to smuggle $3 million worth of wedding dresses into the United States following his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last week.

Alejandro Parra-Ruiz, 32, a Mexico national and legal permanent resident of the United States residing in Laveen, Ariz., allegedly hired a commercial driver to transport the dresses, which were stolen from a cancer charity, across the international border.

In April of this year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Ariz., discovered a trailer containing the gowns that had been reported stolen by Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation in November 2006. The wedding dresses were donated to the foundation for sale at auction with the proceeds going to the Oregon-based foundation. The gowns were returned to the foundation by CBP shortly after they were recovered.

The stolen dresses were discovered after Ivan Mesa-Esparza, a commercial driver allegedly hired by Parra-Ruiz, attempted to re-enter the U.S. with the trailer when Mexican officials refused him entry into Mexico. Mesa-Esparza claimed that Parra-Ruiz hired him to transport the items from Phoenix to Mexico. During an ICE monitored phone call with Mesa-Esparza, Parra-Ruiz denied knowing the wedding dresses were stolen and claimed he purchased them at a local swap meet. Parra-Ruiz then instructed Mesa-Esparza to lie to CBP officials about where Mesa-Esparza picked up the items in an apparent attempt to conceal information.

"We were determined to find those responsible for the theft in this case," said Alonzo Pena, special agent in charge of the ICE office of investigations in Arizona. "Stealing from a cancer charity is a despicable crime, and I'm proud to say that ICE played a role in ensuring that these dresses made it to the charity for which they were intended."

During his initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate in Tucson November 2, Parra-Ruiz pleaded not guilty and was released on a $15,000 personal appearance bond. He returned to federal court yesterday and waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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