NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI Security: Truro — Nova Scotia Human Trafficking Unit charges man with multiple offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Nova Scotia Human Trafficking Unit (HTU) has charged a Truro man with human trafficking offences.

    As part of an ongoing investigation, RCMP officers learned of an individual committing human trafficking offences in the Truro area. And on January 29, investigators safely arrested 52-year-old Aaron Keith MacKenzie. He’s been charged with:

    • Human Trafficking
    • Receiving a Financial Benefit from Human Trafficking
    • Procuring a Person to Provide Sexual Services
    • Advertising Sexual Services

    MacKenzie was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in Truro Provincial Court on January 31.

    The investigation, led by the HTU with assistance from East Hants District RCMP, Colchester County District RCMP, the Nova Scotia RCMP Cybercrime Unit, and Truro Police Service, is ongoing.

    “We’re here to support victims and survivors of human trafficking,” says Sgt. Jeff MacFarlane of the HTU. “If you’re being trafficked, have been trafficked, or think someone you know is a victim of trafficking, we encourage you to call or text the 24-hour Nova Scotia Human Trafficking Hotline at 902-449-2425; the line is monitored by a police officer who’s ready to work with you and get you help.”

    Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world, and Nova Scotia has the highest rate of human trafficking incidents in Canada.

    “Know the signs,” says Sgt. MacFarlane. “If you or someone you know is in a controlling relationship, withdrawing from family and friends, or being forced to do unwanted things, reach out to police.“

    Tips can also be made, anonymously, by calling Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or using the P3 Tips app.

    Note: The Nova Scotia Human Trafficking Unit is comprised of members of the Nova Scotia RCMP, Halifax Regional Police, and New Glasgow Regional Police, and is supported by police officers from across the province. For more information on human trafficking, visit: https://www.grc-rcmp.gc.ca/en/ns/programs-and-services/human-trafficking-nova-scotia

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Mexican Nationals Sentenced for $4.7 Million Meth, Heroin Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Mexican Drug-Trafficking Organization Distributed Over 335 Kilos of Meth, 22 Kilos of Heroin

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Mexican nationals were sentenced in federal court this week for their roles in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms of heroin.

    Jesus Morales-Garcia, also known as “Don Jesus,” 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips on Wednesday, Jan. 29, to 18 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Santiago Raul Mendieta-Sanchez, 43, also was sentenced to seven years in federal prison without parole.

    On Tuesday, Jan. 28, co-defendant Baltazar Flores-Norzagaray, 53, was sentenced to 16 years and three months in federal prison without parole.

    On Aug. 28, 2024, Morales-Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and one count of illegally reentering the United States after having been deported. Mendieta-Sanchez and Flores-Norzagaray also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy that continued from Feb. 28, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022. Flores-Norzagaray also pleaded guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

    Morales-Garcia admitted that he was a chief local operative of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs sourced from Mexico into the Kansas City region.

    Morales-Garcia also admitted that he was found in the United States after having been deported twice in 2016.

    Flores-Norzagaray also admitted that he was in possession of a Hammerli .22-LRcaliber rifle, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver when he was arrested on Oct. 7, 2021. Flores-Norzagaray sold hundreds of grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on at least four separate occasions.

    The conspiracy involved the distribution of more than 335.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an average street price of $300 per ounce, and more than 22.1 kilograms of heroin, with an average street price of $1,500 per ounce.

    On June 8, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led an operation that involved 140 officers and agents from 14 state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. On the day of the takedown, officers executed 16 search warrants and seized 84.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, 4.5 kilograms of heroin, 10.4 kilograms of fentanyl, 7.6 kilograms of cocaine, 10.5 kilograms of marijuana, 687 Xanax pills, 3.1 kilograms of unknown pills, a quantity of bulk cash, five firearms, a 3D printer with manufactured ghost gun parts, and a liquid methamphetamine conversion lab.

    With these sentencings, 24 defendants have now been sentenced in this case in which 44 defendants were indicted.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Olmsted County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

    Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force

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

    KC Metro Strike Force

    This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Local man pleads guilty to filing false tax returns

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A clothing business owner has admitted he made fraudulent and false statements on his federal tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Philip Ogbeide made his initial appearance and immediately pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan.

    Ogbeide signed false U.S. individual income tax 1040 forms from 2018 through 2022 to receive inflated refunds to which he was not entitled.

    Ogbeide’s tax returns included false entries claiming fraudulent itemized deductions and credits for which he was not entitled. He also omitted income from his clothing business and from the proceeds of a fraud scheme.

    Ogbeide admitted that because of the false deductions and unreported income, he owes the U.S. Treasury $166,929 for tax years 2018 through 2022.

    Sentencing has been set for April 15 before U.S. District Judge George Hanks. At that time, Ogbeide faces up to three years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine. 

    He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

    The FBI – Bryan Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Thomas Carter are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Culver City Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Recklessly Crashing Drone into Super Scooper Firefighting Aircraft During Palisades Fire

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Culver City man agreed to plead guilty to recklessly operating a drone that crashed into and damaged a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft fighting the Palisades Fire earlier this month, the Justice Department announced today.

    Peter Tripp Akemann, 56, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft. This morning federal prosecutors filed a criminal information charging Akemann with the misdemeanor offense that carries a prison sentence of up to one year in federal prison.

    In a plea agreement also filed this morning, Akemann agreed to plead guilty to the criminal offense and admitted to his reckless and illegal conduct in flying the drone that posed an imminent safety hazard to the Super Scooper crew. As a result of the drone collision, the firefighting aircraft was taken out of service for a period of time and was not able to continue its firefighting mission. As part of the plea agreement, Akemann agreed to pay full restitution to the Government of Quebec, which supplied the plane, and an aircraft repair company that repaired the plane. Akemann also agreed to complete 150 hours of community service in support of the 2025 Southern California wildfire relief effort.

    “This defendant recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “This damage caused to the Super Scooper is a stark reminder that flying drones during times of emergency poses an extreme threat to personnel trying to help people and compromises the overall ability of police and fire to conduct operations. As this case demonstrates, we will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with the critical work of our first responders.”

    “Lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Please respect the law, respect the FAA’s rules and respect our firefighters and the residents they are protecting by keeping your drone at home during wildfires.”

    Akemann is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. 

    According to the plea agreement, while the wildfire was burning in and around Pacific Palisades on January 9, Akemann drove to the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and parked his vehicle on the top floor of the parking structure. He then launched a drone and flew it towards Pacific Palisades to observe damage caused by the Palisades Fire.

    Akemann flew the drone at least 2,500 meters (more than 1.5 miles) toward the fire and lost sight of the drone. As Akemann was flying the drone, it collided with a Government of Quebec Super Scooper carrying two crewmembers attempting to fight the blaze. The impact caused an approximately 3-inch-by-6-inch hole in the left wing. After landing, maintenance personnel identified the damage and took the aircraft out of service for repairs.

    At the time of the collision, the Federal Aviation Administration had issued temporary flight restrictions that prohibited drone operations near the Los Angeles County wildfires that erupted earlier this month.

    As a result of the collision, the Government of Quebec and an aircraft repair company incurred costs of at least $65,169 to repair the plane.

    The FBI investigated this matter. The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Los Angeles Fire Department, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) provided substantial assistance.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia and Ian V. Yanniello of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sumter County Man Arrested For Obscene Visual Representations Of Child Sexual Abuse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Corey Wilkerson (30, Lake Panasoffkee) on an indictment charging him with possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. If convicted, Wilkerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison.  

    According to the indictment, between October 20, 2023, and July 10, 2024, Wilkerson possessed an obscene visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Specifically, Wilkerson possessed animated images depicting the sexual abuse of infants and young girls.

    An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. 

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jacksonville Man Indicted For Attempting To Entice And Meet An 11-Year-Old Child To Engage In Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Noel Daniel Simonca (47, Jacksonville) with attempting to entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Simonca faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Simonca was arrested on January 19, 2025. 

    According to court documents, on December 10, 2024, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adult individuals who were seeking to make contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the UC posted a short message in a public chatroom of a particular online social messaging app. A short time later, an individual using the app name “mdesase” contacted the UC using a private text messaging feature of the app. User “mdesase” confirmed that he would “love to see [the 11-year-old child],” and indicated that he had a preference for children aged “8-13.” On December 11, 2024, the UC and user “mdesase,” who was subsequently identified as Simonca, discussed meeting to have a “play date” and “trade [daughters].”

    Between December 12, 2024, and January 19, 2025, there were more online text conversations between the UC and Simonca during which they discussed meeting in person. On December 26, 2024, Simonca texted the UC and described the sexual activity that he intended to engage in with UC’s “child.” Simonca and the UC ultimately agreed to meet at a specific location in Jacksonville Beach so that Simonca could meet the “child” and take photos of “her.” On the afternoon of January 19, 2025, Simonca drove to the agreed meeting location where he was arrested by FBI agents.  

    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. 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. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Charge Related to Videos Depicting Monkey Torture and Mutilation

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

    CINCINNATI – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati today to conspiracy related to his involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing “animal crush” videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.

    According to court documents, Giancarlo Morelli, of Wharton, conspired with others to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys. The conspirators used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera. 

    According to a statement of facts signed by Morelli, the videos in question included depictions of monkeys having their genitals burned and cut off.

    U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made today’s announcement.

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.

    Senior Trial Attorney Adam C. Cullman of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Oakley for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: PCP Trafficker Sentenced to 65 Months in Federal Prison

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

                WASHINGTON – Kelvin Sanker Jr., 42, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 65 months in federal prison for his participation in a major fentanyl and PCP trafficking ring that operated in Washington, D.C.

                The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

               Sanker pleaded guilty October 22, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Phencyclidine (PCP). As part of the four-member conspiracy, between August 2023 and February 2024, Sanker assisted in the preparation, storage, and sale of approximately two kilograms of PCP to two undercover officers. In addition to the 65-month prison-term, Judge Friedrich ordered Sanker to serve five years of supervised release. 

              According to court documents, Sanker supplied the PCP for at least seven sales of the illegal drug to undercover officers. Sanker stored the PCP at the home he shared with his elderly mother in a residential area of Washington, D.C. He prepared it for sale by placing it in 8 or 16 oz. water bottles or juice bottles. He then distributed it to his co-conspirators for further sale.

                On March 6, 2024, FBI and DEA agents executed search warrants on five residences associated with the conspiracy including Sanker’s home where law enforcement found approximately 1 pound of marijuana, about $1,000 in cash, body armor, and a Glock gun box with two empty magazines and one 30-round extended magazine. In Sanker’s backyard, officers found trace amounts of PCP in a paint can, his patio littered with cans of starter fluid, a substance he used to cut pure PCP prior to distribution, plastic funnels used for pouring liquids, and empty water bottles — materials often used to prepare and store PCP for distribution. On Sanker’s phone, investigators found photographs of the paint can with the PCP residue, a Draco semi-automatic pistol similar to the one found in a co-defendant’s car, and other apparent firearms.

                Sanker was arrested on April 17, 2024, and has been held since.

              Co-conspirator Jamar Bennett, 45, was sentenced on January 15, 2025, to 121 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of PCP, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Co-defendant Lamont M. Langston, 44, pleaded guilty December 19, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of PCP and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Langston’s sentencing is pending. A third co-conspirator, Norman Morris, 44, is being held pending trial. 

               This investigation is part of Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Washington Area Group Initiative, which seeks to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations; reduce drug-related crime and violence; and identify and respond to emerging drug trends.

               The case is being investigated by FBI. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Stempel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Roman of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section (VRTO).

    24cr109

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, and USMS Disrupt Contraband Operation at Cibola County Correctional Center with Arrest

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – Federal law enforcement arrested two Albuquerque men on Tuesday after executing search warrants that uncovered a significant cache of weapons, drugs, and evidence of an ongoing drug trafficking operation linked to the Cibola County Correctional Center.

    According to court records, Michael “Gomer” Ernest Garcia, 46, was arrested on outstanding federal and state warrants. A second man, Eric Edwards, 36, was taken into custody on a state warrant.

    Garcia was the final defendant sought in connection with an investigation into a conspiracy involving both incarcerated and non-incarcerated individuals who formed a drug trafficking network that was introducing contraband into the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, NM.

    During the operation, authorities seized weapons and illegal substances from Garcia’s residence, including:

    • Sixteen firearms, among them one pistol with a machine gun conversion device, five AR-15 rifles, two AR-15 pistols, and one AK-47 rifle
    • More than two dozen high-capacity magazines
    • Hundreds of rounds of ammunition in various calibers
    • Controlled substances including methamphetamine and heroin

    Garcia had been evading law enforcement for over two years and was featured on the “METRO 15” wanted poster.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and David Barnett, U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico, made the announcement today.

    The FBI Albuquerque Division Violent Gang Task Force (VGTF) and United States Marshals Service jointly investigated this case with assistance from the CoreCivic Intelligence Unit and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Mysliwiec and David Hirsch are prosecuting the case.

    The VGTF is an FBI led task force comprising of agents and officers from the New Mexico State Police, Rio Rancho Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Albuquerque Police Department.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Monessen Resident Sentenced to Two Decades in Prison for Production of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

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

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Monessen, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Stefan Sweeney, 36.

    According to information presented to the Court, Sweeney produced a video depicting the sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old girl.

    In imposing the sentence, Judge Wiegand stated that a 20-year term of imprisonment reflected a balance between the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility and the serious nature of his crimes.

    Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr Moulton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Kennedy Township Police Department; Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and other local police departments for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sweeney.

    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.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Canada: CPS officer charged with perjury and fabricating evidence

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

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

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Darien Shawn Saxon, 25, of Lexington, S.C., on two charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department made the arrest. Investigators with the Attorney General’s Office, also a member of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted with the investigation.

     

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

     

    Saxon was arrested on January 29, 2025. He is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

     

     

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

     

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

     

     

     

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Summerville man arrested on 20 Child Sexual Abuse Material* chargesRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Brandon Scott Wood, 32, of Summerville, S.C., on 20 charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest. Investigators with the Attorney General’s Office, also a member of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted with the investigation.

     

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

     

    Wood was arrested on January 29, 2025. He is charged with 20 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

     

     

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

     

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

     

     

     

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Local man arrested for failing to pay employment taxes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a local company owner for failing to file employment tax returns and failing to pay over taxes his company withheld from employee paychecks, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Matters Karen Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

    Joseth Limon is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m.

    According to the indictment, Limon allegedly owned Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. The indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Platinum paid its employees over $3.5 million and withheld over $450,000 from their paychecks. During that period, however, Limon allegedly failed to pay to the IRS the employment taxes that Platinum withheld from its employees’ paychecks and failed to file any employment tax returns on behalf of Platinum.

    If convicted, Limon faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 possible fine.  

    IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh and Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Grove Man Sentenced After Stealing Identity of Deceased Friend

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Terry Ross Killion, 43, for committing Aggravated Identity Theft. Judge Heil ordered Killion to serve 24 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release. Additionally, Judge Heil ordered Killion to pay $116,763 in restitution.

    In 2019, Killion obtained the identifiers of his deceased friend, Kelly Davis, and began impersonating him. Killion set up several accounts in Davis’s name and contacted the Social Security Administration, claiming to be Kelly Davis. Killion then fraudulently diverted the payments to himself.    

    Killion will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General – Dallas Kansas City Field Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 01/31/2025, 14-00 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A107D17 (Rosset1P12) were changed.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    31.01.2025

    14:00

    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 31.01.2025, 14-00 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 98.28) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1057.02 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 18.75%) of the security RU000A107D17 (Rosset1P12) 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: 01/31/2025, 14-44 (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 –

    31.01.2025

    14:44

    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 31.01.2025, 14-44 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 106.45) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1132.19 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. MOEX.K.Mom/NN77300

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Houston Man Indicted for Employment Tax Crimes

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A federal grand jury in Houston returned an indictment today charging a Texas man with not paying to the IRS taxes that his company withheld from employees’ paychecks.  

    According to the indictment, Joseth Limon, of Harris County, allegedly owned Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. The indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Platinum paid its employees over $3.5 million in wages and withheld over $450,000 in taxes from their paychecks. During that period, however, Limon allegedly did not pay the IRS those withheld taxes and did not file any employment tax returns, as required by law.

    If convicted, Limon faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 01/31/2025, 10-41 the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor, the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment for the OZON security (OZON-adr) were changed.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    31.01.2025

    10:41

    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 31.01.2025, 10-41 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor with settlement code Y0/Y1Dt (up to -20.0%), the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -7.92 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 47.59%) of the OZON security (OZON-adr) 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 Russia: Financial news: 01/31/2025, 11-02 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A0JVP39 (KAMAZ 12) were changed.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    31.01.2025

    11:02

    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 31.01.2025, 11-02 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 80.35) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 877.13 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 26.25%) of the RU000A0JVP39 (KAMAZ 12) 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. MEEX.K.MO/N77292

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colchester County — Colchester County District RCMP charge man wanted on province-wide arrest warrant after he flees police

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    At approximately 10 a.m. on January 30,Colchester County District RCMP observed a vehicle in Lower Truro associated to a man who was wanted in relation to intimate partner violence related offences, and who has pending charges for multiple firearms offences.

    Officers attempted a traffic stop on Hwy. 236 in Lower Truro. The vehicle didn’t stop and continued at a high rate of speed. Officers followed the vehicle. The RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) and Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR) air services were called in to assist.

    Responding officers deployed spike belts on Hwy. 236 then on Hwy. 215 in East Hants to stop the vehicle. The suspect vehicle was damaged but was able to continue fleeing police.

    From Hwy. 215, the suspect vehicle accessed the shoulder of Hwy. 102 then traveled northbound in the southbound lanes. With the assistance of DNRR air services, the vehicle was observed attempting to turn around and head south in the southbound lane.

    At this time, the vehicle was intercepted on Hwy. 102 between Exit 11 and Exit 12 by the RCMP ERT and Police Dog Services. Officers safely arrested the driver, 38-year-old Stephen Joseph “Dakota” Maloney, and the passenger.

    Officers learned the passenger was a victim; they were released from custody. Maloney reported minor injuries and was transported to hospital by EHS.

    “We understand how unsettling it must’ve been for those travelling along Hwy. 102 and witnessed the suspect vehicle driving erratically in the wrong direction,” says Supt. Sean Auld, Officer in Charge of Support Services. “Our officers continually assessed the situation from a public safety perspective, and working in collaboration with DNRR, officers relied on their training to safely stop the vehicle and arrest the offender.”

    Maloney has been charged with:

    • Flight from Peace Officer
    • Dangerous Operation
    • Operation While Prohibited
    • Forcible Confinement
    • Failure to Comply with Order

    He appeared in Truro Provincial Court on January 30 and was remanded into custody pending future court appearances.

    The investigation, led by the Colchester County District RCMP with assistance of RCMP Police Dog Services, is ongoing.

    Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Colchester County District RCMP at 902-893-6820. To remain to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File # 2025-134744

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four week firearms amnesty to take lethal convertible guns off the streets

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A firearms amnesty will get underway on Monday after new evidence emerged about the potentially lethal risk posed by a particular type of blank firing gun.

    The guns, known as ‘top-venting blank firers’ (TVBFs), are manufactured in Turkey. In their original form they pose little risk, but in recent years an increasing number have been converted and have been used in serious violence.

    Since 2021, more than 800 have been recovered in criminal circumstances across the UK.

    A converted TVBF was used in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Sebastiaan James-Kraan in Ealing in June 2024.

    Three people charged in connection with Sebastiaan’s murder will stand trial in April.

    While no gun was ever recovered, forensic analysis indicates that a TVBF was also used in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Tyler McDermott in Tottenham in April 2023.

    In June, four people were found guilty of Tyler’s murder.

    TVBFs can be handed in at police stations across London from Monday, 3 February until Friday, 28 February.

    This is part of a national amnesty taking place across the country over the same period.

    Detective Superintendent Tim Mustoe, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “We are increasingly concerned about the risk posed by these weapons if they fall into the hands of criminals and those intent on causing serious violence on the streets of London.

    “We’ve already seen their lethal potential in at least two cases here in London. We know they’ve also been used in many other non-fatal incidents too.

    “The majority of top venting blank firers in circulation were bought lawfully by people with no ill intent. However we now know what can happen if they’re converted to do harm which is why it’s important that we recover as many as we can.

    “I would urge anyone who has one of these weapons at home to do the responsible thing and hand it in at a police station. They will not face police action for possession of the gun at the point of surrender if they do so during the amnesty, but if they choose not to do so now and are found to have one of these guns at a later date, then the consequences will be quite different.”

    TVBFs are legal to buy in the UK without a licence, unless they are readily convertible.

    Tests by the National Crime Agency and police forces show models produced by four Turkish manufacturers – Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow – are readily convertible and are therefore illegal.

    Anyone found to be in possession of one, after the amnesty period, could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

    During the Amnesty period, those handing in a Turkish manufactured TVBF will not face prosecution for the illegal possession and will not have to give their details.

    However, the weapons will be examined to determine if they’ve previously been used in serious violence or other criminality.

    Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe, the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for the Criminal Use of Firearms, said: “The top-venting blank firers are used by criminals and can be converted into lethal firearms.

    “During the last two years, policing and the NCA have identified and disrupted several workshops used to convert these pistols into lethal weapons.

    “In the same period, large numbers of converted weapons were recovered across multiple locations, alongside thousands of rounds of blank calibre and modified ammunition.

    “One investigation recovered more than 400 converted weapons from a single crime group. There is a strong demand for them evidenced by the numbers imported and subsequent recovery from criminals.

    “Stopping the sale of these top-venting blank firers from being converted will go a significant way to help protect the public.”

    While TVBFs can be handed in at any police station during the amnesty, the Met is asking people to aim to go to one of these stations:

    • Edmonton
    • Chingford
    • Colindale
    • Wembley
    • Islington
    • Stoke Newington
    • Bethnal Green
    • Ilford
    • Lewisham
    • Bexleyheath
    • Croydon
    • Bromley
    • Kingston
    • Brixton
    • Acton
    • Charing Cross
    • Hammersmith

    Anyone intending to hand in a TVBF as part of the amnesty is encouraged to check the opening times of the relevant station on the Met Police website. To receive advice on how best to transport the weapon responsibly from home to the police station, phone 101 before travelling.

    If you know of people involved in illegal firearms activity, you should call the police on 101 or report the information to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    Every call to Crimestoppers is anonymous and potentially vital to preventing or solving serious crimes. Removing an illegally held firearm from circulation may just save someone’s life.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Houston Man Indicted for Employment Tax Crimes

    Source: United States Attorneys General 8

    A federal grand jury in Houston returned an indictment today charging a Texas man with not paying to the IRS taxes that his company withheld from employees’ paychecks.  

    According to the indictment, Joseth Limon, of Harris County, allegedly owned Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. The indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Platinum paid its employees over $3.5 million in wages and withheld over $450,000 in taxes from their paychecks. During that period, however, Limon allegedly did not pay the IRS those withheld taxes and did not file any employment tax returns, as required by law.

    If convicted, Limon faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    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: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Over $39 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman announced today that the Northern District of New York’s Asset Recovery Unit collected $39,262,324 in civil, criminal and forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $14,085,025 was collected in criminal actions, $15,874,944 was collected in civil actions, and $9,302,354 was collected in asset forfeiture actions. 

    The Northern District of New York also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $18,995,733 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $39,092 was collected in criminal actions and $18,956,641 was collected in civil actions.    

    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 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.

    Additionally, forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund can be used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.  In Fiscal Year 2024, $8,330,553 of the funds forfeited in prior years through criminal and civil judicial forfeiture actions in the Northern District of New York were applied to victim compensation. 

    United States Attorney Carla Freedman stated: “These are great results – every recovery of funds strikes a blow for justice. I created the Asset Recovery Unit shortly after I took office in 2021, and I am incredibly proud of its efforts to make sure that crime does not pay, that crime victims are compensated as much as possible, and that companies pay appropriately steep penalties when they defraud the government.”

    In May, $11.3 million was recovered as part of a civil settlement in United States ex rel. Elevation 33, LLC v. Guidehouse, Inc. and Nan McKay and Associates, for violations of the False Claims Act, for failing to meet cybersecurity requirements in a federally funded contract intended to ensure a secure online environment for low-income New Yorkers to apply for federal rental assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Guidehouse and its subcontractor, Nan McKay and Associates, admitted as part of a settlement agreement that neither satisfied their obligation to complete the required testing of the web site used to house applicants’ information, and the site was shut down within 12 hours after certain applicants’ personally identifiable information had been compromised.

    In February, the Northern District of New York restored $4,950,440 in funds forfeited from Richard J. Sherwood and Thomas K. Lagan, who were sentenced to both federal and state prison for stealing approximately $11.8 million from the estates of three sisters who died.  These funds were initially forfeited by the government through its criminal prosecutions of Sherwood and Lagan, and were restored in 2024 to the victims of the fraud by the Attorney General and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the United States Department of Justice.  The victims include churches, Ukrainian-American civic organizations, a local hospital and a local university scholarship fund. 

    In September, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered $1 million from Derek R. Schwartz, who was sentenced this summer to 72 months in prison for conspiring with former ValueWise CEO Michael T. Mann to defraud companies that loaned millions of dollars to ValueWise subsidiaries.  These funds will be distributed to two financing companies that were victims of a sophisticated, years-long scheme.

    The Asset Recovery Unit is an initiative that works to deprive criminals of the proceeds of crimes, recovers property that may be used toward restitution, and enforces collection of criminal and civil debts owed to the United States or to victims of federal crimes.  The Asset Recovery Unit is comprised of Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa Fletcher, Elizabeth Conger and Melissa Rothbart, Paralegals Joshua Goodfriend, Marianne Meigs, Carly Clay, Erin Hyatt, Jiselle Cabezas, and Teilor Kaiser Clarey, and Investigative Analyst Jason Babiarz.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of Multiple Women

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on January 30, 2025, to 25 years in prison for his conviction of sex trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Eric Jefferson, 41.

    According to information presented to the Court, from in and around June 2019 to in and around April 2022, Jefferson coerced and forced at least four women to perform commercial sex work for his monetary gain. Jefferson provided the women with drugs for meeting clients and would withhold the drugs if the women—who were addicted to narcotics and could become ill with withdrawal symptoms—refused to meet with clients. Jefferson also used violence and threats of violence to coerce and force the women to engage in commercial sex work.

    “Eric Jefferson forced these women to earn money on his behalf, controlling the victims both through physical force and exploiting their dependence upon narcotics,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively prosecute human traffickers such as Jefferson in order to protect and rescue the most vulnerable victims in our district.”

    “Protecting the most vulnerable members of our community will always be among the highest priorities for the FBI,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The message this sentencing sends is clear: the FBI and our partners will aggressively pursue criminals who think they can prey on others.”

    Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Ranjan heard from the victims of the charged crimes and stressed the heinousness of Jefferson’s conduct and its devastating impacts upon the victims.

    Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr Moulton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jefferson.

    This prosecution is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education and improved cooperation across agencies and service providers, thereby enhancing the office’s ability to empower victims of human trafficking to become thriving survivors.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Members of Violent Gang Sentenced to Prison for Racketeering and Drug Trafficking

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

    BOSTON – Two members of the violent Boston-area gang, Cameron Street, were sentenced to prison yesterday for their roles as drug traffickers operating on behalf of the criminal enterprise. During the investigation, 21 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were allegedly seized from 11 of the defendants.

    James Rodrigues, a/k/a “Bummy,” 34, of Boston, was sentenced this morning by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 42 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On Jan. 16, 2025, Rodrigues pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy) and conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack cocaine).

    This afternoon, Judge Young sentenced Devante Lopes, a/k/a “D-Lopes,” 31, of Boston and Quincy, to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In May 2024, Lopes pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute marijuana; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

    Over the course of a two-year investigation, Rodrigues and Lopes were identified as Cameron Street members who were primarily involved in drug trafficking. Specifically, Rodrigues worked with other Cameron Street members to distribute hundreds of grams of cocaine and cocaine base (crack cocaine) from a stash house in Somerville. During the investigation, law enforcement made a series of controlled purchases from Rodrigues and other Cameron Street members. This included two separate occasions in which Rodrigues sold 48 grams of crack cocaine and 50 grams of crack cocaine, respectively, to a cooperating witness. During a search of the Somerville stash house in April 2022, 398 grams of cocaine along with packaging materials, two hydraulic presses, a digital scale, a cell phone and $14,986 in U.S. currency were seized.

    Lopes was a significant drug trafficker who, from 2019 through 2020, regularly used the mail to import large quantities of marijuana from California to Boston and neighboring cities. In exchange, Lopes shipped packages containing between $40,000 to $50,000 in cash. One of the packages intended for Lopes was intercepted by law enforcement and found to contain 2.6 kilograms (2,637 grams) of marijuana. Over the course of the investigation, a total of 24 packages of similar size were tracked as having been shipped from various address in California to Lopes. As a result, it is estimated that Lopes received 56.6 kilograms of marijuana.

    During a search of Lopes’ residence in April 2022, 800 grams of cocaine was seized from inside a bench by his bed along with digital scales, plastic bags commonly used for street-level sales, a bag of pink pills, a money counter, an empty Glock firearm box and a round of ammunition next to Lopes’ bed. During the search of Lopes’ apartment, remote cameras were discovered inside each room as well as two hidden compartments. One of the hidden compartments was concealed inside a shelf and contained approximately $5,000 in cash, a box of ammunition and foam cut-outs for a firearm. The second hidden compartment was found inside a mirror and contained a foam insert:

    A subsequent examination of Lopes’ cellphone revealed messages, images and videos connecting Lopes to members of Cameron Street, unlawful firearm possession and drug trafficking proceeds:

    According to court documents, the Cameron Street gang is a violent criminal enterprise whose members and associates are involved in a variety of criminal activities – including murders, attempted murders, armed robberies, carjackings, home invasions, human trafficking, as well as drug and firearms trafficking, among other offenses – in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston and surrounding areas. It is alleged that Cameron Street members use violence against rival gangs and witnesses, typically with the use of firearms, to maintain and enhance their status and the overall reputation of the gang, as well as to protect the gang’s power, reputation and territory. Members engage in drug trafficking activity and distributed kilograms of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine), oxycodone and marijuana throughout Massachusetts.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the cases.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. 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.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Officers appeal for help to trace missing 70-year-old Anthony from west London

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are concerned about the welfare of a 70-year old man from west London who has been missing for more than 10 weeks.

    Detective Inspector Will Peel from Central West Missing Persons Unit says:

    “We are very worried about the whereabouts of Anthony Davis, who goes by the name “Reggie”.

    “He was last seen on Thursday, 21 November, although there was a possible sighting of him opposite Ladbroke Grove Tube Station on Thursday, 5 December.

    “Anthony has dementia and diabetes so it’s hugely important we find him as he may require medication that he won’t have with him.

    “We have been appealing on social media for help to trace Anthony since December, so, with his family’s support, who are extremely concerned, we are now extending the appeal in the hope of locating him.

    “It’s very out-of-character for Anthony to go missing.

    “He is usually seen using a cane to walk and is wearing a dark hoodie, tracksuit bottoms, a black coat, a black flat cap and sandals with no socks.

    “Please get in touch with police as soon as possible if you have any idea where he might be.”

    If anyone has seen Anthony, or has information on his whereabouts, please call 101 giving the reference 5679/06DEC or call Crimestoppers free of charge on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Innovations for public utilities discussed at SPbGASU

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Participants of the meeting

    On January 29, a meeting of the scientific and technical council of the Housing Committee of the Government of St. Petersburg was held at SPbGASU. The presidium of the meeting included Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg Evgeny Razumishkin, Chairman of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Housing Committee, Head of the Department of Construction Economics and Housing and Utilities of SPbGASU Veronika Asaul, Chairman of the Housing Committee Denis Udod, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for the Improvement of St. Petersburg Sergey Malinin. More than one hundred specialists in the housing and utilities sector took part in the meeting.

    Chief Engineer of the St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution “Central Administration of Regional Roads and Improvement” Igor Mishustin spoke about the use of new models of municipal equipment for road cleaning. He reviewed the universal municipal machines used in the Northern capital, emphasized their positive characteristics and voiced proposals to manufacturers for technical improvement. “Interaction between road agencies and factories-manufacturers of municipal cleaning equipment continues on an ongoing basis,” the specialist noted.

    The head of the investment and technology center “Vympel” Yuri Murzin spoke about the results of testing an innovative electric loader in snowfall conditions. The speaker noted that the loader is distinguished by a high level of localization of production.

    Elena Aleksandrova, Head of the Educational and Methodological Department of SPbGASU, reported on how our university is training personnel for the housing and utilities sector. “Since the 2024/2025 academic year, SPbGASU, together with the self-regulatory organization “Association of Builders of St. Petersburg” as part of the work of the Consortium of the Construction Industry of the Northwestern Federal District, continues to work in school construction classes,” she said in particular.

    Elena Aleksandrova focused on the proposals of SPbGASU for the implementation of the Concept of training personnel for the construction industry and housing and utilities until 2025, approved by the Russian government. The university has introduced new educational programs for the industry, modules for developing competencies in the field of information modeling technologies, and increased the share of practical classes. Practitioners, including future employers of graduates, are widely involved in the educational process. The programs have been brought into line with the current needs of the industry. “Industrial partners play a significant role in our educational process,” she noted.

    Director of OOO ECOTERMIX SPB Konstantin Baranov reported on the results of the implementation of an innovative building material based on polyurethane. It has a wide range of applications both in new construction and in the improvement of already built facilities requiring routine and major repairs.

    At the end of the meeting, those gathered agreed on further cooperation between all participants in the housing and utilities sector of St. Petersburg in scientific research, the introduction of new technology and personnel training.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/SYRIA – Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Homs: The new era is full of mysteries

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 31 January 2025

    by Gianni ValenteHoms (Agenzia Fides) – “A new era has begun for Syria. And it is a difficult time again,” said Archbishop Jacques Mourad. The monk of the Deir Mar Musa community, spiritual son of Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, was held hostage for months by jihadists of the Islamic State in 2015. Perhaps this experience made his Christian vision even clearer. And today, as Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Homs, what he sees and hears about the new suffering in Syria does not correspond to the dominant narrative in the media, especially in the West, which reports on a “regime change”, a successful and peaceful regime change with new Islamist leaders seeking international recognition after more than 50 years of the Assad clan ruling the country.The dominant media coverage, for example, fails to mention the widespread violence and fear that once again overshadows the days of a large part of the Syrian population. A violence that – as Jacques Mourad admits – “seems to be a trap that all those who come to power here fall into”.In recent weeks – the Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Homs told Fides – people have disappeared, prisons are filling up “and we do not know who is still alive and who is dead”. Those accused of having colluded with the collapsed regime are being tortured in public. And he also reports “several cases of young Christians being threatened and tortured in the streets in front of everyone, in order to instill fear and force them to renounce their faith and become Muslims”. Crimes that are taking place far from Damascus.Things are not going well and Father Mourad feels that “nobody can do anything” to get out of this new period of fear and revenge. “I try to encourage people, to console them, to ask for patience and to look for solutions,” said Archbishop Jacques Mourad. “During the Christmas period, I visited our 12 parishes and also went to the villages to encourage them, to keep hope together. There were beautiful meetings with different groups. But when the violence increases, our words and our calls for patience will no longer convince them.”Meanwhile, Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches, visited Syria in recent days as the Pope’s envoy to testify to the closeness of the Successor of Peter to the Christian communities who are experiencing this moment of the tormented Syrian affair with an additional burden of worries, compared to those suffered by other Syrians.”The previous regime,” explains Archbishop Mourad, “presented itself as the defender of Christians. They always said: if we leave, the fanatics will return. Now many priests are pessimistic about the future. My answer is always the same: the situation is definitely incomparable to that of the past, when there were unimaginable crimes. But since the new violence, there are also those who say: ‘You saw that what Bashar al Assad said is true.’ The result is that many Christians now, more than ever, see no other way than to emigrate. To leave Syria. And it is difficult for us to say that we must not lose hope. We try, but people do not believe what we say. What they experience and what they see are too different.”In the churches, since the fall of the Assad regime, in many ways everything seems to continue as before: services, processions, prayers and works of charity. The new rulers have not issued any compulsory regulations that in any way affect the everyday life of the church. The recognized leader Ahmad Sharaa, also known as Abu Muhammad Dscholani, leader of the armed jihadist group “Hayat Tahrir al Sham”, who declared himself “interim president” of Syria on January 29, met with Father Ibrahim Faltas and the Franciscans at the end of 2024 and found words of praise for Pope Francis, stressing that the Christians who emigrated during and after the civil war should return to Syria. The violence suffered by the young Christians took the form of attacks on individuals. “But,” says Jacques Mourad, “when the confiscation of weapons began, the Christian and Alawite soldiers were disarmed. Nobody took the weapons away from the Sunnis.” “And the reality,” he adds, “is that there is no government. There are different armed groups. Some are fanatics, others are not. And each has its own power and imposes its own rule in the areas it controls. And they have many weapons, having also acquired those of the old regime”. Like other bishops, Archbishop Mourad met with representatives of the new forces. He heard reassuring words, but then things did not change.Jacques Mourad says he does not know how things can go on. In the meantime, he himself is moving on.”We continue our life as parishes and as a diocese, day after day,” he says. Since April last year, the Archbishop has been responsible for catechism in all of Syria. Even then, the situation was serious: no work, society and Christian communities still torn apart by the consequences of the war. “I thought the most important thing was to start again with the children. You can only start again with children and young people after the war has somehow wiped out everything. And together with them you have to start again with the essential, original things,” the Archbishop continued.The regional church committees were re-established to work together on the training of catechists, because “many who had experience had left. Now there are young people who are enthusiastic, but who still need to make a spiritual journey and a catechetical and biblical formation”. The dioceses, the Jesuits and the Bible Society have joined forces “to set out together. We thank the Lord because so many young people show such desire, such courage and such generosity”. The same goes for the liturgies and the resumption of pilgrimages to Mar Musa and to all the other monasteries, “to revive the memory, in this situation of poverty and suffering, which is still very serious. And to see if something is reborn, like a new sprout”. (Agenzia Fides, 31/1/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Myanmar: Four years after coup, world must demand accountability for atrocity crimes

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The international community must take urgent action to ensure accountability for atrocities in Myanmar, 46 organizations said today ahead of the four-year anniversary of the 1 February 2021 military coup.

    This year represents a turning point for accountability in Myanmar. While the military remains in control, they are losing ground in many areas. Amid rapidly evolving patterns of hostilities and changing political dynamics, renewed efforts must push for justice and ensure a future built on a lasting culture of respect for human rights.

    Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s military junta has killed more than 6,000 people, arbitrarily detained more than 20,000, and renewed judicial executions. More than 3.5 million people are internally displaced. Human rights groups have documented the military’s torture and other ill-treatment of detainees, indiscriminate attacks, and the denial of humanitarian aid, which may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Myanmar’s military junta has carried out widespread and systematic attacks against the civilian population nationwide, bombing schools, hospitals, and religious buildings with total impunity. Armed groups fighting the military have also committed human rights violations. While some have pledged to hold perpetrators accountable, it remains to be seen whether these efforts are genuine and can meet international standards.

    Last year, 2024, also marked the worst year of violence against the Rohingya community since 2017, with men, women, and children dying in bombings while being trapped in the middle of the armed conflict between the Myanmar military and the armed group the Arakan Army in Rakhine State.

    At the same time, Myanmar’s military has lost an unprecedented amount of territory across the country to a loose coalition of ethnic armed groups, which have captured two regional commands, high-ranking military officers, dozens of towns, and border crossings. These groups have also been implicated in human rights abuses.

    In areas controlled by ethnic armed groups or overseen by the National Unity Government—formed by democratically elected lawmakers and officials ousted in the 2021 coup—local structures of governance and civil society are emerging. These include schools, hospitals, administrative offices, prisons, police stations, and courts.

    Our undersigned organizations call on all parties to the armed conflict in Myanmar to comply with international humanitarian law and engage with international justice mechanisms, including the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. All countries, including regional actors in ASEAN and neighbouring states, must increase pressure on the junta by blocking arms shipments, suspending aviation fuel shipments and supporting international justice mechanisms, including by prosecuting or extraditing any suspected perpetrators. ASEAN must move beyond its failed Five-Point Consensus and take decisive action to hold the junta accountable. We also urge the international community to commit to a coordinated, long-term international justice strategy.

    Globally, some highly anticipated international justice efforts are moving forward. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya committed in Myanmar and in part in Bangladesh between August and December 2017. Requests targeting other senior military officials are expected.

    If these requests are granted, authorities in ICC member states must urgently comply with an arrest warrant for a suspect present within their jurisdiction and hand the person over to the ICC to face their accusers in a fair trial for alleged crimes under international law. The international community must deny safe haven to those accused of serious crimes by ensuring their immediate arrest and transfer to the ICC. The world must not allow perpetrators to evade international justice.

    While the present arrest warrant request is a welcome step, it remains limited in scope, location, and time and does not cover any alleged crimes after the 2021 coup. The ICC Prosecutor should demonstrate further progress in his investigation, including considering crimes under international law committed after 2017 and in the four years since the coup. The UN Security Council and Member States of the ICC must refer the full situation in all of Myanmar to the ICC to ensure justice for all victims.

    Governments, donors, and international agencies should support and pursue a wide variety of accountability efforts, including universal jurisdiction,and the potential creation of ‘hybrid’ or similar tailored justice mechanisms. The international community must also impose a global arms embargo, suspend jet fuel exports, and engage with all relevant national stakeholders, including civil society and those most affected by crimes.

    The UN Human Rights Council resolution from April 2024 stressed the need for “close and timely cooperation” between the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, a body established by the UN Human Rights Council to collect and preserve evidence of atrocity crimes in Myanmar for future prosecutions, and “any future investigations or proceedings by national, regional or international courts or tribunals, including by the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice.”

    It also requested the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to maintain a focus on accountability regarding international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and the rule of law and submit a future report on ways to “fulfil the aspirations of the people of Myanmar for human rights protection, accountability, democracy, and a civilian government.”

    Myanmar will be discussed at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session from 24 February to 4 April 2025. UN member states must use this opportunity to take a bold and innovative approach on Myanmar and adopt a resolution aimed at breaking the cycle of impunity for atrocity crimes. The international community must also amplify the voices of survivors, activists and the people of Myanmar who continue to resist oppression at great personal risk.

    Myanmar’s human rights crisis did not begin with the coup. Decades of oppression have led to this moment. Ending impunity requires bold and adapted solutions and long-term political and financial commitment. The world must act now.

    —

    1. #Sisters2Sisters
    2. Ah Nah Podcast – Conversations with Myanmar
    3. Amnesty International
    4. Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
    5. Arakan Rohingya National Union
    6. Assistance Association for Myanmar-based Independent Journalists
    7. Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
    8. Blood Money Campaign
    9. Burma Action Ireland
    10. Burma Campaign UK
    11. Burma Civil War Museum
    12. Burma Human Rights Network
    13. Burma War Crimes Investigation
    14. Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
    15. CAN-Myanmar
    16. Center for Ah Nyar Studies
    17. Chin Human Rights Organization
    18. Community Rebuilding Center
    19. Defend Myanmar Democracy
    20. EarthRights International
    21. Fortify Rights
    22. Free Rohingya Coalition 
    23. Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
    24. Human Rights Foundation of Monland
    25. Independent Myanmar Journalists Association
    26. Kaladan Press Network
    27. Karen Human Rights Group
    28. Karenni Human Rights Group
    29. Mayu Region Human Rights Documentation Center
    30. Mother’s Embrace
    31. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia
    32. New Myanmar Foundation
    33. Odhikar
    34. Progressive Muslim Youth Association
    35. Political Prisoners Network – Myanmar
    36. Refugee Women for Peace and Justice
    37. Refugees International
    38. Rohingya Human Rights Initiative
    39. Rohingya Student League
    40. Rohingya Student Network
    41. Rohingya Student Union
    42. Rohingya Youth for Legal Action
    43. RW Welfare Society
    44. Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
    45. Women Organization of Political Prisoners
    46. Youth Congress Rohingya
       

    MIL OSI NGO –