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Press Release

3 area residents from Turkey charged with conspiring to illegally bring individuals into United States

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Ohio

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged three individuals from Turkey who live in the Cincinnati region with conspiring to bring illegal Turkish immigrants into the United States via Mexico.

 

Comert Kurdistan (also known as Comert Ardic), 43, of Newtown, Ohio; Emma Brown (also known as Emma Nur), 35, of Cincinnati; and Ismail Altundag, 26, of Cincinnati have each been charged with federal immigration crimes.

 

According to the six-count indictment, the three defendants conspired in October and November 2021 to bring at least three undocumented immigrants into the United States.

 

Conspiring to bring in illegal immigrants is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison and aiding or abetting in such conduct carries a potential maximum punishment of five years in prison.

 

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; James C. Harris III, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Newtown Police Chief Thomas Synan Jr. and Miami Township Police Chief Mike Mills announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.

 

An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

 

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Updated April 8, 2022

Topics
Immigration
Human Smuggling