NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Wyden Launch Investigation into Google, Microsoft Partnerships with AI Developers Anthropic, OpenAI

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    April 08, 2025

    “We are concerned that corporate partnerships within the AI sector discourage competition, circumvent our antitrust laws, and result in fewer choices and higher prices for businesses and consumers using AI tools.” 

    Text of Letter to Google/Anthropic (PDF) | Text of Letter to Microsoft/OpenAI (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to cloud service providers Google and Microsoft with concerns that their respective partnerships with AI developers Anthropic and OpenAI may violate antitrust laws, leading to fewer choices and higher prices for businesses and consumers using AI tools. 

    The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned in a January 2025 report that these types of partnerships might pose “risks to competition and consumers, such as ‘. . . locking in the market dominance of large incumbent technology firms.” The FTC and the Department of Justice have also raised concerns about these partnerships, warning that they can act as de facto mergers and allow companies to consolidate talent, information, and resources, while bypassing the traditional scrutiny associated with mergers and acquisitions. 

    These partnerships can involve minority stakes and significant investment from cloud service providers (CSPs), like Google and Microsoft, giving them access to AI developers’ talent, computing capacity, intellectual property, or business information. 

    In some cases, CSPs hire the top AI talent away from the AI developer and obtain exclusive licensing of the developer’s technology, “effectively swallowing the start-up and its main assets — without becoming the owner of the firm.” An agreement may also give the CSP a high level of control over, and stake in, the AI developer’s business decisions. In the most egregious case, individuals have held concurrent board positions with both the CSP and the AI developer, in a blatant violation of U.S. antitrust law. Partnership agreements can also lock AI developers in with particular CSPs because of the high contractual and technical cost of starting an agreement with a new CSP, limiting innovation in cases where there are better partnerships available. 

    “Partnerships between CSPs and AI developers, if left unchecked, may accelerate consolidation of the AI sector, ultimately driving up prices and choking off innovation,” wrote the senators. 

    In order to better understand the potential anticompetitive risks of these agreements, the senators requested the companies provide more information about their partnerships, including on the consolidation of computing resources, talent, and intellectual property, by April 21, 2025.  

    Senator Warren has long fought to crack down on corporate consolidation that threatens consumers and raises prices, including in the technology sector: 

    • In February 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Omeed Assefi, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division, calling on the agency to closely scrutinize Disney’s proposed acquisition of FuboTV (Fubo).
    • In December 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) introduced the bipartisan Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act to ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD)’s procurement of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing tools prioritizes resiliency and competition. The bill offers meaningful regulation to limit Big Tech monopolies from elbowing out competitors in the AI and cloud computing markets.
    • In November 2024, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent two letters regarding the impact of private equity and large corporations in veterinary care, to JAB Holding Company (JAB) and to Mars Petcare (Mars), a subsidiary of Mars, Inc., respectively.
    • In October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led the reintroduction of the Stop Wall Street Looting Act, comprehensive legislation to fundamentally reform the private equity industry and level the playing field by forcing private investment firms to take responsibility for the outcomes of companies they take over, empowering workers and protecting investors. 
    • In August 2024, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), joined by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), wrote to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC), calling on the agencies to closely scrutinize the proposed joint venture between FOX, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Disney subsidiary ESPN that would create a new streaming service named Venu Sports (Venu). 
    • In July 2024, Senators Warren, Klobuchar, Murphy, Sanders, Booker, and Blumenthal wrote a letter to the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission, urging them to scrutinize T-Mobile’s proposed acquisition of UScellular.
    • In July 2024, Senator Warren and Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and John Garamendi (D-Calif.) urged the Department of Defense (DoD), FTC, and DOJ to review TransDigm Group Inc.’s acquisitions of two specialized aerospace contractors to prevent price gouging.
    • In June 2024, Senator Warren wrote to DOJ, FTC, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), calling out high health care costs due to vertically integrated insurers, private equity companies, and pharmaceutical companies that are driving health care consolidation.
    • In June 2024, Senators Warren and Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act of 2024 to root out corporate greed and private equity abuse in the health care system.
    • In May 2024, chairing a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Senator Warren highlighted the impact of concentration in the food industry and its impact on prices, product, and consumer choice.
    • In May 2024, Senator Warren and Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the bipartisan Airport Gate Competition Act, which would increase competition in the airline industry and lower prices for consumers by increasing the number of common-use gates in airports.
    • In March 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Penn.) led a group of 14 lawmakers in urging the FTC to revive enforcement of the Robinson Patman Act, a critical tool to promote fair competition in the food industry.
    • In March 2024, Senators Warren and Klobuchar led 26 lawmakers in urging the leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to strike parts of the Commerce, Science, and Justice (CJS) appropriations bill that undercut DOJ’s ability to block anticompetitive mergers.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren urged FTC to closely scrutinize Choice Hotels’ attempted hostile takeover of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which would further consolidate the hotel market and create the largest branded hotel chain in the United States.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren delivered the keynote address at RemedyFest, where she called out Big Tech for their anti-competitive tactics that have led to market consolidation and record profits.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren and 12 other lawmakers called on regulators to block the Capital One-Discover Merger.
    • In December 2023, Senator Warren led 6 senators in a letter to Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, calling on OCC to allow states to move forward with their efforts to protect consumers from harmful bank practices. The senators criticized the OCC for overstepping its preemption authority under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which the agency is abusing to block tough, state-level consumer protections.
    • In November 2023, Senators Warren and Blumenthal called out U.S. Anesthesia Partners’ (USAP) monopolistic business model and use of restrictive non-compete agreements that have reduced patients’ quality of care, increased prices, and suppressed workers’ wages.
    • In October 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) urged DOJ and FTC to carefully scrutinize UnitedHealth Group’s pending acquisition of Amedisys; and urged the agencies to scrutinize similar deals, reject behavioral or structural remedies, and oppose any health care acquisition that would threaten competition, increase prices, and reduce quality of care.
    • In September 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vt.), along with a bicameral group of lawmakers, submitted a public comment to the FTC and DOJ in support of the agencies’ proposed merger guidelines, endorsing the agencies’ reading of antitrust law, praising the guidelines as necessary to prevent harm to workers, consumers, and small businesses.
    • In August 2023, chairing a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Senator Warren highlighted the need for regulators to implement the strongest version of bank merger review guidelines in order to ensure stability in the financial system. 
    • In July 2023, Senators Warren and Lindsey Graham unveiled comprehensive legislation that would rein in Big Tech by establishing a new commission to regulate online platforms. The commission would have concurrent jurisdiction with FTC and DOJ, and would be responsible for overseeing and enforcing the new statutory provisions in the bill and implementing rules to promote competition, protect privacy, protect consumers, and strengthen our national security.
    • In June 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, Federal Deposit Investment Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Gruenberg, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Hsu, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, urging regulators to promote greater competition in the banking sector by toughening their stances on bank mergers and strengthening bank merger review guidelines.
    • In May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warren questioned Acting Comptroller Hsu on his decision to approve JPMorgan Chase’s purchase of First Republic Bank after its collapse. This merger allowed a large, poorly supervised bank to be swallowed by America’s largest bank, making it $200 billion larger than it was before.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul attended a ceremony of remembrance to observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

    VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4) TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page has photos of the event here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

     Thank you, Joe. It’s hard to come to a place like this because as much as Pastor Mike Williams talks about love and joy, it’s hard to feel it when you walk in a room of people who’ve been subjected to crimes themselves or lost a loved one. But your words are inspiring. They remind us that we mourn today, but tomorrow comes. And that is the hope that we learn from our teachings in the Bible.

    And I want to thank District Attorney Lee Kindlon for bringing us together, and Sheriff Craig Apple and County Executive Dan McCoy. But this is not about us. It’s about helping you get on a path to healing. Whether something traumatic happened to you personally or to a loved one, whether it was decades ago or happened last week, the trauma never quite leaves because this is not what life was supposed to be, right? You don’t ask to be in this position. You don’t want to be part of a group of people that you never ever thought of until that horrific time or that day. But here you are. Here you are honoring someone that meant the world to you, and now there’s an empty seat at the table.

    It’s hard to get over that, but I want you to know this: While there may be 440,000 victims of crime every single year, I and the people you see here are committed to saying, “No more.” Whether it’s someone who’s harmed in the silence of their home — that place of security — by a loved one; domestic violence survivors, a random act of violence on a street, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or something as intentional as someone traveling three and a half hours to slaughter people in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York.

    There’s no definition of a crime or a crime victim because there’s so many different manifestations of it. But there is one common denominator, and that is searing pain. And I am committed as your governor to continue to work every single year as I have from day one to fight crime, support our law enforcement, but also to elevate and support the voices of the victims who for too long have felt voiceless. I will continue to be your voice, I will continue to be your advocate and I will continue on the work I’m doing today, tomorrow, and forever on your behalf.

    So thank you for having the strength to show up here today. Thank you for making sure people out there know what it’s like. Tell your stories and know that we’re on your side. Thank you for arriving here today.

    And I want to send the love of 20 million New Yorkers who support you as well. Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: How the FBI’s Victim Services Division Supports Survivors of Crime

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

    Child-adolescent forensic interviewers (CAFIs)  

    Sloane, who’s worked as an FBI CAFI for just under two decades—most recently, in a supervisory role—said an average day on the job is hard to encapsulate. “It’s hard to describe a day in the life of a CAFI because it varies, and that’s one of the beauties but also the challenges,” she said, adding that the job comprises far more than just conducting interviews.

    It can also include: 

    • Consultation 
    • Court testimony 
    • Trainings 
    • Presentations 
    • Working Groups 
    • Working on multidisciplinary teams 

    And, Sloane stressed, CAFIs don’t work in a bubble. CAFIs are neutral fact-finders, but to accomplish that mission, they collaborate with FBI agents, task force officers, victim specialists, and prosecutors. “That’s the importance of working as a team to provide victims the best support possible to maneuver and survive this process,” she said. 

    Sloane and other supervisory CAFIs, in particular, also help resolve conflicts that might arise during the course of an investigation. Their job, in these situations, is to balance the best interest of the victim or witness in question with that of the case. SCAFIs also strategically divvy up resources to CAFIs scattered throughout the field to ensure they’re equipped to do their jobs. 

    “We don’t heal or succeed in isolation—that’s why there are really kind, authentic people to guide and support you,” Sloane said. “Your suffering matters, and we want to be here to assist in any way that we can.” 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Resources for St. Louis Area Crime Victims, Gun Locks Both Available Wednesday

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – Victim advocates will be available by phone Wednesday to help St. Louis area crime victims and survivors seek justice and obtain assistance.

    This is the third year of the hotline, which connects victims and survivors of crimes and online harassment to information about their rights and services. Those services include treatment, counseling, compensation and other support. Each year, dozens of people have called the hotline.

    The phone bank, at 314-539-6855, will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also have 100 gun locks available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. all week. Anyone interested should come to the reception area on the 20th floor of the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse, at 111 South 10th Street in downtown St. Louis.

    The initiative comes during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme is KINSHIP, a call-to-action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. Kinship is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. Kinship is where victim advocacy begins.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tax preparer indicted for filing false tax returns resulting in tens of thousands in fraudulent claims

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A Needville tax preparer has been taken into custody on charges that she willfully helped clients file false tax returns with the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.  

    Monica Green is set to make her initial appearance in Houston federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m.

    A federal grand jury returned the six-count indictment April 2, which was unsealed upon her arrest.  

    Green ran a tax preparation business in Needville from at least 2017 to 2021, according to the charges. At times during those years, she allegedly added false credits or deductions on tax returns to fraudulently lower her clients’ overall tax liability.  

    The indictment alleges Green utilized false Schedule A deductions, false Schedule C losses for businesses that did not even exist and false education credits showing expenses for colleges her clients did not attend. The fraudulent amounts claimed on these returns would, at times, exceed tens of thousands of dollars, according to the charges. 

    Green allegedly earned money from the scheme by charging her clients preparation fees of hundreds of dollars per return.  

    If convicted, she faces up to three years in prison for each count of aiding in the preparation and filing of false tax returns as well as potential fines of up to $250,000. 

    IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray is prosecuting the case.   

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Superseding Indictment Charges Massachusetts Man with Attempted Enticement, Interstate Travel, Child Pornography Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts man is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Rhode Island on Wednesday on attempted enticement, interstate travel, and child pornography charges contained in a superseding indictment, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    The superseding indictment, returned by a grand jury on April 2, 2025, charges Robert Consorti, 51, of Wilmington, MA, with two counts of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, interstate travel for the purpose of illicit sexual activity, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

    The government sought a superseding indictment following an extended investigation into Consorti’s alleged criminal conduct after his arrest in October 2024.  Consorti was arrested in October 2024 when he arrived at a Warwick hotel allegedly expecting to meet with and engage in illicit sexual contact with a fourteen-year-old girl. Unbeknownst to him at the time, Consorti was communicating with a law enforcement officer posing as the girl with whom he allegedly made the arrangements. A grand jury returned an indictment on November 13, 2024, charging him with one count each of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity and interstate travel for the purpose of illicit sexual activity.

    According to recently filed court documents, it is alleged that a subsequent investigation, including a review of Consorti’s electronic devices, revealed that he was in communication with dozens of minors and allegedly grooming them for sexual activity. It is alleged that in many instances, Consorti transmitted child sexual abuse material (CSAM), requested minors send him CSAM, and/or sent the minors sexually explicit images of himself.

    It is further alleged that Consorti began communicating with a victim who was 12 years old at the time the communications began. Over a six-month period, Consorti allegedly traveled out of state on multiple occasions to meet with the victim and provided the victim with vapes and edible marijuana. It is alleged that Consorti repeatedly attempted to get the victim to engage in sexual activity in return for the items Consorti was providing, rather than pay in cash. Consorti allegedly persuaded the then 13-year-old to meet Consorti and to go to a local hotel to engage in sexual contact, but the defendant’s arrest prevented the meeting from occurring.

    A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.

    The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.

    The ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Warwick Police Department, Cranston Police Department, East Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Bristol Police Department, Middletown Police Department, and Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien felon imprisoned for unlawfully reentering the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally entering the country without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Joaquin Hernandez-Reyes pleaded guilty Jan. 9.

    U.S. District Court Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Hernandez-Reyes to serve 72 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

    Hernandez-Reyes has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as assault of a public servant and possession of a controlled substance. He was first removed from the United States in 2016 and returned illegally several more times.

    On Dec. 10, 2024, authorities discovered Hernandez-Reyes near McAllen again.

    He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Delcolle 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 –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal agents arrest man who allegedly fraudulently received $32 million business tax refund check

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DAYTON, Ohio – An Atlanta-area man was arrested this morning by IRS Criminal Investigation special agents on federal charges alleging he fraudulently converted two businesses’ IRS accounts to his name and address. The defendant received tax refund checks – including one for more than $32 million – that were to be paid out to these two businesses.

    Christopher Dowtin, 48, of Jonesboro, Georgia, will appear in federal court in Atlanta today. He is charged with wire fraud and theft of public money.

    According to charging documents, Dowtin fraudulently submitted IRS forms claiming to be the responsible party for two separate companies.

    In December 2024, the IRS processed eight Change of Address or Responsible Party-Business forms associated with Dowtin. Dowtin’s requests for changes were completed and accepted. He ultimately received two tax refund checks for those companies: one in the amount of $32,495,888.58 and one in the amount of $26,156.50.

    Dowtin allegedly traveled from Georgia to Ohio with the two checks to open an account in the Southern District of Ohio.

    On Feb. 13, Dowtin allegedly took the checks to a Morgan Stanley office in Beavercreek, Ohio, and attempted to negotiate the funds into a brokerage account in a trust in his name. The affidavit details that Dowtin told the Morgan Stanley financial advisor that the two companies were paying him for illegally using his “personhood.” He said the payments owed to him had been transferred to him from the IRS. The financial advisor verified that the checks were valid U.S. Treasury checks.

    On Feb. 19, an executive director at Morgan Stanley contacted the United States Secret Service and IRS Criminal Investigation regarding the suspicious nature of the checks and Dowtin’s supporting paperwork. The checks were seized by law enforcement.

    Wire fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Theft of public funds carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); and Yvonne DiCristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service; announced the arrest and charges. Assistant United States Attorney Amy M. Smith is representing the United States in this case.

    A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sheshatshiu — Sheshatshiu RCMP responds to single-vehicle crash, man arrested for impaired driving and assault

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Following a report of a single-vehicle crash that occurred on April 5, 2025, 20-year-old Aiden Jack of Sheshatshiu was arrested by Sheshatshiu RCMP for impaired driving and assault with a weapon.

    Shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, police responded to the report of the crash. Two of the vehicle’s occupants, a man and a woman, were fighting outside of the vehicle. The man, Aiden Jack, was arrested and charged with the following criminal offences:

    • Impaired operation
    • Impaired operation while having a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs%
    • Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
    • Assault with a weapon

    Jack was released from custody on a number of conditions. He is set to appear in court on July 10, 2025.

    The investigation is continuing.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: UPDATE – ESO Releases Fire Service Index: Reports 28% Increase in Wildland Fire Incidents, Calls for Improvements in Decontamination Efforts

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESO, a leading data services and software provider for EMS, fire departments, hospitals, and state and federal agencies, released its 2025 Fire Service Index, which illustrates the staggering impact of nationwide wildland fires as well as the demand for broader decontamination efforts. Now in its sixth year, the index analyzed 7,919,600 incidents from calendar year 2024 from 2,739 participating agencies nationwide that use ESO services. 

    “The Fire Service Index represents our commitment to protecting those who protect us,” said Antonio Fernandez, PhD, NRP, principal research scientist for ESO. “The insights we uncover can guide agencies to direct prevention resources where they’re needed most. By making these data freely accessible, we’re empowering fire departments nationwide to benchmark performance, identify critical trends and take proactive measures in their communities.”

    Notable findings from the analysis include:

    • 54,489 wildland fire incidents were reported in 2024 (up 28% year over year), totaling 1.78 million total acres burned—a 650% increase in acreage from 2023.
    • Wildland fire incidents were frequent throughout most of the year—not just in warmer months.
    • Fire departments continue to respond to more EMS calls than fire incidents. EMS and rescue incidents accounted for the majority of all incidents (65%), while fire responses accounted for just 3% of all calls.
    • 25% of firefighters did not document a decontamination procedure (e.g. cleaning exposed areas, dry-brushing gear, using wet wipes, etc.) after fire exposure, which can drastically increase long-term health risks such as cancer.

    “The intensifying frequency of wildland fires across the country is yet another reason why proper decontamination has become critical to safeguarding the health and lives of our nation’s firefighters,” said Bill Gardner, executive director of fire and EMS for ESO. “We’re encouraged that 75% of firefighters are documenting one decontamination method after exposure, but we cannot stress enough the importance of increasing that number to 100% and establishing multiple decontamination procedures as the gold standard.”

    Decontamination metrics are now available in ESO’s static benchmarking dashboards. This enhancement allows fire departments nationwide to compare themselves with peers and enables ESO to better monitor prevention effectiveness.

    The release of the 2025 Fire Service Index follows ESO’s receipt of the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) V1 Compatible Badge, which ensures Fire Incident customers remain compliant with the new standard. To access the 2025 ESO Fire Service Index, click here. To learn more about ESO, visit www.eso.com.

    Methodology and Limitations
    The dataset for the 2025 ESO Fire Service Index report is real-world data, compiled and aggregated from 7,919,600 incidents that occurred in calendar year 2024 across the United States. There are no universal rules designed around these trends. The purpose of the Index is to be informative and directional, but it is not intended to be a scientific study—nor is it intended to be comprehensive in nature. ESO hopes this Index serves as a body of literature that adds to the discussion and conversation around best practices for each of the selected metrics to help improve community health and safety.

    About ESO
    ESO (ESO Solutions, Inc.) is dedicated to improving community health and safety through the power of data. Since its founding in 2004, the company continues to pioneer innovative, user-friendly software to meet the changing needs of today’s EMS agencies, fire departments, hospitals, and state and federal offices. ESO currently serves thousands of customers across the globe with a broad software portfolio, including the state-of-the-art Logis IDS CAD solution, industry-leading ESO Electronic Health Record (EHR), the next-generation ePCR; ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE), the first-of-its-kind health care interoperability platform; ESO Fire RMS, the modern fire Record Management System; ESO Patient Registry (trauma, burn and stroke registry software); and ESO State Repository. ESO is headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.eso.com.

    Media Contact:
    For ESO,
    Hope Sander
    Red Fan Communications
    eso@redfancommunications.com
    737-280-8783

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 900 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the First week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 900 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the First week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from 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 OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indictment Charges Stamford Men with Trafficking Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging TASEAN LEMAR BROWN, 35, and STANLEY CHARLES, 44, both of Stamford, with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    The indictment was returned on April 3, 2025, and Brown and Charles were arrested yesterday.  They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven, entered pleas of not guilty to the charge, and were ordered detained.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Brown and Charles were using the U.S. Mail to traffic fentanyl into Connecticut and distribute it in southwestern Connecticut.  The investigation included the seizure of two parcels that Brown mailed to Charles from California and Arizona, the first containing approximately one kilogram of fentanyl powder, and the second containing approximately three kilograms of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.

    If convicted of the charge in the indictment, Brown and Charles each face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Connecticut State Police, and the Stamford, Greenwich, Bridgeport, Danbury, Stratford, and Norwalk Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.

    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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ethete man sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for abusive sexual contact as the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) has challenged the nation to confront and remove barriers to achieving justice for all victims of crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office uses the week to educate the public about victimization and its effects on individuals, families, friends, and communities. As the week kicked off across the nation, the District of Wyoming sentenced a case that recognized the accomplishments of the victims’ rights movement and reflected on how far it has come.

    Dwayne Wahtomy Jr., age 47, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment with 10 years of supervised release for the abusive sexual contact of a child by force. According to court documents, the victim disclosed that she had been sexually abused by the defendant when she was a minor. The defendant also threatened the victim to keep her silent. 

    During the investigation and prosecution of the case, the victim exercised several of her statutory victim’s rights. She was notified of all hearings, was notified of the defendant’s custody status, consulted with the prosecutor about a plea offer, and provided a victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing. Wahtomy was indicted on Sept. 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 15. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on April 7 in Cheyenne. The BIA investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.

    In 1988, the Office of Victims of Crimes (OVC) was established by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA). According to OVC, around 5 million people become victims of violent crimes annually, including rape, domestic violence, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and more. Being a victim of these traumatic crimes can, in most cases, create long-lasting impacts on someone and can sometimes create secondary problems like loss of relationships, mental health issues, physical problems, and a negative impact on occupational and societal function. Because of the prevalence and effects of crimes and victims of crimes, communities and governments have a responsibility to come up with ways to support these victims. 

    The Victim Witness Program for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Wyoming, provides federal crime victims and witnesses with information, services, and support during federal prosecutions. The office is committed to ensuring that victims and witnesses of crime are treated fairly throughout their contact with the federal criminal justice system. For more information, visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/victim-witness-program

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    Case No. 24-CR-00153

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Plead Guilty to Drug and Money Laundering Conspiracy Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – Three men pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with their participation in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine and laundered the proceeds.  

    Lawrence Michael Nagle, Jr., 34, of Saugus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams of more of methamphetamine; five counts of possession with intent to distribute various weights of fentanyl, methamphetamine and oxycodone; one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; and one count of money laundering conspiracy U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Aug. 5, 2025.

    Gino Castillo, 34, of Salem, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 8, 2025.

    Samuel Saillant, 38, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit money laundering. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2025.  

    Nagle, Jr., Castillo and Saillant were among 27 individuals charged, beginning in October 2022, in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. Nagle, Jr. was charged by complaint in October 2022 and later indicted. Castillo and Saillant were charged by indictment on April 24, 2024. All 27 individuals have pleaded guilty.

    The DTO, led by Nagle, Jr. and his brother, Christopher Nagle, distributed counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, among other drugs, to individuals in the Lynn area. In January 2022, a search of Christopher Nagle’s apartment recovered more than 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms. On Oct. 25, 2022, a search of Nagle, Jr.’s home in Saugus and two homes he used to store narcotics—one of which was inhabited by Castillo—resulted in the seizure of more than 7.8 kilograms of fentanyl and more than 650 grams of methamphetamine. In addition, two Glock firearms and ammunition were recovered from Nagle, Jr.’s house in close proximity to oxycodone pills. At the time, Nagle, Jr. was a felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    Nagle, Jr. purchased the home in Saugus in August 2020 with the cash proceeds of his drug trafficking activities. Saillant was Nagle’s real estate agent in connection with the purchase. On the morning of Aug. 21, 2020, Nagle, Jr., Saillant and a coconspirator traveled to banks and money-transmitting services in the Lynn area to exchange Nagle’s drug money for money orders and cashier’s checks. Saillant attended a property closing later that day at which the money orders and cashier’s checks were used to fund the downpayment on the house.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. Nathaniel Yeager, Samuel R. Feldman and John O. Wray of the Criminal Division and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit prosecuted the case.
            
    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd Kicks Off Third 100 County Tour with Visit to Western North Carolina

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) kicked off his 100 County Tour last week with visits to the following counties in Western North Carolina: Ashe, Watauga, Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, Madison, Buncombe, Henderson, Rutherford, and Polk. On the first leg of his statewide tour, Senator Budd surveyed the storm damage and heard from local officials, small business owners, and community members about their needs on the road to recovery.
    “It has been a long six months since Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina, leaving a trail of devastation—leveling homes, flooding schools, destroying businesses, and crippling critical infrastructure. As I began planning my third 100 County Tour, I knew there was no question: I had to start out West.
    “Since the storm struck last September, I’ve returned to these communities time and time again to survey the damage and offer support to local officials in their recovery efforts. During my most recent visit to the region, I was deeply moved by the resilience and determination I witnessed from the victims of Helene. In the face of unimaginable hardship, families, small business owners, local officials, law enforcement, and neighbors are going out of their way to lift one another up and reach out a helping hand.
    “I am fully committed to doing everything in my power in the U.S. Senate to secure the resources and relief these communities desperately need. Together, we will rebuild and create a stronger and more prosperous Western North Carolina,” said Senator Budd.
    Follow Senator Budd on Flickr to see photos from the 100 County Tour HERE or click below to view individual albums.
    Background on Senator Budd’s Visits to WNC:
    Ashe County—Senator Budd made the first stop on his third 100 County Tour in the Town of Lansing, where he met with Mayor Mack Powers to survey damage caused by Hurricane Helene and speak with impacted members of the community. 
    Watauga County—Senator Budd toured the flooded Valle Crucis Elementary School to assess the damage caused after the building was submerged in four feet of water during the storm, displacing hundreds of students. Additionally, Senator Budd viewed the wreckage at the Valle Crucis United Methodist Church, which also withstood severe flooding. 
    Avery County—Senator Budd met with local officials at the county’s debris processing site to gain an understanding of the obstacles facing local contractors removing debris caused by the hurricane to expedite the rebuilding process. 
    Mitchell County—Senator Budd visited the Deyton School, where he met with county officials and received a briefing from the Baptists On Mission on operations to rebuild damaged homes for families who suffered property loss.
    Yancey County—Senator Budd spent time with the West Yancey Volunteer Fire Department, personally thanking emergency personnel for their critical role in providing aid during and after the storm to local residents. He also spoke with individuals spearheading Operation Helo, a volunteer organization supporting victims of Helene, and met with displaced North Carolinians who are continuing to work through the FEMA approval process. 
    Madison County—Senator Budd discussed rebuilding assistance with the leadership of the Rebuild Hot Springs Area, including small business owners, local officials, and residents, to reaffirm his commitment to securing disaster relief aid to repair damage to the downtown commercial district, key tourist areas, and surrounding neighborhoods.
    Buncombe County—Senator Budd spoke with the students and faculty of Excel College on the progress of their non-profit—a homebuilding operation to rebuild over three hundred homes in the next two-and-a-half years.
    Henderson County—Senator Budd recognized the efforts of first responders who relocated to the Gerton Volunteer Fire Department to support recovery operations following Helene. Alongside local officials, Senator Budd also surveyed the damage at the community’s Post Office and the road repairs between Bat Cave and Slick Rock along the Rocky Broad River. 
    Rutherford County—Senator Budd met with local officials from Lake Lure and Chimney Rock to discuss the community’s rebuilding process and debris removal status with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    Polk County—Senator Budd visited with small business owners and vendors from Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, Hendersonville, and Asheville, currently using the Tryon Equestrian Center as their base of operations following the aftermath of the hurricane. The partnership, otherwise known as the “WNC Main Street” program, has been successful in attracting economic support for local businesses from tourism.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Members of a Sureños-affiliated Transnational Criminal Organization Charged in Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury recently returned a nine-count indictment against five members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) affiliated with the Sureños, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, the defendants intentionally conspired with each other to acquire and distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Lead and organized by Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, the “Diaz-Aguilar DTO” has been operating and distributing controlled substances throughout Minnesota since at least 2024. During a multi-month investigation, law enforcement seized large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl from various individuals associated with the Diaz-Aguilar-DTO. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that the Diaz-Aguilar DTO is associated with and supplied by one or more transnational criminal organizations trafficking narcotics from Mexico.

    The following individuals have been indicted for the following crimes:

    Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, 32, a Mexican national residing in New Prague, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Juan Martin Elvira, Jr., 36, of Rochester, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

    Edward Gonzalez, 29, of Hastings, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 46, of St. Paul, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    One other member of the conspiracy remains at large and is pending arrest.

    “The Sureños and other drug cartels are dangerous criminal organizations that are fueling the drug crisis in America,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Cartel-backed drug dealers are on notice.  Do not bring your poison to Minnesota.  If you do, you will see federal charges and federal prison time.”

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It 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.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican citizen and felon imprisoned for smuggling illegal aliens

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Mexican man who illegally resided in Roma has been ordered to federal prison for human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Allan Eduardo Mar-Uballe pleaded guilty Dec. 12, 2024. 

    U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Mar-Uballe to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 3 years of supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, Mar-Uballe is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence. Mar-Uballe has prior convictions for illegal reentry into the United States, assault on a federal officer and possession of a controlled substance. 

    “Mr. Mar-Uballe’s prior convictions obviously did not dissuade him from engaging in dangerous criminal activity,” said Ganjei. “His actions put the lives of law enforcement, innocent motorists, and every person in his vehicle at risk that day. Hopefully his new stay in federal prison will give him time to learn the lessons his earlier convictions didn’t teach him.”

    On Oct. 22, 2024, Mar-Uballe was driving a Ford Expedition with the back seats and seatbelts removed near Roma. Inside the vehicle were 18 illegal aliens, including two unaccompanied minors. 

    Authorities attempted to stop the vehicle, but Mar-Uballe evaded at a high rate of speed and drove erratically through the streets of Roma, disregarding stop signs and other vehicles, before crashing into a ditch. Several inside the vehicle sustained injuries. 

    Mar-Uballe and the others were all determined to be in the United States illegally and from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. 

    Mar-Uballe will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan 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 –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 900 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the First week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from 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).

    Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Central California, Southern California, New Mexico, Southern Texas, and Western Texas charged more than 900 defendants with criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.

    The Southern District of Texas filed 225 cases in relation to immigration and border security. Of those cases, 70 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses, among others. A total of 144 people face charges of illegally entering the country, nine cases involve various instances of human smuggling with others relating to firearms and assault of a federal officer.

    The Western District of Texas filed 259 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases.  Among the new cases, Mexican national Miguel Angel Torres-Segura resided illegally in San Antonio and was arrested March 28 for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges that Torres-Segura participated in a human smuggling organization (HSO) that transported illegal aliens using tractor trailers, carrying out at least 19 human smuggling events and leading to the apprehension of more than 900 aliens between May 2021 and June 2022. Torres-Segura allegedly communicated with high-level leaders and organizers and assisted the HSO by transporting aliens and preparing tractor trailers for transport. Torres-Segura has multiple convictions, including two illegal entries in 2009 and 2010 and an illegal re-entry in 2011. He was convicted again for illegal re-entry on March 26 following an October 2024 arrest and has now been charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.

    The District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 204 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 83 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 107 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 13 cases against 14 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Among those convicted was Ivan Mauricio Hernandez-Mosqueda, a Mexican national, who was sentenced to 46 months in prison after smuggling more 100 illegal aliens to the United States. Many of the illegal aliens were coached by Hernandez-Mosqueda to illegally enter the United States and claim asylum under false pretenses.

    The Southern District of California filed 97 border-related cases last week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, receipt of bribes by public official, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances. Among those charged was Francisco Anguiano Rios, a Mexican national, who was arrested and charged with importation of a controlled substance after Customs and Border Protection officers found 209 packages containing 547 pounds of cocaine concealed in the fuel tank of the tractor trailer Rios was driving as it attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

    The Central District of California filed criminal charges against 24 defendants who allegedly were found in the U.S. following removal, the Justice Department announced today. Among these defendants included criminals who previously were convicted of felonies prior to their removal from the United States, including one previously convicted of narcotics crimes involving methamphetamine and cocaine. The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

    The District of New Mexico brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 56 individuals were charged with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326), 11 individuals were charged with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324), and 32 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325). Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions, with some of those convictions being for aggravated felonies, including convictions for solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct, leaving the scene of an accident with fatality, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    We are grateful for the hard work of our border prosecutors in bringing these cases and helping to make our border safe again. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas Doctor Admits Accepting Kickbacks to Commit Health Care Fraud

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

    ST. LOUIS – A medical doctor from the Kansas City, Kansas area on Friday admitted accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to order medically unnecessary health care for thousands of patients.

    Dr. Scott Taggart Roethle, 47, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of health care fraud. He admitted that from 2017 until 2020, he conspired with health care companies and others to order medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, pain creams and genetic tests for thousands of patients in exchange for hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks.

    Dr. Roethle contracted with multiple health care companies as a telemedicine doctor. Using electronic portals to review patient information and documents, Dr. Roethle ordered health care services for patients without evaluating them or their actual medical needs. He did not have a prior doctor-patient relationship with the telemedicine patients and admitted providing no follow-up care after ordering the health care services.

    Dr. Roethle was typically paid about $30 for each of his fraudulent orders. He admitted receiving payments of $674,000 from five companies. He also admitted that Medicare paid out at least $1.5 million while relying on his fraudulent orders. At the time of Dr. Roethle’s sentencing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will argue that the total loss due to the health care fraud is between $7 million and $9.5 million.

    Dr. Roethle was licensed to practice in 22 states during the time of his crime and worked primarily as an anesthesiologist.

    The trial of Dr. Roethle, of Leawood, was scheduled to begin Monday. His sentencing is set for July 17.

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman and Justin Ladendorf are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: CBSA immigration investigation leads to 20-month conditional sentence and 50K fine for construction manager

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    April 8, 2025                Winnipeg, Manitoba                  Canada Border Services Agency

    On April 2, 2025, Gurwinder Singh Ahluwalia, a resident of Winnipeg, pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized employment of foreign nationals contrary to Section 124 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Ahluwalia was sentenced to 20-months house arrest and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine.

    In August 2023, the CBSA Criminal Investigations Section began an investigation after receiving information about the employment and mistreatment of unauthorized workers at a local construction site. Investigators found paperwork and work permit applications associated to Ahluwalia who was the construction site manager.

    In May 2024, CBSA executed search warrants resulting in the seizure of multiple electronic devices and physical documents. The documentation revealed that Ahluwalia lured foreign nationals to Canada to work without authorization and underpaid workers who had valid work permits. On November 26, 2024, CBSA laid charges against Ahluwalia under IRPA.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lawrence Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl

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

    BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing fentanyl.

    George Jimenez, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 41 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Jimenez pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.  Jimenez was initially charged by criminal complaint in October 2023.

    On Sept. 27, 2022, Jimenez sold 99 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Methuen which was captured on video by a recording device. The video depicted Jimenez meeting the cooperating witness between two buildings. Jimenez made a quick hand-to-hand transaction with the cooperating witness, providing the witness with the drugs ordered in exchange for $1,500.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

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

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat alien smuggler sent to prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Roma resident has been sentenced for his involvement in alien smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Felipe Montez pleaded guilty Jan. 23.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Montez to serve 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Montez had four prior state arrests for human smuggling within the seven months preceding his federal arrest in December 2024. Several of these prior smuggling attempts involved fleeing from law enforcement. Two resulted in injury to illegal aliens present in his vehicle. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Montez’s dangerous activities.

    “If you smuggle, assist, or attempt to bring people into this country illegally, you are going to serve federal time,” said Ganjei. “The Department of Justice is going to be relentless in its pursuit of those that make their money violating our nation’s immigration laws.”

    On Dec. 23, 2024, Montez attempted to transport seven illegal aliens.

    He was driving a vehicle waiting by the Rio Grande River near Escobares as the individuals ran from the river towards him.  

    Upon the sight of law enforcement, they all attempted to flee, but authorities apprehended them.

    Further investigation revealed Montez was involved in four previous alien smuggling events which involved attempts to evade law enforcement. All five occurred in the area of Roma.

    Montez’s smugglings attempts have involved a total of 41 illegal aliens.

    He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety and Roma Police Department conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan 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 –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Reintroduce Legislation to Guarantee Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Children in Immigration Proceedings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    April 08, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined colleagues in reintroducing the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025, legislation to provide unaccompanied children with legal representation in court when they appear in proceedings before an immigration judge. This comes as the Trump Administration attempts to terminate the contract that provides legal services for approximately 26,000 unaccompanied children who appear in immigration court.

    “President Trump’s inhumane immigration policies are putting kids in danger by forcing unaccompanied children to represent themselves in court,” said Merkley. “It’s unimaginably cruel, and we must fight to ensure every child has a fair chance to accurately present their case for legal protection in our country.”

    “No kid should ever have to represent themself in court – period,” said Wyden. “It should go without saying that courts are meant to be navigated by the attorneys who understand America’s complex legal system. The Trump administration’s decision to gut legal representation for unaccompanied kids is not only immoral but also blatantly illegal. Forcing unaccompanied babies, toddlers, and youth to go without representation will leave kids vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and trafficking. Congress must ensure children have real legal counsel and protect them from harm.”

    Nearly half of all unaccompanied children represent themselves during legal proceedings and it is extremely difficult for children to successfully navigate the U.S. immigration system without an attorney—unrepresented children appear alone in immigration court to face a judge and an adversarial government attorney seeking their removal from the United States. Immigration judges are nearly 100 times less likely to grant relief to unaccompanied children without counsel compared to those with counsel. The federal government provides legal representation to some unaccompanied minors in accordance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, which created special protections for children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or a legal guardian. Now, the Trump Administration is working to terminate those services completely.

    Specifically, the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act:

    1. Requires that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provide counsel to noncitizen unaccompanied children appearing before the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or a state court, unless the child has obtained counsel at their own expense;
    2. Extends the government’s duty to ensure counsel for unaccompanied children to the end of the immigration proceedings, even if the child turns 18 during proceedings;
    3. Ensures that children are informed of their right to representation within 72 hours of entering HHS custody and creates infrastructure to identify, recruit, and train pro bono lawyers to provide representation;
    4. Allows unaccompanied children to reopen their case if HHS fails to provide counsel;
    5. Requires the government and stakeholders to create guidelines and duties for counsel representing unaccompanied children, largely based on American Bar Association recommendations;
    6. Clarifies that the government may, at its choosing, also provide counsel to other individuals in immigration court;
    7. Requires noncitizens, and their attorneys, to receive a complete copy of the noncitizen’s immigration file at least 10 days before the removal proceedings;
    8. Guarantees access to counsel for all noncitizens detained in DHS facilities; and
    9. Requires a report on children’s access to counsel.

    The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act was led by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono. In addition to Merkley and Wyden, this bill is cosponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    Full text of the bill can be found by clicking here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Applications Open for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+ Community Response Fund

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 8, 2025

    Eligible organizations and community groups can now apply to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls+ (MMIWG+) Community Response Fund for projects that advance violence prevention efforts and foster safety for Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit people, their families and communities.

    “Our government is proud to fund projects by local, grassroots Indigenous groups and organizations that address issues related to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls,” Minister Responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs Eric Schmalz said. “Every initiative supported is a step toward justice, healing and a safer Saskatchewan for everyone.”

    Applicants can receive up to $40,000 for projects dedicated to enhancing awareness, safety and empowerment within Indigenous communities. 

    “Preventing interpersonal violence is critical to supporting the safety and wellbeing of Indigenous women, girls and of all people,” Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Alana Ross said. “By working together as a community, we have the power to create a future where everyone is safe and supported.”

    This grant program is open to non-profits such as:

    • Local, grassroots Indigenous groups and organizations;
    • Non-Indigenous groups and municipalities seeking authentic partnerships with Indigenous communities; and
    • Non-Indigenous organizations with Indigenous involvement and whose primary programs/services benefit First Nations or Métis people.

    A total of $800,000 is available, with $400,000 provided by Women and Gender Equality Canada.

    The application deadline for the first intake is May 31. The second intake deadline is November 10. For full eligibility requirements, to submit an application, or to view a list of previously funded projects, visit: saskatchewan.ca.

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Labrador Announces Conviction of Bonneville County Man Charged with Child Enticement

    Source: US State of Idaho

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced that a jury found Anthony Calderon, 27, guilty of enticing a child using the internet. District Judge Alan Stephens presided over the trial which took place on March 31st and April 1, 2025.
    During the trial, the jury heard evidence that in August 2023 a 10-year-old female in Attleboro, Massachusetts had a conversation on Snapchat with an adult male going by the name “Alex Davis.” The adult male posing as Davis asked the victim to engage in and watch lewd acts via FaceTime.
    “Our Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit has a very clear mission – to remove child predators from our communities, and to protect vulnerable children from being victimized and exploited,” said Attorney General Labrador. “I’m grateful for the diligence of the investigators and prosecutors, for the service of the jury, and for the courage of the victim and her family to come forward and speak out.”
    The victim’s mother reported the conversation to the Attleboro Police Department. Detective Katelyn Hart tracked the individual known as “Alex Davis” to Bonneville County and referred the investigation to Detective Jared Mendenhall with the Idaho Falls Police Department. Detective Mendenhall connected the account used by “Alex Davis” to Anthony Calderon via the Snapchat account, email addresses, IP addresses, and the IMEI number from a cellphone used by Calderon while at work.
    After his arrest, Calderon admitted on jail telephone calls that he had a sexual conversation with a minor but claimed he did it out of boredom rather than for arousal. He also assured a family member that he never used his real name or real pictures.
    At trial, the now 12-year-old victim shared her story with the jury. She testified that she had put her age in her screen name on Snapchat to “keep the creeps away.”  After a two-day trial, the jury found Calderon guilty of enticing a child using the internet. Calderon faces a maximum of 15 years in state prison, a $50,000 fine, or both.
    The prosecution was led by Deputy Attorney General Madison Allen, joined by Deputy Attorney General James Haws. Sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025.
    Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.
    The Attorney General’s ICAC Unit works with the Idaho ICAC Task Force, a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to investigate and prosecute individuals who use the internet to criminally exploit children.
    Parents, educators and law enforcement officials can find more information and helpful resources at the ICAC website, ICACIdaho.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney Bill Essayli Announces Criminal Task Force to Investigate Fraud and Corruption Involving Homelessness Funds

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – United States Attorney Bill Essayli today announced the formation of the Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force, which will investigate fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption involving funds allocated toward the eradication of homelessness within the seven-county jurisdiction of the Central District of California.

    This task force will be comprised of federal prosecutors from the Major Frauds Section, the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Assisting the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be the FBI, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), and IRS Criminal Investigation.       

    The Central District of California is comprised of approximately 20 million residents within the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.

    Los Angeles County alone contains a homeless population of more than 75,000, of which more than 45,000 are within the city limits of Los Angeles. The total homeless population of the remaining six counties of the district exceeds 20,000.

    Despite voter-approved initiatives and billions of dollars spent on tackling this issue, homelessness remains a crisis, especially in Los Angeles County. Last month, a court-ordered audit found that homelessness services provided by the city and county of Los Angeles were “disjointed” and contained “poor data quality and integration” and lacked financial controls to monitor contracts for compliance and performance. 

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government sent $100 million in emergency aid to Los Angeles County to address homelessness. Last month, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded more than $200 million to address homelessness in Los Angeles.

    “California has spent more than $24 billion over the past five years to address homelessness,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “But officials have been unable to account for all the expenditures and outcomes, and the homeless crisis has only gotten worse. Taxpayers deserve answers for where and how their hard-earned money has been spent. If state and local officials cannot provide proper oversight and accountability, we will do it for them. If we discover any federal laws were violated, we will make arrests.”

    Partnering with federal law enforcement agencies, the Homelessness Fraud and Corruption Task Force will investigate crimes related to the misappropriation of federal tax dollars intended to alleviate homelessness in the Central District of California. The task force will prioritize a review of federal, state, and local programs receiving federal grants and funding. The task force will also investigate fraud schemes involving the theft of private donations intended to provide support and services for the homeless population.

    “Any exploitation of the homelessness crisis via the theft of funds intended to improve conditions cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is proud to join the newly formed task force and will continue to investigate fraudulent schemes and corrupt officials who misappropriate government funding or private donations intended to aid those in need.”

    “The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General is proud to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners as part of the Homeless Fraud and Corruption Task Force,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Lawler with HUD-OIG. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to protecting vulnerable communities, ensuring accountability, and promoting integrity in programs intended to serve those most in need.”

    “IRS Criminal Investigation is uniquely poised to track any funds granted through various federal programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS Criminal Investigation in Los Angeles. “We look forward to working with our federal partners to ensure taxpayer and donor funds are spent in accordance with their original intended purposes.”  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Mike Collins, Brandon Gill Introduce the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Collins (R-Georgia 10th District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Mike Collins (GA-10) and Brandon Gill (TX-26) introduced the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act to make intentionally staging a crash with a motor vehicle a federal crime. 

    “Criminal elements are launching an assault against America’s truckers, in the courtroom and on our roads. Staged accidents take advantage of truckers’ high insurance coverage and make them prime targets for criminals looking for a quick payday, saddling truckers with millions of dollars in inflated damages, increasing insurance premiums for all Americans, and driving up the costs for every transported good,” said Rep. Mike Collins. “The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act will hold these fraudsters and their co-conspirators accountable and stop the ‘nuclear verdicts’ that are bankrupting truckers across the country.”

    “I’m proud to co-lead the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act with Rep. Mike Collins, because protecting truck drivers from criminal fraud is essential to keeping our highways safe and our economy moving. With Texas being a critical freight corridor for our entire economy, we must send a clear message: staging a crash with a commercial vehicle isn’t a payday—it’s a federal crime,” said Rep. Brandon Gill.

    “When con artists seeking a big payday intentionally collide with commercial motor vehicles, their reckless disregard for safety puts innocent truck drivers and the motoring public at risk.  These unscrupulous individuals perpetuate their selfish actions by filing frivolous lawsuits against honest trucking companies, raising costs for consumer goods and contributing to soaring insurance premiums,” said American Trucking Associations Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs Henry Hanscom. “ATA commends Congressmen Mike Collins and Brandon Gill for introducing the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act, which would close legal loopholes that criminals are exploiting to attack America’s hardworking truckers.  By establishing clear, enforceable criminal penalties that apply to all of the conspirators involved in staged collisions, we can finally put an end to this dangerous and costly practice.”

    “On behalf of the Georgia Motor Trucking Association, hundreds of family-owned trucking interests, and Georgia’s 74,000+ truckers, we stand in strong support of the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act sponsored by Georgia’s own Congressman Mike Collins. One in 12 Georgians work in the trucking industry spread across 95,000+ companies. 76% of Georgia communities are completely dependent on truckers to deliver the goods they need, and our industry moves over 363,000 tons of manufactured goods each day in Georgia – 96.9% of total manufactured tonnage. In today’s economy, truckers are recovering from a multi-year freight recession and facing higher insurance rates, rising operational costs, and depressed volumes. Additionally, our industry is facing new threats from highly sophisticated cargo theft and accident staging. The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act will provide desperately needed federal guardrails and accountability structures for these growing threats. The Georgia Motor Trucking Association has been the voice of Georgia’s trucking industry for over 90 years, and we are grateful to Congressman Collins and Congressman Gill for their steadfast leadership on behalf of our industry,” said Seth Millican, President & CEO of the Georgia Motor Trucking Association.

    “Staged accidents are not victimless crimes. These are calculated, premeditated assaults that endanger lives, destroy livelihoods, and compromise highway safety. To add insult to injury, criminals abuse the legal system for profit through false accusations and lawsuits, which contribute to skyrocketing insurance premiums for small trucking businesses,” said Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. “OOIDA and our 150,000 members support Representative Collins and his commonsense legislation to protect law-abiding truckers from sophisticated criminal fraud schemes that exploit the hardworking men and women behind the wheel.” 

    “The Texas Trucking Association strongly supports the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act of 2025. This critical legislation will protect hardworking truck drivers and companies from the growing threat of staged accidents, which jeopardizes road safety and imposes significant financial burdens on the trucking industry. By targeting these fraudulent schemes, this bill ensures fairness and promotes a safer transportation system for everyone,” said John D. Esparza, President & CEO of the Texas Trucking Association.

    Background

    Increasingly, con artists in passenger vehicles are intentionally colliding with commercial motor vehicles to file frivolous lawsuits, seeking damages that often exceed seven figures. These accidents endanger highway travelers, drive up the costs of insurance, and put small owner-operators out of business. Despite a rise in staged truck accidents, few states have taken action to crack down on this criminal activity. 

    The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act establishes clear, enforceable criminal penalties for those who stage these collisions, as well as the attorneys, physicians, and other co-conspirators who knowingly participate in this fraud. 

    The Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act is supported by: 

    • The American Trucking Associations
    • Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
    • Truckload Carriers Association
    • Georgia Motor Trucking Association
    • Texas Trucking Association

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Major Methamphetamine Supplier Sentenced to 140 Months

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Pair of Dealers Also Sentenced in Major Hit to Local Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Markets

    ABINGDON, Va. – A major supplier of methamphetamine in Southwest Virginia – and a pair of related dealers – were sentenced last week to lengthy federal prison terms, dealing a major blow to the drug market in Southwest Virginia.

    On Friday, Ashley Linden Beverly, Jr., 51, of Pound, Va., was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison. Beverly previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Also on Friday, two methamphetamine and fentanyl dealers, Cody Rose, 36, and Brandon Boggs, 35, were each sentenced. Boggs was sentenced to 108 months and Rose 49 months.

    According to court documents, Beverly served as a major supplier of methamphetamine in the Wise County, Virginia area, selling over five kilograms of methamphetamine from approximately May 2022 through November 2022.

    Beverly also combined drug distribution with the possession of firearms. Sources often described seeing handguns at Beverly’s Pound, Virginia residence, from where he sold a majority of his narcotics. In addition, Beverly routinely traded methamphetamine for firearms, some of which he knew were stolen. Beverly was known around Pound, Virginia as “the gun guy.”

    Beverly supplied Boggs with methamphetamine, who in turn supplied Rose with methamphetamine that he then distributed. In addition, Rose and Boggs were key parts of a second conspiracy that brought fentanyl into Southwest Virginia from North Carolina and Kentucky. Additional co-conspirators are scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Southwest Drug Task Force, Wise County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lexington Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Eric Kelsey Shepherd, 30, was sentenced on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 50 years in prison, for production of child pornography. 

    According to his plea agreement, in January 2022, law enforcement was contacted about a 12-year-old victim who was sexually exploited by an adult male. Further investigation revealed that Shepherd, then 27 years-old, met the victim on Snapchat, where he initially claimed he was 17 years-old. Shepherd met the minor victim on numerous occasions to engage in sexual activity, some of which the victim alleged involved violence against the victim. Shepherd took images and videos of many of the sexual interactions, which were located on both the victim’s and Shepherd’s cellphones. Shepherd has a prior state conviction for sexual abuse and unlawful transaction with a minor and, as a result, will face enhanced penalties.    

    Under federal law, Shepherd must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by HSI; Lexington Police Department; and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty in ‘Cryptojacking’ Scheme

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

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – Joshua Paul Armbrust, currently of St. Paul, Minnesota, pleaded guilty for his role in an illegal “cryptojacking” scheme that caused significant financial losses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, in February 2020, Joshua Paul Armbrust, 44, formerly of Orr, Minnesota, resigned from his employment at Digital River, a Minnetonka-based global e-commerce and payment processing company. After leaving his job, between December 2020 and May 2021, Armbrust engaged in a cryptojacking scheme using accounts belonging to his former employer. Cryptojacking is a form of cybercrime where an unauthorized party uses someone else’s computing resources to mine cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, by leveraging the victim’s hardware, which can lead to reduced system performance, increased energy consumption, and higher operating costs.

    As part of the scheme, Armbrust remotely accessed the company’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) account on multiple occasions without authorization and utilized AWS computers to mine Ethereum cryptocurrency. This unauthorized access resulted in substantial costs for the company, totaling over $45,000. The mined Ethereum was directed into a digital wallet and subsequently transferred to Armbrust’s Coinbase accounts. Armbrust then liquidated the mined Ethereum, totaling over $7,000, and transferred the proceeds to his Wells Fargo banking account.

    “Cryptojacking is simply high-tech thievery,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Cybercriminals like Armbrust—who use their technical skills to victimize others—will continue to see federal justice.”

    Armbrust pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell to one count of computer fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley M. Endicott is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –