NewzIntel.com

Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests Salvadoran alien with several convictions in Massachusetts

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PEABODY, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration arrested an illegal Salvadoran national convicted of domestic assault and battery, violating a restraining order, and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Officers with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston working with agents from ICE Homeland Security Investigations New England, FBI Boston, and DEA New England apprehended Emilio Neftaly Pineda June 12 in Peabody.

    Pineda is also the subject of two arrest warrants in Massachusetts for leaving the scene of an accident and compulsory insurance violation after he failed to appear for his court dates for those charges.

    “Emilio Pineda has several convictions in the state of Massachusetts and represents a clear threat to the residents of our community,” said ICE ERO Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Additionally, Pineda has been previously removed from the U.S. twice. He has shown a blatant disregard for our immigration laws and our state laws. We cannot allow New England to become a safe haven for the world’s bad actors. ICE Boston will continue to arrest and remove criminal alien threats to our neighbors.”

    Pineda illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at unknown location, and without being admitted, inspected, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    The East Boston District arraigned Pineda Nov. 6, 2000, for assault and battery on a household member. The court issued a continuance without finding on Jan. 24, 2001.

    The Everett District Court arraigned Pineda Dec. 5, 2002, for violating a restraining order. The court found him guilty of that charge Feb. 3, 2003.

    The Quincy District Court arraigned Pineda Aug. 1, 2005, for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The court issued a continuance without finding Jan. 23, 2006.

    The Malden District Court arraigned Pineda Sept. 30, 2015, for leaving the scene of an accident with property damage. On March 2, 2016, the court issued a default warrant for Pineda after he failed to appear for his court date.

    Between November 2015 and July 2016, ICE Boston arrested and removed Pineda on two separate occasions. He was removed from the United States on Feb. 1, 2016, and again on July 20, 2016.

    The Malden District Court arraigned Pineda Dec. 16, 2015, for a compulsory insurance violation. The Malden District Court issued a warrant for Pineda after he failed to appear to court.

    Pineda illegally re-entered the United States on an unknown date, at unknown location, and without being admitted, inspected, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    On June 12, 2025, ICE Boston served Pineda with a reinstatement of deportation after his arrest. Pineda is in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROBoston and @HSINewEngland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM District 751 Celebrates Grand Opening of New Everett Training Center

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM District 751 marked a significant milestone with the grand opening of its new training center in Everett, Washington. International President Brian Bryant and Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez joined district and local leaders, members, and community allies to cut the ribbon on the cutting-edge facility, designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s aerospace workforce.

    “We didn’t build this just to keep up, we built it to lead,” said IAM District 751 Directing Business Representative Jon Holden. “This center ensures our members have access to the same high-tech tools and instruction as the industries they serve.”

    The new training center spans more than 20,000 square feet and features a suite of state-of-the-art tools and classrooms. Among the highlights are hands-on training equipment, including computer-numerical-control (CNC) simulators, paint and welding virtual reality simulators, advanced metrology tools, 3D printers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and augmented reality technology to enhance industrial applications.

    “This new facility represents our deep commitment to investing in our members,” said International President Brian Bryant. “It’s a place where careers begin, skills are strengthened, and the future of aerospace is built.”

    The facility also includes real-world, shop-ready machinery, such as mills and lathes, and fully outfitted welding rigs that allow members to train on actual equipment used in today’s aerospace manufacturing. This practical, hands-on instruction ensures IAM members gain experience with the same tools and standards found on the shop floor at companies like Boeing.

    “This center is a game changer,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez. “Investing in training and skills is how we strengthen our union, grow our industries, and empower the next generation of IAM Union members.”

    To view photos, click here.

    The center also includes flexible classroom space and a large union hall for meetings and events. By combining traditional classroom learning with hands-on training and community partnerships, the facility positions members for long-term success.

    U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell attended the ribbon cutting and praised the union’s investment in workforce development.

    “By 2030, we may have a shortfall of over 2 million machinists. Can you imagine? America’s competitiveness is at stake,” said Cantwell. “751 is answering the call, not just with this new facility, but in integrating the Machinists Institute to train, skill, and attract people. That is why this building and the Machinists Institute — with a training capacity of over 700 machinists, to be trained right here — is such a great facility.”

    The post IAM District 751 Celebrates Grand Opening of New Everett Training Center appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Chemical and biological weapons – Centennial of the Geneva Protocol (June 17, 2025)

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    Today we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, signed on June 17, 1925. France is the depositary of this Protocol.

    On this occasion, as we recall the determination to prevent a repetition of WWI atrocities, France reaffirms its unwavering commitment to strengthening norms against the use of these weapons “that are an affront to the human conscience.”

    The Protocol’s primary goal was to establish a taboo against the use of chemical and biological weapons. It was the first step toward a wider ban, with the signing of conventions prohibiting the production, stockpiling and use of these weapons in the late 20th century.

    Despite the adoption of the conventions banning chemical and biological weapons, recent experience has shown that this principle, which we believed to be inviolable, could be challenged in actual fact. These weapons were used numerous times over the past decade, both in wartime and against civilians.

    Now that a historic opportunity has arisen to destroy what remains of the chemical weapons program developed in Syria under the Assad regime, we applaud the work carried out by OPCW inspectors and stress that it is crucial for nations to remain committed to preventing their use.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU Agency for Asylum inaugurates its Training Academy for asylum and reception officials

    Source: European Asylum Support Office

    The EUAA’s Executive Director, Nina Gregori, and Malta’s Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment, Byron Camilleri, have together inaugurated the EUAA Academy at Trident Park in Malta. Having become a formal qualifications provider in late 2024, the EUAA Academy will now welcome national officials from all over the EU+ in its dedicated training centre, where they will receive internationally recognised training in asylum and reception matters.

    The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), represented by its Executive Director, Ms. Nina Gregori, together with  Byron Camilleri, Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment, representatives of the Maltese government and officials of the Malta Further & Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) have inaugurated the new “EUAA Academy” premises, in the presence of members of the EUAA’s Management Board, the European Commission and the UNHCR.

    Since 2012, the Agency has been training officials from national administrations in the rules underpinning the Common European Asylum System (CEAS).  While asylum and migration remain at the heart of political debate, it is critical that national officials are well versed in the EU’s asylum and reception laws, so that they can identify those in genuine in need of international protection, while safeguarding their protection systems.

    To date, the Agency has recorded over 100 000 participations in over 50 different training modules. Building on this success, the EUAA Academy will be the first accredited training academy providing specialised training in the fields of asylum and reception at an EU level. It will help ensure that:

    • Case officers apply the EU’s asylum rules in a consistent manner. Protection legislation in the EU and its Member States’ lies at the intersection of EU and international law. Assessing how it applies to individuals, through personal interviews, and using in-depth knowledge on the situations in Countries of Origin is critical to assessing the credibility of asylum claims.

    • Reception experts quickly identify vulnerable individuals. These experts help ensure reception conditions meet EU standards, identify vulnerable persons as early as possible so that psychosocial support can be provided, while remaining aware of the cultural sensitivities of applicants.

    • Member States can reduce long-term costs. By investing in their professional development, national authorities can better retain experienced staff and reduce turnover. Training also ensures that practices in accepting or rejecting asylum claims are as similar as possible across Member States, building trust between EU countries.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The Justice Department Files Complaint Challenging Kentucky Regulation Providing Reduced In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    WASHINGTON – Today the United States is challenging a Kentucky regulation that provides reduced in-state tuition for illegal aliens. This law unconstitutionally discriminates against U.S. citizens, who are not afforded the same privilege, in direct conflict with federal law. The Department of Justice has filed the complaint in the Eastern District of Kentucky. This challenge builds upon a recently successful lawsuit against the state of Texas on a similar law.

    “No state can be allowed to treat Americans like second-class citizens in their own country by offering financial benefits to illegal aliens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice just won on this exact issue in Texas, and we look forward to fighting in Kentucky to protect the rights of American citizens.”

    In the complaint, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of a Kentucky regulation that requires public colleges and universities to provide reduced in-state tuition rates for illegal aliens who are deemed to be Kentucky residents. Federal law prohibits public institutions of higher education from providing benefits to illegal aliens that are not offered to U.S. citizens. This regulation blatantly conflicts with federal law and thus is unconstitutional under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

    This lawsuit follows two executive orders recently signed by President Trump that seek to ensure illegal aliens are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment.

    Read the complaint HERE.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank Concludes Strategic High-Level Mission to Ghana, Identifies Five Key Areas for Transformational Partnership


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    Representatives of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) have concluded a week-long high-level mission to Ghana, marking the institution’s first major engagement with the country’s new administration under President John Dramani Mahama.

    The delegation, led by Solomon Quaynor, the Bank Group’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization, conducted extensive consultations with key government ministries, public agencies, and private sector stakeholders, to align the Bank’s support with Ghana’s transformational development priorities.

    The agencies included the ministries of Roads and Highways; Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation; the Bank of Ghana; Volta River Authority; Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority; Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (“GIIF”); National Pensions Regulatory Authority; National Insurance Commission, Securities Exchange Commission, Ghana Stock Exchange, Ghana Export-Import Bank, Pension Corporate Trustees and Fund Managers, and various private sector companies.

    The delegation also cohosted a successful one-day roundtable discussion on “Unlocking Long-term Local Currency Finance for Infrastructure Development in Ghana,” jointly organized with GIIF, the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), InfraCredit, Stanbic Bank, and PetraTrust, an event that laid the foundation for domestic capital mobilization initiatives.

    At the conclusion of the mission, the Bank identified five core areas for follow-up collaboration:

    • Mobilizing Domestic Capital for Infrastructure Development

    The Bank will work with partners to establish a credit enhancement and de-risking facility to unlock part of Ghana’s USD 5.2 billion cedis equivalent in pension assets for infrastructure investment. Drawing on successful models implemented through InfraCredit in Nigeria and Dhamana in Kenya and East Africa, the initiative aims to make local infrastructure, industrial, affordable housing and public-private partnerships assets attractive to institutional investors.

    • Supporting the 24-Hour Economy Initiative

    The Bank expressed strong enthusiasm for Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy concept, committing to provide comprehensive project preparation support, knowledge sharing on industrial parks development, and downstream financing solutions. Key focus areas include integrated industrial parks for textiles, garments, agro-processing and light manufacturing, and lake transport infrastructure all captured under the Volta Economic Corridor.

    • Advancing Transport Infrastructure Development

    Leveraging its continental expertise, the Bank will support Ghana’s ‘Big Push’ infrastructure initiative through partnerships with the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, and the PPP Unit at the Ministry of Finance.

    • Strengthening Digital Transformation Foundation

    Collaborating with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, the Bank will support critical policy and legislative reviews focusing on data harmonization, data governance, and cybersecurity enhancement to establish a robust foundation for Ghana’s digital transformation.

    • Unlocking Private Sector Investment Opportunities

    The mission identified numerous investment opportunities across logistics, agriculture, agro-processing, energy, and other critical sectors, emphasizing the private sector’s fundamental role in sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

    Quaynor highlighted the success of the mission. “The enthusiasm, vision, and commitment we have witnessed this week from Ghana’s leadership and stakeholders give us great confidence in the transformational impact we can achieve together.”

    He emphasized that all identified areas will be actively pursued, with the Bank firmly committed to working with all stakeholders to drive sustainable economic growth and development for Ghana, noting that the alignment between the government’s priorities and the Bank’s strategic capabilities creates an unprecedented opportunity for meaningful collaboration and impact.

    The mission concluded with firm commitments for follow-up action across all identified areas, emphasizing the Bank’s dedication to forging concrete partnerships that deliver tangible results for Ghana’s economic transformation and improved livelihoods for its people.

    Other members of the Bank’s delegation were Eyerusalem Fasika, Country Manager for Ghana; Mike Salawou, Director of Infrastructure and Urban Development; Ousmane Fall, Director of Private Sector and Industrial and Trade Development; Akane Zoukpo Sanankoua, Manager, Capital Markets Development; Aude Apetey-Kacou, Regional NSO Lead, West Africa; Dennis Ansah, Regional NSO Lead, Nigeria and Dovi Amouzou, Advisor to the Vice President.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    Media Contact: 
    Kwasi Kpodo
    Communication and External Relations
    w.kpodo@afdb.org

    About the African Development Bank Group:
    The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank project restores electricity in Zimbabwean communities following devastating Cyclone Idai

    In March 2019, Cyclone Idai tore through Zimbabwe’s eastern districts with unprecedented fury, leaving behind a trail of devastation. Among the hardest hit regions were Chimanimani and Chipinge, where the lifelines of modern life—electricity, roads, and water systems—were severed in a matter of hours.

    The 155-kilometer powerline stretching from Middle Sabi to Charter, once the backbone of energy supply for Manicaland Province, lay in ruins, plunging over 300,000 people into darkness. For more than two agonizing months, industries ground to a halt, hospitals operated without reliable power for life-saving equipment, and school computer labs stayed closed.

    “The cyclone brought operations to a near standstill, recalls Witness Teteni, engineering foreman at Charter Sawmills, a facility employing 320 workers. “We experienced numerous power faults that severely disrupted our work. We had to rely on generators, which are expensive to run and not environmentally friendly.

    The African Development Bank stepped forward with a $24.7 million Post-Cyclone Idai Emergency Recovery Project (PCIREP), implemented through the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the United Nations agency dedicated to implementing humanitarian and development projects, in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe.

    The goal was not just to restore what had been lost, but to provide a better, stronger, and more resilient replacement.

    A beacon of light and hope

    The electricity component of PCIREP, representing $3.7 million in strategic investment, focused on reinforcing 155 kilometers of 33kV overhead power lines and constructing a new 12-kilometer 33kV distribution line in Chipinge to separate the two districts’ power supplies.

    It also included infrastructure upgrades such as replacing wooden poles with steel, using installation techniques that help these poles better withstand extreme weather conditions. The project also saw the supply of essential equipment, including vehicles and tools, to the state-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company (ZETDC).

    The African Development Bank-supported project has helped restore power to over 300,000 people. “We have significantly reduced the number of faults in the system,” explains engineer Selina Mudzinganyama, who oversaw the rehabilitation. “Maintenance costs have also gone down because the upgraded design is built to withstand harsher conditions. Clinics, schools, and households now enjoy reliable power, and businesses can operate without constant interruptions.”

    Echoing this, Andreas Moyo, development engineer for ZETDC’s Eastern Region, says, “We now have just our normal faults. The safety, especially for these lines that we reinforced, has improved a lot. We only experience small faults now—one hour, and it’s sorted, whereas before we could easily go quite a long time without resolution.”

    In Chimanimani’s health facilities, the impact has been life changing. Clinical nurse Patricia Chikandi describes the transformation: “Reliable electricity has been a game-changer for us. During emergencies, we no longer worry about power cuts, and our vaccines are stored safely in temperature-controlled refrigerators. It has improved the quality of care we provide.”

    Farai Ndlovu, a student at Chipinge High School, says, “With electricity back, we can use computers in the lab and study after dark. This is helping us prepare better for exams and giving us skills we wouldn’t have access to otherwise.”

    For agriculture workers, it means more earnings. “Before the power line was restored, our irrigation systems were unreliable, and we often lost crops,” says smallholder farmer Tsitsi Mutswairo. “Now, with consistent electricity, our yields have improved significantly, and we’re earning more from our produce.”

    It’s a similar story for Leonard Nyamukondiwa, an agro-processor in Chipinge. “Before the rehabilitation, we couldn’t meet our targets because of constant outages. Now, we’re able to process more produce, and our profits have increased.”

    Electricity equals entrepreneurship

    Perhaps nowhere is the project’s impact more visible than in Jacob Mukunukuji’s workshop in Marimauta Village.

    Before the power line restoration, Jacob’s business was severely constrained by the high cost of diesel generators. Now, with access to reliable three-phase industrial power, his small workshop has become a hub for skills development, training apprentices from local vocational centers, and creating a ripple effect of opportunity throughout the community.

    “Having electricity is very, very important because I can make whatever I want,” Jacob explains, gesturing toward his creations—rip saw tables, grinding mills, and maize processing equipment that serve farmers across the region.

    He points to Paul, whom he trained and now employs as a welder in his workshop. “He is part of the fourth batch I am training. One of my first graduates, Danmore Majuta has his own copper workshop at Rusitu. Another female apprentice is manufacturing window frames and building materials for general local housing maintenance.”

    A model for sustainable development

    Today, the lights are on in Chimanimani and Chipinge. Community elder and farmer Jeremiah Mutasa highlights the transformation: “The power lines have brought hope back to our region. We have electricity for our homes, our farms, and our schools. It’s more than just power; it is the light that keeps our community alive.”

    The project, which aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy (NDS1), demonstrates how targeted infrastructure investments can transform entire regions.

    As the African Development Bank’s Power Engineer, Seaga Molepo sums it up: “The electricity infrastructure interventions under this project exemplify the critical intersection of disaster recovery and sustainable development. The successful collaboration between the Bank, the Government of Zimbabwe, and UNOPS proves that when we align our efforts with clear strategic priorities – particularly ‘Lighting and Powering Africa’ – we can deliver transformative results that improve the quality of life for the people we serve.”

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    About the African Development Bank Group:
    The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council to run intensive lifeguarding qualification course

    Source: City of Canterbury

    Home  »  Latest News   »   Council to run intensive lifeguarding qualification course

    Canterbury City Council is delivering a full RLSS UK National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ) as we seek to add more staff to our lifeguarding team.

    This is the core qualification for anyone seeking employment on UK beaches and will be an intensive six-day training course running from Monday 14 to Saturday 19 July. The cost is £150.

    To pass the course and achieve the certificate, candidates must attend 100% of the course and pass all assessment criteria.

    The course content includes beach lifeguarding – knowledge and understanding, life support and first aid, ocean skills and pool skills.

    To be eligible, candidates must be aged 16 or above at the time of taking the NVBLQ final assessment (the last day of the course) and demonstrate a good level of fitness, ability to surface dive to a depth of two metres and competence at swimming in the sea.

    Candidates must also be able to swim 400 metres in a pool in eight minutes or less using a continuous front stroke and showing urgency.

    Places on the course are limited. For more information or to register, contact Port and Foreshore Services on 01227 266 719.

    Applicants may be asked to attend a pre-course swimming session on Wednesday 25 June at Whitstable swimming pool.

    Published: 17 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Technology transforming tailings ponds

    [. Yet, for decades, operators have been forced to store most of the water they use on site, leading to billions of litres now contained largely in tailings ponds.

    Alberta is investing $50 million from the industry-funded TIER system to help develop new and improved technologies that make cleaning up oil sands mine water safer and more effective. Led by Emissions Reduction Alberta, the new Tailings Technology Challenge will help speed up work to safely reclaim the water in oil sands tailing ponds and eventually return the land for use by future generations.

    “Alberta’s government is taking action by funding technologies that make treating oil sands water faster, effective and affordable. We look forward to seeing the innovative solutions that come out of this funding challenge, and once again demonstrate Alberta’s global reputation for sustainable energy development and environmental stewardship.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    “Tailings and mine water management remain among the most significant challenges facing Alberta’s energy sector. Through this challenge, we’re demonstrating our commitment to funding solutions that make water treatment and tailings remediation more affordable, scalable and effective.”

    Justin Riemer, CEO, Emissions Reduction Alberta

    As in other mines, the oil sands processing creates leftover water called tailings that need to be properly managed. Recently, Alberta’s Oil Sands Mine Water Steering Committee brought together industry, academics and Indigenous leaders to identify the best path forward to safely address mine water and reclaim land.

    This new funding competition will support both new and improved technologies to help oil sands companies minimize freshwater use, promote responsible ways to manage mine water and reclaim mine sites. Using technology for better on-site treatment will help improve safety, reduce future clean up costs and environmental risks, and speed up the process of safely addressing mine water and restoring sites so they are ready for future use.

    “Innovation has always played an instrumental role in the oil sands and continues to be an area of focus. Oil sands companies are collaborating and investing to advance environmental technologies, including many focused on mine water and tailings management. We’re excited to see this initiative, as announced today, seeking to explore technology development in an area that’s important to all Albertans.”

    Kendall Dilling, president, Pathways Alliance 

    Quick facts

    • All mines produce tailings. In the oil sands, tailings describe a mixture of water, sand, clay and residual bitumen that are the byproduct of the oil extraction process.
    • From 2013 to 2023, oil sands mine operations reduced the amount of fresh water used per barrel by 28 per cent. Recycled water use increased by 51 per cent over that same period.
    • The Tailings Technology Challenge is open to oil sands operators and technology providers until Sept. 24.
    • The Tailings Technology Challenge will invest in scale-up, pilot, demonstration and first-of-kind commercial technologies and solutions to reduce and manage fluid tailings and the treatment of oil sands mine water.
    • Eligible technologies include both engineered and natural solutions that treat tailings to improve water quality and mine process water.
    • Successful applicants can receive up to $15 million per project, with a minimum funding request of $1 million.
    • Oil sands operators are responsible for site management and reclamation, while ongoing research continues to inform and refine best practices to support effective policy and regulatory outcomes.

    Related information

    • Emissions Reduction Alberta
    • Using science and technology to tackle tailings ponds (June 12, 2025)

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DAUPHIN COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Promote Safe Driving During Summer Travel

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    June 18, 2025 – Middletown, PA

    ADVISORY – DAUPHIN COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Promote Safe Driving During Summer Travel

    Officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) and Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA TIPP) will gather to promote safe summer travel, urging motorists to follow traffic laws for the safety of all road users.

    The statewide Fourth of July impaired driving enforcement campaign began Monday and runs through July 6.

    WHO:
    Mike Carroll, Secretary, PennDOT
    Mark Compton, CEO, PA Turnpike
    Sgt. Logan Brouse, Communications Office Director, PSP
    Kelly Whitaker, Central Regional Coordinator, PA TIPP

    WHEN:
    Wednesday, June 18 at 1:00 PM

    WHERE:
    PA Turnpike TIP Building, 2850 Turnpike Industrial Drive, Middletown, PA. Event is outside, at the back of the main entrance parking lot. See map for details. In case of inclement weather, the event will move indoors.

    See Full Advisory for Map

    RSVP:
    Media interested in attending should RSVP with the name of reporter/photographer to morbanek@paturnpike.com.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Health Neuromodulation Center of Excellence for Veterans

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn Health announced Connecticut created legislation to establish a Neuromodulation Center of Excellence at the Brain and Spine Institute that provides veterans access for stroke recovery through Vivistem, a product of Microtransponder.  Vivistim is a transformative stroke intervention that helps ischemic stroke survivors improve upper limb function during the chronic phase of recovery when progress in therapy often slows.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability. Addressing this public health concern, Connecticut Rep. Henry Genga proposed legislation for the Neuromodulation Center of Excellence with support from the Veterans with Disabilities Task Force. The program is a collaboration between UConn Health and Hartford HealthCare.

    UConn Health has been at the forefront of transforming the stroke continuum of care, having implanted Connecticut’s first 13 recipients of the Vivistim Paired VNS System. After implant, stroke survivors commence the six-week Vivistim protocol, which typically includes 18 90-minute occupational or physical therapy sessions where therapists use a wireless remote to communicate with the device, pairing vagus nerve stimulation with therapy tasks designed around the stroke survivors’ functional goals.

    Christopher Conner, MD, Ph.D., is a neurosurgeon at UConn Health.  (Photo Credit: Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health)

    “Since launching the Vivistim program a year ago, we have seen incredible results with our stroke survivors that complement the clinical evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of Vivistim,” said Dr. Chris Conner, director of functional and epilepsy neurosurgery at UConn Health. “We are receiving tremendous interest nationally and internationally from stroke survivors who are willing to travel for Vivistim Therapy, in addition to an increase in the number healthcare providers planning to launch Vivistim programs. We take pride that UConn Health is a leader of innovation, transforming the stroke continuum of care to ensure veterans and stroke survivors can achieve meaningful outcomes.”

    “A remarkable first for the state of Connecticut, the Neuromodulation Center of Excellence sets the standard for how our country can ensure veterans are among the first to access groundbreaking medical technology that offers life-changing care,” said Rep. Genga, who serves as Connecticut’s House Majority Whip at Large. “It has been my honor to champion this bill because of the strong clinical evidence that demonstrates Vivistim helps stroke survivors thrive through disability with improved upper limb function, more independence and restored dignity.”

    Vivistim is the first and only intervention clinically proven to help chronic ischemic stroke survivors regain 2-3 times more upper extremity function than high-intensity stroke therapy alone. In current clinical practice, the Vivistim device is implanted in stroke survivors, enabling therapists to use a wireless remote that communicates with the device to pair vagus nerve stimulation with high-repetition, goal-oriented functional activities to increase neuroplasticity.  The standard protocol is for stroke survivors to participate in in-clinic Vivistim Therapy during 90-minute sessions three times a week for six weeks.

    Validating the long-term effectiveness of Vivistim Therapy™, a one-year follow-up analysis study published in the May 2025 issue of Stroke demonstrated that stroke survivors treated with Paired VNS™ Therapy for upper extremity deficits post-stroke maintained improvements in function, activity, participation and quality of life for at least one year after completing the course of therapy and utilizing self-directed therapy outside of the clinic.

    “MicroTransponder applauds Rep. Genga, UConn Health, Hartford HealthCare, the Veterans with Disabilities Task Force and all of the supporters for this first-of-its-kind legislation that validates Vivistim as therapy for life for helping stroke survivors recover from upper extremity paralysis,” said Richard Foust, MicroTransponder’s CEO. “The Neuromodulation Center of Excellence is a replicable solution to address veterans’ unique public health concerns and the limited treatment options that previously existed for stroke survivors beyond acute intervention.”

    John Nute receives the courage award from Representative Genga and the Veteran’s and Disability Task for being the first patient to receive the Vivistem system in CT. (Photo Credit: The Words and Music Company)

    For John Nute, who survived a stroke in 2013 and was the first Vivistim user in Connecticut in May 2024 when his surgery was performed by Conner, his therapy focused on his love for cooking. His range of motion increased significantly with Vivistim Therapy, enabling him to accomplish more in the kitchen, such as cutting a cucumber.

    The Neuromodulation Center of Excellence will launch in 2027 with 10 patients who will be implanted at UConn Health’s Brain and Spine Institute. Hartford HealthCare will conduct their therapy. The collaboration was fostered by the Veterans with Disabilities Task Force, which was created to reduce veteran suicides by closing access gaps to social services and advanced medical care.

    Stroke survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals interested in discovering how Vivistim Paired VNS Therapy helps improve upper limb function can visit Vivistim.com or contact the Neurosurgery Department at UConn Health’s Brain and Spine Institute.

    [embedded content]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Advancing healthcare AI innovation at HLTH Europe 2025

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Advancing healthcare AI innovation at HLTH Europe 2025

    The global healthcare landscape is complex and challenging. Workforce shortages,1 clinician burnout, and lack of access to essential health services2 are placing increasing pressure on healthcare systems in Europe, and around the world. However, advancements in AI present a tremendous opportunity to help. In Europe, for example, hospital Trusts have made good progress migrating data to the cloud and adopting AI to enhance efficiency.3 

    To keep the momentum around innovation, AI leaders, innovators, startups, researchers, scientists, and policymakers are coming together at HLTH Europe 2025 to stand up their latest AI use cases. Microsoft will showcase our commitment to advancing AI for better health by focusing on accelerating life-saving breakthroughs, transforming the healthcare experience, and enabling global health equity. These areas are central to our mission to help shape a future for every person on the planet to live healthier.  

    Explore Microsoft Dragon Copilot capabilities

    Accelerating life-saving breakthroughs

    Advancements in AI are also playing a pivotal role in accelerating life-saving breakthroughs and transforming healthcare into a more precise and efficient domain. Microsoft and the Mayo Clinic are leveraging multimodal data imaging models for chest X-rays lines and tubes to drive innovations in disease detection, and treatment while advancing the state of precision medicine. Jonathan Carlson, Vice President Managing Director at Microsoft Health Futures, and Dr. Matthew Carlson, Vice President Chair of Radiology at Mayo Clinic, will spotlight the collaboration and the ways in which unified data, intelligence, and generative AI are adding value to clinician workflows and patient care. 

    Transforming the healthcare experience  

    At the heart of every clinical consultation is a human moment. But in an era of increasing clinical demands, empathy is at risk of becoming a casualty of efficiency. Our recent global survey, featuring insights from over 13,500 patients across 10 European countries and Australia, revealed a growing disconnect in the clinician-patient interaction but more importantly, an opportunity to rebuild that connection with the help of AI.  

    Earlier this year, we announced Microsoft Dragon Copilot, a new groundbreaking AI solution that transforms the way clinicians work. At HLTH Europe 2025 we are bringing Dragon Copilot to life with Dr. Markus Vogel, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft DACH, Dr. Simon Wallace, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft United Kingdom, and Dr. Joost Juiskens, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft Netherlands, who will demonstrate how Dragon Copilot combines proven technologies with advanced generative AI and healthcare-focused safeguards to revolutionize clinical workflows and enhance patient care across Europe. 

    Dragon Copilot represents a significant step forward in scalable, AI-powered clinical productivity and will be generally available to European markets later this year. Ambient AI, when responsibly implemented, is transforming clinical documentation, lightening administrative burdens, and making healthcare more human-centered. Healthcare leaders should feel empowered to harness AI to restore what matters most—meaningful and empathetic connections between patients and clinicians. 

    Enabling global health equity, responsibly  

    Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to bringing AI technologies to life, we are dedicated to enabling global health equity through responsible innovation. By prioritizing health literacy, fostering trust, and aligning with Microsoft’s responsible AI practices, Microsoft is tackling real-world challenges in healthcare. We are focused on inclusive and equitable solutions that help ensure advancements in AI are accessible and impactful for every community. Through ongoing efforts to promote understanding and confidence in AI-powered healthcare, we are shaping a future where transformative technology benefits patients, clinicians, and populations worldwide. 

    The future of healthcare starts now  

    At Microsoft, we’re not just imagining meaningful change—we’re making it happen. Through strategic collaborations, responsible innovation, and deep commitment to the human side of healthcare, we are realizing the mission of AI for better health for every patient, provider, and population on the planet. 

    Learn more about Microsoft Healthcare solutions  

    Microsoft Dragon Copilot

    An extensible AI workspace that scales across specialties, care settings, and devices

    1 World Health Organization, Health workforce.

    2 World Health Organization, Billions left behind on the path to universal health coverage, September 18, 2023.

    3 NHS England, AWS NHS migration case studies.

    Kees Hertogh

    Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences Marketing

    Kees Hertogh leads the Global Health & Life Science Product Marketing team at Microsoft. He is responsible for Microsoft’s global marketing priorities across the health and life science verticals and Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare portfolio and go-to-market strategies.

    See more articles from this author

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Advancing healthcare AI innovation at HLTH Europe 2025

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Advancing healthcare AI innovation at HLTH Europe 2025

    The global healthcare landscape is complex and challenging. Workforce shortages,1 clinician burnout, and lack of access to essential health services2 are placing increasing pressure on healthcare systems in Europe, and around the world. However, advancements in AI present a tremendous opportunity to help. In Europe, for example, hospital Trusts have made good progress migrating data to the cloud and adopting AI to enhance efficiency.3 

    To keep the momentum around innovation, AI leaders, innovators, startups, researchers, scientists, and policymakers are coming together at HLTH Europe 2025 to stand up their latest AI use cases. Microsoft will showcase our commitment to advancing AI for better health by focusing on accelerating life-saving breakthroughs, transforming the healthcare experience, and enabling global health equity. These areas are central to our mission to help shape a future for every person on the planet to live healthier.  

    Explore Microsoft Dragon Copilot capabilities

    Accelerating life-saving breakthroughs

    Advancements in AI are also playing a pivotal role in accelerating life-saving breakthroughs and transforming healthcare into a more precise and efficient domain. Microsoft and the Mayo Clinic are leveraging multimodal data imaging models for chest X-rays lines and tubes to drive innovations in disease detection, and treatment while advancing the state of precision medicine. Jonathan Carlson, Vice President Managing Director at Microsoft Health Futures, and Dr. Matthew Carlson, Vice President Chair of Radiology at Mayo Clinic, will spotlight the collaboration and the ways in which unified data, intelligence, and generative AI are adding value to clinician workflows and patient care. 

    Transforming the healthcare experience  

    At the heart of every clinical consultation is a human moment. But in an era of increasing clinical demands, empathy is at risk of becoming a casualty of efficiency. Our recent global survey, featuring insights from over 13,500 patients across 10 European countries and Australia, revealed a growing disconnect in the clinician-patient interaction but more importantly, an opportunity to rebuild that connection with the help of AI.  

    Earlier this year, we announced Microsoft Dragon Copilot, a new groundbreaking AI solution that transforms the way clinicians work. At HLTH Europe 2025 we are bringing Dragon Copilot to life with Dr. Markus Vogel, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft DACH, Dr. Simon Wallace, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft United Kingdom, and Dr. Joost Juiskens, Chief Medical Information Officer, Microsoft Netherlands, who will demonstrate how Dragon Copilot combines proven technologies with advanced generative AI and healthcare-focused safeguards to revolutionize clinical workflows and enhance patient care across Europe. 

    Dragon Copilot represents a significant step forward in scalable, AI-powered clinical productivity and will be generally available to European markets later this year. Ambient AI, when responsibly implemented, is transforming clinical documentation, lightening administrative burdens, and making healthcare more human-centered. Healthcare leaders should feel empowered to harness AI to restore what matters most—meaningful and empathetic connections between patients and clinicians. 

    Enabling global health equity, responsibly  

    Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to bringing AI technologies to life, we are dedicated to enabling global health equity through responsible innovation. By prioritizing health literacy, fostering trust, and aligning with Microsoft’s responsible AI practices, Microsoft is tackling real-world challenges in healthcare. We are focused on inclusive and equitable solutions that help ensure advancements in AI are accessible and impactful for every community. Through ongoing efforts to promote understanding and confidence in AI-powered healthcare, we are shaping a future where transformative technology benefits patients, clinicians, and populations worldwide. 

    The future of healthcare starts now  

    At Microsoft, we’re not just imagining meaningful change—we’re making it happen. Through strategic collaborations, responsible innovation, and deep commitment to the human side of healthcare, we are realizing the mission of AI for better health for every patient, provider, and population on the planet. 

    Learn more about Microsoft Healthcare solutions  

    Microsoft Dragon Copilot

    An extensible AI workspace that scales across specialties, care settings, and devices

    1 World Health Organization, Health workforce.

    2 World Health Organization, Billions left behind on the path to universal health coverage, September 18, 2023.

    3 NHS England, AWS NHS migration case studies.

    Kees Hertogh

    Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences Marketing

    Kees Hertogh leads the Global Health & Life Science Product Marketing team at Microsoft. He is responsible for Microsoft’s global marketing priorities across the health and life science verticals and Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare portfolio and go-to-market strategies.

    See more articles from this author

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces FAA Grants for Wellsville & Olean Airports

    Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) announced the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $76,762 to the Wellsville Airport and $33,250 to the Olean Airport for designing a new hangar and a new gate, respectively. 

     

    Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded this grant to the Town of Wellsville in order to reconstruct an existing 15,000-square-foot hangar used for aircraft storage. For the City of Olean, the funds will be used to reconstruct two existing gates.

     

    “Investing in our local airports is essential to strengthening our regional infrastructure and economy,”said Congressman Langworthy.“I’m proud to support these FAA grants, which will help Wellsville and Olean airports make needed upgrades that improve safety, access, and future growth opportunities for our communities.”

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces FAA Grants for Wellsville & Olean Airports

    Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) announced the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $76,762 to the Wellsville Airport and $33,250 to the Olean Airport for designing a new hangar and a new gate, respectively. 

     

    Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded this grant to the Town of Wellsville in order to reconstruct an existing 15,000-square-foot hangar used for aircraft storage. For the City of Olean, the funds will be used to reconstruct two existing gates.

     

    “Investing in our local airports is essential to strengthening our regional infrastructure and economy,”said Congressman Langworthy.“I’m proud to support these FAA grants, which will help Wellsville and Olean airports make needed upgrades that improve safety, access, and future growth opportunities for our communities.”

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces $143,172 Grant for Rehabilitation at Dunkirk Airport

    Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) announced Chautauqua County has been awarded $143,172 by the Department of Transportation for the Dunkirk Airport.

     

    Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded this grant for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) for the design and rehabilitation of Taxiway A West at the Dunkirk Airport.

     

    “As the chairman of the House Aviation Safety Caucus, I am pleased that the FAA is investing in small local airports such as the Dunkirk Airport,” said Congressman Langworthy. “This funding will be used to ensure that the runways at Dunkirk Airport are of the highest standard – because when it comes to aviation safety, we must ensure the absolute best.”

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces $143,172 Grant for Rehabilitation at Dunkirk Airport

    Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) announced Chautauqua County has been awarded $143,172 by the Department of Transportation for the Dunkirk Airport.

     

    Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded this grant for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) for the design and rehabilitation of Taxiway A West at the Dunkirk Airport.

     

    “As the chairman of the House Aviation Safety Caucus, I am pleased that the FAA is investing in small local airports such as the Dunkirk Airport,” said Congressman Langworthy. “This funding will be used to ensure that the runways at Dunkirk Airport are of the highest standard – because when it comes to aviation safety, we must ensure the absolute best.”

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Convicted Firearms Felon from Virginia Sentenced to 27 Months for Possession of Two Pistols in the District

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Joshua Eduardo Hurtado, 25, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in federal prison for being a felon in unlawful possession of a pistol and ammunition while on supervised release following a previous federal firearms conviction.

                The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge William McCool of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                Hurtado, aka “Migo,” pleaded guilty on October 10, 2024, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the 27-month prison term, Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Hurtado to serve three years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, on November 6, 2022, about 2:40 a.m., MPD officers responded to the intersection of 1700 Rhode Island Avenue and Saint Matthews Court NW, to assist United States Secret Service officers with a firearm recovery.

                The Secret Service officers spotted a black firearm with an extended magazine in plain view, sticking out of the rear pocket of the front passenger seat in a parked and unoccupied Chevrolet Suburban.

                About 30 minutes later, officers made contact with the driver of the Suburban. The driver stated that he was a rideshare operator and that the items were left in the SUV by a passenger he knew only as “Migo.” The driver consented to a search of the Suburban. Officers recovered two firearms from the pocket behind the front passenger seat – a Glock 23, .40 caliber pistol loaded with 22-rounds; and a Glock 19 pistol loaded with 17-rounds. Migo was identified as Joshua Hurtado. An FBI forensics DNA test linked the Glock 23 to Hurtado.

                At the time of the offense, Hurtado knew he previously had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia for possession of two firearms in his apartment in Woodbridge, Virginia.

                That previous conviction stemmed from an incident in November 2020. Alexandria Police Department officers found the victim of a homicide inside a vehicle registered to the Hurtado’s father. The decedent’s cellphone contained conversations indicating that Hurtado was involved in narcotics trafficking. On December 8, 2020, the police executed a warrant at an apartment that Hurtado had apparently rented under a stolen identity, in which he resided alone.

                Alexandria police seized a pill bottle containing 42 morphine pills; about 1,500 light blue pills that appeared packaged for distribution but were later determined to contain no controlled substances; and two loaded firearms: a loaded Glock 26, 9-mm pistol with an extended magazine; and a loaded Aero Precision X15 AR-type pistol.

                This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jared English with significant assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Courtney.

    23cr0373

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Central Ohio woman sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for $2.8 million pandemic relief fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Westerville woman who claimed affiliation with Dayton-area pizza restaurants to obtain nearly $1.9 million in COVD-19 relief funds was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 70 months in prison.

    Lorie A. Schaefer, 63, also assisted a co-defendant in fraudulently receiving more than $980,000 pandemic relief loans in exchange for payment, causing a total of $2.8 million in fraud.

    According to court documents, Schaefer opened new bank accounts in December 2020 prior to registering a fictitious business name with the State of Ohio in March 2021.

    Schaefer fraudulently claimed affiliation with the Flying Pizza restaurants in Dayton, Centerville and Fairborn. When notified that a Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan for nearly $1.9 million had been filed in the name of Flying Pizza, individuals at the family-owned business said their restaurants could not justify such a large loan.

    Schaefer claimed to have 98 employees and submitted altered bank records as part of her application. Schaefer also claimed the business was established in March 2021, even though the original Flying Pizza was established in 1984. Additionally, she claimed not to be under indictment despite having pending theft charges in Meigs County. Schaefer attached multiple fraudulent documents to her PPP application, including a bank statement, tax records, and a letter from the IRS.

    Bank records indicate Schaefer improperly used PPP funds for personal expenses, for example, nearly $26,000 on liposuction, a $10,000 check for a “newborn baby gift,” and more than $900,000 to purchase and renovate a home in Westerville. Schaefer also made purchases at Wayfair, Lamps Plus, Kroger, KFC, Burger King, Arby’s, McDonald’s and Olive Garden. Evidence also suggests Schaefer used the fraud proceeds to purchase vehicles in Ohio and property in Australia.

    After being charged in this case, Schaefer committed new offenses and violated her pre-trial release multiple times, leading to the revocation of her bond.

    She pleaded guilty in July 2024 and twice attempted to withdraw her guilty plea.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former New York State Assembly Candidate Charged with Wire Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Dao Yin Allegedly Reported Fake Campaign Donations to Defraud New York State of $162,800 in Public Matching Funds

    Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, a criminal complaint was unsealed charging Dao Yin, a Queens resident and former 2024 New York State Assembly candidate, with wire fraud in connection with his scheme to defraud New York State’s public campaign finance system by reporting false campaign contributions—including forged signatures of purported contributors—to secure matching funds.  Yin was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation, announced the charges.

     “As alleged, the defendant, a former candidate for public office, submitted forged campaign contribution cards from members of the very community he hoped to represent, to fraudulently obtain thousands of dollars in public matching funds that he was not entitled to receive,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s arrest demonstrates that this Office will protect the integrity of elections and pursue candidates for elected office who violate campaign finance laws.”

    Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the New York State Public Campaign Finance Board (PCFB) for its assistance.

    “Through lies and deceit, the defendant allegedly stole over $160,000 in taxpayer dollars to fund his campaign for elected office,” stated Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.  “Fraud and public corruption threaten the integrity of our elections and will not be tolerated.  The Criminal Division remains committed to aggressively prosecuting frauds that undermine U.S. interests and waste public funds.”

     “Dao Yin allegedly fabricated support to be unlawfully awarded more than $150,000 to further his election campaign. Yin also allegedly abused his position to defraud a matching funds program that could have been used to support other candidates for state office. The FBI remains committed to investigating any individual who implements deceitful tactics to find a seat in public office,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.

    “As charged, this former candidate for the New York State Assembly manipulated the campaign finance system through fraudulent campaign contributions in order to claim matching funds that he was not eligible to receive,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber.  “DOI and our law enforcement partners in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI remain committed to protecting the integrity of the campaign finance system and public dollars.”

    The New York State Public Campaign Finance Program

    The PCFB oversees and administers the New York State Public Campaign Finance Program (the Program), which provides candidates running for statewide or state legislative office the ability to qualify for and receive public matching funds based on small donations from residents in applicable districts.

    To participate in the Program, a candidate must register an authorized committee with the PCFB, be in a covered election for a covered office, meet threshold requirements for the number of matchable contributions received, and total monetary contributions received, and adhere to all other program requirements such as making periodic disclosures to the PCFB.  Contributions between $5 and $250 are generally eligible for public matching funds provided they meet certain criteria.  For a State Assembly race, the candidate generally must have raised a minimum of $6,000 in matchable contributions and have a minimum of 75 matchable donations. For cash contributions to qualify for matching funds, the candidate’s authorized committee is required to submit contribution cards that, among other information, list each contributor’s name, residential address, and date of contribution.  The contribution card also must be signed by the contributor.

    The Fraudulent Scheme

    As alleged in the complaint, the defendant registered his campaign committee, Dao Yin for New York 2024 (the Committee), with the PCFB so that it could receive funds through the Program.  The defendant served as the treasurer of the Committee.

    To qualify for public matching funds, the defendant submitted fraudulent contribution cards through the Committee to the PCFB that listed the names and purported to bear the signatures of individuals he falsely claimed had donated to the Committee.  By doing so, the defendant obtained approximately $162,800 in public matching funds from the Program.

    The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of all charges, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section and the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Grubin and Rebecca Schuman, along with Trial Attorney Lina Peng, are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Daniel Arakawa.

    The Defendant:

    DAO YIN
    Age:  62
    Flushing, NY

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-208

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Task Force and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Capture Rape Suspect

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Watertown, NY – The U.S. Marshals Service arrested an alleged child rape suspect yesterday.

    Jonathan Astacio, 31, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was wanted by the Muhlenberg Township Police Department for rape of a child.

    Members of the U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force – Syracuse Division and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arrested Astacio at 519 Mundy Street, Watertown, New York.

    “Mr. Astacio posed a danger to our community. We have captured him with the assistance of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. We wish to thank both the community and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in this case,” said David McNulty, the U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of New York.

    The U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force – Syracuse Division includes Deputy U.S. Marshals, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Parole, New York State Police, Syracuse Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Auburn Police Department. The USMS Major Case Fugitive Program prioritizes the investigation and apprehension of high-profile offenders who are considered to be some of the country’s most dangerous fugitives. These offenders tend to be career criminals with histories of violence or whose instant offense(s) pose a significant threat to public safety.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins Legislation to Lower Cost of Critical Care for Opioid-Use Disorder 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in introducing the Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency (MORE) Savings Act, legislation to make it easier for individuals struggling with an opioid-use disorder (OUD) to access evidence-based treatment. The Senators’ legislation would eliminate costs for opioid treatment and recovery support services for people with private insurance plans and for people enrolled under a new Medicare pilot program, while increasing federal funding for Medicaid treatment programs. 
    Senators Welch and Blumenthal are joined on the legislation by Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). 
    “The opioid crisis is hurting families and communities across the country. In Vermont, opioid overdose deaths have skyrocketed nearly 500% in the past decade. We urgently need to find solutions that make it easier and more affordable for those in crisis to get the addiction care they need,” said Senator Welch. “The MORE Savings Act breaks down barriers to the cost of care and medication to help more Americans recover from opioid-use disorder.”  
    “Opioid use disorders upend lives and can lead to tragic, heart-breaking deaths. Individuals struggling with these disorders need and deserve access to affordable, quality treatment and support. This critical legislation draws on proven strategies in the fight against addiction to promote prevention and treatment efforts,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By removing costly insurance barriers and bolstering Medicaid programs with increased funding, the MORE Savings Act ensures that those battling an opioid use disorder have access to the resources necessary to start and continue on the road to recovery.” 
    “No New Mexican should be forced to choose between getting treatment and paying the rent,” said Senator Heinrich. “I’m proud to support the MORE Savings Act to break down cost barriers to proven, life-saving care and help more people with opioid use disorder start their path to recovery.” 
    “Every day, more than 115 Americans lose their lives to opioid overdoses. As addiction continues to devastate families in New Mexico and across the country, we must ensure that cost is never a barrier to treatment,” said Senator Luján. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency Savings Act— to make treatment more affordable and accessible, so more Americans have the chance to recover.” 
    “The opioid epidemic has devastated families across the country. Cost should never be a barrier to getting addiction treatment. By eliminating the cost of care and medication, the MORE Savings Act would help more Americans break free from addiction and prime their road to recovery,” said Senator Klobuchar. 
    The MORE Savings Act works to provide affordable access to OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery support. Specifically, the legislation requires individual and group health insurance plans to cover prescription drugs and recovery services with no cost-sharing—including copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance—and creates a pilot program to eliminate Medicare cost-sharing for OUD treatment and behavioral health services. The legislation also provides increased funding for Medicaid programs to provide prescription drugs and behavioral health services to better treat individuals struggling with an OUD.  
    Read and download the full text of the bill. 
    Senator Welch has led his colleagues in a series of substance use disorder research, treatment, and prevention efforts. This Congress, Senator Welch reintroduced his bipartisan, bicameral Overcoming Prevalent Inadequacies in Overdose Information Data Sets (OPIOIDS ACT) to confront the devastating opioid crisis and give state and local governments additional tools to address the opioid epidemic in their communities. In 2023, Senator Welch’s bipartisan Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act was signed into law by President Biden. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Brazil’s ‘bill of devastation’ pushes Amazon towards tipping point

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Philip Fearnside, Biólogo e pesquisador titular (Departamento de Ecologia), Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA)

    A bill essentially abolishing Brazil’s environmental licensing system is just days away from likely passage by the country’s National Congress. Despite the environmental discourse of President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, what is known as the “bill of devastation” (PL 2159/2021) apparently has his tacit approval. Even if Lula vetoes the bill, anti-environmental voting blocks in the National Congress have more than the 60% in each house needed to override a veto.

    The “bill of devastation” has been promoted as relieving “low impact” projects of unnecessary bureaucracy, but it is very much more than this. First, it is for both “low” and “medium” impact projects, two categories that are vaguely defined, allowing projects with major impacts to be benefitted. The bill applies to licensing at both the state and federal levels, and at the state level there is expected to be a “race to the bottom” as states compete to attract investments by loosening environmental restrictions.

    The “medium impact” category is a misnomer, as it includes most mining projects such as the mine tailings dams that broke in 2015 at Mariana and in 2019 at Brumadinho to create two of Brazil’s worst environmental disasters.

    Under the bill, these “low” and “medium” impact projects would be licensed by what is known as “self-licensing,”. This eliminates the need for an environmental impact assessment, public hearings and specification of compensatory measures in the event of accidents or other impacts. Basically, this self-declared statement consists of checking a series of boxes on an online form.

    Bypassing any public or committee debate, at the last minute before the Senate’s plenary vote the bill was modified with an amendment that increased its environmental impact even more. The amendment created a “Special Environmental License” that would allow any project considered to be “strategic” to have an accelerated approval process, regardless of the magnitude of its impacts.

    The amendment is believed to be specifically intended to facilitate the controversial mouth-of-the-Amazon oil project, which has major potential impacts both from potentially uncontrollable oil spills and from its impact on climate change.

    Brazil’s imminent climate disaster

    Global climate and the Amazon forest are both approaching tipping points where the process of collapse escapes from human control. These imminent disasters are intertwined: if the Amazon forest were to collapse it would release more than enough greenhouse gases to push global temperatures beyond the point where human society loses the option to contain climate change by cutting emissions to zero, and if global temperatures rise uncontrollably, it would soon push the Amazon forest to collapse.

    The Amazon forest is on the verge of tipping points in terms of temperature, the ongoing increase in dry season length, the percentage of forest cleared and a combination of various climatic and direct anthropogenic impacts.

    The loss of the Amazon forest that would result from crossing any of these tipping points would, among other impacts, sacrifice the forest’s vital role in recycling water.

    A volume of water greater than the Amazon River’s total flow is released as water vapor by the leaves of the trees, providing rainfall that not only maintains Amazon forest but also maintains agriculture and city water supplies in other parts of Brazil and in neighboring countries. The water vapor is transported by winds known as “flying rivers” to São Paulo, the World’s fourth largest city, which depends on this water supply.

    Amazon destruction

    Given these catastrophic prospects, Brazil’s government should be acting decisively to halt the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and to lead the World in combatting climate change. These necessities are interrelated, as effective leadership is done through example and Brazil cannot continue to merely exhort other countries to reduce their emissions when its domestic decisions are acting to increase global warming. This includes the “bill of devastation”.

    Rapidly phasing out fossil fuel use is fundamental to containing global warming. The amount by which human society must reduce its emissions and the trajectory in time that this reduction must follow are determined by analysis of the best available data and climate models.

    The “Global Stocktake” by the Climate Convention, released at COP-28 in 2023, showed that anthropogenic emissions must decline by 43% by 2030 compared to 2023, and by 84% by 2050 to stay within the limit currently agreed under the Paris Agreement of 1.5 ºC above the pre-industrial average global temperature.

    This limit represents a tipping point both for the global climate system and for the Amazon forest. Above this point there is a sharp increase in the annual probability of uncontrollable feedbacks driving the system to a catastrophic shift or collapse.

    The mouth-of-the-Amazon project is critical. A massive auction of drilling rights, both onshore and offshore, is scheduled for 17 June, including 47 blocks in the mouth of the Amazon River.

    Environmental approval of the first “experimental” well (FZA-M-59) is viewed as the key to international oil companies being willing to bid on these blocks. The head of the Brazilian licensing agency (IBAMA) has been under intense pressure to approve the project.

    Oil project

    Within the licensing debate, the focus is almost entirely on whether Petrobras has the infrastructure and personnel to mount a rescue operation for marine wildlife in the event of an oil spill, rather than the more basic question of whether a leak could be plugged if it should occur.

    Unfortunately, there are strong indications that a leak could not be plugged for months or years, as the site has double the 1.5-km water depth at the Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico that spilled uncontrollably for five months in 2010, and the ocean currents are much stronger and more complex in the mouth of the Amazon.

    Petrobras constantly brags about its long experience with offshore oil extraction, but neither Petrobras nor any other company has plugged a leak at a location with the depth and complexity of the mouth-of-the-Amazon site.

    Containing global warming is inconsistent with opening new oil fields due to the economic logic of these projects, which is different from the economics of continued extraction of existing oilfields. This is what led the International Energy Agency (IEA) to recommend that no new oil or gas fields be opened anywhere in the World.

    In the case of the mouth of the Amazon project, the expectation is that it would take five years to begin commercial production and another five years to pay for the investment; since no one will want to stop with zero profit, the project implies extracting petroleum for many years after that – far beyond the time when the World must stop using oil as fuel.

    Petrobras claims that the mouth-of-the-Amazon project and other planned new oilfields are needed for Brazil’s “energy security” to guarantee that Brazilians will not lack fuel for their vehicles.

    The falsity of this argument is obvious from the fact that Brazil currently exports over half of the oil it extracts, and this percentage is expected to rise with the planned expansion. The reserves in Brazil’s existing oilfields are far greater than what the country can consume before fossil-fuel use must cease. In other words, the expansion of oil extraction is purely a matter of money.

    Another argument promoted by Petrobras and by President Lula is that the oil revenue is needed to pay for Brazil’s energy transition. While the energy transition must indeed be paid for, it should have a guaranteed place in Brazil annual budget, like health and education, and not be treated as something optional that depends on windfall financial gains.

    President Lula’s sleepwalk

    President Lula apparently lacks understanding of Brazil’s suicidal course towards a climate catastrophe. He has surrounded himself with proponents of projects with enormous climatic consequences, such as his minister of transportation who presses for Highway BR-319 and his minister of mines and energy and the president of Petrobras who push for the mouth-of-the-Amazon and other new oil and gas projects.

    Clearly, Lula does not listen to his minister of environment and climate change on these issues. He lives in a “disinformation space,” to use the term coined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinski to describe Donald Trump. The question of whether President Lula will awake from his sleepwalk before COP-30 in November is critical, as this is his opportunity to assume global leadership on climate change. Although there is no indication that this is likely, efforts to penetrate his disinformation space must continue.

    Philip Fearnside receives funding from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the Amazonas State Research Support Foundation (FAPEAM), and the Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change (Rede Clima).

    – ref. Brazil’s ‘bill of devastation’ pushes Amazon towards tipping point – https://theconversation.com/brazils-bill-of-devastation-pushes-amazon-towards-tipping-point-259027

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  • MIL-OSI Video: First Hearing of the Religious Liberty Commission, part 3

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    The Religious Liberty Commission held its first hearing at the Museum of the Bible.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM61qht_lc8

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Massie, Khanna Introduce Bipartisan War Powers Resolution to Prohibit Involvement in Iran

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Thomas Massie (4th District of Kentucky)

    For Immediate Release
    Contact: massie.press@mail.house.gov
    Contact #: 202-225-3465

    Washington, D.C.- Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) announces that he has introduced a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to prohibit “United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran.” War Powers Resolutions are privileged in the House of Representatives and can be called up for debate and a floor vote after 15 calendar days without action in committee.

    “The Constitution does not permit the executive branch to unilaterally commit an act of war against a sovereign nation that hasn’t attacked the United States,” said Rep. Massie. “Congress has the sole power to declare war against Iran. The ongoing war between Israel and Iran is not our war. Even if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution.”

    Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) joined Rep. Massie as co-lead of the Iran War Powers Resolution. 

    “No president should be able to bypass Congress’s constitutional authority over matters of war. The American people do not want to be dragged into another disastrous conflict in the Middle East. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan War Powers Resolution with Rep. Massie to reassert that any military action against Iran must be authorized by Congress,” said Rep. Khanna.

    In addition to Reps. Massie and Khanna, original cosponsors include Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Rep. Gregorio Casar (D-TX), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Ayanna Presley (D-MA), Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (R-MI), and Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY). Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) has introduced companion legislation in the United States Senate. 

    The text of the Massie-Khanna Iran War Powers Resolution is available here.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Quigley, Keating, & McGovern Reintroduce Bill To Provide War Risk Insurance To Commercial Vessels Trading With Ukraine

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

    On June 12, Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05), Co-Chair of the Ukraine Caucus, along with Congressman Bill Keating (MA-09), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, and Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee reintroduced the Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act of 2025.

    As Russia continues its illegal war of aggression in Ukraine, the United States must continue to provide vital support for Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for its aggression, and assemble the support of our like-minded allies and partners who recognize that the seizure of land through military force is illegal and immoral. As part of broader efforts to support Ukraine, the Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act would help increase Ukrainian exports, ensure the Ukrainian agriculture sector can effectively deliver its products to the global market, and strengthen Ukraine’s economy as it defends itself from aggression.

    “Putin’s unprovoked war has upended every aspect of life for Ukrainians—including their economy. Amidst a constant state of fear and unease, Russia has deliberately targeted Ukraine’s thriving grain industry, limiting the country’s ability to export and threatening the food security of millions,” said Ukraine Caucus Co-Chair Quigley. “This legislation will counteract Putin’s malicious actions and help Ukraine increase its exports, strengthen its economy, and feed its people. This must be the first in many steps Congress takes to ensure Ukraine can continue its fight for freedom.”

    “The Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act would allow the U.S. government to provide vital war risk insurance to NATO and partner vessels importing cargo into or exporting cargo from Ukraine,” said Ranking Member Keating. “As Russia’s war of aggression continues, the United States must expand its support for Ukraine and we must do all we can to ensure Ukraine is able to export grain to the global market.”

    “Ukraine’s fight is the world’s fight—and nowhere is that more evident than Russia’s malicious targeting of their ability to export grain, threatening food security for millions around the world,” said Ranking Member McGovern. “The Ukraine War Risk Insurance Act would ensure Ukrainians can continue to participate in the global economy, and would provide critical insurance to those working to export grain and prevent starvation in food insecure areas around the world. Congress should pass this bill quickly to ensure that Ukraine can continue to fight back against Putin’s evil and unprovoked war of aggression.”

     Specifically, this legislation: 

    • Expands eligibility for war risk insurance to NATO and Ukrainian vessels participating in waterborne commerce importing cargo to or exporting cargo from Ukraine.
    • Establishes the Insurance for Ukraine Initiative to bolster confidence in Ukraine’s economic recovery, encourage investment in Ukraine’s economic recovery, promote closer economic integration with Ukraine, coordinate dialogue related to war risk insurance, and work with Ukraine and other partners to ensure the shipment of grain to and from Ukraine.
    • Directs the Secretary of State to provide diplomatic and political support to countries that provide war risk insurance for Ukraine, and to pursue a multilateral insurance mechanism through the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to protect the shipment of grain and other commodities from Ukraine.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Leading a 250 Kilogram Meth Trafficking Ring from Prison

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Jonathan Adam Sarratt, 38, an inmate incarcerated in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sarratt has been serving a sentence for trafficking methamphetamine, burglary, and possession of a stolen vehicle since 2019.  

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that since at least early 2023, Sarratt, while incarcerated in SCDC, was facilitating the distribution of at least 250 kilograms of methamphetamine to a drug trafficking ring within the Upstate. 

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Sarratt to 300 months of incarceration consecutive to the state sentence he is currently serving and a five-year term of supervision following his release. Sarratt is projected to be released from SCDC in 2026. Additionally, the Court ordered a judgment against the defendant for $1 million. United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins has already sentenced Sarratt’s co-defendantswith the final co-defendant, Daniel Wentz, awaiting sentencing.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations– Border Enforcement Security Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and the Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gloucester man sentenced to over four years in prison for trafficking drugs and firearms

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison for dealing firearms without a license and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    According to court documents, on Jan. 16, 2024, Daniel Shaun Smith, 37, brokered a transaction in which another individual delivered a stolen handgun to a buyer in Smith’s presence. At the same time, Smith also delivered a shotgun to the buyer. On Jan. 18, 2024, during a controlled purchase conducted at Smith’s residence, Smith sold the buyer another shotgun and ammunition. During this transaction, Smith asked if the buyer wanted to use methamphetamine with him, but the buyer declined.

    On Feb. 8, 2024, during another controlled purchase at Smith’s residence, Smith sold the buyer a sawed-off shotgun, a handgun, 1,971 rounds of assorted ammunition, four rifle scopes, a Tactacam scope, and 1.62 grams of methamphetamine. Another individual present during the transaction provided the buyer 3,000 rounds of ammunition.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recovered the firearms and ammunition.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-57.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Local Operation Nets 117 Arrests of Violent Felons in Support of Operation Take Back America

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Boston, MA – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force arrested 117 fugitives for charges including homicide, robbery, sex offenses, felonious assault, felonious narcotics, and firearms violations. In support of Operation Take Back America, the USMS worked in collaboration with federal, state, and local partners with its latest high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative.

    The local operation dubbed, “Operation Spring Cleaning,” covered 45 operational days from March 31 to May 30, and targeted fugitives and violent offenders in 9 metropolitan areas in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Brockton, Holyoke, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, Springfield, and Worcester. During the operation, investigators also seized 9 firearms, 544 rounds of ammunition and 188 grams of narcotics. The 9 Metropolitan areas selected for the operation were high crime areas identified by the federal initiative Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which was initially launched in 2001. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a comprehensive, collaborative, and data-driven initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at reducing violent crime, particularly gun violence, in American communities. PSN focuses on fostering partnerships between law enforcement, community organizations, and other stakeholders to develop and implement strategic solutions.

    The operation also aimed to target individuals with ties to Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTOs) and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO). One significant arrest was an MS-13 gang member who was wanted out of Worcester Superior Court for charges of murder and carrying a loaded firearm without a license. He had a criminal history to include assaults and carrying dangerous weapons and been wanted since June 2024. He was arrested on May 30, 2025 in Pawtucket, RI by USMS MA and RI Fugitive Task Forces, Worcester PD, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS), and Pawtucket PD.

    “The success of this operation is truly a testament to the dedication to duty and the commitment to teamwork exhibited by our local, state, and federal partners,” said acting U.S. Marshal Matt Lawlor. “The USMS is committed to reducing violence in our communities by apprehending and removing violent offenders that are negatively impacting our local communities across the Commonwealth,” he added.

    The U.S. Marshals Service is the federal government’s primary agency for fugitive investigations. The Marshals have the broadest arrest authority among federal law enforcement agencies. The Marshals aid state and local agencies in locating and apprehending their most violent fugitives. Formed in 1999, the District of Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force is headquartered in Boston and coordinates federal, state, county, and local resources to develop collateral leads, gather intelligence, and track and apprehend targeted fugitives. Participants include the U.S. Marshals Service District of Massachusetts, Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police Department, Brockton Police Department, Cambridge Police Department, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Haverhill Police Department, Lowell Police Department, Middlesex Sheriff’s Department, New Bedford Police Department, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department, Springfield Police Department, Worcester Police Department, West Springfield Police Department, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, Randolph Police Department, Quincy Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Hotel Manager Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A former Texas hotel manager pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Derek T. Gilliland to filing a false income-tax return.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2014 to 2022, Hieu Duc Tran embezzled more than $1 million from the Hewitt, Texas hotel where he was a manager. To accomplish this, Tran would charge hotel guests’ credit cards using a payment processing system that he controlled, instead of the hotel’s own system, and keep the funds for himself. He would also deposit checks hotel guests wrote to pay for their stays into his own bank account. Though Tran knew that the money he embezzled was taxable income, he did not report any of that income on the tax returns he filed for 2014 through 2021.

    In total, Tran caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $200,000.

    Tran will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Curtis J. Weidler of the Tax Division is prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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