NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oregon Transportation Company and Owner Sentenced to Probation and Criminal Fines for Tampering with Pollution Monitoring Devices

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Ore.–A Fairview, Oregon transportation company and its owner were sentenced in federal court today for knowingly and intentionally tampering with emissions monitoring devices in violation of the Clean Air Act.

    Clancy Logistics, Inc., located in Fairview, Oregon, and its owner, Timothy Curtis Clancy, 55, of Sherwood, Oregon, were each sentenced to three years’ probation. They were also ordered to pay a fine of $101,510, jointly and severally. 

    According to court documents, between October 2019 and July 2023, Clancy tampered with federally mandated monitoring devices by performing “deletes and tunes” to emission control systems for at least thirteen diesel semi-trailer trucks operated by his companies. Clancy, as owner of Clancy Logistics, oversaw the illegal modification of vehicles, including engaging in and directing employees to remove the emissions control equipment and tune the onboard diagnostic systems so it could no longer detect the removal of control equipment. Clancy Logistics knowingly operated the altered vehicles. 

    On September 13, 2024, Clancy Logistics and Clancy were charged by criminal information with two counts of Clean Air Act tampering. On September 18, 2024, they each pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a monitoring device.

    This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. It was prosecuted by Andrew Ho, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Gwendolyn Russell, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: China pledges global cooperation to address climate change

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    HANGZHOU, Feb. 25 — China is willing to work with all parties to jointly address the challenges of extreme weather and climate risks, said Chen Zhenlin, head of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

    Chen made the remarks at the 62nd session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an important international platform for the assessment of climate change, that opened on Monday in Hangzhou, capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province.

    In China, actively responding to climate change has become an essential requirement for achieving sustainable development and a responsibility for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

    The CMA has done a lot of work in responding to climate change, including strengthening its integrated land-sea-air-space monitoring capabilities, researching and developing global and regional climate models, and assessing the impacts and risks of climate change, Chao Qingchen, head of the National Climate Center under the CMA, told Xinhua.

    These efforts have greatly contributed to climate change adaptation and mitigation, Chao added.

    In Zhejiang, the meteorological disaster early warning system has further improved its accuracy to the township level, with alerts for sudden strong convective weather now issued 50 minutes in advance.

    The IPCC is meeting in Hangzhou to reach agreement on the outlines of the three working group contributions to the “Seventh Assessment Report” and the “Methodology Report on Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage.” Representatives from over 130 IPCC member countries, relevant observer organizations and international organizations are attending the meeting.

    The IPCC is now in its seventh climate change assessment cycle. Over the past six cycles, it has published a total of 43 assessment reports on climate change.

    Liu Zhenmin, China’s special envoy for climate change, said the IPCC reports reflect humanity’s deepening understanding of climate science, which has advanced global efforts to address climate change and provided an important scientific foundation for continuously strengthening and improving global climate governance.

    Over the years, hundreds of Chinese scientists have participated in writing and reviewing the assessment reports, making significant contributions to scientific, comprehensive and objective assessments of climate change.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Defendants Arrested on Federal Complaints Alleging They Knowingly Received More Than $13 Million in Scam Victims’ Money

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SANTA ANA, California – Three individuals, including two Chinese nationals, were arrested today on federal criminal complaints alleging they set up shell companies that laundered more than $13 million stolen from victims of investment scams known as “pig butchering.”

    The following defendants were arrested this morning and are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana:

    • Mingzhi Li, 24, a.k.a. “Zheng Lin,” of Downtown Los Angeles;
    • Zeyue Jia, 23, a.k.a. “Jiao Jiao Liu,” also of Downtown Los Angeles; and
    • Jun Shi, 55, of San Gabriel.

    The defendants are charged with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, a felony offense that carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

    Li and Jia are both Chinese citizens who entered the United States on student visas that have since expired; it is believed that they do not have lawful status in the United States.

    A federal magistrate judge ordered Li and Jia jailed without bond. Shi was ordered released on $20,000 bond. The defendants’ arraignments are scheduled for March 17 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

    According to affidavits filed with the complaints, Shi established both Magic Location Trading LLC and Stone Water Trading LLC on December 7, 2022. Both companies listed the same address in downtown Los Angeles as being their base of operations.

    Magic Location and Stone Water allegedly operated as money service businesses that were formed for the purpose of remitting funds on behalf of third-party customers to other entities. The defendants and the companies did so without registering with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) or the State of California, as required under federal law.

    Shi and Li, using the alias “Zheng Lin,” opened U.S.-based bank accounts Magic Location, while Jia, using the alias “Jiao Jiao Liu,” opened U.S.-based bank accounts for Stone Water. Those accounts received funds from investment fraud victims. In total, law enforcement identified 242 wire transfers to Stone Water that were received from individuals – including identified crime victims – totaling approximately $7,618,982, and 60 wire transfers to Magic Trading totaling approximately $5,405,514, according to the complaint.

    The defendants allegedly then transferred those funds to overseas bank accounts and other domestic businesses, transferred money to individuals, and used the ill-gotten gains for personal expenses.

    The victims in this matter were attempting to fund what they believed to be investment accounts that they purportedly maintained on digital platforms such as websites or mobile applications. The victims’ investments including commodities such as gold contracts or virtual currency such as Bitcoin.

    “Pig butchering” fraud schemes (a term derived from a foreign-language phrase used to describe these crimes) consist of scammers encountering victims on dating services or social media, or through unsolicited messages or calls, often masquerading as a wrong number. Scammers initiate relationships with victims and slowly gain their trust, eventually introducing the idea of making a business investment.

    Victims are then directed to other members of the scheme operating fraudulent investment platforms and applications, where victims are persuaded to transfer money for the purpose of financial investments. Once funds are sent to scammer-controlled accounts, the purported investment platform often falsely shows significant gains on the purported investment, and the victims are thus induced to send more money for additional investments.

    Ultimately, the victims are unable recover their money, often resulting in significant losses for the victims.

    For example, one victim – a 72-year-old Minnesota man – exchanged messages with a Chinese woman on the WhatsApp messaging application. She convinced him to invest in a digital platform called “Enkuu,” according to the complaints. In August 2023, the victim wired $75,000 to Stone Water and, the following month, wired $250,000 to Magic Trading for the purpose of investing in “Enkuu.” He later was unable to withdraw any of his money from “Enkuu.”

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

    The FBI is investigating this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin N. Spencer of the Orange County Office and Angela C. Makabali of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting these cases. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Burglar not up to par

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police scored a hole in one following a series of burglaries in Waiuku over recent months.

    The Pukekohe Tactical Crime Unit have been investigating a number of burglaries at a Waiuku golf club since November 2024.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor says the clubrooms had been the target of each burglary.

    “A number of items including tills and alcohol were allegedly taken during the offending,” he says.

    “Since these reports, CCTV footage and forensics enquiries have been carried out in the investigation.”

    It has led to the arrest of a 37-year-old man, who faces three burglary charges.

    The man is expected in the Pukekohe District Court today.

    “Our enquiries are ongoing into these matters and we cannot rule out further charges at this stage,” Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says.

    “I know these burglaries have been subject of discussion amongst the community, and we will continue to hold those to account where there is sufficient evidence.”

    Any suspicious behaviour should be promptly reported to the Police.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eighteen Members of Poinsett County Drug-Trafficking Organization In Custody Following Arrest Operation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

          MARKED TREE—Eighteen defendants accused of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in northeast Arkansas are in custody after federal and state authorities made several arrests in Poinsett County this morning as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. Jonathan Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Alicia D. Corder, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Little Rock Field Office, announced today’s arrests.

          The large-scale drug operation in northeast Arkansas is, according to a federal indictment, headed by Jack Brown, 58, of Marked Tree, Reginald Hendrix, 53, of Trumann, and Dewayne Morris, 36, Trumann. A team of law enforcement agencies in the area coordinated to arrest 17 individuals this morning. Another defendant was already in state custody. Today’s arrests are in conjunction with the unsealing of the indictment of 21 individuals who were charged by a federal grand jury on February 6, 2025. Twenty of the 21 defendants are charged together in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Three additional coconspirators who live outside the area have been indicted but have not yet been arrested.

          The arrests stem from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, or OCDETF, investigation that began in July 2023. Most the defendants listed in the indictment are from the small Arkansas towns of Trumann and Marked Tree. The indictment marks the first large-scale federal investigation into that section of the state. The investigation, which was headed by the FBI, involved numerous controlled purchases of methamphetamine from members of the conspiracy. Additionally, throughout the investigation law enforcement agents intercepted numerous phone calls in which the conspiracy members discussed trafficking what was in total multiple pounds of methamphetamine.

          “The arrests of these defendants continue to show the commitment of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office to focus on making our communities better,” stated United States Attorney Ross. “Through the collaborative efforts of these law enforcement agencies, we were able to make a significant impact in getting these violent drug traffickers out of the community.”

          “Ridding Arkansas communities of dangerous narcotics and violent criminals is a top priority for law enforcement across the state,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder. “Today’s arrests demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to fostering safer communities for the citizens of Arkansas, and we will continue to collaborate with our federal, state, and local partners on this shared goal.”

          This effort 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.

          Those arrested today will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Jerome T. Kearney on Thursday, February 27. Today’s arrests are the result of a joint investigation between the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Marshals Service; ICE; Arkansas State Police; the Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office; Trumann Police Department; Jonesboro Police Department; Craighead County Sheriff’s Office; Marion Police Department; West Memphis Police Department; Blytheville Police Department; the Arkansas Second Judicial Drug Task Force; and the Arkansas National Guard Counter Drug Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Eldridge.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat drug trafficker sentenced to a decade in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 43-year-old Baytown resident has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    David Lee Garza pleaded guilty May 31, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Garza to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court considered Garza’s extensive criminal history including a prior conviction for aggravated assault with the use of a firearm and a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine.

    “Methamphetamine has devastated cities and towns across the country, and drug dealers that seek to profit off that destruction deserve to be held accountable,” said Ganjei. “Those that traffic this drug in our communities can expect a significant sentence, particularly those who are repeat offenders.” 

    In January 2024, law enforcement discovered Garza was coordinating the transportation of kilogram quantities of meth from the Rio Grande Valley to the Houston area.

    On Jan. 25, 2024, Garza drove from the Houston area to a storage unit in McAllen where he retrieved multiple items. As he left the area, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle and found him in possession of six kilograms of meth. The drugs had a purity level of 99%.

    The investigation revealed he had been storing drugs in the local storage unit until they were ready for transport.

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

    Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Noting Ukraine’s People Have Endured Three Years of Relentless Death, Destruction, Displacement, Senior Official Tells Security Council ‘It Is High Time for Peace’

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    ‘We Cannot Have the Aggressor Impose a Deal on the Victim,’ Stresses Special Envoy

    “It is high time for peace in Ukraine,” a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as Member States echoed that call and outlined contrasting visions of ending the three-year conflict.

    “For three long years, the people of Ukraine have endured relentless death, destruction and displacement,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, adding that the resolution the Council adopted earlier on 24 February urges a swift end to the conflict.  The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified that, since 24 February 2022, at least 12,654 Ukrainian civilians — including 673 children — have been killed and 29,392 — including 1,865 children — have been injured.

    The war has created the largest displacement crisis in Europe since the Second World War, she observed, adding that over 10 million Ukrainians remain uprooted — 3.6 million displaced within Ukraine and 6.9 million seeking refuge abroad.  Furthermore, the massive destruction of civilian infrastructure impacts millions. For three consecutive winters, repeated strikes on the energy grid have left communities without power, heating or other essential services.  At least 790 attacks have damaged or destroyed medical facilities, putting the lives of countless patients at risk.  In 2024 alone, attacks on medical facilities tripled compared to 2023.  The education system has also been decimated, preventing 600,000 children from attending in-person classes.

    Over the past three years, the conflict has expanded into parts of the Russian Federation, she said, pointing to reports of increased civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure in the Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk regions due to alleged Ukrainian attacks.  The war’s impact is also felt globally, destabilizing economies, disrupting food security and threatening international peace.  The further internationalization of the conflict is deeply alarming, particularly with the reported deployment of troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea into the conflict zone.  Moreover, she cautioned that the risk of a nuclear incident remains “unacceptably high”.

    Detailing the systematic and widespread use of torture — including sexual violence — by Russian Federation authorities against Ukrainian prisoners of war, as documented by OHCHR, she said 95 per cent of them and three quarters of Ukrainian civilian detainees interviewed have suffered torture or ill-treatment in captivity. Additionally, at least 71 Ukrainian prisoners were executed since February 2022, with an alarming spike in executions since August 2024.  Meanwhile, about half of the 469 Russian Federation’s prisoners of war interviewed by OHCHR described torture and ill-treatment, and 26 of those interviewed reported having been subjected to sexual violence.  The human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine has also verified the execution of 26 Russian Federation prisoners of war.  “These crimes must not go unpunished,” she asserted, underscoring that “accountability is not optional — it is an obligation under international law”.

    “We recognize it will be challenging to get an agreement, but the time for Moscow to make difficult choices and end fighting is now,” stated the representative of the United States, underscoring her country’s commitment to ending the war.  Washington, D.C., has been in close contact with Ukrainian counterparts throughout the conflict and will continue to do so.  It has also opened a direct dialogue with the Russian Federation in the past week. Following discussions in Riyadh, the United States and the Russian Federation have committed to negotiating towards an end of the conflict, which is enduring and acceptable to all engaged parties.  She called on all Member States to push for a durable peace “to bring stability to Europe and deter further aggression”.

    The Russian Federation’s delegate noted significant dissonance in European support for Ukraine, with ministers reading out “cookie-cutter statements”.  Calling the meeting an “open attempt to thwart the positive progress that has been made which will soon help result” in a lasting settlement to the Ukrainian crisis, he emphasized that the “Kyiv regime and its European sponsors are interested not in peace, but in pursuing war until the last Ukrainian”.  Welcoming the new positive policy of the Administration of United States President Donald J. Trump, he pointed to emerging details about what “took place and continues to take place under the [Ukraine President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy regime” despite Moscow’s persistent efforts to prevent this.

    Condemning Ukraine’s “anti-Russian project”, financed from the beginning by the West, he noted that, from 2021 to 2024, the United States Agency for International Development spent $30.6 billion in Ukraine, without which Ukrainian gross domestic product (GDP) “independently did not exist”.  He stated that up to 90 per cent of Ukrainian media outlets were financed by the Agency, with payments for public opinion leaders to appear on social networks, compelling “everybody to believe in the universal popularity of the erstwhile comic”, which “turned out to be a lie”, but was shaping Ukraine’s political landscape.  He noted that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, upon election, immediately abandoned his promises regarding the East and for the defence of the Russian language.

    Meanwhile, Mariana Betsa, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, said the Council resolution just adopted “lacks the qualification” of the war as an aggression of one Member State against another.  Despite the disparity in military strength — with over 600,000 Russian Federation troops deployed on Ukraine’s territory today — Ukraine’s defence forces continue to stand firm.

    “We gave up the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal in the hope of making the world a safer place,” she said, citing the Budapest Memorandum as “a deal without viable security guarantees”.  Meanwhile, Moscow has significantly expanded Soviet-era stockpiles, and today, it is capable of striking Ukrainian front-line positions and residential areas, with thousands of guided aerial bombs every month.  In 2024 alone, its aviation launched 40,000 such bombs.  Moreover, the Russian Federation engaged Tehran and Pyongyang in its war of aggression.

    Nonetheless, she said the Russian Federation has failed to break Ukraine on the battlefield.  “There is nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, and there is nothing about Europe without Europe,” she asserted.  And while Ukraine wants peace “more than anyone”, that doesn’t mean just any peace, she emphasized, calling for clear security guarantees.  She added that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union are indispensable elements of regional security, and “Ukraine is eager to be part of them”.

    Many speakers highlighted the devastating and long-lasting consequences of Moscow’s aggression on food security, the environment and nuclear security, calling for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace — not an agreement imposed under duress on the victim.

    “We cannot have the aggressor impose a deal on the victim, an aggressor who continues to intensify its attacks on civilian population and infrastructure,” underscored Erica Schouten, the representative of the Netherlands and Special Envoy for Ukraine.  She called for “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and for Europe — whose security is directly impacted — to be involved, too.  This war must end, not just for the sake of Ukraine and Europe but for the sake of the world, she stressed.

    In the same vein, France’s delegate stressed that Europe — whose security is at stake — must participate in any negotiations and affirmed that any resolution to the conflict without Ukraine will be a dead letter and “lay the groundwork for future wars”.  He recalled that the Russian Federation alone decided on 24 February 2022 to bring war back to European soil — carrying out deliberate strikes against the Ukrainian civilian population and energy infrastructure, using sexual violence as a weapon of war and forcing deportations of Ukrainian children.

    A war Russian Federation President Vladimir V. Putin said would take three days is now three years on, concurred his counterpart from the United Kingdom.  Ukraine is more than ready for the war to end, but its voice must be at the heart of any talks towards a peace that “shows aggression does not pay, and ends forever Putin’s imperialist ambitions”, she stressed.  By contrast, President Putin “only wants capitulation”.  The strength and courage shown by Ukraine must be underpinned by robust security agreements from the outset, she stated, adding that President Putin has repeatedly demonstrated that he will break a weak deal and has long denied Ukraine’s right to exist as a free State.

    Georgios Gerapetritis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece, affirmed that his Government’s stance on Ukraine “has been crystal clear from the very beginning of the war, which now enters its fourth year”. All Member States must work towards an end to the suffering and destruction in Ukraine; however, it is incumbent to explicitly refer to international law and the Charter of the United Nations in the resolution.  He stated it was not easy to understand why amendments proposed by European Council members were not upheld — including that the Council would employ a swift end to the conflict, urging a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

    Radosław Sikorski, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland, also speaking for the High Representative of the European Union, urged Moscow to “stop the killing and leave territories it illegally occupies”. Calling on Member States to never forget the crimes committed by Russian Federation troops in Bucha, Mariupol and many other places across Ukraine, he also acknowledged the far-reaching repercussions beyond Ukraine.

    “We will never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk or any other region of Ukraine,” echoed Baiba Braže, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, also speaking for Estonia and Lithuania.  Underlining that borders must not be altered by force, she recalled that, three years ago, the International Court of Justice ordered the Russian Federation to stop its military activities in Ukraine.  “Three years on, Ukraine has stopped a nuclear-armed State of 140 million from realizing its imperialist goals,” she added.

    Pasi Rajala, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Finland, also speaking for Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, demanded the immediate return of thousands of children who have been unlawfully deported or transferred by the Russian Federation, which violates the laws of war at every turn.  Hailing the General Assembly’s decision earlier today to support just and fair peace in Ukraine, he affirmed that Ukrainians want peace and love freedom, and the Council must advance these goals.  Any solution for lasting peace will necessitate a strong European involvement as Member States have “a collective interest to prevent a resurgence of violence and destruction”.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man charged with aggravated burglary and firearms offences

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Man charged with aggravated burglary and firearms offences

    Wednesday, 26 February 2025 – 9:24 am.

    Detectives from Bridgewater Criminal Investigation Branch have charged a 24-year-old man with a series of offences following a recent planned police operation.
    Police will allege the man was involved in a significant number of firearms burglaries and associated offending in Colebrook and Campania during January and February this year.
    He was arrested by investigators in Rosny on Tuesday, and several search warrants were subsequently executed across Hobart’s eastern shore.
    Electronic exhibits, ammunition and a reportedly stolen motorbike were located in the searches.
    He has been charged with a series of offences including aggravated burglary, motor vehicle stealing, firearms and traffic offences and will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court today.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orleans Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – An Orleans man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for child pornography offenses.

    Anthony Argo, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Argo pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Argo was arrested and charged in July 2024.

    Argo was identified as the user of a chat application who was expressing sexual interest in minors and sharing CSAM. During a search of his residence, Argo was found in possession of an SD card and multiple USB drives containing thousands of images depicting child pornography. The files depicted children as young as infants.  

    According to court documents, Argo was previously convicted in Barnstable District Court for indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over and in Orleans District Court for kidnapping, enticement of a child under 16 and distributing obscene matter to a minor.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Frederick, Maryland and the Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Grain Valley, Mo., police officer pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child.

    August Price Gildehaus, 28, of Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of producing child pornography.

    Gildehaus, a Grain Valley police officer at the time of the offenses, was originally charged by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.

    By pleading guilty today, Gildehaus admitted that he engaged in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old female victim. Gildehaus and the victim met on an online social media platform. Gildehaus met with the victim on five separate occasions between Aug. 5, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, to engage in illicit sexual activity at different locations, including a middle school parking lot.

    Gildehaus admitted that the child victim took photographs of herself when she was home, and he took photographs of himself that he sent to her. Gildehaus also admitted that he recorded videos of their sexual encounters.

    Under federal statutes, Gildehaus is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett. It was investigated by the Grain Valley, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

    Project Safe Childhood

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Haven Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for 2 Gunpoint Robberies in 2023

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GARY GIBSON, JR., 25, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for a firearm offense stemming from his armed robberies of two convenience stores in May 2023.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly after midnight on May 7, 2023, Gibson, brandishing a Glock semiautomatic handgun, robbed the Star Food & Convenience Store, located at 193 Boston Post Road in West Haven.  Gibson took approximately $1,860 cash from the register and took cash and an iPhone from an employee of the store.

    In the afternoon of May 8, 2023, Gibson entered the 7th Haven Convenience Store, located at 129 Sylvan Avenue in New Haven, and forced an employee to the ground at gunpoint.  After taking approximately $5,700 cash from the register and rent money, Gibson fired a shot into the ceiling during a struggle with the employee.  Gibson then fled.

    New Haven Police, with the assistance of West Haven Police, arrested Gibson in Milford shortly after the New Haven robbery and seized from him the handgun used during the robberies.  The gun had an attached laser sight and a loaded 15-round magazine.

    Gibson’s criminal history includes six felony convictions for weapon possession, robbery, and larceny offenses.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    Gibson has been detained since May 8, 2023.  On July 15, 2024, he pleaded guilty to carrying, using, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

    Judge Chatigny ordered Gibson to pay $7,560 in restitution.

    This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, the New Haven Police Department, and the West Haven Police Department.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Natchitoches Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, La. – Christopher Aaron Stanfield, 37, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.  United States District Judge Dee D. Drell sentenced Stanfield to 97 months (8 years, 1 month) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for the offense.   

    On October 6, 2020, officers with the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office executed an arrest warrant at Stanfield’s residence in Natchitoches. Prior to the execution of the arrest warrant, a search warrant had also been secured for Stanfield’s apartment in connection with a separate and ongoing investigation. During the arrest and search, law enforcement officers collected several electronic devices, including iPads, a laptop, and an iPhone. 

    Stanfield was interviewed by law enforcement officers and admitted to committing several criminal offenses, including theft and identity theft. He further admitted that he had been using the “dark web” to commit these offenses. A subsequent forensic review of Stanfield’s seized electronic equipment was conducted by the Bossier City Marshal’s Office, Cybercrime Unit, and revealed that there were approximately 513 still images and 6 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minor children. These images and videos included the rape of infants and toddlers. Stanfield pleaded guilty to the charge on March 14, 2024.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office and Bossier City Marshal’s Office, Cybercrime Unit, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog.

    This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative 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, Project Safe Childhood combines 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.

    To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Dive Boat Owner/Operator Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Clean Water Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – Today, a Florida woman pled guilty in federal district court to violating the Clean Water Act by knowingly discharging a harmful quantity of oil into United States and contiguous zone waters.

    According to court documents and statements made at today’s hearing, Liza R. Hash, 48, of Inglis, Fla. owned and operated the S/V JULIET, an 88-foot, 118 gross ton, steel-hulled sailing vessel built in 1974. For approximately six years, Hash operated the vessel between Miami and the Bahamas, on multi-day scuba diving excursions. She carried as many as 12 passengers per trip plus crew.

    On June 16, 2023, Investigating Officers (CGIOs) from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami boarded the S/V JULIET upon its return from a trip to the Bahamas. After noticing an active oil sheen originating from the vessel, they conducted a safety examination.

    During the examination, the CGIOs noted oily water in the vessel’s bilge and an electric submersible pump in the space beneath the main diesel engine. The pump was connected to the vessel’s grey water tank, which was arranged to be discharged overboard without treatment. The Defendant admitted that she would use the bilge pump to transfer oil-contaminated bilge waste first into the grey water tank. Then, she would use the grey water tank’s separate discharge pump to empty the untreated contents into U.S. waters. The grey water tank was neither designed nor intended to handle oily bilge wastes, but rather to hold liquids from the vessel’s washer, dryer, sinks, showers, and air conditioning unit.

    Calculations performed by the CGIOs revealed that over the preceding five years of operation, approximately 26,000 gallons of oily water would have been illegally discharged from the S/V JULIET. Such wastes should have been held on board for proper pump-out and disposal at a shore-side facility.

    United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II, set sentencing in the case for May 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The defendant faces up to three years’ imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release. In addition, the court may impose a fine of up to $250,000.

    Hayden P. O’Byrne, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Kristopher Martel, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s criminal enforcement program in Florida, announced the guilty plea.

    United States Attorney O’Byrne commended the efforts of the United States Coast Guard Sector Miami Investigating Officers, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald is prosecuting the case.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-20007.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Longtime Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang H-Block pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug conspiracy charges.

    Jason Bly, 44, of Quincy, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2025.

    According to the charging documents, the H-Block street gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H-Block. Current members of H-Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.

    Bly was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation of H-Block beginning in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation.

    The investigation identified Bly as a longtime H-Block gang member and a supplier of wholesale quantities of cocaine for distribution. During this investigation, Bly supplied co-defendant and fellow H-Block gang member Avery Lewis with a quarter kilogram of cocaine.

    According to court documents, Bly’s criminal history includes a 2016 conviction of attempted assault and battery with a firearm and possession of a firearm without a permit during an incident where he fired several rounds from a firearm in H-Block territory. He also has a 2024 conviction for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon during incident in which he threw a cup of hot coffee in another man’s face during an argument for which he is currently on probation until June of 2025.

       Bly is the third defendant to plead guilty in the case. Lewis pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, 2025.

    The charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
        
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man involved with the distribution of methamphetamine was sentenced on February 24, 2025, to ten years in federal prison.

    James Vincent Thornton, age 53, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 11, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

    Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Thornton was involved with the distribution of methamphetamine.  In November of 2021, law enforcement officers searched a residence where Thornton had been staying.  Thornton had been living in the basement of the residence, and officers located approximately 224.17 grams of ice methamphetamine in his room.  In March and April 2022, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to buy methamphetamine from Thornton twice.  In May 2022, law enforcement officers searched another residence associated with Thornton and located approximately 71.31 grams of ice methamphetamine.  

    Thornton was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Thornton was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Thornton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force.  The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.  This effort was 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.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-72.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley’s Family

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A Missouri woman pleaded guilty today in the Western District of Tennessee for her role in a scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of millions of dollars and to steal the family’s ownership interest in Graceland, Elvis Presley’s former home in Memphis, Tennessee.

    According to court documents, Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, of Kimberling City, orchestrated a scheme to conduct a fraudulent sale of Graceland — using a fake company, forged documents, and false court filings — by falsely claiming that Elvis Presley’s daughter had pledged Graceland as collateral for a loan that she failed to repay before her death. Findley threatened to foreclose on Graceland and auction it to the highest bidder if Elvis Presley’s family did not pay or settle the claim against the estate.

    Findley pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18 and faces 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.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Taylor Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee, Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office made the announcement.

    The USPIS and FBI Nashville Field Office are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Aaron Henricks of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case. Fraud Section Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton provided substantial assistance with the investigation and prosecution. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley’s Family

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Missouri woman pleaded guilty today in the Western District of Tennessee for her role in a scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of millions of dollars and to steal the family’s ownership interest in Graceland, Elvis Presley’s former home in Memphis, Tennessee.

    According to court documents, Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, of Kimberling City, orchestrated a scheme to conduct a fraudulent sale of Graceland — using a fake company, forged documents, and false court filings — by falsely claiming that Elvis Presley’s daughter had pledged Graceland as collateral for a loan that she failed to repay before her death. Findley threatened to foreclose on Graceland and auction it to the highest bidder if Elvis Presley’s family did not pay or settle the claim against the estate.

    Findley pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18 and faces 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.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Taylor Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee, Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office made the announcement.

    The USPIS and FBI Nashville Field Office are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Aaron Henricks of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case. Fraud Section Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton provided substantial assistance with the investigation and prosecution. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Kisbey — Arrested: Carlyle RCMP investigating break and enter near Kisbey

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    February 25, 2025
    Kisbey, Saskatchewan

    News release

    On February 24, 2025 at approximately 11:00 a.m., a Saskatchewan RCMP officer with Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan located and arrested Trent Raynard in Stoughton, SK. Trent Raynard was wanted by Carlyle RCMP in relation to a break and enter that occurred in November 2023.

    Trent Raynard appeared in Weyburn Provincial Court on February 25, 2025.

    –30–

    Backgrounder

    Carlyle RCMP investigating break and enter near Kisbey

    2023-12-19

    On November 27, 2023 Carlyle RCMP responded to a break and enter that occurred at a gas plant near Kisbey sometime between November 24 and November 26. Various items had been stolen from the business.

    Carlyle RCMP investigated with the assistance of Yorkton RCMP Forensic Identification Services. A search warrant was executed near Arcola, Saskatchewan. Officers located and recovered multiple items believed to have been stolen, including a camper trailer, tools, and electronics.

    As a result of continued investigation, 25-year-old Brianna Paul of Stoughton, Saskatchewan and 32-year-old Trent Raynard of Stoughton, Saskatchewan were each charged with:

    • one count, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, Section 354(1)(a), Criminal Code;
    • one count, theft under $5,000, Section 334(1)(b), Criminal Code; and
    • one count, mischief under $5,000, Section 430(4), Criminal Code.

    On December 14, Brianna Paul was arrested. She appeared in Estevan Provincial Court on December 18.

    A warrant has been issued for Trent Raynard’s arrest, and Carlyle RCMP are working to locate him.

    Trent Raynard is described as 5’6″ and approximately 132 lbs. He has blue eyes and brown hair.

    If you see Trent Raynard, do not approach him. Report sightings or information on his whereabouts to your local police service. You can reach your local RCMP detachment by dialling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Dennis Allen Gaal Sentenced to 25 Years for Engaging in Interstate Travel for the Purpose of Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct

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

    CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On February 21, 2025, Dennis Allen Gaal, 50, currently of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced to 25 years by the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  Following his incarceration, Gaal will be on supervised release for life, and he will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.

    As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Gaal agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of interstate travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b).  Gaal, a registered sex offender from Mississippi, traveled to Chattanooga in December 2023, intending to sexually molest a 10-month-old child.  In fact, Gaal had been communicating with a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who was posing as a person with access to the child.  Gaal noted in the online discussions with the undercover agent that the sexual abuse would be “a dream come true.”  He arrived in Chattanooga with gifts for the notional child, including Christmas outfits, a stuffed animal, and a rattle.  When Gaal arrived, he was arrested and has remained in custody since his arrest.            

    “The defendant, while already a convicted sex offender, traveled to Tennessee to sexually molest a 10-month-old child,” said Francis M. Hamilton III, U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee.  “The facts are outrageous and disturbing.  We are dedicated to prosecuting offenders like this to the full extent of the law.”

    “Exploitation of children offenses are heinous and leave an immeasurable impact on victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office.  “To protect our children, the FBI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and bring sexual predators to justice.”

    The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the investigation was led by FBI Special Agent Samuel Moore.

    Assistant United States Attorney James T. Brooks and Special Assistant United States Attorney Charlie Minor with the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office, represented the United States.

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

    For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “resources.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Twelve Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Marijuana in Tennessee and Other States

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

    NASHVILLE – Twelve members of a drug trafficking conspiracy were sentenced last week for their roles in conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in middle Tennessee and elsewhere, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee.

    According to court documents, around 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating large shipments of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills that were inscribed “M30,” methamphetamine, and marijuana that someone was shipping to Tennessee and approximately 16 other states from California. Agents reviewed shipping materials, monitored social media accounts, and conducted surveillance before identifying Matthew Cox as the individual who was shipping these packages to members of the drug trafficking conspiracy. In their messages on social media applications and phones, the defendants discussed drug prices, drug shipments, and quality of the drugs. One defendant, Quortez Duncan, told Cox that he wanted stronger pills to get customers hooked on the pills to increase profits. Cox complied and attempted to send Duncan these pills, but Agents seized them. Agents also learned that another defendant, Khyre McClain, attempted to establish and launder money through a limited liability corporation.

    In addition to this evidence of shipments to other states, agents seized packages of drugs that were being shipped to Tennessee. Specifically, on July 25, 2022, HSI agents seized a package from a UPS Store in Sebastopol, California, which was destined for Nashville, Tennessee. This package contained thousands of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills weighing over two kilograms. The package also contained more than eight pounds of methamphetamine. On August 9, 2022, HSI agents intercepted two additional packages from the Santa Rosa, California, area which were destined for residences in Nashville. One package contained 472 grams of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills, and the other package contained approximately four pounds of methamphetamine.

    After collecting an overwhelming amount of evidence, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at multiple residences in California and Tennessee. They recovered handguns, assault rifles, bulk cash, expensive cars, marijuana, and large amounts of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills.

    “Stopping the trafficking of deadly fentanyl is a major priority of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire, “these successful prosecutions demonstrate our continued commitment to hit fentanyl traffickers with the full force of the law.”

    “These defendants took part in a cross-country conspiracy that brought significant amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana to Tennessee,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to holding those accountable who attempt to poison our communities.”

    Each defendant was convicted of conspiring to distribute controlled substances. Three defendants were also convicted of unlawfully possessing firearms after previously being convicted of felony offenses. The defendants were sentenced as follows:

    Quortez Duncan, age 37, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison

    Mathew Cox, age 28, was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison

    Jonny Rodriguez-Gonzalez, age 26, was sentenced to 11 years and 2 months in federal prison

    Ricardo Molinero-Alcarez, age 29, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison

    Khyre McClain, age 23, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison

    Davontay Holt, age 30, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison

    Marcus Johnson, age 27, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison

    Tristain Orr, age 25, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison

    Ethan Kimes, age 22, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison

    Marquitues Sawyers, age 24, was sentenced to 1 year and 8 months in federal prison

    Jahari Armstrong, age 22, was sentenced to 3 years of probation

    Jaydan Armstrong, age 22, was sentenced to 3 years of probation

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; and the Columbia Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Safeeullah and Rachel Stephens prosecuted this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sean Williams Sentenced to 95 Years for Production of Child Pornography and Escape From Custody

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

    GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On February 24, 2025, Sean Christopher Williams, 53, of Johnson City, Tennessee, was sentenced to 95 years imprisonment by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville.

    In July of 2024, Williams was convicted at trial of escape in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 751(a) and in November of 2024, Williams was convicted at trial of three counts of production of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e).

    The evidence presented at the escape trial showed that Williams escaped from a transport van enroute to the Greeneville Federal Courthouse on October 18, 2023.  His escape resulted in a multistate manhunt that led to the capture of Williams in Pinellas County, Florida, on November 21, 2023.

    The evidence presented at the child pornography trial showed that Williams used three minor children to engage in sexually explicit conduct and took photos of the sexually explicit conduct.  The conduct occurred at Williams’s apartment in Johnson City.  The evidence showed that Williams sexually assaulted each of the victims’ mothers while they were unconscious, around the same time that he took pornographic photos of their children.  The criminal conduct extended over a 12-year period.  Williams took photos of the first victim in 2008 and the two other victims on separate occasions in 2020.  Williams was arrested in 2023 near the campus of Western Carolina University and campus police officers seized flash drives from his car that were later found to contain the photos.

    “Sean Williams is a dangerous sexual predator who preyed on our community’s most vulnerable victims,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III.  “Today’s sentence reflects the severity of the crimes committed and not only ensures that this dangerous individual has been held accountable for the harm he caused, but also prevents him from hurting others again.  We thank the dedicated law enforcement officers whose efforts made the convictions and sentence possible.”

    “Our children are among the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office.  “The FBI will continue to do everything in its power to stop sexual exploitation of children that causes irreparable harm and trauma to the victims and bring to justice those responsible.”

    “This case shows the impact of collaboration and determination by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and our local, state, and federal partners to hold accountable an individual who preyed upon innocent children,” said TBI Director David Rausch.  “We hope the outcome of this investigation sends a clear message that we will continue to commit all the necessary resources to find and apprehend those who victimize our most vulnerable residents.”

    Law enforcement agencies either participating in a joint investigation, or cooperating in a parallel investigation, which led to the apprehension, indictment and subsequent conviction of Williams included the FBI, the United States Marshal Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Western North Carolina Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan L. Gomez, Emily M. Swecker, and J. Gregory Bowman represented the United States at the trials.

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

    For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “resources.”

                                                                                                          ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Announce Federal Charges in Domestic Altercation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinedale man faces federal charges for assault with a dangerous weapon following an altercation on the Navajo Nation.

    According to the indictment, on February 17, 2025, Laberto Curley, 26, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly attacked the victim with a razor blade knife at a residence in Pinedale, New Mexico, after a verbal argument escalated into a physical altercation. As a result, the victim sustained a laceration to the neck and was transported to the hospital.

    Curley will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Curley faces up to 10 years in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Sentencing of Church Rock Man for Shooting at Law Enforcement Officers

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Church Rock man was sentenced to 147 months in prison for charges related to an attack on law enforcement officers on the Navajo Nation.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, after midnight on July 22, 2023, officers from the Navajo Police Department and New Mexico State Police responded to reports of a man shooting a gun and making threats near a residence on the Navajo Nation. While investigating, they came under fire from an unknown direction and from an unknown assailant and were forced to take cover. Officers reported hearing the bullets whiz past them and landing in the dirt nearby.

    After a prolonged search, Elijah Touchine, 24, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was arrested later that day at a gun store in Gallup, where he was attempting to purchase additional firearms, including an AR-15and ammunition. During questioning, Touchine admitted to shooting at the officers and expressed a desire to “kill every [expletive] police”.

    A search of the vehicle Touchine was in revealed a .40 caliber handgun and ammunition in a black bag. Investigators also recovered multiple .40 caliber shell casings at the scene of the shooting.

    Upon his release from prison, Touchine will be subject to three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigation, New Mexico State Police, Gallup Police Department, and McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man arrested after multiple incidents north of the city

    Source: South Australia Police

    A man has been arrested following a wild rampage in the Northern and Barossa areas overnight.

    About 7.45pm Tuesday 25 February police attended a home on Nottle Road, Gawler, conducting follow up enquiries in relation to a business robbery that occurred on Monday 24 February at the Munno Para Shopping Centre.

    When patrols arrived at the location a grey Nissan Pathfinder sped from the street and a short police pursuit ensued before police lost site of the vehicle on Redbanks Road.

    About 8.15pm police received reports that a Nissan Pathfinder was driving erratically crashing into fences and gates on Ward Belt Road, Ward Belt.

    About 8.25pm police received reports that a Nissan Pathfinder was driving erratically on Dundas Street, Gawler, before it crashed into a parked car and left the scene.

    About 8.30pm police were called to Turnbull Road, Elizabeth Downs, after a Nissan Pathfinder collided with a fence and left the scene.

    About 8.45 police were called to the carpark of a shopping centre on Hamblynn Road, Elizabeth Downs after reports a Nissan Pathfinder had crashed into a parked Volkswagen. Thankfully a woman who had been seated in the Volkswagen at the time was not injured.

    About 9.15pm police were called to the carpark of the Munno Para Shopping Centre after reports a man threatened a woman at knife point before stealing her black Ford Territory. Thankfully the woman was not physically injured. Police located the Nissan Pathfinder abandoned in the carpark nearby.

    PolAir arrived in the location quickly locating the stolen Ford Territory and tracking it to Bandiana Crescent, Elizabeth Downs. Here the driver got out of the vehicle and fled in nearby yards. Patrols swarmed the area quickly locating and arresting the man about 9.30pm.

    The 33-year-old Two Wells man has been charged with a raft of serious offences including driving without due care, failing to stop at a crash scene and aggravated robbery. He did not apply for bail and will appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court today.

    The investigation remains on going with police seeking to identify further victims. Anyone with information that may assist is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or 1800 333 000 – you can remain anonymous.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Metairie Man Indicted for Possessing Materials Involving Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Federal Gun Control Act Violation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today the Indictment of ROBERT ANTHONY MARSH, JR. (“MARSH”), age 59, of Metairie, was indicted on February 14, 2025, with Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B) and (a)(2), and  Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). If convicted of the possession of sexual exploitation materials,  MARSH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.  If convicted of firearm possession by a convicted felon, MARSH faces a maximum sentence of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.

    According to court documents, MARSH’s home was searched by state law enforcement officials and federal agents on December 19, 2024.  At the time of this search, MARSH was on state supervised release for a previous state conviction of Pornography Involving Juveniles.  On December 19, 2024, following the search of his home, MARSH was arrested by Louisiana State Probation and Parole for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of child pornography.  Thereafter, MARSH was transferred from state to federal custody in connection with this federal indictment.              

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

    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 United States Attorney’s 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.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Jefferson Parish Police Department; and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, Probation and Parole.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USAO Announces Sentencings in Connection with Violent Crime Reduction Initiative

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Acting United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio has announced sentencings for several defendants who were charged in connection with a 2023 violent crime reduction initiative. The initiative was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to focus on the reduction of gun-crime violence.

    Malachi Berry, 22, Darvell Jackson, 21, Steven Armstrong, 20, Nimar Linder, 22, Terrez Wilson, 20, Maurice Hardman, 20, all of Cleveland, and Brandon Kimbrough, 24, of Euclid, were each sentenced to imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson after pleading guilty for their roles in a firearms-trafficking conspiracy. Each defendant’s prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.

    Malachi Berry was sentenced to 89 months in prison for conspiracy to possess machineguns and conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license. According to court documents, he was responsible for arranging the sales of 13 firearms, including ones that were reported stolen and had the serial numbers obliterated. Some of the items intended to be trafficked included machineguns. Berry brokered the firearms sales by recruiting others to sell them after he negotiated the prices.

    Darvell Jackson was sentenced to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to possess a machinegun, conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court documents, he sold seven firearms, including at least one stolen firearm and one firearm with an obliterated serial number, some with high-capacity magazines, and four machinegun conversion devices.

    Nimar Linder was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Linder, a convicted felon, possessed and sold five firearms, including multi-caliber pistols with high-capacity magazines and a pistol with an obliterated serial number.

    Terrez Wilson was sentenced to 26 months in prison for possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, he sold a Glock, Model 22, .40 caliber pistol with a machinegun conversion device knowing that the firearm was intended to be trafficked.

    Maurice Hardman was sentenced to 33 months in prison for possession of a machinegun and conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license. According to court documents, he sold a Glock, Model 32Gen4, .357 caliber Sig-pistol with an affixed machinegun conversion device. In a separate transaction, Hardman sold a Glock, Model 19Gen5, 9mm pistol.

    Brandon Kimbrough was sentenced to 29 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Kimbrough, a convicted felon, possessed and sold a Taurus, Model G3, and a 9mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine.

    Steven Armstrong was sentenced to 26 months in prison for possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, he admitted he could acquire “buttons,” a term used for machinegun conversion devices, and “ghost Glocks,” a term used for privately made, unserialized firearms. Armstrong also sold a machinegun conversion device.

    The investigation preceding the indictment was led by the ATF, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI Cleveland Division, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio Investigative Unit, Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Division, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office. This operation was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative.

    These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Galvin and David Toepfer.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Bend Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SOUTH BEND – Jalen Pearson, 31 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distributing 5 or more grams of methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Pearson was sentenced to 97 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, in June 2023, Pearson distributed approximately 3 pounds of a high purity of methamphetamine for nearly $7,000.

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration including the DEA North Central Laboratory with assistance from the Indiana State Police and the Mishawaka Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cartel Cocaine Quality Tester Extradited from Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Irma Elvira Cruz, also known as “Huzipol” and “Madre,” 60, of Mexico, has been arraigned before Russell G. Vineyard, Chief United States Magistrate Judge, on federal charges of Conspiracy to Unlawfully Import Cocaine into the United States and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute.  Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 14, 2017. 

    “Cruz allegedly played a critical role in the trafficking of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Cruz’s extradition from Mexico is an important step in holding her accountable for her alleged role in bringing dangerous drugs into the United States and into our local communities. We thank our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their work in this investigation and our international partners for their cooperation in helping us bring Cruz to justice.”

    “Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “Cases like this clearly demonstrate the resolve of the DEA to hold drug traffickers accountable.”

    “The extradition and arraignment of Irma Elvira Cruz, an alleged key figure in an international cocaine trafficking organization, demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI and our partners to dismantling transnational criminal networks,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “By targeting those who facilitate the flow of dangerous narcotics into our communities, we are sending a strong message that we will pursue justice across borders and hold traffickers accountable.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, Jr., the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2013, United States law enforcement identified a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that, between approximately 2013 and 2016, imported large quantities of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and into the United States for distribution, and transported drug proceeds from the United States to Mexico. The investigation identified Irma Elvira Cruz as an associate of the drug trafficking organization, allegedly responsible for the quality control testing of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, sent from Colombia to Costa Rica and Mexico, and intended to be delivered into the United States.

    Cruz allegedly conspired with others in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, and elsewhere to coordinate the transportation of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Colombia through the coast of Central America for distribution in Mexico and the United States, including Atlanta, Georgia. Specifically, Cruz was allegedly responsible for testing the quality of a large shipment of cocaine ultimately destined for Atlanta.

    The investigation revealed that on or about September 3, 2015, Cruz traveled to the organization’s stash house in Heredia, Belen, Asuncion, Costa Rica, to test the purity of the cocaine to be delivered into the United States. The following day, law enforcement authorities stopped vehicles driven by Cruz’s associates leaving the stash house and seized approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine. Law enforcement authorities then searched the stash house and seized approximately 221 kilograms of cocaine.

    Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  Cruz is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Coast Guard, United States Navy, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, DeKalb County Police Department, and Georgia State Patrol.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth, III and Elizabeth M. Hathaway are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Tarvin contributed to the prosecution as well. Also, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs coordinated with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Cruz.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.  OCDETF identifies and eliminates 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.

    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: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chairs review meeting regarding traditional seeds of the Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chairs review meeting regarding traditional seeds of the Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) in New Delhi

    The Union Minister of Cooperation said, Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) is making continuous efforts to conserve and promote traditional seeds

    Shri Amit Shah instructs to ensure organic production of some selected traditional seeds from different regions of the country and their wide availability in the market from Kharif-2025

    The Union Minister of Cooperation emphasized on preparing a comprehensive database of all traditional seeds of fruits, vegetables and food grains across the country and implementing a comprehensive action plan for their conservation and promotion

    Posted On: 25 FEB 2025 8:59PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chaired a review meeting regarding traditional/sweet seeds of the Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) in New Delhi today. During the meeting, the Union Minister of Cooperation said, Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) is making continuous efforts to conserve and promote traditional seeds.

     

     

    During the meeting, Union Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah directed to ensure organic production of some selected traditional seeds from different regions of the country and their wide availability in the market from Kharif-2025. The major seeds among these seeds are- Amreli millet (Gujarat), Uttarakhand Gahat (Horse Gram), Uttarakhand Mandua (Finger Millet), Bundelkhand Methi (Fenugreek), Kathia wheat, Munsiyari Rajma, Kala Bhatt, four varieties of Kala Namak paddy, Juhi paddy (Bengal) and Gopal Bhog paddy (Bengal).

     

     

    The Union Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah emphasized on preparing a comprehensive database of all traditional seeds of fruits, vegetables and food grains across the country and implementing a comprehensive action plan for their conservation and promotion

     

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    RK/VV/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2106262) Visitor Counter : 42

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Digital Transformation of Justice: Integrating AI in India’s Judiciary and Law Enforcement

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 25 FEB 2025 8:22PM by PIB Delhi

    “Technology will integrate police, forensics, jails, and courts, and will speed up their work as well. We are moving towards a justice system that will be fully future-ready.”

                                                                                                             –    Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi

    Introduction

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving a transformative shift in India’s judiciary and law enforcement, enhancing efficiency, accessibility, and decision-making. By integrating AI into judicial processes, case management, legal research, and law enforcement, India is streamlining operations, reducing delays, and making justice more accessible to all.

    The judiciary faces longstanding challenges such as case backlogs, language barriers, and the need for digital modernization. AI-powered technologies—including Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and Predictive Analytics are now being leveraged to automate administrative tasks, improve case tracking, and enhance crime prevention.

    Initiatives like e-Courts Project Phase III, AI-assisted legal translation, predictive policing, and AI-driven legal chatbots are reshaping the legal landscape, making processes faster, smarter, and more transparent. While the adoption of AI presents challenges, particularly in data security, ethical governance, and legal adaptation, its potential to strengthen India’s justice system is unparalleled.

    This article explores the transformative role of AI in India’s judiciary and law enforcement, highlighting its applications, impact, and future potential in ensuring a more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric justice system.

    AI in the e-Courts Project (Phase III) – A Leap Forward in Judicial Digital Transformation

    The e-Courts Project, initiated under the aegis of the Supreme Court of India, is a transformative initiative aimed at modernizing judicial functions through digital innovation. In Phase III, the project integrates advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to enhance case management and administrative efficiency across courts in India. This phase builds on earlier digital transformation efforts to deliver a more responsive and effective judicial system.

    Key AI Applications in e-Courts

    • Automated Case Management
      AI-driven tools are now deployed for smart scheduling, case prioritization, and proactive backlog reduction. These systems use predictive analytics to forecast potential delays and adjournments, ensuring that judicial resources are optimally allocated for timely case resolution.

     

    • AI in Legal Research and Documentation
      Advanced AI-powered tools assist judges and lawyers by streamlining legal research, identifying relevant case precedents, and summarizing judgments. This technology not only expedites the research process but also enhances the quality and consistency of legal documentation.

     

    • AI-Assisted Filing and Court Procedures
      The integration of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) is revolutionizing document digitization. These technologies automate the filing of court documents, ensuring faster processing and reducing manual errors in the documentation process.
    • AI for User Assistance and Chatbots
      AI-driven virtual legal assistants and chatbots are available to provide litigants with real-time information on case status, procedural guidance, and essential legal updates. This round-the-clock digital support makes the judicial system more accessible and user-friendly, especially for individuals unfamiliar with legal procedures.
       
    • AI for Predictive Analysis in Case Outcomes
      AI models analyze historical judgments and case data to offer predictive insights into potential case outcomes and risk assessments. This capability helps judicial officers to formulate more informed decisions and develop effective case strategies, contributing to a proactive judicial framework.

    Budget and Implementation

    The Government of India has allocated a total of ₹7210 Crore for the e-Courts Phase III project, reflecting a strong commitment to judicial digital transformation. Within this budget, ₹53.57 Crore is specifically earmarked for the integration of AI and Blockchain technologies across High Courts in India. This financial commitment underscores the importance of leveraging advanced technology to achieve greater efficiency, transparency, and accessibility in the judicial system.

    AI for Legal Translation and Language Accessibility 

    India’s judicial system operates primarily in English, creating barriers for non-English-speaking litigants. AI-driven legal translation tools are being deployed to make legal documents and judgments accessible.

    Key Developments in AI-Assisted Legal Translation

    AI in Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention 

    AI is being integrated into policing and law enforcement to enhance crime detection, surveillance, and criminal investigations.

    Key AI Applications in Law Enforcement

    • Predictive Policing
      AI models analyze crime patterns, high-risk areas, and criminal behaviour, enabling law enforcement to take proactive measures.

     

    • AI for Surveillance and Investigation
      • Automated drones for crime scene monitoring and suspect tracking.
      • Facial recognition systems integrated with national criminal databases.
      • AI-powered forensic analysis to examine evidence and digital crime trails.

     

    • AI in FIR Filing and Judicial Proceedings
      • AI-driven speech-to-text tools assist in real-time FIR filing and case documentation.
      • AI is improving witness testimony analysis and courtroom evidence evaluation.

     

    • Data-Driven Crime Tracking and Intelligence Systems
      • AI enhances Crime and Criminal Tracking Network Systems (CCTNS).
      • Integration with e-Prisons and e-Forensics databases.

    AI and 5G: Vimarsh 2023 Hackathon for Law Enforcement 

    The Vimarsh 2023 5G Hackathon, organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D), Ministry of Home Affairs, explored AI-driven innovations for crime prevention.

     

    Innovations Demonstrated at Vimarsh 2023

    • AI-assisted FIR filing using voice recognition.
    • Drone-based crime surveillance and suspect tracking.
    • Augmented Reality (AR) applications for crime scene investigations.
    • AI-driven predictive analytics for national security and policing.

    Conclusion

    Artificial Intelligence is transforming India’s judiciary and law enforcement by enhancing case management, legal research, crime prevention, and language accessibility. AI-driven tools such as predictive analytics, automated documentation, chatbots, and smart policing systems are improving efficiency and governance in the legal system. However, responsible AI adoption requires strong data security, legal reforms, and transparency to ensure it supports rather than replaces human judgment in judicial processes. The future of AI in law and justice will be shaped by AI-powered legal research, blockchain-secured case records, judicial transparency through AI analytics, and enhanced cybersecurity in law enforcement.

    With sustained government investment and regulatory oversight, AI has the potential to make India’s justice system faster, more accessible, and transparent for all citizens.

     

    References

     

    Click here to download PDF

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –