NewzIntel.com

Category: Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant previously convicted of sodomy and assault with intent to rape a minor under 12

    BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to failure to register as a sex offender. Defendant served in United States Navy in April 1998 when he was convicted of sodomy, assault and intent to rape a minor under the age of 12.

    Adrian Martinez, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to register as a sex offender before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin who scheduled sentencing for Oct. 28, 2025. In April 2025, Martinez was arrested and charged.

    Martinez is a Level 3 sex offender who was previously convicted while serving in the United States Navy of: committing sodomy with a person under the age of 12; taking indecent liberties upon the body of a female under 12 years of age (4 counts); and assault with intent to rapea person under the age of 12, in violation of Uniformed Code of Military Justice.

    Following his conviction, Martinez was sentenced to a 40-year period of incarceration. Martinez served approximately 11 years of his 40 year sentence and was released from custody in February of 2009. Martinez was required to register as a sex offender and update his registration any time he moved or changed employment. At some point after Sept. 30, 2022, Martinez moved out of his Boston residence and did not notify law enforcement of his change in registered address. Boston Police attempted to contact Martinez but were unsuccessful in their attempts.

    Martinez faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to lifetime supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kevin Neal, Acting United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

    The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Budd, Gillibrand, Lummis Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Stop Illegal Use of Digital Assets by Criminals and Terrorists

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) was joined by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) in reintroducing the Financial Technology Protection Act. The bipartisan bill aims to address the illegal use of financial technologies and digital assets to prevent sanctions evasion, terrorist financing, and money laundering.

    “While financial technologies are driving innovation and expanding individual freedom, criminals and terrorists are exploiting digital assets – putting both our financial and national security at risk. We must take these threats seriously and work toward solutions that put a stop to this rampant criminal activity. I introduced the bipartisan Financial Technology Protection Act to do just that, because we cannot continue to ignore this illicit abuse or hinder this pro-growth technology. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation before these crimes and threats escalate further,” said Senator Budd.

    “As financial technology continues to evolve, we must ensure it strengthens, not threatens, our national security. The bipartisan Financial Technology Protection Act would establish an independent working group that brings together government agencies, regulators, and industry experts to proactively identify emerging risks and develop robust, innovative solutions. This collaborative discourse will ensure we can keep our financial systems safe while bolstering the United States’ leadership on digital asset innovation on the global stage. This bipartisan legislation has already passed the House four times, including a unanimous vote in House Financial Services earlier this month. I look forward to working with Senator Budd to advance it in the Senate,” said Senator Gillibrand.

    “Digital assets are the future of American financial innovation and it is critical that as we craft pro-growth legislation that we also maintain security standards. The Financial Technology Protection Act strikes the right balance of developing safeguards against illicit activities without stifling the innovation that makes our digital economy thrive. I am proud to join Senator Budd in securing America’s position as a leader in the digital asset space while protecting consumers and maintaining the integrity of our financial system,” said Senator Lummis.   

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    BACKGROUND 

    Financial Technology Protection Act:

    • Establishes an independent working group to combat terrorism and illicit financing, made up of:
      • Representatives from the following agencies: Department of the Treasury, Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Drug Enforcement Administration.
      • Private sector participation from: Financial Technology Companies, Blockchain Intelligence Companies, Financial Institutions, Research Organizations, and Privacy and Civil Liberties Organizations.

    Senator Budd’s legislation was included in the Senate’s market structure bill, led by Senate Subcommittee on Digital Assets Chair Lummis. This legislative package will provide the crypto industry with the regulatory certainty needed to unlock new investments and innovation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Guam Corrections Officer Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Hagåtña – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announces that, Raymond T. Tammed, age 30, from Piti, Guam, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment in the U.S. District Court of Guam for Attempted Enticement of a Minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).  The Court also ordered five years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.  Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Tammed must register in every jurisdiction he resides, works, and goes to school.

    In May of 2024, federal investigators conducted an internet-based operation to identify and arrest individuals seeking to engage in sexual activity with minors on Guam. During that operation, Tammed contacted an undercover agent posing as a 13-year-old girl. Despite believing that he was conversing with an underage girl, Tammed sent sexually explicit messages, sought to arrange a sexual encounter, and sent the undercover agent a selfie and a picture of his genitals. Tammed later arranged to meet the undercover agent at the Andersen Air Force Base Visitors Center, where Tammed was arrested upon arrival.

    “This case demonstrates the dangers faced by our children during online activity,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “We will continue these undercover operations to protect our communities from sexual predators.  I applaud the efforts of law enforcement in bringing Tammed to justice.”

    ​​“Keeping our children safe from ​exploitation and ​​abuse is the highest priority.  By taking predators like ​Tammed off the street, we are ensuring the safety of the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas.  “HSI will continue to seek justice to keep our children safe with zero tolerance for this heinous crime.”

    Investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and Air Force Office of Special Investigations Service, Detachment 602.

    This case was prosecuted by Benjamin K. Petersburg, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.

    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 Justice.gov/PSC.

    # 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Evidence of poor implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) by X and the Republic of Ireland – P-003074/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-003074/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Günther Sidl (S&D)

    The DSA came into force in February 2024; it lays down specific obligations for large online platforms to tackle illegal hate speech on the internet.

    However, as explained in the blog post ‘X ist ein rechtsfreier Raum’ (‘X is a legal vacuum’) by an Austrian journalist and television presenter, there are considerable doubts as to whether, in practice, the DSA is being implemented in accordance with the law[1]. For example, following a criminal complaint made in order to have a perpetrator of hate speech on X investigated, both Twitter International Unlimited Company in Dublin, which is responsible for processing data for X in the EU, and the Irish Department of Justice refused to comply with a Vienna Regional Criminal Court order to provide information. The Austrian courts have therefore been unable to investigate the perpetrator.

    • 1.Does the Commission regard it as permissible for an online platform to refuse to provide information to a Member State’s judicial authority on the ground that only requests under a bilateral mutual legal assistance agreement will be responded to?
    • 2.Does the Commission regard it as permissible for a Member State to refuse to provide assistance on the ground that it is competent only if the requested data are physically stored on its territory?
    • 3.Will the Commission take this case as an opportunity to look into whether X and the Republic of Ireland have breached their obligations under the DSA?

    Submitted: 24.7.2025

    • [1] https://www.arminwolf.at/2025/06/28/x-ist-ein-rechtsfreier-raum/
    Last updated: 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secretary Noem is Taking a Sledgehammer to Criminal Human Trafficking Rings

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Secretary Noem is Taking a Sledgehammer to Criminal Human Trafficking Rings

    lass=”text-align-center”>On this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Kristi Noem and the Department of Homeland Security continue taking action to disrupt criminal human trafficking organizations
    WASHINGTON – On this year’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is announcing a series of major crack downs against the worst of the worst criminal organizations: human trafficking rings

     
    The previous administration’s open border policies empowered human traffickers and allowed over 450,000 unaccompanied children to be illegally smuggled over the border

     
    Under President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the full weight of the American government is bringing the hammer down on human trafficking rings

      In just the first few months, the Trump administration has developed leads on thousands of human trafficking cases

     
    DHS has also cracked down on the criminal terrorist gang Tren de Aragua, which enriches itself through the sex trafficking of vulnerable young women

      The Trump administration has arrested more than 2,700 members of Tren de Aragua so far

     
    This crisis is fueled by organized crime networks: sophisticated cartels that exploited the weakness of the previous administration, especially its open border and refusal to enforce immigration law, to rake in billions from forced labor, brutal sexual exploitation, coercing innocent people into drug running, and other heinous crimes

     
    “The brave men and women of DHS are the best in the world at going after traffickers

    They are always able to track down those who are trafficking individuals, find the ringleaders, and rip that evil off by its head,” said Secretary Kristi Noem

    “I’m so thankful that I get the chance to lead individuals like that, and agents who get up every day to help save our children and to save women and men from the kind of slavery that we’ve seen

    ” 
    Below are some examples of how DHS is fighting to put human traffickers out of business: 

    July 28, 2025: As part of Operation Apex Predator, a Child Exploitation Investigations Unit initiative with the Cyber Crimes Center, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Newark arrested four illegal alien child predators over the course of four days

    All four are registered sex offenders

    July 23, 2025: ICE arrested 243 illegal aliens in the Denver metro area

    Among those arrested were aliens wanted for human trafficking, and several members of transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), including Tren de Aragua (TdA), Los Zetas, and the Sinaloa Cartel

    July 22, 2025: Following an ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigation, a resident of Laredo, Texas was sentenced to 63 months in prison for smuggling 101 migrants in a locked trailer

    Among the illegal aliens smuggled were 12 children

    The suspect was sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to transport migrants

    July 21, 2025: As a result of an investigation by ICE HSI Rio Grande Valley, a convicted human smuggler was sentenced to 20 years in prison for possessing images of sexual assaults of prepubescent children

    July 10, 2025: ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) executed criminal warrant operations at marijuana facilities in Carpinteria and Camarillo, California

    In these facilities, at least 14 migrant children were rescued from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking

    During this operation, federal officers also arrested at least 361 illegal aliens

    Among those arrested were criminals with convictions for kidnapping, rape, attempted rape, and attempted child molestation, among other charges

    July 10, 2025: As the result of an ICE New York investigation, the leader of a Mexican sex trafficking organization was sentenced to 188 months in prison for sex trafficking multiple victims by force, fraud, and coercion

    July 9, 2025: An ICE Del Rio investigation resulted in an illegal Honduran alien being sentenced to 10 years in prison, with three years of supervised release, for his role in smuggling thousands of aliens into the United States for financial gain

    His smuggling conspiracy spanned three years and involved thousands of aliens from 11 different countries

    July 7, 2025: Border Patrol agents assisted the U

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    Marshals in executing an arrest warrant on a high-priority target linked to a criminal syndicate operating in human exploitation

    The suspect, a U

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    citizen, was wanted for multiple charges, including procurement of persons, placing individuals into prostitution, residing in a house of prostitution, and profiting from the earnings of prostitution

    The suspect was arrested without incident in Yuma, Arizona

     
    June 24, 2025: HSI Nashville identified one child victim and one adult victim of labor trafficking

    During an immigration court proceeding, the child victim revealed that she and her 18-year-old brother had been forced by their sponsor to work to pay off their smuggling fees and to pay for the sponsor’s household expenses

    June 16, 2025: A worksite enforcement operation by ICE HSI targeted employers and subcontractors who knowingly hire illegal aliens

    During this operation, HSI Mobile identified and rescued a child and arrested eight foreign nationals for violating immigration law

    The child was found to be working among adults and was believed to have never attended school since entering the United States two years ago

    June 6, 2025: The Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Venezuelan illegal alien and member of MS-13 arrested by ICE, on charges of alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling

    Despite the mainstream media insisting for months that Garcia was an innocent “Maryland father,” he is now standing trial after evidence emerged of his involvement in criminal smuggling rings

    June 2, 2025: ICE Rio Grande Valley discovered a stash house in South Texas and subsequently arrested 16 illegal aliens

    The owner of the property admitted to harboring the illegal aliens, who came from five different countries

    A Mexican national was taken in for questioning for his role in human smuggling

    May 28, 2025: HSI New York special agents arrested an adult male from Ecuador at his residence for violations relating to the sexual exploitation of a child

    New York received information regarding a 15-year-old female who was apprehended near El Paso, Texas, after illegally entering the United States

    At that time, she was pregnant with the adult’s child and had been in a relationship with him in Ecuador since the age of thirteen

    The subject organized the smuggling of the teenager across the border to engage in sexual acts

    His mother sponsored her after her illegal entry, and the subject continued his relationship with the children, living with his mother in Harlem

    May 28, 2025: CBP issued a Withhold Release Order against Zhen Fa 7, a Chinese-flagged fishing vessel

    As a result, CBP officers at all U

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    ports of entry will detain seafood harvested by Zhen Fa 7 based on reasonable suspicion that the vessel uses forced labor to harvest such seafood

    May 28, 2025: Border Patrol agents in the San Diego Sector prevented an attempt to smuggle two Mexican nationals into the United States

    The attempt involved one United States citizen and one Mexican national, who attempted to smuggle the illegal aliens across the border using a truck

    Inside the truck were three fully loaded firearms, including a “ghost gun

    ” The suspected smugglers face felony charges of bringing in and harboring aliens, and unlawful acts involving firearms

     
    May 12, 2025: HSI Austin identified and rescued a child, arrested two Guatemalan nationals for violating immigration law, and initiated an HSI-led investigation of state and federal charges of human trafficking and statutory rape

    During a welfare check, HSI Agents, assisted by the FBI, identified a pregnant 14-year-old female residing with an unrelated adult male sponsor, later determined to be the biological father of the unborn child

    May 7, 2025: CBP’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) interdicted a vessel with four illegal aliens from Uzbekistan that were being smuggled into Puerto Rico

    The vessel attempted to enter Puerto Rico on the island of Vieques; onboard were the four illegal aliens from Uzbekistan and three United States citizens

    The Uzbeki nationals did not have any documents for an authorized entry or stay in the United States

    May 4, 2025: Border Patrol agents in the Tucson Sector arrested a United States citizen and two Mexican nationals after a high-speed pursuit

    The United States citizen, who was driving the car and had an extensive criminal history, fled from law enforcement at high speed after failing to stop at an immigration checkpoint

    After crashing into another car, the three occupants fled on foot before being arrested

    The driver faces federal charges that include human smuggling, fleeing law enforcement, and endangering human life

    May 2, 2025: Four Mexican nationals in the United States illegally were charged for their roles in an international human smuggling conspiracy that brought aliens across the Canadian border into the United States for profit

    The smuggling organization had been operating for two years and smuggled hundreds of aliens per week through Canada

    The aliens or their family members would pay thousands of dollars to be smuggled into the United States

    April 29, 2025: CBP officers at the Area Port of San Luis arrested a woman in connection with the failed smuggling attempt of a child

    The suspect, a Mexican citizen, had sedated the child prior to attempting to cross the border

    The suspect also presented a false birth certificate and alleged that she was the mother; the officers discovered that there was no family relationship between the woman and the child

    April 2, 2025: CBP issued a Withhold Release Order against Taepyung Salt Farm, based on information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor in the production of the company’s sea salt products

    As a result, CBP personnel at all U

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    ports of entry will detain sea salt products from Taepyung Salt Farm in South Korea

    March 25, 2025: After an ICE Arizona investigation with law enforcement partners, a human smuggling coordinator was sentenced to 30 months in prison for her role in smuggling over 100 Colombians into the United States

    She had been operating a travel agency in her native country, Colombia, where she would charge the victims a fee to travel to Mexico, with additional bribes required at Mexican airports

    February 14, 2025: Working with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, an ICE investigation led to a four-count indictment against eight defendants with ties to Tren de Aragua on charges related to their involvement with a transnational commercial sex enterprise

    Everyone can be part of the fight against human trafficking

    The DHS Blue Campaign can help you recognize human trafficking and provide resources to report suspicious activity to law enforcement

     
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Questions Former AG Eric Holder on Republican Push for Racial Gerrymandering in Texas During Spotlight Forum on Voter Suppression

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla Questions Former AG Eric Holder on Republican Push for Racial Gerrymandering in Texas During Spotlight Forum on Voter Suppression

    Office of Special Counsel Confirms Hatch Act Investigation Following Padilla Letter

    Holder: “It’s both a sign of weakness and a sign of fear … The President and his party are afraid of the voters, and they are trying to manipulate the maps in Texas so that they can rig the election in 2026.”

    WATCH: Padilla questions Attorney General Holder and Professor Levitt on Republican power grab for five additional Texas congressional seats
     
    Watch the full spotlight forum, including witness opening statements and questioning, here.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, convened a spotlight forum titled “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: Fighting a Surge in Voter Suppression.” During the forum, he questioned former Attorney General Eric Holder and Loyola Law School Professor Justin Levitt on the Trump Administration’s efforts in Texas and other states to implement mid-decade racial redistricting for partisan political purposes.

    The spotlight forum — co-led by Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee — came as Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives released their new gerrymandered maps, caving to pressure from political appointees at Trump’s White House and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in an effort to create five additional Republican congressional seats.

    Padilla highlighted his recent letter to the independent Office of Special Counsel demanding an investigation into senior Trump Administration officials for carrying out the President’s partisan scheme to racially gerrymander Texas and other states, calling it “a clear violation of the Hatch Act.” In response to Padilla’s letter, the Hatch Act Unit at the Office of Special Counsel confirmed they will open a file to address this potential violation.

    While questioning Attorney General Holder, Padilla called the Trump-directed Texas redistricting “nothing short of a power grab” and emphasized that Republicans are “trying to tip the scales because they’re afraid of the response of the people in the 2026 election” to their extreme agenda. Holder further underscored the stakes of the Trump Administration’s partisan attempt at a racial gerrymander and highlighted an ongoing lawsuit on Texas’ previous gerrymander. He emphasized that nearly 90 percent of Texas’ population growth that recently granted them additional congressional seats came from people of color moving to Texas, yet the state previously added two majority white congressional districts.

