NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Advances Precision Landing Technology with Field Test at Kennedy

    Source: NASA

    Landing on the Moon is not easy, particularly when a crew or spacecraft must meet exacting requirements. For Artemis missions to the lunar surface, those requirements include an ability to land within an area about as wide as a football field in any lighting condition amid tough terrain.
    NASA’s official lunar landing requirement is to be able to land within 50 meters (164 feet) of the targeted site and developing precision tools and technologies is critically important to mission success.
    NASA engineers recently took a major step toward safe and precise landings on the Moon – and eventually Mars and icy worlds – with a successful field test of hazard detection technology at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida.
    A joint team from the Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s in Houston and Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, achieved this huge milestone in tests  of the Goddard Hazard Detection Lidar from a helicopter at Kennedy in March 2025. 

    The new lidar system is one of several sensors being developed as part of NASA’s Safe & Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) Program, a Johnson-managed cross-agency initiative under the Space Technology Mission Directorate to develop next-generation landing technologies for planetary exploration. SPLICE is an integrated descent and landing system composed of avionics, sensors, and algorithms that support specialized navigation, guidance, and image processing techniques. SPLICE is designed to enable landing in hard-to-reach and unknown areas that are of potentially high scientific interest.
    The lidar system, which can map an area equivalent to two football fields in just two seconds, is a crucial program component. In real time and compensating for lander motion, it processes 15 million short pulses of laser light to quickly scan surfaces and create real-time, 3D maps of landing sites to support precision landing and hazard avoidance. 
    Those maps will be read by the SPLICE Descent and Landing Computer, a high-performance multicore computer processor unit that analyzes all SPLICE sensor data and determines the spacecraft’s velocity, altitude, and terrain hazards. It also computes the hazards and determines a safe landing location. The computer was developed by the Avionics Systems Division at Johnson as a platform to test navigation, guidance, and flight software. It previously flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard booster rocket.

    For the field test at Kennedy, Johnson led test operations and provided avionics and guidance, navigation, and control support. Engineers updated the computer’s firmware and software to support command and data interfacing with the lidar system. Team members from Johnson’s Flight Mechanics branch also designed a simplified motion compensation algorithm and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California contributed a hazard detection algorithm, both of which were added to the lidar software by Goddard. Support from NASA contractors Draper Laboratories and Jacobs Engineering played key roles in the test’s success.
    Primary flight test objectives were achieved on the first day of testing, allowing the lidar team time to explore different settings and firmware updates to improve system performance. The data confirmed the sensor’s capability in a challenging, vibration-heavy environment, producing usable maps. Preliminary review of the recorded sensor data shows excellent reconstruction of the hazard field terrain.

    Beyond lunar applications, SPLICE technologies are being considered for use on Mars Sample Return, the Europa Lander, Commercial Lunar Payload Services flights, and Gateway. The DLC design is also being evaluated for potential avionics upgrades on Artemis systems.
    Additionally, SPLICE is supporting software tests for the Advancement of Geometric Methods for Active Terrain Relative Navigation (ATRN) Center Innovation Fund project, which is also part of Johnson’s Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division. The ATRN is working to develop algorithms and software that can use data from any active sensor – one measuring signals that were reflected, refracted, or scattered by a body’s surface or its atmosphere – to accurately map terrain and provide absolute and relative location information. With this type of system in place, spacecraft will not need external lighting sources to find landing sites.
    With additional suborbital flight tests planned through 2026, the SPLICE team is laying the groundwork for safer, more autonomous landings on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. As NASA prepares for its next era of exploration, SPLICE will be a key part of the agency’s evolving landing, guidance, and navigation capabilities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 100 Days of Making America Safe Again

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: 100 Days of Making America Safe Again

    WASHINGTON – In just 100 days, President Trump and Secretary Noem have delivered major victories addressing the crisis at the southern border, removing violent criminal illegal aliens from American communities, and stopping the flow of illicit drugs into our homeland

    He’s accomplished more in 100 days than most presidents achieve in an entire term

    PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT:   

    Thanks to President Trump, we have the most secure border in American history

    On day one, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border

    President Trump immediately reinstated “Remain in Mexico” and ended catch and release

    Daily border encounters have plunged 95% since President Trump took office

    Under President Trump’s leadership, Secretary Noem and Secretary Kennedy have reunited nearly 5,000 unaccompanied children with a safe relative or guardian

    Migrants are turning BACK before they even reach our border— migration through Panama’s Darien Gap is down 99

    99%

    President Trump is finishing the border wall

    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) already has 85 miles of new construction either planned or under construction

    United States (U

    S

    ) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U

    S

    Coast Guard (USCG) have seized nearly 232,000 pounds of fentanyl and other illicit drugs—stopping them from ever reaching American communities

    President Trump is fulfilling his promise to carry out mass deportations—starting with the worst of the worst

    The Trump Administration empowered our brave men and women in law enforcement to use common sense to do their jobs effectively

    DHS repealed Biden-era rules that allowed criminal aliens to hide from law enforcement in places like schools and churches to avoid arrest

      
    DHS returned to using the term “illegal alien” which is the statutory language

    President Trump will not allow political correctness to hinder law enforcement

    President Trump mobilized the federal government to help with immigration enforcement

    DHS deputized the Texas National Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Prisons, U

    S

    Marshals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, members of the State Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to assist with immigration operations

    Operation Tidal Wave, the first 287(g) enforcement operation coordinated with state and federal law enforcement partners, resulted in over 800 arrests

    DHS has secured 579 signed agreements with state and local partnerships under 287(g)

    President Trump and Secretary Noem are empowering state and local law enforcement to get these criminal illegal aliens off our streets

    The Trump Administration has arrested over 158,000 illegal aliens in 2025 alone, including more than 600 members of Tren de Aragua

    Under President Trump, U

    S

    Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) is targeting the worst of the worst, 75% of their arrests are criminal illegal aliens with convictions or pending charges

     
    To fulfill President Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations, the administration is now detaining some of the most dangerous illegal aliens, including violent criminals and members of terrorist gangs, at Guantanamo Bay

    At President Trump’s direction, DHS deported nearly 300 Tren de Aragua and MS-13 terrorists to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) Prison in El Salvador, where they no longer pose a threat to the American people

    At President Trump’s direction, Secretary Noem launched a multimillion-dollar nationwide and international ad campaign, urging illegal aliens to leave the U

    S

    voluntarily or face deportation with no chance of return

    President Trump ended the CBP One app that allowed more than one million aliens to illegally enter the U

    S

    The Trump Administration replaced this disastrous program with the CBP Home app, which has a new self-deportation reporting feature for aliens illegally in the country

    So far, thousands of illegal aliens have used the app to self-deport

    The Trump Administration is enforcing the Alien Registration Act which requires aliens to register with the federal government

    If illegal aliens fail to comply, they face fines and imprisonment

    Deportations have already exceeded 142,000—this is just the beginning

    President Trump is putting the safety of Americans first and delivering justice for victims of illegal aliens and drug cartels

    President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the federal detention of illegal aliens accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, or any crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury

    President Trump designated international drug cartels and other criminal gangs, such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

    This enables a whole-of-government approach to dismantle their drug and human trafficking operations

    The days of unchecked cartel and gang violence are over

    The Trump Administration secured the extradition of 29 Mexican drug cartel members who are facing charges including racketeering, drug-trafficking, murder, illegal use of firearms, money laundering, and other crimes

    Some of these individuals include:

    Rafael Caro Quintero, alleged to have been among those responsible for the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena and others

    This cartel kingpin unleashed violence, destruction, and death across the U

    S

    and Mexico and spent four decades atop DEA’s most wanted fugitives list

    Martin Sotelo, alleged to have participated in the 2022 murder of Deputy Sheriff Ned Byrd

    Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, alleged to have helped lead the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación

    Ramiro Perez Moreno and Lucio Hernandez Lechuga, alleged to be high-ranking members of Los Zetas

    The Trump Administration extradited Eswin Mejia, an illegal alien arrested for killing 21-year-old Sarah Root in a drunk driving crash, from Honduras

