Four of the suspects arrested made bond, but were taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs, which were later deported, according to the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
September 24, 2025
Kenosha, Wisconsin - The Kenosha County Sheriff's Office released the following press release announcing the arrest and criminal charges filed against 8 suspects allegedly involved in a interstate cartel retail theft ring in Illinois and Wisconsin. Four of the suspects, one from Wisconsin and three from Illinois made bail ($25,000 each), but the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) placed a hold on them, they were taken into custody and were later deported to Mexico. The four other suspects are facing charges in Wisconsin. All of the suspects are allegedly tied to the Cartel La Familia (Family Cartel) Michocana in Mexico.
According to the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office, in March 2025, Kenosha County Sheriff's Office (KESO) Kenosha Drug Operations Group (KDOG) Detectives were contacted by the Oak Brook, Illinois, Police regarding an investigation with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), regarding an organized retail theft ring. This cell has direct ties to Cartel La Familia Michoacana in Mexico.
Cartel members are known to move around the country using a sophisticated network of stash houses, vehicles, and fraudulent identifications. It is estimated that this organization is responsible for more than a hundred million dollars in thefts annually in the United States. The proceeds from these crimes are used to further the Cartel's Narcotic, Firearm, and Human Trafficking mission.
On April 6th, 2025, this group was observed committing thefts in Pleasant Prairie, WI. On April 10th, several members of this group were detained in a traffic stop by KESO Deputies. These individuals were in possession of more than $21,000.00 worth of stolen retail merchandise from Madison, WI.
On May 6th, 2025, KDOG and general assignment detectives conducted a Search Warrant at 3919-28th Avenue, Apartment #4, with the assistance of the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team. As a result of the execution of this search warrant, additional information was obtained that led detectives to a storage unit in Kenosha. A second warrant was drafted and was served on the storage unit location the same day.
Four members of the theft ring were taken into custody and transported to the Kenosha County Jail. Four other members of the organization were not at the residence, but their locations were revealed. KDOG detectives, HSI investigators, and ICE agents coordinated with the Illinois State Police and the Cook County Sheriff's Police to take them into custody.
Eight subjects in total were arrested in this investigation, and all currently have open local criminal cases. Fausto Javier Gonzalez-Medrano, Manuel Perez-Sanchez, Yareli Salas-Ramirez, and Danna Paola Gomez posted bonds up to $25,000.00 and were picked up by USICE. They have not returned to court as they have been deported back to Mexico. They each have fully extraditable warrants issued for their arrests, should they return to the United States. The remaining suspects are in custody at the Kenosha County Jail.
The suspects are:
• Javier Fausto Gonzalez-Medrano, 29, of Kenosha, WI, charged with two felony counts for receiving stolen property (>$2,500-$5,000) and retail theft intentionally take (>$500-$5,000) and party to a crime, according to Kenosha County court records, two bench warrants are active.
• Jose Antonio Baez-Fuerte, 28, of Kenosha, WI, charged with one felony count for receiving stolen property (>$10,000) and party to a crime.
• Jorge Alberto Villeda-Sevilla, 32, of Kenosha, WI, charged with one felony count for receiving stolen property (>$10,000) and party to a crime.
• Sharon Jazmin Villeda-Sevilla, 23, of Kenosha, WI, charged with one felony count for receiving stolen property (>$10,000) and party to a crime.
• Ana Paola Villeda-Sevilla, 34, of Kenosha, WI, charged with one felony count for receiving stolen property (>$10,000) and party to a crime.
• Manuel Perez-Sanchez, 39, of Zion, IL, charged with one felony count for receiving stolen property (>$10,000) and party to a crime. He is also with one misdemeanor count for obstructing an officer.
• Danna Paola Gomez, 20, of Chicago, IL, charged with one felony count for receiving stolen property (>$10,000) and party to a crime. She is also charged with one misdemeanor count for resisting or obstructing an officer.
• Yareli E. Salas-Ramirez, 31, of Zion, IL, charged with one felony count for receiving stolen property (>$10,000) and party to a crime.
There was a vast quantity of stolen merchandise, along with tools and other evidence of the crimes, recovered in the residence. More than $53,000.00 in stolen items still had price tags. There was an equal amount or more in stolen items, the values of which have yet to be confirmed.
More than $16,000.00 in stolen merchandise was recovered from the storage unit, and it is estimated that more than $120,000.00 in stolen property was recovered in Kenosha County during this operation.
The Kenosha District Attorney's Office was present during the warrant and subsequent evidence processing. The Kenosha Sheriff's Office coordinated with Illinois Agencies, HSI, and ICE to ensure all appropriate charges, warrants, and immigration detainers are in place. Additionally, several of the arrested individuals were considered "high-level" members of the cartel.
This case was a massive undertaking. KDOG detectives, KESO general assignment detectives and deputies, and the KDOG Strike Team members, along with representatives and agents from HSI Houston, TX, HSI Milwaukee, Milwaukee ICE, Oak Brook, IL, Police, and Katy, TX, Police, collaborated during this investigation.
Sheriff Zoerner stated, "The Kenosha County Sheriff's Office is honored to have played a crucial role with all of our involved law enforcement partners. 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."
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