NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI Security: O’Fallon, Missouri Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison on Child Sex Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man who engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old that he met online and discussed sex with another 15-year-old to 25 years in prison.

    Andrew Haller, 34, met two 15-year-old girls on Tumblr before moving their conversations to the encrypted app Telegram.

    The 15-year-old California victim came forward in October of 2023 and told the FBI that Haller was sexually abusing another teen. She said Haller told her that he had imposed rules on the other victim, and proposed rules for the California victim. The rules included that she would have to ask his permission once a day to urinate, wear a collar and refer to him only as “Sir,” Dad” or “Daddy.” He also asked her for nude photos and sent her photos and videos of the other victim.

    After identifying Haller and performing a court-approved search of his home in November of 2023, the FBI identified that other victim. The victim told the FBI that she met Haller in person twice in 2023 and engaged in sexual activity. Haller struck her during the first visit and took pictures and videos of her, his plea says. He also told her he wanted to abuse children too young to talk or remember the abuse. She sent Haller sexually explicit photos at his direction.

    In a letter to the court, the second victim said Haller won her trust by claiming that he suffered mental illness, as she did. Then he began controlling her, making demands and ordering her to carve his initial into her thigh. “He wanted me to have kids so he could abuse them,” she wrote.

    Haller also possessed 195 images and 92 videos of known or suspected child sexual abuse material and sent that material to others via Telegram and Signal, another encrypted app, his plea says.

    Haller pleaded guilty in October to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brazilian Extradited from Switzerland to the United States to Face Indictment Charging Involvement in $290M+ Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tens of thousands of investors deposited bitcoin expecting an investment strategy – Instead, new investor bitcoin used to pay off other investors in a Ponzi scheme

    SEATTLE – A citizen of Brazil appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today, after being extradited from Switzerland to face a 13-count indictment for wire fraud and conspiracy regarding his bitcoin investment scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Douver T. Braga, 48, lived in Florida between approximately 2016 and 2021 during the bulk of the alleged fraud. The indictment alleges Braga operated a bitcoin investment scheme that was really a Ponzi scheme, as well as an illegal multilevel marketing scheme.

    The grand jury returned the indictment in October 2022. It was unsealed last week following Braga’s arrest in Switzerland. Today Braga pleaded “Not Guilty,” and trial was scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Tana Lin on April 28, 2025.

    “Mr. Braga allegedly ran a fraud scheme that harkens back more than a century, but he updated his ‘Ponzi’ scheme with the hot new thing: bitcoin,” said U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “The victim investors have waited years to see justice. I commend our federal partners at the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation for their diligent work on this case.”

    According to the indictment, Braga conspired with others to create a cryptocurrency trading platform called Trade Coin Club (TCC) with an office in Belize. As early as 2016, Braga worked with others to promote TCC, claiming that investors would make money because the TCC had a sophisticated software program that allowed investors to profit on the fluctuating price of bitcoin. Braga also promised that investors could make money by referring other investors to the platform. In reality, there was no investment platform and no sophisticated software. Those who invested early were paid off by later investors as in a Ponzi scheme.

    Braga traveled the world promoting TCC: In Thailand in March 2017, in Nigeria and Macau in May 2017.  TCC was promoted on social media and in videos. At various events Braga claimed TCC had as many as 126,000 members in 231 different countries.

    Through his false promises of sophisticated investments and high returns, Braga induced tens of thousands of people to entrust over 82,000 bitcoin, valued at over $290 million at the time of investment, and to deposit it with TCC. Braga continued the false representations, creating an “online portal” where investors could track the supposed activity of their investment accounts. The site was a fiction as there was no trading activity.

    Braga withdrew and misappropriated investor funds. Between December 2016 and July 2019, at least $50 million in bitcoin was transferred to accounts Braga controlled.

    However, by late 2017 and early 2018, investors had trouble accessing their funds. In January 2018, TCC announced to investors that it was ceasing to operate in the United States and was cancelling their accounts.  Many investors were located in the Western District of Washington.

    Braga allegedly profited handsomely, while failing to report the earnings to the IRS. In 2017, he received bitcoin worth $30.5 million, but only reported income of $152, 298. In 2018, he reported $73,473 in income but got $13.1 million in bitcoin and in 2019, reported $72,870 in income while he received $10 million in bitcoin.

    “The type of scheme Mr. Braga is charged with operating is not new, he just used the allure of a flashy new technology to obscure the well-worn scam.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “While the victims in this case waited and wondered about the fate of their investments, he siphoned off millions of dollars for his personal use. This case demonstrates the determination of the FBI and our partners in IRS Criminal Investigation to hold fraudsters accountable, no matter where in the world they may be.”

    “The charges against Mr. Braga and his co-conspirators reflect a well-designed scheme to solicit investment in a fake cryptocurrency trading platform from victims around the globe,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI), Los Angeles Field Office.  “Furthermore, Mr. Braga is alleged to have knowingly ignored and circumvented laws regulating multi-level marketing programs in the U.S.- laws that exist to protect investors from becoming victims in pyramid schemes.  Despite the complexity of this scheme, IRS Criminal Investigation and our partners at the FBI successfully uncovered the evidence necessary to bring forth these charges.”

    Braga is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud reflecting 12 wires investors sent to TCC for deposits in their “accounts.” Braga is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    The charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

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

    The case was investigated by the IRS-CI and the FBI.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Dion and Phillip Kopczynski. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with securing the extradition.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Convicted for Possession of Firearms Linked to Miami-Dade Shootings, Homicide

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – After a three-day bifurcated trial, a Miami federal jury found Nathaniel Martin, 45, guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Later that same day, the jury found that Martin qualified as an Armed Career Criminal based on his criminal history, including prior convictions for robbery, cocaine trafficking, and armed robbery.

    Based on the evidence at trial, police responded to a market in Miami Gardens based on a tip that a person of interest in an open investigation was camped out in the alley behind that market. When police arrived, they observed Martin sitting in a chair at the end of the alley rifling through a bookbag. Surveillance footage from the interior and exterior of the market showed Martin handling the bookbag, a plastic bag, and other belongings in and around the market. Police later recovered the bookbag, which contained fourteen rounds of live ammunition, and the plastic bag, which contained two semiautomatic pistols and additional ammunition.

    Additional evidence at trial included text messages from the day of the arrest in which Martin asked if he could hide his guns under a friend’s bed, DNA evidence for each of the firearms, and recorded jail calls from the day of the arrest in which Martin lamented that police had recovered “the weapons.”

    According to other filings in the case, one of the pistols recovered from Martin returned ballistic matches to shell casings recovered from a December 2023 shooting in Miami Gardens and a January 13, 2024 homicide in Miami Gardens. 

    U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez presided over the trial. Martin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years of imprisonment, and a maximum term of imprisonment up to life. The sentencing hearing has been set for May 2, 2025. Judge Martinez will sentence Martin after a review of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge John F. Dion, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the verdicts. 

    The ATF and the Miami Gardens Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sterling M. Paulson and Altanese Phenelus are prosecuting the case.

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

    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 24-cr- 20065.

    ###  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Parmelee Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender. The sentencing took place on February 20, 2025.

    William Verlin Fool Bull, Sr., age 45, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. 

    Fool Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 19, 2024.

    By October 4, 2023, Fool Bull had been in a relationship with his girlfriend for approximately 10 years. They lived together with their two young children in Parmelee, which lies within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On October 4, Fool Bull punched his girlfriend in the face several times and suffocated her in their home. The assault stopped when Fool Bull’s girlfriend kicked him in the knee and fled. Fool Bull has two prior convictions for domestic abuse.

    This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.

    This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

    Fool Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three New Haven Men Guilty of Charges Related to Counterfeit Pill Production, Narcotics Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a jury in Hartford has found AQUARIUS GUMBS, also known as “Q,” “Ice,” and “Diamond,” 50; GORDON LAURIA, 54; and MARKOS PAPPAS, also known as “Speedy,” 51; all of New Haven, guilty of offenses related to the large-scale trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills disguised as legitimate prescription medication, as well as other controlled substances.

    According to court documents and the evidence presented during the trial, this matter stems from an investigation by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force targeting the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall tablets containing methamphetamine, and the distribution of heroin and cocaine, in the New Haven area.  The investigation revealed that Willis Taylor, with the assistance of Lauria, Pappas, Gumbs, and others, coordinated the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit narcotic pills.  Taylor distributed the pills to others and arranged counterfeit pill transactions between second and third parties, sometimes using Gumbs as a source of supply.  Gumbs also distributed controlled substances to his own customers.  After Taylor’s arrest in November 2022, Pappas conspired with others, including Lisa Fausel, of New Haven, to distribute controlled substances.

    During the investigation, investigators seized more than two kilograms of fentanyl, including thousands of counterfeit Oxycodone tablets; approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, including thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills; three kilograms of cocaine and other drugs; four pill-press machines; one industrial mixer; five firearms; and more than $200,000 in cash.  Two of the firearms and $13,250 in cash were seized from Gumbs, a previously convicted felon, on November 18, 2022.

    Fourteen individuals were charged as a result of this investigation.

    Today, the jury found Lauria and Gumbs guilty of one count, and Pappas guilty of two counts, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.  Gumbs was also found guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    The jury found a fourth defendant, Julio Echevarria, of New Haven, not guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.

    Gumbs, Lauria, and Pappas are detained pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.

    Taylor previously pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.  On October 21, 2024, Fausel was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment.

    This matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshals Service.  The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA, the Connecticut State Police, and the West Haven, Hamden, Manchester, Bristol, Fairfield, and Seymour Police Departments.  The FBI Task Force includes participants from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. 

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten, John T. Pierpont, Jr., Konstantin Lantsman, and Katherine Boyles through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nevada Woman Indicted In Romance Scheme To Defraud Seniors

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas, Nevada, woman has been charged in a 21-count superseding indictment for allegedly luring older men she met through online dating services and stealing their monies for her personal benefit.

    Aurora Phelps, 43, with residences in Las Vegas and Guadalajara, Mexico, is charged with seven counts of wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; six counts of bank fraud; three counts of identity theft; one count of kidnapping; and one count of kidnapping resulting in death. Phelps is currently in custody in Mexico.

    According to allegations contained in the superseding indictment, from July 1, 2021, to December 9, 2022, Phelps would meet older men on dating websites or services, then meet them in-person. It was part of her scheme to drug the older men to gain unauthorized access to and steal money from their financial accounts to personally benefit herself and her family members.

    The superseding indictment stems from a two-year investigation by the FBI Las Vegas Division. The superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in September 2023.

    Photo of defendant Aurora Phelps, from court document in United States of America v. Aurora Phelps, number 2:23-cr-0167-CDS-DJA, in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.

    In romance scams, the scammer gains an unsuspecting individual’s affection and trust, then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. These schemes not only cause significant financial losses, but also deeply impact the lives of victims.

    If convicted on all counts, Phelps faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison.

    The charges were announced by Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division.

    The investigation is a result of the close cooperation between the United States and Mexican authorities. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing significant assistance in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel R. Schiess and Steven J. Rose are prosecuting the case.

    An FBI website has been established seeking to identify potential victims. Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Phelps or otherwise have information related to the case are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or complete a survey via this website https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-aurora-phelps-investigation.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help older Americans is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage, which can be found at elderjustice.gov. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.

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

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Engineer Pleads Guilty to Possessing Trade Secrets of Oregon Semiconductor Manufacturer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Ore.– Varun Gupta, 44, who previously lived and worked in Oregon, pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing trade secrets taken from his previous employer.

    According to court documents, from July 2010 to January 2020, Gupta was employed as a product marketing engineer for an American technology company headquartered in California, with its largest concentration of facilities and employees located in Oregon. The company is one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers, supplying semiconductor products to companies globally.

    As part of his employment, Gupta signed an agreement prohibiting him from disclosing, retaining or making unauthorized copies of proprietary information or trade secrets without authorization from the company. Throughout his employment, Gupta had access to valuable and protected information including pricing structures and strategies and product development and manufacturing capabilities. To secure this information, the company used multiple layers of protection.

    In early January 2020, Gupta announced his intent to resign and take a job with a domestic technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington.  While still employed at the company in Oregon, Gupta downloaded approximately 4,000 files, many of which contained trade secrets and proprietary materials, from his company-issued computer to personal portable hard drives.

    Between February and July 2020, while employed by the company in Washington, Gupta possessed and accessed his previous employer’s trade secrets and proprietary information without authorization. Gupta accessed information related to customized product design and pricing for significant purchases of computer processors, which Gupta used, as a representative of the Washington company, during head-to-head negotiations with his previous employer.

    On December 26, 2024, Gupta was charged by criminal information with possessing stolen trade secrets.

    Gupta faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 12, 2025, by a U.S. District Judge.

    This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Geoffrey A. Barrow, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Anand B. Patel, Senior Counsel for the Criminal Division.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three Kootenai County Men Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of Children

    Source: US State of Idaho

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced investigators with his Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force arrested three North Idaho men after the serving of residential search warrants this past week.
    “Our growing network of agency partnerships across the state is showing that, together, we are making a difference in protecting children,” said Attorney General Labrador.  “I’m grateful for the efforts of everyone working to keep Idaho’s kids safe from abuse and exploitation.”
    On Tuesday February 18th, 2025, Travis McClure (42) was arrested on seven (7) counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material. The Idaho ICAC Task Force was assisted by Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the Kootenai County Prosecutors Office.
    On Wednesday February 19th, 2025, Dakotah Kitchen (28) was arrested on seven (7) counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material, two (2) counts of distribution of child sexual exploitation material and one (1) count of possession of visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The Idaho ICAC Task Force was assisted by Post Falls Police Department, and the Kootenai County Prosecutors Office.
    On Thursday, February 20th, 2025, Matthew Cash (43) was arrested on eight (8) counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material, and two (2) counts of possession of visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The ICAC Task Force was assisted by Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, and Kootenai County Prosecutors Office.
    Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.
    The Attorney General’s ICAC Unit works with the Idaho ICAC Task Force, a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to investigate and prosecute individuals who use the internet to criminally exploit children. Parents, educators, and law enforcement officials can find more information and helpful resources at the ICAC website, ICACIdaho.org.
    The charges listed above are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Saskatchewan — Saskatchewan RCMP: Recognizing and reporting human trafficking key to holding perpetrators accountable

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Human trafficking isn’t a crime that only happens in big urban centres – it happens in cities and small communities across Saskatchewan.

    National Human Trafficking Day in Canada is February 22. It’s important for everyone to recognize the signs of human trafficking and report suspected trafficking to police immediately.

    Saskatchewan RCMP’s Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams (SERT) Human Trafficking and Counter Exploitation Unit (HTCEU) is dedicated to targeting offenders and criminal groups engaged in human trafficking.

    HTCEU has a partnership with the Regina Police Service (RPS). This collaborative approach provides specialized support to both RCMP detachments and municipal police agencies across the province.

    “Ensuring the safety and security of the victim is always the main goal in investigations, that’s why the Saskatchewan RCMP takes a victim-centered, trauma-informed response to human trafficking,” says S/Sgt. Danny Donison, the Saskatchewan RCMP SERT south region manager and head of the HTCEU.

    “Saskatchewan residents know their communities better than anyone else. Recognizing and reporting suspected trafficking is essential when it comes to holding perpetrators accountable.”

    How to recognize and report human trafficking

    Saskatchewan RCMP reminds the public that anyone can be a target for human trafficking. Victims may be trafficked by someone they know: a former or current partner, family member, friend, or trustworthy person. Recruiting tactics can be subtle; often victims don’t even know they’re being trafficked.

    A victim of human trafficking may display one or more of the following signs:

    • They don’t have access to their ID, passport or cell phone;
    • are under the age of 18 and travelling with an adult who is not their parent or legal guardian;
    • aren’t familiar with their surroundings or aware of what city or town they’re in;
    • appear to be in a controlling or abusive relationship;
    • exhibit signs of trauma, such as burns, bruises or cuts; or
    • show signs of malnourishment or fatigue.

    Traffickers may approach potential victims by:

    • pretending to be a potential love interest, friend or support person;
    • connecting over social media or in person;
    • offering gifts or money;
    • introducing drugs or alcohol; or
    • threatening potential victims’ loved ones if they don’t comply.

    Additional information on recognizing human trafficking can be found here.

    If you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking, call 310-RCMP or your local police immediately to report it.

    In addition to contacting the RCMP, the public can also contact the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010. This hotline is confidential, available 24/7 and offers services in more than 200 languages. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prince Albert — Prince Albert RCMP: do you recognize this suspect?

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Prince Albert RCMP is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect in a suspicious fire.

    On December 16, 2024 at approximately noon, Prince Albert RCMP received a report of a structure fire at a permanently-closed service station on Highway #3, west of Prince Albert.

    Buckland Fire and Rescue responded to the fire, which caused significant damage to the building. Prince Albert RCMP assisted at the scene.

    Investigation determined the fire had been deliberately set. Prince Albert RCMP obtained video surveillance of a suspect and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying and locating them. Photos of the suspect are attached.

    Prince Albert RCMP continue to investigate with the assistance of fire investigators from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

    Anyone with information about this incident should contact Prince Albert RCMP at 310-RCMP. Information can be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Rock Hill Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Role in Drug Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Emmanuel Deon Foster, 36, and Bobby Antoinios Hall, 41, both of Rock Hill, have been sentenced for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute quantities of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin.   

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Foster and Hall had a close relationship with the leader of the conspiracy. Based upon law enforcement efforts, they learned both Foster and Hall purchased fentanyl-lased pills during the time of the conspiracy from the leader.  These pills were then sold to other dealers in the Rock Hill area. Foster also purchased and sold cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine. These drugs were purchased from other members of the conspiracy and sold to other dealers. This operation has been responsible for the arrest and conviction of more than 20 individuals during its existence.

    United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Foster to a total of 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Hall was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

    This joint law enforcement activity and prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Offender Arrested And Indicted For Using The Internet To Access Child Sexual Abuse Materials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest and indictment of Sean-Michael Smith (36, Jacksonville) for using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials. If convicted, Smith faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Smith is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in 2014 of distributing child pornography. Smith was arrested on December 18, 2024, and is detained pending trial.

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

    It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dauphin County Man Sentenced to 97 Months’ Imprisonment for Receipt of Images Containing the Sexual Exploitation of a Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dylan Ruppert, age 29, formerly of Halifax, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 20, 2025, to 97 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, for receiving images containing sexual exploitation of a child.  

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on August 11, 2023, law enforcement recovered approximately 65 electronic files of child pornography from Ruppert’s phone during a search of his home. Law enforcement also recovered electronic communications from Ruppert to another individual in which Ruppert discussed his desire to groom a child to engage in sexual activity.

    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.

    The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Varley prosecuted the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Prison for Mailing, Distributing Methamphetamine and Cocaine Throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that four members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that mailed methamphetamine and cocaine to, and distributed it throughout, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, including in Reading, Quakertown, Bensalem, Plymouth Township, Coopersburg, and elsewhere, have been sentenced to prison by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson.

    In January 2024, the defendants were charged by indictment with drug trafficking offenses. They entered guilty pleas late last year.

    Aived Abel Garcia, aka “Nephew,” 26, of Chula Vista, California, was sentenced today by Judge Wolson to 70 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in the drug trafficking organization.

    Miguel Aliaga, aka “Migz,” 37, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, and Avrian Haywood Mack, aka “The Kid,” 22, of Reading, Pennsylvania, were both sentenced earlier this month to 60 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

    The DTO’s leader, Michael Sanchez, aka “West Coast,” 33, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced in January to 14½ years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

    Members of the DTO mailed the drugs from California to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where members of the organization would then pick up the packages for subsequent distribution to their dealers.

    Sanchez organized and managed the DTO, overseeing the drug shipments. Garcia would travel from California to Pennsylvania to pick up the packages of narcotics, collect money owed to the DTO, and deposit it into a bank account. He, Mack, and Aliaga then distributed bulk amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine for the organization.

    “These defendants took part in a cross-country conspiracy that brought significant amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine from California to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “This office and our law enforcement partners at every level will continue to investigate and prosecute such traffickers, as we work to take illegal drugs off the street and make our communities safer.”

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia’s El Dorado Task Force, HSI Allentown, HSI Los Angeles, HSI San Diego, HSI LAX, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office Drug Strike Force, Quakertown Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Richland Township Police Department, Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Berks County Detectives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Bensalem Police Department, Montgomery County Detectives, and the Orange County Probation Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lizmar Bosques and Special Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Gannon, specially assigned from the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado City Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Role in Child Sexual Abuse Ring

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – LaDell Jay Bistline, Jr., 46, of Colorado City, was sentenced on Wednesday by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to life in prison. On October 2, 2024, a jury convicted Bistline of one count of Receipt of Child Pornography; one count of Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor; two counts of Persuading or Coercing Travel to Engage in Sexual Activity; two counts of Using a Means of Interstate Commerce to Persuade or Coerce a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity; and two counts of Transportation of a Minor for Criminal Sexual Activity.

    Bistline’s charges are based on his participation in a years-long child sexual abuse conspiracy that spanned several states and victimized at least 10 children. Bistline committed his crimes with others, including co-defendant Samuel Rappylee Bateman, the self-proclaimed leader of a religious sect based in Colorado City. Bateman and 10 of his other followers previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy and were not part of the trial against Bistline.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bistline delivered two of his own daughters to Bateman to become child “brides” and be sexually abused when the girls were nine and 11 years old. Bistline and others transported the victims between states including Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona to facilitate the sexual abuse. Bistline also participated in group sexual activity involving children, including one event he watched over a video livestream.

    The Phoenix Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work rescuing and protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, the Colorado City Police Department, the Iron County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the St. George Resident Agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-22-8092-006-PHX-SMB
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-021_Bistline

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 02/21/2025 Blackburn, Ossoff Introduce Bill to Help Rescue Children from Violence by Recording Child Protective Services Interviews

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) introduced the Generate Recordings of All Child protective Interviews Everywhere (GRACIE) Act, which would incentivize states to require the recording of all Child Protective Services (CPS) interviews with children and adults. Modernizing CPS interview protocols would increase the likelihood that child trafficking victims will be identified and removed from dangerous situations, including sex and labor trafficking, domestic violence, physical and emotional abuse, and other forms of violence.
    “Children are often silenced by their abusers, and we need to do everything in our power to ensure that does not happen,” said Senator Blackburn. “The GRACIE Act would help give more children a voice, increase domestic violence reporting, and strengthen the foster care system.”
    “We can never do enough to support vulnerable children in Georgia and across the country,” said Senator Ossoff. “Senator Blackburn and I are introducing this new bipartisan bill to strengthen transparency in State child protective agencies and help States better fund their operations.”
    BACKGROUND
    In the U.S., it is estimated 37.4% of children will be interviewed by CPS at some point in their childhood. These initial interviews can be traumatic, so we must do everything we can to ensure transparency and accountability during the process. CPS is the gateway to the foster care system, and approximately 60% of U.S. domestic child sex trafficking victims have engaged with the foster care system. Many of them undergo multiple interviews without one CPS staffer identifying them as child trafficking victims or removing them from real-time trafficking violence.
    CPS has a history of distorting the testimony of children who are trying to speak out about abuse and trafficking. As a result, children can remain in abusive and dangerous situations. CPS interview protocols are broken, and mandating all CPS interviews be recorded would be a good first step toward fixing this broken system.
    The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has required recordings of all interrogations for nearly a decade, and state law enforcement departments often require police body cameras. Similar accountability measures are long overdue in the child protection space. It is imperative that federal and state legislation require at least audio recording – if not video recording, too – of all CPS interviews.
    THE GRACIE ACT
    The GRACIE Act would create a program within the DOJ to award states that require the recording of all CPS interviews with children and adults. This legislation includes provisions to protect the privacy and security of those recordings, so they are not shared with anyone outside of a law enforcement investigation. They would also only be retained for the amount of time needed to deal with the case.
    Click here for bill text. 
    ENDORSEMENTS
    This legislation is endorsed by Street Grace, No Trafficking Zones, Pearl at the Mailbox, The Foundation United, Rights for Girls, 3Strands Global, Engage Together, Interparliamentary Taskforce on Human Trafficking, and Paving the Way Foundation. 
    “As an organization dedicated to stopping the exploitation of children, we have seen firsthand the urgent need for reform—especially at the intersection of child protection and foster care. The GRACIE Act is a crucial step toward ensuring that every child’s voice is heard and that those on the frontlines of working with exploited children are held to the highest standards of accountability. This legislation closes a critical gap, providing necessary safeguards to protect vulnerable youth from further harm.” – Bob Rodgers, CEO of Street Grace

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armed Drug Cartel Member Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Hundreds of Kilos of Cocaine and Methamphetamine

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Armed Drug Cartel Member Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Hundreds of Kilos of Cocaine and Methamphetamine

    A Mexican national and armed member of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) was sentenced today in the District of Columbia to 20 years and 10 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that distributed large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine destined for the United States.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Stephenville — Arrest warrant issued for Paul Torraville

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Bay St. George RCMP is looking to arrest 54-year-old Paul Torraville who is actively evading police.

    Torraville is wanted for assault, assault by choking, and four counts of failure to comply with a release order.

    A picture of Paul Torraville is attached.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Paul Torraville are asked to contact Bay St. George RCMP at 709-643-2118. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or us the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Drug Cartel Member Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Hundreds of Kilos of Cocaine and Methamphetamine

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Mexican national and armed member of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) was sentenced today in the District of Columbia to 20 years and 10 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that distributed large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine destined for the United States.

    “For at least five years, Edgar Fabian Villasenor-Garcia took up arms to carry out the CJNG’s criminal activities, including trafficking enormous amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These highly addictive drugs and the violence associated with the CJNG’s criminal operations have devastated communities in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere. Today’s sentence sends another clear message to members of the CJNG and other Mexican drug trafficking organizations: We are committed to working tirelessly with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to eradicate Mexican cartels.”

    “Eliminating the cartels responsible for the deadly drug crisis in the United States is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s top operational priority, and Edgar Fabian Villasenor-Garcia’s sentencing today — as an armed CJNG operative — brings us a step closer to our goal,” said Acting Administrator Derek S. Maltz of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “The CJNG is responsible for fueling the deadly drug crisis in the United States, as well as unprecedented violence in Mexico, our neighbor. The DEA is relentlessly committed to defeating the CJNG and other cartels, and we will exhaust every tool in the justice system to fight back, to save American lives, and to bring these cartels to justice.”

    According to court documents, Edgar Fabian Villasenor-Garcia, also known as Gary and El Monje, 54, was responsible for trafficking at least 450 kilograms of cocaine and at least 780 kilograms of methamphetamine for importation into the United States on behalf of the CJNG, one of the most powerful, violent, and prolific drug cartels in Mexico. The CJNG kills, tortures, corrupts, and traffics hundreds of tons, if not more, of cocaine, methamphetamine, and other drugs into the United States and other countries. The CJNG also uses its drug proceeds to fund its violence, and by doing so, ravages communities and imperils countless lives.

    Villasenor-Garcia joined the CJNG before 2017 and carried a firearm in furtherance of the CJNG’s criminal operations. In November 2024, he pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges and admitted that CJNG members used firearms and violence to advance their mandate, including to protect drugs and drug proceeds, to control the CJNG members, to fight rival cartels, and to escape capture by law enforcement.

    The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Lernik Begian and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations also provided significant assistance.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: TWO TALLAHASSEE MEN FOUND GUILTY IN LARGE-SCALE CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE MARIJUANA

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Tyquan M. Watson, 28, and Dezaneil D. Cosby Jr., 27, both of Tallahassee, Florida, were found guilty by a federal jury of conspiring to distribute marijuana as part of a large-scale conspiracy distributing hundreds of pounds of marijuana per week. The guilty verdict, returned at the conclusion of a four-day trial, was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    Trial testimony and evidence demonstrated that Watson was purchasing hundred-pound quantities of marijuana per week from farms and brokers in California and reselling the marijuana in Tallahassee and surrounding areas. Evidence demonstrated that Watson had purchased at least 3169 pounds of marijuana between September 24, 2023, and January 10, 2024, with proceeds of at least $2.4 million during that period.

    The long-term investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). On October 13, 2022, FDLE conducted a controlled purchase of 28 pounds of marijuana from a subsequently charged codefendant. During the surveillance, FDLE agents observed the codefendant obtaining the marijuana from Cosby’s residence immediately prior to the controlled purchase. Both the codefendant and Watson’s fingerprints were identified on packaging material associated with the purchased marijuana. On October 28, 2022, DEA executed a federal search warrant at Cosby’s residence and seized 238 pounds of marijuana and a firearm.

    Watson and Cosby were both convicted of distribution of marijuana related to the October 13, 2022, controlled purchase. Cosby was also convicted of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana for the October 28, 2022, search warrant.

    Watson and Cosby were arrested together on federal arrest warrants on March 11, 2024, at another residence in Tallahassee. During that arrest, law enforcement seized another 183 pounds of marijuana and a firearm.

    Sentencing is scheduled for May 2, 2025, at 11:00am (Watson) and 2:00pm (Cosby) at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.

    This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Harley Ferguson prosecuted the case.

    This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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. More information about OCDETF may be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to More Than 2 Years for Trafficking Drugs at a Public Housing Development in Portsmouth

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A Dominican man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for trafficking drugs at a public housing development in Portsmouth, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Maikol Jordan Saldivar-Diaz, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 30 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In November 2024, Saldivar-Diaz pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of controlled substances.

    “Saldivar-Diaz is an illegal immigrant who chose to distribute drugs outside of a public housing development,” said Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack. “The families at the housing development deserve better than to be endangered by those dealing and buying dangerous narcotics nearby. We will continue to support our partners to ensure public neighborhoods in the Granite State are safeguarded from drug activity and violence.”

    According to court documents, Portsmouth Police Department was notified of drug activity at a public housing development in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Investigators were subsequently able to identify Saldivar-Diaz as the source of this drug activity. On three occasions in June and July of 2024, Saldivar-Diaz sold controlled substances to a confidential informant, including quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

    Portsmouth Police Department led the investigation. The Drug Enforcement Administration provided valuable assistance.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Scanlon is prosecuting the case.

    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.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 02/21/2025, 14-26 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A0ZYJ91 (FSK RS B4) were changed.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    02.21.2025

    14:26

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC) on 21.02.2025, 14-26 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 109.25) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1173.88 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 7.5%) of the security RU000A0ZYJ91 (FSK RS B4) were changed.

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

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

    HTTPS: //VVV. MEEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 02/21/2025, 18-09 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A1031Y5 (VEB1P-28) were changed.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    02.21.2025

    18:09

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC) on 21.02.2025, 18-09 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 97.01) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1049.25 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 15.0%) of the RU000A1031Y5 (VEB1P-28) security were changed.

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Bolstering efforts to combat human trafficking

    [. 22 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, and Alberta’s government is reaffirming its commitment to combatting this unthinkable crime. Human trafficking is a violation of fundamental human rights that takes advantage of vulnerable people, subjecting victims to forced labour, sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse. It perpetuates cycles of poverty and trauma, affecting individuals and communities across the province.

    Alberta’s government recognizes the urgent need to address human trafficking and provide comprehensive supports for survivors. Introduced in December 2024, the Combatting Trafficking in Persons grant helps organizations prevent human trafficking, protect at-risk people and empower survivors. Since being introduced, organizations that play a critical role in ending human trafficking and supporting survivors have applied for the grant and 19 will receive funding to support their critical work.

    “Human trafficking leaves lasting scars on victims, survivors and communities. We are taking a strong stance against traffickers and bolstering support networks for survivors. This funding will empower community-based organizations to provide specialized services that protect vulnerable individuals and disrupt the cycle of exploitation. With these community grants, we are ensuring traffickers are held accountable and survivors have the support they need from organizations such as The Alberta Centre to rebuild their lives.”

    Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

    Collaboration and community partnerships are vital to combatting human trafficking. These grants strengthen the capacity of organizations to work with law enforcement, non-profits and Indigenous communities to deliver critical supports where they are needed most. These grants provide resources to empower survivors with the tools and services they need to recover and thrive. By investing in prevention, we are addressing the root causes of trafficking and reducing exploitation in our communities.

    The Combatting Trafficking in Persons grants focus on three areas: prevention, protection and empowerment. Funded projects aim to prevent human trafficking by increasing public awareness of its signs and risk factors, supporting community engagement and fostering collaboration. Protection efforts will provide emergency support and help victims navigate legal and health care systems, while empowerment initiatives will assist survivors through peer support networks, skill-building programs and advocacy efforts.

    “With the Alberta Centre leading the way, we now have a dedicated, community-led organization working in partnership with the Government of Alberta and focused on disrupting trafficking networks and empowering survivors. This centre brings hope for vulnerable individuals and a safer future for all Albertans. Our work is focused on empowering those affected by trafficking, disrupting networks of exploitation, and fostering safer, more resilient communities.”

    Paul Brandt, founder and CEO, #NotInMyCity, and co-chair, Alberta Centre to End Trafficking in Persons

    “With the funding from the Government of Alberta, RESET Society of Calgary will increase the capacity within our program and decrease our waitlist to support survivors as they transition from situations of sex trafficking to healing, empowerment and sustaining stable lives for themselves and their children. Proactive initiatives like this from the Alberta government will bring agencies and partners together to provide critical trauma-informed programs and supports.”

    Theresa Jenkins, executive director, RESET Society of Calgary

    “Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association (ANFCA) is thankful to the Alberta government for its ongoing commitment to address human trafficking in Alberta and for support to continue our work to prevent human trafficking in friendship centre communities across the province. ANFCA looks forward to working in partnership with our member friendship centres, the Alberta government and other stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking in the province.”

    Jeannette MacInnis, director of partnerships, Alberta Native Friendship Centres

    Priority consideration was given to initiatives that meaningfully include persons with lived experience of human trafficking, as well as Indigenous-led programs. This approach ensures that funding supports culturally relevant, survivor-centered services with the greatest impact on vulnerable populations.

    Quick facts

    • The 19 organizations receiving provincial funding include:
      • Alberta Native Friendship Centres
      • ALERT
      • Buckspring Foundation
      • Catholic Social Services
      • CEASE
      • Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre
      • Chiniki First Nation
      • Goodstoney First Nation
      • HER Victory
      • Hull Services
      • Kainai Transition Centre Society
      • Métis Nation of Alberta
      • Narrow Road Society
      • REACH
      • RESET Society
      • Salvation Army
      • The Alberta Centre for Human Trafficking
      • Tsuut’ina Nation
      • Waypoints
    • Recipients of the Combatting Trafficking in Persons Grant must be located in Alberta. To be eligible to apply, applicants must be one of the following:
      • A registered not-for-profit/charitable organization in Alberta.
      • A community-based coalition or network (with a designated fiscal agent).
      • An Indigenous community, including Tribal Councils, First Nations and Metis Settlements.

    Related information

    • Combatting Trafficking in Persons Grant

    Related news

    • Empowering survivors of human trafficking (Dec. 13, 2024)

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seventeen Defendants Sentenced To Prison In Multi-State Drug Trafficking And Money Laundering Conspiracy

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

    Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dudzinski Poole and sixteen co-conspirators to federal prison terms ranging from six years, up to life, imprisonment in a multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. Poole was the leader of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that was responsible for distributing thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl with sources of supply or distributors in California, multiple other states, and China. The organization also laundered millions of dollars in drug money. Two of Poole’s co-conspirators (Michael Chester and George King, Jr.) were convicted after a ten-day jury trial in July 2024. The rest of the defendants entered guilty pleas. A summary chart of the sentences is below:

    Name (Age, Residence)

    Charges

    Sentence

    Dudzinski Edwinn Poole

    a/k/a “Zink”

    (50, Apopka, FL)

    Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    (two counts)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 21 years, 10 months’ imprisonment

    Melvin Tyrone Patterson, Jr.

    a/k/a “Goon”

    (34, Wildwood, FL)

    Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (two counts)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 18 years, 7 months’ imprisonment

    Andrew Woodruff, Jr.

    a/k/a “Smurf”

    (40, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 30 years’ imprisonment

    Jose Ivan Carbajal

    a/k/a “Primo”

    (35, California)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 40 years’ imprisonment

    Antonio Holmes

    a/k/a “Tone”

    (36, Davenport, FL)

    Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    		 15 years, 8 months’ imprisonment

    Diego Navarro- Martinez

    a/k/a “Shooter”

    (34, California)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 15 years’ imprisonment

    Michael Andre Chester

    a/k/a “Dre”

    (50, Apopka, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 Life in prison

    Samantha Tiesha King

    a/k/a “Mamp”

    (34, Altamonte Springs, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 17 years, 6 months’ imprisonment

    George Nelvin King, Jr.

    (47, Altamonte Springs, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 14 years, 8 months’ imprisonment

    Felisha Denise Williams

    a/k/a “Lil Momma”

    (35, Apopka, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 12 years, 7 months’ imprisonment

    Nathaniel Donnell, Jr.

    a/k/a “Bob”

    (60, Wildwood, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 13 years’ imprisonment

    Rodrieka Lashay Manning

    a/k/a “Drieka”

    (27, Apopka, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 11 years, 3 months’ imprisonment

    Mohammed McDowell

    a/k/a “Mo”

    (45, Wildwood, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years, 10 months’ imprisonment

    Janice Denise Anderson

    a/k/a “Butter”

    (67, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years, 4 months’ imprisonment

    Latonya Sharee Conley

    a/k/a “Hershey”

    (47, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years’ imprisonment

    Oveda Denise Miller

    a/k/a “Gangsta Granny”

    (62, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years’ imprisonment

    Roland Richardson

    (65, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 6 years’ imprisonment

    According to court records and the evidence presented at trial, between 2017 and 2023, the DTO operated largely out of Lake County, Florida, where Poole received hundreds of shipments of methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources of supply in California, including Jose Carbajal. The drugs were transported or shipped via commercial planes and through the mail. DEA seized more than 250 pounds of drugs (mostly methamphetamine and fentanyl) during the course of the investigation.

    The defendants played various roles in the DTO, such as suppliers, distributors, couriers, and courier coordinators. The couriers would fly to California from Florida with large sums of cash to purchase drugs and transport checked luggage full of drugs back to Florida on commercial flights. The conspirators sometimes purchased tickets and checked the suitcases full of drugs or cash at the airport but did not fly on the plane. The suitcases would travel to the destination where they would be picked up by other conspirators awaiting their arrival. Nearly all the flights were between the Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida and the Palm Springs Airport (PSP) or the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California. Flight records during a two-year period show more than 400 flights between California and Orlando among the various conspirators.

    The DTO also used couriers to transport large amounts of methamphetamine from Orlando to Virginia via train. In April 2022, one of these couriers was arrested at a train station in Virginia with approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine inside a suitcase.

    In addition to transporting drugs on commercial flights and trains, Poole and his associates had multiple stash houses and received hundreds of mailed packages of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California and other drugs, including fentanyl, from China. Poole’s source of supply in California (Carbajal) would ship packages that contained an average of five to ten pounds of drugs at a time. Poole would provide Carbajal various addresses to ship the drugs, including co-conspirators’ residences. Investigators identified almost 400 packages that were shipped from California as part of this conspiracy from 2019 to 2023.

    The members of this DTO also conspired with one another to engage in money laundering. Poole developed an entertainment business that he used to promote concerts with famous rap artists, whom he paid with drug proceeds. Poole then commingled the profits from the ticket sales with the drug proceeds in the same business account. Members of the conspiracy also used drug proceeds to pay for various expenses of the DTO (such as flights) or funneled the proceeds through numerous financial accounts into purchases of expensive jewelry, vehicles, residences, and payments to coconspirators.

    “This multi-state drug trafficking organization used a vast network to move methamphetamine and fentanyl to poison our communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “I’m proud of the way our agents and numerous law enforcement partners worked together to bring this criminal element to justice.”

    “Greed is the biggest motivation these criminal organizations know,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Motivated by money, they will try to place themselves above the law to the detriment of our communities. Fortunately, our agents and staff are extremely skilled at following the money to ensure these perpetrators face justice. We are proud to work alongside our partner agencies to put a stop to these dangerous drug trafficking organizations and ensure they are held accountable.”  

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Secret Service; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Orlando Police Department’s Special Enforcement Division and Crime Center and Forensics Division; the Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s including the Gang Enforcement Unit; the Florida Highway Patrol; the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office; the Casselberry Police Department; the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation; the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office; the Marion County Sheriff’s Office; the Lake County Sheriff’s Office; the Kissimmee Police Department; the St. Cloud Police Department; the Winter Park Police Department; the St. Cloud IRS Financial Crimes Task Force; and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office (California). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Belkis H. Callaos.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 02/21/2025, 14-01 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A101NQ1 (VBRR 1P-04) were changed.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    02.21.2025

    14:01

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC) on 21.02.2025, 14-01 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 104.83) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1088.51 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 10.0%) of the security RU000A101NQ1 (VBRR 1P-04) were changed.

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police investigating suspicious church fires in Masterton

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are investigating after four suspicious fires at churches in Masterton early today.

    Emergency services were called to the fires from around 4.25am.

    Police have undertaken checks at other churches in the town this morning and have located evidence to suggest three further churches were targeted but did not catch alight.

    Police remain at the scenes of the fires this morning, alongside Fire and Emergency New Zealand.  Officers will also be conducting reassurance patrols, including in nearby towns Featherston and Carterton.

    If anyone has information which could assist our investigation, please contact Police via 105.

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

    ENDS
     

    Issued by Police Media Centre. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Jacksonville Locates Remains of Missing Man from the UK

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

    The FBI Jacksonville Division, with support from state and local law enforcement partners, located the remains of 32-year-old Alex Hodgson Doughty on Tuesday, February 4, in a wooded area on private land near Kingsland, Georgia. FBI Jacksonville’s Evidence Response Team led the search. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner confirmed Mr. Doughty’s identity. No criminal charges are expected.

    Mr. Doughty was a citizen of the United Kingdom and was visiting North Florida in September 2022 when his mother contacted local police and reported that she could not reach him and was concerned for his well-being. Investigators from multiple federal, state, local, and international agencies have contributed to the search for answers since that time.

    “While we had hoped to bring Mr. Doughty’s family better news, we are thankful to be able to provide them with some closure,” said Special Agent in Charge Kristin Rehler. “This discovery is the direct result of our partnerships and special agents from FBI Jacksonville’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST), who were relentless in their efforts to narrow down potential search locations.”

    The FBI’s CAST supports law enforcement investigations through the analysis of historical and realtime mobile communications and geolocation data. CAST experts receive extensive training and are highly proficient at analyzing location data from mobile devices. Throughout fiscal year 2024, CAST experts assisted with more than 6,100 investigations, 54% of which were in support of state and local investigations. The search for Mr. Doughty was among those.

    In addition to the efforts of law enforcement, the Doughty family thanks the volunteer search teams who contributed their time and resources in six additional searches.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Jacksonville Division and State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Thames Valley (UK) Police Department, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and Kingsland (Georgia) Police Department. Additional local law enforcement provided resources to aid in the search.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: York and Yorkshire-based investigators help secure jail for plumbing fraudster who exploited vulnerable homeowners

    Source: City of York

    A man from Bolton who targeted victims across the North West has been sentenced to four years in prison at Bradford Crown Court today, after defrauding vulnerable customers out of a total of £250,000.

    Suhaib Sirajudin, 39, of Fifth Avenue, Bolton, operated as an ‘emergency plumber’ and pleaded guilty to two counts of fraudulent trading on 9 October 2024. The court heard how he took advantage of homeowners’ urgent need for a plumber by charging grossly inflated emergency callout and repair fees, frequently targeting victims who were older, vulnerable or lived alone. As well as seriously overcharging for initial works he often deliberately damaged victims’ properties in order to charge more for repairs.

    Between June 2021 and December 2022, trading as Plumbing Emergency 24/7 Limited and Expert Plumbing Limited 24/7, Mr Sirajudin advertised his services online and responded to emergency callouts from householders seeking urgent help with leaks. Mr Sirajudin would then exploit his victims, pressurising them into paying ‘extortionate’ sums for works that he completed to such a poor standard that the problem was either unresolved, or got worse.

    One older victim watched her kitchen ceiling fall in after Mr Sirajudin said a hole needed to be made in it to repair a bathroom leak. In total she and her husband, who was bedbound, paid almost £10,000 – almost all their savings. Another victim paid over £3,000 for the repair of a toilet leak that should have cost around £300. An expert said even that minor repair was not done properly.

    Another elderly couple were quoted £39,000 to repair their gas fire and boiler – which Mr Sirajudin was not qualified to do. They said Sirajudin made them feel belittled and as though they could not question the bill. They eventually paid £21,000.

    Many victims describe how Mr Sirajudin became aggressive when challenged, shouting and refusing to leave or threatening to take away new parts if payment was not made immediately. When victims or their relatives later contacted the companies to complain, their refund requests were often refused and they were cut off on the phone.

    As well as the financial losses, the emotional, mental and physical toll taken on victims has been significant, with a loss of confidence, depression and problems sleeping being among the lasting impacts of Mr Sirajudin’s crimes.

    The defendant was sentenced following an investigation by the National Trading Standards Yorkshire and Humber Regional Investigations Team, hosted by City of York Council, and the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, hosted by North Yorkshire Council.

    As well as the custodial sentence, Mr Sirajudin is also subject to a £250,000 confiscation order for victim compensation and £30,000 in prosecution costs. He will be disqualified from being a company director for 8 years.

    Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member with portfolio for Trading Standards at City of York Council, said:

    Mr Sirajudin intimidated and exploited people at a time when they needed emergency plumbing help, often late at night, in their own homes. Many victims were elderly or vulnerable and were charged extortionate amounts for often minor repairs which were badly done; in some cases made considerably worse. I hope they gain some small comfort from the sentencing today, and I’m very grateful for the persistence and dedication of our investigating teams here in York and North Yorkshire who worked hard to bring this case to trial.”

    Lord Michael Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said:

    “With householders in desperate need of a plumber, often in the middle of the night, Mr Sirajudin was already in a position of power by the time he arrived at a caller’s home. If he saw that a customer was older, vulnerable or lived alone he took the opportunity to exploit them, leaving many feeling frightened in their own homes as well as thousands of pounds out of pocket.

    “I hope today’s sentencing provides some comfort for those involved and serves as a stark reminder that this type of callous intimidation and deceit will be investigated, and perpetrators brought to justice.

    “If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a fraud like this you should report it to the Citizens Advice consumer service helpline by calling 0808 223 1133.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: EC: “Crimea is Ukraine. Ukraine is a democracy, and President Zelensky was elected democratically”

    Source: European Commission (video statements)

    Crimea is Ukraine, and the EU stands with Ukraine in restoring its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. The security of Ukraine is the security of the European Union, and we support Ukraine throughout this journey.

    Ukraine is a democracy, and President Volodymyr Zelensky was elected through a democratic process. No solution should be imposed on Ukraine without Ukraine or without the European Union.
    Thumbnail title: Ukraine is a democracy Crimea is Ukraine

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne08gwiOQ20

    MIL OSI Video –