    President Trump reopened the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office, which was shuttered by the Biden Administration

    President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for the victims of illegal alien crime and ensuring they have access to much needed resources and support they deserve

    President Trump is restoring integrity and common sense to our legal immigration system

    President Trump ended the broad abuse of humanitarian parole and returned the program to a case-by-case basis

    As part of this effort, Secretary Noem terminated the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela parole programs

    President Trump restored integrity to our immigration system by returning the Temporary Protect Status (TPS) immigration program to its original status: temporary

    No longer will this program be abused and exploited by illegal aliens

    Secretary Noem rescinded the previous administration’s extension of Venezuelan, Haitian, and Afghan TPS

    President Trump is returning common sense to our legal immigration system and national security by revoking visas of terrorist sympathizers

    Those who glorify and support terrorists who kill Americans are not welcome in the U

    S

    Some examples include:

    ICE arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student who led activities aligned with Hamas and passed out pro-Hamas propaganda flyers

    Dr

    Rasha Alawieh was deported after she admitted to attending the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, a brutal terrorist who led Hezbollah and was responsible for killing hundreds of Americans

    ICE arrested Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown foreign exchange student whose father-in-law is a senior advisor to Hamas

    To keep America safe, DHS is now conducting enhanced vetting of visa applicants, including monitoring foreign aliens’ social media accounts to identify any support for terrorist organizations

    President Trump is using tariffs as a negotiating tool to force other countries to take decisive action that puts American safety, prosperity, and national security first

    President Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on countries that have been ripping off America for years

    Unfair trade practices made our supply chain dependent on foreign adversaries, eroded our industrial base, and hurt American workers

    This has gravely impacted our national security

    Now, President Trump is fighting back and putting America first

    President Trump’s tariffs forced Mexico to deploy 10,000 troops on our southern border to stop the flow of fentanyl and illegal aliens into our country and Canada to add thousands of personnel to the northern border

    Under President Trump, Secretary Noem refocused DHS to its core mission of protecting the American homeland and eliminating government waste

    The USCG eliminated an ineffective information technology (IT) program, saving nearly $33 million, and is now focusing resources where they’re most needed to protect our homeland

    The Trump Administration stopped aliens on the Terror Watchlist from receiving Medicaid benefits

    Secretary Noem ended the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) FEMA grant program that was wasteful and ineffective

    This resulted in nearly a billion dollars being directed to the Disaster Relief Fund

    To stop policies that were magnets for illegal immigration, DHS froze all funding to non-governmental organizations that facilitate illegal immigration and announced a partnership with the U

    S

    Department of Housing and Urban Development to ensure taxpayer dollars do not go to housing illegal aliens

    Secretary Noem ended collective bargaining for the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Transportation Security Officers, which constrained TSA’s chief mission to safeguard our transportation systems and keep Americans safe

    Bottom Line: President Trump campaigned on border security and immigration enforcement, the American people voted for it, and Secretary Noem and DHS are delivering beyond anyone’s expectations

    President Trump and Secretary Noem will continue fighting every day to secure our border and keep American communities safe

    This is just the beginning of a new Golden Age of America

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 4.29.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    Apr 29, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Kristina “Kris” Thayer, of Raleigh, North Carolina, has been appointed Director of The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Thayer has been Director of the Director of the Integrated Risk Information System Division at the United States Environmental Protection Agency since 2019, where she has held multiple positions since 2017, including Director of the Integrated Risk Information System and Director of the Chemical and Pollution Assessment Division. She held multiple positions at the National Toxicology Program at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences from 2003 to 2017, including Deputy Director of the Division of Analysis, Director of the Office of Health Assessment and Translation, Director of the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction, Staff Scientist at the Center for the Evaluation of Risk to Human Reproduction, Deputy Director of the Office of Risk Assessment Research, and Staff Scientist in the Office of Liaison and Scientific Review. Thayer is a member of the Society of Toxicology. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri, Columbia and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University, University Park. This position requires Senate confirmation, and compensation is $217,000. Thayer is a Democrat.

    Jason D. Johnson, of Redlands, has been appointed Undersecretary of Operations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Johnson has been Acting Undersecretary of Operations since 2024 at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has held several positions since 2006, including Director of the Division of Adult Parole Operations, Chief Deputy Regional Administrator, Parole Administrator I, Parole Agent III Supervisor, Parole Agent II Supervisor, and Parole Agent I. Johnson was a Probation Officer II at San Bernardino County Probation Department from 2001 to 2006. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs’ Association, the Orange County Chiefs’ and Sherriffs’ Association, and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. Johnson earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Redlands and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from California State University, Fullerton. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $239,796. Johnson is a Democrat.

    Joshua Prudhel, of Ceres, has been appointed Warden of Sierra Conservation Center, where he has been serving as Acting Warden since 2024. Prudhel was Chief Deputy Administrator at California State Prison, Sacramento from 2022 to 2024. He was a Correctional Administrator at California State Prison, Corcoran in 2022. Prudhel was Acting Chief Deputy Administrator at Correctional Training Facility from 2021 to 2022. He was a Correctional Administration at California State Prison, Corcoran from 2020 to 2021. Prudhel was Captain at California Health Care Facility from 2016 to 2020, where he was previously a Correctional Lieutenant from 2014 to 2016. He was a Correctional Lieutenant at California State Prison, Corcoran from 2011 to 2014, where he was previously a Correctional Sergeant from 2008 to 2011. Prudhel was a Correctional Sergeant at Deuel Vocational Institution from 2007 to 2008, and at Correctional Training Facility from 2005 to 2007. He was a Correctional Officer at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center from 2003 to 2005, and at Richard A. Mcgee Correctional Training Center from 2002 to 2003. Prudhel is a member of the California Correctional Supervisors Organization. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $193,524. Prudhel is a Republican.

    Megan Mekelburg, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Legislation at the California Natural Resources Agency. Mekelburg has been Deputy Appointments Secretary in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2024. She was Senior Associate at Environmental & Energy Consulting from 2023 to 2024. Mekelburg was Legislative Director in the Office of Senator Aisha Wahab in the California State Senate in 2023. She held multiple roles in the Office of Senator Josh Newman in the California State Senate from 2021 to 2023, including Legislative Director and Acting Chief of Staff. Mekelburg held multiple roles in the Office of Senator Henry Stern in the California State Senate from 2019 to 2021, including Legislative Aide and Executive Assistant. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $160,008. Mekelburg is a Democrat.

    Matthew Sage, of Fair Oaks, has been appointed Commander of the State Threat Assessment Center at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Sage has been the Deputy Commander of Intel/Analysis at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services since 2023. He was an Account Executive at Echo Analytics Group from 2021 to 2022. He was a Supervisory Intelligence Specialist at the Department of the Army from 2015 to 2021. Sage was an Operations and Integrations Officer at Dyncorp International from 2012 to 2015. He was a Staff Officer at Sytera LLC. from 2011 to 2012. Sage was an Atmospherics Manager at AECOM/McNeill Technologies in 2011. He served as rank E-5 in the United States Army from 2006 to 2010. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $161,062. Sage is registered without party preference.

    Davina Hurt, of Belmont, has been appointed to the California Water Commission. Hurt has been the California Climate Policy Director at Pacific Environment since 2025. She was an Attorney/Civic Advocate at Davina Hurt Esq. from 2005 to 2024. Hurt held multiple positions with the City of Belmont from 2015 to 2024, including Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City Councilmember. She was a Campaign Manager at the Democratic Volunteer Center from 2014 to 2015. Hurt was a Securities Case Assistant at Heller Ehrman White and McAuliffe LLP from 2004 to 2005. She was a Senior Counsel and Civic Advocate at Tyson and Mendes LLP in 2004. Hurt was a Law Clerk at Bay Area Legal Aid from 2002 to 2004. She was a Law Clerk at the United States District Court for Northern District of California from 2002 to 2003. Hurt was a Summer Associate at Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach LLP in 2002. She earned a Juris Doctor Degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in History and Political Science from Baylor University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and compensation is $100 per diem. Hurt is a Democrat.

