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Category: Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Denounces Trump’s Disjointed International Student Visa Revocations That Drives Away Top Talent

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Earlier this month, the Trump Administration abruptly and arbitrarily removed thousands of international students from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems (SEVIS) database, which schools and the federal government use to monitor visa compliance.  Students at Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design were among those reported to be impacted.

    Multi-state litigation was launched on behalf of students and communities nationwide affected by the revocations, and those fearful they could be next, and the courts sided with the international students, forcing the Trump Administration to halt and reverse its wave of visa revocations.  But with uncertainty and concern still high among families and schools, 35 U.S. Senators are taking action to help impacted foreign students and local schools and universities and warning that President Trump is driving away top talent and harming U.S. interests.

    Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) joined with Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and 33 of their Senate colleagues in pressing the Trump Administration to reconsider recent decisions to revoke student visas in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons.

    The 35 U.S. Senators began by urging the Administration to undo unlawful student visa revocations, writing: “We recently learned that your agencies have been revoking student visas and terminating Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records across the country. These actions to end student status reflected an unannounced change in policy and were inconsistent with existing laws, regulations, policies, and agency guidance governing the maintenance and termination of student status—that is why we welcomed the news late last week that in response to litigation around the country, ICE has reversed these SEVIS terminations. We now urge you to undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance and ensure that all future actions to end student status fully comply with the law.”

    The Senators continued by highlighting the lack of reasoning provided in many of these visa revocations, writing: “[S]tudents across the country—who by all accounts appear to have followed all of the applicable laws and agency guidance—have reported visa revocations with no clear explanation as to the basis to terminate status. SEVP has completed at least 4,736 total terminations of student visa holders’ SEVIS records. By DHS’s own admission, the statute and regulations do not provide SEVP the authority to terminate nonimmigrant status by terminating a SEVIS record. Your decision to reverse such terminations is therefore prudent and required by law.”

    The Senators then outlined the Trump Administration’s apparent violation of federal law in revoking these visas, writing: “Current laws, regulations, and agency guidance also require notice to be provided when a student’s status is being terminated or revoked. Here, it is not clear that students were provided the notice required by law. Many students were notified by universities that they have lost their student status when their SEVIS records have been terminated, without being provided any information about potential reinstatement. Some students received emails that their visas were revoked and were directed to self-deport, with no clear information as to the basis for their revocation or means by which they can appeal the revocation. Some students only learned about losing status when arrested by masked federal agents. These reports suggest that students were not given notice of the termination of their status in a manner consistent with existing laws, regulations, and agency guidance.”

    The Senators conclude with an appeal to the Administration to reconsider these visa revocations and warning to adhere to federal law, before making a series of immigration requests, writing: “Students who have entered through our legal immigration system and followed the law remain unsure of what, if any, steps they may take to maintain their status and safeguard themselves from immigration enforcement. While we are relieved that ICE has reversed these SEVIS terminations, we now urge you to undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance. Finally, we understand that you are contemplating additional actions to end student status. Any such changes must be consistent with applicable statutes, including requirements for notice with respect to changes that would deprive a student of their status and ability to live and study in the United States and place them at risk of detention.”

    In addition to Reed and Durbin, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennett (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Dear Secretary Noem, Secretary Rubio, and Acting Director Lyons:

    We recently learned that your agencies have been revoking student visas and terminating Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records across the country. These actions to end student status reflected an unannounced change in policy and were inconsistent with existing laws, regulations, policies, and agency guidance governing the maintenance and termination of student status—that is why we welcomed the news late last week that in response to litigation around the country, ICE has reversed these SEVIS terminations.  We now urge you to undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance and ensure that all future actions to end student status fully comply with the law.

    Foreign students must navigate a complicated mix of agencies to maintain their status. Under current regulations and policy, students who enter into the United States on an F-1 student visa or J-1 exchange visitor visa are admitted to the United States for “duration of status.”  This essentially means that F-1 and J-1 visa holders may be in good standing as long as they comply with the terms and conditions of their status, even if their visa has expired.  Students who enter on an M-1 visa for vocational education are admitted for a fixed time period to complete their course of study.  The Office of Student Exchange and Visitor Programs (SEVP), within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), works with universities and program administrators to determine whether F-1 and M-1 students are meeting requirements for their visas and terminate SEVIS records as appropriate under SEVP regulations.  The Department of State (DOS) Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers the J-1 exchange visitor visa, but their records are maintained by SEVIS. Existing regulations and agency guidance inform students and other visa holders of how they might lose their student status, including that they cannot be convicted of serious crimes, cannot work unless authorized by DHS, and must be completing the education or program related to their visa. However, students across the country—who by all accounts appear to have followed all of the applicable laws and agency guidance—have reported visa revocations with no clear explanation as to the basis to terminate status. SEVP has completed at least 4,736 total terminations of student visa holders’ SEVIS records. By DHS’s own admission, the statute and regulations do not provide SEVP the authority to terminate nonimmigrant status by terminating a SEVIS record. Your decision to reverse such terminations is therefore prudent and required by law.

    Current laws, regulations, and agency guidance also require notice to be provided when a student’s status is being terminated or revoked. Here, it is not clear that students were provided the notice required by law. Many students were notified by universities that they have lost their student status when their SEVIS records have been terminated, without being provided any information about potential reinstatement. Some students received emails that their visas were revoked and were directed to self-deport, with no clear information as to the basis for their revocation or means by which they can appeal the revocation. Some students only learned about losing status when arrested by masked federal agents.  These reports suggest that students were not given notice of the termination of their status in a manner consistent with existing laws, regulations, and agency guidance.

    Once a student’s visa is revoked, although their status is not automatically terminated, removal proceedings may be initiated against them, allowing them to be detained at the discretion of DHS. Similarly, when a student’s SEVIS record is terminated, the student is no longer in an authorized period of stay in the United States, and students and their universities cannot regularly maintain student records in SEVIS, as is required to maintain student status. In addition, upon SEVIS record termination, the student must depart the United States or take other action to restore legal status, and DHS “may investigate to confirm the departure of the student.”

    Students who have entered through our legal immigration system and followed the law remain unsure of what, if any, steps they may take to maintain their status and safeguard themselves from immigration enforcement. While we are relieved that ICE has reversed these SEVIS terminations, we now urge you to undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance. Finally, we understand that you are contemplating additional actions to end student status. Any such changes must be consistent with applicable statutes, including requirements for notice with respect to changes that would deprive a student of their status and ability to live and study in the United States and place them at risk of detention.

    We also request information to better understand how your departments are implementing any new, unannounced policies with respect to identifying students for status revocation. Please provide the following information by May 12, 2025:

    1. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS governing the revocations of nonimmigrant visas, issued from January 20, 2025 to date.

    2. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS governing how nonimmigrants are to be notified of visa revocations, issued from January 20, 2025 to date.

    3. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS governing the terminations of SEVIS records, issued from January 20, 2025 to April 25, 2025.

    4. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS governing how student visa holders are to be notified of SEVIS terminations, issued from January 20, 2025 to April 25, 2025.

    5. Any guidance issued by DOS, DHS, and/or the Department of Justice governing the initiation of removal proceedings or immigration enforcement against student visa holders and other nonimmigrants, issued from January 20, 2025 to date.

    6. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS regarding the use of artificial intelligence to search national databases, criminal records, and social media to identify nonimmigrants for visa revocation or to otherwise end status, issued from January 20, 2025 to date.

    7. The total number of student visas (F-1, M-1, or J-1 visas) that have been revoked since January 20, 2025 to date, disaggregated by:

    a. Student’s country of origin;

    b. Consulate or embassy that issued the visa;

    c. Visa category/Optional Practical Training (OPT);

    d. Date of revocation;

    e. University of study;

    f. Type of degree or field of study;

    g. Notice provided;

    h. Legal basis for revocation;

    i. Any grace period to allow students to make travel or other arrangements; and

    j. Whether the student’s SEVIS record was also terminated.

    8. The total number of SEVIS record terminations that have been issued since January 20, 2025 to April 25, 2025, disaggregated by—

    a. Student’s country of origin;

    b. Visa category/Optional Practical Training (OPT);

    c. Date of revocation;

    d. University of study;

    e. Type of degree or field of study;

    f. Whether the termination was initiated by the university or by DHS;

    g. Basis for termination;

    h. Notice provided;

    i. Any grace period to allow students to make travel or other arrangements; and

    j. Whether the student’s visa was revoked.

    9. The number of student visa holders on F-1, M-1, J-1 nonimmigrant status issued Form I862, Notice to Appear, initiating removal proceedings.

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this critical matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing AI-Generated Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Child Sexual Abuse Material

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

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Daniel Joseph Broadway, 53, of Charlotte, appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty to possessing AI-generated images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    According to plea documents and today’s court hearing, on December 12, 2023, CMPD officers executed a search warrant at Broadway’s Charlotte residence. From the residence, officers seized nine electronic devices that were later forensically analyzed and found to contain images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material. Some of the images and videos in Broadway’s possession had been AI-generated and some had not. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed that Broadway possessed 8,661 images and two videos of non-AI CSAM. Broadway also possessed 20,292 images and videos of AI-generated CSAM. Many of the non-AI and AI-generated CSAM depicted prepubescent minors that were nude or partially clothed, lasciviously displaying their genitals or engaging in sexual intercourse with adults.

    Broadway pleaded guilty to possession and access with intent to view child pornography involving prepubescent minors and possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children, each of which carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Broadway was remanded into custody following his guilty plea. A sentencing date has not been set.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked FBI and CMPD for their investigation which led to the guilty plea.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Sentenced to 11 Years’ Imprisonment After Traveling to Utah to Sexually Abuse a 12-Year-Old

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

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Carl William Wyckoff, 25, of New Boston, Texas, was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, after he traveled to Utah and sexually abused a 12-year-old victim.

    The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby, comes after Wyckoff pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    According to court documents and statements made at Wyckoff’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Wyckoff began exchanging messages with a 12-year-old girl he met playing an online game. The messages between Wyckoff and the victim became sexual, and images were exchanged. Initially, Wyckoff believed the child was an adult, but after she disclosed her true age, Wyckoff continued exchanging sexual messages and images. Wyckoff admitted that between April 13, 2024, and April 15, 2024, he then traveled from Texas to Arizona and then transported the 12-year-old victim to Utah to engage in sexual activity with her.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

    Assistant United States Attorney Chris Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: District of Arizona Charges 232 Individuals for Immigration-Related Conduct this Week

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

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from April 19, 2025, through April 25, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 232 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 110 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 110 aliens for illegally entering the United States.  In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 9 cases against 11 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. The United States also charged one individual with failing to register, as required by law. 

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

    Recent matters of interest include:

    United States v. Alex Esparaza Sanchez, et al: On April 22, 2025, Alex Esparza Sanchez, Nikolas Baldriche, Carlos Zuniga-Lizo, Sherman James-Guzman, and Benjamin Lopez-Barron were indicted for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Bringing in Illegal Aliens to the United States for Profit. According to the court documents, Esparza Sanchez, Baldriche and Zuniga-Lizo coordinated with James-Guzman and Lopez-Brown who picked up illegal aliens at the border in Yuma, Arizona. [Case Number: CR-25-00600-PHX-SMB]

    United States v. Hakeem Alberto Lucero-Parra: On April 22, 2025, Hakeem Alberto Lucero-Parra, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged for illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed. According to the criminal complaint, after being arrested on local charges in Phoenix, Arizona, it was determined that Lucero-Parra had been previously deported after a conviction for Aggravated Assault and Attempt to Commit Kidnapping. [Case number: MJ-25-6149-PHX-ASB]

    United States v. Jacinto Medina-Palacios: On April 22, 2025, Jacinto Medina-Palacios, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged for illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed. According to the criminal complaint, after being arrested on local charges in Phoenix, Arizona, it was determined that Medina-Palacios had been previously deported after a conviction for Carrying a Loaded Firearm while not the Registered Owner. [Case Number: MJ-25-6152-PHX-ASB]

    United States v. Teodoro Diaz-Ochoa: On April 23, 2025, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 5-count indictment against Teodoro Diaz-Ochoa, 44, of Mexico, for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, and Reentry of a Removed Alien. According to the charging documents in the case, Arizona Game and Fish Officers encountered Diaz-Ochoa in possession of a bolt action rifle while they were conducting a hunting without a license investigation. ATF agents also found a shotgun and ammunition at Diaz-Ochoa’s residence pursuant to a search warrant. Diaz-Ochoa was previously convicted of felony Attempted Sexual Assault and deported from the United States on April 22, 2016. [Case Number: CR-25-01989-TUC-JCH]

    Criminal complaints and indictments are simply methods by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    These cases are 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).                                                                                 

    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-063_April 25 Immigration Enforcement

    # # #

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arkansas Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison on Child Exploitation Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NASHVILLE – Jared James Dabbs, 41, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced last week to 40 years in federal prison on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and three counts of receipt of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee.

    A federal grand jury indicted the defendant in December 2022. On August 19, 2024, he pled guilty to all counts in the indictment.

    On March 8, 2022, Dabbs pawned his laptop at Big Boss Pawn and Gun in Giles County, Tennessee. When the pawn shop owner inspected the laptop to confirm it was operable, he found child sexual abuse material on the laptop and contacted law enforcement. Dabbs was identified as the person who pawned the laptop. The next day, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the defendant’s laptop and located images of child sexual abuse material including images the defendant produced of the minor victim. That same day, the Giles County Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, where they seized multiple electronic devices. Following his arrest, Dabbs was interviewed by law enforcement officers, and he admitted creating sexual abuse material of the minor victim, that he engaged in sexual contact with the minor victim on multiple occasions, and that he downloaded and viewed child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices.

    “The protection of children in our communities from sexual predators is among the highest priorities of the Department of Justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Thanks to the efforts of our prosecutors and our law enforcement partners, Jared Dabbs will never hurt another child again and justice has been done.”

    “This case underscores the critical role that everyday citizens can play in combating child sexual exploitation,” said a Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “Because of the vigilance of a sharp-eyed pawn shop employee, law enforcement was alerted, responded swiftly, and a child predator was removed from the streets.”

    “Children are among the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI is committed to finding and arresting those who prey on children, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure these predators are off the streets and held accountable for their heinous crimes.”

    Following his sentence of incarceration, Dabbs will be on supervised release for 10 years and he is required to register as a sex offender.  The Court also ordered Dabbs to pay $69,600 in restitution.

    Homeland Security Investigations, FBI Nashville Field Office, and the Giles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica R. Morrison and Robert E. McGuire 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 the 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: Three Fugitives Arrested in San Juan and Carolina, Puerto Rico

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

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Three individuals who were fugitives since December 2024 were arrested today in the municipalities of San Juan and Carolina, PR, on criminal charges related to their alleged participation on drug trafficking and violent crimes associated to a drug trafficking organization that operated in San Juan, Carolina, and other areas nearby, from in or about 2021 through December 2024, when the arrest operation took place. The three fugitives had been charged in the case of United States v. Victor J. Pérez-Fernández, a.k.a. “La Cone/Vitu/Vitikin/Enano,” et al., Case No. 24-453 (MAJ).

    Defendants [10] Gerald O. Rodríguez-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Patrón;” [18] Ángel L. Sanjurjo, a.k.a. “Vaca;” and [33] Ramsell Maldonado-Tatis, a.k.a. “R” were arrested by FBI special agents, Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Carolina Municipal Police Department. They are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession and distribution of heroin, cocaine base (crack), cocaine, marijuana, and fentanyl; and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Defendant Maldonado-Tatis is also facing one count for possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    “As alleged in the indictment, these individuals were engaged in violent crime and spread deadly drugs through our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow.  “Today’s arrests make clear that this Office will work tirelessly to keep the law-abiding residents of Puerto Rico safe and hold accountable those who bring violence to our streets.”

    “The arrests carried out this morning reaffirm our unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal organizations. The message is clear: if you’re part of a violent criminal enterprise, the FBI will work relentlessly to find you and bring you to justice,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The residents of Puerto Rico deserve safe communities, and through close collaboration with our local and federal partners, we will continue to bring fugitives to justice and restore peace where it is most needed.”

    According to the charging documents, the drug trafficking organization distributed heroin, fentanyl, crack, cocaine, marijuana, Tramadol, and Clonazepam within 1,000 feet of the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project (PHP), the Luis Lloréns Torres PHP, the Los Mirtos PHP, the Lagos de Blasina PHP, the La Esmeralda PHP, the El Coral PHP, the Monte Hatillo PHP, and other areas near those locations, all for significant financial gain and profit. The drug trafficking organizations that operated in and around these areas (known as The Alliance) reached an agreement to conduct their drug trafficking operations as allies, which they referred to as “La Paz” (The Peace). At that time, each housing project organization was controlled by their own leadership and structure. As part of The Alliance, there would not be war between these organizations and members would be able to rely on each other for protection, drugs, and weapons.

    Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort; Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares; and AUSAs Laura Díaz-González, R. Vance Eaton, and Joseph Russell are prosecuting 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 (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: 344 Immigration Cases Filed in the Western District of Texas This Week

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

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 344 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from April 18 through April 24.

    Among the new cases, Henry Cruz-Lemas, an illegal alien and a Honduran national previously convicted of aggravated kidnapping in September 2011 and sentenced to five years in prison. Cruz-Lemas was arrested on April 18 during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ERO) investigation in San Antonio.  He is charged with one count of illegal reentry of an alien.

    Jose Angel Escarcega-Briones, an illegal alien from Mexico, was found approximately 4 miles west of the Tornillo Port of Entry. Border Patrol Agents determined that he did not have immigration documents allowing him to be in the United States legally and that he has previously been removed from the United States 5 times.  He has 3 prior convictions for illegal reentry as well as a federal drug trafficking conviction.

    Jose Alfonso Deras-Valle, a citizen of El Salvador, was found near mile marker 87 of Interstate 10 in Fort Hancock, Texas.  U.S. Border Patrol determined that Deras-Valle had recently been deported to El Salvador on February 21, 2025.  His criminal record includes a murder conviction in Florida for which he received fifteen years in prison.

    U.S. Border Patrol Agents performing line watch operations in an area near Sierra Blanca, Texas encountered three people attempting to conceal themselves in a culvert.  After questioning and investigation, the agents determined the group was in the United States illegally.  Sergio Aguirre-Isidro was determined to be a foot guide for the group and that he was to collect 10,000 Mexican Pesos if the group arrived in the U.S. successfully.

    Junior Enrique Garcia-Escobar, a Honduran national with a prior conviction out of the State of New York for Burglary using/threatening use of a dangerous instrument, was arrested on illegal reentry charges near Eagle Pass, Texas.  He had been sentenced to five years in prison on the burglary charge and was deported in 2019.

    Raul Rodriguez-Morales was arrested by Border Patrol Agents in Del Rio, Texas on April 18, 2025, for illegal reentry after having been deported in January 2025.  Rodriguez-Morales has previous drug convictions in California as well as a conviction for felon in possession of a firearm and two previous convictions for illegal reentry of an alien in 2011 and 2019.

    In Carrizo Springs, Texas, Devarick Dewayne Benson was arrested for conspiring to transport two illegal aliens further into the United States.  Benson was driving a vehicle with fictitious plates and was pulled over for driving 10 miles over the speed limit.  He had two illegal aliens in the trunk of his car.

    A Honduran citizen, Angel Almendarez-Ulloa, was arrested on April 19, 2025, by Border Patrol Agents near Eagle Pass, Texas. Almendarez has been deported from the United States 10 times, with his last deportation to Honduras being on April 21, 2023.

    These cases were referred or supported by our federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

    These cases are 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).

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Demand Answers on Politicization of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Schiff Demand Answers on Politicization of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, demanded answers from the Department of Justice (DOJ) concerning the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Senators separately called for Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, to immediately hold an oversight hearing with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, a San Francisco-based lawyer leading the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, on its politicization.
    In their letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, the Senators expressed deep concerns about several directives issued by the Trump Administration that could jeopardize the Division’s work to enforce and protect the Constitutional and statutory civil rights of the American people. The Senators also requested an immediate briefing for the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on the Constitution regarding changes to the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division since January 20, 2025. 
    “According to public reporting, at least five of the Division’s sections have received directives via email to employees which change long-standing Division enforcement objectives. The five sections are meant to protect voting rights, prevent discrimination by federal funding recipients, investigate illegal bias in housing, prohibit discrimination in education, and defend the rights of those with disabilities. The directives have not been shared publicly,” wrote the Senators. “Based on the reporting, these directives may well be inconsistent with Congress’s intent in enacting the landmark civil rights legislation that is enforced by the Division.”
    The Senators also sounded the alarm on reports that Division leadership no longer includes any career officials, transferring enforcement oversight responsibilities traditionally managed by career Deputy Assistant Attorneys General to political appointees. The restructuring of the Division also included the reassigning or departures of career supervisors.
    “These losses mirror a similar pattern across the Department of Justice, including the removal of career officials from the Office of Professional Responsibility and the firing of the Pardon Attorney,” continued the Senators. “The Division relies on the abilities and knowledge of its career staff to carry out the great responsibility of enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws without regard to politics.” 
    “Finally, we have also heard alarming reports that you authorized a second voluntary buyout for Division employees immediately before issuing the previously mentioned directives. Taken together, these measures appear to be an attempt to cajole career officials at the Division to leave voluntarily in order to fundamentally transform its work,” concluded the Senators. 
    U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, led the letter. In addition to Padilla and Schiff, the letter was also signed by Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
    During a Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing earlier this year, Senator Padilla criticized Harmeet Dhillon for her alarming track record of restricting the right to vote, spreading disinformation about the 2020 election, and perpetuating discriminatory laws.
    Full text of the letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, and DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz is available here.
    Full text of the letter to Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution Chairman Schmitt is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Push Trump Administration to Reconsider Student Visa Revocations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
    Senators to DHS, State Department, ICE: “Students who have entered through our legal immigration system and followed the law remain unsure of what, if any, steps they may take to maintain their status and safeguard themselves from immigration enforcement”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), joined 34 Democrats in pressing the Trump Administration to reconsider recent decisions to revoke student visas. In their letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons, the Senators urged the Administration to undo unlawful student visa revocations, citing a recent reversal of some student record terminations.
    “We recently learned that your agencies have been revoking student visas and terminating Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records across the country. These actions to end student status reflected an unannounced change in policy and were inconsistent with existing laws, regulations, policies, and agency guidance governing the maintenance and termination of student status—that is why we welcomed the news late last week that in response to litigation around the country, ICE has reversed these SEVIS terminations,” wrote the Senators. “We now urge you to undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance and ensure that all future actions to end student status fully comply with the law.”
    The Senators continued by highlighting the lack of reasoning provided in many of these visa revocations after the Office of Student Exchange and Visitor Programs (SEVP) within ICE terminated at least 4,736 student visa holders’ SEVIS records.
    “[S]tudents across the country—who by all accounts appear to have followed all of the applicable laws and agency guidance—have reported visa revocations with no clear explanation as to the basis to terminate status,” continued the Senators. “By DHS’s own admission, the statute and regulations do not provide SEVP the authority to terminate nonimmigrant status by terminating a SEVIS record. Your decision to reverse such terminations is therefore prudent and required by law.”
    The Senators outlined the Trump Administration’s apparent violation of federal law in revoking these visas, emphasizing that the Administration may not have given legally required notice when terminating or revoking some students’ statuses. Many students were not given any information on possible reinstatement after they lost their student status when their SEVIS records were terminated. Some students received emails about their visa revocations along with self-deportation directions without the ability to appeal, and others were only informed that they lost their status after masked federal agents arrested them.
    The Senators concluded by appealing to the Administration to reconsider these visa revocations and warning them to adhere to federal law, before making a series of immigration requests.
    “Students who have entered through our legal immigration system and followed the law remain unsure of what, if any, steps they may take to maintain their status and safeguard themselves from immigration enforcement,” concluded the Senators. “While we are relieved that ICE has reversed these SEVIS terminations, we now urge you to undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance. Finally, we understand that you are contemplating additional actions to end student status. Any such changes must be consistent with applicable statutes, including requirements for notice with respect to changes that would deprive a student of their status and ability to live and study in the United States and place them at risk of detention.”
    The letter was led by U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In addition to Padilla and Schiff, the letter was also signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    In 2021, Senator Padilla led a group of 23 Senators in calling on the State Department to address the backlog of visas for international students. Padilla also chaired a hearing entitled “Strengthening our Workforce and Economy through Higher Education and Immigration” in 2022, highlighting the challenges undocumented students and international students face in seeking higher education and obtaining jobs in the United States.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary Noem, Secretary Rubio, and Acting Director Lyons: We recently learned that your agencies have been revoking student visas and terminating Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records across the country. These actions to end student status reflected an unannounced change in policy and were inconsistent with existing laws, regulations, policies, and agency guidance governing the maintenance and termination of student status—that is why we welcomed the news late last week that in response to litigation around the country, ICE has reversed these SEVIS terminations. We now urge you to undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance and ensure that all future actions to end student status fully comply with the law.
    Foreign students must navigate a complicated mix of agencies to maintain their status. Under current regulations and policy, students who enter into the United States on an F-1 student visa or J-1 exchange visitor visa are admitted to the United States for “duration of status.” This essentially means that F-1 and J-1 visa holders may be in good standing as long as they comply with the terms and conditions of their status, even if their visa has expired. Students who enter on an M-1 visa for vocational education are admitted for a fixed time period to complete their course of study. The Office of Student Exchange and Visitor Programs (SEVP), within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), works with universities and program administrators to determine whether F-1 and M-1 students are meeting requirements for their visas and terminate SEVIS records as appropriate under SEVP regulations. The Department of State (DOS) Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers the J-1 exchange visitor visa, but their records are maintained by SEVIS. Existing regulations and agency guidance inform students and other visa holders of how they might lose their student status, including that they cannot be convicted of serious crimes, cannot work unless authorized by DHS, and must be completing the education or program related to their visa. However, students across the country—who by all accounts appear to have followed all of the applicable laws and agency guidance—have reported visa revocations with no clear explanation as to the basis to terminate status. SEVP has completed at least 4,736 total terminations of student visa holders’ SEVIS records. By DHS’s own admission, the statute and regulations do not provide SEVP the authority to terminate nonimmigrant status by terminating a SEVIS record. Your decision to reverse such terminations is therefore prudent and required by law.
    Current laws, regulations, and agency guidance also require notice to be provided when a student’s status is being terminated or revoked. Here, it is not clear that students were provided the notice required by law. Many students were notified by universities that they have lost their student status when their SEVIS records have been terminated, without being provided any information about potential reinstatement. Some students received emails that their visas were revoked and were directed to self-deport, with no clear information as to the basis for their revocation or means by which they can appeal the revocation. Some students only learned about losing status when arrested by masked federal agents. These reports suggest that students were not given notice of the termination of their status in a manner consistent with existing laws, regulations, and agency guidance.
    Once a student’s visa is revoked, although their status is not automatically terminated, removal proceedings may be initiated against them, allowing them to be detained at the discretion of DHS. Similarly, when a student’s SEVIS record is terminated, the student is no longer in an authorized period of stay in the United States, and students and their universities cannot regularly maintain student records in SEVIS, as is required to maintain student status. In addition, upon SEVIS record termination, the student must depart the United States or take other action to restore legal status, and DHS “may investigate to confirm the departure of the student.”
    Students who have entered through our legal immigration system and followed the law remain unsure of what, if any, steps they may take to maintain their status and safeguard themselves from immigration enforcement. While we are relieved that ICE has reversed these SEVIS terminations, we now urge you to undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance. Finally, we understand that you are contemplating additional actions to end student status. Any such changes must be consistent with applicable statutes, including requirements for notice with respect to changes that would deprive a student of their status and ability to live and study in the United States and place them at risk of detention.
    We also request information to better understand how your departments are implementing any new, unannounced policies with respect to identifying students for status revocation. Please provide the following information by May 12, 2025:
    1. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS governing the revocations of nonimmigrant visas, issued from January 20, 2025 to date.
    2. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS governing how nonimmigrants are to be notified of visa revocations, issued from January 20, 2025 to date.
    3. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS governing the terminations of SEVIS records, issued from January 20, 2025 to April 25, 2025.
    4. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS governing how student visa holders are to be notified of SEVIS terminations, issued from January 20, 2025 to April 25, 2025.
    5. Any guidance issued by DOS, DHS, and/or the Department of Justice governing the initiation of removal proceedings or immigration enforcement against student visa holders and other nonimmigrants, issued from January 20, 2025 to date.
    6. Any guidance issued by DOS and/or DHS regarding the use of artificial intelligence to search national databases, criminal records, and social media to identify nonimmigrants for visa revocation or to otherwise end status, issued from January 20, 2025 to date.
    7. The total number of student visas (F-1, M-1, or J-1 visas) that have been revoked since January 20, 2025 to date, disaggregated by:
    a. Student’s country of origin;
    b. Consulate or embassy that issued the visa;
    c. Visa category/Optional Practical Training (OPT);
    d. Date of revocation;
    e. University of study;
    f. Type of degree or field of study;
    g. Notice provided;
    h. Legal basis for revocation;
    i. Any grace period to allow students to make travel or other arrangements; and
    j. Whether the student’s SEVIS record was also terminated.
    8. The total number of SEVIS record terminations that have been issued since January 20, 2025 to April 25, 2025, disaggregated by—
    a. Student’s country of origin;
    b. Visa category/Optional Practical Training (OPT);
    c. Date of revocation;
    d. University of study;
    e. Type of degree or field of study;
    f. Whether the termination was initiated by the university or by DHS;
    g. Basis for termination;
    h. Notice provided;
    i. Any grace period to allow students to make travel or other arrangements; and
    j. Whether the student’s visa was revoked.
    9. The number of student visa holders on F-1, M-1, J-1 nonimmigrant status issued Form I862, Notice to Appear, initiating removal proceedings.
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this critical matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norteño Gang Member Who Fled Days Before 2024 Sentencing Date Sentenced To Seven Years In Federal Prison For Illegal Firearms Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Nicholas Addleman was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm.  U.S. District Judge James Donato handed down the sentence.

    According to court documents, Addleman, 38, of Vallejo, Calif., a longtime member of the San Francisco Mission District Norteños, previously served five years in state custody following convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and shooting at an inhabited dwelling.  Addleman was released on parole in July 2022.  A few months after his release, on Oct. 14, 2022, police officers conducted a parole search of Addleman’s vehicle and recovered two Glock firearms, including one with a loaded extended magazine, in a hidden compartment behind the center console.  Addleman admitted to officers that the firearms were his, and his DNA was found on the grip of one of the guns.  

    Addleman was charged by complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) in November 2022.  He pleaded guilty to the offense in September 2023, and was originally scheduled to be sentenced on his federal firearms conviction in February 2024.  Days before the sentencing, Addleman absconded from pretrial supervision, and the Court issued a bench warrant for his arrest.  At the time of his arrest in December 2024, a search of his Vallejo residence found multiple assault rifles, large capacity magazines, and suspected gun silencers.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Donato ordered Addleman to serve three years of supervised release and to forfeit the firearms and ammunition seized by police.  

    Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.

    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.  In May 2021, the 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.

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

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Leif Dautch prosecuted this case, with the assistance of Nina Burney.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the San Francisco Police Department, and Vallejo Police Department.  
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norteño Gang Member Sentenced for Manufacturing Destructive Devices and Possessing a Silencer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Joseph Marcus Silva, 28, of Porterville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to five years and 11 months in prison for manufacturing three destructive devices and possessing an unregistered silencer, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Silva is a member of the Norteño gang subset called Varrio Central Poros and a convicted felon. Silva manufactured three destructive devices, using a 3D printer to make two of them. One of the 3D-printed destructive devices was similar to a military claymore mine that read, “FRONT TOWARDS ENEMY.” A claymore mine is a directional fragmentation, antipersonnel mine that is capable of incapacitating, injuring, or killing people. The second 3D-printed destructive device was a military-type M67 grenade. Silva also made a destructive device consisting of a glass tube with flash powder, BBs, and a fuse. In addition, Silva admitted that he unlawfully possessed an unregistered silencer, which had previously been used. Silva also possessed nine additional firearms, including six 3D-printed orange and gray frames, as depicted below:

    3D-printed orange and gray frames possessed by Silva

    A frame, which is the part of a firearm that integrates other components by providing housing for internal action components, is considered a firearm.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Tulare County Agency Regional Gun Violence Enforcement Team of the California Department of Justice, the Porterville Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.

    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 USA News: Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose and Policy.  Safe communities rely on the backbone and heroism of a tough and well-equipped police force.  My Administration is steadfastly committed to empowering State and local law enforcement to firmly police dangerous criminal behavior and protect innocent citizens. 
    When local leaders demonize law enforcement and impose legal and political handcuffs that make aggressively enforcing the law impossible, crime thrives and innocent citizens and small business owners suffer.  My Administration will therefore:  establish best practices at the State and local level for cities to unleash high-impact local police forces; protect and defend law enforcement officers wrongly accused and abused by State or local officials; and surge resources to officers in need.  My Administration will work to ensure that law enforcement officers across America focus on ending crime, not pursuing harmful, illegal race- and sex-based “equity” policies. 
    The result will be a law-abiding society in which tenacious law enforcement officers protect the innocent, violations of law are not tolerated, and American communities are safely enjoyed by all their citizens again.

    Sec. 2.  Legal Defense of Law Enforcement Officers.  The Attorney General shall take all appropriate action to create a mechanism to provide legal resources and indemnification to law enforcement officers who unjustly incur expenses and liabilities for actions taken during the performance of their official duties to enforce the law.  This mechanism shall include the use of private-sector pro bono assistance for such law enforcement officers.

    Sec. 3.  Empowering State and Local Law Enforcement.  (a) The Attorney General and other appropriate heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall take all appropriate action to maximize the use of Federal resources to:
    (i)    provide new best practices to State and local law enforcement to aggressively police communities against all crimes;
    (ii)   expand access and improve the quality of training available to State and local law enforcement;
    (iii)  increase pay and benefits for law enforcement officers;
    (iv)   strengthen and expand legal protections for law enforcement officers; 
    (v)    seek enhanced sentences for crimes against law enforcement officers;
    (vi)   promote investment in the security and capacity of prisons; and
    (vii)  increase the investment in and collection, distribution, and uniformity of crime data across jurisdictions.
    (b)  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General shall review all ongoing Federal consent decrees, out-of-court agreements, and post-judgment orders to which a State or local law enforcement agency is a party and modify, rescind, or move to conclude such measures that unduly impede the performance of law enforcement functions.

    Sec. 4.  Using National Security Assets for Law and Order.  (a)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the heads of agencies as appropriate, shall increase the provision of excess military and national security assets in local jurisdictions to assist State and local law enforcement.
    (b)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Attorney General, shall determine how military and national security assets, training, non-lethal capabilities, and personnel can most effectively be utilized to prevent crime.

    Sec. 5.  Holding State and Local Officials Accountable. The Attorney General shall pursue all necessary legal remedies and enforcement measures to enforce the rights of Americans impacted by crime and shall prioritize prosecution of any applicable violations of Federal criminal law with respect to State and local jurisdictions whose officials:
    (a)  willfully and unlawfully direct the obstruction of criminal law, including by directly and unlawfully prohibiting law enforcement officers from carrying out duties necessary for public safety and law enforcement; or    
    (b)  unlawfully engage in discrimination or civil-rights violations under the guise of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives that restrict law enforcement activity or endanger citizens.

    Sec. 6.  Use of Homeland Security Task Forces.  The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall utilize the Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) formed in accordance with Executive Order 14159 of January 20, 2025 (Protecting the American People Against Invasion) to coordinate and advance the objectives of this order.

    Sec. 7.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    i. the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    ii. the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

      (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
      (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
      (d)  The Department of Justice shall provide funding for this order’s publication in the Federal Register.
        

                                                  DONALD J. TRUMP

       THE WHITE HOUSE,
          April 28, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Federal supremacy with respect to immigration, national security, and foreign policy is axiomatic. The Constitution provides the Federal Government with plenary authority regarding immigration to protect the sovereignty of our Nation and to conduct relations with other nations, who must be able to deal with one national Government on such matters. This power is sometimes contained in specific constitutional provisions: Article II of the Constitution vests the power to protect national security and conduct foreign policy in the President of the United States, and Article IV, Section 4, requires the Federal Government to “protect each of [the States] against Invasion.” This Federal power over immigration is also an inherent element of national sovereignty.

    The prior administration allowed unchecked millions of aliens to illegally enter the United States. The resulting public safety and national security risks are exacerbated by the presence of, and control of territory by, international cartels and other transnational criminal organizations along the southern border, as well as terrorists and other malign actors who intend to harm the United States and the American people. This invasion at the southern border requires the Federal Government to take measures to fulfill its obligation to the States.

    Yet some State and local officials nevertheless continue to use their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws. This is a lawless insurrection against the supremacy of Federal law and the Federal Government’s obligation to defend the territorial sovereignty of the United States. Beyond the intolerable national security risks, such nullification efforts often violate Federal criminal laws, including those prohibiting obstruction of justice (18 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.), unlawfully harboring or hiring illegal aliens (8 U.S.C. 1324), conspiracy against the United States (18 U.S.C. 371), and conspiracy to impede Federal law enforcement (18 U.S.C. 372). Assisting aliens in violating Federal immigration law could also violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (18 U.S.C. 1961 et seq.). Some measures to assist illegal aliens also necessarily violate Federal laws prohibiting discrimination against Americans in favor of illegal aliens and protecting Americans’ civil rights.

    It is imperative that the Federal Government restore the enforcement of United States law.

    Sec. 2. Designation of “Sanctuary” Jurisdictions. (a) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall publish a list of States and local jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws (sanctuary jurisdictions). After this initial publication, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall update this list as necessary.

    (b) Immediately following each publication under subsection (a) of this section, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify each sanctuary jurisdiction regarding its defiance of Federal immigration law enforcement and any potential violations of Federal criminal law.

    Sec. 3. Consequences for Sanctuary Jurisdiction Status. (a) With respect to sanctuary jurisdictions that are designated under section 2(a) of this order, the head of each executive department or agency (agency), in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and as permitted by law, shall identify appropriate Federal funds to sanctuary jurisdictions, including grants and contracts, for suspension or termination, as appropriate.

    (b) With respect to jurisdictions that remain sanctuary jurisdictions after State or local officials are provided notice of such status under section 2(b) of this order and yet remain in defiance of Federal law, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall pursue all necessary legal remedies and enforcement measures to end these violations and bring such jurisdictions into compliance with the laws of the United States.

    Sec. 4. Preventing Federal Benefits for Aliens in Sanctuary Jurisdictions. The Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Attorney General, shall develop guidance, rules, or other appropriate mechanisms to ensure appropriate eligibility verification is conducted for individuals receiving Federal public benefits within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. 1611(c) from private entities in a sanctuary jurisdiction, whether such verification is conducted by the private entity or by a governmental entity on its behalf.

    Sec. 5. Equal Treatment of Americans. The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and appropriate agency heads, shall identify and take appropriate action to stop the enforcement of State and local laws, regulations, policies, and practices favoring aliens over any groups of American citizens that are unlawful, preempted by Federal law, or otherwise unenforceable, including State laws that provide in-State higher education tuition to aliens but not to out-of-State American citizens that may violate 8 U.S.C. 1623 or that favor aliens in criminal charges or sentencing.

    Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    (d) The Department of Justice shall provide funding for this order’s publication in the Federal Register.

    DONALD J. TRUMP

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
    April 28, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Man in U.S. Illegally is Charged With Gun Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Marvin Enrique Pena-Portillo, 38, a Honduran national unlawfully residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of a firearm by a felon. He was ordered detained in federal custody at a detention hearing this afternoon.

    The criminal complaint alleges that, on April 15, 2025, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents arrested the defendant for immigration violations, Pena-Portillo had a loaded 9 mm semiautomatic pistol in his waistband.

    In August of 2024, in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Pena-Portillo pleaded guilty to carrying an illegal firearm in public and was sentenced to two years of probation for that offense.

    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.

    The case was investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and the ATF.

    The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Announces Settlements with Companies Selling Seafood Products in California Regarding Cadmium and Lead in Their Products

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced settlements with Clearwater Fine Foods USA Inc. (Clearwater), Seaquest Seafood Corporation (Seaquest), and Jayone Foods (Jayone), resolving allegations that the companies sold fresh and/or frozen seafood products in California with elevated levels of the toxic heavy metals lead and/or cadmium without the warnings required for exposures to such contaminants, a violation of Proposition 65 and the Unfair Competition Law. The settlement with Clearwater requires it to pay a total of $304,164.98 in civil penalties, attorneys’ fees, and costs. Clearwater must also adhere to injunctive terms that include implementing heavy metal reduction measures.  A separate settlement requires Seaquest and Jayone to provide warnings, and to pay a total of $81,440 in civil penalties, attorneys’ fees, and costs. The Seaquest and Jayone settlement includes opt-in provisions that will allow other sellers of fresh or frozen seafood products to join in the settlement on similar terms.

    “No one should have to question whether their food is safe to eat,” said Attorney General Bonta. “That’s why California law requires businesses to warn our residents about potential harm from significant exposures to toxic contaminants. We appreciate the cooperation of these companies in taking steps to minimize heavy metals in their seafood products, in addition to providing warnings if their products cannot be kept below the applicable regulatory threshold. At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to hold accountable those who fail to warn consumers that they are being exposed to significant levels of toxic contaminants.”

    Cadmium and lead are both toxic heavy metals that accumulate in the body over time, leading to serious health issues. Long-term exposure to cadmium through ingestion can lead to reproductive harm and kidney toxicity. Exposure to lead by ingesting contaminated foods can lead to reproductive and developmental toxicity, resulting in effects such as reduced male fertility and an increased risk of miscarriage and birth defects.

    The settlement with Clearwater, a seafood harvester, resulted from an investigation the Attorney General’s Office conducted after receiving Proposition 65 sixty-day notices from a private enforcer relating to several of Clearwater’s clam products. The data supporting these notices revealed cadmium concentrations in excess of the regulatory “safe harbor” level at which no Proposition 65 warnings are required.

    After testing the Clearwater products to validate the test results, our office confirmed that the clam products at issue contained cadmium levels that exceeded the regulatory Proposition 65 safe harbor level set by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, the implementing agency. The products thus required warnings for reproductive toxicity under Proposition 65, which Clearwater had failed to provide, thereby violating both Proposition 65 and the Unfair Competition Law.

    By entering into the settlement with the Attorney General, Clearwater has agreed to terms that go above and beyond the requirements of Proposition 65, and benefit public health by requiring Clearwater to minimize cadmium levels in its clam products. The settlement resolves the People’s allegations and requires the company to pay civil penalties, attorneys’ fees, and costs, as referenced above, as well as to adhere to injunctive terms. These terms include mandating that Clearwater monitor its clam harvesting, minimize the introduction of heavy metals during processing, retain a food quality auditor to assess the origin of any detected cadmium, and conduct compliance testing to ensure that levels of cadmium in these products are minimized. Clearwater would be required to provide warnings if its fresh or frozen clam products expose California consumers to levels of cadmium above the Proposition 65 warning threshold, or if it elects to discontinue these measures.

    The settlement with Seaquest and Jayone, two distributors of seafood supplied by other companies, stems from a similar investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Office.  Our office tested multiple seafood products distributed by the two companies and confirmed that the products at issue exceeded the safe harbor levels for lead and/or cadmium. The products thus required warnings for reproductive toxicity under Proposition 65, which neither company had provided, thereby violating both Proposition 65 and the Unfair Competition Law.

    The Seaquest and Jayone settlement resolves the People’s allegations, requires both companies to provide warnings in accordance with Proposition 65, and requires them to ask their suppliers to implement practices that will minimize the introduction of lead and cadmium during processing. It also requires the payment of civil penalties and attorneys’ fees and costs, as referenced above. The settlement includes opt-in provisions that permit similarly situated companies that may be out of compliance with Proposition 65 to join in the settlement on similar terms.

    A copy of the Clearwater settlement can be found here. 

    A copy of the Seaquest and Jayone settlement can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Corpus Christi man guilty of sexual exploitation of a child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 19-year-old Corpus Christi resident has admitted to distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The investigation began in December 2023, when Angel Valdez left a comment on a social media page supporting the work of an individual who had recently been sentenced to prison in Australia for animal cruelty.

    Australian law enforcement investigated further and began conversations with Valdez in an undercover capacity. In those communications, Valdez spoke about his interest in animal cruelty which later developed into child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    On Feb. 14, 2024, Valdez sent a video depicting CSAM which included a video of a nude prepubescent girl and a nude adult female wearing a mask. The depiction showed the young child being forced to perform oral sex on the adult female.

    Law enforcement executed a search warrant June 28, 2024, which resulted in the discovery of a laptop containing CSAM. Valdez also admitted he had participated in the online conversation and to distributing the CSAM.

    U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Aug. 12. At the time, Valdez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of authorities in Australia.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nevada Printer and Mailer Pleads Guilty to Participating in Elder Fraud Scheme

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Nevada woman pleaded guilty today for engaging in a prize notice fraud scheme that defrauded thousands of consumers, many of whom were elderly, across the United States and abroad. Barbara Trickle, 80, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

    According to the indictment, Trickle and her co-conspirators prepared and mailed millions of fraudulent prize notices that led their victims to believe that they had been individually selected to receive a large cash prize and would receive their prize if they paid a $20 to $50 fee. In reality, no victim ever received a large cash prize from Trickle or her co-conspirators. Instead, victims received a “report” describing sweepstakes opportunities or a trinket of minimal value. After victims responded to one fraudulent prize notice mailing, Trickle and her co-conspirators inundated them with additional fraudulent mailings. Trickle and her co-conspirators used the scheme to steal more than $15 million from victims.

    The fraud scheme operated from 2012 to February 2018, when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) executed multiple search warrants and the Justice Department obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. Trickle was the owner and operator of a printing and mailing business that produced the fraudulent prize notice mailings for the scheme. Trickle supervised the lasering, printing, and mailing of the fraudulent mailings.

    “The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to protecting elderly consumers from fraudulent mass-mailing schemes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are grateful to the Postal Inspection Service for their thorough investigation in this matter.”

    “The defendant and her co-conspirators used the promise of sweepstakes winnings to defraud the most vulnerable members in our communities,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the  U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to aggressively investigate mass-mailing schemes and other types of fraud to protect older Americans from financial exploitation and bring criminals to justice.”

    The USPIS conducted the investigation.

    Trial Attorneys Carolyn Rice and Charles Dunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

    The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent lottery, prize notification, sweepstakes, and psychic scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nevada Printer and Mailer Pleads Guilty to Participating in Elder Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Nevada woman pleaded guilty today for engaging in a prize notice fraud scheme that defrauded thousands of consumers, many of whom were elderly, across the United States and abroad. Barbara Trickle, 80, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

    According to the indictment, Trickle and her co-conspirators prepared and mailed millions of fraudulent prize notices that led their victims to believe that they had been individually selected to receive a large cash prize and would receive their prize if they paid a $20 to $50 fee. In reality, no victim ever received a large cash prize from Trickle or her co-conspirators. Instead, victims received a “report” describing sweepstakes opportunities or a trinket of minimal value. After victims responded to one fraudulent prize notice mailing, Trickle and her co-conspirators inundated them with additional fraudulent mailings. Trickle and her co-conspirators used the scheme to steal more than $15 million from victims.

    The fraud scheme operated from 2012 to February 2018, when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) executed multiple search warrants and the Justice Department obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. Trickle was the owner and operator of a printing and mailing business that produced the fraudulent prize notice mailings for the scheme. Trickle supervised the lasering, printing, and mailing of the fraudulent mailings.

    “The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to protecting elderly consumers from fraudulent mass-mailing schemes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are grateful to the Postal Inspection Service for their thorough investigation in this matter.”

    “The defendant and her co-conspirators used the promise of sweepstakes winnings to defraud the most vulnerable members in our communities,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the  U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to aggressively investigate mass-mailing schemes and other types of fraud to protect older Americans from financial exploitation and bring criminals to justice.”

    The USPIS conducted the investigation.

    Trial Attorneys Carolyn Rice and Charles Dunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

    The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent lottery, prize notification, sweepstakes, and psychic scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: We Must Protect The Right to Vote

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

    Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Condemns Trump Administration’s Dismantling of Voting Rights Protections

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    April 28, 2025

    Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Condemns Trump Administration’s Dismantling of Voting Rights Protections

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL) issued the following statement in response to recent actions by the Trump administration that have significantly weakened the enforcement of federal voting rights laws.

    “The Trump administration’s decision to dismiss all active voting rights cases and reassign experienced civil rights attorneys within the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is a direct assault on the fundamental democratic principle of equal access to the ballot box. These actions undermine decades of progress made to protect the voting rights of marginalized communities.”

    Recent reports indicate that political appointees have removed senior civil servants from the DOJ’s voting section, instructing attorneys to dismiss ongoing cases without discussion. This includes significant cases challenging voting laws and redistricting efforts in states like Georgia and Texas.

    “The systematic dismantling of the Civil Rights Division’s mission not only threatens the integrity of our electoral system but also signals a dangerous shift away from the DOJ’s historical role in safeguarding civil rights. The reassignment of seasoned attorneys and the abrupt dismissal of critical cases suggest a politicization of justice that should alarm every American committed to democracy.”

    Democratic Senators have expressed similar concerns, questioning the DOJ’s recent personnel changes and their implications for civil rights enforcement.

    “In light of these developments, it is imperative that Congress exercises its oversight responsibilities to ensure that the Department of Justice remains an impartial enforcer of the law. I stand with my colleagues in calling for transparency and accountability in the DOJ’s operations, particularly concerning the protection of voting rights.”

    Congressman Jackson has consistently advocated for robust voting rights protections, emphasizing the importance of the Voting Rights Act and supporting legislation aimed at restoring and strengthening these critical safeguards.

    “We must remain vigilant against any efforts to erode the hard-won rights that form the bedrock of our democracy. I am committed to working with my colleagues to uphold the principles of justice and equality for all Americans.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dan Goldman Hosts Press Conference Announcing Community-Based Gun Violence Intervention Legislation

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    More Than 17,000 Children and Teenagers Shot Each Year, 4,000 Will Die

    Last Week, Trump Admin Canceled Well Over $180 Million in DOJ Violence Prevention and Grants 

    PROSPER Act Provides Resources and Funding to On-Ground Efforts Already Proven Effective  

     

    See Pictures and Video from Press Conference Here 
    Read the Bill Here

    New York, NY– Congressman Dan Goldman (NY10) held a press conference to announce the reintroduction of his bill, the ‘Prioritizing Resources for Outreach, Safety, Violence Prevention, Youth Empowerment and Resilience’ (PROSPER) Act. This legislation invests in community-based organizations that focus on gun violence intervention and prevention. The bill is intended to ensure these organizations have the support and resources they need to curb gun violence in their local communities.

    Last week, the Trump Administration abruptly canceled hundreds of Department of Justice Grants for gun violence prevention, addiction prevention, and victim advocacy across the country. While Trump and the GOP claim crime prevention and public safety are among their chief concerns, they are kneecapping the very organizations responsible for improving both.

    “As gun violence continues to ravage our communities every year, it’s critical we address this epidemic with a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “This means not only common-sense gun safety legislation but also investing in community-based intervention and prevention programs that tackle the demand for guns. We have proof of what works, and it’s imperative that we continue to support and strengthen these effective programs. While Trump undermines our public safety by slashing grants for DOJ violence prevention initiatives, legislation like the PROSPER Act is essential to equip local organizations with the resources they need to combat cyclical violence and make our communities safer.”

    The Congressman was joined by representatives from gun violence prevention organizations, as well as New Yorkers who have been personally impacted by gun violence. 

    Rebecca Fischer, Executive Director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, said, “While Trump is defunding gun violence prevention initiatives and rolling back public-safety efforts, Congressman Goldman is fighting every day for New Yorkers and leading to save lives. NYAGV knows first-hand how critical community violence intervention programs are for Americans most impacted by gun violence, especially our youth. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for youth nationally and in NYS, and the PROSPER Act is fresh air for all of us who are committed to creating safer environments for our children – in our schools and in our streets. The legislation will authorize substantial funding for the Youth Gun Violence Prevention Grant Program, ensuring a dedicated and consistent source of support for initiatives specifically targeting youth gun violence. This bill ensures that those who are on the ground and understand their communities best will have the necessary resources to implement effective prevention strategies. Thank you Congressman Dan Goldman for your outstanding leadership and for championing this life-saving funding bill.”

    Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy for Brady: United Against Gun Violence, said, “As gun violence continues to threaten the lives of American youth, it is imperative that we as a nation invest in our children and their future. The Youth Gun Violence Prevention Grant Program under the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention will do just that, providing necessary support to community-oriented violence prevention initiatives and programs aimed at juvenile justice. This investment will strengthen communities across the country and allow our nation’s children to grow into healthy, prosperous members of society. Brady thanks Congressman Goldman for reintroducing the PROSPER Act and for his continued dedication to building up the next generation of Americans.”

    Emma Brown, Executive Director at GIFFORDS, said, “Guns are the leading cause of death for American children, an unacceptable fact. Many young people in this country are continually exposed to community violence. Rep. Goldman’s bill would open an alternate path by funding youth violence prevention programs in communities nationwide, protecting at-risk children and helping to interrupt cycles of violence. We thank Representative Goldman for introducing this crucial legislation, and urge Congress to pass it swiftly.” 

    Dr. Gisele Castro, Chief Executive Officer of exalt, said, “To solve complex problems, we must work with those most proximate to them. This legislation proposes to do exactly that by bringing much needed resources to leaders who are deploying real solutions to youth violence. Our model at exalt provides youth with support through educational progress and pathways to fulfilling careers that enable them to earn a living wage. In this way, exalt empowers justice-involved youth to achieve both academic success and social and economic mobility.  I applaud Congressman Goldman for his thoughtful approach and for introducing this legislation. Together, with the right investments, we can create more resilient, safe, and prosperous communities.” 

    Daniela Gilbert, Director of Redefining Public Safety at the Vera Institute of Justice, said, “Far too many young people—especially Black youth and other young people of color—are growing up in communities where gun violence is a daily threat and opportunity is out of reach. The PROSPER Act is a critical step toward breaking that cycle by investing in what works: community-centered and evidence-based solutions that prevent violence. This bill brings us closer to a future where every young person has the support they need to thrive—not just survive.”

    David Garza, President & CEO of Henry Street Settlement, said, “We are grateful to Representative Dan Goldman for his leadership in providing crucial resources to prevent gun violence among New York City youth. With a 132-year history on the Lower East Side, Henry Street understands that the way to make neighborhoods safe is by ensuring that youth are connected to their communities, and one key way to ensure that is by providing meaningful and responsive human services, including a high-quality, versatile educational, employment, athletics and enrichment, and mental health programming. There is no single answer to violence prevention, but with hope in one hand, opportunity in the other, and someone behind you that believes in you, young people not only can stay safe but can be part of the solution toward moving communities to safety.

    Gun violence is the leading cause of death for American youth. More than 17,000 children are shot each year, resulting in over 4,000 tragic and preventable deaths. Gun violence also has a disproportionate impact on communities of color, with Black children and teens being 20 times more likely to die in a gun-related homicide than their White peers. 

    Young people exposed to gun violence often suffer long-lasting physical, psychological, and emotional trauma. These experiences increase the risk of substance abuse, mental health disorders, and even the perpetuation of violent behavior—creating a tragic cycle of violence that affects future generations. The economic toll of these cycles is staggering, with youth violence costing an estimated $122 billion each year in medical expenses, lost employment opportunities, and diminished quality of life due to injury.

    Evidence-based, community-driven programs have had great success in curbing violence at the local level. For example, Chicago’s Youth Violence Prevention Center reduced local homicides by 17% in one year, even as the city’s overall homicide rate increased. The PROSPER Act will address the demand for guns by reducing the conditions that lead young people into cycles of violence in the first place. This legislation is intended to empower young people, not punish them.

    To address the gun violence epidemic, the  PROSPER Act:

    • Authorizes a new Youth Gun Violence Prevention Program under the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). 

    • This dedicated program would invest in locally tailored and evidence-based violence prevention initiatives by awarding grants to community-based organizations, local, state, and tribal governments.    

    • Provides $100 million in funding for each of the following five fiscal years for Title V Incentive Grants for Local Delinquency Prevention. 

    • This includes $25 million in funding per year for the new Youth Gun Violence Prevention Program. The remaining funding would be allocated for other juvenile justice programs carried out by the DOJ such as gang prevention, opioid affected youth, children exposed to violence, trafficking prevention, etc. 

    Congressman Goldman has made gun violence prevention a centerpiece of his time in office. 

    In March, the Congressman joined colleagues in sending a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighting Meta’s failure to adequately regulate advertisements for gun silencers on its platform and requesting clarification around the platform’s ad moderation process.  
    In February, the Congressman joined Rep. DeLauro in introducing ‘Ethan’s Law’, which would set federal standards for safe gun storage and establish incentives for states to create and implement safe gun storage laws. 
    In January, the Congressman joined Reps. Blumenthal, Dean, Raskin, Thompson, and Johnson in leading 43 of his colleagues in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. et al., v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, to hold American gun manufacturers responsible for aiding and abetting illegal arms trafficking to Mexican drug cartels and fueling gun violence across Mexico. 

    Congressman Goldman is the Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Working Group on Dads Caucus.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Nevada Printer and Mailer Pleads Guilty to Participating in Elder Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    A Nevada woman pleaded guilty today for engaging in a prize notice fraud scheme that defrauded thousands of consumers, many of whom were elderly, across the United States and abroad. Barbara Trickle, 80, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

    According to the indictment, Trickle and her co-conspirators prepared and mailed millions of fraudulent prize notices that led their victims to believe that they had been individually selected to receive a large cash prize and would receive their prize if they paid a $20 to $50 fee. In reality, no victim ever received a large cash prize from Trickle or her co-conspirators. Instead, victims received a “report” describing sweepstakes opportunities or a trinket of minimal value. After victims responded to one fraudulent prize notice mailing, Trickle and her co-conspirators inundated them with additional fraudulent mailings. Trickle and her co-conspirators used the scheme to steal more than $15 million from victims.

    The fraud scheme operated from 2012 to February 2018, when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) executed multiple search warrants and the Justice Department obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. Trickle was the owner and operator of a printing and mailing business that produced the fraudulent prize notice mailings for the scheme. Trickle supervised the lasering, printing, and mailing of the fraudulent mailings.

    “The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to protecting elderly consumers from fraudulent mass-mailing schemes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are grateful to the Postal Inspection Service for their thorough investigation in this matter.”

    “The defendant and her co-conspirators used the promise of sweepstakes winnings to defraud the most vulnerable members in our communities,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the  U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to aggressively investigate mass-mailing schemes and other types of fraud to protect older Americans from financial exploitation and bring criminals to justice.”

    The USPIS conducted the investigation.

    Trial Attorneys Carolyn Rice and Charles Dunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

    The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent lottery, prize notification, sweepstakes, and psychic scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 2 felons sentenced for illegal reentry into the country

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – Two foreign nationals have been ordered to federal prison for returning to the United States without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Porfirio Martinez-Santos, 55, Mexico, pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2024, while Juan Esteban Zelaya-Hernandez, 42, Honduras, admitted his guilt Jan. 31.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Martinez-Santos and Zelaya-Hernandez to serve 42 and 21 months in federal prison, respectively. At their hearings, the court heard additional evidence regarding both men’s criminal histories. Zelaya-Hernandez has two convictions from 2023 for possession of a firearm by a felon and illegal reentry. In handing down the sentences, Judge Crane noted Martinez-Santos had previously served a 37-month sentence for illegal reentry.

    Both are again expected to face removal proceedings following their prison terms.

    Law enforcement found Martinez-Santos near Cuevitas Oct. 4, 2024, while they discovered Zelaya-Hernandez near La Homa the following month. Both had claimed they had illegally entered the United States on the same day of their respective discoveries near Hidalgo.

    The investigation revealed Zelaya-Hernandez had been ordered removed in August 2024 after serving a federal prison sentence for two felonies. Martinez-Santos was removed in 2023.

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

    Border Patrol conducted the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Avery Benitez prosecuted the cases.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prior felon arrested for illegal re-entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jhonser Rafael Coste-Morales, 38, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on May 26, 2024, a New York State Trooper in Painted Post, NY, arrested two individuals for possession of fentanyl. U.S. Border Patrol was contacted to assist in verifying foreign documents provided by the two individuals. Record checks determined that one of the individuals, Coste-Morales, was a citizen and national of the Dominican Republic and had been previously deported from the United States following an aggravated felony conviction. On April 14, 2025, Border Patrol agents received a call that Coste-Morales was going to be released from custody. Coste-Morales was subsequently arrested again and taken into custody.

    Coste-Morales legally entered the United States in April 2013 and became a Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident in August 2017. In April 2022, he was convicted of a felony drug charge in Montour County, Pennsylvania, and in October 2023, he was deported back to the Dominican Republic.

    Coste-Morales made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and was detained.

    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.

    The complaint is a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Jackson County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mark Leslie Lively, 58, of Kenna, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

    A federal jury convicted Lively on July 17, 2024, following a two-day trial. Evidence at trial proved that Lively participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area from about November 2022 to in or about March 2023. Members of the DTO conspiracy commonly obtained their controlled substances on consignment, paying their suppliers with proceeds from distributing them to customers. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement officers watched Funderburk and Lively meet in an alley near Washington Street West in Charleston, where Funderburk provided approximately 138 grams of methamphetamine to Lively.

    As Lively drove away from the meeting place, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of Lively’s vehicle and requested the assistance of a police K-9 unit. The police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. The officer searched Lively’s vehicle and seized the methamphetamine hidden underneath the dashboard.

    The evidence at trial established that Lively intended to distribute the methamphetamine that he received from Funderburk.

    Lively has a long criminal history that now includes 34 criminal convictions, with at least eight of those prior convictions for felony offenses.

    “The defendant is a hardened criminal who has shown time and again that if he is on the streets, he is committing crimes,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “After decades of failing to curb his lawlessness, he participated in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that caused untold harm to the community. Today’s sentence will spare the community further harm by this defendant for an extended period of time.”

    Lively and Funderburk are among 31 individuals convicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.

    Funderburk, 39, of Charleston, was sentenced on October 3, 2024, to 13 years and six months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, and for violating supervised release. Funderburk is among 30 of the defendants who pleaded guilty.

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadoran National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that STANLIN DANIEL VASQUEZ-SALINAS, also known as “Stalin Vasquez-Salinas” and “Stalin Vasquez,” 25, a citizen of Ecuador recently residing in Danbury, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with unlawful reentry of a removed alien.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2025, Danbury Police arrested Vasquez-Salinas and charged him with conspiracy to commit commercial sexual abuse of a minor between the ages of 15 and 17 years old.  Vasquez-Salinas identified himself as “Stalin D. Vasquez” at the time of his arrest.  Analysis of Vasquez-Salinas’ fingerprints confirmed his true identity, and the investigation revealed that Vasquez-Salinas had illegally entered the U.S. in December 2019 and was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas.  He was removed to Ecuador in May 2020.

    It is further alleged that, on March 14, 2025, Vasquez-Salinas was released from state custody on bond.  That same day, after a brief vehicle chase and subsequent foot pursuit, he was taken into ICE custody.

    Vasquez-Salinas has been detained since March 14, 2025.  He appeared today in Hartford federal court.  The charge of unlawful reentry of a removed alien carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj. N. Patel.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

    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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Supervising Maryland Unemployment Insurance Scheme

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

    Defendant obtained victim’s personal information to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.

    Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Tiia Woods, 47, of Jacksonville, Florida, to 74 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence is in connection with Woods’s role as an organizer of an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme. Through the conspiracy, victims lost approximately $3,296,725.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

    According to the guilty plea, beginning in June 2020, and continuing through at least May 2021, Woods engaged in a conspiracy to defraud and obtain money through materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises in connection with the UI scheme.  Woods obtained the personal identifiable information of real persons and used the information to submit false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL).

    Woods and her co-conspirators used UI benefits, which were designated to assist unemployed or underemployed people due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their personal use. She instructed her co-conspirators Tyshawna Davis and Devante Smith via text message in furtherance of the conspiracy. Woods’s guidance included instructions on how to obtain benefits, expedite a claim, and how much Woods would keep for herself.

    Smith was previously sentenced to 54 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized increased unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits.  UI benefits have historically been a state and federal program that provided monetary benefits to eligible workers.  The CARES Act expanded states’ ability to provide UI benefits for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including self-employed workers or independent contractors, who would not normally be eligible for UI benefits.

    The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

    For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.  Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI, along with Bank of America – Detection and Complex Investigations Fraud Rings and Analytics, for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Harry M. Gruber who prosecuted the federal case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for International Fraud Scheme that Defrauded Elderly U.S. Victims

    Source: US State of California

    A Nigerian national was sentenced on Friday to 97 months in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme.

    According to court documents, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, 36, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Ogbata and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Ogbata and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute, and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank our U.S. law enforcement partners, as well as those who assisted across the globe, including the Portuguese Judicial Police and Public Prosecution Service of Portugal, for their outstanding contributions to this case.”

    “The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long history of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the USPIS Miami Division. “Today’s sentencing is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, HSI and USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.”

    “It’s inconceivable to imagine any human being robbing from those who’ve spent a lifetime working and building a life, and then are duped out of it all,” said Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will not tolerate this kind of behavior – we will bring justice to those who have wronged and stolen from so many people.”

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. USPIS and HSI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for International Fraud Scheme that Defrauded Elderly U.S. Victims

    Source: United States Attorneys General 6

    A Nigerian national was sentenced on Friday to 97 months in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme.

    According to court documents, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, 36, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Ogbata and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Ogbata and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute, and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank our U.S. law enforcement partners, as well as those who assisted across the globe, including the Portuguese Judicial Police and Public Prosecution Service of Portugal, for their outstanding contributions to this case.”

    “The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long history of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the USPIS Miami Division. “Today’s sentencing is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, HSI and USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.”

    “It’s inconceivable to imagine any human being robbing from those who’ve spent a lifetime working and building a life, and then are duped out of it all,” said Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will not tolerate this kind of behavior – we will bring justice to those who have wronged and stolen from so many people.”

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. USPIS and HSI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Miami Return Preparer Agrees to Injunction and Disgorgement

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued an injunction today against Miami tax return preparer Nia Daniel, which bars her from preparing tax returns for others, having any ownership stake in any tax preparation business, or assisting or training others in tax return preparation through at least Jan. 27, 2028. The court also ordered Daniel to disgorge $446,000 in ill-gotten gains she received from her return preparation business. Daniel agreed to both the injunction and ordered disgorgement.

    The complaint alleged that Daniel understated customers’ tax liability and claimed inflated refunds largely by:

    • Falsifying or overstating business expenses claimed on a Schedule C;
    • Claiming the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for clients who did not qualify for it;
    • Falsely claiming other credits, such as the American Opportunity Credit and Residential Energy Credit; and
    • Falsifying income and filing status to increase the Earned Income Tax Credit.

    According to the complaint, the IRS estimated a tax loss of more than $500,000 in 2023 alone from returns prepared by Daniel.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways safeguard personal information.

    In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Alex Kai Tick Chin, 40, of San Francisco, California, was sentenced today to 37 years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography, enticement of a minor, and committing a sex crime against a minor while a registered sex offender.

    A federal jury convicted Chin on August 22, 2024, after a three-day trial. Evidence at trial proved that from on or about December 12, 2020, through on or about February 14, 2021, Chin coerced a minor female residing within the Southern District of West Virginia to record and send him sexually explicit images of herself via the Snapchat multimedia instant messaging app. Chin threatened to harm himself if the minor female did not send him sexually explicit images.

    Chin exchanged messages with a second minor female during the same time period who also resided within the Southern District of West Virginia, engaging in sexual conversations and soliciting nude images from her as well. Chin also threatened to harm himself in conversations with the second minor female unless she complied with his demands. Chin sent photos and videos of himself to the second minor female, including an image of himself masturbating.

    Chin continued to communicate with both minor females until early March 2022, when he drove from California in a white panel van equipped with a mattress to the Southern District of West Virginia. There, he attempted unsuccessfully to meet both minor females in person.

    Chin was a registered sex offender at the time of these offenses, and has been since his felony conviction for possession of child pornography in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on December 27, 2017.

    “The defendant was already a convicted sex offender when he targeted these two minor victims online. He groomed them, preyed upon their vulnerabilities, and coerced them into sending him pictures,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “He has shown a complete inability to take any responsibility for his own actions or demonstrate any remorse for his conduct, which was reprehensible in this case.”

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

    United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-87.

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