(Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office)
KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. — Authorities say an international retail theft ring with direct ties to the violent La Familia Michoacana cartel in Mexico has been dismantled following a months-long investigation led by the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) and its Kenosha Drug Operations Group (KDOG).
The operation, which involved Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and multiple Illinois law enforcement agencies, uncovered a sophisticated network responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in thefts across the United States. Investigators say the proceeds funded the cartel’s narcotics, firearms, and human trafficking operations.
Surveillance and Traffic Stop
On April 6, 2025, the group was spotted committing thefts in Pleasant Prairie. Just four days later, sheriff’s deputies stopped a vehicle carrying more than $21,000 in stolen retail merchandise taken from Madison. That seizure set off a chain of warrants and raids.
Search Warrants in Kenosha
On May 6, deputies and SWAT executed a search warrant at a Kenosha apartment, leading to a second warrant for a local storage unit. Together, investigators recovered over $120,000 in stolen merchandise, much of it still tagged with store labels. Deputies also seized burglary tools and evidence linking the suspects to organized theft.
Arrests and Charges
Eight suspects were arrested and face ongoing local criminal cases:
- Fausto Javier Gonzalez-Medrano, Kenosha
- Jose Antonio Baez-Fuerte, Kenosha
- Jorge Alberto Villeda-Sevilla, Kenosha
- Sharon Jazmin Villeda-Sevilla, Kenosha
- Ana Paola Villeda-Sevilla, Kenosha
- Manuel Perez-Sanchez, Zion, Ill.
- Danna Paola Gomez, Chicago, Ill.
- Yareli Salas-Ramirez, Zion, Ill.
Four of the suspects — Gonzalez-Medrano, Perez-Sanchez, Salas-Ramirez, and Gomez — posted bonds as high as $25,000 but were immediately picked up by ICE and deported to Mexico. They now face extraditable warrants should they reenter the United States. The remaining suspects remain in custody at the Kenosha County Jail.
Cartel Connections and High-Level Targets
Investigators say several of the arrested individuals were “high-level” cartel operatives who used fraudulent identifications, stash houses, and a cross-country theft network to funnel profits back to La Familia Michoacana.
Sheriff Praises Multi-Agency Effort
Sheriff David Zoerner credited KDOG detectives and national partners for taking down what he called a major threat.
“The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office is honored to have played a crucial role with all of our involved law enforcement partners,” Zoerner said. “I am proud of the fact that KDOG detectives identified key members, executed search warrants, and gathered crucial evidence of this cartel retail theft ring.”
Officials say the investigation required coordination between local deputies, HSI divisions in Milwaukee and Houston, ICE, and police from Oak Brook, Illinois, and Katy, Texas.
The case remains active, and more charges could follow as evidence is processed.
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23 Responses
Blows my mind it’s taken this long to take down the fake ID manufactures in the area.
From Highwood to Zion, it’s a large distribution operation.
Let’s not forget Round Lake…..
Those r the kind of illegals we dont need here
Btw , We dont want Any Illegal Aleins.
Legal immigrants, No problemo.
NO IMMIGRANTS! NONE! DEPORT THEM ALL!!!
Even the White people’s deportation of all of them back to Europe.
Yep, if they came here illegally- boot them too.
They came here for a better life. Rob, cheat, steal, and poison for a profit.
What kind of illegals do you want?
Great to see and hear Kenosha LEOs working with ICE 👍 👍 👍
So glad the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office is co-operating with ICE and handing these criminal illegal aliens over for immediate deportation after they post $25,000 bail each. Kenosha County gets to keep the $100K and these criminals are out of our country.
Surprised Illinois is cooperating with this
Thanks Joe & Kamala.
Who is letting them in now?
Has Tony Evers quietly pardoned them yet?
No “leaking ” on this one.
Looks like a gang of outstanding criminal illegals that organized ICE Protesters choose and prefer to defend.
Sheriff interacting with ICE and HSI? He should sign a 287(g) enforcement agreement with ICE to make enforcement even more effective and efficient.
What’s surprising is that Illinois law enforcement was involved with an ICE and HSI operation, against the wishes of the mayor and governor. In your face!
Some rogue federal judge will rule they are entitled to “due process” to be deported.
Regardless that they received/requested NO due progress when they illegally entered our country.
Some rogue federal judge will rule they are entitled to “due process” to be deported.
Regardless that they requested/received NO due progress when they illegally entered our country.
those are my neighbors
Send them back to the cartel they came from. They’ll chop them up into little pieces while they are alive.
I see a theme here