NewzIntel.com

Category: Crime

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bank General Counsel Pleads Guilty to Offenses Stemming from $7.4 Million Embezzlement Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JAMES BLOSE, 56, of Fairfield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to offenses stemming from a decade-long embezzlement scheme at banks where he served as General Counsel and held other high-ranking positions.

    The announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England; and Brian Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General, Eastern Region.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2013 to January 2022, Blose was an attorney and held high-ranking positions, including General Counsel, at Hudson Valley Bank and Sterling National Bank.  From approximately January 2022, when Webster Bank acquired Sterling National Bank, until February 2023, Blose served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Webster Bank.

    From approximately 2013 until Webster Bank discovered his scheme and his employment was terminated in February 2023, Blose defrauded his employers (“The Bank”) in various ways.  In certain commercial loan transactions where The Bank was the lender, Blose fraudulently retained for himself portions of closing costs, including legal fees.  In certain real estate transactions in which The Bank was the seller, Blose retained portions of the sale proceeds for himself.  For some of the real estate transactions, Blose created false documents in order to hide his theft from The Bank.  Blose also stole from The Bank in other ways.

    As part of the scheme, used his attorney trust accounts to make personal expenditures, and to transfer funds to accounts in the names of business entities he created and controlled, and then used those funds for his personal benefit.  Through this scheme, Blose stole approximately $7.4 million from his employers.

    Blose pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  He is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for March 13 in Hartford.

    This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General.  Financial crimes investigators from Webster Bank assisted the investigation.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Ross Weingarten.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Amid Growing Strength of Terrorist Groups in Sahel, West Africa, Senior Official Urges Security Council to Scale Up Support within Regional Frameworks

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    In a region grappling with escalating threats due to violent non-State actors, civic restrictions, political transitions and heightened humanitarian needs, the head of UN efforts in West Africa and the Sahel called on the Security Council for scaled up support within regional frameworks, as speakers welcomed small signs of progress on the democratic front.

    Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), presenting the latest Secretary-General’s report (document S/2024/871), reported that he just attended the 15 December Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Summit, where Heads of State took note of the decision of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from the organization.  ECOWAS responded with an offer of six months for dialogue to encourage those countries to remain, he added.  Regional leaders unanimously acknowledge insecurity as the region’s most urgent concern, with terrorists becoming increasingly aggressive, and utilizing sophisticated weaponry, including drones, he said, also drawing attention the spread, beyond the Sahel, of violent extremism and organized crime to northern Benin and Togo, and the Gulf of Guinea countries.

    To address such threats, he called for the Council to scale up support within regional frameworks.  While the announced operationalization of the ECOWAS Standby Force is a positive step, the Group of Five for the Sahel (G5 Sahel) joint force has ceased operations, and the Accra Initiative is undergoing restructuring, to model the Multinational Joint Task Force, “the primary security cooperation mechanism in the Lake Chad Basin region, and the only functioning platform for cooperation on regional security in West Africa and the Sahel”.  He went on to highlight a trip in November to Chad with Special Representative Abdou Abarry, Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), during which they met the Lake Chad Basin Commission as well as a camp for internally displaced persons — of whom the country presently hosts 2 million, amid severe flooding, with the worsening humanitarian situation in other countries leading to further displacement.  In this context, he urged support for the underfunded humanitarian appeal, which is less than 50 per cent funded.  Addressing climate resilience, he spotlighted meetings held between stakeholders to discuss the transboundary management of water at the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, and welcomed the visit, in December, of the Council’s informal expert group on climate change, peace and security to the Lake Chad Basin region.

    On human rights issues, he deplored the closing of 8,200 schools in the region, due to insecurity and expressed concern about persisting human rights violations and civic restrictions in Guinea and Central Sahel.  However, he welcomed progress in fighting impunity, citing the conviction of those responsible for the 2009 Guinea stadium massacre.  Detailing progress in the region on the democratic front, he noted his visit to Ghana during the presidential and legislative elections; as well as taking note of legislative elections in Senegal on 17 November, Côte d’Ivoire on track to its 2025 presidential elections and Liberia making progress in democratic consolidation.  However, in Guinea-Bissau, the parliamentary elections planned for November 2024 have been postponed sine die, he said, also pointing out that, in the Gambia, 2025 will be a critical year for the adoption of constitutional reforms, due to a political environment in which consensus has eroded.

    The Council also heard from Levinia Addae-Mensah, Executive Director, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, a network encompassing 750 civil society organizations across the region, who described a “heightened security threat profile”, leading to expanding zones of instability and ungoverned spaces in the region, due to recent democratic transformations and security challenges stemming from the growing strength of terrorist and violent extremist groups in the Sahel and some coastal States.  Citing data from the group’s early warning system indicates that 76 per cent of armed attacks occurred around tri-border communities with inadequate State presence, she pointed out that “cascaded negative effects” of such dynamics led to challenges, including the closing of 12,000 schools, exacerbating the vulnerability of girls to early marriage, female genital mutilation and trafficking.

    Despite these challenges, she took note of positive trends, including progress towards democratic governance in Liberia, Senegal and Ghana; strengthened early warning systems and response mechanisms; and development of national and local infrastructures for peace.  Despite the shrinking of civic spaces, her organization is strengthening resilience through initiatives, such as Security Consultative Committees, which it introduced in Mali, she said, pointing out that such “a dichotomous reality” underscores the value of organic approaches to peacebuilding.  In closing, she highlighted processes that presented opportunities to reset approaches to addressing threats in the region, including the 2025 review of United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture and the Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions.

    In the ensuing discussion, many speakers echoed concerns about the security situation in the region, with several urging support for regional security initiatives. Among them was the representative of Sierra Leone, co-penholder on the file, speaking also for Algeria, Guyana and Mozambique, who urged predictable funding for regional security mechanisms, spotlighting the importance of the Multinational Joint Task Force in fighting terrorist groups in the Lake Chad Basin, and the potential of a fully operationalized Accra Initiative in addressing security threats, including the recruitment and radicalization of young people in the region.

    Switzerland’s delegate called for a holistic approach to security, stressing that insecurity also hinders the improvement of the socioeconomic and humanitarian situation in the region.  Voicing alarm about the persistence and spread of armed conflict, terrorism and violent extremism, she said:  “It is necessary to engage in actions to maintain and promote dialogue and social cohesion, and to tackle the root causes of fragility.”

    The representative of the Republic of Korea concurred, pointing out that the “lack of coordinated regional responses and fragmented counter-terrorism efforts heighten the risk of terrorist expansion across the Central Sahel and into coastal States”.  He therefore encouraged ECOWAS and regional States to foster effective collaboration to counter terrorism and transnational organized crime, an appeal echoed by the representative of Japan.

    Also on the security front, the United Kingdom underscored that “private military security companies — like the Wagner Group and Africa Corps — are not the answer”.  Rather, these entities have a track record of worsening existing conflicts and undermining long-term development and stability.  On the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region, he called for more humanitarian access, highlighting his Government’s support for more than 16 million people in the Sahel since 2019.

    Similarly, the representative of the United States, Council President for December, speaking in her national capacity, warned that, amid Governments’ struggle to reclaim control over territory, leaders who engage in heavy-handed counter-terrorism tactics, while neglecting to address the drivers of marginalization, are only worsening the security situation.

    However, the Russian Federation’s delegate countered that the fractious security situation “is the heavy burden of the consequences of the military aggression waged by Western countries against Libya — a burden borne, to this day, by all States in the region”.  Long-term stability in the Sahel requires the international community to support Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso “who stand at the forefront of the fight against pan-African terrorist groups”, she added, also stressing that the Council should respect the decision by members of the Alliance of Sahel States to leave ECOWAS.

    Meanwhile, China’s delegate called for the international community to “maintain necessary patience” with countries in transition and provide them with “small constructive support”. Countries in the region must foster collective security and continuously enhance counter-terrorism cooperation, he said.  To that end, his country, as announced at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September, will provide expertise and support to the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism and United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism Programme Office for Counter-Terrorism and Training in Africa.

    Malta’s delegate was among several speakers highlighting democratic concerns, welcoming Ghana’s introduction of a 40 to 50 per cent target of women in elected and appointed positions.  However, she urged transitional Governments to adhere to previously agreed electoral timelines, pointing to postponed elections in Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso, as well as similar negative trends in the Gambia and Nigeria.

    Addressing the humanitarian picture, Guyana’s representative, also speaking for Switzerland, as the Council’s informal co-focal points on conflict and hunger, noted that, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 48.6  million people throughout the region were projected to experience food insecurity in the “critical June and August lean period”, mainly due to worsening security conditions in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.  She called for increased international support, particularly in capacity-building; respect for international humanitarian law to protect humanitarian personnel, as well as objects indispensable to civilian survival; and a comprehensive overview that acknowledges the interrelated nature of existing and emerging challenges, including food insecurity.

    Many delegates drew attention to the exacerbating impact of climate change on the regional humanitarian situation, including Ecuador’s representative, who called on the international community to intensify its efforts in providing aid, and Slovenia’s delegate, who warned that:  “Crop failures, combined with the local grievances and ongoing instability create a fertile ground for recruitment by extremist armed groups.”  In this context, she echoed the Secretary-General’s call for countries in the region and ECOWAS to develop conflict-sensitive climate adaptation plans as part of comprehensive peacebuilding strategies.

    France’s representative concurred, observing that, by making access to resources difficult, climate change impacts “are an additional hurdle in West Africa”.  France has therefore renewed its support to regional climate, peace and security mechanisms to address these challenges.  He added that improving the situation in the region requires a peaceful political climate, common commitment by all actors to pursue dialogue, a return to constitutional order and universal respect for human rights and the freedoms of association and expression.

    NEW – Follow real-time meetings coverage on our LIVE blog.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI and Cincinnati Police Announce $15,000 Reward in Death of 5-Year-Old Arty Stanford

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

    The FBI and the Cincinnati Police Department today announced a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the death of Artagist “Arty” Stanford III.

    “Arty’s family has suffered greatly since this shooting and anyone responsible for his death should be held accountable,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “Someone in our community knows what happened that night and who was involved. We need anyone with information to do the right thing and contact law enforcement.”

    “Silence protects the wrong people,” said Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge. “Someone knows what happened. Someone holds the key to bringing closure to Arty’s family. Please speak up and help us bring justice for Arty.”

    On October 24, 2024, at approximately 5:48 a.m., the Cincinnati Emergency Communications Center received a report of a drive-by shooting at a house on Holland Drive. Initially, residents believed there were no injuries and the house only received damage from the gunfire. When police arrived, family members found five-year-old Artagist “Arty” Stanford III suffering from a gunshot wound to the head in an upstairs bedroom. There were at least seven bullet impact marks or bullet holes in the front of the house. One of the bullets passed through the front exterior wall into a second-floor bedroom and struck Arty in the head.

    Arty was taken to the hospital for treatment which included multiple surgeries. On October 26, 2024, Arty succumbed to his injuries and his death was ruled a homicide.

    Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-Call-FBI or Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Arrests, charges over meth-filled suitcases

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Four people have been arrested and approximately 200kg of methamphetamine has been seized following a joint investigation between New Zealand Police and the New Zealand Customs Service.

    Critically, an insider threat at the Port of Tauranga has also been identified and removed.

    Customs officers became aware of a suspicious concealment on 11 December after a routine x-ray of a container at the port.

    At about 3pm two men entered a restricted area and forced entry into the container. Police were alerted as the men loaded the suitcases into their car.

    The vehicle left the port driving recklessly and at speed through heavy traffic on the East Link Toll Road towards Whakatāne.

    Bay of Plenty District Police were able to stop the vehicle using road spikes on the toll road.

    The occupants fled on foot but were apprehended a short distance from the vehicle.

    Police recovered the five suitcases in the vehicle, along with other tools linked to the burglary.

    The two men, both aged 28, have been charged with burglary, possession of methamphetamine for supply, failing to carry out obligations in relation to a computer search, and possession of instruments for burglary.

    They have been remanded in custody and will appear in the Tauranga District Court, one on 20 January 2025, and the second on 7 March 2025.

    On Wednesday 18 December, search warrants were executed at various locations around the Western Bay of Plenty, and a further two people were arrested in relation to the matter.

    The two men, aged 33 and 36, have been charged with a number of offences, including importation of methamphetamine. Both appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Thursday 19 December.

    It is believed members of this criminal operation may have been operating from within the port for some time.

    The four arrested men all have associations with the Mongrel Mob, Comancheros and the Filthy Few. 

    Detective Inspector Albie Alexander of the National Organised Crime Group says this seizure will make a significant dent into the supply of methamphetamine in the Western Bay of Plenty.

    “Even more significantly, we believe we have now shut down an insider threat at the port, and enquiries into this aspect will continue.”

    It’s estimated the 200kg of methamphetamine equates to 10 million doses and its seizure has prevented up to $209.5m of social harm to the New Zealand economy.

    While the retail value of 10 million doses may be as high as $75m, the wholesale value of the drugs is estimated to be between $14m and $32m.

    “This illustrates another example of the continuing cooperation and strong partnerships we have with Customs and our local and domestic partners in targeting criminal activity at our borders and in the community,” says Detective Inspector Alexander. 

    Customs Investigations Manager Dominic Adams says that New Zealand continues to be an attractive market for organised criminal groups to smuggle drugs including methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as illicit tobacco.

    Customs is seeing an increase in legitimate imports being targeted by overseas criminal groups who conceal illicit drugs within freight containers or container contents, which are later recovered by New Zealand-based criminals. This can involve attempted break-ins to collect the drugs.

    “We know that criminal groups attempt to circumvent border and port security processes to intercept drugs. We work closely with port companies, their security teams and our Police colleagues to ensure people who intentionally attempt to breach port security measures are identified and apprehended. Our increased port and maritime presence is helping us face this threat,” Mr Adams says.   

    “Criminal infiltration of the supply chain is common overseas, and it is a threat that all supply chain businesses including port companies should be alert to. The Customs Border Protect team has a range of resources to support businesses to identify and report criminal infiltration in the supply chain.”

    To report suspicious activity, call 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) confidentially or call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. For more information, visit www.customs.govt.nz/report.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Registered Sex Offender sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant who raped 11-year-old child, found with child sexual abuse images after more than 10 years in prison and deviancy treatment

    Seattle –A 53-year-old Des Moines, Washington, man, who is a registered sex offender, was sentenced today to ten years in prison for possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Edward James Creed was on Washington State Department of Corrections supervision when he was found to have unapproved electronic devices in his residence and images of child sexual abuse on his phone. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson said, “creating a market for this material perpetuates the horrific abuse of children.”

    According to records filed in the case, Creed previously served more than ten years in state custody for a 2008 Kitsap County conviction for rape of a child. He was released in 2017 but was returned to custody for a time in 2019. In March of 2024, community corrections review of his phone revealed that he had collected seventy images of child sexual abuse. After his arrest, a search of his room at the sex offender residence revealed that he had a number of unapproved electronic devices.

    In asking for the ten year sentence Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson wrote to the court, “In light of the defendant’s demonstrated sexualized interest in minors, it bears repeating that it is exceedingly troubling Creed successfully completed a sexual deviancy treatment program in prison and after two relatively short periods of time in the community was caught seeking out (2020) or successfully obtaining (2024) child sexual abuse material and unlawfully accessing the internet to do so…. He has proven history of deceiving those tasked with monitoring him in the community and has demonstrated a significant commitment to do so.”

    Judge Evanson ordered Creed to be on 15 years of supervised release to follow prison.

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Washington State Department of Corrections.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.

    This case was also 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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to Over 16 Years of Imprisonment for Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – Tommie Conner, 49, of Memphis, has been sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.  Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the sentence today.

    According to evidence presented in court, on March 4, 2021, an officer with the Memphis Police Department observed a Dodge Durango speeding on American Way.  The Durango was pulled over and the driver, later identified as Conner, fled.  Conner was later located by officers who arrived at the scene.  While investigating the offense, officers saw a handgun in plain view in the Durango.  Officers obtained a search warrant and recovered a loaded SCCY 9mm pistol.  

    Conner is a felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms.  Specifically, in 1993, Conner pled guilty to two counts of robbery and three counts of aggravated robbery in state court and was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration. In 2005, Conner was convicted in federal court in the Western District of Tennessee for being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 15 years of federal imprisonment after he was determined to be an armed career criminal.  

    In September 2021, Conner was indicted in the Western District of Tennessee for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  In June 2024, a jury found Conner guilty of that offense.  It also found that at least three of Conner’s prior offenses occurred on different occasions, as required for him to be sentenced as an armed career criminal under the ACCA (Armed Career Criminal Act).

    On December 19, 2024, United States District Court Senior Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced Conner to 200 months in federal prison with three years of supervised release to follow.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) Initiative, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our communities 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.

    This case was investigated by the (PSN) Gun Task Force, the Memphis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Wagner and Jermal Blanchard who prosecuted this case on behalf of the government and the law enforcement partners who investigated this case.

    ###

    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: Alleged Fentanyl Trafficker Extradited From Honduras To Face Charges In San Francisco

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Gustavo Erazo Is Charged with Conspiring to Distribute, and Possessing with Intent to Distribute, Large Quantities of Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine

    SAN FRANCISCO – The government of Honduras extradited Gustavo Erazo, a Honduran national, to the United States this week to appear on charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in the San Francisco Bay Area. The extradition marks the sixth extradition of an alleged drug trafficker from Honduras to the Northern District of California this year.

    On Jan. 5, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Erazo, 49, at the time a resident of Oakland, and two other defendants, on charges of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine with the intent to distribute those substances. Erazo was charged in four of the eight counts in the indictment:

    Count Charge Statute(s) Statutory Maximum Prison Term

    1

    		 Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(vi)

    Life

    2

    		 Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(vi)

    Life

    3

    		 Possession with Intent to Distribute 100 Grams or More of Heroin 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(i)

    40 years

    4

    		 Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(ii)

    40 years

    According to a criminal complaint filed before the indictment, Erazo was arrested in November 2022 outside an apartment in Berkeley, Calif. At the time of his arrest, Erazo was carrying a backpack in which he had nearly four pounds of suspected drugs, including almost a kilogram of suspected fentanyl and more than half a pound each of suspected heroin and suspected cocaine. Inside the apartment, law enforcement officers found nearly 21 pounds of suspected drugs, including nearly 15 pounds of suspected fentanyl, more than two pounds of suspected cocaine, and more than one pound of suspected heroin. Officers also found drug manufacturing equipment, two firearms, ammunition, and cash inside the apartment.

    According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned after Erazo was charged in federal court that he had traveled back to Honduras. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities and the DEA to secure the arrest and extradition of Erazo, who arrived back in the United States on Dec. 19, 2024. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim today for arraignment on the indictment and further proceedings. Erazo is next scheduled to appear in court for a status hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa J. Cisneros on Dec. 23, 2024.

    An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Erazo faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $10,000,000 on Counts 1 and 2, and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 on Counts 3 and 4. He also faces a lifetime term of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment on each count. Any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only upon consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris made the announcement.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Parker is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessie Chelsea and Linda Love. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: East Bay Man Who Claimed His Marijuana Distribution Business Was A “Nonprofit” Sentenced To Over Three Years For Pandemic Relief Loan Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – A Brentwood man was sentenced yesterday to 37 months in prison for defrauding the United States by obtaining approximately $300,000 in COVID-19 relief funds for his “nonprofit” that was an unlicensed marijuana distribution business.  The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Rita F. Lin, U.S. District Judge, following defendant’s guilty plea on two counts of wire fraud.

    According to court documents, Thanh Duy Nguyen, 53, ran and was the sole officer of T&A Distribution, an unlicensed interstate marijuana trafficking scheme with grow houses around the Bay Area.  Nguyen used T&A Distribution to obtain two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act authorized the SBA to provide EIDL loans to small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    In the first application, which he submitted in April 2020, Nguyen certified that he was not engaged in any illegal activity as defined by federal law, even though he knew that his marijuana distribution business was illegal under federal law.  Nguyen fraudulently claimed that T&A Distribution was a nonprofit in the business of “Antiques/Collectibles,” when its business was marijuana distribution.  Nguyen also made other false statements, including about T&A Distribution’s gross revenue and employee count.  The true amount of T&A Distribution’s gross revenues in the 12 months before Jan. 31, 2020, was approximately $2.4 million.

    On a second EIDL application, which he submitted in June 2020, Nguyen again falsely certified that he was not engaged in any illegal activity as defined by federal law, and misrepresented T&A Distribution as a nonprofit in the business of “Miscellaneous Services.”  He also made false statements about the business’s gross revenues, cost of operations, and employee count.

    As a result of the falsified applications, Nguyen received approximately $300,000 in EIDL funds.  He used a significant amount of the loan funds for his marijuana distribution business and for gambling.

    In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Lin sentenced Nguyen to three years of supervised release and to pay $300,000 in restitution and $300,000 in forfeiture.  Nguyen will begin serving his sentence on Feb. 28, 2025.

    United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris, and SBA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agent in Charge of the Western Region Weston King made the announcement.

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

    Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Tartakovsky prosecuted the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DEA and SBA OIG.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ERO New York City arrests previously removed unlawfully present Mexican citizen, sex offender

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    NEW YORK — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in New York City arrested unlawfully present Mexican citizen Jose Hernandez Sachez, Dec. 19. Hernandez has convictions for third degree sexual abuse among other charges.

    Fugitive operations officers arrested the 42-year-old sexual predator outside a residence in Brooklyn. He is currently in ERO custody pending removal proceedings.

    “We will not tolerate predators taking advantage of public services such as the MTA to violate women and girls,” said ERO New York City Field Office Director Kenneth Genalo. “ERO officers will find these criminal noncitizens and seek their removal from the United States.”

    The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Hernandez following three separate attempts to unlawfully enter the U.S. near Nogales, Arizona, between Jan. 7 and Jan. 9, 2003. Hernandez voluntarily returned to Mexico on each occasion but later unlawfully entered the U.S. on an unknown date and location without admission by an immigration official.

    The New York Police Department arrested Hernandez Jan. 13, 2023, for third degree sexual abuse and other charges. The Queens County Criminal Court in Kew Gardens convicted Hernandez of those charges May 30. The victim in this case was a 15-year-old girl.

    Hernandez was arrested again on sex abuse charges by the NYPD Nov. 17, 2023. The Kings County Criminal Court in Brooklyn convicted him On June 12 on those charges and sentenced him to one year probation with conditional discharge and required him to register as a sex offender. The victim in this case was a 40-year-old woman.

    Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Executive Office for Immigration Review. The Executive Office for Immigration Review is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ERO officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.

    ERO is one of ICE’s three operational directorates and is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-347-2423 or completing ICE’s online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO New York’s mission to preserve public safety on Twitter @ERONewYork.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 4th Marines ACVs Complete First Open Water Amphibious Movement

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    OKINAWA, Japan  –  

    Amphibious Combat Vehicles with 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division, completed the first open-water amphibious movement in the Kushi Crossing, Dec. 10, 2024.

    ACVs are the Marine Corps’ newest amphibious vehicle platform and were first fielded in Fleet Marine Force units on Camp Pendleton, California, November 2022. The ACV was developed for the Marine Corps to replace the Assault Amphibious Vehicle, having began its long period of service in 1972. The ACV underwent close to nearly two years of trials and tests before the platform would make its debut overseas in Okinawa with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit June 24 of this year.

    Less than a week later on June 29 III Marine Expeditionary Force units received ACVs of their own when the first vehicles participating in the Unit Deployment Program arrived in Okinawa as part of 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division. UDP units stationed in the continental United States rotate to Okinawa for six-month deployments to maintain experience operating in the Indo-Pacific region while providing assurance to allies and partners as well as deterring potential adversaries from conflict. Now as the second ACV platoon is participating in the UDP to 4th Marines, they are breaking new ground for amphibious operations on the island.

    “Since the ACV has been fielded here in July, these training areas have not yet been transited by ACVs or validated,” said 1st. Lt. Jacob Yehl, the 4th Marines ACV platoon commander. “Our mission here today, and on this rotation, is to make sure all of those training areas and BLS’s (Beach Landing Sites) are trafficable and supportable for ACV operations in the future.”

    Marines and their ACVs spent three days at the beach to validate amphibious operations with the new platform during low tide, high tide, and low-light conditions.

    “Kushi Crossing is the only landing site in Okinawa that allows entry into the Central Training Area of Okinawa,” said Yehl. Validation that ACVs can operate in the Kushi Crossing ensures they can integrate seamlessly with other training units in Okinawa. The ACV platoon’s central mission, stated by Yehl, is “to provide ship-to-shore lift for the infantry and reinforcement of their assault to inland objectives.”

    After a long period of operating the outdated AAV, experienced Marines are able to bring their tactical knowledge to bear in mastering the new vehicle. Staff Sergeant Juwan White, one of the unit’s section leaders, said “I remember eight years ago I was driving an AAV from Recon Beach, Camp Schwab here to Kushi, regularly. Now here I am today doing the same thing with an ACV for the very first time for the next generations of Marines to do.”

    ACVs with 4th Marines will also be attached to the 31st MEU based on Camp Hansen, Okinawa to provide another capable ship-to-shore connector for the Marine Corps’ most rapid response force in the region.

    In the Indo-Pacific, ACVs deliver commanders the ability to deploy a landing force to respond to crisis or conflict. When asked about the significance of the training’s completion, White said “The primary message of the training we conducted is that we’ve proven and shown that ACVs belong here in Okinawa for III MEF to have at their disposal.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement with a Weapon and Other Offenses During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON — A Florida man was arrested yesterday morning and charged with assaulting law enforcement with a weapon and other counts related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

                Joel Linn O’Donnell, 44, of Clearwater, Florida, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with seven offenses, including assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

                In addition to the felonies, O’Donnell is charged with two misdemeanor offenses of disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

                The FBI arrested O’Donnell December 19, in Clearwater. He made his initial appearance in the Middle District of Florida.

                According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, O’Donnell attended a rally near the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., and afterward, joined a large crowd marching toward the U.S. Capitol building. Once on Capitol grounds, O’Donnell positioned himself at the Lower West Plaza.

                O’Donnell, accompanied by an associate, moved closer to the Capitol building, transitioning from the West Front to the Upper West Terrace. There, he joined a mass of rioters on temporary stadium-style risers as objects were hurled at police officers nearby. The crowd reportedly chanted “TRAITORS!” at law enforcement officers attempting to control the unrest.

                At approximately 4:54 p.m., it is alleged that O’Donnell advanced toward the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement that day, while carrying a large step and two long poles. Moments later, O’Donnell allegedly used these items as weapons, hurling all three of the objects at police officers defending the Tunnel.

                At approximately 5:02 p.m., it is alleged that O’Donnell returned to the police line armed with a baseball bat and repeatedly struck a Metropolitan Police Department officer, hitting the officer’s riot shield. Court documents say that O’Donnell only retreated from the tunnel area after police deployed riot control munitions to disperse the crowd.

                This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

                This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Tampa and Washington Field Offices which identified Gonzalez as AFO (Assault on Federal Officer) BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #352 on its seeking information images. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

                In the 47 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,572 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 590 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

                Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Disarmament Chief Calls Out ‘Unacceptable Levels’ of Civilian Fatalities in Ukraine, as Security Council Debates Western Arms Supplies to Kyiv, Moscow’s Ongoing Attacks

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Meeting again today to discuss Western arms supplies to Ukraine, the Security Council heard that civilians there continue to be killed and injured by a panoply of deadly munitions, while the organ’s members alternately urged a diplomatic end to the violence and condemned Moscow’s initial — and continued — aggression.

    “More than 1,000 days have passed since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched on 24 February 2022 in violation of the UN Charter and of international law,” observed Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.  Since the Council last met on this topic on 31 October, the world has continued to witness “unacceptable levels” of civilian deaths and injuries, she noted, also spotlighting Moscow’s “systematic and deliberate” targeting of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

    Transfers of arms and ammunition, and the provision of other forms of military assistance to Ukraine’s Armed Forces, have also continued, she said.  Additionally, there have been reports of States transferring — or planning to transfer — weapons and ammunition to the Russian Federation.  Further reports refer to an increase in military cooperation between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation, including troop deployment by the former into the latter’s Kursk region.

    “I urge all concerned to refrain from any steps that may lead to further spillover and intensification of the conflict, as well as any further harm to civilians,” she said, citing reports by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) of over 12,340 civilians killed — and more than 27,836 injured — between 24 February 2022 and 30 November 2024.  She also noted reports of cross-border strikes by Ukraine inside the Russian Federation – with some reportedly resulting in damage to civilian objects.

    Expressing particular concern over the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, the use and transfer of cluster munitions and recent announcements regarding the transfer of non-persistent anti-personnel landmines, she called on States to abide by their international obligations and become parties to disarmament treaties “as a matter of priority”.  Further, universal participation in arms-control instruments is essential to prevent the diversion of conventional arms and to regulate the international arms trade.

    Concluding, she reiterated the Secretary-General’s call for “a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Ukraine, consistent with the UN Charter”.

    United States’ Speaker:  Permanent Council Member Violating UN Charter

    “This document has meaning,” stressed the representative of the United States, Council President for December, as he took the floor in his national capacity.  For 80 years — “through thick and thin”, he noted — the Council has worked to uphold the Charter’s principles and to oppose territorial conquest.  Now, today, one of the organ’s permanent members is openly, unashamedly violating the Charter, as well as Council resolutions — that it voted for — to prevent a rogue nation from acquiring nuclear weapons.

    He went on to detail Beijing’s continued supply of dual-use items to Moscow’s war-industrial base, stating that China “telegraphs tacit approval for Russia’s war” by doing so.  “Russia listens only to strength and action — something we collectively lacked when Russia invaded Crimea, and when it invaded Georgia before that,” he noted, adding:  “Appeasement didn’t work then, and it won’t work now.”  Therefore, the United States and its partners will continue supporting both Ukraine and the UN Charter.

    Russian Federation’s Speaker:  Ukraine ‘Gold Mine’ for Military-industrial Complex of ‘Anglo-Saxon Countries’

    Meanwhile, the representative of the Russian Federation said that there would have been no war “if the United States had not supported the coup d’état in Kyiv in 2014” and had not “made Ukraine into anti-Russia”.  Noting that Ukraine has become a “gold mine” for the military-industrial complex of “Anglo-Saxon countries”, he said that half of all weapons sales went to 41 United States corporations.  In 2023, the revenue of 100 major weapons manufacturers reached $632 billion, he added.

    “It would be naïve to think that these unprincipled traders will give up on their huge profits for the benefit of the helpless Ukrainians,” he emphasized.  Further, he said that the Pentagon had to admit that the whereabouts of more than half of the Javelin and Stinger missiles sent to Ukraine were unknown, highlighting the corruption that “accompanies Western supplies”.  He concluded:  “My advice to all of those who are hoping that military activities will stop:  don’t have any illusions about the real intent of the comedian Zelenskyy.  We never had them.”

    Ukraine’s Speaker:  Kyiv Strikes Legitimate Military Targets on Its Occupied Territory and in Russian Federation

    “Ukraine never wanted this war and — more than any country across the globe — Ukraine wants the war to end,” stressed that country’s representative.  Noting that the Russian Federation again prefaced today’s meeting “with air terror against Ukrainian cities”, he described Moscow’s behaviour as:  “A — plan a strike; B — call a Security Council meeting; C — carry out a strike; D — call a meeting to complain about Western weapons supplies”.  This correlation has been registered in at least 18 cases, he emphasized.

    Against this backdrop, Ukraine strikes legitimate military targets on its occupied territories and in the Russian Federation, he went on to say, stressing that “it is more than easy” for Moscow to stop the war it launched.  Instead, Russian Federation President Vladimir V. Putin called for a “high-tech duel” between his country and the West, in which Moscow would strike Kyiv with medium-range ballistic missiles while Western missile-defence systems would attempt to protect it.  “Yesterday’s revelations from Putin leave no room for doubt:  his regime must be neutralized as soon as possible,” he urged.

    Council Members Weigh In

    Throughout the meeting, several Council members also pointed out that it was Moscow who originated the war.  “It is quite clear that this conflict began with Russia’s invasion of a neighbouring country in violation of the UN Charter,” stressed the representative of the Republic of Korea.  “Today’s meeting on the issue of weapons transfers to Ukraine is irrelevant,” he added, underscoring:  “The world knows the difference between an aggressor and a victim.”  He also expressed concern over the future of the “illegal coalition” between Moscow and Pyongyang, which is internationalizing the conflict.

    Similarly, Japan’s representative — noting today’s “shamefully familiar topic” — underscored that “there is only one aggressor in this conflict”.  The Russian Federation launched this unprovoked war of aggression, and that country is the one systematically violating international law.  Also expressing concern over Moscow’s military cooperation with Pyongyang and Tehran, he stressed:  “We must focus on Russia’s violations of international law and not fall prey to its disinformation or malicious tactics.”

    Echoing that was France’s delegate, who said that today’s “umpteenth meeting” on arms transfers requested by the Russian Federation was merely “a smokescreen to mask” its treatment of Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence.  “There is one aggressor:  Russia,” he underscored.  Moscow can choose to cease its aggression at any time without harming its own security, but Ukraine’s right to defend itself includes striking Russian Federation military targets.

    “Every country has an inalienable right to defend itself in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter,” observed Slovenia’s representative, adding:  “By extension, every country has the right to procure the means to defend themselves.”  As others, he said that “it is worth pointing to the source of inconsistencies with international law during this war — it is Russia that illegally invaded Ukraine”.  Also expressing concern over the extent of mine use in Ukraine, he stressed that these weapons will “pose a threat to the civilian population for years to come”.

    Ukraine Most Mined Country in the World 

    On that, Guyana’s delegate observed that Ukraine is now considered “the most-mined country in the world”, as potentially 23 per cent of its land is at risk of contamination with likely clearing costs of over $34 billion.  Emphasizing that such weapons “have no place in our world”, she called on all States transferring weapons and ammunition into the conflict area to do so within the existing international legal framework — including Council resolutions – and with adequate controls in place to prevent their irregular transfer. 

    In that vein, Mozambique’s delegate called on weapons-exporting States to refrain from transferring arms where risks of human-rights violations or breaches of international humanitarian law exist.  Similarly, recipient States must ensure that the arms transferred are used in a manner consistent with applicable international legal instruments and are not diverted or transferred to other destinations.  Ecuador’s representative concurred, urging States to act responsibly at every stage of the chain of transfer to prevent the diversion or misuse of arms.

    Algeria’s representative, citing the use of modern medium- and long-range missiles in Ukrainian and Russian Federation territory, called on both parties to ensure that these weapons do not fall into the hands of criminals, terrorists or extremist groups — who often use such weapons against defenceless civilians.  Adding to that, the representative of Sierra Leone urged all parties to “refrain from further escalation in pursuit of the option of winning battles at all costs”.  For his part, the representative of Malta stressed:  “The people of Ukraine deserve better.  The people of Russia deserve better.  Both nations deserve a peaceful future.”

    “Weapons may help win a war, but cannot bring about lasting peace,” observed China’s representative, recalling that Beijing has called on the parties to cease hostilities and restore peace for the past three years.  “The United States is the only country that has chosen to turn a blind eye to China’s efforts,” he said, adding that one country’s security cannot be achieved at the expense of another’s.  He also expressed hope that the United States will abandon the “zero-sum mentality of the cold war”.

    Switzerland’s representative, meanwhile, noted that today’s meeting was one of approximately 70 so far dedicated to Ukraine.  “And, for the seventieth time, I repeat that Russia must immediately withdraw its troops from the entire territory of Ukraine,” she said, adding:  “This repetition is important, however; we cannot — and must not — normalize what has happened in Ukraine.”

    “This Christmas, I suggest the Russian delegation reads How Much Land Does a Man Need? by Leo Tolstoy,” said the representative of the United Kingdom.  Noting that this is a story about a man who — in his greed to acquire more and more land — exhausts himself and dies, he said that the man is then buried in a six-foot grave — “which is all the land he ends up with”.  “The moral is quite clear,” he observed, adding: “The Russians would do well to heed the wisdom of their forebears.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Anchorage man arrested for receiving, distributing, possessing child pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was arrested last night at his residence on criminal charges related to his alleged receipt, distribution and possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

    According to court documents, on Aug. 13, 2024, Anthaney O’Connor, 25, reported another individual to law enforcement, who he claimed wanted to commit sexual assaults against minors. He alleged the other individual sent him CSAM and links to applications known to be utilized by individuals seeking sexually explicit materials portraying minors.

    Law enforcement searched O’Connor’s phone. Upon review, law enforcement discovered that O’Connor possessed two images of CSAM that the individual allegedly sent him. Law enforcement also discovered information indicating that O’Connor discussed creating virtual reality generated CSAM using a photo someone had surreptitiously taken of a prepubescent boy at a local store. O’Connor allegedly possessed roughly six artificial intelligence (AI)/cartoon drawing/images depicting CSAM, four CSAM images and two videos containing CSAM.

    Law enforcement executed a search warrant on O’Connor’s residence on Dec. 19, 2024, and agents discovered additional CSAM images and videos on his computer, some of which were AI images/anime depicting prepubescent children. Law enforcement also discovered two electronic storage devices and a computer hard drive hidden in the vents of O’Connor’s bedroom closet. The contents of these devices are pending review.

    O’Connor is charged with one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography. If convicted, O’Connor faces up to 20 years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

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

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Ulster County Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 156 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Joshua Atkinson, age 27, of Ellenville, New York, was sentenced last week to serve 156 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

    The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York; and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT).

    Atkinson was one of 11 defendants charged in the case. These defendants have pled guilty and have been sentenced or are pending sentencing: 

    • Christopher Baez was sentenced to 71 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release;
    • Michael Herry was sentenced to 27 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
    • Joshua Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on February 19, 2025;
    • Joseph Logan is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2025;
    • Timothy Hutcherson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 9, 2025; and
    • Daryl Livingston is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2025. 

    As part of his guilty plea, Atkinson admitted that during the conspiracy he distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 3.2 kilograms of cocaine and 600 grams of fentanyl. Atkinson also admitted to using violence to obtain payments from his drug redistributors, including threatening a co-conspirator with a hammer. In January 2023, a search warrant was executed at Atkinson’s Ellenville residence and a .22 caliber pistol was recovered by law enforcement.

    Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Atkinson is released from prison.

    This case is being investigated by HSI; the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with URGENT (the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement and Narcotics Team), an inter-agency taskforce targeting drug dealers and gang members in Ulster County; the New York State Police; the Village of Ellenville Police Department; and the White Plains Police Department, with assistance from the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.   Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda is prosecuting this case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Employee Of Real Estate Investment Firm Indicted For Investment Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – The former Vice President of Project Management for National Realty Investment Advisors (“NRIA”) has been indicted for his role in an investment fraud scheme and for misappropriating approximately $2.3 million from victim investors, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced today.

    Ivel Turner, 51, of Newark, Delaware, was indicted by a federal grand jury with eight counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud.  He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King in Camden federal court and was released on a $100,000 unsecured appearance bond and other conditions.  His arraignment is scheduled for February 4, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton.

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

    Turner was previously employed as Vice President of Project Management for NRIA, which held itself out as a real estate investment management fund with over $1.25 billion in assets under management. NRIA promised investors guaranteed returns of at least 12 percent per year for a period of five years, a full return of their investments, and monthly distributions of between six and ten percent of their original investments.  Turner had access to NRIA’s PPM, which made many such representations pertaining to NRIA’s purported returns on investment and distributions.

    In April 2020, while still employed at NRIA, Turner incorporated Oasis Realty Investment Group (“ORIG”).  Turner, through ORIG, solicited real estate investors to purchase, finance, and co-develop residential units in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.  Turner used NRIA as a model for ORIG.

    To induce investors to invest and continue to invest in ORIG, Turner made material misrepresentations and omissions related to, among other things: (a) ORIG’s financial position; (b) the manner in which Turner used investor money; and (c) Turner’s role at ORIG.  Turner also falsely represented to the victim investors that substantially all of ORIG’s proceeds would be used for real estate investment purposes, but instead, Turner misused hundreds of thousands of dollars of investor money on personal expenses, including luxury retail purchases, several vehicles, international travel, and a down payment on his residence.

    The wire fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.  The securities fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $5,000,000.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation leading to the indictment.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    ###

    Defense counsel: Rubin M. Sinins, Esq., Springfield, New Jersey

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney Announces Appointment of First Assistant U.S. Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – United States Attorney Leah B. Foley has announced that Katherine Ferguson has been appointed to serve as First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. Ms. Ferguson, a career prosecutor, has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for more than a decade.

    “Ms. Ferguson’s leadership, dedication, and prosecutorial excellence have earned her widespread respect within our office and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Foley. “Her deep understanding of federal law enforcement and her commitment to upholding the rule of law make her an invaluable asset. I am confident that she will bring the same integrity and vision to her new role as First Assistant U.S. Attorney as she has throughout her career.”

    Ms. Ferguson has served as Deputy Chief of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2017 and Lead Task Force Attorney for the District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force since 2021. As Deputy Chief of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit, Ms. Ferguson was responsible for overseeing federal narcotics and money laundering investigations and prosecutions. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney for 15 years, she has extensive experience working collaboratively with other federal, state and local partners to dismantle multi-jurisdictional and international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.

    Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Ferguson served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. There, she handled over 600 cases in Boston Municipal Court from arraignment to disposition and oversaw the prosecution of child abuse and narcotics offenses in Superior Court. From 2006-2007, Ms. Ferguson served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sandra L. Lynch with the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

    Ms. Ferguson graduated from Princeton University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics with Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa. While at Princeton, Ms. Ferguson earned Certificates in Political Economy and French Language & Culture. She also received a Masters in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was an Executive Editor for the Harvard Law Review.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Amassing Another Cache of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Joseph Gallo, 80, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sanchez to 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release, $12,750 in restitution, and $10,000 in additional special assessments, for possessing thousands of images and videos of child pornography.

    In March of last year, the defendant was charged by information with possession of child pornography as a second-time child sex offender. He pleaded guilty in July, admitting that, over a period of more than three years, he had amassed a collection of more than 18,000 images depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

    At the time Gallo committed these crimes, he was already a registered sex offender under Megan’s Law, attending court-ordered sex offender treatment, and serving a sentence of supervised county probation, following his 2015 prosecution in Bucks County for similar offenses.

    “Gallo learned nothing from his first conviction and again started seeking out those abhorrent images,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Consumers of child pornography like him perpetuate the exploitation and trauma of innocent victims, which my office, HSI, and our partners simply won’t abide. We’ll continue to hold accountable collectors of child sexual abuse material, because protecting kids everywhere is paramount.”

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States 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 projectsafechildhood.gov.

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: India- And New Jersey-Based Jeweler Sentenced To 30 Months Incarceration For Multimillion Dollar International Trade Fraud Scheme And Unlicensed Money Transmitting

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, NJ. –  An India- and New Jersey-based man who operated jewelry companies in New York City’s Diamond District was sentenced to 30 months incarceration for spearheading a scheme to illegally evade customs duties for more than $13.5 million of jewelry imports into the United States and for illegally processing more than $10.3 million through an unlicensed money transmitting business, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Monishkumar Kirankumar Doshi Shah, a/k/a “Monish Doshi Shah” (Shah), 40, of Mumbai, India and Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to a two-count Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business. Judge Salas imposed the sentence in Newark federal court and remanded Shah to begin serving his sentence.

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

    From in or around December 2019 through in or around April 2022, Shah engaged in a scheme to evade duties for shipments of jewelry from Turkey and India to the United States. Shah would ship and/or instruct his co-conspirators to ship goods from Turkey or India—which would have been subject to an approximately 5.5% duty if shipped directly to the United States—to one of Shah’s companies in South Korea. Shah’s co-conspirators in South Korea would change the labels on the jewelry to state that they were from South Korea instead of Turkey or India, and then ship them to Shah or his customers in the United States, thereby unlawfully evading the duty. Shah would also make and instruct his customers to make fake invoices and packing lists to make it look like Shah’s South Korean companies were actually ordering jewelry from Turkey or India. Shah also instructed a third-party shipping company to provide false information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) concerning the origin of the jewelry. During the scheme, Shah shipped approximately $13.5 million of jewelry from South Korea to the United States without paying the appropriate duty.

    In addition, from in or around July 2020 through in or around November 2021, Shah owned and/or operated numerous jewelry companies in New York City’s Diamond District, including MKore LLC, MKore USA Inc, and Vruman Corp. Shah used these entities to conduct more than $10.3 million in illegal financial transactions for customers—including converting cash to checks or wire transfers. Shah would also collect cash from customers and use other individuals’ jewelry companies to convert the cash into wires or checks. At times, Shah and other members of the money transmitting business moved hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single day. In exchange for their services, certain members of the money transmitting business charged a fee. None of Shah’s or his associates’ companies were registered as money transmitting businesses with New York, New Jersey, or the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas ordered restitution in the amount of $742,500 for the wire fraud scheme and forfeiture in the amount of $11,126,982.33 for the wire fraud and unlicensed money transmitting schemes.  In addition, the Court imposed a two-year term of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and task force officers of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; special agents with Homeland Security Investigations New York, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; special agents with Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; and special agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York/Newark, under the direction of Acting Port Director Jeffrey R. Greene, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New York; Homeland Security Investigations in Seoul, South Korea; the Korea Customs Service in South Korea; the Seoul Customs Special Investigation Office in South Korea; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Paterson; the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department; the Morristown Police Department; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General; and the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) for their assistance in the investigation.

    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.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit and Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.

                                                     ###

    Defense Attorney: Rahul Agarwal, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wichita man pleads guilty to child pornography distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to distributing child sexual abuse materials over the internet.

    According to court documents, Sebastian Grattan, 28, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.

    Grattan admits to creating an account on a messaging app and using it to distribute child sex abuse materials in November 2023.

    The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Wichita Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

    Project Safe Childhood
    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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun and Drug Convictions

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DWINE HARDY (“HARDY”), age 32, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 7, 2025, by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey, after previously pleading guilty to Counts 1, 2, and 3 of a four-count indictment.  The indictment charged HARDY with being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8) (Count 1); possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(0) and 924(a)(2) (Count 2); and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) (Count 3).

    HARDY was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment as to Counts 1, 2, and 3, with each count to be served concurrently.  Judge Zainey also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release following HARDY’s release from prison and payment of  a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.

    According to court documents, Kenner police officers stopped HARDY in a stolen vehicle.  During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia, two Apple iPhones, 15 rounds of ammunition, and a stolen Glock Model 23 .40-caliber pistol.  The firearm was equipped with a machine gun conversion device and an extended 22-round capacity magazine.

    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.

    U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Kenner Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Sanction Palestinian Leadership and Institutions That Reward Terrorism

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353January 23, 2025
    Cotton, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Sanction Palestinian Leadership and Institutions That Reward Terrorism
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today reintroduced the PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act, legislation that would impose sanctions on foreign persons and entities that provide payments to Palestinian terrorists and the families of terrorists as part of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority’s (PA) system of terror compensation. 
    Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R- South Carolina), and Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) are cosponsoring the legislation. Congressman Mike Lawler (New York-17) will be introducing companion legislation in the House. 
    “The Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization continue to support terrorism against Israel by providing hundreds of millions of dollars per year in their reprehensible ‘pay-for-slay’ program. Anti-Semitic Palestinian terrorists know they can expect payment as a reward for killing Israelis and Americans–with thousands of Palestinian terrorists tied to October 7 eligible for these terror payments. Our bill will ensure that the PA, PLO and their institutions that reward acts of terrorism are punished,” said Senator Cotton.
    Text of the bill may be found here.  
    The PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act would impose sanctions on:
    Foreign persons who serve as an employee of the PLO and PA that has facilitated the payments, provided payments themselves, or knowingly provided significant financial, technological, or material support and resources as part of the PLO and PA’s system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism. 
    Entities that facilitate the PLO and PA system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism including the Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners, the Institute for the Care of the Families of the Martyrs and the Wounded, the Palestine National Fund, and National Association of the Families of the Martyrs of Palestine.
    Foreign financial institutions that participate in a financial transaction that is part of the PLO and PA’s system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Kodiak residents indicted for drug trafficking related to 2022 fatal fentanyl overdose

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment this week charging three Kodiak residents with drug trafficking crimes in Alaska, including distributing fentanyl which resulted in a fatal overdose.

    According to court documents, between February 2022 and July 2023, Ashley Katelnikoff, 37 and Gerry Pugal, 37, allegedly conspired together to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.
    Court documents further allege that on or about Aug. 25-26, 2022, Katelnikoff distributed fentanyl as part of the conspiracy, which resulted in the death of a victim.

    The indictment also alleges that between Nov. 21-29, 2022, Pugal and Kalani Coyle, 32, attempted to possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of a fentanyl mixture and over 50 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.

    Katelnikoff is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Pugal is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and one count attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Coyle is charged with one count of attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The defendants will make their initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, Katelnikoff and Pugal face between 20 years to life in prison, and Coyle faces 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
    U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge David Reames of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Division Office made the announcement.

    The DEA Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office, with significant assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, Alaska State Troopers and the Kodiak Police Department, are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alana Weber, Chris Schroeder and Stephan Collins are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado Springs Man Sentenced To 13 Years For Being A Felon In Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lemich Riddle, 27, Colorado Springs, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison after being found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to the facts established at trial, on November 1, 2022, officers in Colorado Springs located Riddle, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.  Colorado Springs Police Department SWAT team officers took him into custody as he was driving back to his apartment.  In his car, officers found six firearms. Riddle has a prior felony conviction that prohibits him from possessing firearms.

    “We will always prosecute dangerous felons who possess weapons,” said United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of this defendant’s continued violation of the law.

    “CSPD strives for excellence in every investigation, and those around the illegal possession of firearms are no different,” said Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez. “This case highlights how the quality work of our investigators can be amplified by our partnership with federal authorities, resulting in significant sentencing that holds individuals accountable in meaningful ways that also make our community safer.”

    United States District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Colorado Springs Police Department handled the investigation. The Violent Crime and Immigration Section of the United States Attorney’s Office handled the prosecution.

    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.

    Case Number: 23-cr-00051-RMR

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Leader Extradited from Mexico, Appears in Court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Alleged Sinaloa Cartel cell leader Octavio Leal-Hernandez, aka Chapito Leal, who is believed responsible for trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and marijuana into the United States from Mexico, appeared in federal court today following his extradition from Mexico yesterday.

    Leal-Hernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California in May 2020 for International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances.

    At today’s hearing, Leal-Hernandez was arraigned and entered a not-guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major. The judge granted the government’s request that the defendant be held without bond pending trial. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 10, 2025, for a motion hearing/trial setting in front of U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin J. Cheeks.

    The government filed a memorandum today in support of its request for detention that describes Leal-Hernandez as a cell leader who rose through the ranks of the Sinaloa Cartel. The memo said Leal-Hernandez was aligned with the Beltran-Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, specifically with Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, aka Chapo Isidro. Meza Flores is the co-leader of the Beltran-Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel and was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control as a Foreign Narcotics Kingpin.

    Between January 2012 and April 2012, law enforcement authorities lawfully intercepted wire and electronic communications between Leal-Hernandez and several of his drug trafficking associates. The wiretap intercepts confirmed that Leal-Hernandez was a leader/organizer of the Beltran-Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel in Tijuana, Mexico and was responsible for supplying drug distributors in Southern California and other destinations within the United States. The wiretap intercepts also confirmed that Leal-Hernandez has committed acts of violence to facilitate his drug trafficking activities.

    Further investigation after 2012 until his arrest in 2020 confirmed that Leal-Hernandez remained one of the organization’s leaders, responsible for directing, managing, and overseeing the organization’s drug trafficking in Tijuana.

    According to the government’s detention memorandum, Leal-Hernandez oversaw the collection and preparation of large shipments of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana from Tijuana, Mexico into the United States. He then directed organization members to coordinate the logistics of storing the drugs in the organization’s stash houses and transporting them to the organization’s distributors and customers throughout California and elsewhere in the United States.

    “This appearance in an American court is the result of our unwavering pursuit of those who perpetuate violence and push narcotics into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “We will hold traffickers accountable, no matter how long it takes.”

    “The arrest and extradition of Leal-Hernandez marks a significant victory in our relentless fight against the deadly scourge of narcotics trafficking. This joint Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was made possible due to the dedication, expertise, and extensive investigative work of our special agents and our invaluable federal law enforcement partners,” said Shawn Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. “We extend our deepest gratitude to all involved for their unwavering hard work, commitment, and collaboration.”

    “Drug traffickers are predators that must be held accountable for the harm they cause,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “The capture and extradition of Leal-Hernandez is a reminder to any cartel member that there is nowhere to hide; we will use every tool at our disposal to hold you accountable because no one is beyond the grasp of the DEA and our law enforcement partners.”

    “International drug cartels cause immeasurable harm to the American public by importing lethal narcotics and committing acts of violence which terrorize our community,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The serious and sustained actions of international drug traffickers will not be tolerated, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to keep our communities safe.”

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Mellor. The U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Leal-Hernandez from Mexico to the Southern District of California.

    DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 20cr1224                                               

    Octavio Leal-Hernandez                                Age: 44           Tijuana

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 959, 960, and 963

    Maximum Penalty: Life, Mandatory Minimum: Ten years

    Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846.

    Maximum penalty: Life, Mandatory Minimum: Ten years

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Homeland Security Investigations

    Drug Enforcement Administration

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    U.S. Coast Guard

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Leal-Hernandez.

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    This prosecution 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.

                                                                                   

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense Contractor Executive Pleads Guilty to Bribery Scheme Involving $100 Million in Government Contracts

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Russell Thurston, a former executive vice president at Cambridge International Systems, Inc., a defense contractor headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he participated in a bribery scheme with other Cambridge employees and former Naval Information Warfare Center employee James Soriano.

    According to Thurston’s plea agreement, Cambridge – acting through Thurston and multiple other Cambridge employees – gave various things of value to Soriano, including expensive meals at restaurants in San Diego; a ticket to the 2018 Major League Baseball All Star Game held at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.; and a job at Cambridge for Soriano’s friend, Liberty Gutierrez. According to Gutierrez’s plea agreement, Gutierrez did minimal work at Cambridge and gave Soriano $2,000 a month from her Cambridge salary.

    In return, Soriano, acting in his position as a contracting officer’s representative at Naval Information Warfare Center, influenced the procurement process to ensure that Cambridge was awarded two large task orders. Soriano further ensured that Cambridge was able to capture a steady stream of government funds by influencing a series of projects on those task orders to be approved. According to Cambridge’s plea agreement, as a result of the conspiracy, the government obligated more than $32 million on one of the task orders and over $100 million on the other.

    Soriano also allowed Cambridge employees to draft various procurement documents for him, even when Cambridge was competing for contracts against other bidders. Thurston and Soriano also worked together to remove document properties so that other government employees would not know of Cambridge’s involvement in drafting the documents.

    According to Thurston’s plea agreement, Thurston received periodic pay bonuses from Cambridge – which totaled between $150,000 and $250,000 – based on the profits Cambridge received from the bribery conspiracy.

    Thurston is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson for sentencing on April 11, 2025.

    “The integrity of our nation’s procurement system relies upon the honest dealing of government contractors,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “This guilty plea shows a commitment to that principle by holding accountable a defendant who repeatedly bribed a government employee to benefit himself at the expense of others.”

    “This investigation clearly established Mr. Thurston’s guilt and his plea is a positive step toward accountability for his role in the crime,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “DCIS remains committed to working jointly with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate and deter public corruption within the Department of Defense.”

    “Mr. Thurston’s actions directly undermined the Department of Defense contracting process that ensures our warfighters get the best gear for their missions while ensuring our taxpayer dollars are responsibly allocated,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Our men and women in uniform volunteer to put their lives on the line in defense of the United States and they deserve better than to be put at unnecessary risk. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to partnering with fellow law enforcement agencies to protect our servicemembers from this sort of corruption.”

    “Using a position of public trust as a means to inequitably grant access to federal programs for personal gain will not be tolerated,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Special Agent in Charge, Weston King. “Our Office will remain relentless in the pursuit of those who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”

    Cambridge was separately charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in 24-cr-00759-TWR. Cambridge was ordered to forfeit the $1,672,102.23 in profits it obtained from the bribery conspiracy and pay a $2.25 million fine.

    Soriano was charged as a co-defendant and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and fraud and false statement in filing a tax return in 24-cr-0341-TWR. Soriano was also separately charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in 23-cr-2282-TWR. Soriano is next scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson for sentencing on May 9, 2025.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Swan, Katherine E.A. McGrath, and Carling E. Donovan.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 24-cr-0341-TWR-2                         

    Russell Thurston                                             Age: 52                                   Mt. Pleasant, SC

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Conspiracy to Commit Bribery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371

    Maximum penalty: Five years in prison; maximum $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Defense Criminal Investigative Service

    Naval Criminal Investigative Service

    Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General

    Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation

    Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General

    If you have information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse relating to Department of Defense personnel or operations, please contact the DoD Hotline at 800-424-9098. 

                                                                                   

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Army announces upcoming deployments

    Source: United States Army

    WASHINGTON –The Department of the Army announced today the spring deployments of the following units:

    The 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), to Europe to replace the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, as part of a regular rotation of forces to support the United States’ commitment to NATO allies and partners. For more information, please contact the 101st Airborne Division public affairs officer, Lt. Col. Martin Meiners, at martin.j.meiners.mil@army.mil or 270-798-3468.

    The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, to Korea to replace the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, as part of a regular rotation of forces to support the United States’ commitment to the Republic of Korea. For more information, please contact the 4th Infantry Division public affairs officer, Lt. Col. Joseph Payton, at joseph.w.payton.mil@army.mil or 719-526-7525.

    The 83rd Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Battalion, 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command, to U.S. Central Command to replace the 22nd CBRN Battalion as part of a regular rotation of forces. For more information, please contact the 20th CBRNE Command public affairs officer, Maj. Steven Modugno, at steven.m.modugno.mil@army.mil or 312-306-2718.

    The 4th Division Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, to U.S. Central Command to replace the 17th Sustainment Brigade, Nevada Army National Guard, as part of a regular rotation of forces. For more information, please contact the 4th Infantry Division public affairs officer, Lt. Col. Joseph Payton, at joseph.w.payton.mil@army.mil or 719-526-7525.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appeal for information: burglaries, Rolleston

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attribute to Senior Sergeant Rachel Walker, Area Response Manager, Canterbury Rural South:

    Rolleston Police investigating reports of burglaries from residential addresses in recent weeks would like to hear from anyone who may have information that could help.

    Three separate incidents have been reported since the 1 January this year.

    Among the items that were stolen were a number of military medals, including a Pacific Star medal, distinctive jewellery and a go-kart. Police are appealing for any information that could reunite these items with their rightful owners.

    If you have any information that could help our enquiries, and you have not yet spoken to Police, please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 250123/2449.

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

    We would also like to remind people to keep their homes as safe as possible if they’re going away this summer.

    Lock up doors and windows and ask a neighbour to check on your home regularly. Consider investing in an alarm system and sensor lights.

    Also ensure you have someone trusted to clear your mail and any other items that may be delivered. If you see any suspicious behaviour, please call 111 immediately.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Domestic violence and firearms offences – Johnson

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have arrested a 30-year-old male in relation to domestic violence offences on Thursday afternoon.

    Around 10am Thursday, police received intelligence that a male who was allegedly involved in a domestic violence assault the previous day, Wednesday 22 January 2025, was in possession of a firearm and driving through the Palmerston area.

    Territory Safety Division (TSD) members attended the male’s residence on Tarakan Court, established a cordon, and the 30-year-old male was arrested. During a lawful search of the unit, officers located and seized a quantity of illicit substances.

    A subsequent search of the offender’s vehicle located a firearm and ammunition, which were also seized.

    The firearm was not used during either incident.

    The offender remains in police custody, with charges expected to follow. Investigations are ongoing.

    If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, please reach out on 131 444 or, in an emergency, call 000. You can also anonymously report through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Stoodley man charged over evade, hooning

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Stoodley man charged over evade, hooning

    Friday, 24 January 2025 – 1:30 pm.

    A 19-year-old Stoodley man has been charged in relation to evade police and hooning matters that occurred in the Kentish area on two occasions in January.
    On Saturday 18 January, members of Latrobe Police Station were on mobile patrol on Buelah Road, Stoodley, when they observed a grey Ford Falcon Sedan conducting a large burn out.
    Police attempted to intercept the vehicle, when the driver evaded police.
    A search warrant was subsequently executed at a residence in Stoodley, where the vehicle was located.
    The 19-year-old driver was charged with multiple offences and bailed to appear in the Devonport Magistrates Court in April.
    The man’s vehicle was clamped for a period of 28 days.
    As part of the investigation, the man was also charged in relation to a separate hooning matter on Railton Road and Native Rock Road at Railton on New Year’s Day.
    Sergeant Jeremy Williams said police remained committed to road safety and continued to conduct high-visibility patrols.  
    “It is disappointing when drivers not only put their own lives at risk, but the lives of other road users,” he said.
    “Tasmania Police has zero tolerance when it comes to hooning offences and this type of driving behaviour is unacceptable.
    Anyone with information or cash cam footage should contact Latrobe Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers Anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Domestic violence and firearm offences – Johnson

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have arrested a 30-year-old male in relation to domestic violence offences on Thursday afternoon.

    Around 10am Thursday, police received intelligence that a male who was allegedly involved in a domestic violence assault the previous day, Wednesday 22 January 2025, was in possession of a firearm and driving through the Palmerston area.

    Territory Safety Division (TSD) members attended the male’s residence on Tarakan Court, established a cordon, and the 30-year-old male was arrested. During a lawful search of the unit, officers located and seized a quantity of illicit substances.

    A subsequent search of the offender’s vehicle located a firearm and ammunition, which were also seized.

    The firearm was not used during either incident.

    The offender remains in police custody, with charges expected to follow. Investigations are ongoing.

    If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, please reach out on 131 444 or, in an emergency, call 000. You can also anonymously report through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –