Mexico/Child trafficking ring.

16 people wanted in connection to child trafficking ring

Written By Michel Marizco

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VLADIMIR ARZATE

 

JOSE MANUEL HERNANDEZ

State police in the Mexican State of Sonora have filed arrest warrants for 16 people wanted in connection with a child trafficking ring.
Prosecutors allege that children were sold in an adoption scam that went on for three years. The children were put up for adoption, but never registered with the state agency charged with caring for them.
The accused ringleader of the group was Vladimir Arzate. He is a state employee who controls the state’s amber alert system and was an assistant director of the state’s child and family welfare agency.
Also accused is Jose Manuel Hernandez, the lawyer for a major Sonoran cattlemen’s lobbying group.
The two men allegedly purchased birth certificates and fingerprints of children born at a state-run hospital, from a doctor working in the hospital. The children were then sold to people seeking children to adopt.
At least nine children were found in the trafficking ring. The Sonoran Attorney General’s Office is still searching for all the biological mothers.

UPDATE!!! Samantha Keegan, Cormac Keegan Tampa FL area

Ugh, seems there is a new baby in their household and because I know for a fact that Halaina, aka Samantha, did not give birth to this baby, it means that there is a mommy out there who is suffering.

To the Mommy: Hope you do not decide to suffer alone! Please know that there are others who understand everything you are going through.  They too were intimidated, bullied, left to feel powerless,  carried fear for various reasons, and told  they did something illegal.  If you want to talk,,,it doesn't have to be with me,,,I can set that up with someone who can give you facts and the truth. (legal advice at no cost to you) All you need to do is email me at adoptionscams@gmail.com and I will point you in the right direction.

Geesh! Rev Gerardo Joannon/Chile

SANTIAGO, Chile (CNN) —A priest at the center of an illegal baby adoption scam in Chile has been moved out of the country and faces no charges, even after admitting he participated in at least two illegal adoptions.

The Rev. Gerardo Joannon, who belongs to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts order, has been relocated to a house for priests in the city of Merlo, Argentina.

The transfer is supposed to be "an act of religious obedience" and a time to pray and serve penance, according to a statement issued by the order. The statement does not give a reason for his penance.

Joannon, who is in his late 70s, publicly admitted last year that he had facilitated illegal adoptions during the 1970s and '80s.

According to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts order and Chilean authorities, the priest took at least two babies from their biological mothers, either through lies or coercion, and in secret gave them to adoptive families.

Mario Carroza, a prosecutor who investigated the case, said upper-class families would approach Joannon after learning an unmarried daughter was pregnant. He said the priest would then conspire with doctors, nurses, nuns and others to deliver the baby, which would then be raised by the adoptive parents.

"We're talking about crimes like kidnapping, of course, because the baby was taken from the mother without her consent or knowledge; falsification of identity, because the baby was made to appear as a biological child of a different couple, and falsification of documents," Carroza said.

Carroza, though, has ruled the statute of limitations has run out, and that the priest could no longer be prosecuted, angering those still looking for biological parents and children.

The ruling has also puzzled many Chileans who are also questioning the decision to send the priest to Argentina.

CNN tried to get a more elaborate answer from the order, but an interview request was declined. At the house where the priest used to live, another priest hung up the intercom after being asked about Joannon.

The leader of the order, the Rev. Alex Vigueras, was also not answering questions when he arrived at his home. He said "we're not giving any interviews" and quickly drove in and closed the gate.

The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts order conducted an internal investigation last year into the allegations and sent its findings to the Vatican. The Holy See later determined that even though the priest had made ethical and moral mistakes, none of his actions had risen to the level of a violation of canon law.

Carroza, the prosecutor who handled the case, said the investigation is still open and, as more cases surface, he is hoping there will be a case he can prosecute.

Joannon's attorney, Eduardo Novoa, said the crimes his client is accused of were not even on the books until 1988.

"My client, as priest, knew families and would approach them with the intention of giving them support and guidance when unexpected pregnancies occurred," he said.

"In some cases, the grandparents or parents of a young, pregnant woman considered the pregnancy unacceptable and would seek to give the baby away so that another family would raise him as their child."

Chilean authorities said Joannon is only one of many priests, nuns, doctors, nurses and others who conspired to carry out illegal adoptions during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and 1990.

The number of stolen children, officials interviewed by CNN said, could be in the thousands. In Chile, they're known as the "Children of Silence."

Samantha Keegan/Tampa area/surrogate/surrogacy

Samantha Keegan aka Halaina Walsh or who ever you are calling yourself lately.  I have heard from someone who has dealings with you. WHAT THE HECK?????  Have you lost your mind??  Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse.

