NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eleven Members of Deadly Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Prison

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

    NORFOLK, Va. – Eleven Virginia residents have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a violent drug trafficking organization that was responsible for a double homicide in Chesapeake. A twelfth defendant is awaiting sentencing.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, between January 2020 and November 2022, Cortney Allen Conley, aka KO, 36, of Virginia Beach, ran a large-scale, violent interstate drug trafficking organization principally based in the Hampton Roads area. The organization frequently sold drugs at “pop-up” shops, which regularly appeared in new locations to avoid detection by law enforcement.

    In 2021, Conley was robbed at gunpoint at a pop-up on Providence Road in Chesapeake, after which Conley and his co-conspirators were regularly armed while they trafficked drugs. In July 2021, an armed robber attempted to rob a pop-up, and shop workers, including Javaid Akhtar Reed, 27, of Chesapeake, and Aaron Butler Hunter, 38, of Virginia Beach, defended Conley’s drugs and drug proceeds. During the attempted robbery, Reed ordered the attempted robber out of the shop at gunpoint.

    On May 13, 2022, two armed subjects attempted to rob the organization’s pop-up on Wintercress Way in Chesapeake. Conley and Rashaun Marcquez Johnson, 28, of Virginia Beach, shot and killed the two subjects. During the gun battle, Davian Marcelis Jenkins, 27, of Suffolk, pistol-whipped one of the subjects as the subject lay dying in the foyer. During the shootout, bullets flew across the hall into another apartment and hit a child’s play kitchen. Immediately afterward, Conley and Jenkins removed controlled substances, drug proceeds, and firearms from the pop-up and fled. Conley directed Jenkins to go back to the shooting scene and remove security cameras, which had recorded the shootout. Jenkins removed one camera from the front door of the apartment. Conley then fled the state.

    On Nov. 8, 2022, Conley was arrested in Virginia Beach at a pop-up he established after the double homicide. During the arrest, Conley jumped from a second story window and tried to run from the police.

    On April 15, 2024, after a ten day jury trial, Conley, Reed, and Kyron Speller, 29, of Norfolk, were convicted for their involvement in the organization.

    Conley was convicted of continuing criminal enterprise; possession with intent to distribute marijuana; possession with intent to distribute psilocybin and psilocyn; possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Conley was sentenced today to 40 years in prison.

    Other members of the organization who were sentenced include:

    Name

    Date of Sentencing

    Sentence Imposed
    Javaid Akhtar Reed

    Dec. 23, 2024

    		 14 years, 3 months
    Corey Melic Blackwell

    July 12, 2024

    		 13 years
    Aaron Hunter

    Sept. 26, 2024

    		 10 years
    Kasheim Bryant

    Oct. 31, 2024

    		 7 years
    Amadeo Ilan Classen

    Nov. 7, 2024

    		 10 years
    Davian Marcelis Jenkins

    Nov. 7, 2024

    		 4 years
    Jeron D’Nell Cephus

    July 22, 2024

    		 3 years, 6 months
    Kyron Speller

    Oct. 25, 2024

    		 3 years, 5 months
    Lateya Conley

    Sept. 25, 2024

    		 3 years
    Jasmine Deneen Cuffee

    Oct. 31, 2024

    		 1 year, 3 months

    Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 21, 2025.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael Feinberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Montoya, Joe DePadilla, and Luke Bresnahan prosecuted the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:22-cr-147.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Admits to Making Violent Threats Against Sikh Nonprofit Organization

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A man from Dallas, Texas, admitted to a hate crime and making interstate threats against the employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization.

    Bushan Athale, 49, pleaded guilty today to one count of interfering with federally protected activities through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and one count of transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person.

    “Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey. “Every individual in this country must be free to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution. We will continue to ensure the safety of our communities by prosecuting those who threaten our basic American freedoms.”

    “Every citizen has the right to feel safe, secure, and free from fear of violence or hate,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “We are deeply grateful to our law enforcement and community partners who stand with us daily. Together, we remain steadfast in pursuing those who threaten the safety and well-being of the people we are sworn to protect.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about Sept. 17, 2022, Athale called the main number of an organization that advocates for the civil rights of Sikh individuals within the United States. Over the course of the next hour, Athale left seven voicemails expressing hatred toward Sikh individuals working at this same organization and threatening to injure or kill these individuals with a razor.

    Athale’s voicemails, which were filled with violent imagery and obscenity, contained references to places, people, and tenets that are particularly significant within the Sikh religion. Among other things, Athale stated his intention to “catch” the Sikhs at Organization 1, forcibly shave their “top and bottom hair,” use a “razor” to “cut” their hair and “make” them bald, “make” them smoke and eat tobacco, and “show [them] the heaven.”

    On March 21, 2024, Athale again called the same Sikh organization and left two more voicemails. In these voicemails, Athale again used violent, sexual imagery to express his hatred toward Sikhs as well as Muslims and spouted antisemitic rhetoric.

    During his guilty plea, Athale also admitted to additional conduct reflecting his long history of making violent threats rooted in religious animus. For example, Athale admitted that on Nov. 6, 2021 and Nov. 7, 2021, he had sent electronic messages to a former co-worker, in which he stated that he “hate[d] Pakistan” and “hate[d] Muslims.” Athale wrote, “I hate you, I just don’t know how to kill your whole family including you? Tell me??? I will figure it out […] Probably I will hire a Jew, they will be most happy.”

    Athale also admitted that, from May 28, 2024 to May 31, 2024, he had sent threatening electronic messages to a recruiter who he believed to be a Muslim. Athale wrote statements such as “you will be dead, get out [expletive] Muslim” and “If you dont [sic] back off you are killed.”

    Athale is charged with interfering with federally protected activities which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and with transmitting an interstate threat which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum penalty of up to a $250,000 fine. The defendant also may be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any sentence served. Athale is scheduled to be sentenced June 3. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced the case.

    The FBI Philadelphia Field Office investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Jason M. Richardson for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Mexican Nationals Charged in Conspiracy to Fraudulently Obtain Visas for Immigrant ‘Victims’ of Staged Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Mexican nationals in the Kansas City area have been charged in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to stage numerous armed robberies so that the purported victims of these crimes, who were immigrants to the United States, could use their status as crime victims to apply for visas.

    Oscar Gutierrez, 35, of Independence, Mo., and Jose Luis Morales Salgado, 36, of Kansas City, Mo., both of whom are citizens of Mexico, were charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, Jan. 30. The federal criminal complaint, which was unsealed and made public following Salgado’s arrest and initial court appearance, charges both men with participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain immigration visas. Gutierrez is already in custody on state charges in a separate case.

    The complaint alleges that immigrants contacted Salgado to arrange for themselves to become “victims” of staged robberies so they could submit applications for U-Visas, which are granted to crime victims. These immigrants, who were either illegally present in the United States or in the United States legally through work visas, paid Salgado thousands of dollars to participate. In exchange, Salgado directed them to the location of a planned staged robbery on a particular day and time.

    Salgado allegedly recruited individuals to pose as robbers during the staged robberies and provided directions to those individuals. One of the persons Salgado recruited to pose as a robber, says the complaint, was Gutierrez.

    According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, each incident involved immigrants who later told police they had car trouble and pulled over and got out of their vehicle to diagnose the car trouble. Soon after stopping, another vehicle would arrive and park next to, or in front of, the purported victim’s vehicle. The robber, wearing a medical mask over his face and brandishing a firearm, would strike the purported victims in the head or face, take their cash, and typically fire two rounds into the purported victim’s vehicle.

    Investigators with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department initially identified 11 incidents in which the reported robberies followed this pattern. These cases were linked to each other, based in part, on leads generated from the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN utilized ballistic imaging technology to compare cartridge case markings on the expended cartridges from each crime scene.  Detectives determined there was likely one firearm used in the commission of all of the robberies. Detectives gathered information from city cameras and license plate readers to identify the vehicles used in the robberies, the affidavit says, which led them to Gutierrez.

    Salgado allegedly instructed the immigrants to falsely report to law enforcement officials how the robberies occurred, and advised them how to make these false reports in an effort to bolster their applications for U-Visas.

    The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act strengthens the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute certain crimes while also protecting victims of crimes who are willing to help law enforcement authorities in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. Foreign nationals are eligible for a U-Visa if they were the victim of qualifying criminal activity, suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of the criminal activity, possessed information about the criminal activity, and were likely to be helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime.

    According to the affidavit, a source told investigators the number of purported victims involved in the scheme was well over 100. The complaint specifically cites 11 robberies involving 33 purported victims that occurred as part of the conspiracy between Dec. 29, 2021, and July 13, 2024.  Of those 33 immigrants, 18 have submitted U-Visa applications claiming to be victims of violent crimes.

    An undercover federal agent and a law enforcement source met with Salgado on Jan. 22, 2025, according to the affidavit, and recorded their meeting. The undercover agent made arrangements to pay Salgado $4,000 for the robbery to be staged in order to fraudulently obtain a U-Visa. Salgado told the undercover agent he would “put on a grand show.” Once the plans were agreed upon, the undercover agent paid Salgado $500 with a promise to pay the balance later. The undercover agent met with Salgado again on Thursday, Jan. 30, and Salgado was arrested.

    The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arkansas Man Sentenced to 14 Years in federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearms Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOT SPRINGS – A Hot Springs man was sentenced yesterday to 170 months in Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm in furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.  The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearings, which took place in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.

    According to court records, on September 13, 2023, Deangelo Michael Lover, age 34, of Hot Springs, sold 24 grams of Methamphetamine to a Confidential Informant.  On September 15, 2023, Lover again contacted the Informant to sell additional Methamphetamine.  Hot Springs Police Investigators with the Special Investigation Division contacted Arkansas State Police and requested that a traffic stop be conducted on the vehicle occupied by Lover. A traffic stop was conducted, and Lover was arrested on an outstanding warrant. A search of the vehicle yielded 46 grams of Methamphetamine and a handgun.

    On September 30, 2024, Lover pleaded guilty to Possession of a more than five grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. 

    U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes made the announcement.

    The Hot Springs Police Department Special Investigation Division investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Daniels prosecuted the case for the United States.

    Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sabine Parish Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Huey P. Scott, Jr., 63, of Many, Louisiana, has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Scott was found guilty of the charge by a federal jury on September 18, 2024, following a three-day trial.

    United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Scott to 151 months (12 years, 7 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on the drug trafficking charge.  Evidence at the jury trial established that agents with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office’s Tactical Narcotics Team conducted controlled buys of methamphetamine from Scott at his residence in Many, Louisiana, on three separate occasions in 2022. Agents learned that Scott was a frequent user and distributor of methamphetamine, and it was proven that he sold the drugs.

    After law enforcement conducted multiple controlled buys, agents executed a search warrant and arrested Scott at his residence. During the search of Scott’s property, agents found and seized a duffel bag containing a clear plastic bag which had approximately 139.31 grams of methamphetamine. In another bag, agents found what appeared to be smaller baggies containing smaller quantities of methamphetamine.  The seized drugs were tested by the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory and found to be methamphetamine. 

    The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office’s Tactical Narcotics Team and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Shannon and Earl M. Campbell.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects More than $4M in Civil and Criminal Actions Plus Nearly $2M in Forfeited Assets in Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson announced today that the Northern District of Oklahoma (NDOK) collected $4,029,804.93 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $2,572,450.48 was collected in criminal actions, and $1,457,354.45 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the NDOK worked with partner agencies and divisions to collect $1,726,442 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024.

    “The Asset Recovery Unit and Asset Forfeiture teams consist of federal prosecutors, investigators, and professional support staff. In 2024, they collected more than $4 million on behalf of victims and collected nearly $2 million in assets, said U.S. Attorney, Clint Johnson. “Both teams diligently work to recover court ordered restitution to victims and process court ordered forfeiture. This funding not only impacts the Crime Victims Fund, but also goes towards law enforcement programs.”   

    Examples of Asset Recovery…
    In March 2024, the Northern District recovered $106,994.94 in U.S. v. Shane Hannaford, 21-CR-111. A veteran of the U.S. Marines, Hannaford devised a fraudulent investment scheme, defrauding fellow veterans he had served with in Iraq. Hannaford pled guilty to Bank Fraud, and the Court ordered him to pay $806,607.14 in restitution to his victims. The Northern District captured a significant payment towards restitution by intercepting proceeds from Hannaford’s sale of his home.

    In September 2024, the Northern District recovered $287,521.53 in U.S. v. Keven Ellis Partin, 19-CR-121. Partin pled guilty to Offering or Paying Healthcare Kickbacks. The Court ordered him to pay $338,805 in restitution to Department of Labor, TRICARE, Department of Veteran Affairs, and Medicare. Through liens and other enforcement tools, the Northern District recovered full restitution for these federal agencies.

    In May 2024, the Northern District of Oklahoma recovered $62,000 in U.S. v. Leslie Ellen Mansfield, 23-CR-170. Mansfield, an attorney, oversaw special needs trust accounts for intellectually challenged adults. Mansfield pled guilty to Bank Fraud, and the Court ordered her to pay $137,240.95 in restitution. The Northern District recovered full restitution for the living victims.

    Examples of Asset Forfeiture…
    In March 2024, the Northern District recovered $35,000 in U.S. v. Jesus Salazar-Lares, et al., 22-CR-339. In Aug. 2024, Salazar-Lares and others, traveled from Chicago to Tulsa and delivered more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine.  Salazar-Lares pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. The court authorized the seizure of $35,000 in cash.

    In April 2024, the Northern District recovered $84,788.42 in U.S. v. Melvin Brown, 22-CR-419. From July 2020 through May 2021, Brown conspired with others to distribute cocaine. Romero pled guilty to drug conspiracy. The court authorized the seizure of Romero’s bank account that had approximately $84,788.42.

    In June 2024, the Northern District recovered $620,000 in U.S. v. Jose Romero, et al., 22-CR-339. From Oct. 2019 through Oct. 2022, Romero conducted financial transactions with funds received through drug trafficking. Romero pled guilty to 18 counts of money laundering. The court authorized the forfeiture of $20,297 in cash, 18 vehicles, one firearm, approximately $50,076.31 from seized bank accounts, and four real estate properties.

    The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: BATON ROUGE MAN SENTENCED TO 211 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING AND FIREARMS VIOLATIONS

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Demarlo Brown, age 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 211 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Brown to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the proceeds from his drug trafficking crimes, as well as firearms and ammunition seized by law enforcement, be forfeited.

    This case was the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in East Baton Rouge Parish and surrounding areas.

    According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea,from March through September 2019, Brown operated a drug distribution organization in the Baton Rouge area where he and others distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. When law enforcement raided his home and other locations associated with Brown, they seized over 27 ounces of methamphetamine, 2.7 ounces of heroin, and 1.6 ounces of fentanyl.  Two firearms and 38 rounds of ammunition were also seized from Brown that he illegally possessed to protect himself, his drugs, and his cash proceeds from drug sales. In total, six firearms and 168 rounds of ammunition were seized in the raids.

    Brown was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing the firearms and ammunition. In April 2024, prior to possessing the two firearms and ammunition, he was convicted in the 19th Judicial District Court of armed robbery and was sentenced to 10 years at hard labor.   

    This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Baton Rouge City Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton, III and Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    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 Security: Former University Professor Charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mohammad Ebrahim Torki Harchegani, 38, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor for sexual activity.

    During a contested bond hearing, an FBI special agent testified that on Dec. 3-4, 2024, multiple agencies participated in an online chat operation targeting child sex offenders where an officer posed as a 14-year-old female. Torki, a legal permanent resident of the United States and Iranian citizenship, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the alleged 14-year-old girl. Toriki ultimately traveled to the residence where he believed the girl was home alone to engage in sexual activities with her. He was arrested thereafter.

    Testimony was also presented that Torki was previously a professor at the University of South Carolina. Upon his arrest, his employment was suspended and his contract with the university was not renewed.

    The FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department participated in the online chat operation and investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

    Torki was ordered detained at the hearing. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fairbanks man sentenced to 12 years for attempted production of child pornography, enticement of minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and will serve 25 years on supervised release for attempting to produce child pornography and entice a minor.

    According to court documents, on July 7, 2023, a law enforcement official, acting in an undercover capacity and posing online as a 12-year-old girl, posted an ad in an Alaskan chat group on a social media application known to law enforcement to be utilized by individuals seeking sexual encounters with minors.

    A short time after the posting, Dahkota Mitchell, 32, messaged the undercover official. Between July 7 and Nov. 28, 2023, Mitchell and the undercover official discussed multiple things, including Mitchell’s requests that the undercover official send him explicit content, plans to meet in-person, and sexual interactions if an in-person meeting occurred.

    Mitchell decided to meet with the undercover official for sex and requested she bring an 11-year-old friend for the sexual encounter. Mitchell made plans with the undercover official to meet in Anchorage on Nov. 17, 2023, but the defendant abruptly stopped communicating with the official and the meeting did not occur.

    On Nov. 25, 2023, Mitchell resumed communicating with the undercover official and explained that his mother had found out about their communications. Mitchell made another plan to meet with the undercover official and the alleged minor friend on Nov. 28, 2023, and provided the address of his hotel and his room number.

    Mitchell was arrested at an Anchorage hotel on Nov. 28, 2023. He pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor on Oct. 25, 2024.

    “Child predators target Alaska’s most vulnerable, leaving lasting harm in their wake. Mr. Mitchell attempted to meet with an individual he thought was a 12-year-old girl and encouraged her to bring a minor friend for an in-person sexual encounter,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “His actions were both dangerous and reprehensible. This sentence ensures that he will be closely monitored for many years, safeguarding our communities. Our office remains committed to working with law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable and protect Alaska’s children.”

    “Protecting children from online predators is a priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners across Alaska,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “As demonstrated in this case, predators using the Internet for sexual exploitation of children will be identified and held accountable for their reprehensible crimes.”

    The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.

    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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, 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.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hazard Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

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

    LONDON, Ky. – A Hazard, Ky., man, Herbert Allen, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 126 months, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

    According to his plea agreement, on May 30, 2023, Allen knowingly possessed with the intent to distribute a kilogram of methamphetamine.  Specifically, based on an investigation, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Allen’s residence.  Upon their arrival, Allen was in his vehicle.  When approached, Allen admitted to police that a backpack containing a large amount of methamphetamine was in the vehicle.  A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 1,084 grams of methamphetamine, plastic baggies, and a large quantity of cash.

    Under federal law, Allen must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon Allen’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. 

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Middle School Teacher and Basketball Coach Sentenced for Online Enticement of a Minor

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

    LONDON, Ky. – An Antioch, Tennessee, man, and former South Laurel Middle School teacher and basketball coach, William Goodson, 32, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 246 months, for online enticement of a minor. 

    According to his plea agreement, from August 2023 through February 23, 2024, while he was a teacher at the Middle School, Goodson persuaded a minor to engage in sexual activity. Specifically, Goodson communicated many sexually explicit messages with the victim, through text messages and Snapchat. When questioned, Goodson told police that his relationship with the minor was like that of a boyfriend, and he further admitted to buying the victim gifts and communicating daily, via Snapchat.  Ultimately, Goodson convinced the minor victim to engage in sexual contact, on multiple occasions, within his classroom.

    Under federal law, Goodson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon Goodson’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years. 

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Jerry Hollon, London Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI and London Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

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

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced to 45 Months for Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts Violations

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LOUIS HANDY (“HANDY”), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon after previously  pleading guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm, violations of the Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

    According to court records, the FBI’s New Orleans Violent Crime Task Force, in conjunction with the New Orleans Police Department, observed HANDY carrying a concealed handgun.  When uniformed officers approached him to conduct an investigatory stop, HANDY discarded the gun under a nearby vehicle, ran but was caught after a brief chase.  After seizing the handgun HANDY discarded, officers searched HANDY’s person and vehicle, finding fentanyl, marijuana, oxycodone, suboxone films, a digital scale, latex gloves, and several hundred dollars in cash.  HANDY had several prior felony convictions, that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

    Judge Fallon sentenced HANDY to 45 months imprisonment on both the drug trafficking count and the felon in possession of a firearm count, to run concurrently, and ordered that HANDY be placed on supervised release for three years after his release from prison.  The Court also ordered HANDY to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  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.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MS-13 Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murders in Virginia and Massachusetts

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

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national and member of the Uniones Locos Salvatrucha (ULS) clique of the violent Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) gang was sentenced today to six concurrent life prison sentences and additional terms of years following his conviction on charges relating to his participation in the gang’s criminal enterprise, including six murders and additional murder conspiracies.

    According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2018, Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray, aka German Alexander Ramirez Lopez, Buky, and Desquiciado, 27, met other MS-13 members in New Bedford, Massachusetts, to murder an associate of MS-13’s Directos Locos Salvatrucha clique, identified in court records as K.A.C. MS-13 leadership in El Salvador had approved the murder because they believed K.A.C. had betrayed MS-13. That evening, they met K.A.C. at the residence of an MS-13 member in New Bedford. After the group ate dinner together, they beat and strangled K.A.C. to death. The conspirators then dismembered K.A.C.’s body, placed his remains in trash bags, and buried the remains in a wooded area near New Bedford. Alas Candray and other conspirators were promoted in the MS-13 ranks for their participation in the murder.

    In June 2019, Alas Candray and others conspired to murder individuals who frequently gathered to drink in a wooded area in the clique’s perceived territory in Reston. On June 23, 2019, Alas Candray and other members and associates armed themselves with a 9mm firearm, a .45 caliber firearm, and two machetes and traveled to the Hunters Woods area of Reston. The group murdered an individual, identified as J.L.G.M., shooting him and slashing him with a machete.

    On Sept. 17, 2020, Alas Candray and others devised a plan to lure a young woman, identified as I.J.P.G., to Colts Neck Road in Reston under false pretenses and kill her because they believed she was associated with a rival gang and had disparaged MS-13 on social media. A co-conspirator exchanged messages with I.J.P.G. via Snapchat, pretending to be a member of MS-13’s rival gang. He and another co-conspirator later picked up I.J.P.G. and drove her to Colts Neck Road, where Alas Candray and another MS-13 member were waiting for them. The four co-conspirators killed I.J.P.G. by taking turns shooting her, primarily in the face.

    In March 2021, MS-13 members and associates conspired to murder an individual, identified as S.A.T.L., because they believed he was a member of a rival gang. On March 11, 2021, Alas Candray and other MS-13 members and associates, surveilled S.A.T.L. in Fairfax County and waited for an opportunity to murder him. Alas Candray and his co-conspirators went to an apartment complex on Winterthur Court in Reston where Alas Candray fatally shot S.A.T.L.

    On May 30, 2022, Alas Candray and co-conspirators travelled to the Lerner Springs at Reston Apartment Homes and joined others on a footpath behind the complex to patrol the clique’s perceived territory. Shortly thereafter, the conspirators encountered an individual, identified as R.A.P.S., on the footpath. Alas Candray and others murdered R.A.P.S. by kicking him and dropping a large rock on his head as he lay on the footpath.

    On June 18, 2022, Alas Candray and a co-conspirator picked up an individual, identified as F.R.A.R., from Reston and drove him to Seneca Regional Park in Fairfax County. Alas Candray, and his co-conspirators believed that F.R.A.R. had disrespected MS-13 and violated its rules. After arriving at a pre-selected location in the park, Alas Candray and several co-conspirators murdered F.R.A.R. by beating him with a baseball bat and stabbing him. They then dismembered F.R.A.R.’s body and buried F.R.A.R.’s remains in a clandestine grave.

    On Aug. 17, 2022, Alas Candray instructed a relative to relay a message to other ULS members and associates. Using coded language, Alas Candray instructed a co-conspirator to get rid of ammunition, warned ULS members and associates that law enforcement had pictures of them, and advised them to move. The relative relayed the message the following day.

    The jury convicted Alas Candray of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, five counts of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, five counts of murder in aid of racketeering, and three counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence causing death.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

    Assistant U.S. AttorneysJohn Blanchard, Megan Braun, and Natasha Smalky prosecuted 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.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-1789.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FIU-IND imposes monetary penalty of Rs. 9 crore 27 lakhs on Virtual Digital Asset Service Provider Bybit Fintech Limited (Bybit)

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 31 JAN 2025 6:54PM by PIB Delhi

    The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) in furtherance of the powers conferred upon the Director FIU-IND under Section 13(2)(d) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (as amended) (“PMLA”) has imposed a monetary penalty of Total ₹9,27,00,000 (Nine crore twenty-seven lakh rupees) on Bybit Fintech Limited (Bybit) a Virtual Digital Asset Service Provider (VDA SP) with reference to the violations of its obligations under the PMLA read with the Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005 (“PML Rules”) issued thereunder and applicable guidelines and advisories issued by the Director FIU-IND.

    As a Virtual Digital Asset Service Provider (VDA SP), Bybit is classified as a ‘reporting entity’ under Section 2(1)(wa) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).Bybit kept expanding its services in the Indian market without securing mandatory registration with the FIU-IND. The persistent and continuous non-compliance caused FIU-IND to block their websites to stop operations under the Information Technology Act, 2000 through the Ministry of Electronics and Communication Technology (MEITY).

    It is noteworthy that FIU-IND had previously issued comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Guidelines for Reporting Entities offering Services related to Virtual Digital Assets on March 10, 2023. Furthermore, a detailed circular regarding the registration of Virtual Digital Asset Service Providers as reporting entities was issued on October 17, 2023.

    After conducting a thorough examination of both written and oral submissions from Bybit, Shri Vivek Aggarwal, the Director of FIU-IND, found Bybit liable of the charges for various violations. In an order dated January 31st, 2025, and exercising authority under Section 13 of the PMLA, it was unequivocally established that Bybit was in violation of Section 12(1) of the PMLA read with Rule 2(1)(h), Rule 7(2), Rule 8(2) Rule 8 (4), Rule 3(1)(D) and Rule 7(3) of PMLR, 2005. Consequently, a total penalty of Rs. 9,27,00,000 was imposed on Bybit.

    ****

    NB/KMN

    (Release ID: 2098153) Visitor Counter : 84

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Department of Army identifies two of three Army Soldiers involved in Helicopter Crash

    Source: United States Army

    1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
    2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

    WASHINGTON — A United States Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crashed at approximately 9 p.m. while performing a training mission near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Jan. 29. There was a three-person crew on board the helicopter. The UH-60 helicopter from the 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Va., collided in midair with an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet Flight 5342 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The FAA, NTSB and the United States Army are investigating. The NTSB will lead the investigation. We are working with local officials and will provide any additional information once it becomes available.

    Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, is believed to be deceased pending positive identification.

    The remains of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, have not yet been recovered, therefore is duty status-whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN).

    At the request of the family, the name of the third Soldier will not be released at this time. That pilot is also DUSTWUN.

    “Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time. Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident,” said Maj. Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commander Joint Task Force – National Capital Region/ U.S. Army Military District of Washington.

    Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eaves, served in the U.S. Navy from August 2007 to September 2017, then transitioned to a UH-60 pilot for the regular Army from September 2017 to present day. His awards include Army Commendation Medal x3, Navy Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal x3, Navy “E” Ribbon x2, Navy Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon and Army Aviator Badge.

    Staff Sgt. O’Hara served as a UH-60 helicopter repairer (15T) in the regular Army from July 2014 to present day. He successfully deployed to Afghanistan from March 2017 to August 2017. His awards include Army Commendation Medal w/C Device, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal x4, Army Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Aviation Badge and Senior Aviation Badge.

    For more information regarding Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eaves and Staff Sgt. O’Hara, members of the media may contact the Military District of Washington Public Affairs Office at usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@army.mil.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, DEA, and EPA Announce Indictment in Massive Marijuana Cultivation Scheme

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals for their alleged roles in a large-scale marijuana cultivation and distribution operation. The indictment charges Dineh Benally, 48, his father, Donald Benally, 74, and Irving Rea Yui Lin, 73, a California resident, with multiple offenses related to the illegal marijuana operation.

    The charges include conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, manufacture of 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants, possession with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants, maintaining drug-involved premises, and two counts of knowingly discharging pollutants into waters of the United States without a permit.

    According to the indictment, the operation involved:

    • 25 farms covering approximately 400 acres in the Shiprock area
    • Construction of approximately 1,107 cannabis greenhouses
    • Solicitation of Chinese investors to fund the operation
    • Recruitment of Chinese workers to cultivate the marijuana

    The defendants are also accused of violating the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants into the San Juan River, filling in a channel along the San Juan River dam, and installing a sandbag dam along the San Juan River. These actions potentially caused significant environmental damage to the area.

    The sandbag dam was installed so that water would pool at a separate location to be used to irrigate the marijuana crops.

    In November 2020, law enforcement seized approximately 60,000 pounds of marijuana and approximately 260,000 marijuana plants from the twenty-five marijuana farms allegedly operated and controlled by the defendants.

    On January 23, 2025, during a raid on two additional marijuana farms operated by Dineh Benally in Estancia, New Mexico (as well as his residence), law enforcement identified 10 Chinese workers and seized approximately 8,500 pounds of marijuana, $35,000 cash, illegal pesticides, 43 grams of methamphetamine, two firearms, and a bullet proof vest, among many other things.

    Benally’s illegal marijuana growing operation that spans two farms in Estancia, New Mexico

    “The Department of Justice will protect the sanctity of the ancestral lands and waters of our Tribal partners from those who would exploit them for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez.

    “The FBI remains committed to continue to dismantle criminal organizations operating in New Mexico.” said Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division. “Effective law enforcement requires strong partnerships at every level. This operation is a testament to the power of collaboration between state, local, tribal, and federal agencies to ensure justice is served and our communities are protected.

    If convicted, the defendants each face no less than 10 years and up to life in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and Kim Bahney, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Area Office of the EPA Criminal Investigation Division, made the announcement today.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and the Navajo Nation Police Department. In addition, the following law enforcement agencies participated in the law enforcement operation: Torrance County Sheriff’s Office, Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, United States Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, New Mexico Department of Justice, New Mexico State Police, and the FBI El Paso Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    25-43

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dartmouth — Statement from Chief Superintendent Dan Morrow, Criminal Operations Officer, Nova Scotia RCMP, in response to RCMP member charged with Assault

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Earlier today the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) charged one of our members, Cst. Reece Smith, with Assault in relation to an off-duty incident involving a woman known to him.

    This criminal charge is disconcerting, and undoubtedly alarming to those we serve. The RCMP takes all allegations of misconduct seriously; our employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that not only meets, but exceeds, the rightfully high expectations of Canadians.

    Cst. Smith, who’s been an RCMP member since February 2024, is currently on administrative duties. An internal code of conduct investigation has been initiated and is ongoing. Cst. Smith’s duty status will be continuously assessed throughout both the court and internal processes.

    Media release issued by SiRT:

    SiRT Charges RCMP Officer with Assault

    —————————————————————————————————————–

    The Director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that an off-duty RCMP Officer committed a criminal offence in relation to an incident involving a female known to him.

    SiRT received the referral on December 22, 2024, from the Bridgewater Police Service regarding an incident that took place on December 20, 2024. SiRT began its investigation into the matter that day. As a result of the SiRT investigation, on January 31, 2025, Constable Reece Smith was charged with assault contrary to s. 266 of the Criminal Code.

    Constable Smith will appear before the Nova Scotia Provincial Court at 141 High Street, Bridgewater, NS, on February 19, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.

    As the matter is before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, SiRT will not provide further comment on the investigation.

    SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

    Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation.

    -30-

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $22,332,003.82 In Criminal And Civil Actions, And $5,043,741 In Asset Forfeiture Actions In Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III announced today that the Eastern District of Tennessee collected $22,332,003.83 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $10,674,477.21 was collected in criminal actions and $11,657,526.62 was collected in civil actions.  Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, working with partner agencies, collected $5,043,741 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2024.

    The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.  Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

                                                                                                                   ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Convicted At Trial

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Ataire Carl Ray (30, Tampa) guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The jury further found that Ray is an Armed Career Criminal after having committed at least three prior serious violent or drug offenses. Ray faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. 

    According to evidence presented at trial, on April 1, 2022, Ray got into an argument during which he waived around a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine, while making various threats. Officers from the Tampa Police Department were called to the scene and approached Ray, who ran and threw the loaded firearm into a neighboring property, where it was quickly recovered. Ray was apprehended about a block away from where he had thrown the firearm. At the time, Ray had multiple prior felony convicts and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.  

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pinellas County Man Indicted for Attempting to Entice a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

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

    Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging David Araujo (57, St. Petersburg) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Araujo faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Araujo is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case. 

    According to the indictment, between July 26 and 27, 2024, Araujo attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity.

    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 Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Chiefland Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

    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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Operation Rimu – Homicide, Ōpōtiki

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Varnam:

    A man has died after a violent altercation in central Ōpōtiki overnight, and Police have launched a homicide investigation.

    Emergency services were notified that a group of around six people were fighting on Church Street about 12:20am.

    One of those involved had received an injury to the chest consistent with a stab wound.

    Despite medical attention, the man died at the scene.

    While no arrests have been made, Police are following lines of inquiry to identify and locate those involved.

    It is believed gang members were involved.

    If anyone has any information on what happened, who has not yet spoken to Police, we would urge you to do so.

    Get in touch via 105 over the phone or online.

    You can also give information anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Houston apprehends 2 previously removed criminal aliens convicted of child sex offenses, other violent crimes

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    HOUSTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended two previously removed criminal aliens Jan. 29 who have been convicted of child sex offenses and other violent criminal offenses.

    David Lopez Javier, a 45-year-old twice deported criminal alien from Honduras, and Efrain Gomez Cac, a 30-year-old previously removed criminal alien from Guatemala, were arrested in Conroe and Cleveland, Texas, respectively.

    Lopez has illegally entered the U.S. at least three times and was previously removed from the country Nov. 14, 2013, and April 28, 2016. He has been convicted of committing numerous criminal offenses while in the country illegally, including lewd and lascivious battery on a child, cocaine trafficking, cocaine possession, illegal reentry, and twice for larceny.

    Gomez was previously removed from the U.S. by ICE on Sept. 7, 2018, and has prior criminal convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing bodily harm and driving while intoxicated.

    “Criminal aliens who repeatedly violate our nation’s immigration laws only to commit sex offenses against innocent minors, traffic deadly narcotics in our local communities, or commit violent offenses against law-abiding residents are quickly finding out that the law enforcement community is united and more determined than ever in our resolve to bolster public safety, national security, and border security here in Southeast Texas,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. “By working together with our partners like HSI, we are able to more effectively and efficiently leverage the unique law enforcement tools and resources that each of us brings to the table and ensure that we’re doing everything we can to uphold the rule of law and protect our fellow Texans from harm.”

    “HSI Houston is proud to work alongside ERO Houston and our other partner agencies in the area to aggressively pursue criminal aliens and other transnational criminal and immigration-related threats here in Houston and along the Texas Gulf Coast,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Our special agents live and raise families in this community and are committed to do whatever it takes to remove criminal aliens, child predators, transnational gang members, and other threats to public safety from the local community.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Poplar Bluff Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Recording His Rape of Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man who recorded his rape of a minor with an intellectual disability to 30 years in prison.

    In March of 2024, the 17-year-old victim’s mother contacted the Poplar Bluff Police Department about Jason R. Hicks-Simpson. The victim told investigators that Hicks-Simpson had been sexually abusing her since she was five, his plea agreement says. She also said Hicks-Simpson threatened to kill her and her kittens if she did not keep the secret. Hicks-Simpson told police that it had only happened once several months earlier. Investigators found videos dating back to May of 2023 on his phone, the plea agreement says.

    Hicks-Simpson, of Poplar, Bluff, 46, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in October to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

    Hicks-Simpson will now be transferred to state court to face charges there.

    The Poplar Bluff Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter 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: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $3M for Taxpayers and Victims in 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee collected $2,932,631.57 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of that amount, $2,635,982.75 was collected in criminal actions and $296,648. 82 was collected in civil actions.

    Additionally, the Western District of Tennessee worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $23,145.23 in cases pursued jointly by these offices.

    “The federal government has a responsibility to collect restitution for victims of crime. Our Criminal and Civil Divisions, including the Financial Litigation Program, work diligently to ensure that this mission is met,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tennessee’s Western District, working with partner agencies and divisions, also collected $2,688,743 in asset forfeiture actions in fiscal year 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

    Several cases generated significant collection efforts in fiscal year 2024, including:

    U.S. v. Rosemary Covey and Morgan Stanley, 06-cr-20408 and 24-cv-2257. Covey was convicted of Bank Fraud and Access device fraud and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,034,105.49. After years of minimal restitution payments, the USAO learned of a retirement account at Morgan Stanley. The USAO filed a Writ of Garnishment on defendant’s IRA and received $73,843.54 in proceeds that were applied to the restitution.

    U.S. v. Teresa T. Parsley, 07-cr-20035. Parsley was convicted of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. As a result, she was ordered to pay $3,829,605.29 in restitution. After she made only minimal payments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered $143,845 from the proceeds of the sale of her home, which was applied to her restitution.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    ###

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sin City Deciples Member Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HAMMOND- Yesterday, Brandon Romand Parks “Baywatch,” age 46, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after being found guilty of racketeering conspiracy following an 18-day jury trial, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Parks was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. 

    According to the Second Superseding Indictment, the Sin City Deciples, originally formed in 1967 in Gary, Indiana, is an outlaw motorcycle organization in which its members and associates engaged in acts of violence, extortion, and narcotics distribution in the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere. 

    Parks served as a National President of the entire club and was involved in the conspiracy to commit acts of racketeering activity between 2016-2018.  As National President, Parks was 2nd in command behind the founder of the club.

    The agencies involved in this prosecution were: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Griffith Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents, the Merrillville Police Department, the Munster Police Department, and the Schererville Police Department.   Also providing assistance were the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Indiana, the Western District of Kentucky, and the Western District of Pennsylvania.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick and Michael J. Toth.  

    This case 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.

    This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Johns Man Sentenced To Over Eleven Years In Federal Prison For Traveling To Meet A Minor For Sex

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Chad Michael Sadlowski (34, St. Johns) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Sadlowski was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty in October 2024.  

    According to court records, from April 25 through April 28, 2024, an undercover detective with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office posed online on a messaging application as the uncle of an eight-year-old female “child.” Sadlowski engaged the undercover in a variety of sexually explicit messages and expressed a desire to have sex with the “child.” Sadlowski agreed to meet up at a local gas station to engage in sex prior to him going to work as a respiratory therapist at a local hospital. Sadlowski was arrested as he was traveling to the gas station and was in his hospital scrubs when he was taken into custody. After his arrest, Sadlowski admitted to traveling to meet the eight-year-old “child” for sex. In addition, he also admitted to talking to minors on the application by asking them for sexually explicit photos and videos. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators searched Sadlowski’s phone and found additional child exploitation materials in his possession.

    “This investigation highlights the ever-present threat for children online, and this predator’s reprehensible actions demonstrate a coldhearted disregard for the life and well-being of a child,” said Tim Hemker, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “HSI, alongside our partners with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the rest of Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force are committed to protecting our children from harm.”  

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. This case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.

    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 Attorney’s 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.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Northern District of Indiana USAO Collects Over $5,219,650 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Hammond, Indiana – Acting U.S. Attorney Tina L. Nommay announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana collected $5,219,650 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $2,667,519 was collected in criminal actions and $2,552,131 was collected in civil actions.

    The Northern District of Indiana also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,925,938 from cases pursued jointly. Of this amount, $2,200 was collected in criminal actions and $1,923,738 was collected in civil actions.  For example, one of the civil cases handled in conjunction with the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Department of Justice, resulted in the recovery of $1,018,433 as part of a settlement agreement reached in the matter of United States v. Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor, LLC.

    The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victims, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    Additionally, the Northern District of Indiana, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $855,895 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Seattle Woman Sentenced for Assaulting Flight Attendant on Phoenix-Bound Flight

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

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Aliyah Robyn Stalder, 24, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced last week to three years of probation by United States Magistrate Judge Alison S. Bachus for assaulting a flight attendant while on board a commercial flight. During her term of probation, Stalder will not be permitted to travel by commercial aircraft without prior approval and must pay a $5,000 civil penalty imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration. Stalder was also ordered to pay over $8,000 in restitution for her actions. Stalder pleaded guilty on November 14, 2024, to Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding on an Aircraft.

    On February 9, 2023, Stalder boarded a commercial flight from Seattle to Phoenix. During the flight, Stalder attempted to open multiple cabin doors and ultimately had to be restrained by members of the flight crew and other passengers. During the struggle to restrain Stalder, she assaulted one of the flight attendants.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-00031-PHX-ASB
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-011_Stalder

    # # #

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Man Charged with Cyberstalking Three Women

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

    CLEVELAND – A grand jury in Cleveland, Ohio, has returned a six-count indictment related to cyberstalking and making online threats. The indictment charges Logan Stanford, 28, of Shelby, Ohio, with cyberstalking at least three individuals. He is also charged with making interstate threatening communications.

    According to the indictment, from Sept. 1, 2021, through May 31, 2024, Stanford used various electronic communication methods to stalk his victims online, known as cyberstalking. This form of threatening behavior can include unwarranted emails, instant and direct messaging, or liking and commenting on social media posts. Stanford allegedly created many accounts under different names on various online platforms. He found victims to target and repeatedly sent them numerous harassing comments. Many of the electronic messages Stanford sent his victims were sexual or violent in nature or threatened to cause them physical harm. He also created multiple email accounts under different names to send similar intimidating messages.

    The FBI Cleveland Division is the investigating agency on the case which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Joyce and Michelle M. Baeppler for the Northern District of Ohio.

    January is National Stalking Awareness Month. To learn more, or to make a report, visit stalkingawareness.org/what-to-do-if-you-are-being-stalked/. 

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Gate Agent at DFW Airport

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

    A Florida man who assaulted a gate agent at DFW Airport pleaded guilty to interfering with security personnel, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.

    Keith Charles Owens, 53, was charged via criminal complaint in November 2024. He pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging interference with security screening personnel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton on Wednesday.

    In plea papers, Mr. Owens admitted that he assaulted an American Airlines gate agent at DFW Airport on Oct. 5, 2024.  Security footage showed Mr. Owens repeatedly punched the gate agent in the head.

    According to court documents, around 4:42 p.m., Mr. Owens approached the gate agent at gate A36, explained he was late, and attempted to scan his boarding pass. When the gate agent informed him he was at the wrong gate, Mr. Owens cursed and walked away. The agent then radioed the correct gate, A35, to inform airline personnel that Mr. Owens was headed their way and appeared to be intoxicated.

    Mr. Owens then walked onto the A35 jet bridge without scanning his boarding pass. Airline personnel removed him from the jet bridge.

    A few moments later, at 4:48 p.m., Mr. Owens again approached gate A36. He began yelling at the gate agent, grabbed him by the shoulders, and punched him repeatedly in the face and neck. Eventually, airline personnel were able to restrain him.

    Both the gate agent and the personnel who assisted in restraining Mr. Owens sustained minor injuries. The flight departing from gate A36 was delayed.

    Mr. Owens now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing has been set for May 2, 2025.  

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck is prosecuting the case.

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