NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyoming National Guard Counterdrug Program combats drug threats through education and prevention

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    Wyoming National Guard

    By Sgt. Joseph Burns

    CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Since its inception in 1989, the Wyoming National Guard Counterdrug Program plays a vital part in the battle against illicit drugs and transnational criminal threats.

    Designed to harness the unique capabilities of the National Guard, the program continues to deliver measurable results through its partnerships with law enforcement, schools and community organizations.

    In the past year alone, the counterdrug program has made major strides in reducing the impact of narcotics across the state. Through close coordination with law enforcement, the program directly supported operations that led to the arrest of 207 individuals connected to drug-related crimes. These efforts also resulted in the seizure of 9.8 pounds of fentanyl and 20.27 pounds of methamphetamine—dangerous substances with the potential to devastate communities.

    “The results we’re seeing are a testament to the commitment and professionalism of our team,” said Sgt. Maj. Katherine Zwiefel, Wyoming Counterdrug coordinator. “Every pound of drugs taken off the street, every partnership we strengthen, and every student we reach—it all adds up to lives saved.”

    Beyond interdiction and law enforcement support, the Wyoming Counterdrug Program has significantly expanded its prevention and education outreach. Working closely with educators and local coalitions, Guardsmen delivered classroom presentations to more than 1,794 students, spent over 75 hours in youth mentorship and leadership development activities designed to prevent substance abuse before it begins.

    In the last year, the team dedicated over 40 hours to coalition engagement and trained 20 personnel in the administration of Narcan, enhancing Wyoming’s readiness to respond to opioid overdoses.

    “Our greatest weapon in the fight against addiction is education,” Zwiefel added. “When we connect with kids early and give them the tools to succeed, we’re building stronger communities and a healthier future.”

    The program’s holistic approach—combining military expertise, community engagement and interagency cooperation—continues to evolve in response to emerging drug threats, including the opioid epidemic.

    “The counterdrug program is an essential piece of our statewide response to the drug crisis,” said Brig. Gen. Michelle Mulberry, Cowboy Guard Director of the Joint Staff. “Their work not only helps take drugs off the streets but also builds resilience in our schools and strengthens the partnerships that protect our communities.”

    Members of the Wyoming National Guard and Colorado National Guard Counterdrug Program, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Park County Sheriff’s Office, Powell Police Department, Cody Police Department, Healthy Park County Coalition and other partners pose for a photo and flew around the state to make neighborhoods safer by supporting the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, in Jackson, Wind-River, Riverton, Johnson County, Park County, and Sheridan, Wyoming, Oct. 28, 2024. This initiative provides a safe and anonymous way for the public to dispose of unused prescription medications, which play a significant role in prescription drug abuse. (U.S. Army National Guard photo)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisiana Woman Who Provided a Child for Pornographic Photoshoot Pleads Guilty

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Louisiana woman pleaded guilty today to receiving child sexual abuse material produced by a photographer she arranged to take the images.

    According to court documents, Hannah Kinchen, 40, of Gonzales, coordinated with a photographer, who self-identified as a “pedophile,” to conduct photoshoots for the minor victim’s modeling career. During the photoshoots, Kinchen allowed and assisted the photographer in posing the minor victim wearing scanty attire, including thongs and G-strings. The photographer sent and Kinchen received most of the images through a file-sharing website on the internet. Some of the resulting images qualified as child pornography and some were later sold.

    Kinchen pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Head of the Justic Department’s Criminal Division, Matthew R. Galeotti; Acting U.S. Attorney April M. Leon for the Middle District of Louisiana; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI New Orleans Division – Baton Rouge Resident Agency investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen L. Craig for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from CEOS Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Department of Justice Investigating San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department Officer-Involved Shooting Under AB 1506

    Source: US State of California

    Monday, April 7, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    **The information provided below is based on preliminary details regarding an ongoing investigation, which may continue to evolve** 

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ), pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), is investigating and will independently review an officer-involved shooting (OIS) that occurred in Stockton, California on Monday, April 7, 2025 at approximately 11:14 a.m. The OIS incident resulted in the death of one individual and involved personnel from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department. 

    Following notification by local authorities, DOJ’s California Police Shooting Investigation Team initiated an investigation in accordance with AB 1506 mandates. Upon completion of the investigation, it will be turned over to DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review. Anyone that has information related to this officer-involved shooting incident and wishes to report it may do so by calling (916) 210-2871. 

    More information on the California Department of Justice’s role and responsibilities under AB 1506 is available here: https://oag.ca.gov/ois-incidents.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Over 16 Years of Federal Imprisonment for Drug Distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Timothy Edwards, 49, formerly of Memphis, to 197 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute drugs. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

    According to the information presented in court, on April 1, 2021, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) responded to a local UPS Store regarding a suspicious package which was found to contain 6,793.5 grams of marijuana and 1,247 grams of methamphetamine.  During the investigation, DEA was alerted to a second package being shipped to the UPS store.  This package was intercepted on June 3, 2021.  It contained 4.9 pounds of marijuana.  Both packages were shipped from California to Memphis, TN.  The first package had Edwards listed as the recipient, and the second was sent to a P.O. Box associated with Edwards.    

    In October 2024, a jury trial was held, and Edwards was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (marijuana and methamphetamine). On April 3, 2025, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Edwards to a total of 197 months of federal imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the DEA and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO)-Memphis Division.  This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.

    Interim United States Attorney Murphy thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks, who prosecuted this case, as well as the DEA and the SCSO-Memphis Division who investigated the case.

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    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Stamford Nurse Admits Stealing and Tampering with Hydromorphone and Fentanyl Vials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office, and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that KRISTEN CAROTENUTO, 35, of Pelham, New York, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to tampering with vials of hydromorphone and fentanyl at a surgical clinic in Stamford where she was employed as a nurse.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Carotenuto was employed as a nurse at an outpatient surgical center in Stamford.  As part of her employment, she was granted access to a secure location used by the surgical center to store controlled substances, including hydromorphone and fentanyl.  In December 2024, Carotenuto removed several vials, each containing hydromorphone or fentanyl, from the secure storage area.  She then took the vials home, removed the controlled substances using a syringe, and used the drugs.  She then refilled the vials with either saline or water and returned the tampered vials to the storage area in a location where they could be distributed for patient use.

    Carotenuto pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for June 30.

    Carotenuto is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.  She has surrendered her nursing license.

    This matter is being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury convicts Marion County drug dealer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Following a two-day trial, a jury found a Centralia man guilty of federal charges for distributing cocaine and fentanyl in Marion County.

    A federal jury convicted Broderick K. Currie, also known as Broderick K. Wooters, 36, of one count of distribution of a controlled substance: cocaine and one count of distribution of a controlled substance: fentanyl.

    “As a career offender, this defendant has sold drugs in southern Illinois and caused irrevocable harm to families for many years,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The lethality of fentanyl cannot be understated, and another dealer off the streets is a win for our region.”

    The evidence presented at trial proved Broderick sold nearly 12 grams of cocaine and one gram of fentanyl to a confidential source in February 2024 in Marion County.

    “The conviction of the defendant provides an opportunity to remind everyone that the mission of the Springfield Southern Illinois TOC-West Task Force is to relentlessly pursue and destroy drug trafficking organizations operating in the Southern Illinois region,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “If you are distributing controlled substances, especially deadly fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, we will find you and hold you accountable.”

    Currie’s distribution charges are punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment per count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 12.

    The FBI Springfield Field Office’s Southern Illinois TOC-West Task Force led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Carraway and Dan Kapsak prosecuted the case. The TOC-West Task Force has multiple members, this investigation was supported by Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Carlyle Police Department, Mt. Vernon Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced to 65 Years in Prison for Child Sex Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Monday sentenced a former Phelps County Sheriff’s deputy to 65 years in prison for soliciting and/or receiving sex acts and child sexual abuse material from multiple minors and destroying evidence to impede the FBI.

    Judge Schelp also ordered Justin Bradley Durham, of Rolla, to pay $79,160 in restitution to victims. Durham pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in October to one count of production of child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography and three counts of destroying records in a federal investigation.

    Durham admitted requesting and receiving a sexually explicit video from a 15-year-old in 2013. He later provided $200 to the victim after she engaged in sex acts with him. He also admitted engaging in sex acts multiple times with a 17-year-old victim, including in his patrol vehicle. He exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with her. Durham met the second victim in 2016 when her friend contacted the police and he responded to the call.

    The FBI interviewed Durham in 2023 after learning that his PayPal account had been used to send money to another account associated with the sale of child pornography. Durham denied purchasing child pornography and claimed that he hadn’t accessed his Dropbox account for years. He refused agents’ request to search his cell phone. Two days later, Durham bought a new phone, destroyed his old phone and deleted about 37 gigabytes of data in his Dropbox account before deactivating it. Among those files were hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos, including files containing child sexual abuse material. Durham was terminated by the Sheriff’s Department on Aug. 9, 2023, and arrested by them. In jail, he told FBI agents that he also destroyed a laptop computer, threw away his phone and conducted a “digital footprint scrub” of his online accounts, his plea agreement says.

    Durham also sent sexual letters to inmates at the Phelps County Jail, solicited sexually explicit images from other women, including a woman who was on parole, according to a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman.

    “Justin Durham avoided detection by exploiting what he knew about law enforcement. He often targeted vulnerable victims, some of whom suffered from mental health issues, poverty, or sexual abuse,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “We applaud the bravery of the two victims who came forward to help end Durham’s disgraceful abuse.”

    Sheriff Michael P. Kirn expressed his firm belief that accountability and transparency are essential in maintaining public trust. “The actions of individuals like Justin Durham are not representative of our dedicated law enforcement community. We will continue to ensure that justice is served and that ethical standards are upheld,” he asserted.

    “This case serves as a reminder that the law applies equally to all, and the commitment to justice remains paramount. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to advocate for integrity and accountability within the law enforcement community and beyond,” Sheriff Kirk said.

    The FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ponte Vedra Man Indicted For Conspiracy To Traffic Firearms And Controlled Substances (DOJ)

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

    acksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Braden Huston Hobbs (27, Ponte Vedra) with conspiracy to traffic firearms, conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, dealing firearms without a license, making a materially false statement to a licensed firearms dealer, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances—including 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. If convicted, Hobbs faces a minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 95 years, in federal prison.

    According to court documents and proceedings, law enforcement began investigating Hobbs when several firearms he had purchased were recovered during unrelated search warrant executions by law enforcement agencies. These firearms were recovered in the homes of drug distributors and a convicted felon. Additionally, during a series of controlled purchase operations conducted in the summer of 2024, agents purchased 11 firearms from two co-conspirators. Hobbs was the original purchaser of multiple firearms purchased from these two co-conspirators. Cellphone records later showed that at least one of the co-conspirators regularly purchased firearms from Hobbs.

    Through further investigation, agents discovered that between March 2022 and June 2024, Hobbs had purchased more than 120 firearms from 3 different federally licensed firearms dealers in Jacksonville, with 67 of those firearms being purchased between January and June 2024. Hobbs then sold those firearms to others. On multiple occasions, Hobbs advertised firearms for sale to potential customers before completing the purchase of the firearms from the federally licensed firearms dealer.

    Customers typically paid Hobbs in cash for the firearms or traded drugs for the firearms. Hobbs was aware that some of his customers intended to resell the firearms and were drug users or drug distributors. Furthermore, Hobbs asked his co-conspirators to assist him in finding buyers for the firearms and the co-conspirators advertised Hobbs’s firearms for sale. Although he engaged in the business of dealing firearms, Hobbs is not a federally licensed firearms dealer, as required by federal law.

    When Hobbs purchased the firearms from the federally licensed firearms dealers, he indicated on the required ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual buyer or transferee of the firearms. In addition, Hobbs indicated that he was not a user of or addicted to controlled substances. Both statements were false. Hobbs was not the actual buyer or transferee of the firearms, and he was a habitual user of controlled substances.

    In addition, Hobbs was distributing controlled substances, including over 500 grams of cocaine and Adderall. He routinely advertised controlled substances for sale and coordinated deals. Hobbs often sold the controlled substances to the same customers to whom he was selling firearms. On June 26, 2024, Hobbs was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for driving under the influence and trafficking in cocaine. During a search of Hobbs’s car, officers located approximately 330 grams of cocaine and 17 grams of Adderall, as well as various items used to package and distribute controlled substances.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the North Florida HIDTA Tri-County Narcotics Task Force with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fairbanks man guilty of firearms crimes

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

    FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A federal jury in Alaska convicted a Fairbanks man Wednesday of being a felon in possession of a firearm and violent felon in possession of body armor after a three-day trial.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in October 2006, George Moises Romero Jr, 37, was convicted of Murder in the Second Degree, Robbery in the Second Degree and Assault in the Third Degree in the Anchorage Superior Court. The Court sentenced Romero to 24 years imprisonment but he received discretionary parole and was released in 2019.

    On June 4, 2024, a parole violation warrant was issued for Romero’s arrest. The Fairbanks Area Criminal Suppression Unit was tasked with apprehending Mr. Romero. To find him, law enforcement obtained a warrant to obtain real-time location data for Romero’s phone. As the SWAT team got ready to execute a search warrant for the Romero’s location, Romero evaded surveillance and moved to a new location in the Goldstream Valley.

    On June 6, 2024, Alaska State Troopers launched a helicopter equipped with high powered cameras and located the vehicle Romero used to flee the original location. The helicopter monitored the vehicle and occupants while the SWAT team moved into their new position. The helicopter observed Romero getting dropped off at a wooded location with what appeared to be camping equipment.

    As Romero began to walk into the woods, Troopers contacted him and arrested him. The Troopers discovered Romero was wearing body armor and had two loaded firearms on his person, as well as loaded magazines and ammunition. Romero had a third firearm and additional ammunition in a duffle bag he was carrying. 

    U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska, Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division made the announcement.

    The Alaska State Troopers, Fairbanks Area Narcotics Team (FANT), FBI Anchorage Field Office, Fairbanks Resident Agency and ATF Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek and Trial Attorneys from the Antitrust Division, David Bernhardt and Lauren Weed are prosecuting the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Rwanda, Palestine, Lebanon & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:
    -Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda
    -Security Council
    -Occupied Palestinian Territory
    -Lebanon
    -Syria
    -Yemen
    -Ukraine
    -Special Envoy on Myanmar
    -Myanmar
    -Afghanistan
    -Sudan
    -Democratic Republic of the Congo
    -Haiti
    -World Health Day

    DAY OF REFLECTION ON THE 1994 GENOCIDE AGAINST THE TUTSI IN RWANDA
    Today, this is the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. At this morning’s event in the General Assembly to mark the Day, the Secretary-General said that this terrible period of Rwanda’s history reminds us that no society is immune from hate and horror. And as we reflect on how these crimes came about, we must also reflect on resonance in our own times.
    The Secretary-General added that we must stem the tide of hate speech and stop division and discontent that is mutating into violence.
    And he also issued a message on the day in which he urged all States to deliver on their commitments made in the Global Digital Compact to tackle online falsehoods and hate, to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, and to become parties to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

    SECURITY COUNCIL
    This morning the Security Council heard a briefing on the Heads of Military Components Conference, which is currently taking place in New York.
    Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the head of our peace operations department, said this annual gathering is an opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to peace and security through the critical work of United Nations peacekeeping.
    He was joined by two Force Commanders, Major General Aroldo Lázaro, Head of Mission and Force Commander of our peacekeeping mission in Lebanon -UNIFIL-, as well as Lieutenant General Ulisses de Mesquita Gomes, the Force Commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    General Lazaro was here in person and General Gomes was briefing via video.

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=07%20April%202025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEWt8DHA45o

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: ICC [FLOOR] Ongwen case: Appeals judgment on reparations to victims

    Source: International Criminal Court (video statements)

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Lummi Nation charged federally with illegal firearms possession and killing protected bald eagles

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – A 38-year-old member of the Lummi Nation will appear in federal court this afternoon charged with illegal firearms possession and two violations of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Joel David Ridley was arrested by Lummi Nation Police on February 23, 2025. Police responded to reports of gunshots and encountered Ridley with a dead eagle in his SUV. 

    According to the criminal complaint, a witness on the Lummi Reservation was walking his dog when he heard a gunshot. As he walked home, the witness heard a second shot and saw a person pick up an eagle from the ground.  As the witness was on the phone with police, he saw another eagle fall from a tree on his property. The eagle was badly injured. Police captured the surviving eagle and later transported it to the Humane Society.

    Shortly after meeting with the witness, police encountered an SUV in the area that matched the description provided by the reporting party. The vehicle quickly turned into a driveway. A records check revealed the vehicle belonged to Ridley. When police responded to the residence, they observed a dead eagle in the back seat of Ridley’s vehicle. Officers subsequently spoke with Ridley in the driveway and arrested him. 

    Police obtained a search warrant for Ridley’s vehicle. Inside, officers found a dead eagle and a .22 caliber Savage rifle concealed between the rear seats. Ridely is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2003 conviction for Assault in the First Degree in Whatcom County Superior Court.

    Both eagles were taken to the Washington State Humane Society in Bellingham and found to have suffered gunshot wounds. The surviving eagle was too injured to recover and was euthanized. Both eagles were judged to be juvenile bald eagles.

    While the Lummi Tribe is permitted to possess, distribute, and transport bald or golden eagles found dead within Indian Country, the permit does not authorize the taking of eagles by gunshot, poison, or trapping.

    Unlawful Possession of a Firearm is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  Violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

    The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The case is being investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee. AUSA Lee serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Individuals Face Federal Charges Following Multi-Agency Immigration Enforcement Operations (DOJ)

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

    TLANTA – Five individuals have been charged in the Northern District of Georgia with firearms-related offenses during a multi-agency immigration enforcement operation in metro-Atlanta during the past week. The operations involved coordinated investigations led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable support from several local law enforcement partners. In addition to the individuals charged federally, law enforcement seized more than a dozen firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in connection with the operations.

    “Our office is proud to support our law enforcement partners in this effort and other enforcement initiatives to protect our communities and safeguard our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “This initiative sends a strong message to those engaged in criminal activity, whether regarding immigration-related or firearms offenses, that the ongoing and determined coordinated efforts of our federal and local law enforcement partners will achieve measurable results in making our communities safer.”

    “The successful enforcement actions taken during this multi-agency operation underscore HSI’s unwavering commitment to upholding immigration laws and targeting illegal aliens allegedly possessing and trafficking in firearms,” said Steven N. Schrank, special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “By leveraging our partnerships and resources, we are identifying and apprehending those who exploit our immigration system to engage in criminal activities that threaten public safety and national security.”

    “ATF along with our federal law enforcement partners will utilize all resources to investigate firearms trafficking by transnational criminal organizations and cartels,” said Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons. “The success of these investigative efforts could not be accomplished without cohesive partnerships, which keep our communities safe.”

    “The DEA, along with our law enforcement partners, are sending a clear message to the Mexican drug cartels and their criminal associates, that keeping our communities safe is our highest priority,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. 

    “FBI Atlanta is dedicated to supporting our federal partners in achieving our mutual objective of ensuring the safety of our communities,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This case clearly illustrates the success that can be achieved when federal agencies unite their resources and expertise to combat violent criminals.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: From March 24 to April 2, 2025, federal law enforcement agencies conducted a series of enforcement operations targeting individuals allegedly committing firearms and other violations, including those illegally present in the United States.  During the operation, law enforcement seized 13 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.  Significantly, resulting investigations revealed that many of the firearms were bound for Mexico.

    The following defendants have been charged in connection with the operations:

    Hernandez Mora made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker on April 1, 2025.  Gonzales-Hoppo made her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins, III on March 28, 2025.  Vick, Macias Montes and Sambrano also made their initial appearances before Judge Larkins on March 27, 2025. 

    Members of the public are reminded that the Criminal Complaints and Indictment only contain charges.  The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    These cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, Georgia State Patrol, Sandy Springs Police Department, Doraville Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Clayton County Police Department, South Fulton Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Gwinnett County Police Department, Clarkston Police Department and East Point Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys with the Northern District of Georgia, including those assigned to the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), provided valuable support for these operations.

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

    The specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (Atlanta Strike Force) is to eliminate transnational organized crime syndicates and major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Atlanta Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, Regional Priority Organization Targets, and their associates.  The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies; and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Phishing emails related to DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Phishing emails related to DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited 
    The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
     
    Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the emails concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.
    Issued at HKT 19:08

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Fraudulent website related to Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd.

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

    The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. relating to a fraudulent website, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
     
    The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
     
    Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dauphin County Man Charged With Violations of Clean Air Act and Conspiring to Defraud the United States and Violate the Clean Air Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ryan Spencer, age 33, of Harrisburg, PA, was charged by criminal information on April 4, 2025, for conspiracy to impede the lawful functions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to violate the Clean Air Act, and individual violations of the Clean Air Act.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between 2013 and March 12, 2024, Spencer, a Service Manager at Pro Diesel Werks, LLC, doing business as Pro Diesel Werks, along with Pro Diesel Werks owner Roy Ladell Weaver and other co-conspirators, disabled the hardware emissions control systems on the diesel vehicles of Pro Diesel Werks customers (a practice referred to as a “delete” or “deleting”), defeating the systems’ ability to reduce pollutant gases and particulate matter being emitted to the atmosphere. The information further alleges that Spencer and his co-conspirators also tampered with the emissions diagnostic systems on the vehicles to prevent the diagnostic system software from monitoring the emission control system hardware deletes (a practice referred to as a ‘tune” or “tuning).

    On February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Weaver and Pro Diesel Werks for conspiracy to impede the lawful functions of the EPA and to violate the Clean Air Act, and individual violations of the Clean Air Act. 

    The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams, Environmental Crimes Section Trial Attorney Ronald A. Sarachan, and Environmental Crimes Section Senior Trial Attorney Richard J. Powers are prosecuting the case.

    The maximum total penalty under federal law for these offenses is seven years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pain Management Clinic Owners and Operators Indicted on Health Care Fraud Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – The owners and operators of a Warwick pain management clinic have been indicted by a federal grand jury on health care fraud charges for allegedly defrauding government and private health care insurers, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Brandon Nowak, 32, and Jason Simmons, 33, both of Foster, RI, and officers and operators of Alternative Integrative Medicine, LLC, d/b/a Aim Health, are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and fourteen counts of health care fraud.

    It is alleged that beginning in October 2020, Nowak and Simmons conspired to and did intentionally and repeatedly submit fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicare Advantage, Medicaid Managed Care, and four private insurers in order to collect payments for certain purportedly “medically necessary” services that were not actually provided to patients.

    The indictment also alleges that patients were routinely informed that massage therapy was a service covered by their insurance, when in fact it was not. In order to receive insurance payment for massage therapy provided by a massage therapist, the defendants allegedly billed insurers for covered services such as acupuncture, physical therapy, and evaluation and management office visits, none of which the patients actually received.

    Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants submitted claims for services such as infrared therapy, hot and cold therapy, therapeutic activity, and self-care/home management training that were not provided to the patients and for which AIM Health did not employ appropriate providers.

    The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court on April 11, 2025. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.

    The matter was investigated by the U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Israel steps up its ethnic cleansing of the occupied territories: agency established to deport the Palestinian population to third countries – E-001305/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001305/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Estrella Galán (The Left), Jaume Asens Llodrà (Verts/ALE)

    On 23 March 2025, Israel’s security cabinet authorised the establishment of an agency to deport residents of Palestine, as part of Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the occupied territories.

    According to Defence Minister Israel Katz, this agency was created ‘in accordance with the vision of the US President’, in other words as a tool to implement Trump’s proposed plan to ‘clean out’ Gaza and turn it into an international holiday paradise.

    The agency’s role is thus to carry out acts that the International Criminal Court’s Rome Statute describes as war crimes, i.e. illegal population transfers and/or deportations.

    Deporting people from occupied territories is explicitly prohibited by the 1949 Geneva Convention and is a gross violation of human rights that goes against the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which, inexplicably, the EU has not revoked. In view of this:

    • 1.What is the Vice-President/High Representative’s view on the establishment of this agency, whose stated objective is to transfer the population of an occupied territory to third countries?
    • 2.Will she convey to the Israeli Government the EU’s opposition to the establishment of an agency to fragment and displace the Palestinian people, violating their right to live in their own territory?
    • 3.What circumstances and human rights violations would have to occur for her to call for the EU-Israel Association Agreement to be suspended?

    Supporter[1]

    Submitted: 26.3.2025

    • [1] This question is supported by a Member other than the authors: Vicent Marzà Ibáñez (Verts/ALE)
    Last updated: 7 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Politico Massachusetts Playbook: The cost of Social Security cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 03, 2025
    SOCIAL INSECURITY — After launching a Social Security “war room” earlier this week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren is running the numbers on how cuts to the financial assistance program for seniors could impact the Bay State.
    According to data compiled by Warren’s office and shared with Playbook, nearly 1.5 million Massachusetts residents rely on Social Security. The numbers, broken down by county, show that Massachusetts takes in more than $2.5 billion in monthly benefits from the program.
    The largest number of recipients are in Middlesex County, which includes some of Boston’s suburbs, municipalities along New Hampshire’s border and “gateway cities” like Lowell, Malden and Methuen. More than 258,000 Middlesex residents receive $538,105,000 in monthly Social Security payments, according to the data shared by Warren’s office.
    …
    Read the full article here.
    By:  Kelly GarritySource: Politico Massachusetts Playbook
    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: U.S. tariff threats could fuel maple syrup fraud, but AI could help navigate this sticky situation

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Maleeka Singh, PhD Candidate, Food Science, University of Guelph

    Maple syrup, often called Canada’s “liquid gold,” has long been a target for fraudulent activities, such as the dilution or substitution with other syrups, due to its high demand.

    Amid threats from the United States of increased tariffs and the imposition of a baseline tariff of 10 per cent on all imports that aren’t compliant with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, increased maple syrup fraud is a possibility.

    Food fraud, or economically motivated adulteration, is the deliberate misrepresentation of food for economic gain. This can include the substitution, dilution, addition and/or the removal of ingredients. Mislabelling of products is another form of food fraud that can happen at any point in the supply chain, from farm to fork.



    Read more:
    Sweet little lies: Maple syrup fraud undermines the authenticity of Canada’s ‘liquid gold’

    Food fraud is a multi-billion-dollar industry and poses serious risks. It can harm consumer health, tarnish brand reputations and value, jeopardize the livelihood of legitimate producers and even hamper biodiversity and conservational efforts.

    The threats of tariffs on Canadian goods by the U.S., which includes maple syrup and equipment used to make it, has raised concerns on both sides of the border about price increases and supply shortages.

    Canada produces more than 70 per cent of the world’s maple syrup and Québec is the capital of this production. In 2024, the province exported around $450 million worth of maple syrup to the U.S.

    Historic increases in food fraud

    Historically, food fraud has increased during harsh economic times, growing financial pressures, pandemics, climate incidents, wars, supply chain disruptions or any other event that destabilizes the balance between food supply and demand. These circumstances often increase food prices, creating an incentive for fraudsters to exploit the system.

    From 2020 to 2024, the world faced significant supply chain disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, regional wars and significant climate events. Unsurprisingly, food fraud cases have increased tenfold, according to recent estimations.

    Threats of higher tariffs could further contribute to this problem by increasing the likelihood that fraudsters will substitute high-value foods for lower-value products.

    Given what we have learned from past cases of food fraud, threats of increased tariffs causes uncertainty in the supply chain, increasing the risk of fraudulent maple syrups from entering the market.

    To combat this threat, there is a need for rapid, real-time and cost-effective methods to test maple syrup for authenticity.

    A 25 per cent tariff on import goods could increase the risk of fraudulent maple syrups from entering the supply chain.
    (Shutterstock)

    Methods for testing maple syrup

    Since the 1980s, various methods and tools have been developed or used to detect maple syrup adulteration. However, food fraudsters continuously adapt to evade detection, making it progressively more difficult to test for maple syrup adulteration. The more complex the testing methods, the more difficult they are to circumvent.

    Traditionally, maple syrup quality testing involves measuring the dissolved sugar content in syrup through a unit of measurement known as degrees Brix. One degree Brix is equivalent to one per cent sugar. However, applications may be limited if unknown or non-conventional adulterants are used.

    As fraud techniques become more sophisticated, new approaches are needed to ensure the authenticity of maple syrup. Non-targeted food analytical methods, such as fluorescence spectroscopy, allow for the screening of a wide range of samples, creating a fingerprint of a sample. The fingerprints can be compared to a reference library of profiles, or multiple attributes specific to maple syrups, rather than just one.

    Testing maple syrup for glowing compounds

    A recent study by our research team at the University of Guelph’s Corradini Lab explored how fluorescence fingerprints can be used to detect maple syrup adulteration.

    Fluorescence fingerprinting works by examining how internal molecules in maple syrup glow when exposed to UV and visible light. These unique, glowing fingerprints allow for the detection of markers or features that may be indicative of maple syrup fraud.

    Analyzing the distinctive features in maple syrup fluorescence fingerprints (glow), using AI, to differentiate pure from adulterated maple syrup.
    (Singh et al.), CC BY-NC-ND

    Our study explored the adulteration of amber and dark maple syrups, with common maple syrup adulterants — namely beet, corn and rice syrups — at values ranging from one to 50 per cent.

    We mapped unique and distinctive features in the fluorescence fingerprints, which were then used for differentiating pure from adulterated syrups. When exposed to UV and visible light, maple syrup features changed depending on the type — beet, corn or rice syrups — and amount of adulterant.

    AI and machine learning for improved detection

    Using the markers of maple syrup identity, we were able to apply AI to analyze multiple fluorescent features simultaneously. This allowed for the identification of pure maple syrups from adulterants, with accuracy ranging from 75 to 99 per cent.

    In fact, analyzing the fluorescence fingerprints of pure and adulterated syrups with the assistance of AI and machine learning techniques improved detection by up to 30 per cent, and identified adulterants at levels less than two per cent.

    However, expanding the fluorescence fingerprint reference library can improve the accuracy and reliability of results. AI models often require very large and extensive databases. This will be crucial for understanding and accounting for how factors like the environment, geographic location and processing conditions may affect the maple syrup glow.

    The use of AI to analyze fluorescent markers in maple syrup could allow for rapid and effective identification of suspicious fraudulent samples.

    With the increased risk of food fraud due to threats of increased U.S. import tariffs on Canadian products, combining AI and maple syrup fingerprinting can detect maple syrup fraud. This will ensure that consumers receive safe, high-quality foods while protecting the identity of one of Canada’s most iconic products.

    Maleeka Singh receives funding from the Arrell Food Institute and the SMART Scholarship Program. Maleeka Singh is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) and the American Chemical Society (ACS).

    Maria G. Corradini receives funding from NSERC and the Arrell Food Institute.

    Maria G. Corradini is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the American Chemical Society (ACS), and the Society of Food Engineers (SOFE)

    Robert Hanner does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. U.S. tariff threats could fuel maple syrup fraud, but AI could help navigate this sticky situation – https://theconversation.com/u-s-tariff-threats-could-fuel-maple-syrup-fraud-but-ai-could-help-navigate-this-sticky-situation-253396

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Andrew S. Boutros Takes Oath of Office As United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, who served as a federal prosecutor in Chicago for nearly eight years before entering private law practice, took the Oath of Office today as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

    U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall administered the Oath of Office after Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mr. Boutros as the United States Attorney.  Mr. Boutros signed the Oath of Office this morning.

    “I am humbled and honored to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “I am grateful to President Donald J. Trump, Attorney General Bondi, as well as the many others involved in my selection for their trust and confidence in me.  As U.S. Attorney, I am committed to working alongside old and new colleagues to tackle the important problems that face our District.  In addition, I look forward to working with our law enforcement partners to continue the Office’s longstanding tradition of pursuing justice on behalf of the citizens of the Northern District of Illinois.”

    Mr. Boutros has selected Morris Pasqual, who for the past two years served as Acting United States Attorney, to be the Office’s First Assistant United States Attorney, a leadership role Mr. Pasqual previously held.

    As an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 2008 to 2015, U.S. Attorney Boutros investigated and prosecuted hundreds of cases, many of which involved matters of national and international significance.  U.S. Attorney Boutros’s notable convictions included the world’s largest online drug trafficker on the dark web, one of the country’s “Top Ten Most Wanted” mortgage fraud defendants, and the owner of a Chicago hospital who thwarted collection of more than $188 million in civil judgments. U.S. Attorney Boutros also successfully prosecuted a series of cases involving unprecedented criminal violations of international trade, customs, and anti-dumping laws.

    U.S. Attorney Boutros received numerous awards and accolades for his work as a federal prosecutor.  The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association selected him as the National Prosecutor of the Year, presenting him with the National Prosecutorial Award.  The American Bar Association honored U.S. Attorney Boutros with the Criminal Justice Section’s Norm Maleng Minister of Justice Award for best exemplifying the prosecutor’s duty to seek justice.  U.S. Attorney Boutros also received honors from the FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

    From 2015 until his appointment as United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney Boutros worked in private law practice in Chicago, holding various leadership roles.  For 15 consecutive years, U.S. Attorney Boutros has taught an advanced criminal law course at the University of Chicago Law School.  While practicing law full time, Mr. Boutros has also written and spoken extensively on criminal law and criminal law adjacent topics, including publishing two books, authoring nearly 160 articles and book chapters, and presenting at 90 speaking engagements.

    U.S. Attorney Boutros earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Virginia Tech, and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Middleton — Annapolis District RCMP investigating armed robberies

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Annapolis District RCMP is investigating two armed robberies that occurred in Middleton.

    On April 5, at approximately 11 a.m., officers responded to a report of a robbery at a restaurant on Commercial St. And at approximately 2:25 p.m., officers received another report of a robbery at the same location.

    Investigators learned that in both instances, a man wearing a mask entered the property and demanded money while brandishing a knife.

    No physical injuries were reported.

    The man believed to be responsible for both robberies is approximately 5-foot-10 and left the area on foot. He was wearing several layers of clothing, including a black hooded sweatshirt, a light-coloured hooded sweatshirt, and a dark jacket. He was also wearing dark jeans and brown-grey Blundstones.

    RCMP Forensic Identification Services is assisting Annapolis District RCMP with the ongoing investigations. Officers are investigating possible links between these incidents and a robbery that occurred on April 3.

    Anyone who recognizes the man or who has information about these robberies is asked to contact Annapolis District RCMP at 902-825-2000. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two More Sentenced in Federal Pandemic Fraud Unemployment Benefit Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    ABINGDON, Va. – Two more of the 17 defendants charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, commit program fraud, and commit mail fraud in connection to a scheme involving  filing  fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits, were sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.

    Last week, Clinton Michael Altizer and Jeramy Blake Farmer were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day for their roles in the conspiracy.

    Previously sentenced as part of the conspiracy were:  Christopher Webb, 20 months; Russell Stiltner, 24 months; Jessica  Lester, 19 months; Cara Camille Bailey, 19 months; Justin Meadows, 18 months; Terrence Vilacha, 18 months; Joseph Hass, 27 months; Brian Addair, 24 months; and Stephanie Amber Barton and Hayleigh McKenzie Wolfe were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day.

    Jonathan Webb, the individual charged with recruiting others to file fraudulent claims, mostly inmates at local jails, was sentenced to 48 months was ordered to pay $150,218 in restitution.

    All defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission for the amount of their individual fraudulent claims.

    According to court documents, between March 2020 and September 2021, Josef Brown, Jonathan Webb, and Crystal Shaw developed a scheme to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment befits via the Virginia Employment Commission website. The scheme involved the collection of personal identification information (PII) of inmates housed at SWVRJA-Haysi and Abingdon, as well as personal friends and acquaintances of Brown, Webb, and Shaw. The conspirators used that information to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment benefits for incarcerated individuals and others who were ineligible for the benefits.

    In all, the defendants stole $341,205 in pandemic relief to which they were not entitled.

    As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General were charged with identifying major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. According to the United States Department of Labor, Virginia paid approximately $1.1 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentences.

    Agencies that assisted with this investigation included the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority, the FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, and the Virginia Employment Commission.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case for the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Adversaries Trying to Exploit Trump’s Mass-Firings to Recruit Ousted Gov’t Employees as Spies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – With the Trump Administration arbitrarily laying off tens of thousands of skilled government workers, many with security clearances and expertise in critical fields, foreign government intelligence agencies are ratcheting up efforts to increase spies.
    According to intelligence recently distributed by the U.S. Coast Guard Counterintelligence Service: “New intelligence indicates agents from China, Russia, and other countries have set their sights on recently fired probationary workers, or those with security clearances, hoping to obtain valuable information about U.S. critical infrastructure or national security interests.”
    U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says it is just one more example of how the Trump Administration short-sighted, chaotic approach to slashing government is making America less safe.
    “Espionage threats against America are rising as Donald Trump continues to weaken U.S. national security and enable America’s adversaries to conduct foreign malign influence operations.  The Trump Administration is handing foreign-linked entities a target-rich environment to recruit willing or unwitting participation in their intelligence gathering operations.  We know China, Russia, and others are trying to exploit the Trump Administration’s missteps and they’re increasingly targeting those who have been fired or could soon be ousted – especially defense workers,” said Reed, the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and an ex officio member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.  “Russia, China, and others are using sophisticated methods and deceptive techniques and fronts to try to lure unsuspecting, recently laid off U.S. government employees into divulging sensitive information.  And when U.S. government employees see how careless Trump’s Secretary of Defense, national security advisor, and National Director of Intelligence are with sensitive information on group chats, they may do the same.  We can’t let that happen.  President Trump also allows a lot of unvetted people to influence him and apparently direct him to take specific actions, like firing the head of the NSA.  That is very worrisome.”
    Last week, President Trump abruptly fired the director of the National Security Agency without explanation and has also targeted the CIA, FBI, and DOJ for mass-layoffs, including the purging of career civil servants who the Trump Administration deems insufficiently loyal to the MAGA political agenda.
    According to CNN: “A document produced by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service said the intelligence community assessed with “high confidence” that foreign adversaries were trying to recruit federal employees and “capitalize” on the Trump administration’s plans for mass layoffs, according to a partly redacted copy reviewed by CNN.
    “It added that foreign intelligence officers were being directed to look for potential sources on LinkedIn, TikTok, RedNote and Reddit.
    “At least one foreign intelligence officer directed an asset to create a company profile on Linkedin and post a job advertisement, and to actively pursue federal employees who indicate they are “open to work,” the NCIS document says.”
    All intelligence agencies use similar exploits.  Countries with high levels of internal division, economic turmoil, and vulnerable populations may be more susceptible.
    Senator Reed stressed that the increased risk of Americans becoming foreign intelligence assets is not a matter of loyalty, but a matter of sophisticated intelligence tactics designed to trick American workers, such as the use of fake job ads or realistic front companies.
    Reuters noted: “Max Lesser, a senior analyst on emerging threats with the Washington-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said some companies placing recruitment ads were “part of a broader network of fake consulting and headhunting firms targeting former government employees and AI researchers.”
    The story continued: “Asked about the research, three intelligence analysts told Reuters the network appeared to be a prime example of how foreign-linked entities are trying to gather intelligence from staff fired or forced into retirement by President Donald Trump and billionaire tech tycoon Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
    “Once employed by the network, federal employees could then be asked to share increasingly sensitive information about government operations, or recommend additional people who might be targeted for willing or unwitting participation, the analysts said.””
    The Coast Guard’s bulletin noted a telltale sign of foreign agents attempting to recruit former government officials is if something that is too good to be true, it probably is.
    “Your contact might overly praise or focus on your skills/experience, especially if your government affiliation is known,” the notice stated, adding that flattery, scarcity, and a sense for urgency might be an indicator as well.
    An active-duty U.S. army sergeant was recently charged with selling and transmitting sensitive military and national defense secrets to co-conspirators working on behalf of China.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN reflects on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Peace and Security

    The UN Secretary-General called on Monday for commitment to build a world of justice and dignity in honour of the victims and survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. 

    António Guterres joined survivors, diplomats and civil society members for the annual ceremony in the UN General Assembly Hall to mourn the lives lost in this “chilling chapter in human history” and to prevent it from ever happening again.

    He recalled that the genocide occurred at terrifying speed.

    The atrocities took place over 100 days, starting on 7 April 1994.  Some one million children, women and men were killed.  While the overwhelming majority were Tutsi, Hutu and others who opposed the genocide also were slaughtered. 

    Collective failure to act

    “This was not a spontaneous frenzy of horrendous violence,” he said.

    “It was intentional. It was premeditated. It was planned, including through the hate speech that inflamed division, and spread lies and dehumanization. And it was the product of a collective failure to act.”

    The President of the UN General Assembly, Philémon Yang, also addressed the international community’s inaction.

    “Despite early warnings, despite clear signs of impending catastrophe, the world stood by as the killing unfolded. Governments debated while cries for help went unanswered, while lives were lost,” he said.

    “Today, as we reflect on our failure, we must ask: Have we truly learned from the past? Have we done enough to ensure that such atrocities never happen again? Or is it happening somewhere as we speak?”

    Testimony of survival

    Global health researcher and author Germaine Tuyisenge Müller shared her harrowing testimony of survival. She was just nine when the genocide began and was living in the capital, Kigali, with her mother, aunt and two young cousins. Her three siblings were visiting relatives at the time.

    “Our country was plunged into unimaginable horror,” she said. “Families torn apart; children, including the unborn, slaughtered; women raped, often in front of their loved ones, and entire communities wiped out simply because they were Tutsi.”

    The period was marked by efforts to seek safety, separation from beloved family members, and news of death. At one point Ms. Tuyisenge Müller stayed alone in an abandoned house for two months, living off powdered milk and sugar dissolved in rainwater.

    It would be seven months before she would see her mother again, who had been shot in the early stage of the genocide.  

    Her mother and aunt were at that point living with 13 members of their extended family from across the country. The eldest was her grandmother, who joined them after her husband was killed.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Survivor Germaine Tuyisenge Müller, global health researcher, author and educator, addresses the 31st mark of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

    Remembrance and resilience

    “Today, I share this testimony in memory of the more than one million lives lost during the genocide,” said Ms. Tuyisenge Müller.

    “I also speak for the survivors: for our resilience, our strength, our unwavering commitment to remembrance. Thirty-one years later, we continue to carry this truth, even in the face of growing genocide denial and revisionism.”

    In his remarks, the Secretary-General noted that Rwanda has made an extraordinary journey towards reconciliation, healing and justice since the genocide, yet this terrible period in its history is a reminder that no society is immune from hate and horror.

    Lessons for today

    “As we reflect on how these crimes came about, we must also reflect on resonance with our own times,” he said, referring to divisions today.

    Mr. Guterres warned that “the narrative of ‘them’ versus ‘us’ is increasingly polarizing societies in the Great Lakes region and around the world.” At the same time, “digital technologies are being weaponized to inflame hate, stoke division, and spread lies.”

    He also pointed to the “alarming array of racism, misogyny, and genocide denial” circulating online.

    “We see conspiracies, untruths, and deep fakes spread at an alarming pace. We must stem the tide of hate speech and stop division and discontent mutating into violence,” he said.

    The UN chief called for the international community to work to “stem the tide of hate speech and stop division and discontent mutating into violence.” 

    In this regard, he urged countries to fully implement the Global Digital Compact, adopted last year, which outlines important commitments to tackle falsehoods and hate.

    “Above all, we all must act, to prevent human rights violations. And to hold those who commit them to account,” he said.

    He called on all countries to become parties to the Genocide Convention “and to honour the responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.”  

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    A wide view of the UN General Assembly hall as members states commemorate the 31st mark of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lancaster County man arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material* chargesRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Thomas James Adams, 26, of Heath Springs, S.C., on five charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest. Investigators with the Attorney General’s Office, also a member of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted with this investigation.

     

    Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led them to Adams. Investigators state Adams distributed and possessed files of child sexual abuse material.  

     

    Adams was arrested on April 4, 2025. He is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count; and three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree (§16-15-410), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

     

     

    The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

     

    Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

     

     

     

    * Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes. “Pornography” can imply the child was a consenting participant.  Globally, the term child pornography is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Greenville man arrested on three Child Sexual Abuse Material* chargesRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Sammy Lee Knight, 30, of Greenville, S.C., on three charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest. Investigators with the Attorney General’s Office and the City of Greenville Police Department, both also members of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted with the investigation.

     

    Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led them to Knight. Investigators state Knight distributed files of child sexual abuse material.  

     

    Knight was arrested on April 4, 2025. He is charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

     

     

    This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

     

    Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

     

     

     

    * Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes. “Pornography” can imply the child was a consenting participant.  Globally, the term child pornography is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Trenton Man Sentenced To 168 Months In Prison For Assaulting, Robbing And Discharging A Firearm At A Federal Agent (DOJ)

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

    RENTON, N.J. – A Trenton man was sentenced to 168 months in prison for assaulting a federal agent with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Jabree Johnson, 30, of Trenton, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to a three-count indictment charging him with one count of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon of an individual with custody of federal property, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence, in which the firearm was discharged. 

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

    On March 22, 2021, federal law enforcement officers were conducting an investigation of firearms trafficking and other illegal activities in and around Trenton and Hamilton, New Jersey. In connection with the investigation, a federal law enforcement agent, working in an undercover capacity, arranged to purchase multiple firearms from an individual later identified as Johnson.

    After arriving at an agreed-upon location for the firearms transaction, Johnson entered the undercover federal agent’s vehicle, and handed the agent a black, semi-automatic firearm. The undercover federal agent inspected the firearm and then returned it to Johnson and requested to see the other firearms that Johnson had agreed to sell. Instead, Johnson pointed the loaded firearm directly at the undercover federal agent and demanded money from the agent. In response, the undercover federal agent provided Johnson with an amount of U.S. currency that the agent had on him to purchase the guns. Johnson then ordered the undercover federal agent out of the vehicle at gunpoint. The agent exited the vehicle as ordered and immediately drew his/her service-issued firearm and fired at Johnson, striking Johnson in the shoulder. Johnson also fired his handgun multiple times at the undercover federal agent.  Johnson fled the area with the money. Johnson was later identified at a local hospital as the individual who had assaulted and robbed the undercover federal agent at gunpoint and placed under arrest.    

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Johnson to five years of supervised release and ordered him to forfeit the firearm using during the commission of the crimes.

    U.S. Attorney Alina Habba credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, Trenton Satellite Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge­­­­ Terence G. Reilly; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Steve E. Wilson; officers of the Hamilton Township Police Division, under the direction of Police Chief Kenneth DeBoskey; troopers of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and detectives and prosecutors of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

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    Defense Counsel: Mark Catanzaro, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: District Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm as a Felon Following Arrest in Southwest

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Dajon Malloy, 29, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on a federal gun charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

              Malloy was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.  On April 1, U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh ordered Malloy detained pre-trial.

              According to court documents, on March 5, 2025, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) observed an individual, later identified as defendant Malloy, walking in the 100 block of M Street, Southwest. Officers engaged Malloy and observed a clearly defined “L” shaped object inside a crossbody satchel he was wearing, consistent with a concealed firearm. Upon questioning, Malloy initially denied having any contraband but later admitted to possessing marijuana and a scale. Malloy then removed from the satchel approximately nine bags of suspected marijuana.

              Court documents say that as officers moved to take him into custody, Malloy began behaving evasively and attempted to obscure the bag from view. Another MPD officer subsequently looked into the open satchel and allegedly observed the magazine of a handgun protruding from inside. It is alleged that officers recovered a firearm containing one round in the chamber and 14 additional rounds in the magazine. A database check confirmed Malloy did not possess a valid firearm license in the District of Columbia.

              A further investigation revealed that Malloy possessed prior felony convictions, including Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in D.C., and Burglary in Maryland, confirming that Malloy was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

              This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti.

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

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

    View the Malloy indictment: 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Boone County Schools Maintenance Supervisor Pleads Guilty to $3.4 Million Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael David Barker, 47, of Foster, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Barker admitted to a scheme to defraud the Boone County Schools system by more than $3.4 million while employed as the maintenance director.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from about November 2019 through December 2023, Barker ordered custodial and janitorial supplies for Boone County Schools from Jesse Marks and his company, Rush Enterprises. These supplies included hand soap, trash can liners, face masks, face shields, and hand sanitizer.

    Barker admitted that he and Marks agreed that Rush Enterprises would overbill the Boone County Board of Education for these supplies. As part of this scheme, Barker approved invoices on behalf of Rush Enterprises that significantly inflated the number of products that were actually delivered to Boone County Schools. Barker submitted these fraudulent invoices to the Boone County Board of Education, which relied on them to mail checks to Rush Enterprises using the United States Mail.

    Marks deposited the checks from Boone County Schools into the business bank account for Rush Enterprises, wrote himself checks on that account that he cashed at various banks, and personally delivered some of that cash to Barker in manila envelopes. Barker admitted that he spent the cash delivered by Marks to buy vehicles and equipment and make substantial improvements to his residence in Foster.

    Marks deducted the cost of the products actually delivered to Boone County Schools from the proceeds of the overbilling scheme. Boone County Schools paid Rush Enterprises $4,310,714.82 from in or about November 2019 through in or about December 2023. Barker admitted that approximately 80 percent of the total payments received by Rush Enterprises, or $3,448,571.85, was based on fraudulent invoices.

    Barker is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Barker also owes $3,400,000 in restitution.

    “Mr. Barker took advantage of COVID-19 pandemic relief funds and put his own greed above the interests of the Boone County School system and the children it serves,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “His actions caused serious reputable harm and diminished the trust in the Boone County School system.”

    Marks, 65, of Rush, Kentucky, pleaded guilty on February 27, 2025, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025.

    Barker’s parents, Michael P. Barker, 68, and Lana Barker, 66, both of Foster, pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025, to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions. They admitted to making 11 cash deposits to their bank accounts totaling $97,215 starting on or about November 7, 2023, through on or about November 28, 2023. Financial institutions are required to report cash deposits of more than $10,000, and federal law prohibits structuring multiple cash deposits to avoid this reporting requirement. The deposits were in amounts ranging from $8,000 to $9,500 specifically to avoid the currency reporting requirement. The structuring scheme was uncovered by the same investigation that resulted in the indictment of their son. Michael P. Barker is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025, and Lana Barker is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1, 2025.

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Education-Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Department of Education.

    “This case is a result of outstanding teamwork and reflects the tireless dedication of this office and its law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who stole from the American people during a national emergency,” Johnston said. “We will continue to pursue all available avenues to recover defrauded public funds and identify and prosecute those responsible.”

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-194.

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    MIL Security OSI –