I constantly pray that some how, the little girl in your care, can come out of this ok.  From the info I have received in the past, I highly doubt it.  One day she will know the truth.  Hope it will help her heal.

Sans Pareil Center/Simone Swenson

U.S. Attorneys » Southern District of Texas » News

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Southern District of Texas

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, July 31, 2015

Houston Woman Arrested for Adoption Fraud

HOUSTON – The owner of a child placement agency in Houston has been charged and arrested in a four-count indictment alleging an adoption fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Simone Swenson, 40, of Houston, owned and operated Sans Pareil Center for Children and Family Services LLC, which was licensed to operate as both a foster care and child placement agency.

The indictment was returned under seal July 29, 2015, and unsealed today upon her arrest. She is expected to make her initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge at 10:00 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3, 2015.

Sans Pareil catered to adoptive families that desired to participate in domestic private (non-CPS) adoption program. According to the allegations in the indictment, from on or about January 2013 to on or about January 2014, Swenson defrauded numerous prospective adoptive families with the same birth mother, a scheme known as double matching. As part of the scheme, she allegedly obtained money and property by means or materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.

The indictment alleges Swenson double matched birth mothers who expected to have only one baby to multiple adoptive families. Once money was wired and/or mailed into her account from those families, the charges allege that she would find a way, through lies and misrepresentations, to get out of the agreements.

According to the allegations, Swenson would contact prospective families about birth mothers but would not proceed until agency fees and expenses were paid up front. Swenson would allegedly make promises for a successful adoption. In reliance upon those representations, the indictment alleges prospective adoptive families hired attorneys and other adoption agencies, purchased airline tickets, booked hotel rooms, prepared and purchased items for the expected child’s nursery and transportation and incurred other expenses related to the prospective adoption.

The indictment alleges Swenson would and did charge fees without explanation, and the fees did not apply equally to all adoptive families as required by regulations.

According to the indictment, Swenson was always available and responsive to prospective adoptive families prior to receiving agency fees. However, once she received monies from adoptive families, she would become unavailable and would not return phone calls for long periods of time, if at all, according to the indictment. When she did have contact with the adoptive families, she would allegedly be brief, inconsiderate and provide vague information regarding the birth mothers and their delivery status.

In addition, Swenson rarely provided invoices or receipts to the adoptive families for their paid fees and expenses, according to the allegations. When adoptive families would ask Swenson for proof of payment, Swenson allegedly did not respond unless there was money to be collected from them.

According to the indictment, Swenson illegally collected $111,000 as part of the scheme.

In August 2012, Sans Pareil’s foster care license was revoked after regulators discovered money intended for foster families was used to pay mortgage payments and for visits to the nail salon.

Swenson is charged with two counts of mail fraud and two counts of mail fraud, each of which carries a possible 20-year prison term as well as a $250,00 maximum fine, upon conviction.

The investigation leading to the arrest was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tina Ansari is prosecuting this case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/houston-woman-arrested-adoption-fraud

Thank you Illinois and FBI!! Finally have Nicole Eason and Calvin Eason off the streets and at least a couple of children are safe from these sexual predators!!  Disgusting how they used "adoption" as a means to bring children into their home for the purpose of sexual acts.

Here is the written story that got the investigation started!

http://www.reuters.com/investigates/adoption/#article/part1

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/08/us-usa-kidnapping-adoption-idUSKBN0NT2GK20150508

US | Fri May 8, 2015 7:18pm EDT

Related: U.S., FACEBOOK

'Re-homing' couple exposed by Reuters is indicted on kidnap charges

An Arizona couple who used an underground online market for acquiring children has been charged with kidnapping two minors and transporting one across state lines with intent to engage in sexual activity.

The suspects, Nicole and Calvin Eason, came to authorities' attention as a result of "The Child Exchange," a Reuters series in 2013 that exposed how Americans were using Yahoo message boards, Facebook groups and other online sites to "re-home" unwanted children.

The stories showed how parents were privately transferring custody of their adopted children to strangers met on the Internet. The Easons had taken at least six boys and girls in this manner while lying about their identities, the series showed. Nicole Eason's own two biological children had been permanently removed from her care earlier, police reports showed, after social workers concluded she had neglected one child and physically abused the other.

Following the series, the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation of the children re-homed to the Easons. In April, the Easons were arrested in Arizona and taken into federal custody on felony charges filed in Illinois. A federal grand jury in Illinois indicted the couple on the charges Wednesday.

Calvin Eason's attorney declined to comment. Nicole Eason's attorney could not be reached.

According to an April affidavit by an FBI agent, Nicole and Calvin Eason allegedly kidnapped two of the children, a boy and a girl, in 2007, and sexually abused the girl, who turned 8 while in their custody.

In both cases, the adoptive parents had given their child to the couple after connecting with Nicole Eason through a Yahoo message group, where people discussed adoption frustrations and sometimes arranged custody transfers. Yahoo removed such message boards in 2013, after Reuters brought them to the company’s attention.

An adoptive parent of the girl alleged that the Easons, living in Illinois at the time, presented themselves as a loving, stable family, dedicated to the well-being of children in their care, according to the affidavit. As part of the custody transfer, the Easons promised the parents to provide proof that social workers had signed off on the suitability of their home, but never did, the affidavit said.

The boy and girl were removed from the Eason home by another member of the Yahoo group, who had come to suspect the Easons could be dangerous. The girl disclosed the alleged sexual abuse in an FBI interview earlier this year, according to the affidavit. The boy told the FBI he was not abused.

No U.S. federal law specifically prohibits re-homing. State laws that restrict custody transfers of children rarely prescribe criminal sanctions and are frequently ignored.

Since the Reuters series appeared in late 2013, however, at least five states have passed new restrictions on advertising the availability of children, transferring custody, or both. Lawmakers in those states noted that the absence of government safeguards can result in children ending up in the care of abusers.

The original series can be read here: here#article/part1

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/08/us-usa-kidnapping-adoption-idUSKBN0NT2GK20150508

Info you may need to know if you are getting a call or text from someone who is using "google voice"

     Google Voice allows someone to pick and choose a phone number, from anywhere they desire and have that number show up on caller ID. So say you have a call come in from Louisiana that person may really be in Florida.

     If you suspect this and have an open case, here is info on how to validate the number:

Since Google Voice numbers aren't listed in phone books or connected to physical addresses, they're difficult to trace. When you call contacts from your Google Voice number, it shows up on their caller ID, but standard phone traces don't reveal your identity. If law enforcement agencies become involved, Google provides them with your account information, including the IP address from which you created the account and placed calls.

NBCDateline Broken Trust/Heather Gaston, Burgess and other surnames.

Watch Sunday night April 5th 6CST for update of Heather Gaston and of her scams in adoption.  She is back out on the streets and has been convicted twice already.
Here is a preview:  http://www.nbcnews.com/watch/dateline/preview-hope-heartbreak-420723779538

If you missed the episode, here is an online link!  Wowsa, who's worse, Heather or Simone the one who ran an agency.  They both know what people want to hear and are not afraid to con them.  Despicable!  Heather is out of prison in PA and in a half way house now.  As far as I can see, she is not sorry for what she has done, and because of past behavior, she is predicting her future behavior.  Be careful out there potential adoptive parents, verify all the info you can! Do your research!

 http://www.nbc.com/dateline/video/dateline-hope-heartbreak/2855978?onid=209511#vc209511=1


UPDATE 8/1/2015  Heather is pregnant! She has been contacting various agencies and pap's. No one knows if she will place in the end, but in the mean time she may be going for the highest bidder, or trying to live off her pregnancy. Be vigilant!

Tracy Bess Thacker/Ankeny Iowa

AGAIN, she is busted for the same thing!  Not sure any laws can be changed as far as adoption laws goes, that will stop someone who is hell bent on playing with peoples emotions and only considering her own wants and needs for attention.  Obviously no one has been able to help her and now she is raising two little's but thank God they have a father and other family support.  Hoping her husband is putting the kids needs first and is not allowing her to play emotional games with them.

http://www.kcci.com/news/police-woman-charged-again-in-adoption-scam/31565292

Halaina Walsh aka a whole bunch of other names, from Texas, Florida, California and she will also make you believe she rein's in a couple of other states. SHE CANNOT GET PREGNANT, I repeat, she CANNOT GET PREGNANT! Also, SHE CANNOT AFFORD A SURROGATE, THE PROCEDURE, OR WHAT COMES AFTER!! She is very capable of producing documents that will make you believe she can,,,,just do your research and you will figure this out.
IF you are concerned for the little girl in her care, who is not biologically connected to Halaina or her husband Colm aka what ever they decide to call him, call DSS,DHS,Department of Family Services, in your county or the county where they are living at the moment.  EVEN if you don't think you have enough info,,,there is a file and the big picture will make a difference. ADD your info to that file. Put the little girl above all else, even your fear (she can scare a person with this craziness).  Imagine the fear this little girl has come to know. She has NO-ONE protecting her! Do what is morally and ethically correct! If you don't want to make a call, then send a letter via snail mail. Send it to the State and the County offices.