    • PADILLA: Attorney General Holder, what is your reaction to seeing a President of the United States — it’s not a dog whistle, it’s not saying the quiet part out loud, they’re using bull horns now — publicly call for partisan advantage through mid-decade racial gerrymandering and redistricting from the White House grounds, and is the Department of Justice appropriate to be party to this?
    • HOLDER: Yeah. I mean, it’s both a sign of weakness and a sign of fear, as I indicated before. The President and his party are afraid of the voters, and they are trying to manipulate the maps in Texas so that they can rig the election in 2026, and people need to understand: this is not just a Texas problem. I mean, you know, the margin in the House of Representatives is now, I guess, three seats or so. What they’re trying to get is five seats out of Texas with the thought that that will be an insurance policy to somehow keep an unpopular party with unpopular policies, unpopular candidates in power in the United States House of Representatives. And to have a President of the United States make that kind of statement, I mean, it’s not, it’s as you say. He’s saying the quiet part out loud. He’s not saying that there’s a basis for this other than just “give me five seats so that I will have those protections that we need.” […]
    • HOLDER: I think this is all about power. It’s all about the acquisition and the maintenance of power. It’s about the fear that they have of the people. And I think that this body, this committee and all Americans have to do all that we can to oppose that which they are trying to do, which is, at base, fundamentally un-American.

    Padilla also asked Professor Levitt about the Trump Administration’s potential Hatch Act violations as a result of their partisan redistricting push. Levitt called the redistricting attempt “flatly unlawful,” emphasizing the Supreme Court’s 9-0 ruling that excessive partisan gerrymanders are unconstitutional and criticizing the DOJ Civil Rights Division’s recent letter to Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The DOJ letter purports that they have “serious concerns regarding the legality” of four majority-minority districts represented by Democrats, giving Texas a pretext for their gerrymander, despite the state previously defending their district lines and arguing for several years that they had utilized a race-blind process for developing them.

    • PADILLA: In addition to the disregard, disrespect to voters of this whole exercise, as I mentioned in my opening statement, there’s a genuine significant concern about Hatch Act violations when the President of the United States and those around him are clearly utilizing their position and resources for partisan political purposes. Professor Levitt, are we on track here? Can you share your thoughts?
    • LEVITT: Yeah, lamentably, I think we are, Ranking Member Padilla. To have the Texas legislators violate their oaths of office by acting unconstitutionally and unlawfully to erect an excessive partisan gerrymander — the Supreme Court said nine to nothing in 2019 that excessive partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional. It is inconsistent with democratic principles. So, to have a number of Texas legislators about to violate their own oaths that they have sworn is alarming. I share Attorney General Holder’s concern that to have that cheer-led from the lawn of the White House and from the Department of Justice is even more alarming. It is both unconstitutional and unlawful. You have passed, Congress has passed, laws that prohibit the use of public office, including the offices in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice for any partisan purpose. And the letter that was sent to Texas that Texas relied on a month after disclaiming exactly the same arguments was such shoddy pretext that it is impossible to understand that letter as anything other than a partisan act, and issued from the Department of Justice that’s flatly unlawful.

    Video of Padilla’s first round of questioning is available here, and his second round of questioning is available here.

    Padilla’s opening remarks from today’s spotlight forum are available here.

    In addition to Attorney General Holder and Professor Levitt, Democratic Senators also heard today from North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Allison Riggs and Vet Voice Foundation Chief Executive Officer Janessa Goldbeck on systematic attacks on the right to vote.

    Read Attorney General Eric Holder’s opening testimony here.

    Read Professor Justin Levitt’s opening testimony here and his full written testimony here.

    Read Associate Justice Allison Riggs’ opening testimony here.

    Read Vet Voice CEO Janessa Goldbeck’s opening testimony here. The Rules Committee Democrats’ spotlight forum series continues to underscore the dangers of the Trump Administration’s unprecedented attacks on election security, integrity, and funding required to smoothly administer elections and protect American democracy. The first spotlightforum in May focused on Congressional Republicans’ Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and Trump’s illegal anti-voter executive order, both of which threaten to disenfranchise millions of eligible American citizens.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced For Re-Entry of a Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that LUIS A. GAMA (“GAMA”), age 38, a native of Mexico, was sentenced on July 23, 2025, for re-entry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).

    According to court documents, GAMA, a Mexican national, was found in Tangipahoa Parish on or around April 10, 2025. GAMA had previously been deported to Mexico on September 10, 2019.

    At the sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, sentenced GAMA to twelve months of imprisonment and one year of supervised release.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.

    *   *   *

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that RUBEN URIZAR-BETETA, age 49, a citizen of Guatemala, pled guilty and was sentenced on July 15, 2025, for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).

    According to court records, RUBEN URIZAR-BETETA illegally re-entered the United States sometime prior to March 23, 2025, after having been previously removed on or about September 30, 2014.   

    RUBEN URIZAR-BETETA was sentenced to 30 months unsupervised probation and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien Indicted for Two Death Penalty Eligible Offenses after Attempted Carjacking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. – This afternoon, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a five-count indictment against Julio Cesar Aguirre, 42, of Mexico, for Attempted Carjacking Resulting in Death, Use or Carrying of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence Causing Death, Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien, Reentry of a Removed Alien, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

    The first two counts carry a maximum penalty of life in prison or death.

    According to court filings, Aguirre shot and killed a male driver with a 9mm caliber handgun, while attempting to carjack the victim’s Toyota Tundra on the morning of June 30, in Tucson, Arizona.

    Shortly after the attempted carjacking, Tucson Police Department (TPD) officers found Aguirre hiding in a nearby shed. Aguirre, a Mexican citizen, who was previously removed from the United States in 2013, was living in the country illegally at the time of the shooting. When he was arrested, TPD officers discovered a Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol within Aguirre’s reach. As a convicted felon and as an illegal alien, Aguirre was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    “The focus in this case should be on the senseless loss of the victim and the pain that loss creates for his family and friends. Our criminal laws exist to protect our community, and the United States has an obligation to enforce those laws,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The alleged series of crimes in the indictment, starting with illegal immigration, escalating to prohibited possession of a firearm, and culminating in the death of an innocent individual, is why the United States Attorney’s Office takes this matter so seriously.”

    “This indictment represents a meaningful step toward accountability and justice for the victim, their loved ones, and all those affected by the tragic events in early July,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “The allegations in this case involve a senseless act of violence that claimed an innocent life and deeply impacted our community. Carjacking resulting in death is a serious federal offense. The FBI, in partnership with the Tucson Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, remains dedicated to pursuing justice and ensuring public safety.”

    A conviction for Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm or Felon in Possession of a Firearm each carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison. A conviction for Illegal Reentry carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

    The federal prosecution of this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    TPD and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-25-3393-TUC-RM-MAA
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-128_Aguirre Indictment

    # # #

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Fights to Protect Immigrant Communities and Public Safety in Rochester

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today took action to stand up for vulnerable immigrant communities in Rochester. In an amicus brief filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, Attorney General James emphasized that localities with laws that limit local authorities’ involvement in federal immigration enforcement keep communities safe and allow local law enforcement to use resources to address local public safety priorities, such as fighting crime and reducing gun violence. Attorney General James further argues that Rochester’s longstanding law, often referred to as a “sanctuary city” law, is constitutional because the Constitution grants states and their localities power over the day-to-day public safety of residents within their jurisdiction. In the brief filed today, Attorney General James asks the court to grant judgment in Rochester’s favor in the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against the city.

    “For years, these laws in Rochester and cities throughout New York have kept New Yorkers safe,” said Attorney General James. “The Trump administration’s attacks on immigrant communities are cruel and shameful. Rochester’s law is constitutional, and my office will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect New Yorkers.”

    Rochester’s law, like many other sanctuary city laws, limits local or state agencies’ involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement and is intended to build trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement and ensure local resources are spent on local priorities. Rochester first enacted its law in 1986 and later updated it in 2017. It does not limit cooperation between local and federal authorities on criminal matters. In April, DOJ filed a lawsuit against Rochester, arguing that the city’s law is unconstitutional because it is preempted by federal law. In her brief, Attorney General James argues that Rochester’s law does not violate the Constitution, and that the 10th amendment reserves police power to states and their localities.

    Attorney General James writes that the law helps keep New Yorkers safe because it encourages individuals in immigrant communities to report crimes, serve as witnesses, and seek critical medical care or social services without fearing deportation. Studies have repeatedly indicated that greater involvement of local law enforcement in immigration enforcement makes immigrant communities less likely to interact with police, and more likely to become victims of crime or other exploitation. Other research has concluded that immigrant community members often refrain from seeking vital local services, including health care services, when they fear that local officials could report them to immigration authorities. Delaying medical care for fear of deportation can cause serious health complications for people who need it.

    Attorney General James explains that imposing federal immigration priorities on already strained local officials can detract from local needs. A former Rochester police chief, who held the position at the time of the enactment of the city’s 2017 law, explained that it was intended to avoid diverting scarce resources and time away from the community’s public safety priorities, like reducing gun violence.

    Attorney General James is asking the court to grant judgment in Rochester’s favor in the DOJ’s lawsuit and uphold Rochester’s sanctuary city law. 

    Attorney General James has been a national leader in fighting to protect and defend immigrant communities. In July, Attorney General James joined a coalition of 19 other states in defending essential legal services for unaccompanied immigrant children. Also in July, Attorney General James urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to uphold an order blocking the federal government from mass terminating the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela parole program. Attorney General James also joined a coalition of 17 other attorneys general in supporting the American Civil Liberties Union’s lawsuit challenging the federal government’s use of unlawful immigration enforcement tactics in Los Angeles, California. In June, Attorney General James co-led a coalition of 17 attorneys general in defending hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants who had their legal status threatened after the Trump administration attempted to eliminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Releases Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure that recipients of federal funding do not engage in unlawful discrimination.  In particular, it clarifies that federal antidiscrimination laws apply to programs or initiatives that involve discriminatory practices, including those labeled as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) programs.  Entities that receive federal funds, like all other entities subject to federal antidiscrimination laws, must ensure that their programs and activities comply with federal law and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or other protected characteristics—no matter the program’s labels, objectives, or intentions.

    “This Department of Justice will not stand by while recipients of federal funds engage in illegal discrimination,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This guidance will ensure we are serving the American people and not ideological agendas.”

    “The federal government must ensure that taxpayer money is used lawfully and for the public good,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The very foundation of our anti-discrimination laws rests on the principle that every American deserves equal opportunity, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or other protected characteristics.”

    This new Guidance emphasizes the significant legal risks of initiatives that involve discrimination based on protected characteristics and offers non-binding best practices to help entities that receive federal funds avoid the risk of violations and the revocation of federal grant funding.

    Read the Guidance HERE.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Merkley Demand Public Release of Epstein Files

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have launched an effort to direct the U.S. Department of Justice to publicly release all files related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein and his associates.

    Senators Luján and Merkley introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act to ensure full transparency for the American people, accountability for those involved with Epstein, and justice for victims.  As story after story trickles out about the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein Files, the Epstein Files Transparency Act is critical to restoring the public’s trust in government and includes strong protections to redact appropriate information to protect victims’ privacy and national security, while explicitly prohibiting redactions based on reputational harm or political sensitivity.

    “President Trump promised the American people transparency and accountability on Jeffrey Epstein and his horrible crimes. The Trump administration has failed to deliver on this promise and as a result has lost the trust of the American people. That’s why I’m partnering with Senator Merkley to launch this effort to provide the public with full transparency relating to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein and his associates and help deliver justice for the victims,” said Senator Luján.

    “The rich and powerful cannot use their influence, money, and connections to cover up the abuse of our most vulnerable,” said Senator Merkley. “We have a government of ‘We the People,’ not ‘We the Powerful.’ To restore the public’s trust, the American people deserve the truth about Jeffrey Epstein and those connected to him.”

    Earlier this month, U.S. Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) introduced a bipartisan resolution in the House calling for consideration of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

    The legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

    Full text of the Epstein Files Transparency Act as introduced in the Senate can be found here. The Senators intend to force Senate consideration of the legislation as soon as possible.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Releases Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Justice Department Releases Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure that recipients of federal funding do not engage in unlawful discrimination.  In particular, it clarifies that federal antidiscrimination laws apply to programs or initiatives that involve discriminatory practices, including those labeled as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) programs.  Entities that receive federal funds, like all other entities subject to federal antidiscrimination laws, must ensure that their programs and activities comply with federal law and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or other protected characteristics—no matter the program’s labels, objectives, or intentions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Offender Indicted for Using the Internet to Access Child Sexual Abuse Materials

    Source: US FBI

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Matthew Eric Baumgardner (49, Jacksonville) has been arrested and charged by indictment for using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials. If convicted, Baumgardner faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. He was arrested on July 28, 2025, and has been ordered detained pending trial.

    Baumgardner is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in 2017 of possessing photographs depicting the sexual performance by a child, traveling to meet a minor for unlawful activity, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

    This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Collin County felon sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations

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

    SHERMAN, Texas – A Princeton man has been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Larry Wayne Culverhouse, 39, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm; and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 228 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III, on July 30, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on August 30, 2023, Culverhouse was found in possession of 504.3 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm.  Further investigation revealed Culver was a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dauphin County Man Sentenced To 115 Months’ Imprisonment For Firearm Offense

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

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Philip Shearer, age 49, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 14, 2025, to 115 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Shearer previously pled guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm—specifically, a privately-manufactured short-barrel rifle.  Shearer further admitted to possessing over 1,000 rounds of ammunition, several high-capacity magazines, and other tactical gear including night vision goggles and a ghillie suit, all of which were found in Shearer’s Harrisburg home. Shearer had 14 prior criminal convictions, including five driving under the influence convictions, an indecent assault conviction, and a domestic violence conviction. Shearer also attempted to purchase a firearm twice but was denied based on his background check. He then turned to making the firearms himself.

    “The sentencing of Philip Shearer emphasizes the serious dangers posed by felons who unlawfully possess and manufacture firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward V. Owens. “Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to collaborating with our law enforcement partners, like ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, to ensure that dangerous criminals with a history of violence are not allowed to possess firearms.”

    “Protecting our communities from dangerous criminals like Philip Shearer is a top ATF priority,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Philadelphia Field Division. “With 14 criminal convictions, including multiple driving under the influence, indecent assault, and a domestic violence conviction, the law duly prohibits him from owning the unregistered short-barrel rifle he manufactured for himself after he was prevented from buying a firearm. Working with Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Attorney’s Office, we are making our communities safer one case at a time.”

    The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dukes prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Sentenced in Fentanyl Drug Trafficking Organization

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

    MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two people have been sentenced for their roles in an Eastern Panhandle drug trafficking organization.

    The indictment, returned in January 2024 against Gary Brown, Jr. and eighty-one others, charged that the defendants caused substantial amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine to be distributed in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.

    Darien Jacob Horton, also known as “Dee Jae,”, age 25, of Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison. Horton was one of the distributors in the operation, purchasing large quantities of fentanyl capsules and other drugs for redistribution. Horton has prior convictions of attempted murder, firearms violations, and domestic battery.

    Jennifer Nicole Barthlow, age 41, of Charles Town, West Virginia, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. Barthlow was one of Brown’s distributors.

    Of the 82 defendants, 81 have been convicted. Including this week’s two, 74 defendants have been sentenced. Brown, Jr. was sentenced to 327 months in federal prison in May 2025.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.

    U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

    Investigative agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Pittsburgh Field Division and Baltimore Field Division); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service;  the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; Ranson Police Department; Martinsburg Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia); Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (Maryland); Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia); Winchester Police Department; and the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia).

    This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gregg County man sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl

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

    TYLER, Texas – A Longview man who sold fake prescription drugs has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Kym Andrew Wallace, also known as Trigga, 28, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on July 30, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, Wallace admitted to selling what were supposed to be prescription pills, which a 17-year-old juvenile consumed them and died from a fentanyl overdose on May 29, 2024.  Following the overdose of the juvenile victim, investigators analyzed pills purchased from Wallace and determined they contained fentanyl.  Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid commonly used as an analgesic or anesthetic that is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The pills purchased from Wallace were round and light blue, bearing the markings “M” and “30,” which are the same manufacturer’s markings for 30 milligram tablets of generic oxycodone.

    “Thirty years in a federal prison cannot compare to the lifetime sentence of grief that the victim’s family faces as the result of Wallace’s actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.  “Wallace deserves every day of this 360-month sentence.  Our office, and our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively work to protect our communities from drug traffickers like Wallace.”

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Gregg County Sheriff’s Office; and Longview Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Titusville Resident Indicted on Child Exploitation Charges

    Source: US FBI

    ERIE, Pa. – A resident of Titusville, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The four-count Indictment named David Garrett Struchen, 20, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment, in and around June and July of 2024, Struchen induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a depiction of such conduct. Struchen also possessed these depictions and distributed them to the minor victim.

    The law provides for a total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Titusville Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

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

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Questions 9th Circuit Nominee Eric Tung on Sexist Comments, Narrow Legal Experience

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Questions 9th Circuit Nominee Eric Tung on Sexist Comments, Narrow Legal Experience

    WATCH: Padilla warns of Trump’s pattern of nominating extremely partisan ideologues to the bench

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed Eric Tung, nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, headquartered in San Francisco, on his extreme conservative ideology, including his past public comments decrying “radical feminists try[ing] to blur gender roles” and his role leading anti-labor protests pushing messages including “end mandatory maternity leave.”

    During Tung’s nomination hearing, Padilla underscored the concerning pattern of Republicans confirming partisan ideologues as the Supreme Court and conservative judges continue to erode public trust through extreme rulings that break longstanding legal precedent.

    Both Padilla and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) previously opposed the nomination of Tung, and instead recommended Republican judges previously nominated by President Trump to the district court. The Trump Administration’s refusal to meaningfully consult with home‑state Senators on these nominees follows a pattern of bypassing of the Senate’s advice‑and‑consent duty, including Trump’s recent power grab to keep Bill Essayli empowered as top prosecutor for the Central District of California.

    Padilla also slammed Tung for lacking the necessary trial litigation experience to serve a lifetime appointment as a judge. Tung has never served as the sole or lead counsel in a case tried to verdict or to judgment from the bench, and he estimates that only 10 percent of his work has been on criminal cases.

    • “I’m opposed because Mr. Tung believes in a conception of the Constitution that rejects equality and liberty, and that would turn back the clock and continue to exclude vast sections of the American public from enjoying equal justice under the law.”
    • “In just the last few years, we’ve seen what extreme, conservative ideology has done to erode public trust in institutions like the judiciary, including and especially the Supreme Court, as long-established legal precedents have taken a back seat to whatever novel conservative legal approach accomplishes the desired political outcome. By continuing to confirm extreme ideologues to the federal bench, the Senate would be doing California and the American people a deep disservice.”
    • “During the first six months in office, Donald Trump has mounted a historic attack on our nation’s justice system. He’s tried to remake the Department of Justice and even the federal bench in his own image, rewarding those who have demonstrated their loyalty to him over the rule of law.”

    In his questioning, Padilla blasted Tung for his past sexist comments and criticism of the “welfare state” and “dissolution of the family.” Tung has said he believes “in gender roles and that women are simply better than men at some things. When these radical feminists try to blur gender roles, they undermine institutions like marriage — institutions which hold society together.” Tung dodged Padilla’s questioning on his past comments and refused to say when his viewpoints changed on women’s role in the workplace.

    • PADILLA: Mr. Tung, can you list for us the things that you believe women are “simply better at than men?”
    • TUNG: Senator, again, the comments you’re referencing, and captured by a Yale Daily News reporter, were captured over 20 years ago when I was an undergraduate in college.
    • PADILLA: I understand that, but that was 2006 not 1956. Even the year 2006, I don’t think the country’s mood level and the law was what you’re suggesting here. … Do you still believe that women should stay home and not go out into the workplace?
    • TUNG: Senator, the suggestion that I think women should not be provided with the same professional opportunities as men is inaccurate.
    • PADILLA: So at what point in the last 20 years, not 50 or 60, just in the last 20 years, did your mind change on this?
    • TUNG: Senator, my views on policy matters and sociological matters that you’re referencing again, are the subject of wide debate, and for that reason, as a nominee sitting here today before the committee, I cannot answer under judicial canons.

    Padilla also questioned Tung on his leadership of an anti-Labor Day protest and attacks against workers. At Yale, Tung was the president of a group called “the Committee for Freedom” that organized a protest on Labor Day, with protesters pushing messages including “end mandatory maternity leave — it hurts women,” and “workers of the world, get back to work!” Tung told the Yale campus that “unionized labor hurts consumers,” while proudly holding a sign that read “Union NO.” Padilla questioned how individuals with questions about labor law could trust Tung as a judge given his harsh anti-labor viewpoints.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Exposes Alarming Surge in Voter Suppression, Republican Push for Racial Gerrymandering in Texas During Spotlight Forum

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla Exposes Alarming Surge in Voter Suppression, Republican Push for Racial Gerrymandering in Texas During Spotlight Forum

    Padilla: “Instead of running on a record of clawing away health care coverage to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, they’re trying to rig the rules of the game.”

    WATCH: Padilla: “The Trump Administration is not focused on protecting your right to vote. They’re focused on denying it.”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, convened a Rules and Judiciary Committee Democrats spotlight forum titled “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: Fighting a Surge in Voter Suppression.”

    Padilla’s remarks at the forum focused on recent trends in disturbing voter suppression tactics, including:

    • The Trump Administration’s efforts to pressure Texas and other states to undertake mid-decade racial redistricting for partisan political purposes;
    • The six-month long effort to overturn the election for the State Supreme Court in North Carolina by the targeted disenfranchisement of eligible voters after they cast their ballots, including military voters serving our country overseas; and
    • The change in mission of the DOJ Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section to focus on unsubstantiated voter fraud claims, and the DOJ’s demands for multiple states’ sensitive voter information.

    During the forum, Padilla uncovered recently received DOJ requests to Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco for their voter data, setting up a potential purge of voter rolls.

    Padilla also shed light on potential violations of the Hatch Act committed by senior Trump Administration political appointees regarding their partisan redistricting efforts in Texas. He highlighted his letter to the independent Office of Special Counsel requesting an investigation into senior Trump Administration officials for any role they are playing in carrying out the president’s partisan scheme to racially gerrymander Texas and other states, calling it “a clear violation of the Hatch Act.”

    Democratic Senators heard from former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Allison Riggs, LMU Loyola Law School Professor Justin Levitt, and Vet Voice Foundation Chief Executive Officer Janessa Goldbeck on systematic attacks on the right to vote.

    Key excerpts from Senator Padilla’s opening remarks are included below:

    Key Excerpts

    • “Today, just one week ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, we’re witnessing a disturbing trend, a coordinated campaign frankly, of voter suppression led by the Trump Administration. Their goal is to amplify their false narrative of insecure elections, to justify their power grabs and to make it harder to register to vote, to stay on the rolls, and to actually cast your ballot.”
    • “What started with the Trump Executive Order on Election Integrity and the Republicans’ SAVE Act has now moved on to the wholesale weaponization of the Department of Justice: The Department of Justice’s Voting Section has reversed their mission statement to drop voting rights protection and prioritize alleged voter fraud. And now, all across the country, the Department of Justice is demanding that states turn over voter rolls — not just a list of names, but a lot of sensitive, private, and confidential information for folks that are registered to vote.”
    • “The last few months, Trump and his Republican allies have seen the thin margins in the House and can feel the political winds shifting. Instead of running on a record of clawing away health care coverage to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, they’re trying to rig the rules of the game. From the South Lawn of the White House, Donald Trump has directed the Department of Justice and state officials to redraw congressional maps in Republicans’ favor.”
    • “The Trump Administration is not focused on protecting your right to vote. They’re focused on denying it.”
    • “Colleagues, if we want to defend the future of American democracy, we can’t afford to wait until election season rolls around to act. We’ve got to raise the alarm today by shining a spotlight on the shocking voter suppression efforts coming out of the White House.”

    Senator Padilla has led the charge in fighting back against the Trump Administration’s unprecedented efforts to suppress the right to vote. Earlier this month, Padilla, Durbin, and Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led 13 Senators in raising the alarm on the DOJ Civil Rights Division’s policy shift to focus on unsubstantiated voter fraud investigations. Padilla and Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) also recently expressed serious concerns that recent changes to and the expanded use of the insufficiently tested Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program could purge eligible citizens from state voter rolls. Previously, Padilla led 11 Senators in introducing the Defending America’s Future Elections Act to repeal Trump’s illegal anti-voter executive order and prevent the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing sensitive voter registration data and state records. He also led 14 Democratic Senators in calling on Trump to revoke his illegal anti-voter executive order and issued a statement slamming the order when it was announced.

    This spotlight forum is the second in a series of Rules Committee Democrats’ forums focused on protecting the future of America’s elections.

    The series continues to underscore the dangers of the Trump Administration’s unprecedented attacks on election security, integrity, and funding required to smoothly administer elections and protect American democracy. The first spotlight forum in May focused on Congressional Republicans’ Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and Trump’s illegal anti-voter executive order, both of which threaten to disenfranchise millions of eligible American citizens.

    Padilla’s full remarks, as delivered, are available below:

    Good afternoon and thank you all for being here for today’s spotlight forum on “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: Fighting a Surge in Voter Suppression.”

    I’m Senator Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Rules and Administration Committee here in the Senate. Joined by my colleage, Senator Dick Durbin, Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee. I’m still getting used to that. I’m used to just calling you Chairman. I was spoiled for the prior four years.

    And just one quick word of housekeeping as we set the stage for the hearing, our Senate Democratic Caucus lunch is a few minutes from adjourning, so you’ll see an influx of members during either our opening statements or your opening statements. There’s a lot of interest in the conversation today, one that the majority has no interest in holding at the subcommittee level or at the committee level in either of our committees. But the issues are important to make sure we shed light on them. So looking forward to your testimony, the question, answer, discussion portion of it, and a lot of engagement from our colleagues.

    Today, just one week ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, we’re witnessing a disturbing trend, a coordinated campaign frankly, of voter suppression led by the Trump Administration.

    Their goal is to amplify their false narrative of insecure elections, to justify their power grabs and to make it harder to register to vote, to stay on the rolls, and to actually cast your ballot.

    What started with the Trump Executive Order on Election Integrity and the Republicans’ SAVE Act has now moved on to the wholesale weaponization of the Department of Justice:

    The Department of Justice’s Voting Section has reversed their mission statement to drop voting rights protection and prioritize alleged voter fraud.

    And now, all across the country, the Department of Justice is demanding that states turn over voter rolls — not just a list of names, but a lot of sensitive, private, and confidential information for folks that are registered to vote.

    In fact, this month, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, counties, local jurisdictions, were also hit with those requests — a move that looks a lot like they’re laying the groundwork for mass voter purges.

    Their actions are also helping to embolden election deniers outside of the federal government.

    Just look to this past November, when even after leading her opponent by over 700 votes and winning two separate recounts, North Carolina Supreme Court Justice candidate Allison Riggs was forced to defend her victory in court for six months before taking office.

    Now, taking a page from Trump’s playbook, her Republican challenger sought to undo the votes of over 65,000 North Carolinians — many of which were cast by military voters serving overseas.

    Today, even after Justice Riggs has taken her seat, the Trump Administration has now taken up the cause and sued North Carolina, threatening to disenfranchise around 100,000 previously registered voters.

    But the last few months, Trump and his Republican allies have seen the thin margins in the House and can feel the political winds shifting.

    Instead of running on a record of clawing away health care coverage to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, they’re trying to rig the rules of the game.

    From the South Lawn of the White House, Donald Trump has directed the Department of Justice and state officials to redraw congressional maps in Republicans’ favor.

    Earlier today, I wrote to the Office of Special Counsel requesting an investigation into senior officials for any role they are playing in carrying out the president’s partisan scheme.

    It’s a clear violation of the Hatch Act in my view.

    So no, the Trump Administration is not focused on protecting your right to vote. They’re focused on denying it.

    Colleagues, if we want to defend the future of American democracy, we can’t afford to wait until election season rolls around to act.

    We’ve got to raise the alarm today by shining a spotlight on the shocking voter suppression efforts coming out of the White House.

    And for that reason, I’m looking forward to hearing more about each of our witnesses’ experiences.

    With that, let me recognize Senator Dick Durbin.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Crawford Call on Director Patel to Review Untapped Information Ignored by FBI in Clinton Email Investigation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) recently sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel requesting the FBI review unevaluated material related to Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server and mishandling of highly classified information during her time as Secretary of State.

    This untapped and unreviewed information has lived within thumb drives in the FBI’s custody inside a Northern Virginia offshoot office of the FBI’s Washington Field Office since 2018. This letter was sent in response to Chairman Grassley’s efforts to get the appendix to the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s (DOJ OIG) June 2018 report reviewing the DOJ and FBI’s handling of the Clinton investigation, also known as the “Clinton annex,” declassified.

    “The revelations contained in the declassified OIG appendix are at the heart of why the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) became distrusted by so many under your agency’s prior directors: a failure to impartially conduct its law enforcement and intelligence mission. Concerning the issue at hand, Comey’s FBI shockingly failed to review and exploit evidence in its own possession, even though they admitted in written memos the information was necessary to conduct a ‘thorough and complete investigation.’ The FBI also failed to review and exploit other foreign intelligence information,” Grassley and Crawford wrote.

    “Therefore, we now write to stress the importance that this material be immediately dug out from hiding and properly assessed. How evidence which purportedly includes information related to ‘former President Barack Obama’s emails’ and ‘network infrastructure diagrams for U.S. government classified networks,’ remained unreviewed by the preeminent law enforcement agency in the world is mind-numbing. We know you will not similarly ignore evidence in your agency’s possession, no matter where its exploitation or conclusions might lead,” Grassley and Crawford continued.

    Read the full letter HERE.

    Notably, the declassified Clinton Annex revealed that:

    • Russian-language reports were also obtained by the FBI of discussions between then-Democratic National Committee (DNC) head, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, with suggestions concerning the deletion of evidence on Hillary Clinton’s email servers, mention of FBI’s investigation into the Clinton Foundation, and reports suggesting then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch was in contact with Hillary Clinton’s staff.
    • DOJ OIG also relied on the now-debunked Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on the Russia collusion hoax during its review, once again shedding light on the damage caused by the ICA’s widely spread tentacles.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen FBI Whistleblower Protections

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), co-founder and co-chair of the Whistleblower Protection Caucus, today introduced the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. Grassley’s legislation is cosponsored by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.).

    “The Biden-Harris administration’s weaponization of the Justice Department and FBI, as well as its egregious retaliation against whistleblowers, caused great damage to our nation’s federal institutions. Multiple agents who bravely blew the whistle had their security clearances suspended and were placed under investigation with no end in sight, leaving them in professional limbo and causing serious financial harm. While the Trump administration has taken significant steps to undo the damage, Congress must offer a solution to ensure future FBI whistleblowers aren’t subjected to a similar retaliatory playbook,” Grassley said. “My legislation will ensure these patriotic whistleblowers receive the protections they deserve, rather than being treated like skunks at a picnic.”

    The bipartisan bill would provide Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employees with whistleblower protections established by the Grassley-led Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, and its subsequent amendments. Specifically, the FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act would:

    • Protect FBI whistleblowers who appeal adverse personnel decisions, or who cooperate in whistleblower investigations;
    • Require the Grassley-authored anti-gag provision to be included in FBI nondisclosure policies, forms and agreements to inform employees of their right to report waste, fraud or abuse, including to Congress;
    • Prohibit the FBI from coercing employees to engage in political activity;
    • Clarify which whistleblower disclosures are legally protected;
    • Require the Attorney General to fully inform FBI employees of their whistleblower protection rights, including challenging retaliatory security clearance suspensions;
    • Implement the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 2024 recommendation to clarify the process for FBI whistleblowers to seek corrective action from the Merit Systems Protection Board;
    • Eliminate the requirement that whistleblowers wait a year before challenging the denial, suspension or revocation of their security clearance; and
    • Require the Director of National Intelligence to ensure agency investigations and adjudications of security clearance denials, suspensions and revocations are free from conflicts of interest.

    The FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act is supported by multiple whistleblower advocacy groups, including Empower Oversight and the Government Accountability Project.

    “Senator Grassley’s bill represents the culmination of more than four decades of fighting to ensure that those who protect America’s security have the security to speak truth to power. We urge Congress to pass this legislation swiftly and finally deliver justice that’s been delayed far too long,” said Tom Devine, Legal Director of the Government Accountability Project.

    Read the bill text HERE.

    Background:

    During the 101st Congress, the Grassley-led Whistleblower Protection Act became law, requiring the Attorney General to establish whistleblower protections for FBI employees through regulatory action. However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) refused to implement whistleblower protection regulations until 1997, when then-President Bill Clinton issued a memo requiring them to do so.

    Following concerns of continued retaliation, the Grassley-led Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 was signed into law, directing the Attorney General to issue a report reevaluating the 1997 FBI whistleblower protection regulations. Due to the DOJ’s lack of responsiveness, Grassley commissioned the GAO to issue a report, which was published in 2015 and revealed alarming gaps in the FBI’s whistleblower regulations.

    In response to the 2015 GAO report, Grassley introduced the FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2016, which subsequently became law. This legislation directed the FBI to implement modernized whistleblower protection regulations and codified certain FBI whistleblower protections. Despite Grassley’s bill and his call for the FBI to follow the law, the FBI failed to implement these regulations until 2024 – right before the GAO was set to publish a report evaluating the FBI’s implementation of Grassley’s 2016 law. Much like the 2015 report, the 2024 GAO report revealed significant failings in the FBI’s whistleblower protection regulations.

    Given the FBI’s inability over the last 35-years to effectively implement whistleblower protection regulations, as well as the Biden-Harris administration’s pervasive retaliation against whistleblowers, Grassley is now introducing legislation to cement the much-needed protections into law.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner Joins Legislative Effort to Publicly Release Epstein Files

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today joined his colleagues in introducing the Epstein Files Transparency Act, legislation directing the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to publicly release all files relating to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein and his associates. 

    “President Trump promised transparency and accountability, but what we got instead was more secrecy and flimsy excuses,” said Sen. Warner. “The American people deserve to know the full truth about Jeffrey Epstein and the individuals who enabled his horrifying crimes.”

    The Epstein Files Transparency Act will require the Attorney General to release all relevant Department of Justice documents and records relating to Jeffrey Epstein. This bill directs the Department of Justice, including the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, to release materials related to:

    • Investigations and prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell;
    • Flight logs, travel records, and other transportation data;
    • Individuals and entities connected to Epstein’s activities and immunity deals;
    • Internal DOJ communications and decisions not to prosecute;
    • Records surrounding Epstein’s detention and death.

    Importantly, the legislation includes strong protections for victims’ privacy and national security, while explicitly prohibiting redactions based on reputational harm or political sensitivity. A copy of the legislation is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement At Spotlight Forum Examining Trump Administration’s Voter Suppression Efforts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 30, 2025

    Today’s spotlight forum comes after Durbin and Padilla led all Senate Democrats in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at his and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s (D-CA) spotlight forum entitled “Protecting the Future of American Democracy: Fighting a Surge in Voter Suppression.” Today’s spotlight forum examined the recent surge in voter suppression by Republican state legislatures and the Trump Administration, ranging from attempts to purge voter rolls to the push to invalidate the results of the 2024 North Carolina State Supreme Court election through targeted disenfranchisement of voters after they had cast their ballots.

     

    Today’s spotlight forum comes after Durbin and U.S. Senator Reverand Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led all Senate Democrats in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, legislation that would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act.

     

    Key quotes:

    “We are here today because the sacred right to vote in America is under attack. Republican elected officials—and now federal institutions under the Trump Administration—are attempting to further restrict access to the ballot under the false banner of ‘election integrity.’ Most disturbingly, some of these efforts are being carried out or enabled by the very government entities charged with protecting that right.”

    “This betrayal is deliberate. It is strategic. It is eroding the foundation of our democracy. Let me be clear. There is no longer a functioning federal entity actively safeguarding your right to vote.”

    “The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, once the proud defender of voting access for communities of color, military service members, rural voters, and people with disabilities, has turned inward. Under a reimagined mission, aligned with MAGA politics and driven by the lies of widespread voter fraud, the Division’s Voting Section has completely abdicated its role in confronting the real and rising tide of disenfranchisement.”

    “Look at North Carolina, where there was an aggressive, though thankfully unsuccessful, attempt to discard valid ballots and overturn an election after Justice Allison Riggs—now a member of the state’s highest court and a witness here today— finally won her seat.”

    “Look at our federal agencies. The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security are making demands for voter rolls from multiple states to initiate voter roll purges. These efforts, made under the guise of combating fraud, will disproportionately endanger voters of color, low-income communities, and active-duty military personnel.”

    “What we are witnessing today is not a series of isolated misjudgments. This is a coordinated effort—emboldened by the myth of the stolen 2020 election—to restrict access to the polls through redistricting, voter roll purges, and legislative barriers.”

    “We must treat this effort to erode our democracy with the urgency it demands. Yesterday, I joined Senators Warnock, Schumer, Blumenthal, Booker, [and Padilla], in reintroducing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. This legislation would restore and strengthen preclearance protections gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013 and reestablish meaningful federal oversight of voting laws in jurisdictions with a history of discrimination.”

    “The last time the Voting Rights Act was reauthorized, the Senate unanimously passed the legislation… This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the passage of the original Voting Rights Act, and 20 years since its last reauthorization—and unfortunately, the bipartisan support we once saw for protecting the most fundamental of our rights has disappeared.”

    “Have we forgotten Selma? Have we forgotten that people bled on the bridge and others lost their lives so that all Americans could have the freedom to cast their ballot without intimidation and baseless, discriminatory restrictions?”

    “We must act—not just to protect the future, but to honor the legacy of those who fought to secure the ballot. History is watching, and it will not be kind to silence.”

    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

    -30-

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Markey and Slotkin, Rep. Strickland Introduce Legislation to Boost Funding for Research on Gun Violence Prevention

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (July 30, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Caucus, along with Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Representative Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), reintroduced the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act, legislation that would dedicate $50 million each year for the next five years for gun violence prevention research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    This legislation arrives at a critical time. After a decades-long prohibition on the CDC’s ability to conduct gun violence prevention research, Congress began to secure $25 million annually for this research in Fiscal Year 2020. However, the Trump administration has effectively dismantled gun violence prevention efforts, decimating the staff at the CDC responsible for this critical research and terminating $158 million—more than half—of federal funding for gun violence prevention programs at the Department of Justice. The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act would help ensure we have the tools to stem the scourge of gun violence in our communities.

    “Stopping the spread of our nation’s gun violence epidemic requires action on the reforms we know are essential and effective,” said Senator Markey. “We must invest more to study the root causes of violence and develop evidence-based solutions. This legislation would allow our nation’s top medical, scientific, and public health researchers to conduct studies that would save lives. It is critical that we chart a path out of this public health crisis.”

    “Gun violence is a uniquely American crisis that continues to impact communities across Michigan and our country,” said Senator Slotkin. “As the first Member of Congress to have two mass shootings in my former House district—Oxford High School and Michigan State University—I’ve seen first-hand the devasting toll gun violence has on our communities. As elected officials, our most basic responsibility is to protect our children from the things that are truly harming them. We must treat this epidemic like the national security threat that it is. And that means using every tool in the toolbox. Let’s get this bill across the finish line.”

    “Make no mistake: gun violence is preventable. Republicans actively choose to watch children, mothers, fathers, and Americans gunned down in deference to the gun lobby,” said Representative Strickland. “We must root out the gun violence crisis in our nation. This legislation will simply treat gun violence as the public health crisis it is, and allow us to research it so we can take steps toward saving lives.”

    Cosponsors of the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act include Senators Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).

    The Gun Violence Prevention Research Act is endorsed by Brady, Everytown, March For Our Lives, and Giffords.

    In June 2025, Senator Markey reintroduced five gun violence prevention bills, including the 3D Printed Gun Safety Act, Keeping Gun Dealers Honest Act, Gun Violence Prevention Through Financial Intelligence Act, Making America Safe and Secure (MASS) Act, and Protecting Kids from Gun Marketing Act. This package of bills would significantly decrease the pervasive threat of gun violence across the United States by putting an end to the three-dimensional (3D) printing and distribution of “ghost guns,” strengthen accountability measures for irresponsible gun dealers, help banks detect and report suspicious activity related to mass shootings, establish rules that prohibit the marketing of firearms to children, and strengthen state-by-state gun-licensing regulations through federal incentives.

    In April 2025, Senator Markey and Representative Dwight Evans (PA-03) introduced the Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act, legislation that would help all victims of gun violence—from survivors to their loved ones, coworkers, and classmates—identify and access resources to help meet medical, legal, financial, and other needs.

    Senator Markey first introduced the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act in 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fourteenth Meeting of the Law Enforcement Coordination Group Focused on Countering Hizballah’s Terrorist and Illicit Activities

    Source: United States Department of State (2)

    Office of the Spokesperson

    Fourteenth Meeting of the Law Enforcement Coordination Group Focused on Countering Hizballah’s Terrorist and Illicit Activities

    Media Note

    July 10, 2025

    The United States Department of State, United States Department of Justice, and Europol convened the fourteenth meeting of the Law Enforcement Coordination Group (LECG) on countering Hizballah’s terrorist and illicit activities on July 9-10. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and financial practitioners from approximately 30 governments from across the Middle East, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America participated in this session.

    The LECG took stock of Hizballah’s global terrorist and lethal plotting capabilities, in light of the significant blows the organization has taken over the past year. LECG participants assessed that Hizballah remains a dangerous organization, determined to maintain its overseas footprint, with the ability to strike with little to no warning against targets around the world. LECG members also discussed Hizballah’s shaky financial state and agreed that Hizballah may seek to increase its fundraising and procurement activities in the Western Hemisphere, Africa, and other locales. Participants highlighted recent actions that governments have taken to counter Hizballah’s financial mechanisms and criminal schemes, as well as its international terrorist operations.

    Officials from the U.S. Department of Treasury and National Counterterrorism Center also participated in this meeting. The LECG was established by the United States and Europol in 2014 as a global forum to improve international coordination with governments from around the world to counter Hizballah’s terrorist and other illicit activities.

    For further information, please contact CTPublicAffairs@state.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Pressley Makes Powerful Call to Center Survivors After Successful Subpoena of Epstein Files

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Pressley Was Involved in Successful Subpoena, Demands Transparency, Accountability, and Healing

    “These powerful abusers have been protected by institutions that are more concerned with protecting predators than centering survivors.”

    “When you are violated, when you are groomed, when you are exploited, when you are preyed upon, when you are violated as a child—it changes you at your core, on a cellular level. It is a life sentence.”

    Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – In an MSNBC interview, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) described why her work to subpoena the Epstein files is deeply personal to her. Congresswoman Pressley, who is a survivor of sexual assault, demanded healing, transparency, and accountability for those harmed by Epstein and his co-conspirators.

    As a member of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Pressley successfully helped pass a motion to subpoena the Epstein files and is calling for the Department of Justice to release the full, complete files without delay, with the privacy of survivors respected.

    An excerpt of her remarks is available below, and the full video is available here.

    Transcript: Pressley Makes Emotional Call to Center Survivors After Successful Subpoena of Epstein Files

    MSNBC

    July 24, 2025

    JEN PSAKI: Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, a Democrat from Massachusetts, she’s also a member of the House Oversight Committee. There’s so many things I want to ask you about.

    Let me just ask you about some of these developments, the birthday book. What is the latest on the subpoena and trying to get access to that birthday book from the committee?

    REP PRESSLEY: Well, you know, in real time, we’re having to move with a nimble strategy, to follow up any new leads as they emerge.

    The fact of the matter is, Jen, that for decades, there has been a dereliction of duty here in getting accountability, truth, transparency, and justice for these survivors.

    These powerful abusers have been protected by institutions that are more concerned with protecting predators than centering survivors, and that’s what I want to really focus on here.

    Because I think — I fear — that we’ve lost the plot, that people have gotten so caught up in what they perceive to be the political gamesmanship and sport of this that they are losing sight of the survivors. 

    And I do want to take a moment just to thank Maria Farmer for her courage and her bravery. And I am — it is infuriating that for this many decades, she has been failed by so many because of these ongoing efforts to obstruct the truth.

    So it is really essential that we have the full Epstein files released. I joined Ranking Member Garcia and Congresswoman Summer Lee, Ranker for our Subcommittee, in a decisive vote to motion for the subpoena for the Epstein files, a full redacting of the victims’ names.

    Today, Ranking Member Garcia sent a letter to Chairman Comer saying, without delay, transmit this subpoena to the Department of Justice.

    And then, you know, the role — we’re doing our job in Oversight. You know this is our obligation, but it is the Department of Justice’s responsibility to ensure full compliance, and we’re giving them 30 calendar days to do that. 

    JEN: It certainly is and, and I want, you mentioned Maria Farmer, and for people who are just tuning in later in the show, she is a survivor, and one of the first people who came forward almost 30 years ago.

    And we had her on earlier in the show to talk to her about her story, for exactly the reason you mentioned, which is that there’s not enough light that is being shined — 

    REP. PRESSLEY: Almost 30 years.

    JEN: — on the survivors and the people who are so courageously speaking out. Let me ask you, because you are a survivor yourself, and you have been speaking out, and you’ve been involved in speaking out for survivors.

    You’ve, you’ve definitely, this is, this is a line people are not all walking perfectly, even people who are well-intentioned. What do you want people to understand about what people who have survived, who have been victimized, whether through this or any other scenario, as they’re reading these newspaper articles, how they’re consuming it, how it’s impacting them?

    REP. PRESSLEY: First, I think it’s important to contextualize that this smart, effective strategy by Ranking Member Garcia and Congresswoman Summer Lee yesterday was happening within the context of a Subcommittee hearing on the trafficking of children.

    And so this hearing was chosen specifically to call out the hypocrisy of Republicans in shielding abusers instead of protecting and centering survivors. 

    I’ve been doing the advocacy for survivors’ justice for all my life.

    I’m a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and sexual violence, and it is a life sentence. I think about what I experienced every single day. 

    And I know that’s true for every survivor. When you are violated, when you are groomed, when you are exploited, when you are preyed upon, when you are violated as a child — it changes you at your core, on a cellular level.

    It is a life sentence. 

    And so for those cynics or political watchers who see this as political gamesmanship or sport, it is certainly not that for me. Or those who would say that this is a distraction and don’t we have better things that we could be working on — no.

    This healing, transparency, accountability for these survivors is important, and they deserve it, and it is long overdue. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Buffalo arrests illegal alien with 9 US criminal convictions including assault, arson and robbery

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Buffalo arrested Wahota Allassane Ouattara upon his release from the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in Comstock July 23. The 38-year-old illegal alien from the Côte d’Ivoire has an extensive criminal history that includes nine convictions in the United States, including arson and assault.

    Ouattara entered the United States as a nonimmigrant in New York City and violated the terms of his admission when he failed to depart by Oct. 7, 2016. ICE encountered him Oct. 25, 2024, after his most recent incarceration for arson and attempted robbery. ICE officers issued him a notice to appear and placed him into removal proceedings Jan. 8.

    “This criminal alien not only violated our nation’s federal immigration laws, but he has repeatedly proven his complete disregard for New York State penal laws as well,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Buffalo Deputy Field Office Director Joseph Freden. “Our officers will continue to prioritize public safety by ensuring criminal aliens stay off of our streets while affecting their removal from the United States.”

    Ouattara’s criminal convictions include the following:

    • Third-degree assault (two counts) from Feb. 9, 2022.
    • Second-degree aggravated harassment from Feb. 9, 2022.
    • Second-degree criminal trespass from Sept. 9, 2022.
    • Second-degree criminal trespass (two counts) from Jan. 27, 2023.
    • Third-degree assault from May 23, 2024.
    • Third-degree arson from July 25, 2024.
    • Attempted robbery from July 25, 2024.

    Ouattara is currently detained in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings and removal from the United States.

    Aliens placed in 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. EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ICE officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.

    Learn more about ERO Buffalo’s mission to preserve public safety on X at @EROBuffalo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Forfeited and Returned More Than $37 Million to Crime Victims

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada announced today that, from October 1, 2024, to July 16, 2025, more than $37 million was forfeited through asset forfeiture actions and returned to victims of crime. Funds forfeited and deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund may be used to compensate victims and restore losses caused by criminal conduct.

    A total of $37,236,606.37 was forfeited and of this amount:

    • In December 2024, a victim received $3,443,286.03.
    • In April 2025, the Small Business Administration received $531,308.46 of the fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
    • In May 2025, the Small Business Administration received $1,068,123.94 of the fraudulently obtained PPP loans.
    • In July 2025, a victim received $32,193,787.94.

    “The Asset Forfeiture and Financial Litigation Units of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, worked diligently to forfeit these funds and return them to victims,” said U.S. Attorney Chattah. “Our office remains committed to holding offenders financially accountable and to restoring victims. I commend the exceptional efforts of our Asset Forfeiture Unit and professional staff in pursuing justice and upholding the rule of law.”

    “The successful return of these funds is due to the coordinated efforts of the FBI, local law enforcement, and the US Attorney’s office,” said Special Agent in Charge Amir Ehsaei for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “This serves as an important reminder of our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice for victims and their families. Forfeiting ill-gotten gains removes financial resources from criminals and serves as a powerful tool to restore victims. It is highly recommended to report scams and frauds promptly.”

    “IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office is proud to see our special agents’ hard work result in the recovery of millions in stolen COVID relief funds and real, tangible justice for victims of other financial crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office. “Financial crime can be devastating to victims. That’s why it’s crucial for our agency to continue uncovering such crimes through the leveraging of our financial expertise and investigative techniques. IRS-CI exists to protect American taxpayers and ensure the integrity of our tax system, and these figures today are just a portion of the amazing results we are seeing throughout the nation.”

    The PPP is one of two programs that was developed through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. PPP provides funding to businesses through loans for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. PPP allows the interest and principal on loans to be forgiven if the business spends proceeds on certain expense items within a designated time and uses a certain percentage of the loan on payroll expenses.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.

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