    Peter Stern, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Horse Racing Board. Stern has been Chief Revenue Officer at Skedulo and an Advisor at Berkeley SkyDeck since 2025. He held several roles at Authorium from 2024 to 2025, including Advisor and Executive Vice President. He was the Co-Founder of VoiceBrain from 2021 to 2023. He was a Commissioner at California State Lottery Commission from 2019 to 2022. He held several positions at Inxeption from 2017 to 2021, including Executive Vice President of Business Operations and Senior Vice President of Corporate Development. Stern was the Airport Commissioner at the San Francisco International Airport from 2010 to 2019. He was Chief Revenue Officer at Skedulo from 2015 to 2017. Stern was the Chief Revenue Officer at Autopilot from 2013 to 2015. Stern was the Vice President of Sales at Kenandy, Inc. from 2011 to 2013. He held numerous positions at Salesforce from 2007 to 2011, including Vice President of Enterprise Corporate Sales and Corporate Sales Manager. Stern was Regional Manager at Oracle from 2005 to 2007. He was an Account Executive at Macromedia from 2002 to 2004. Stern was an Account Executive at Oracle from 2000 to 2000. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Stern is registered without party preference.

    Dyan Whyte, of Berkeley, has been appointed to the California State Mining and Geology Board. Whyte has been the Chief Financial Officer at Dataway US since 2019. She held multiple positions at the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region from 1988 to 1999, including Assistant Executive Officer and Senior Engineering Geologist. Whyte earned a Master of Science degree in Environmental Geology from University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies and Geology from California State University, Sonoma. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Whyte is a Democrat.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Apr 29, 2025

    News What you need to know: California continues to improve efficiency and engagement in state government by advancing its first-in-the-nation project to integrate cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology into state operations. Los Angeles, California –…

    Apr 29, 2025

    News What you need to know: California is filing a lawsuit today against the Trump administration for dismantling AmeriCorps, which puts service and volunteer programs across the country and in California at risk. SACRAMENTO — Today, Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney…

    Apr 28, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today issued the following statement congratulating newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney:“Jennifer and I warmly congratulate Prime Minister Mark Carney on his party’s election victory in Canada. California looks…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes in the Palestinian occupied West Bank – E-001332/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001332/2025/rev.1
    to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
    Rule 144
    Luke Ming Flanagan (The Left)

    Concerning the escalating rate of Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes in the Palestinian occupied West Bank, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) documented that Israeli occupation authorities demolished 1 787 Palestinian facilities between 7 October 2023 and 15 October 2024, including 800 inhabited homes.

    On 21 January 2025, the Israeli military launched ‘Operation Iron Wall’, which, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), forcibly displaced 40 000 Palestinians in the northern West Bank[1]. Ireland and the EU have funded infrastructure in the occupied West Bank, such as schools, playgrounds and other community facilities, which Israel has demolished. The report details the expansion of Israeli illegal settlements, the unlawful demolition of Palestinian homes and a surge in settler violence, all taking place in ‘a climate of impunity’. International humanitarian law prohibits an occupying power from demolishing homes and other property belonging to the protected population. Israel’s practice amounts to a grave violation of international humanitarian law and is a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

    Has the EU sought compensation from Israel for infrastructure subsidised by the EU and subsequently demolished by Israel?

    Submitted: 1.4.2025

    • [1] UNRWA, ‘Large-scale forced displacement in the West Bank impacts 40,000 people’ – official statement, 10 February 2025, https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/large-scale-forced-displacement-west-bank-impacts-40000-people.
    Last updated: 29 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Stepping up the fight against financial crime in the European Union – E-000649/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. Despite significant progress in cross-border cooperation against financial crimes, it is important that Member States systemically launch financial investigations when investigating serious criminal offenses. Swift transposition of the new Directive on asset recovery[1] will ensure that asset-tracing is part of all investigations into organised crime. The new rules on exchange of information[2] also boost police cooperation against financial crime. Europol and Eurojust support operational cooperation to tackle financial crimes, and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) prosecutes crimes, playing a key role in dismantling criminal activities across the EU, while OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office, complements these efforts by detecting, investigating, and preventing fraud, both affecting the EU’s financial interests.

    2. Acting as the ‘information hub’ for EU law enforcement, Europol provides the EPPO access to information from national law enforcement authorities stored in its information system. The Commission will take into account the cooperation with EPPO, and the need to further enhance it, when evaluating the current legal framework for Europol[3], and in any proposals that may follow.

    3. The Commission has launched reflections, supported by the High-Level Forum on the Future of EU Criminal Justice[4], on areas in which the EPPO will need more powers to look at cross-border serious crime, in particular corruption that impacts EU funds and cannot be handled alone by Member States . The EPPO’s role, and cooperation with Eurojust and Europol, will also be considered.

    • [1] OJ L, 2024/1260, 2.5.2024.
    • [2] OJ L 134, 22.5.2023, p. 1-24.
    • [3] OJ L 135, 24.5.2016, p. 53, as amended in 2022 OJ L 169, 27.6.2022, p. 1.
    • [4] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_25_745
    Last updated: 29 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrests – Kava seizure – Galiwinku

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested two males in relation to a large kava seizure in Galiwinku on Tuesday afternoon.

    Around 1:35pm, police conducted a lawful search of a premises in Galiwinku Community after receiving intelligence that kava was being distributed in the area.

    During the search, police located and seized 235kg of kava and over $15,400 in cash. Two males aged 28 and 35 were arrested at the scene and have been charged with Poses Commercial Amount of Kava and Supply Commercial Amount of Kava.

    They have been remanded in custody and will appear at Darwin Local Court on 01May 2025.

    Police continue to urge anyone with information about the supply of alcohol or drugs to our communities to make contact on 131 444. Alternatively, you can make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 137-2025: Version 3.0 of the Methyl Bromide Fumigation Methodology is now in force and approved arrangement class conditions have been updated

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    1 May 2025

    Who does this notice affect?

    Import-related biosecurity treatment stakeholders, including all importers, brokerages, onshore approved arrangement holders, overseas government and industry treatment providers, relevant domestic state and territory government agencies, and other shipping, freight, and logistics peak industry bodies.

    What has changed?

    Methyl Bromide Fumigation Methodology (version 3.0)

    Version 3.0 of the  Methyl…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eurojust supports authorities to stop gold robbers in Italy

    Source: Eurojust

    Authorities dismantled a criminal gang of gold robbers active in Italy after they tracked the criminals in Romania. With the support of Eurojust, four suspects were arrested on 24 April, following an earlier action where 2 suspects were arrested. The robbers stole gold, silver and brass from jewellery companies across Tuscany. Their stolen goods are estimated to be worth approximately EUR 200 000.

    Due to an increased number of attempted robberies targeting jewellery companies in the Arezzo area, Italian authorities started investigating the events to identify potential links between the crimes. The crime scenes and recovered clothing and tools were analysed, as well as video surveillance and telephone traffic. The authorities were able to quickly connect the attempted robberies to a group of Romanian criminals.

    Only a few hours after the criminals tried to commit another robbery, authorities arrested two suspects and retrieved the stolen gold, silver and brass with an estimated value of EUR 200 000. Afterwards, authorities located the base of the robbers in Romania and tracked the vehicles they used to commit their crimes.

    As the robbers were located in Romania, Italian authorities needed to work with their Romanian counterparts and plan their arrests. Through Eurojust, collaboration was smooth and efficient, ensuring that the suspects were identified, European Arrest Warrants were executed and restrictive measures were taken against the robbers.

    On 24 April, Romanian and Italian authorities worked together to locate and arrest four suspects. Searches were also carried out where evidence was collected, which will further support the investigation. Authorities will continue to investigate the criminal group, looking for connections to other criminal activities.

    The following authorities carried out the operations:

    • Italy: Public Prosecution Office Arezzo; State Police – Counter crime Squad of Arezzo; Caribinieri – Company of Arezzo
    • Romania: Prosecution Office of the Court of Appeal Galati; Prosecution Office of the Local Court of Galati; Prosecution Office of the Local Court of Targu Bujor; Directorate for Criminal Investigations of Romanian Police; Service for Criminal Investigations from Local Police Inspectorate; Service for Special Actions; Local Inspectorate for Gendarmerie

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Working Arrangement signed with Republic of Korea

    Source: Eurojust

    Eurojust President Mr Michael Schmid said: Organised crime is becoming increasingly sophisticated and international, operating seamlessly across both physical and digital borders. To meet this challenge, prosecutors from different countries and continents need to unite and devise strategies for closer cooperation. It is not enough to temporarily disrupt criminal networks. We need to hold these criminals accountable in court. That is why I am proud to sign this Working Arrangement with our South Korean counterparts today, laying the foundation for deeper cooperation and more impactful joint casework.

    Close inter-state cooperation is essential to root out transnational crimes such as money laundering, drug trafficking and cybercrimes, including online sexual abuse and hacking, said Minister of Justice of the Republic of Korea Mr. Park Sung-jae in his remark. Through the Working Arrangement signed today, we are making a step forward to reinforce criminal justice cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the European Union.

    As organised crime is expanding on a global scale, judicial cooperation across borders on a worldwide level is of paramount importance for the European Union. The signing of Working Arrangements with partner countries is in line with the EU Strategy to Tackle Organised Crime, supporting judicial authorities in the EU to have effective and reliable cooperation with national authorities outside the Union.

    Working Arrangements facilitate the exchange of best practice and provide for more direct and straightforward contact with judicial authorities outside the EU. They can also assist with the access of partner countries’ authorities to Eurojust’s operational cooperation tools in investigations involving at least one EU Member State.

    A Working Arrangement is no basis for the exchange of operational personal data, but formalises the role of the Eurojust Contact Point, with the aim of ensuring the more rapid execution of requests for judicial cooperation on both sides. As of November 2023, Eurojust has signed cooperation agreements with Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ecuador, Nigeria, Panama and Peru, as well as the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors Offices (AIAMP).

    More information on Eurojust’s international cooperation can be found in the FAQ on the Working Arrangement with South Korea.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE: Call for information – Suspicious machinery fire – Yuendumu

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force is continuing to call for information in relation to a suspicious heavy machinery fire in Yuendumu on 14 December 2024.

    On Friday 13 December 2024 at 5:30pm, four employees operating the site completed their shift and stopped their heavy machinery for the day. The machinery being:

    • Isuzu Tip Truck bearing
    • Bobcat E50 Mini Excavator
    • Caterpillar 311D Excavator
    • Chase CX57C Excavator

    The machinery was parked along Nyrippi Road within approximately 50 meters of each other and upon the workers return to the site at 6:15am the following day, it was established that all but one of the machines were destroyed by fire.

    A crime scene was established where the extensive damage to the equipment was assessed, which suggests the fire was deliberately lit.

    Southern Crime members continue to investigate and urge anyone with information about the incident to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P24347724.

    You can also report anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Detectives deal to offender’s spree

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police in West Auckland have caught up with a man following his alleged mini crime spree in recent days.

    Waitematā CIB have been investigating a series of aggravated robberies and an aggravated burglary in Rānui.

    It’s resulted in a man being arrested last night after a brief foot chase with a Crime Squad detective.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Megan Goldie says a supermarket in Rānui had been targeted on 26 and 29 April.

    “Police had been making progress in identifying a person of interest in our enquiries, including a further aggravated robbery on 29 April where a delivery driver was targeted.

    “In that incident the driver had arrived in a driveway and was allegedly threatened before having a small amount of cash and pizza stolen.”

    Then, at around 7.30pm on Wednesday night, another aggravated robbery was reported on Swanson Road.

    “It was a near identical report of a delivery driver being threatened, with a small amount cash and pizza being stolen, on the same street,” Detective Senior Sergeant Goldie says.

    Waitematā Crime Squad attended the area and began making enquiries at another address.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Goldie says a man initially hid from Police inside a property before jumping out a window and running on foot.

    “One of our detectives was hot on his heels, and quickly got the offender in custody without further incident.”

    The 20-year-old man faces three charges of aggravated robbery and one charge of committing a burglary with a weapon.

    “It’s a pleasing outcome for us and the community, and I acknowledge the detectives working on these files in recent days,” Detective Senior Sergeant Goldie says.

    “Police will be opposing this man’s bail and there’s no doubt that further offending has likely been prevented from occurring.”

    He will be appearing in the Waitākere District Court today.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Warrant to arrest – Jin Zhong

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are appealing to the public for information on the whereabouts of Jin Zhong, 38, who has a Warrant to Arrest and is wanted by Police.

    Zhong is wanted for fraud offending and Police believe someone may have information on his whereabouts.

    Anyone with information is urged to call 111 immediately and quote file number 250428/7526.

    Alternatively information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Training for trapping in Taumarunui

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  01 May 2025

    Invasive predators like rats, stoats, and possums are putting pressure on nature, and are part of the reason New Zealand has one of the highest rates of threatened species in the world.

    With the support of the Department of Conservation (DOC), Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) is presenting the Level 3 unit Predator Trapping Methods at the DOC Simmonds Rd workshop.

    DOC Community Ranger Garry Davis says there are 12 spots still available, and DOC Whanganui will fund a limited number of people to attend free of charge.

    “We’re looking to sponsor people who will be willing to share their skills further, whether it be to their neighbours or with other parts of the community.”

    The in-person workshop allows participants to develop understanding and practical skills in a supportive environment.

    “The course is aimed at anyone interested in predator control and will benefit those who would like to trap predators on their property or in the community,” says Garry.

    DOC Kaitohu Matua Treaty Partner Relationships Moira Rihia is a Taumarunui local, and thinks the time is right for the trapping workshop.

    “We are passionate team for the taiao here in Taumarunui, and unsurprisingly we’re seeing growing community interest in trapping and other ways to protect nature.

    “We know DOC can’t do it alone. There’s nature everywhere in our communities, it’s not just wrapped up in conservation land. All of us can contribute to make a real difference to the places we love – and predator trapping is one way to help.”

    For more information or to register your interest, email gdavis@doc.govt.nz.

    Background information

    Course information is on the NMIT website, but sponsored positions are only available by contacting DOC.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Woman in court for breaching reporting obligations

    Source: New South Wales – News

    A woman will appear in court today charged with breaching the conditions of her reporting obligations.

    Yesterday, 30 April, officers from SAPOL’s Public Protection Branch, arrested a 34-year-old woman from the north-eastern suburbs.

    She was charged with breaching her court bail and two counts of breaching her ANCOR reporting conditions.

    She was refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Thursday 1 May.

    Detective Chief Inspector Naomi Oberscheidt, Officer in Charge Offender Management Section states, “Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.accce.gov.au/report If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on Triple Zero (000).”

    CO2500017646

    PLEASE NOTE: CONFIDENTIALITY OF ANCOR INFORMATION

    It is an offence against Section 67 of the Child Sex Offenders Registration Act for a person to disclose information obtained under the Act which includes the name of a registrable offender. It is also an offence against Section 68 of the Child Sex Offenders Registration Act 2006 to publish by newspaper, radio, television or in any other way, information that has been disclosed in contravention of Section 67.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hammond Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled Substances Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KYLIN SEXTON (“SEXTON”), age 25, a resident of Hammond, pleaded guilty on April 24, 2025 to possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, in violation of 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) and 841(b)(1)(D).  SEXTON faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to a $1,000,000.00, a period of supervised release of at least 3 years up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown will sentence SEXTON on July 24, 2025.

    On October 10, 2024, SEXTON pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).

    According to court records, on May 18, 2022, the Ponchatoula Police Department received a complaint that SEXTON a co-conspirator, was in possession of a firearm.  Upon arrival at the scene, the officers observed the co-conspirator and SEXTON seated inside of a vehicle.  Officers approached the vehicle and ordered the co-conspirator to show his hands.  The co-conspirator ignored the officers’ commands and refused to place his hands behind his back when the officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle. After eventually removing the co-conspirator from the vehicle, officers observed a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter handgun and extended magazine, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, tucked between the passenger seat and the center console.  The firearm had a machine gun conversion device, a “Glock switch,” attached to it.

    The officers also observed a green backpack on the floorboard of the driver’s side where SEXTON was seated.  Upon opening the backpack, the officers located marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Ponchatoula Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.

    *  *   *

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. pronounces provincial day of remembrance and mourning for victims of tragedy at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival

    The Province of British Columbia has declared Friday, May 2, 2025, an official day of remembrance and mourning for the victims of the tragedy at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver on April 26, 2025.  

    Eleven people were killed and dozens more injured while celebrating Filipino culture and history in a senseless attack at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver. As we learn more about the victims, we are also learning their loss is felt deeply across the province.

    This tragedy has had profound impact on the Filipino community in B.C. and many others in Vancouver and throughout the province.

    The day of remembrance and mourning is an opportunity for people in British Columbia to come together, grieve the loss of innocent lives and recognize the contributions the victims made to their communities and the province. It is also a time to offer comfort to all of those impacted, including those who have lost loved ones, those recovering and those who witnessed the horrific scene, and to offer deep appreciation to community partners, the police, paramedics and those working at the hospitals for their dedicated service at a trying time. Hundreds of volunteers and community members are also stepping up to help at a trying time.

    A backgrounder follows.

    People in British Columbia impacted by the tragic events at Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Day Festival can access the following supports:

    • Anyone who witnessed or experienced trauma at the event is encouraged to access resources through the VPD Victim Services Unit: 604 717-3321 and VictimLinkBC: call or text 1 800 563-0808, or email 211-victimlinkbc@uwbc.ca to be connected to services that can help, including counselling resources. For details, visit: https://victimlinkbc.ca/
    • ICBC supports are available for people who have been injured, as well as witnesses and the family members of those killed, including counselling. For more information, visit: https://icbc.com/about-icbc/newsroom/2025-04-27-lapu-lapu-tragedy
    • B.C.’s crisis line at 310-6789 (no area code needed) is available for anyone who needs mental-health supports. Crisis lines provide immediate support in the moment, as well as connections to ongoing supports.
    • Crime Victim Assistance Program benefits are available to victims, immediate family members and witnesses: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/bcs-criminal-justice-system/if-you-are-a-victim-of-a-crime/victim-of-crime/financial-assistance-benefits
    • School districts are also taking action to support students, staff and families, including making more counsellors available. A list of resources has also been sent out to districts throughout the province to provide to students and their families looking for support.
    • Supports are available for first responders and health-care workers who are on the front lines, and we encourage all workers to reach out to their employers and/or unions if they are struggling.
    • BC Emergency Health Service’s (BCEHS) Critical Incident Management Stress team is providing mental-health and wellness support to employees who have been affected by these events in addition to the support provided by BCEHS leaders and supervisors. 
    • Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) staff and medical staff can contact the VCH Employee and Family Assistance Program to access confidential counselling and wellness any time, 24/7.

    The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) is working closely with the City of Vancouver and meeting with Filipino BC, the Vancouver Emergency Management Agency (VEMA), the Red Cross, United Way and other partners to identify further supports required.

    Those wishing to sign the book of condolences for victims of this tragedy can visit the Hall of Honour at the B.C. legislature or visit: https://submit.digital.gov.bc.ca/app/form/submit?f=f4944988-5402-45a8-bb9c-7b2a95f928d9

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 30th, 2025 Heinrich Announces Legislation to Combat Gun Trafficking, Protect Communities from Gun Violence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Legislation builds on Heinrich’s work to increase criminal penalties for straw purchases and stop illegal gun trafficking out of our country
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the core bipartisan group of senators who negotiated and passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), co-sponsored the Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act, legislation to protect communities from gun violence by requiring federal law enforcement to coordinate efforts to prevent the importation and trafficking of machinegun conversion devices including ‘auto-sears’ — illegal gun modification devices that can convert semi-automatic weapons into fully-automatic weapons — and seize all profits that come from the illegal trafficking of these devices.
    “I’m proud that the provisions I wrote in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act have already led to hundreds of arrests and kept firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminals. But with at least 91 mass shooting in the United States already this year, it’s clear we have more work to do,” said Heinrich. I’m proud to co-sponsor the Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act, which will help law enforcement keep New Mexicans safe from gun violence by providing new tools to combat illegal gun trafficking.”
    Specifically, the Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act will: 

    Direct the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Department of the Treasury to develop a coordinated national strategy to prevent or intercept the importation and trafficking of automatic gun conversion devices;

    The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.),  Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). 
    The legislation is endorsed by GIFFORDS and Brady: United Against Gun Violence.
    The text of the bill is here. 
    Heinrich-Led Gun Trafficking and Straw Purchase Provisions: 
    Heinrich-led provisions in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act increased criminal penalties for straw purchasers and made it a crime, for the first time ever, to traffic firearms out of the United States. Straw purchasers are people who buy guns for those who cannot buy them directly themselves due to their age, felony criminal convictions, or other limitations. By increasing penalties for straw purchasing, Heinrich’s provision is helping to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and those who would use them against our communities. By making it illegal to traffic firearms out of the country, Heinrich’s provision gave law enforcement the tools needed to prosecute and disrupt the flow of firearms to Mexico and the Northern Triangle, fueling the violence that has driven so many to flee their home countries.  
    To date, the Department of Justice has charged more than 600 defendants using BSCA’s gun trafficking and straw purchasing laws, removing hundreds of firearms off the streets in the process. These cases are significant, often preventing and prosecuting highly dangerous activity, such as crimes linked to organized trafficking rings and transnational criminal organizations.  
    For example, in March 2024, the Justice Department charged several defendants with trafficking and straw purchasing over 100 firearms, including many military-grade weapons, that were allegedly intended to be smuggled to a Mexican drug cartel. In April 2024, a defendant was sentenced to 276 months in prison for firearms trafficking and straw purchasing, as well as distribution of fentanyl, where the evidence showed that two of the trafficked firearms had been used in gang-related shootings. In 2o23, a defendant was sentenced to two years in prison for running an illegal gun trafficking enterprise, repeatedly taking money to lie on firearm purchase forms and obtain weapons for convicted felons. 
    In New Mexico, the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico has charged 11 defendants with BSCA violations. 
    Heinrich’s Longtime Leadership to Tackle Gun Violence:
    A gun owner and father, Heinrich has long worked to advance and pass bipartisan policies that save lives, protect public safety, and reduce gun violence.
    This month, Heinrich introduced his Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act and bipartisan Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act, commonsense legislation designed to protect communities from gun violence, while safeguarding Americans’ constitutional right to own a firearm for legitimate self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes.
    Heinrich recently convened a press conference in Albuquerque with New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, Everytown, community leaders, and students to announce the introduction of his GOSAFE Act. For photos and videos of that event, click here.

    In October 2024, Heinrich secured critical funding for New Mexico law enforcement to purchase four new NIBIN machines for Las Cruces, Farmington, Gallup, and Roswell. This allows law enforcement to trace firearms used in crimes and hold criminals accountable, all while saving officers valuable time and resources.
    In 2017, Heinrich cosponsored the bipartisan Fix NICS Act, which now requires federal and state authorities to produce background check implementation plans and holds federal agencies accountable for reporting relevant criminal records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). He also led the successful call to repeal the Dickey Amendment, which had previously prevented the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from funding research on gun violence and its effects on public health.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Antioch Police Officer Found Guilty Of Conspiracy To Distribute Anabolic Steroids And Obstruction Of Justice

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OAKLAND – A federal jury today convicted former Antioch police officer Devon Wenger of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids and one count of obstruction of justice. The jury’s verdict follows a three-day trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White.

    Wenger, 33, was previously employed as a police officer with the Antioch Police Department. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Wenger conspired with Daniel Harris, who was at the time also a police officer with the Antioch Police Department, to distribute anabolic steroids to a third individual, and then deleted evidence of this conspiracy from his cellular phone.

    “Instead of upholding the law, as he swore an oath to do, Devon Wenger conspired with a fellow officer to sell illegal anabolic steroids.  When the FBI arrived at his home to investigate him, he then doubled down by destroying evidence of his crime. Crimes like these by a police officer have a corrosive effect on the public’s trust in law enforcement.  Thanks to today’s jury conviction, Mr. Wenger will now face sentencing for his violations of law,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins.

    “When Devon Wenger broke the law and then tried to cover his tracks, he didn’t just commit a crime — he betrayed the trust of the community he was sworn to serve. After learning the FBI was outside his home with a search warrant, he chose to delete evidence rather than come clean. That kind of misconduct corrodes public confidence in law enforcement,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Today’s guilty verdict makes clear that the FBI will hold accountable anyone who abuses the authority and responsibility of public service.”

    According to the evidence presented at trial, in February 2022, Wenger set up the sale of anabolic steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance, between Harris and a third individual. Harris was also charged in this case and pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy on Sept. 17, 2024. Law enforcement officials seized the package of anabolic steroids destined for Harris before they arrived, although Wenger continued to communicate with Harris about supplying the third individual with anabolic steroids, including offering to give this individual some of Wenger’s own while they waited for the delayed package.

    On March 23, 2022, at 8:03 a.m., the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began calling and sending text messages to Wenger telling him that they were outside of his residence with a warrant. It was not until 9:00 a.m. that Wenger appeared for the FBI to seize Wenger’s cellular phone. Later forensic examination of that device showed that specific entries related to the anabolic steroid distribution conspiracy had been deleted: specifically, all text messages between Wenger and Harris, all text messages between Wenger and the third individual he was trying to supply with steroids, the contacts for both Harris and the third individual, and recent call log entries for Wenger’s most recent phone calls with the third individual.

    The jury convicted Wenger of all counts charged in this case: one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) and one count of destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations (obstruction of justice) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1519.

    Wenger is scheduled to appear on May 6, 2025, for a hearing on whether to remand him to custody pending sentencing. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids count and 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    The case is being prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section and the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Office of the Contra Costa County District Attorney.

    * * *

    Separately, Wenger is scheduled to appear before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White on May 6, 2025, for a status conference in United States v. Wenger, 23-cr-00269, which charges Wenger with one count of conspiracy against rights in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 241 and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242. The United States v. Wenger, 23-cr-00269 case is set for trial on July 21, 2025.

    These charges against Wenger were brought as part of an investigation into the Antioch and Pittsburgh police departments that resulted in multiple charges against 10 current and former officers and employees of these two police departments for various crimes ranging from the use of excessive force to fraud. The status of these cases, all of which are before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, is below:

    Case Name and Number Statute(s)

    Defendant

    (Bold: multiple case numbers)

    		 Status

    Fraud

    23-cr-00264

    		 18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 1343 (Wire Fraud) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 24-cr-157 on 9/5/24
    Morteza Amiri Convicted at trial 8/8/24, remanded to custody pending sentencing, which is set for 6/3/25
    Amanda Theodosy a/k/a Nash Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release 11/15/24
    Samantha Peterson Sentenced to time served, 3 years supervised release 4/24/24
    Ernesto Mejia-Orozco Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 9/19/24
    Brauli Jalapa Rodriguez Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 10/25/24

    Obstruction

    23-cr-00267

    		 18 U.S.C. §§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations); 1512(c)(2) (Obstruction of Official Proceedings); 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Timothy Manly Williams Pleaded guilty 11/28/23, status conference 8/19/25

    Anabolic Steroid Distribution

    23-cr-00268

    		 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids), 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Daniel Harris Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/25

    21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids);

    18 U.S.C.§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations)

    		 Devon Wenger Convicted at trial 4/30/25, sentencing pending

    Civil Rights

    23-cr-00269

    		 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law); § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations) Morteza Amiri Convicted at trial 3/14/25 on counts 2 and 5, remanded to custody pending sentencing, which is set for 6/3/25
    18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Eric Rombough Pleaded guilty 1/14/25, status conference 8/19/25
    18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Devon Wenger Trial 7/21/25

    Anabolic Steroid Distribution

    24-cr-00157

    		 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 9/5/24

    Bank Fraud

    24-cr-00502

    		 18 U.S.C. § 1344(1), (2) (Bank fraud) Daniel Harris Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/25

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Anaheim Man Found Guilty of Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material of 13-Year-Old Victim

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was found guilty by a jury today of federal child sexual exploitation crimes for befriending a 13-year-old girl, providing her with alcohol, and sexually assaulting her, taking photographs and making videos of the attack.

    Jonathan Gonzalez-Reyes, 38, of Anaheim, was found guilty of one count of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since June 2024.

    According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, in February 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes and a co-defendant, Nanci Jasmin Castillo, 32, of Anaheim, befriended the victim, a 13-year-old girl identified in court documents as “Minor Victim 1.” 

    At Castillo’s home, Castillo and Gonzalez-Reyes sexually assaulted the victim – to whom Castillo had given an alcoholic beverage after the victim previously had taken Xanax anti-anxiety medication – while the victim was going in and out of consciousness. Gonzalez-Reyes and Castillo photographed and made videos of the attack.

    A search of Gonzalez-Reyes’ phone and Castillo’s iCloud account by law enforcement revealed the existence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the victim and the defendants. Additionally, law enforcement found evidence that Gonzalez-Reyes sent copies of the CSAM to Castillo.

    In September 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes used a cellphone to knowingly possess and distribute images of the same victim, knowing the images showed a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

    United States District Judge David O. Carter scheduled a July 28 sentencing hearing, at which time Gonzalez-Reyes will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. 

    Castillo, who also has been in federal custody since June 2024, pleaded guilty on February 5 to one count of production of child pornography. She too will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison at her sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for July 28.

    The FBI investigated this matter with assistance from the Anaheim Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Blake Hannah of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI New York Seeking Additional Victims of Brooklyn Man Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of Children

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

    NEW YORK, NY— The New York FBI/NYPD Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force executed an arrest warrant for Manuel Davila, 28 of Brooklyn on April 29, 2025, following an investigation into the sexual exploitation of multiple children.

    Upon execution of a judicially authorized search warrant, agents reviewed iCloud records associated with Davila and found communication via a mobile conversation application with minor victims. In one instance, in an 18-minute video recorded on or about January 17, 2024, Davila, attempted to solicit sexually explicit material from a minor victim he believed to be 10 years of age.

    FBI New York interviewed an additional minor victim who Davila requested sexually explicit images of in previous chats. Davila instructed the minor victim to delete the images and messages after they were sent.

    If you are a victim of Manuel Davila, or have any information concerning Manuel Davila, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or you can report a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI has teams dedicated to providing victims with necessary resources and assistance.

    “Soliciting sexually explicit material from young children is a heinous crime. Protecting vulnerable members of our communities – our children – is one of the most critical aspects of our work,” said Christopher Raia, Assistant Director in Charge of FBI New York. “The FBI is determined to protect children from depraved individuals attempting to prey on them.”

    The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes it investigates. Identified victims may be eligible for certain services and rights under federal and/or state law.

    Note: A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Man Indicted For Re-Entry of Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE MELVIN LOPEZ-LORENZO (“LOPEZ-LORENZO”), age 29, a native of Honduras, was indicted on April 24, 2025,for re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.

    According to the indictment, LOPEZ-LORENZO was found in the United States on April 10, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on July 26, 2018.

    LOPEZ-LORENZO faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge, and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

    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).

    *   *   *

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Woman Indicted For Illegal Re-Entry and Failure to Register

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Michael M. Simpson announced today that SOLVIN ARRIALO-ROMERO, a/k/a “ Solvin Regina Arriola-Romero, ” a/k/a “Solvin Romero,” (“ARRIALO-ROMERO”), age 28, was indicted on April 24, 2025 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), and failure to register, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1306(a).

    According to the indictment, ARRIALO-ROMERO, reentered the United States after being previously deported on December 29, 2017.  If convicted, ARRIALO-ROMERO faces up to two years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, for reentry of a removed alien.  ARRIALO-ROMERO faces up to 6 months imprisonment, up to $1,000 fine, up to one-year of supervised release, and a mandatory $10 special assessment fee for failure to register.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

    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).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry of a Deported Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ActingU.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JESUS MALDONADO-LOPEZ (“MALDONADO-LOPEZ”), age 38, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on April 15, 2025, for reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(b)(1).

    According to court documents, MALDONADO-LOPEZ, an illegal alien with a prior felony conviction for transporting illegal aliens within the United States, was found in the New Orleans area on or around July 29, 2024.  MALDONADO-LOPEZ had previously been deported to Mexico on May 29, 2008.

    MALDONADO-LOPEZ was sentenced to one year of probation by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.

    *   *   *

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla, Schiff, Murphy, Blumenthal, McBath Reintroduce Assault Weapons Ban

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla, Schiff, Murphy, Blumenthal, McBath Reintroduce Assault Weapons Ban

    WATCH: Padilla continues legacy of late California Senator Dianne Feinstein, co-leads Assault Weapons Ban legislation

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) led the bicameral reintroduction of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025, legislation to reinstate a nationwide ban on military-style assault weapons. The bill would prohibit the sale, transfer, manufacture, and import of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and other high-capacity ammunition feeding devices. 

    The Senators called for swift passage of the legislation at a press conference today, where they were joined by gun safety advocates from Brady: United Against Gun Violence, GIFFORDS, and Newtown Action Alliance, along with survivors of the 2012 Sandy Hook and 2018 Parkland shootings.

    Senators Padilla and Schiff are continuing the legacy of the late California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who authored the original 1994 assault weapons ban. That legislation passed with bipartisan support and remained in effect until it expired in 2004. Senator Feinstein spent the rest of her Senate career fighting to reinstate it.

    Key Excerpts from Senator Padilla’s Remarks

    • The numbers don’t lie. The assault weapon ban works. Fatalities are down because of it. Lives have been saved. The number of incidents have been reduced. But as you pointed out, state laws stop at the state line, and as long as it’s easy for someone in California to leave the state and bring back an assault weapon, or somebody from a neighboring state to come to California with an assault weapon, we’re still at risk. And so we need a national ban, as we had once upon a time under the leadership of our predecessor, Senator Feinstein.
    • I stand here, not just as a Senator, but as a proud father of three school-aged children. … In California, we’re not unfamiliar with fire drills and earthquake drills, but when a child comes home explaining to a parent what an active shooter drill is at school, it should make us all mad that that’s what we are living in the United States of America in the year 2025. It doesn’t have to be this way.
    • Our Republican colleagues may offer their thoughts and prayers, but sadly, that’s it. They’ll offer thoughts and prayers and then sit back and do nothing. If they do anything, it’s they actively block our efforts like advancing an assault weapons ban and other commonsense gun safety legislation. The country deserves better.
    • For those who hear the false argument that, “Oh, what about the Second Amendment?” This is not about the Second Amendment. This is about saving lives.
    • Should military assault weapons be on the streets of our communities? No. Should weapons of war be found in our grocery stores, at concerts, and houses of worship? No. Are our Republican colleagues more loyal to the gun lobby or to the constituents that elected them to make their communities safer?
    • Today, we are proudly and adamantly putting the assault weapons ban back on the table because we know these bans can save lives. We know they reduce the number of mass shootings, and we know that if we fail to act, more Americans, more children will die.
    • So we’re calling on our Republican colleagues: please have the backbone. Have the courage to stand up and protect your constituents, protect our communities. Have the courage to put people over profits.
    • As long as we’re willing to fight for our children, we can’t lose hope. There is hope. Call your Members of Congress, organize, speak out. We can and we must win this fight.

    Video of Senator Padilla’s remarks is available here and can be downloaded here.

    While the original ban was in place, the United States saw a 37 percent drop in gun massacres, and deaths in mass shootings were 70 percent less likely. After the ban expired, fatalities in gun massacres rose by 239 percent. A ban on assault-style weapons is not only commonsense policy, it’s broadly supported by the American public. Congress must act to catch up with the will of the people.

    Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-Ga.-06) is leading companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

    “Thirty-one years ago, after the Stockton schoolyard shooting in California, Senator Feinstein successfully led bipartisan legislation to ban military-style assault weapons. Over the next ten years, and until the measure expired, the assault weapons ban was a vital tool in the struggle to reduce gun violence and mass shootings. It saved lives. Today, I’m honored to carry on the legacy of Dianne Feinstein, and work to ban these weapons that have led to the most terrible mass casualty events in our communities. The time to act on this life-saving legislation is now — not tomorrow, not next week, and not when the next tragedy strikes,” said Senator Schiff. 

    “Assault weapons are designed for one thing: to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. These are weapons of war that have no place in our communities, and it’s long past time we treated them that way. A majority of Americans support an assault weapons ban, and it’s time for Republicans to get on board and pass this bill before more lives are lost,” said Senator Murphy. 

    “Assault weapons have only one practical purpose – to slaughter human beings. These military-style combat weapons are designed to maximize death and destruction. No self-respecting hunter uses one. Assault weapons have brought bloodshed and carnage to our streets and our schools. Guns don’t respect state boundaries, which is why we need a national solution to restricting the ownership and use of the mass shooter’s weapon of choice,” said Senator Blumenthal. 

    “Assault weapons are made to murder and maim. These weapons of war do not belong on our streets, in our classrooms, or in our spaces of worship,” said Representative McBath. ”Since the death of my son, I have dedicated my life to preventing more families from feeling the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence. No one should fear for their child’s safety when they head off to school or the mall. Banning assault weapons is a proven way to prevent horrific massacres from devastating our country. I thank Senator Schiff and my House colleagues for their support of this important bill.” 

    The bill is cosponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai’i), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). 

    The Assault Weapons Ban is endorsed by Brady: United Against Gun Violence, GIFFORDS, Newtown Action Alliance, Everytown for Gun Safety, March for Our Lives, Sandy Hook Promise, and the National Parent Teacher Association. 

    Senator Padilla is a strong advocate for commonsense, lifesaving gun safety reforms. Earlier this year, Padilla led 18 Senators in introducing the Age 21 Act, legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines from 18 to 21, the same age requirement that already applies to purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers. In June 2022, Padilla voted to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun safety legislation in almost 30 years. Last year, Padilla introduced bicameral legislation to prevent the federal government from contracting with federally licensed firearms dealers that have a documented history of selling a disproportionate number of guns that end up being used to commit violent crimes. In 2023, Padilla joined 27 of his Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Keep Americans Safe Act, renewing efforts to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer, or possession of gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge Following Foot Chase in Southeast

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Charged as Part of Make D.C. Safe Again Initiative

                WASHINGTON – Dion Zellars, 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

                Zellars is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.

                According to court documents, on March 20, 2025, MPD officers assigned to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Crime Suppression Team recovered a firearm following a foot pursuit of a suspect in Southeast Washington.

                At approximately 4:25 p.m., officers patrolling in the 4200 block of Southern Avenue, Southeast observed a group of individuals. One individual, later identified as the defendant, separated himself from the group upon seeing the marked MPD patrol cruiser. Officers noted that the defendant appeared evasive and attempted to conceal himself behind a parked SUV.

                As officers approached to investigate, they observed the defendant looking back at them and pretending to speak on a phone. Officers then saw the defendant clutch an item in his waistband before suddenly fleeing on foot. Officers gave chase and during the pursuit, observed the defendant discard a black firearm into a backyard.

                The defendant was apprehended shortly thereafter in another backyard. The firearm was recovered and determined to be a Glock.

                The defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to prior felony convictions.

                This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lawrence Barclay is prosecuting this case.

                An indictment 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 Security: Honduran Citizen Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession, Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotics, and Possession of Firearm to Further Drug Trafficking Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JUAN JOSUE CUEVAR-ALVARADO (“CUEVAR-ALVARADO “), 20, a native of Honduras, was indicted in a three-count superseding indictment on April 24, 2025, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A) (Count 1), possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D) (Count 2); and possession of a firearm, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i) (Count 3).

    According to the superseding indictment, on or about September 15, 2023, CUEVAR-ALVARADO, an alien present illegally in the United States, was found in possession of a .22 caliber revolver and a nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, as well as  a quantity of marijuana.

    As to Count 1, CUEVAR-ALVARADO faces up to 15 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.  As to Count 2, he faces up to 5 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.  As to Count 3, he faces a prison term of 5 years consecutive to any other prison term he receives, up to 3years of supervised release, and up to a fine of $250,000.  Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. The defendant also faces deportation to his home country of Honduras after serving any prison sentence.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of United States Department of Homeland Security and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Spiro G. Latsis and Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.

    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).

    *       *      *

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 04/30/2025 Blackburn Launches Inquiry with Tech Companies on Efforts to Protect Kids Online Following Decline in Reports to CyberTipline

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent letters to Google, Microsoft, Discord, and X regarding the puzzling and alarming decrease in reports of child sexual abuse material, online enticement, and child sex trafficking submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) CyberTipline in 2024.

    Last year, Senator Blackburn’s REPORT Act was signed into law, requiring platforms to submit reports of online enticement and child sex trafficking to the CyberTipline. These reports are crucial to law enforcement’s investigations of online child exploitation.  

    Reported Incidents of Suspected Child Exploitation by Several Tech Companies Have Notably and Concerningly Dropped

    “The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) CyberTipline is the preeminent online mechanism for members of the public and electronic service providers to report incidents of suspected child exploitation. The CyberTipline has received hundreds of millions of reports of online child sexual exploitation, and federal law requires online platforms to report known incidents of child sexual abuse material (child pornography), online enticement and child sex trafficking to NCMEC. Despite this important legal obligation, there has been a notable drop in reports to the CyberTipline from several platforms.”

    Blackburn’s REPORT Act Requires Online Platforms to Report Instances of Child Sex Trafficking

    “Last year, my bipartisan legislation—the Revising Existing Procedures on Reporting via Technology (REPORT) Act… was signed into law. This critical bill supports NCMEC in its core mission to protect our children online and assists law enforcement in their investigative efforts. Importantly, the law closed a gap in federal child exploitation laws by mandating that online platforms—including yours—report instances of child sex trafficking and enticement, which was not previously required under federal law. To ensure compliance with this requirement, the REPORT Act also increases the maximum fines for providers who knowingly and willfully fail to submit these reports to NCMEC.”

    Tech Companies Must Fulfill Legal Obligation to Report Heinous Crimes Against Children

    “Despite these requirements, recent testimony by NCMEC’s President and CEO to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism and data provided by NCMEC indicates that there has been a sharp decline in the number of reports that Google, [Discord, Microsoft, and X have] submitted to the CyberTipline since the passage of the REPORT Act… This notable decrease in reports to NCMEC is both puzzling and deeply troubling. It is crucial that your company fulfill its legal obligations to report these heinous crimes that occur on your platform. Our children deserve nothing less.”

    Click here to read the letter to Google.

    Click here to read the letter to Microsoft.

    Click here to read the letter to Discord.

    Click here to read the letter to X.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, 39 Colleagues Reintroduce Assault Weapons Ban

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    April 30, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Wednesday joined 39 of their Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025, legislation to revive a nationwide ban on assault weapons two decades after the original ban expired. The bill would ban the sale, transfer, manufacture, and import of military-style assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and other high-capacity ammunition feeding devices. 

    While the 1994 ban was in place, the United States saw gun massacres decline by 37% and mass shooting fatalities were 70% less likely. When the ban expired, deaths in a gun massacre rose 239%. A ban on assault-style weapons is not only common-sense legislation, it’s widely supported by Americans, and Congress has failed to keep up with the American people on this issue. 

    “Assault weapons are designed for one thing: to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. These are weapons of war that have no place in our communities, and it’s long past time we treated them that way. A majority of Americans support an assault weapons ban, and it’s time for Republicans to get on board and pass this bill before more lives are lost,” said Murphy. 

    “Assault weapons have only one practical purpose – to slaughter human beings. These military-style combat weapons are designed to maximize death and destruction. No self-respecting hunter uses one. Assault weapons have brought bloodshed and carnage to our streets and our schools. Guns don’t respect state boundaries, which is why we need a national solution to restricting the ownership and use of the mass shooter’s weapon of choice,” said Blumenthal. 

    Murphy and Blumenthal joined gun safety advocates and organizations from across the nation earlier in the day for a press conference introducing the legislation.

    U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai’i), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also co-sponsored the bill.

    Brady: United Against Gun Violence, GIFFORDS, Newtown Action Alliance, Everytown for Gun Safety, March for Our Lives, Sandy Hook Promise, and the National Parent Teacher Association endorsed the legislation. 

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisiana Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Traveling to New Jersey to Engage in Sexual Activity with Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON, N.J. – A Louisiana man was sentenced today to 97 months in prison for traveling to New Jersey for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Spencer W. Caudle, 36, of Prairieville, Louisiana, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    In or around April 2023, Caudle began interacting on online social media applications with the then-14-year-old victim. Caudle’s communications with the victim were sexual in nature despite the victim informing Caudle of the victim’s minor status.  Caudle even expressed nervousness about being on the show “To Catch a Predator,” but continued informing the victim of his desire to have sex with the victim.  On May 26, 2023, Caudle drove from Louisiana to meet and have sex with the victim in Toms River, New Jersey the following day. On May 27, 2023, Caudle, in fact, committed sexual acts on the victim.  Later that night, Caudle left New Jersey to drive back to Louisiana.

    Local law enforcement became aware of Caudle’s prohibited sexual activity with the victim and began an investigation.  In June 2023, an undercover law enforcement officer assumed the victim’s online and cellular presence and communicated with Caudle.  During these conversations, Caudle confirmed his prior sexual acts with the victim and expressed a desire for further sexual activity.  While communicating with the undercover officer, Caudle made plans to return to New Jersey to commit additional sexual acts on the victim.  On June 16, 2023, Caudle flew from Louisiana to New Jersey, and law enforcement arrested him upon his arrival at the Newark Liberty International Airport.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer; and the Toms River Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief Peter Sundack, with the investigation.

    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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard G. Shephard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton. 

                                                                                                                ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight-time illegal reentry felon imprisoned for unlawfully reentering U.S. again

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 30-year-old Mexican citizen with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after eight previous removals, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Julio Cesar Corona-Corona pleaded guilty Oct. 7, 2024.

    U.S. District Judge Yvonne Ho has now ordered Corona-Corona to serve 37 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

    At the hearing, the court heard how Corona-Corona was arrested in 2022 for smuggling aliens after he fled from police in a vehicle carrying eight others, creating dangerous conditions for the vehicle occupants as well as the community. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ho noted Corona-Corona’s motivation to come to the United States, be it for work or family residing here – is not unique. The court added that, despite prior court warnings not to do so, Corona-Corona was determined to unlawfully reenter the United States, as evidenced by his repeated encounters with immigration authorities. Corona-Corona also received a three-year-term of supervised released to commence after completion of his prison sentence as an added deterrent to unlawful reentry into the United States. 

    Corona-Corona has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as human smuggling. He was first removed from the United States Jan. 25, 2014, and returned illegally eight times between 2014 and April 2020. In fact, authorities had removed him six times alone between 2017-2018.

    Corona-Corona will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    “What those outside our country need to understand is that despite what they may have heard in the past, our immigration laws are being strictly enforced,” said Ganjei. “If somebody breaks our laws by sneaking across the border, they are going to be prosecuted, jailed, and then deported. The sooner that message spreads, the better it will be for everyone.”

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing prosecuted the case.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –