NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Investigation launched into fire

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding a fire at McDonalds in Pakuranga.

    Emergency services attended the fire on Pakuranga Road just before 3pm on 5 May.

    The fast food restaurant has sustained significant fire damage as a result.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Michele Gillespie, of Counties Manukau CIB, says a scene guard has been in place at the restaurant overnight.

    “At this point in time we are treating this fire as a suspected arson,” she says.

    “A scene examination is being conducted this morning and Police will work alongside a fire investigator.

    “As part of these enquiries we will be working to understand how the fire originated.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Gillespie says Police would like to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity prior to the fire.

    If you have information to assist enquiries, please contact Police on 105 using the reference number 250505/2106.

    Information can be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah reviews implementation of three New Criminal Laws in New Delhi with Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah reviews implementation of three New Criminal Laws in New Delhi with Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta

    Implementation of New Criminal Laws brought under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will enhance efficiency and accountability of Police at the grassroots level

    There should be continuous monitoring of the process of filing charge-sheets within 60 and 90 Days, with strict adherence to timelines

    In heinous crime cases, efforts should be made to increase conviction rates by at least 20 per cent

    e-Summons to be issued directly from courts, with copies sent to local police stations

    Posted On: 05 MAY 2025 6:47PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today chaired a review meeting in New Delhi with Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta to review the implementation of three new criminal laws in the national capital. The meeting reviewed the implementation and current status of various new provisions related to police, prisons, courts, prosecution, and forensics. The meeting was attended by Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary of the National Capital Territory, Commissioner of Delhi Police, Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), Director of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), and senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Delhi Government.

    In his address, Shri Amit Shah stated that the implementation of the three new criminal laws, introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, will enhance the efficiency and accountability of the police at the grassroots level. Home Minister issued directives to ensure accountability of officers in the implementation of these new criminal laws. Shri Shah emphasized that the process of filing charge-sheets within 60 and 90 days must be continuously monitored, with strict adherence to their timelines. He further directed that efforts be made to increase the conviction rate in cases of heinous crimes by at least 20 per cent.

    Union Home Minister stated that e-Summons should be issued directly from courts, with copies sent to local police stations. He also called for expediting the appointment process in the Directorate of Prosecution and ensuring that decisions regarding appeals in any case are made by the Directorate of Prosecution itself.

    *****

    VV/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2127124) Visitor Counter : 135

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hopkinsville, Kentucky Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Paducah, KY – A Hopkinsville man was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking and money laundering conspiracy.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Jay Brown, 55, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and more than 400 grams of a fentanyl mixture, one count of distributing methamphetamine, two counts of attempting to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of engaging in a money laundering conspiracy. The events related to his convictions spanned from January 25, 2021, through September 20, 2023, in Christian County, Kentucky. Brown was on supervised release for a previous federal conviction at the time he committed these offenses.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty, the Hopkinsville Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the ATF Bowling Green Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Paducah, the United States Postal Investigations Service Bowling Green, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police, the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office, and the Madisonville Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.

    This case was sentenced under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Midwest City Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Property Management Company

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – SHERRIE BILLINGS, 53, of Midwest City, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    According to public record, in January 2017, Billings worked as a regional property manager for Manhattan Management Company, LLC (“MMC”), out of New York. MMC owned four apartment complexes in Oklahoma City. Her duties included maintaining daily upkeep, maintenance, and inspections of the properties, and she had access to an MMC bank account and credit card for such maintenance. Court documents allege that from January 2017 through July 2022, Billings defrauded MMC by issuing unauthorized checks from MMC’s bank account and utilizing the company credit card, both for her own personal use. During this time period, Billings issued approximately 385 unauthorized checks, illegally withdrawing approximately $1,660,238.00 from MMC’s account. To conceal her scheme, Billings manufactured fraudulent payment vouchers to legitimate vendors and emailed the fraudulent vouchers to MMC’s bookkeeper to be added to the company ledger. Billings also used the MMC credit card for personal expenses, which defrauded the company out of approximately $49,798.00. Public record further alleges that on April 14, 2022, Billings filled out a federal income tax return form on which she reported income that was substantially lower than the actual income she received as a result of the criminal behavior described above. 

    On April 2, 2025, Billings was charged by Information with wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return. On May 2, 2025, Billings pleaded guilty to the two-count Information, and admitted she knowingly devised a scheme to defraud MMC, and that she knowingly filed a federal income tax return form on which she reported an income amount she knew was substantially lower than what she received for the year. 

    At sentencing, Billings faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud charge and up to three years in prison for the tax charge, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 per count. 

    This case is the result of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Brown is prosecuting the case. 

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, law enforcement partners arrest 8 illegal aliens, 1 American during large-scale EBT benefit fraud operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LOS ANGELES — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in coordination with the U.S. Secret Service and other federal, state and local partners, carried out a large-scale enforcement and interdiction operation targeting high-traffic ATM locations known for rampant fraudulent electronic benefit transfer card activity May 1 and 2.

    “This operation underscores ICE Homeland Security Investigations’ unwavering commitment — alongside our law enforcement partners — to defend public assistance programs from exploitation,” said ICE HSI Los Angeles acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco. “This kind of fraud doesn’t just target government systems — it robs struggling families, children and seniors of the essential resources they rely on to survive. We will not stand by while criminals prey on the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

    ICE HSI’s El Camino Real Task Force, which includes special agents with ICE HSI and the U.S. Secret Service, as well as officers with the Los Angeles Police Department, is conducting the investigations in this matter.

    Criminals, many from Romania, have historically targeted EBT cash fund allocations to victim accounts at the beginning of each month to maximize withdrawal amounts. These individuals employ deceptive means and methods of skimming card information before ultimately reloading the stolen information onto magnetic card strips for later use.  

    This operation yielded nine arrests, including eight Romanian illegal aliens, one Mexican illegal alien, and one U.S. citizen. Special agents seized approximately 100 fraudulent cards and arrested the nine subjects for violations of 18 U.S.C. 1029. Following completion of their criminal judicial process, the eight illegal aliens will be transferred to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations custody pending removal proceedings.  

    Recent enforcement operations in February, March and April 2025 resulted in the federal arrest of 32 suspects, including 27 foreign nationals. These enforcement operations have involved strong partnerships between ICE, the U.S. Secret Service, and several state and local law enforcement agencies.

    “ICE HSI prioritizes identity and benefit fraud crimes that originate outside the United States through our Document and Benefit Fraud Task Forces,” said Pasciucco. “Criminals who exploit government programs and steal from the American people will be aggressively pursued. We are dismantling the criminal organizations behind these schemes and making it clear: Fraud will not go unanswered.”

    If you suspect someone may be involved in or a victim of human trafficking, contact local law enforcement, dial 911 or call the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Midlands Men Plead Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Antonio Marquis Nicholson, 33, of West Columbia, and Terrell Counts, 33, of Columbia, have pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy and aiding and abetting the coercion and enticement of a minor.

    According to evidence presented in court, from at least December 2022 through August 2023, Nicholson and Counts worked together with co-defendants Monesha Gary and Rebecca Perry to exploit three minor victims to engage in the commercial sex trade, despite several members of the conspiracy knowing they were minors.

    The investigation revealed that Nicholson was the leader of this operation. Nicholson targeted and exploited minor victims to engage in commercial sex.  Nicholson recruited one minor victim who was a runaway, drove her across state lines, and introduced her to commercial sex work. Nicholson and Counts recruited two additional minor victims near a local high school and exploited the minors on days they were not in school. Nicholson provided the minor victims with lingerie, took photographs of them, posted advertisements online for commercial sex on the internet, instructed them to lie about their age, and confiscated between 50% and 100% of proceeds from commercial sex acts. The advertisements were posted advertising commercial sex in the Midlands, the Upstate, Myrtle Beach and Fayetteville, North Carolina. 

    Evidence presented in court revealed that Nicholson used force, violence and weapons to maintain control and keep the minor victims involved. Nicholson pointed a firearm at one of the exploited victims, directed assaults, and threatened to harm the minor victims if they left.

    Counts facilitated the conspiracy and assisted Nicholson, including running the operation when Nicholson was not around. Counts knew how photographs were taken, and advertisements were posted, how money was transferred from customers to the conspiracy, how proceeds were divided, and how the conspiracy responded to customers. Counts was present during commercial sex acts, present when the minor victims were photographed, and collected proceeds from commercial sex acts. He provided the minor victims with condoms, transportation to and from hotels, and watched for law enforcement at hotels during commercial sex acts.  

    Nicholson, and Counts face a penalty of up to life in prison.  They also face a fine of up to $250,000 and lifetime supervision to follow a term of imprisonment and mandatory sex offender registry requirements.  Pursuant to plea agreements, Nicholson and Counts agreed to pay victims restitution.

    United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the Nicholson and Counts after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.  Gary and Perry pleaded guilty previously and are awaiting sentencing.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, West Columbia Police Department, Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Horry County Sheriff’s Office, Myrtle Beach Police Department, and Jefferson County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are prosecuting the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE prevents UAC smuggling incident in Arizona

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    YUMA, Ariz. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection thwarted an attempted smuggling incident with an unaccompanied alien child in Yuma April 29. U.S. border officials apprehended a woman attempting to smuggle a 5-year-old boy — identified as “John Doe” in the legal complaint — after the child’s mother allegedly paid a smuggler to transport him illegally into the United States.

    CBP worked with the Mexican Consulate to find the child’s mother, a 24-year-old woman living in Veracruz, Mexico, who presented herself at the San Luis Port of Entry later that night to recover her child.

    The mother claimed that the smuggler coordinated with the child’s father to drop off the little boy, however, the child told investigators that he was being taken to live with a man he didn’t know.

    “The smuggling of unaccompanied alien children is among the most vile and inhumane crimes imaginable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigation Arizona Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola. “Even more vile, in this case the child’s own mother handed him over to strangers—mules—who attempted to smuggle him into the U.S. using fake identity documents. The woman posing as his guardian also admitted she was going to leave him with a man she didn’t know. It’s horrifying, heartbreaking, and a stark reminder of why HSI aggressively pursues these criminals and the networks that enable them.”

    During an interview with ICE HSI special agents, the boy’s mother also revealed that she paid the smuggler, Gloria Lopez Corona, to bring her child to the United States — and that she intended to illegally enter the U.S. April 30 to join her husband, the child’s father, who is an illegal alien with a prior history of illegally entering the U.S.

    ICE HSI takes swift action to investigate any criminal activity related to unaccompanied alien children. This includes investigating the exploitive smuggling networks that bring UACs to the United States as well as any criminals who may exploit these at-risk youths here in the United States.

    “The mother and father in this case are actively violating U.S. border laws and undermining our nation’s security,” continued Burrola. “The father has been deported three times previously, and now both parents have endangered their young child by paying smugglers to facilitate illegal entry. Criminal smuggling networks have no regard for human life and trusting them with a child is both reckless and tragic.”

    ICE HSI combats human smuggling by working with its law enforcement partners to deter, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks that engage in it. Special agents use their expertise and rely on HSI’s authorities to seize assets and eliminate profit incentives, work with nongovernmental organizations to protect and assist victims, and bring traffickers to justice.

    If you suspect someone may be involved in or a victim of human smuggling or trafficking contact local law enforcement, dial 911 or the ICE Tip Line: 866-DHS-2-ICE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dallas man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for East Texas methamphetamine trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TEXARKANA, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Emmanuel Robles, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III on May 5, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, between 2019 and 2021, Robles conspired with others to bring methamphetamine to East Texas for distribution.  During this time, Robles distributed more than 1.5 kilograms of actual methamphetamine. Robles admitted to providing controlled substances to another co-conspirator in July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; and April 2020.  Robles also agreed to a forfeiture of a money judgment in the amount of $20,000.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged with Multiple Counts of Involuntary Manslaughter Following Fatal High-Speed Rollover Crash

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury following a fatal rollover crash that killed two people and injured two others.

    According to court documents, on the afternoon of November 14, 2024, emergency responders were dispatched to mile marker five on Navajo Route 54 after reports of a single-vehicle rollover. Investigators determined that Marvin Wauneka, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was driving at excessive speeds of up to 95 MPH-while consuming alcohol. The crash resulted in the deaths of two occupants and left three others, including Wauneka, hospitalized with serious injuries.

    A witness at the scene reported seeing Wauneka exit the vehicle after the crash, and a bottle of vodka was recovered near one of the victims. Surviving passengers confirmed Wauneka was driving and drinking at the time of the crash. Wauneka’s blood alcohol content was measured at .298 upon arrival at the hospital. He has a prior record of multiple DWI offenses and failures to appear in state court.

    Wauneka is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody trial. If convicted of the current charges, Wauneka faces up to 26 years in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.

    The Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE HSI Gulfport, partners, investigate illegal immigration, cockfighting operations

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    Gulfport, Miss. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, jointly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other partners, executed search warrants involving illegal immigration, cockfighting and other criminal activity in Southern Mississippi May 3.

    The investigation was led by the ICE Homeland Security Task Force and the Border Enforcement Security Task Force. In addition to possible state and federal charges relating to animal fighting and gambling, other investigative areas included illegal aliens, narcotics and weapons. Partners in the operation include ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI.

    ICE Gulfport special agents and deportation officers are in the process of positively identifying all encountered individuals, as well as checking immigration records.

    ICE Gulfport will seek state and federal criminal or administrative charges as appropriate. Federal prosecutions will be led by the Southern District of Mississippi United States Attorney’s Office.

    “In addition to the acts of animal cruelty perpetrated by the operators and encouraged by the participants, underground gambling operations such as these often have ties to other significant crimes including narcotics violations, money laundering, and acts of violence,” said ICE HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune. “These crimes degrade the safety of our communities, and we are proud to be the ones stopping these illegal operations.”

    “The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare, while also committing other serious offenses in our communities,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Dax Roberson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Office of Inspector General.

    “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi is working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate our nation’s immigration, narcotics, and animal cruelty laws are held accountable,” said Acting Southern District of Mississippi U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    The public is reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Agawam Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    BOSTON – An Agawam man was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    Warren Messeck, 75, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. He made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson in Springfield.

    In 2021, Messeck was identified as a user of an internet-based peer-to-peer network downloading CSAM. A subsequent search of his residence resulted in the recovery of over 40 electronic devices including a laptop, hard drives and other electronic storage devices. A forensic examination allegedly revealed over 10,000 files depicting CSAM on six of the seized devices.

    The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Agawam Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore Man Charged in Second Superseding Indictment for Robbery, Kidnapping, and Shooting Death in Queens

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Defendant Jalon Lenny Garrett is One of Six Defendants Arrested in Connection with the July 25, 2024 Crime Spree

    Earlier today, a seven-count second superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jalon Lenny Garrett, also known as “Lips,” Marcus Pittman, also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese,” Delonta Pittman, also known as “D Lo,” and Jerome Waters, also known as “the Engineer” and “Rome,” for their alleged roles in the kidnapping, robbery, and shooting of marijuana dealers on July 25, 2024.  Garrett was arrested this morning in Baltimore, Maryland, and will make his initial appearance in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.  Marcus Pittman is also newly charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition for his role in the fatal shooting.  The remaining defendants are already in custody and will be arraigned at a later date.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrests and charges.

    “As alleged, the defendants took part in an interstate armed robbery and kidnapping scheme that resulted in the brutal murder of a targeted victim.  This prosecution underscores the ongoing threat of guns and drugs in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “This Office is committed to holding violent offenders accountable and ensuring justice for every victim.”

    “These four defendants allegedly traveled across the northeast to brutally kidnap and rob two unsuspecting individuals, ultimately murdering one of the victims,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Raia.  “This alleged fatal robbery highlights the volatile and random violence that the illicit drug trade can fuel. With our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to dismantle any organization implementing lethal tactics to bolster their criminal lifestyles and jeopardize the safety of our city.”

    “These individuals came to New York City armed with guns and zip ties — ready to rob, kidnap, and kill,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “It was a deliberate, brutal attack meant to terrorize our communities.  They thought they could hit and run. They were wrong — and anyone else thinking the same should take note.  I’m grateful to our partners in Project Safe Neighborhoods for their shared commitment to protecting New Yorkers.”

    According to the superseding indictment and other public court filings, the defendants are members of a Baltimore-based robbery crew that conspired to commit an armed robbery and kidnapping of marijuana dealers in Queens, New York.  On the evening of July 24,2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators executed a violent armed robbery and kidnapping plot that resulted in John Doe #1’s death.  As described below, Garrett robbed and kidnapped John Doe #2 at gunpoint, and Marcus Pittman shot and killed John Doe #1.

    Specifically, the defendants drove from Maryland to New York for the purpose of robbing two drug dealers, John Doe #1 and John Doe #2. Once in New York, defendants Jerome Waters and William Barnett met with John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at a stash house in Queens, New York, under the guise of purchasing marijuana.

    At the stash house, Waters and Barnett pulled out their weapons and held up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at gunpoint. Next, they let their co-defendants into the stash house to assist in the robbery and kidnapping.  While in the stash house, the defendants and their co-conspirators tied up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 with zip ties and forced them outside and into the back of a Jeep and a U-Haul van, which were driven by Barnett and Israel.  At the same time, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole approximately 30 pounds of marijuana from the stash house.

    The defendants and their co-conspirators drove John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were still tied up, through Queens at gunpoint, demanding drugs and money.  Garrett held a gun to John Doe #2 as he was being driven through Queens.  Marcus Pittman shot John Doe #1 to death in the back of the U-Haul van.  When his body was found by first responders, John Doe #1 still had a zip tie binding one of his hands and was surrounded by bags of marijuana.  After the shooting, the defendants fled back to Maryland.

    If convicted, defendants Marcus Pittman, Delonta Pittman, and Waters each face mandatory minimum sentences of life imprisonment, and Garrett faces a mandatory minimum of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.  The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    This case was brought as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. 

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samuel Ronchetti.

    New Defendant:

    JALON LENNY GARRETT
    Age: 20
    Maryland

    Previously Charged Defendants:

    MARCUS PITTMAN (also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese”)
    Age:  30
    Maryland

    DELONTA PITTMAN (also known as “D Lo”)
    Age:  31
    Maryland

    JEROME WATERS (also known as “the Engineer” and “Rome”)
    Age:  23
    Maryland

    CALVIN ISRAEL
    Age:  23
    Maryland

    WILLIAM BARNETT
    Age:  27
    Maryland

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-413 (S-2) (KAM)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former PICC Correctional Officer and Two Co-Conspirators Plead Guilty to Scheme to Smuggle Contraband Into the Prison Facility

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Breyanna Cornish, 30, Jawayne Brown, 40, and Ahmad Nasir, aka Hussain Abdussamad, 44, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered pleas of guilty before United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert this week in connection with a scheme to smuggle contraband — including drugs, phones, chargers, cigarettes, and knives — into the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (“PICC”) from April through July of 2021.

    The defendants were charged by indictment in August of last year, with Nasir pleading guilty this morning to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, one count of federal program bribery, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine.

    Brown pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, one count of federal program bribery, and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine.

    Cornish pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and one count of federal program bribery.

    As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendants, Nasir, who was then detained pre-trial at PICC, worked with Brown, who was not incarcerated, Cornish, who was then a PICC correctional officer (“CO”) employed by the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (“PDP”), and several other associates to purchase and assemble contraband. Cornish then smuggled the contraband into PICC, where Nasir sold the contraband to other inmates for a profit. Nasir then instructed associates to pay Cornish for her role smuggling the contraband into the prison and Brown for his work purchasing and assembling the packages.

    On July 10, 2021, PDP conducted a search of the cell Nasir shared with another inmate. In a compartment in the ceiling behind a light fixture, officers recovered 19 cellphones, 20 cellphone chargers, one rapid charger, two super glues, two screwdrivers, one roll of tape, three hunting knives, one Ziploc bag containing the synthetic cannabinoid commonly known as K2, one Ziploc bag of tobacco, one alprazolam pill, and at least 110 packets of Suboxone.

    Following the search of the cell, officers conducted a search of Nasir and his cellmate. Officers recovered a cellphone from the person of each of them. Text messages and WhatsApp messages extracted from the cell phone recovered from Nasir’s person revealed that from June 19, 2021, to July 6, 2021, CO Cornish, Nasir, and Brown discussed via text specific contraband items to be acquired, the delivery of contraband packages, and payments for the items and to co-conspirators. Nasir simultaneously sent messages to multiple inmates about the purchase and delivery of contraband.

    The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in August. Cornish faces a maximum possible term of 15 years’ imprisonment, Brown a maximum possible term of 25 years’ imprisonment, and Nasir a maximum possible term of 35 years’ imprisonment.

    The case was investigated by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Claiborne and Ruth Mandelbaum.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Amtrak Director of Network Planning and Engineering, Two Vendors Indicted for Extensive Bribery Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard Thompson, 57, of Falls Church, Virginia, Shaun Hanrahan, 66, of Hampton, Virginia, and Darren Hannam, 57, of Haymarket, Virginia, were charged by indictment with honest services fraud through bribery for engaging in schemes to pay off Thompson, in exchange for Thompson steering millions of dollars in Amtrak work to companies owned by Hanrahan, Hannam, and others.

    Thompson was the Director of Network Planning and Engineering for Amtrak and had a leadership role in designing information technology (“IT”) systems and selecting IT vendors and subcontractors to perform IT work for Amtrak. Hanrahan was the owner of Awarity, LLC, a small business providing management consulting and computer-related services. Hannam and Co-schemer #1 were the principals of Arch Technology, an IT company.

    The indictment alleges that, from about 2015 through 2021, Thompson engaged in bribery schemes with each of three companies who were his favored vendors in the Amtrak contracting process — Awarity, Arch Technology, and 20/20 Teknology, owned by Co-schemer #2. In each of these schemes, as alleged, Thompson repeatedly shared proprietary Amtrak bid information and other documents with his favored vendors before Amtrak contracts were awarded, giving the favored vendors advantages in the Amtrak contracting processes.

    The indictment further alleges that Thompson likewise collaborated with them on bid and contracting documents, manipulated bidding lists, and structured existing contractual relationships, so that his favored vendors would get lucrative subcontracting deals and bypass Amtrak’s competitive bidding process. The defendants allegedly tried to conceal their scheme from Amtrak and other authorities by communicating with Thompson on his personal email accounts rather than his Amtrak email.

    The Amtrak work involved in these schemes included, among other things, the design and installation of nationwide WiFi networks, IT equipment purchases, the installation of audio-visual equipment in Amtrak’s offices in Washington, DC, and a major project to improve the gates that provided access to Amtrak railroad tracks across the country. According to the indictment, for steering and attempting to steer this work to his favored vendors, Thompson received a stream of benefits from each vendor. For example, Hanrahan provided Thompson with payments of cash totaling at least $97,000; Hannam and Co-schemer #1 provided Thompson with expensive electronics valued at approximately $9,500, including Apple computers. Co-schemer #2 provided Thompson with an automobile, free hotel and condominium stays in Ocean City, Maryland, and $40,000 in cash.

    The defendants are all charged with multiple counts of honest services wire fraud through bribery. Hannam is also charged with falsification of records for allegedly trying to cover up the scheme after federal agents executed search warrants in this matter.

    If convicted, the defendants face maximum possible sentences of 20 years in prison for each count of honest services fraud in the indictment.

    The case was investigated by the FBI and the Amtrak Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Louis D. Lappen and Jason Grenell.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston City Councilor Pleads Guilty to Federal Public Corruption Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    City Councilor for Boston’s District 7, Tania Fernandes Anderson, pocketed $7,000 cash from staff member’s city-funded bonus

    BOSTON – Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to public corruption charges after receiving a $7,000 kickback from a staff member’s city funded bonus.

    Tania Fernandes Anderson, 46, of Boston, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2025. Fernandes Anderson was indicted in December 2024. Per the plea agreement, the government is recommending a sentence of one year and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $13,000.

    “Councilor Fernandes Anderson abused her position of trust for personal gain and turned a public checkbook into her own private slush fund. Her constituents deserve better than this. They deserve a city representative who respects the role of public service and does not use the power and position to line her own pockets,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Her guilty plea today says what she refuses to admit in her media interviews: she broke the law, lied to the public, and used her office for her own personal gain. Ms. Fernandes Anderson leaves a legacy not of a selfless trailblazer, but one of fraud, greed, and deceit. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring elected officials are held accountable for this kind of corruption and dishonesty.”

    “Tania Fernandes Anderson used the city of Boston.  She wielded her official powers for her own financial gain, and grossly betrayed the trust of the residents she was elected to serve,” said James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Insidious corruption like this undermines people’s faith in, and expectations of, their government. Today’s conviction should reinforce, to both Boston’s politicos and the public, that the FBI remains committed to bringing to justice any elected official who deprives constituents of the honest services to which they are entitled.”

    “The guilty plea of Tania Fernandes Anderson demonstrates IRS-CI’s commitment to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting all instances of public corruption, both in the Commonwealth and across New England,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Elected officials are held to a higher standard when they take an oath to serve their constituents, but Fernandes Anderson forsook this oath when she conspired to orchestrate a kickback scheme to enrich herself at the cost of the American taxpayers.”

    Fernandes Anderson currently serves as City Councilor for Boston’s District 7, which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and part of the South End. She was first elected to a two-year term in November 2021 and won re-election in November 2023.

    In or about 2022, Fernandes Anderson hired two members of her immediate family as salaried employees of her City Councilor Staff. Because City Councilors are prohibited by law from hiring immediate family members to their paid staff, Fernandes Anderson was required to terminate their salaried employment in or about August 2022. Additionally, in May 2023, the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission notified Fernandes Anderson that it would be seeking a $5,000 civil penalty payment from her as a result of the violation.

    In or about November 2022, Fernandes Anderson emailed a City of Boston employee regarding her hiring of Staff Member A – a relative of Fernandes Anderson who was not an immediate family member – as a salaried employee. In her email to the City of Boston employee, Fernandes Anderson falsely represented that she and Staff Member A were not related:

    From in or about early to mid-2023, Fernandes Anderson was facing personal financial difficulty, which included the outstanding $5,000 civil penalty payment to the Ethics Commission. In or about early May 2023, Fernandes Anderson told Staff Member A that she would give them extra pay in the form of a large bonus, but that Staff Member A would have to give a portion of the bonus back to Fernandes Anderson. Staff Member A agreed to the arrangement with Fernandes Anderson.  

    On May 3, 2023, Fernandes Anderson emailed a City of Boston employee instructing them to process a $13,000 bonus for Staff Member A – more than twice the total bonuses given to her other staff – without disclosing the repayment arrangement. Staff Member A deposited the check on May 26, 2023 and, following Fernandes Anderson’s instructions, made three separate cash withdrawals over the following weeks in the amounts of $3,000; $3,000; and $4,000. Following the last withdrawal on June 9, 2023, the two met in a bathroom at Boston City Hall, where Staff Member A handed Fernandes Anderson $7,000 in cash.

    According to the signed plea agreement, in 2022 and 2023, Fernandes Anderson used funds from her campaign account for her own personal enrichment, and not for campaign-related expenses. Additionally, for tax years 2021, 2022 and 2023, Fernandes Anderson filed fraudulent federal income tax returns with the IRS. Specifically, Fernandes Anderson omitted approximately $11,000 in income that she earned from a Massachusetts-based corporation from her 2021 tax return; willfully omitted campaign funds that she used for her own personal enrichment from her 2022 and 2023 tax returns; and willfully omitted the $7,000 kickback that she received from Staff Member A from her 2023 tax return.

    The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI Acting SAC Crowley and IRS Acting SAC Demeo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Joseph Nocella, Jr. Appointed Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District Of New York

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Joseph Nocella, Jr. has begun serving as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York as per the authority of United States Attorney Pamela Bondi. Judge Nocella was sworn in on Monday, May 5, 2025 by United States Chief District Judge Margo K. Brodie.  He will serve as Interim United States Attorney for a period of 120 days or until a Presidential nominee has been confirmed by the Senate.

    Judge Nocella stated: “I am deeply honored that President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pamela Bondi have appointed me United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.  It is especially gratifying to return to the very District where I began my prosecutorial career.  Together with the exemplary staff that has made the Eastern District renown for its excellence, and the dedicated law enforcement agencies that work with the District, I look forward to prosecuting zealously the narcotics-traffickers, gang members, terrorists, human-traffickers and other criminals who have plagued the people of Nassau, Suffolk, Kings, Queens and Richmond Counties.  I would also like to thank Acting United States Attorney John J. Durham for his service and leadership.”

    Immediately before his appointment, Judge Nocella, 60, was serving as a Nassau County Family Court Judge, following several years of service as a Nassau County District Judge.  Judge Nocella began his career in public service as the first law clerk to the Honorable Lawrence M. McKenna, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.  Judge Nocella continued his career in public service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Eastern District of New York, where he served from 1991 to 1995, prosecuting cases involving narcotics-trafficking, organized crime, money laundering and fraud, among others.  Judge Nocella was in private practice in New York and Los Angeles from 1989 to 1990, and from 1995 to 2010.  He also held various public service roles in government on Long Island, including Hempstead Town Attorney, Oyster Bay Town Attorney, Managing Attorney of the Nassau County Attorney’s Office and Counsel to the Nassau County Executive and Legislative Offices.  Judge Nocella graduated from Chaminade High School in 1982, received his bachelor’s degree from Fordham University in 1986 and graduated from Columbia University School of Law in 1989. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Credit Suisse Services AG Admits to Conspiring with U.S. Taxpayers to Hide Assets and Income in Offshore Accounts and Admits that Credit Suisse Breached Its Prior Plea Agreement

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Credit Suisse Services AG Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes, Signs a Separate Non-Prosecution Agreement Related to Conduct in Singapore, and Agrees to Pay More Than $510M

    Credit Suisse Services AG pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to conspiring to hide more than $4 billion from the IRS in at least 475 offshore accounts. The guilty plea by the Swiss corporation is the result of a years-long investigation by U.S. law enforcement to uncover financial fraud and abuse.

    In addition to the plea, Credit Suisse Services AG entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in connection with U.S. Accounts booked at Credit Suisse AG Singapore. Under the NPA, Credit Suisse Services AG agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department in ongoing investigations and to pay significant monetary penalties for maintaining accounts in Singapore on behalf of U.S. taxpayers who were using offshore accounts to evade U.S. taxes and reporting requirements.

    According to the Plea Agreement, NPA, and documents filed in court today: from Jan. 1, 2010, and continuing until about July 2021, Credit Suisse AG, which had ultra-high-net-worth and high-net-worth individual clients around the globe, conspired with employees, U.S. customers, and others to willfully aid U.S. customers in concealing their ownership and control of assets and funds held at the bank. This enabled those U.S. customers to evade their U.S. tax obligations in several ways, including by opening and maintaining undeclared offshore accounts for U.S. taxpayers at Credit Suisse AG, and providing a variety of offshore private banking services that assisted U.S. taxpayers in the concealment of their assets and income from the IRS and allowed for their continued failure to file FBARs. Among other fraudulent acts, bankers at Credit Suisse falsified records, processed fictitious donation paperwork, and serviced more than $1 billion in accounts without documentation of tax compliance. In doing so, Credit Suisse AG committed new crimes and breached its May 2014 plea agreement with the United States.

    Between 2014 and June 2023, Credit Suisse AG Singapore held undeclared accounts for U.S. persons, which Credit Suisse AG Singapore knew or should have known were U.S., with total assets valued at over $2 billion. Credit Suisse AG Singapore failed to adequately identify the true beneficial owners of accounts and failed to conduct adequate inquiry about U.S. indicia in the accounts. In 2023, during the post-merger of UBS AG Singapore and Credit Suisse AG Singapore, UBS became aware of accounts held at Credit Suisse AG Singapore that appeared to be undeclared U.S. accounts. UBS froze some of the accounts, voluntarily disclosed information about those identified accounts to the Justice Department and cooperated by undertaking an investigation into the identified accounts.

    Under today’s resolutions, Credit Suisse Services AG and, by extension, UBS AG, is required to cooperate fully with ongoing investigations and affirmatively disclose any information it may later uncover regarding U.S.-related accounts. The agreements provide no protections for any individuals. Pursuant to the guilty plea and the NPA, Credit Suisse Services AG will pay a total of $510,608,909 in penalties, restitution, forfeiture, and fines.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.

    Special Agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C. that is dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in obtaining important evidence.

    Senior Litigation Counsels Nanette L. Davis and Mark F. Daly as well as Trial Attorney Marissa R. Brodney of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly M. Shartar for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Clinic Owner Agrees to Settle Allegations of Medicaid Fraud

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Steven Osbey, of Kernersville, N.C., has agreed to entry of a consent judgment against him in the amount of $4,711,159.00 in favor of the United States and State of North Carolina (the Governments), subject to a separate agreement regarding his participation in the Governments’ ability to pay process. The judgment represents repayment to the government for allegations that Reign & Inspirations, LLC (R&I), a clinic co-owned by Osbey and Aljihad Shabazz, charged Medicaid for physician home visits that never occurred.

    More specifically, the Governments alleged Osbey and Shabazz conspired to carry out an extensive health care fraud scheme wherein they submitted or caused to be submitted claims to NC Medicaid for in-home physician visits with patients that simply never occurred—in all, billing more than 30,000 hours of these purported physician visits and sometimes billing as if the physician provided over 100 in-home visits in a single day, purportedly lasting an hour each (an obvious physical impossibility).

    This investigation was conducted in parallel between the civil and criminal divisions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Shabazz pleaded guilty to criminal healthcare fraud conspiracy and money laundering charges and was sentenced to 52 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.

    The civil settlement obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Department of Justice and the FBI field offices in Charlotte, with assistance from the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. AUSAs Caroline McLean and Seth Johnson were responsible for the civil investigation.

    The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Minister notes legal action regarding Employment Equity Act

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Employment and Labour Minister, Nomakhosazana Meth, says she has noted that the Democratic Alliance (DA) is taking legal action against the recently amended Employment Equity Act.

    In a statement on Monday, the Minister labbeled the move as “a clear attempt to halt transformation in the workplace and preserve historical inequalities”.

    The DA has lodged a constitutional challenge to sections of the Employment Equity Amendment Act 4 of 2022, specifically targeting the provisions that empower the Minister to set numerical targets for the equitable representation of designated groups across all occupational levels.

    The Amendment Act empowers the Minister of Employment and Labour to set numerical targets for equitable representation of suitably qualified individuals from designated groups at all occupational levels. 

    This is done after consulting relevant sectors and with the advice of the Commission, ensuring that the Minister does not act arbitrarily and remains within the framework of the Employment Equity Act.

    “The DA’s challenge seeks to disrupt efforts aimed at achieving equitable representation and maintaining the inherently unfair status quo. By opposing these amendments, the DA is actively sabotaging the transformation goals that have been pursued since the end of the apartheid era, effectively hindering progress towards equality and fairness in the workplace.

    “This stance is not only anti-transformation, but also a step backward in the fight for equality and fairness in the workplace,” Minister Meth said in a statement.

    Unlike rigid mandatory quotas, which must be achieved at all costs, the Amendment Act introduces flexible employment equity targets. Designated employers can set their annual numerical targets in their employment equity plans, which must comply with sectoral targets.

    However, employers can justify their failure to meet these targets on reasonable grounds. 

    The Minister said that the DA’s attack on these regulations is based on the claim that the section 15A scheme is unconstitutional. 

    However, as stated in section 2 of the Employment Equity Act, the Minister’s implementation of these measures cannot legally constitute unfair discrimination. – SAnews.gov.za

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Westerville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Aiding & Abetting Aggravated Postal Robberies, Firearms Crime

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – Cameron D. Newton, 21, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months and one day in prison for his roles in four armed robberies against postal carriers.

    According to court documents, between December 2022 and May 2023, Newton aided and abetted the aggravated robberies of mail and the use of a firearm during the crimes of violence.

    Newton, who was on probation and consequently wearing a GPS ankle monitor at the time, recruited two juveniles to assist with an armed robbery in German Village on Dec. 22, 2022. Newton also arranged for the use of the handgun that his co-conspirator used during the crime.

    On Jan. 23, 2023, Newton provided surveillance for an armed postal robbery on East Columbus Street. Newton was in his vehicle nearby, using the cover of making DoorDash deliveries to evade his home confinement.

    Later that same day, Newton provided surveillance again for a third postal robbery and worked to arrange buyers for the stolen postal keys.

    Newton also obtained a firearm for a co-conspirator to use in the May 11, 2023, robbery of an elderly female postal worker. He picked up accomplices near Goodale Park following the robbery. Newton then paid the robbers several hundred dollars via CashApp.

    On May 18, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Newton’s residence and discovered $22,000 in cash, hundreds of washed and altered checks and money orders totaling more than $590,000, two Postal keys and hundreds of pieces of stolen mail.

    A total of six defendants have been charged in connection with six separate armed robberies of postal carriers in central Ohio.

    “Newton and his accomplices terrorized postal workers in an effort to steal their keys and loot mailboxes,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “Through the hard work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, local police, and the FBI, we were able to arrest those responsible for these violent crimes and ensure they are held accountable.”

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler and Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen announced the sentence imposed this afternoon by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in these cases.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry of a Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that DARWIN XAVIER GONZALEZ-MUNOZ (“GONZALEZ-MUNOZ”), age 30, pled guilty on April 30, 2025 to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).

    According to the bill of information filed against him, GONZALEZ-MUNOZ reentered the United States after being previously deported on or about June 24, 2024. 

    At sentencing, GONZALEZ-MUNOZ faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The case was investigated by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Enforcement Removal Operations.  Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Sentenced For Federal Controlled Substances Act Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SAUL MACEDO-RODRIGUEZ (“MACEDO-RODRIGUEZ”), age 38, a resident of Texas, was sentenced on April 30, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.  MACEDO-RODRIGUEZ was sentenced to one hundred twenty (120) months imprisonment, three (3) years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.

    According to court documents, MACEDO-RODRIGUEZ and other co-conspirators distributed multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana.

    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.

    This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National Arrested for Child Pornography Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Dominican national has been arrested and charged with transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    Jorge Junior Alvarez Rodriguez, 21, was charged with one count of transportation of child pornography. Alvarez will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston later today.

    According to the charging documents, On May 3, 2025, upon arrival at t Boston’s Logan Airport from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Alvarez was flagged for secondary screening. It is alleged that during a review of Alvarez’s cell phone, files depicting CSAM were found. It is further alleged that law enforcement identified multiple files depicting children as young as four to seven years old.  

    The charge of transportation of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Patrol, Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement Ahead of Nat’l Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    05.05.25

    Cantwell Statement Ahead of Nat’l Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People

    According to the Washington State Patrol, there are currently 112 unsolved cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) a senior member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement ahead of Monday, May 5th, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIWP).

    “May 5th is a day we remember the victims of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis and recognize the suffering of families and Native communities,” said Sen. Cantwell. “We must stand together, continue to demand justice, and work together to get more law enforcement resources on the ground to help tribes protect their people from violence.”

    Sen. Cantwell has been a vocal advocate and leader in championing legislation to help end the MMIWP crisis. In 2020, Sen. Cantwell’s Savanna’s Act was signed into law to help federal, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies better respond to cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and people by improving coordination among all levels of law enforcement, increasing data collection and information sharing, and providing tribal governments with vital resources.

    In May 2023, Sen. Cantwell held a press conference in Seattle with representatives from the Seattle Indian Health Board, tribal leaders, Indigenous community organizations, MMIWP advocates and loved ones of Indigenous persons who have gone missing. At the press conference, Sen. Cantwell announced she sent a letter to the Biden Administration urging them to prioritize funding to assist Tribes and organizations working to combat the MMIWP crisis. Video from that presser is available HERE, photos HERE, and a transcript HERE.

    Following Sen. Cantwell’s urging, in June 2023 the U.S. Department of Justice announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Regional Outreach Program, which dedicated five Assistant U.S. Attorneys and five coordinators to the task of resolving the cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. This included dedicated personnel based in Eastern Washington.

    In July 2023, Sen. Cantwell introduced the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act to help tribal police departments hire and retain tribal law enforcement officers by providing access to federal retirement, pension, death, and injury benefits on par with law enforcement officers from non-tribal jurisdictions. In May 2024, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing on Sen. Cantwell’s bill, which included testimony from Chris Sutter, Chief of Police of the Tulalip Tribal Police Department, and officials from the Department of the Interior and the National Congress of American Indians in support of the legislation. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs favorably reported Sen. Cantwell’s bill to the full Senate in September 2024.

    In October 2024, Sen. Cantwell announced $6.9 million in federal funding for state and municipal law enforcement agencies, tribal justice departments and programs, and medical examiner offices to help prosecute violence against women and children cases, among other things.

    Sen. Cantwell has also helped secure public safety funding specifically for tribal communities. In the 2013 and 2022 reauthorizations of the Violence Against Women Act, Sen. Cantwell fought to include strong tribal policies including: allowing tribes to continue to have jurisdiction over dating violence and domestic violence crimes and violations of tribal protection orders, restoring tribal jurisdiction over violent and dangerous crimes such as child and sexual abuse, sex trafficking and stalking, and providing tribes with more resources to improve and build public safety programs within their communities.

    In 2019, Sen. Cantwell co-sponsored the Securing Urgent Resources Vital to Indian Victim Empowerment (SURVIVE) Act to provide a substantial increase in resources for tribal crime victim assistance programs.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien and Mexican National Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Kilograms of Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Illegal Alien and Mexican National Convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Kilograms of Methamphetamine

    Defendant possessed over four pounds of 100% pure Methamphetamine

    BRUNSWICK, GA:  A jury convicted a Mexican national illegally living in Hazlehurst, Georgia at trial for receiving a package from Jalisco, Mexico containing over two kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine.

    Ismael Delgado-Celis, 37, of Mexico, was convicted of Possession and Attempt to Possess with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine following a jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The Defendant is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of at least ten years and up to life imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.

    During testimony and evidence produced during the trial the Government established that on September 12, 2024, the Defendant attempted to receive a package directly from Mexico containing what was described as a horse saddle. Before the package was delivered, law enforcement agents removed the saddle and discovered over two kilograms of pure methamphetamine that had been hidden inside. The package was then delivered to the Defendant by law enforcement under the guise of a United States Postal delivery. The Defendant accepted the package from law enforcement and brought it inside his residence.

    “This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.”

    “This conviction sends a strong message to those who attempt to smuggle dangerous narcotics into our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the dedicated collaboration between HSI and our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels, we were able to disrupt a major methamphetamine trafficking operation and hold the perpetrator accountable.”

    “This conviction highlights the critical role Customs and Border Protection plays in disrupting the transnational flow of deadly narcotics,” said Zachary Thomas, Acting Director of Field Operations for CBP Atlanta. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners at every level to safeguard our communities from the scourge of illicit drugs.”

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigation, Customs and Border Protection, and the Jeff Davis Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura and Deputy Criminal Chief Greg Gilluly.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prince George’s County Man Faces Federal Indictment for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Joel Thomas Biermann, 46, of University Park, Maryland, for multiple child exploitation offenses. Biermann is charged with two counts of producing child sexual abuse material, one count of distributing child sexual abuse material, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

    According to the indictment, between approximately October 26, 2012, and October 28, 2024, Biermann employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced one or more victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct.  Biermann also produced and possessed visual depictions of the exploitation.  Additionally, the indictment alleges that Biermann distributed child sexual abuse material on March 13, 2016. 

    If convicted, Biermann faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for the production of child sexual abuse material; a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years for the distribution of child sexual abuse material; and a maximum of 20 years for possession of child sexual abuse material. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Click the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page to learn about Internet safety education.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy and Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills, Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, who are prosecuting the federal case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood  and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Level One Sex Offender Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Holyoke man, who is a registered sex offender, has been charged with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    Justin Ouimette, 34, was charged with possession of child pornography. Ouimette will make an initial appearance in federal court in Springfield at a later date.  

    In October 2022, Ouimette was convicted of possession of child pornography in Massachusetts Superior Court. According to the charging documents, in July 2024, during a search of Ouimette’s residence and person, over 200 files that appeared to depict CSAM, including children as young as three years old, were allegedly located on Ouimette’s electronic devices. A search of  Ouimette’s Dropbox resulted in the discovery of  an additional 200 files allegedly depicting CSAM.

    On July 25, 2024, Ouimette was issued a probation violation, and he was subsequently sentenced to one year incarceration, which he is currently serving.

    The charge of possession of child pornography as a registered sex offender provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced For Illegal Re-entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that SANTIAGO PUENTE-GARCIA (“PUENTE-GARCIA”), age 26, a native of Mexico, was sentenced on April 30, 2025 after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a).

    United States District Judge Lance M. Africk sentenced PUENTE-GARCIAto an imprisonment term of time served , followed by one (1) year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

    According to court records, PUENTE-GARCIA was previously removed from the United States on February 4, 2022.  He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on October 29, 2024.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 05.05.2025, 16-59 the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor, the carry rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment of the BSPB (BSP ao) security were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    05.05.2025

    16:59

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 05.05.2025, 16-59 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor with the settlement code Y0/Y1Dt (up to -169.81%), the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -2.12 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 209.59%) of the BSPB (BSP JSC) security were changed.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 05.05.2025, 18-12 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A101PB8 (ALROSA B06) were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    05.05.2025

    18:12

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC) on 05.05.2025, 18-12 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 104.28) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1085.32 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 7.5%) of the RU000A101PB8 (ALROSA B06) security were changed.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –