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Category: Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI USA: 100 Days: Keynote Address by Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham, 39th ISDA Annual General Meeting

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    Thank you to Scott and the entire ISDA team for the invitation to speak today at the 39th ISDA Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Amsterdam.  It’s a real pleasure to see so many friends and colleagues in the room. 
    This year not only marks the 50th anniversary of the CFTC, but it also is the 40th anniversary of ISDA.  That is an impressive milestone, outlasting a few key benchmark rates along the way.  But beyond the longevity is a legacy of real significance, reflected in the documentation and standards that underpin the global derivatives markets. 
    The centerpiece of ISDA’s transformation of derivatives markets is, of course, the ISDA Master Agreement.  The years 1992 and 2002 need no introduction—if you know, you know.  The ISDA Master is the legal and operational foundation for trillions of dollars in transactions each day.  It is no exaggeration to say that standardized ISDA documentation is one of the most important innovations in modern finance. The ISDA Master even made it to Hollywood in the movie The Big Short, featured alongside famous movie stars. 
    Even though the $700 trillion notional derivatives markets are the largest financial markets in the world, the derivatives community is relatively small and close-knit to this day.  That sense of community also brings with it a sense of responsibility, and I believe that is why the derivatives markets have always been characterized by proactive efforts to create industry standards. 
    The scale and reach of ISDA cannot be overstated.  I know from personal experience in the private sector that ISDA has around 150 committees, working groups, and forums to address every product, asset class, and process associated with a swap, in every region around the world, because not only did I personally approve each of the hundreds of firm employees who participated in ISDA, I joined many of these calls myself.  
    So on behalf of the CFTC, I want to thank each of you for the countless hours and wealth of expertise that you contribute to making our markets safer and more efficient.  You create the standard for industry best practices, and then you keep raising that standard and innovating.  I commend all of ISDA’s leaders over the decades for making ISDA what it is today, but I especially want to congratulate ISDA CEO Scott O’Malia for all your success and the tremendous growth in ISDA initiatives and solutions—and not just because you’re my old boss.
    Let me now tell you about the first 100 days of this Administration and all we’ve done at the CFTC to deliver results for not just the American people, but also for all stakeholders in our global markets. 
    Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness
    Cost Savings
    First, pursuant to the President’s executive orders, General Services Administration (GSA) guidance, and at my direction, the CFTC’s Division of Administration has achieved significant cost savings for our agency.  By conducting a comprehensive review of all CFTC contracts and procurement, and then applying basic cost management principles, the CFTC has saved nearly $20 million dollars without compromising CFTC operations or services.
    On an annualized basis, after including other reductions to costs including leasing, the CFTC is on track to save about $50 million dollars.  That is a cost savings of roughly 14% of the CFTC’s appropriated budget, which was $365 million dollars for fiscal year 2025. 
    No magic was involved in achieving these significant savings for the American taxpayer—just prudent and experienced management. 
    Transformation and Optimization 
    We’ve also completed organizational changes to the CFTC’s divisions and offices to break down silos, enhance coordination, and minimize duplication.  It was not necessary to create or eliminate any agency components—instead, we looked at what CFTC organizational structure has been proven to work in the past over many decades. 
    These changes help the CFTC to return to regular order and are expected to generate short-term and long-term improvements to agency operations and other efficiencies.  And, various sections have been realigned within divisions into functional units to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.

    The Market Surveillance Section has returned to the Division of Market Oversight (DMO), where it had historically been located, from the Division of Enforcement (DOE).  The Office of the Chief Economist has also moved to DMO and was renamed the Economic Research Section to further enhance the CFTC’s market analysis capabilities. Both of these sections are within DMO’s Product and Market Analytics Branch.
    In addition to the above changes, DMO now has a DCM, SEF, and SDR Branch that includes a Data Reporting Section and a Market Review Section.
    The Market Participants Division (MPD) is now organized into the Examinations Branch; Financial Requirements Branch with a Financial Resources Section and Financial Risk Management Section; and Registration and Compliance Branch with a Registration and Swaps Oversight Section and a Managed Funds and Intermediaries Section.
    The Office of Proceedings and the Whistleblower Office have moved to the Office of the General Counsel to better reflect their adjudicatory functions and minimize conflicts of interest. 

    CFTC FY 2026 Annual Performance Plan
    For the first time since fiscal year (FY) 2018–eight years ago—the CFTC has updated its Annual Performance Plan with key performance indicators (KPIs) that is submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Annual Performance Plan is the key tool used to measure the CFTC’s performance results against the CFTC’s mission and 5-year strategic plan. 
    The goals included in the FY 2026 Annual Performance Plan prioritize improving market integrity and transparency, promoting derivatives markets’ financial integrity and avoiding systemic risk, promoting smart enforcement, and engaging in robust domestic and international cooperation. Together, the goals and KPIs prepare the CFTC to execute the President’s agenda and measure our success in doing so.
    Importantly, a major change to the CFTC’s approach to KPIs is to measure the CFTC’s efficiency in executing the agency’s core functions by establishing baseline expectations for timeliness of activities such as processing registrations, other applications, or rule submissions; performing examinations; conducting investigations; and other oversight activities. 
    Aging dashboards will be established and routinely monitored so that agency underperformance can be detected and promptly addressed. Appropriate KPIs enable American taxpayers to better assess the value provided by the CFTC and ensure accountability in the use of public funds. 
    Delivering Results
    I want to highlight some of the key accomplishments that the CFTC has achieved in just 100 days, in addition to our day-to-day work.  I’m proud to say we have completed all items that were prioritized based on the inventory of open matters that was identified at the beginning of my chairmanship, and I thank my directors and their teams who have been working so hard these past five months to deliver these results.  Most of these initiatives address proposals or concerns I raised as a Commissioner. 
    Swaps Market and Reducing Regulatory Burdens

    MPD and DMO issued an interpretative letter that FX window forwards and package FX spot transactions are not swaps.  This lack of regulatory clarity has resulted in uncertainty and disruption to the FX market for nearly 10 years.
    MPD issued an interpretative letter providing that swap dealers could post and collect shares of certain U.S. Treasury ETFs as eligible margin collateral for uncleared swap transactions.  This was a recommendation from the CFTC’s Global Markets Advisory Committee (GMAC) and its Global Market Structure Subcommittee to enhance market liquidity and efficiency.
    MPD issued a no-action letter providing relief to swap dealers from the pre-trade mid-market mark disclosure requirement to reduce regulatory burden.  The CFTC has provided such relief for certain swaps since 2012. Notably, the CFTC has never rescinded no-action letters that address unworkable or overly burdensome Dodd-Frank requirements.
    The Division of Clearing and Risk (DCR) and MPD circulated for a Commission vote an amended order to permit an exempt derivatives clearing organization (DCO) to clear certain swaps for U.S. customers through a non-U.S. clearing member affiliate of a futures commission merchant (FCM) to mitigate systemic risk and promote market liquidity.
    DMO withdrew an advisory that created regulatory uncertainty regarding whether certain entities are required to register as swap execution facilities (SEFs).
    The CFTC and SEC adopted a joint final rule extending the compliance date for amendments to Form PF because the original implementation timeframe was unworkable.
    DCR and MPD issued a no-action letter which permits DCOs and FCMs to retain current separate account treatment up to the compliance date for the final rule to reduce regulatory burden.
    DCR and DMO issued a no-action letter from swap data reporting and recordkeeping regulations to reduce regulatory burden.
    MPD and DCR issued a no-action letter which allows a non-U.S. swap dealer to retain exemptions to uncleared margin and clearing mandate requirements for its legacy swap portfolio in connection with an acquisition of another entity.
    DMO issued a no-action letter in connection with KRX’s KOSPI.
    MPD issued an interpretative letter to allow non-U.S. swap dealers domiciled in Japan that elect substituted compliance for capital and financial reporting to file only certain defined schedules of the home country Japanese Annual Business Report to eliminate overly burdensome reporting requirements.

    Innovation and Market Structure

    The CFTC hosted a first-ever Crypto CEO Forum of industry-leading firms to discuss the launch of the CFTC’s digital asset markets pilot program for tokenized non-cash collateral such as stablecoins.  The CFTC’s GMAC and its Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee previously made a recommendation.
    The CFTC will soon participate as an observer in industry tokenization pilot programs.
    DCR and DMO withdrew two advisories relating to virtual currency derivative product listings and clearing that were no longer needed given additional staff experience and increasing digital asset market growth and maturity.
    DCR, DMO, and MPD issued a request for comment on the potential uses, benefits, and risks of trading and clearing of perpetual derivatives contracts in CFTC-regulated markets.
    DCR, DMO, and MPD issued a request for comment on the potential uses, benefits, and risks of trading on a 24/7 basis in derivatives markets and associated clearing risk management.
    MPD will soon issue an interpretative letter regarding the circumstances for which a person that has a place of organization, and the location where its high-level officers primarily direct, control, and coordinate such person’s activities, is in a foreign jurisdiction, that such person is not a “person located in the United States” for purposes of the “foreign futures or foreign options customer” definition in CFTC regulation 30.1(c); is not a “participant located in the United States” for purposes of CFTC regulation 48.2(c); is a “foreign located person” for purposes of CFTC regulation 3.10(c)(1)(ii); and is a “non-U.S. person” as defined in CFTC regulation 23.23(a) and the CFTC’s 2013 cross-border swaps activity guidance, among other things.  The CFTC’s regulation by enforcement approach to crypto and novel interpretations that contravene decades of CFTC precedent have created regulatory uncertainty and disruption to the global derivatives markets, as I predicted in my prior public statement in a CFTC enforcement action.
    DCR and DMO will soon issue an advisory on the benefits of and associated considerations for exchange volatility controls.  This was a recommendation from the CFTC’s GMAC and its Global Market Structure Subcommittee to mitigate systemic risk and promote market resiliency.
    MPD will soon issue a FAQ to remind the public of the significant regulatory obligations associated with registering and operating an FCM.

    Enforcement and Compliance

    DOE dispositioned 50% (representing several hundreds) of its open enforcement matters, including preliminary investigations, investigations, and litigation.  Of these resolved matters, over a dozen had been open for over 15 years and over three dozen had been open for over 10 years.  Resolving this backlog will enable DOE to focus its resources on catching fraudsters and scammers and helping victims.
    DOE issued an advisory on self-reporting, cooperation, and remediation with a first-ever matrix for mitigation credit to provide fair notice to the public and guidance that is designed to ensure due process in DOE’s investigations and enforcement actions.  The advisory provides transparency, predictability, returns to decades of prior CFTC policy on self-reporting, and is aligned with best practices for assessing penalties followed by the Department of Justice and other U.S. financial regulators.  This advisory implements my proposals as a Commissioner.
    DOE launched a 30-day compliance and remediation initiative, or enforcement sprint, in March to expeditiously resolve outstanding investigations and enforcement matters regarding compliance violations without customer harm or market abuse.  Of approximately two dozen firms that expressed interest in participating in the enforcement sprint, over five matters are, or will soon be, in circulation for a Commission vote on administrative settlement orders.  These proposed settlement orders resolve years of investigation, apply the new DOE advisory regarding mitigation credit, and have civil monetary penalties that are reflective of historical amounts—a fraction of DOE’s previous initial demand amounts that were often disproportionately 10, 20, or 100 times larger than in the past.
    MPD, DCR, DMO, and DOE issued a joint advisory on the materiality or other criteria that the operating divisions will use to determine whether to make a referral to DOE for self-reported violations, or supervision or non-compliance issues.  This advisory implements my proposals as a Commissioner.
    MPD and DOE issued a CFTC internal memorandum that establishes the procedures MPD and DOE will follow when non-U.S. swap dealers are suspected of violating foreign comparable standards when relying on substituted compliance.  Any inquiry involving substituted compliance will be handled by MPD, unless MPD determines that a supervision or non-compliance issue is material and makes a referral to DOE pursuant to CFTC Staff Letter 25-13.  Generally, the procedures require CFTC staff to adhere to principles of international comity and deference to the foreign regulator, including that the foreign regulator interprets and applies the home country regulation (not the CFTC), and that MPD and DOE will not pursue an inquiry if the foreign regulator determines that the non-U.S. swap dealer is in compliance with foreign comparable standards, or the foreign regulator is addressing the non-compliance issue through its supervisory process.  This advisory implements my proposals as a Commissioner.
    DOE reorganized its task forces to combat fraud and help victims while ending the practice of regulation by enforcement.  The new task force model allows enforcement attorneys to specialize in categories of cases, thereby enhancing relevant knowledge, practices and mentoring opportunities, and reducing the risk of legal or ethical lapses.  It is also more efficient by enabling staffing assignments irrespective of location in headquarters or regional offices.
    DOE launched a Basic Trial Advocacy Skills training series, with sessions ranging from opening, closing and direct examinations, interactions with jury and opposing counsel, and techniques to avoid creating misimpressions, with more sessions being planned. The sessions offer practical instruction on investigations and litigation as well as opportunities to discuss ethical and discovery dilemmas that can occur in real life litigation scenarios.  These training programs and the following ethical conduct and culture initiatives address concerns I had raised as a Commissioner.
    DOE delivered various ethics training, including ensuring candor and openness in engagement with the Court and defense counsel.  DOE also hosted a training on the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct as applied to government attorneys, with additional trainings being planned.
    DOE promoted greater transparency with the defense bar by sponsoring open forum discussions with practicing defense attorneys and, where appropriate, providing greater detail about the status of open cases. 

    Recognizing CFTC Staff
    I think we can all agree that based on sheer productivity and impact, these first 100 days have been nothing short of remarkable.  The CFTC has provided an outstanding return on investment for the American taxpayer.  None of this would have been possible if it were not for the unwavering commitment of CFTC staff to our mission and our markets. 
    The work of our dedicated employees—often behind the scenes, but always indispensable—is the bedrock of our balanced, principles-based regulatory framework that promotes market integrity and protects the public from fraud, manipulation, and abuse.  
    It was my great honor to celebrate our core values, recognize the achievements of our talented staff, and commemorate the CFTC’s 50th anniversary last month with special awards for exceptional CFTC employees that exemplify Mission Excellence, Market Excellence, and Mindset Excellence.  We recognized 28 of our staff, some of whom have loyally served the CFTC for over 40 years.
    In addition, we launched a CFTC Leadership Speaker Series, and are working on additional staff development opportunities throughout the year.
    I am especially indebted to my executive management team, especially Harry Jung, acting Chief of Staff; Meghan Tente, acting General Counsel; Brigitte Weyls, Chief Counsel; Taylor Foy, acting Director of Public Affairs; and Nick Elliot, acting Director of Legislative Affairs.  They have each been pulling double duty since January, and their tireless work ethic, positive attitude, collegiality, and genuine care mean so much to me.
    I have been truly lucky to have the benefit of the decades of CFTC leadership by acting MPD Director Tom Smith and acting MPD Deputy Director Frank Fisanich; acting DCR Director Richard Haynes; acting DMO Director Rahul Varma and former acting DMO Director Amanda Olear; DOE Director Brian Young; DOE Deputy Director Paul Hayeck, acting Chief of the Complex Fraud Task Force; DOE Deputy Director Charles Marvine, acting Chief of the Retail Fraud and General Enforcement Task Force; acting Deputy General Counsel Anne Stukes; acting and acting OIA Director Mauricio Melara.  They are the very embodiment of public service, duty, and dedication.
    Conclusion 
    When I became acting Chairman this year, I noted that for the past half century, the CFTC has proudly served our mission to promote market integrity and liquidity in the commodity derivatives markets that are critical to the real economy and global trade—ensuring American growers, producers, merchants and other commercial end-users can mitigate risks to their business and support strong U.S. economic growth. I also said it was time for the CFTC to get back to the basics.  We delivered on that promise.
    It’s a very fitting bookend that I am here today to talk about what the CFTC has accomplished in just 100 days under my leadership as acting Chairman, because three years ago, I was a new Commissioner at the beginning of my term speaking at the ISDA AGM in Madrid.  
    As some of you may have caught on Bloomberg TV last week during my interview at the Milken Institute Global Conference, I have announced that I will be returning to the private sector once Brian Quintenz is confirmed as Chairman.  While I don’t have any specific plans for what’s next for me personally yet, I hope to make some over the next several months. 
    The United States recently celebrated Mother’s Day.  My own mom always told me when I was growing up, that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.  I had a vision of what could be accomplished at the CFTC, the agency where I began as a law student intern, came back for the fourth time as a Commissioner, and will now leave as acting Chairman.  I hope you will agree that I put my mind, heart, body, and soul into this job, and achieved my vision of what was possible.  I hope that this might inspire others to achieve their vision of what is possible too. 
    It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as a Commissioner and now acting Chairman, and I will leave with deep pride in what we’ve accomplished and great confidence in what the CFTC will continue to achieve in the years ahead.  I am grateful for having had this incredible opportunity to make a difference.  Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Wellington-based man arrested in international cryptocurrency scam investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Attribute to Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard:

    A Wellington-based man was arrested by the Financial Crime Group in Auckland this morning as part of an FBI investigation into an organised criminal group who stole cryptocurrency from seven victims valued at US$265M (NZD$450M).

    Between March and August 2024, the cryptocurrency is alleged to have been fraudulently obtained by manipulating the victims and subsequently laundered through multiple cryptocurrency platforms.

    Over the past three days, search warrants have been executed in Auckland, Wellington, and California with several people arrested, including one in New Zealand. A total of 13 people are facing charges.

    The Wellington man has been indicted by the US Department of Justice under US Federal law with charges of racketeering (RICO), conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    It is alleged the defendants scammed seven victims, spending the stolen virtual currency to purchase, among other things, $9 million of exotic cars, hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury handbags, watches and clothing, nightclub services and private security guards and rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons and Miami.

    The man was bailed after appearing in the Auckland District Court today where he received interim name suppression.  He is due to reappear in the Auckland District Court on 3 July 2025.

    We have worked closely with our law enforcement colleagues in the United States in support of their investigation.  Today’s search warrant and arrest reflects the importance of international partnerships where criminals are operating across borders.

    There is an ongoing investigation, and no further comment will be made by Police.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Foreign Nationals Arrested in Vermont Border-Crossing Event

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 13, 2025, Emmanuel Pierre Andre Irene, 26, and Erika Brezault, 23, citizens of Haiti, were arrested by the United States Border Patrol in the town of Troy, Vermont. Both were charged by criminal complaints—Irene with illegally entering the United States as an alien, and Brezault with transporting Irene in furtherance of his illegal entry. Irene and Brezault both appeared on May 14, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Brezault be released on conditions of pretrial supervision pending further proceedings. Judge Doyle accepted Irene’s plea of guilty to illegal entry and sentenced Irene to a time-served sentence.

    According to court records, around 1:00 am on May 13, 2025, one individual was observed walking south in Canada on a road that reaches the United States border; later, at approximately 3:30 am, one individual was observed walking south in the United States in an area close to that Canadian road, approximately a half-mile south of the international border. U.S. Border Patrol agents and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents responded to the scene to search for the suspected illegal entrant in the area of Mud Creek, approximately two miles east of the village of North Troy, Vermont. At approximately 9:23 am, an HSI agent made contact with a Massachusetts-plated vehicle that had been pulled over to the side of Bear Mountain Road, and he spoke with the two occupants. The driver was later identified as Brezault, and the passenger was later identified as Irene. They told the agent they were from Haiti and were now living in Worchester, Massachusetts. A uniformed Border Patrol agent joined the HSI agent, and they spoke with Brezault and Irene, who both claimed to have Temporary Protected Status in the United States. After an agent pointed out Irene’s wet, muddy clothing and informing them of the camera images of the male subject approaching and then being south of the international border, Irene admitted to entering the United States from Canada by walking through the woods. Brezault also admitted to picking up Irene after he crossed into the United States. Both defendants were detained and later charged with the respective offenses.

    The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Brezault is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Brezault faces up to five years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.

    The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher. Brezault is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon, and Irene was represented by Karen Shingler, Esq.

    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: St. Louis County Man Admits Seeking Nude Pictures from Children Online

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Thursday admitted soliciting nude images of children that he’d approached online, and receiving images of one 12-year-old victim.

    Alsaphone Hunt, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of distribution of child pornography.

    Hunt initiated communications with an 8-year-old girl in Maryland via Facebook Messenger in February of 2021. After an initial exchange of messages, the girl’s mother took over the phone. Hunt asked if the girl wanted to “see something that you like to see on a boy.” He asked to see her genitals, and then sent a photo of his. The mother stopped responding and contacted local police after Hunt sent images containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Police officers identified Hunt and forwarded their findings to the St. Louis County Police Department.

    On March 1, 2021, a St. Louis County Police Department detective pretending to be a 10-year-old girl “friended” Hunt on Facebook. Hunt then contacted the detective via Facebook Messenger. Hunt became increasingly sexually explicit and sent CSAM and photos of male genitals. On March 5, 2021, police arrested Hunt at the fast-food restaurant where he worked. He admitted sending CSAM and a picture of his genitals and allowed investigators to search the phone he’d been using to communicate with the 8-year-old and the detective.

    A search of the phone revealed the presence of 65 video files and 165 image files containing CSAM as well as 55 image files containing child erotica. Investigators also learned that Hunt had coerced or enticed a 12-year-old into sending him CSAM that she produced.

    Hunt is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Hunt’s lawyers have agreed to recommend 15 years in prison.

    The St. Louis County Police Department, the Montgomery County (Maryland) Department of Police, the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Laotian National Arrested for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted Felon and Possessing a Firearm as an Illegal Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A convicted felon from Laos was arrested this morning for the unlawful possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Vongpasith Khamvongsa, 45, a Laotian national unlawfully residing in Somersworth, was indicted on charges of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  He appeared in federal court today.

    The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Somersworth Police Department led the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.

    This effort 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).

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Man Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Production and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

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

    Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Daniel Augustine Solis, age, 33, to 40 years in federal prison for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material.  Judge Rice also imposed a lifetime of supervised release and restitution of $615.00

    Judge Rice presided over a criminal trial for Solis, which began November 4, 2024. On the second day of trial, Solis pleaded guilty after the United States presented evidence of a text conversation between Solis and his co-defendant regarding the sexual abuse of a child.

    According to court documents and information presented at the trial and sentencing hearing, in the fall of 2019, Solis lived with his girlfriend in Eastern Washington. Solis was abusive and manipulative, which included monitoring his girlfriend’s actions through logging on to her social media and various phone applications.

    Solis eventually moved to Michigan, where he continued his pattern of manipulation. In attempt to appease Solis, his girlfriend agreed to create sexually explicit videos involving a minor child and send them to Solis.

    In February 2020, Solis became angry when he learned that his girlfriend told her mother Solis had access to the family cell phone plan. For the next several hours, Solis threatened to report his girlfriend to police based on the previously created videos, unless she created more explicit videos involving the minor child. Solis gave her specific instructions regarding the content and time length for the videos.

    After the creation of the videos, the two continued texting. At some point, Solis again became upset with his girlfriend. This time, instead of demanding another video, Solis logged into his girlfriend’s phone account, using the name and password he used to monitor her activity, and sent the explicit videos to his girlfriend’s co-workers and friends.

    “Daniel Solis committed acts of unimaginable cruelty and exploitation,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker. “His manipulation and abuse caused profound harm, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of those crimes. The Department of Justice remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities—our children—and to holding predators accountable wherever they are found.”

    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.

    This case was investigated by the FBI, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kalamazoo Township Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alison L. Gregoire and Rebecca R. Perez with assistance from the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office. 

    2:20-cr-00179-TOR

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Simpson Supports Pro-Law Enforcement Legislation During National Police Week

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Rep. Simpson Supports Pro-Law Enforcement Legislation During National Police Week

    Washington, May 15, 2025

    WASHINGTON— This National Police Week, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted in favor of several critical pieces of pro-law enforcement legislation that highlight support for America’s brave men and women in blue.
    “National Police Week is a time to recognize, remember, and honor the brave men and women who serve our communities every day,” said Rep. Simpson. “Police officers in Idaho and throughout our country play a vital role in protecting public safety and responding in times of crisis. Their work is irreplaceable, and they will always have my full support. I was proud to reaffirm that commitment by supporting legislation on the House floor to ensure the men and women serving in communities across the country are supported.”
    The National Police Week of 2025 legislation includes:

    H.R. 2240 – Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act. This bill requires the Department of Justice to report to Congress about violent attacks on law enforcement officers, the efficacy of current data collection related to violent attacks, and the efficacy of programs intended to provide protective equipment and wellness resources to law enforcement officers.
    H.R. 2243 – LEOSA Reform Act. This bill allows qualified active and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms and ammunition in school zones, national parks, and certain federal facilities, as well as on state, local, and private property that is otherwise open to the public.
    H.R. 2255 – Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act of 2025. This bill allows current and retired federal law enforcement officers in good standing to purchase their retired service weapons.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE makes significant arrest of previously removed MS-13 gang member

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BALTIMORE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 26-year-old illegal Salvadoran national Nelson Vladimir Amaya-Benitez May 12, in Gaithersburg. Amaya is a validated MS-13 gang member and has been convicted of second-degree malicious burning, rogue and vagabond, and possession of marijuana.

    “The arrest of this criminal alien MS-13 gang member is yet another stark reminder of the dangers posed when our immigration laws are not enforced. This individual, who had previously been removed from the United States, reentered illegally and repeatedly jeopardized the safety of our Maryland communities,” said ICE Baltimore acting Field Office Director Nikita Baker. “ICE Lodged five detainers — four of which were not honored — allowing him to return to the streets and reoffend time and time again. This pattern is unacceptable. We strongly encourage our local law enforcement partners to honor our detainers to ensure that dangerous individuals like this are held accountable and removed from our communities to protect the law-abiding residents we serve.”

    The U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Amaya after he illegally entered the United States near Hidalgo, Texas, Feb. 3, 2016, and served him a notice to appear.

    The Irving Police Department in Texas arrested and charged Amaya with possession of marijuana Sept. 1, 2016. The Criminal District Court 2 in Dallas convicted him of possession of marijuana Sept. 21, 2016, and sentenced him to 36 days of confinement.

    The Seagoville, Texas, Police Department arrested and charged Amaya with unauthorized use of a vehicle and evading arrest Oct. 8, 2016. The 291st District Court in Dallas convicted him of unauthorized use of vehicle and evading arrest Nov. 13, 2018, and sentenced him to 90 days of confinement. ICE arrested Amaya Nov. 14, 2018.

    The Montgomery County Police Department in Rockville arrested and charged him with armed robbery May 26, 2017. On May 27, 2017, ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Amaya with the Montgomery County Detention Center. The Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville convicted him of robbery June 29, 2017, and sentenced him to 10 years of confinement with all but 18 months suspended.

    A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered Amaya removed from this U.S. Aug. 13, 2019. ICE removed him to El Salvador Aug. 28, 2019.

    Amaya illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown date at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted or paroled by an immigration officer.

    ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Amaya with the Montgomery County Detention Center Aug. 18, 2022, following his arrest by Montgomery County police. The detention center declined to honor ICE’s immigration detainer and released Amaya from custody the same day.

    Montgomery County police arrested and charged him with theft Feb. 8, 2023. The District Court for Montgomery County in Silver Spring convicted him of theft July 7, 2023, and sentenced him to two months and 29 days of confinement but suspended his entire sentence.

    On May 13, 2023, the Montgomery County Police Department arrested and charged Amaya with motor vehicle theft and rogue and vagabond. The District Court for Montgomery County in Silver Spring convicted him of motor vehicle theft and rogue and vagabond Aug. 4, 2023. He received a sentenced of five years confinement with all but 18 months suspended. On the same date, the ICE lodged an immigration detainer against him with the Montgomery County Detention Center. On an unknown date, the detention center declined to honor ICE’s immigration detainer and released Amaya from custody.

    The Montgomery County Police Department arrested and charged Amaya with second-degree malicious burning May 22, 2023. The District Court for Montgomery County in Silver Spring convicted him of the charge Aug. 7, 2023, and sentenced him to 18 months of confinement. ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Amaya with the Montgomery County Detention Center Oct. 11, 2023. On an unknown date, that facility again declined to honor ICE’s immigration detainer and released Amaya from custody.

    The Montgomery County Police Department arrested and charged Amaya with attempted motor vehicle theft Sept. 29, 2024. On the same date, the ICE an immigration detainer on Amaya with the Montgomery County Detention Center. The Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville convicted Amaya of attempted motor vehicle theft April 4, and sentenced him to three years of confinement with two years, five months and 11 days suspended. On April 18, the Montgomery County Detention Center again declined to honor ICE’s immigration detainer and released Amaya from custody.

    Amaya is currently in ICE custody.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBaltimore.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Thirty Gang Members and Associates Indicted on Racketeering, Murder, Drug Trafficking, Fraud, and Firearm Charges

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    An eight-count indictment was unsealed in the Southern District of Georgia charging 30 defendants – all alleged Sex Money Murder (SMM) gang members and associates – with crimes including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and related firearm and drug trafficking crimes.

    According to court documents and statements in court, SMM members and associates engaged in extreme violence to retaliate against fellow members for perceived violations of gang rules. For example, SMM members killed one member who wanted to leave the gang and attempted to kill another by repeatedly stabbing him for alleged homosexual activities while in jail. SMM members profited from trafficking large amounts of deadly drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, throughout the Savannah metropolitan area. They also made money participating in sophisticated fraud schemes targeting federal COVID-19 relief and unemployment benefit programs that resulted in intended losses of over $850,000.

    “As alleged, the Sex Money Murder gang, a derivative of the nationally known Bloods gang, brutally enforced its purported rules, killing a 19-year-old member, and engaged in rampant drug trafficking and federal program fraud to enrich themselves,” said Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will not rest until every criminal organization like SMM that wreaks havoc on our streets and prison systems and exploits programs meant to support vulnerable populations are dismantled. Thank you to every federal, state, and local law enforcement agency that came together to dismantle this criminal enterprise.”

    “Today’s indictment is an important step in ending gang violence on our streets and in our prisons,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia. “My office will continuously work with our law enforcement partners to ensure public safety.”

    “The violence and crime this gang committed across our region contributed to an epidemic in our nation.” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families who suffer because of this gangs’ activities. The FBI works with our law enforcement partners every day to crush violent crime in Georgia and our nation.”

    “This case demonstrates the relentless coordination and commitment among our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent criminal enterprises like Sex Money Murder,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). “ATF is proud to have played a critical role in targeting the illegal firearms and narcotics trafficking that fueled this gang’s deadly reach both inside and outside prison walls.” 

    “This indictment represents a significant step forward in our continued efforts to dismantle violent criminal enterprises operating within Georgia communities and correctional facilities,” said Director Chris Hosey of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). “The GBI remains committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to hold gang members accountable and protect the safety and wellbeing of all Georgians.”

    “The use of contraband cell phones as a tool to carry out gang activity and other crimes from behind prison walls will not be tolerated and we are proud of our Agents for their role in assisting our law enforcement partners in stopping these individuals from jeopardizing the safety of the public and the operations of our facilities,” said Commissioner Tyrone Oliver of the Georgia Department of Corrections. “This indictment is a great example of partnerships at every level, ensuring the job of public safety remains paramount.”

    According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2020, Byron Hopkins and other SMM members intercepted a young victim a few hours after he stepped off his school bus. They drove him to a rural residential neighborhood where Hopkins shot him to death. The victim had reportedly expressed a desire to leave the gang after accusing Hopkins of having sexual relations with a minor female who became pregnant. To lure the victim, his, “big brother” in the gang – a person he trusted – sent him a text message claiming there was an important gang meeting he needed to attend. Believing this, the victim willingly got into the vehicle, unaware he was being taken to the site of his execution. This is just one example of SMM’s deadly violence against a member that questioned authority or violated gang rules.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, SMM is a subset of The Bloods gang, which originated in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. The SMM subset has spread from the Bronx and New York to areas across the East Coast, including Georgia, where it operates inside and outside prisons and jails. The indictment alleges an extensive criminal enterprise in which SMM members, including inmates within the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDOC), orchestrated numerous crimes, including murders, attempted murders, attempted robberies, drug trafficking within and outside of GDOC facilities, and wire and bank fraud. Seven of the defendants allegedly committed or ordered the charged crimes from prison.

    If convicted, the defendants face penalties including up to life in prison or death for the murder in aid of racketeering and using a firearm in the commission of a murder; up to life in prison for the racketeering conspiracy and drug conspiracy; up to 30 years for the wire fraud conspiracy; and up to 20 years for the conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Georgia Department of Corrections are investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Georgia State Patrol, Hinesville Police Department, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Chatham County Police Department, Chatham Couty Counternarcotics Team, Savannah Police Department, McRae-Helena Police Department, Police Department, DeKalb Police Department, Brunswick Police Department, and Richmond Hill Police Department.

    Trial Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Pennington III for the Southern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.

    The indictment is a result of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations. The OCDETF mission is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency task force approach. OCDETF synchronizes and incentivizes prosecutors and agents to lead smart, creative investigations targeting the command-and-control networks of organized criminal groups and the illicit financiers that support them. Additional information about the OCDETF Program may be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Florida Tax Preparer, Two Others Charged with Conspiring to Defraud Covid-19 Relief Program

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    MIAMI –The last of three defendants made his initial appearance in Miami federal court yesterday to face an indictment charging the men with conspiracy to commit wire fraud while scheming to fraudulently obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

    PPP loans were intended to provide economic relief to small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the allegations in the indictment, between May 2020 and March 2021, Guillermo Lopez Carrazana, Christian Mendoza, and Max Alberto Mera Ulloa, all residents of Miami-Dade County, conspired to submit over 165 false and fraudulent PPP loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which administered the emergency relief program under the CARES Act. The PPP was designed to help businesses maintain payroll and cover essential expenses during the pandemic. It is alleged that the defendants received $6.5 million in COVID relief money through the fraud.  

    It is alleged that Carrazana, Mendoza (a tax preparer) and Ulloa owned and operated various businesses, including G LUX LLC, Global Tax & Accounting Group Corp, CM Logistics Systems LLC and Max Mera Corporation. Along with others, the defendants allegedly submitted fraudulent loan applications that misrepresented payroll and employee information to obtain large sums of money under false pretenses.

    The indictment further alleges that the defendants engaged in a kickback scheme, offering and receiving payments in exchange for referring additional individuals to participate in the fraudulent loan applications. It is also alleged that the defendants and the other fraudsters did not use the proceeds of the PPP loans for their intended purpose, instead they used the funds to enrich themselves.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    FBI Miami and IRS-CI, Miami Field Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz is prosecuting the case.

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

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-20178.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California man appears on drug charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS – A California man accused of possessing methamphetamine and cocaine appeared today for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Heriberto Eddie Garcia, 45, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, Garcia faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Tim Cavan presided. Garcia was released pending further proceedings.

    Count one of the indictment alleges that in May 2023 and continuing until January 2024, Garcia knowing and unlawfully conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine.

    Count two of the indictment charges that on January 22, 2024, Garcia knowingly and unlawfully possessed, with the intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine.  

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The DEA, Montana Highway Patrol and Laurel Police Department conducted the investigation.

    The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    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).

    PACER case reference. 25-16.

    The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas, Virginia, And Florida Residents Charged In Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Esequiel Maldonado (46, Texas), Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. (46, Fort Myers), Ron Ramirez, Jr. (23, Texas), and Schuyler Jordan Thompson (31, Virginia) with conspiracy, distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, and use of communication facilities in the commission of drug trafficking crimes. If convicted on all counts,Esequiel Maldonado and Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr., because of their prior convictions for serious drug felonies, face a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Ramirez and Thompson each face a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 44 years, in federal prison.   

    According to court documents, each of the charged individuals played a distinct and critical role in the conspiracy. Esequiel Maldonado was the Texas-based leader of the drug trafficking organization (DTO). He authorized sales of kilogram-quantities of cocaine, served as the DTO’s broker, and set cocaine prices. Ramirez handled logistics and communications. On behalf of Esequiel Maldonado, Ramirez recruited and paid a courier, Thompson. Ramirez arranged for Thompson to fly to Florida and get cocaine supplied by (according to Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr.) Los Chapitos, known to law enforcement as a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, and to deliver it to Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. The cocaine was then distributed by Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. in the Middle District of Florida. Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. also arranged for drug proceeds to be paid back to Esequiel Maldonado. 

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

    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: Sioux City Man Sent to Federal Prison for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

     A Sioux City man was sentenced May 15, 2025, to more than 7 years in federal prison.

     Uriah Jordan Buffalo Chief-Torrez, II, 36, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 21, 2025, guilty plea to receipt and possession of child pornography.

    At the sentencing hearing, evidence showed Buffalo Chief-Torrez was found to be in receipt of and possession of child pornography.  In September and October 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children submitted to law enforcement six CyberTip reports from Synchronoss showed Buffalo Chief-Torrez uploaded approximately 56 files containing child sexual abuse material.  In an interview with law enforcement, Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted individuals on several social media platforms had tried to show and sell him child pornography.  Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted that individuals on Telegram would sell him “CP” for $65.  Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted that he viewed 15 or 16 videos of child pornography.  Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted he downloaded child pornography on nine separate occasions and had streamed child pornography on social media.  Forensic analysis of defendant’s phone showed he possessed 24 images and 56 videos of child pornography.  The images and videos contained material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or the sexual abuse and exploitation of infants and toddlers.

    Buffalo Chief-Torrez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Buffalo Chief-Torrez was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment.  He was also ordered to pay $4,200 in restitution and assessments.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.      

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

    Buffalo Chief-Torrez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-4029.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney’s Office Recognizes National Police Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – In honor of National Police Week, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, county, and local law enforcement officers in Vermont. This year, the week is observed from Sunday, May 11 through Saturday, May 17, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher stated “The men and women of law enforcement regularly risks their lives to keep our communities safe. We invite all Vermonters to honor those with the courage to do such dangerous work for such an important purpose — not only during National Police Week but every day.”

    In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Based on data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 148 law enforcement officers died in the line-of-duty in 2024.

    Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty and the U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages Vermonters and citizens across the country to remember and honor those who gave their lives so the rest of us can live safely.

    As stated on the NLEOMF’s website, the names of all officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. and read aloud during the annual Candlelight Vigil that was held on the National Mall, in Washington, D.C on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.

    ##

    Reference to any specific organization or service(s) offered by an organization is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Department of Justice.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Schmitt Renew Bipartisan Fight for More Competition in Pentagon’s AI and Cloud Contracting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    May 15, 2025

    Bicameral bill aligns with new White House guidelines on AI contracting for government agencies

    Text of Bill (PDF) | Text of One-Pager (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act to ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD)’s contracting for artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing tools prioritizes resiliency and competition. The bill reins in Big Tech monopolies and prevents them from cutting out competitors in the AI and cloud computing markets.

    Representatives Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Pat Fallon (R-Texas), and Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives. 

    The reintroduction comes as the White House has released new guidelines on AI procurement that encourage federal agencies to avoid vendor lock-in and to ensure that government data is protected and not used to train commercial AI models. 

    The AI and cloud computing industries are highly concentrated, and a few Silicon Valley companies control the markets the DoD relies on for cloud infrastructure, foundation models, and data infrastructure. DoD has already awarded $9 billion in contracts to Google, Oracle, Microsoft, and Amazon to build its cloud computing network, and requested an additional $1.8 billion for AI programs for Fiscal Year 2025. The Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act would ensure that DoD’s new contracts protect competition in the AI and cloud computing markets, instead of giving an unfair advantage to a few big players. The bill also encourages DoD to consider cloud computing services from multiple providers so the agency isn’t locked in by a single tech company.

    Specifically, the bill would: 

    • Require DoD — when contracting with AI and cloud computing companies that make $50 million or more with DoD annually — to hold a competitive award process, ensure that the government maintains exclusive rights to access and use of all government data, mitigate barriers to entry faced by small businesses and nontraditional contractors, and consider multi-cloud technology unless doing so is infeasible or presents a danger to national security. 
    • Require DoD’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) to ensure that government data provided for the purpose of development and operation of AI products to DoD will not be disclosed or used without DoD authorization, and such government data, if stored on vendor systems, has appropriate protections.
    • Require DoD to publish a report every four years on competition, innovation, barriers to entry, and market power concentration in the AI sector, with recommendations for legislative and administrative action.

    Senators Warren and Schmitt first introduced the Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act in December 2024. 

    “It’s a mistake to let Silicon Valley monopolize our AI and cloud computing tools because it doesn’t just stifle innovation, it increases costs and threatens our national security,” said Senator Warren. “Our bill will make sure the military can access cutting-edge tools and will keep our markets strong and our information secure.”

    “The Department of Defense’s procurement system must encourage competition instead of allowing a select group of companies to dominate the awards process. We must move away from policies that create risk concentration, and stifle innovation to instead adopt policies that create opportunities for emerging A.I. defense companies. I am proud to be leading this bill that promotes this smart policy, as well as encourage innovation so the U.S. can continue to lead A.I.,” said Senator Eric Schmitt.

    “Competition always pushes the limits of creativity, innovation, and excellence – whether in AI or any other field. That’s why the Department of Defense needs to prioritize competition in its AI and cloud computing contracts to ensure we deploy the best technologies to protect and strengthen our national security. I’m proud to help lead this bicameral legislation that will make our country safer, stronger, and more competitive on the global stage,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. 

    “The Department of Defense needs to shape up its federal tech procurement process to protect data and public money from the failures of concentrated power and a lack of competition,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio. “Policies like the Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act will promote real competition in the defense technology sector to help keep our military strong, fortified, and ready for anything.”

    “By relying on free market principles, the Department of Defense can help ensure competition and innovation when it comes to the bidding process for government AI and cloud contracts,” said Congressman Pat Fallon. “It’s our duty to ensure the DOD is picking the winners now and, in the future, to keep ahead of our competitors. Due to the varied cyber threats facing our nation today, we must also ensure that AI and cloud related data is secure when it is held exclusively by the federal government. For these reasons, the Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act is the next step forward Congress must take in the interest of US national security.”

    The Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act is endorsed by Economic Securities Project Action and the Open Markets Institute.

    Senator Warren has been a leader in the fight to rein in Big Tech and boost competition in the tech and defense sectors: 

    • In May 2025, Secretary of the Army, Daniel P. Driscoll announced that the Army will ensure right-to-repair provisions are included in future Army contracts, after pressure from Senator Warren. 
    • In April 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren secured a commitment from Mr. Michael Cadenazzi, nominee to be the next Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, to support AI competition and innovation in defense contracting.
    • In April 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to cloud service providers Google and Microsoft with concerns that their respective partnerships with AI developers Anthropic and OpenAI may violate antitrust laws, leading to fewer choices and higher prices for businesses and consumers using AI tools.
    • In January 2025, at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, a Palantir Executive agreed with Senator Elizabeth Warren that legal loopholes should not enable companies to  price-gouge the military.
    • In September 2024, Senator Warren wrote to Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Jonathan Kanter in support of the DOJ’s ongoing probe into Nvidia’s potentially anticompetitive behavior.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren delivered the keynote address at RemedyFest, where she called out Big Tech for their anti-competitive tactics that have led to market consolidation and record profits.
    • In January 2024, at a hearing of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Senator Warren questioned Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, on the national security risks posed by digital trade rules that allow tech companies to collect, sell, and store Americans’ data wherever is cheapest, including China.
    • In December 2023, Senators Warren, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), along with U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), sent a letter to President Biden, urging him to continue to reject any trade or policy proposals from Big Tech that would deem the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) to be discriminatory or an illegal trade barrier, in order to protect the administration’s shared pro-competition priorities with its European allies. 
    • In November 2023, Senator Warren and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), led 10 lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, commending his administration’s actions countering Big Tech’s influence in trade negotiations, and asking him to replace “digital trade” provisions lobbied for by Big Tech in Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) negotiations with new language to ensure regulatory agencies and Congress are able to counter Big Tech abuses and develop a new model for digital rules in trade agreements that promotes competition and protects workers, consumers, and small businesses. 
    • In July 2023, Senators Warren and Graham introduced the Bipartisan Digital Consumer Protection Commission Act which would  rein in Big Tech by establishing a new commission to regulate online platforms. The commission would have concurrent jurisdiction with FTC and DOJ, and would be responsible for enforcing the new statutory provisions in the bill and implementing rules to promote competition, protect privacy, protect consumers, and strengthen our national security.
    • In May 2023, Senator Warren released a 22-page investigative report: Big Tech’s Big Con: Rigging Digital Trade Rules to Block Antitrust Regulation. The investigation, based on a review of previously undisclosed emails, reveals that Big Tech is using its revolving door hires to gain backdoor access to key United States Trade Representative and Commerce Department officials, undermining the Biden Administration’s promises to end rigged trade deals and protect workers, consumers, and the environment. 
    • In October 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo underscoring the dangers of Big Tech’s digital trade agenda, following up on a letter the lawmakers sent to Secretary Raimondo in July 2022 requesting additional information about the revolving door between Commerce and Big Tech and its potential impact on global digital trade rules.
    • In July 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo raising questions about the revolving door between the Department of Commerce and Big Tech companies, and its potential impact on global digital trade rules.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former El Paso US Army soldier charged with child pornography offenses

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury returned an indictment May 14 charging Seth Herrera, 35, a U.S. Army soldier, previously of El Paso, Texas, with attempted sexual exploitation of a child and receiving files depicting child sexual abuse.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations special agents are investigating the case.

    According to court documents, Herrera allegedly used encrypted messaging applications and network applications to find, receive, and download child sexual abuse material over the course of multiple years, beginning in 2021. He also allegedly used artificial intelligence chatbots to generate child sexual abuse material using images of children he knew and surreptitiously took images and videos of those same children undressing in his El Paso home.

    Herrera is already charged in Alaska relating to his alleged transportation, receipt, and possession of child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated child sexual abuse material, while stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

    Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory J. Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Army Soldier Charged with Child Pornography Offenses

    Source: US State of California

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Seth Herrera, 35, a U.S. Army soldier, previously of El Paso, TX, with attempted sexual exploitation of a child and receipt of files depicting child sexual abuse.

    According to court documents, Herrera allegedly used encrypted messaging applications and network applications to find, receive, and download child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over the course of multiple years, beginning in 2021. He also allegedly used artificial intelligence chatbots to generate CSAM using images of children he knew. He is also alleged to have surreptitiously taken images and videos of those same children undressing in his home in El Paso.

    Herrera is already charged in Alaska relating to his alleged transportation, receipt, and possession of CSAM, including AI-generated CSAM, while stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret F. Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory J. Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Bend Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SOUTH BEND – Michael Bellina, 22 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to transportation of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Bellina was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, between August 2023 and March 2024, Bellina transported more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material that he received through the internet. He uploaded the images and distributed them on multiple internet platforms.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Mishawaka Police Department, the Bloomington Police Department, the Indiana University Police Department, the Raleigh (North Carolina) Police Department, the Boone (North Carolina) Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah T Jones.

    The case was 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 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 Security: Pierce County, Washington man indicted for sex crimes involving minors

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Communicated with woman he believed was providing children for sexual abuse; Phone reveals images of sex assault of minor

    Seattle – A 40-year-old Pierce County, Washington man appeared today on an indictment charging him with attempted enticement of a minor and production of images of child sexual abuse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Randy Lee Young came into federal custody April 24, 2025. He was arrested November 16, 2024, after allegedly communicating with someone he thought would provide her young daughters to him for sexual assaults. When Young arrived at the proposed meeting place in Marysville, Washington, he was arrested. Forensic review of his cell phone found images of child sexual abuse that he had produced.

    Young pleaded ‘not guilty’ in court today and remains detained at the Federal Detention Center (FDC) at SeaTac. Trial is scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Lauren King on July 14, 2025.

    According to records filed in the case, Young began communicating with a law enforcement officer who was posing as the mother of 8 and 11-year-old daughters. Between November 8 and 15 2024, Young communicated with the law enforcement officer via text messaging multiple times. Ultimately Young drove from his residence in Pierce County to the location in Marysville where he was arrested. Young was held in the Snohomish County Jail until the federal charges were filed.

    Young gave permission for law enforcement to review his cell phone. On the phone investigators found images of sexual abuse of a minor. The investigation revealed that in October and November 2024, Young met a minor online, traveled to her hometown in southwest Washington seven times and videotaped sex acts with the 13-year-old. Text messages reveal that the victim had told Young her age.

    Attempted enticement of a minor is punishable by up to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum ten years imprisonment. Production of images of child sexual abuse is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to life in prison.

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

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Seattle’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United Stats Attorney Cecelia Gregson.

    The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Department of Justice Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting Under AB 1506 Involving South San Francisco Police Department and San Bruno Police Department

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, May 15, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    **The information provided below is based on preliminary details regarding an ongoing investigation, which may continue to evolve**

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ), pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), is investigating and will independently review an officer-involved shooting (OIS) that occurred in South San Francisco, California on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at approximately 7:00 p.m. The OIS incident resulted in the death of one individual and involved personnel from the South San Francisco Police Department and the San Bruno Police Department. 

    Following notification by local authorities, DOJ’s California Police Shooting Investigation Team initiated an investigation in accordance with AB 1506 mandates. Upon completion of the investigation, it will be turned over to DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review. Anyone that has information related to this officer-involved shooting incident and wishes to report it may do so by calling (916) 210-2871. 

    More information on the California Department of Justice’s role and responsibilities under AB 1506 is available here: https://oag.ca.gov/ois-incidents.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Judiciary Democrats Open Investigation into Trump’s Qatari Plane Deal, Seek Answers from Trump DOJ and White House Counsel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    Committee Democrats Request Trump Admin Provide Memos Defending Blatantly Unconstitutional Attempt to Accept Qatari “Flying Palace” Without Congressional Consent

    WASHINGTON — Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, member of the House Judiciary Committee, led Committee Democrats in a letter demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ) and White House Counsel’s Office provide legal memoranda that reportedly bless Donald Trump’s efforts to flout the clear text of the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause and accept a luxury private jet—described as a “flying palace”—from the State of Qatar without seeking the consent of Congress.

    “President Trump is reportedly relying on memos that you authored, at his request, to accept a $400 million airplane from the State of Qatar—described in media reports as a ‘flying palace’ and ‘the most luxurious private jet in the world’—without obtaining, or even seeking, Congress’s consent.  Any legal memo purporting to make such a claim would obviously fly in the face of the text of the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, which explicitly prohibits the President from accepting any ‘present [or] Emolument . . . of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State’ unless he has ‘the Consent of Congress.’ Accordingly, we are writing to request that you provide the Committee on the Judiciary with these memos immediately as their analysis and conclusions are apparently the basis for the President’s decision to disregard the plain text of the Constitution,” wrote the Members.

    On May 11, an ABC News report revealed that President Trump plans to accept a $400 million private jet from the Qatari Royal Family to use as Air Force One—a lavish and unconstitutional gift which he intends to transfer to his personal presidential library foundation at the conclusion of his term.

    Reports indicate that the DOJ and White House Counsel’s Office are aiding Trump’s efforts to paper over this clear Constitutional violation and reportedly drafted an analysis for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth concluding that it is legal for the Department of Defense to accept the aircraft as a gift and later turn it over to Trump’s presidential library.

    The Constitution is clear that Congress—not the Attorney General or the White House Counsel—has the exclusive authority to approve or reject a gift “of any kind whatever” given to the President by a foreign government.

    Attorney General Pam Bondi’s involvement in this matter is particularly egregious since she should have recused herself given her conflict of interest. Bondi was previously a registered foreign agent of the Qatari government, earning $115,000 per month to lobby on its behalf prior to entering the Administration.

    Trump’s acceptance of this unprecedented and unconstitutional gift has sparked bipartisan criticism and outrage, with even Republican Members of Congress and conservative media raising concerns about national security risks and the appearance of corruption. Additionally, this supposedly “free plane” may cost the taxpayer billions of dollars to overhaul to meet “all the survivability, security and communications requirements of Air Force One.”

    Judiciary Democrats requested Attorney General Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington provide all documents and communications related to or purporting to justify or provide legal analysis regarding the constitutionality of the President’s acceptance of the Qatari plane; all documents and communications related to an agreement between the State of Qatar and the United States regarding the transfer of the plane; and all documents related to whether Attorney General Bondi should recuse herself in matters related to emoluments from Qatar.

    The letter comes after Judiciary Democrats filed a Resolution demanding Trump comply with the Constitutional rules on foreign gifts by seeking the consent of Congress before accepting the Qatari plane.

    Click here to read the letter.

    Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security, Government Reform & Ethics

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Justice Department Hosts 32nd Annual Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    Today, the Justice Department hosted the 32nd Annual Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance program. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon delivered remarks, followed by a discussion with Eugene Bergman, a Holocaust survivor, that was moderated by Ellen Germain, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues at the Department of State.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFOFRxNI4f4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Justice Department Hosts 32nd Annual Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program (ASL version)

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    Today, the Justice Department hosted the 32nd Annual Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance program. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon delivered remarks, followed by a discussion with Eugene Bergman, a Holocaust survivor, that was moderated by Ellen Germain, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues at the Department of State.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2NxtFJbtzk

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Army Soldier Charged with Child Pornography Offenses

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Seth Herrera, 35, a U.S. Army soldier, previously of El Paso, TX, with attempted sexual exploitation of a child and receipt of files depicting child sexual abuse.

    According to court documents, Herrera allegedly used encrypted messaging applications and network applications to find, receive, and download child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over the course of multiple years, beginning in 2021. He also allegedly used artificial intelligence chatbots to generate CSAM using images of children he knew. He is also alleged to have surreptitiously taken images and videos of those same children undressing in his home in El Paso.

    Herrera is already charged in Alaska relating to his alleged transportation, receipt, and possession of CSAM, including AI-generated CSAM, while stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret F. Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory J. Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boyd County Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking

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

    ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland man, Phillip Conley, 28, was sentenced on Monday to 180 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

    In February 2024, law enforcement officers with the Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force (NKYDTF) began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Conley.  On April 4, 2024, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Conley’s residence.  During the search law enforcement located 57.6 grams of fentanyl, two firearms, and ammunition.

    Conley admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl, and that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. He also admitted to knowing that he was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    Conley was previously convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance first degree in Boyd Circuit Court in May 2017.

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

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by ATF and Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities.  It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts.  In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

    – END –

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Calls for the Department of Justice to Investigate New York State’s Unconstitutional Gun Laws

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today penned a letter to the U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi urging the Department of Justice to investigate New York State’s infringement of New Yorker’s Second Amendment rights. 

    This letter was also signed by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21).

    Rep Tenney’s letter comes in response to New York’s restrictions that violate the Supreme Court precedents set in DC v. Heller, McDonald v. City of Chicago, and NYSRPA v. Bruen. These restrictions include a categorical ban on commonly owned semi-automatic rifles, licensing and registration of constitutionally protected arms, and an arbitrary cap on magazine capacity.

    “The Second Amendment is not a suggestion; it is a Constitutional guarantee. Yet Albany Democrats have orchestrated an all-out assault on our Second Amendment rights by enacting and enforcing a sweeping regime of laws that strip law-abiding citizens of their firearms. Today, I am calling on the Department of Justice to swiftly investigate New York’s unconstitutional gun laws and uphold New Yorkers’ Second Amendment rights. I will continue working with the Trump administration to defend this Constitutional Right for all law-abiding citizens,” said Congresswoman Tenney. 

    Read the full text of the letter here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Secures Pledge from RFK to Review ‘Alarming’ Mifepristone Data, Support Bill Cracking Down on Big Pharma Ads

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Wednesday, May 14, 2025

    Today in a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) secured a commitment from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. that he would review ‘alarming’ new data on the chemical abortion drug mifepristone. RFK Jr. also stated that in light of the new data, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) label for mifepristone should change to accurately reflect the adverse effects of the drug.

    A new study on the chemical abortion drug shows 11% of women experience adverse effects serious enough to send them to the ER@SecKennedy just pledged to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the drug – and said the FDA label needs to change
    That’s a win for life pic.twitter.com/gy65iCZjI5
    — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) May 14, 2025

    “You’ve previously testified to the committee that you would do a top-to-bottom review of mifepristone,” said Senator Hawley. “Do you continue to stand by that, and don’t you think this new data shows that the need to do a full review is indeed pressing?”
    “It’s alarming, and it indicates that at the very least, the label should be changed,”RFK said regarding the new mifepristone data. “I’ve asked Marty Makary at the FDA to do a complete review and report back.”
    RFK Jr. also promised he would submit his own recommendation to President Trump based on the data. This exchange comes after Senator Hawley has advocated for reinstating safety guardrails surrounding mifepristone since the new study was released, from introducing legislation to urging the Department of Justice to reconsider its defense of the Biden Administration’s policy on mifepristone.
    In the same hearing, Senator Hawley also questioned RFK Jr. on his stance towards tax breaks for Big Pharma’s television deals, prompting RFK Jr. to pledge his support for Senator Hawley’s bipartisan, bicameral bill cracking down on Big Pharma’s sweetheart deals.

    Now it’s on the record: @SecKennedy just pledged his support to pass my bipartisan, bicameral bill cracking down on Big Pharma’s sweetheart deals
    Let’s make it illegal for Big Pharma to make taxpayers foot the bill for Pharma advertisements pic.twitter.com/siN1GHd1r0
    — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) May 14, 2025

    Watch the full hearing here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Vallejo Man Convicted of Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    After a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins, a jury found Jeffrey Caldwell, 36, of Vallejo, guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to evidence presented at trial, law enforcement officers responded to the Super 8 Motel on 2070 Solano Avenue in Vallejo after multiple callers reported hearing gunshots from inside the building. By the time the officers arrived, Caldwell had barricaded himself in his hotel room and refused commands to surrender. A multi-hour standoff ensued, which ended when Caldwell finally left the room and attempted to flee. A subsequent search of the room discovered a privately manufactured firearm containing one round of ammunition. Caldwell is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to more than 10 prior felony convictions in California and Arizona, including for assault, burglary, and stalking.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Campbell and Alexander Cárdenas are prosecuting the case.

    Caldwell is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Coggins on Aug. 22, 2025. Caldwell faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former U.S. Postal Service employee sentenced to 10 years for attempting to coerce a minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A former Anchorage U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison and will serve 20 years on supervised release for attempting to entice and coerce a minor.

    On Aug. 22, 2024, William Feltovic, 37, messaged an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 13-year-old boy on a social media application. The conversation was immediately sexual in nature, and they switched their communication to text messages. Feltovic texted him and continued the conversation, requesting the “boy’s” age and pictures. He told Feltovic he was 13 years old.

    Feltovic then requested to meet with him to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The “boy” said he was at a motel in downtown Anchorage and that his parents were leaving soon. Roughly an hour later, Feltovic arrived at the motel’s parking lot and texted that he was there. Feltovic entered the motel through a backdoor that was propped open and went to the room number sent to him. Law enforcement officers arrested Feltovic as he waited at the doorway and peered into the room.

    Law enforcement searched Feltovic’s cell phone and discovered over 110 images and over 50 videos of child sexual abuse material, some depicting infants, toddlers and prepubescent children.

    “Mr. Feltovic used an online messaging service to groom and prey on what he thought was a 13-year-old boy to fulfill his perverse desire for sexual gratification with a minor,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “My office will work with law enforcement to find every perpetrator who exploits – or even attempts to exploit – the most vulnerable among us for sexual purposes.”

    “This sentencing reflects HSI’s commitment, in coordination with our partners, to target and identify those who prey on children,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy. “Protecting children from abuse is a responsibility that we share as a community to hold individuals who victimize children accountable for their actions, while also working together to prevent abuse.”

    “The Alaska State Troopers are committed to protecting Alaska’s children from those who seek to exploit them,” said Colonel Maurice Hughes, Director of the Alaska State Troopers. “This case is a stark reminder that predators will go to great lengths to target our vulnerable youth—but we will go farther to stop them. We’re proud to stand with our federal partners to ensure offenders like this are held accountable for their actions.”

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers and USPS Office of Inspector General, investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schroeder prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Truck driver receives maximum sentence for smuggling 36 illegal aliens in trailer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old Alamo resident has been ordered to prison for smuggling people into the United States from multiple countries, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Eusebio Cavazos pleaded guilty Feb. 13.

    U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Cavazos to serve the statutory maximum of 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding numerous sentencing enhancements applied in the case. These included transporting over 25 aliens, recklessness for locking the aliens in the back of a cold trailer with no means of escape, transporting a minor and using his skills as a truck driver to commit the crime. In handing down the sentence, Judge Morales noted he would have sentenced Cavazos to a higher sentence if not for the statutory maximum of 60 months.

    On Dec. 13, 2024, Cavazos drove a tractor-trailer into the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita. Upon initial inspection, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of humans in the trailer.

    Authorities referred him to secondary inspection where they discovered 36 illegal aliens in the back of the trailer and nothing else. It was 54 degrees inside and the doors were locked and sealed with no means of escape.

    A total of 15 were from Guatemala, 10 from Honduras, eight from Mexico and three from El Salvador. All were illegally present in the United States, five of whom had allegedly been previously removed and have pending charges for illegal reentry.

    Cavazos admitted someone had hired him to drive all 36 illegal aliens from a point near Donna to Houston.

    He expected to receive $1,000 per alien he was transporting.

    “Human smuggling is a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, practice, and those that choose to engage in it deserve the maximum punishment available,” said Ganjei. “All it would have taken here is a car accident or a cooling malfunction for these people to have lost their lives.”

    Cavazos has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.

    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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    MIL Security OSI –