NewzIntel.com

Category: Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Final sentence imposed in multimillion-dollar money laundering conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 49-year-old naturalized citizen from Arlington has been ordered to prison for unlicensed money transmitting and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Nhiem Thi Dan “Sam” Nguyen entered a guilty plea Oct. 5, 2021. 

    U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison has now sentenced Nguyen to serve 40 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. She will also forfeit $76,848 in cash seized at the time of her arrest and another $17,801.52 in seized accounts. Judge Ellison found Nguyen managed others in the conspiracy and did not commit the crimes inadvertently.

    “Money transmitters are regulated specifically to avoid the type of criminal facilitation that took place here,” said Ganjei. “Drug trafficking organizations spread misery, addiction, and violence, but they are fueled by cash. Money laundering schemes allow criminals to convert their ill-gotten gains into spendable currency, and so it’s always a win for the public when we can put one of these launderers out of operation.”

    “In any scheme, criminals have to get the money distanced from the crime to avoid detection, which is the criminal business Nguyen and her accomplices ran. They were big players in the deception and lies that allowed drug money and other cash to be moved almost undetected. I say ‘almost’, because we caught them,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan, of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “These conspirators set up various accounts, some even moved cash themselves. When you touch money, cash or virtual currency, you leave a trail for us to follow and that’s the expertise of IRS-CI special agents.”

    Nguyen was the top lieutenant in an unlicensed money transmitting business that Vinh and Diana Phan and others ran. The illegal business transmitted funds received in the form of bulk U.S. currency. During the course of the approximately 21-month conspiracy, the unlicensed money transmitting business received and transmitted more than $33 million in cash. 

    At least some of this cash had been earned from the trafficking, distribution and sale of controlled substances, including approximately $9 million received from Branden Denver Richards, Douglas Paul Michael Davis and Michael Dean Richards. All were members of a Dallas-area drug trafficking organization.

    The Phans and Nguyen introduced this bulk cash into the banking system through more than nine “money mules.” The Phans then used the funds to buy virtual currency which was sold for cash in California – the state where the controlled substances originated. The Phans used virtual currency to eliminate the risk of driving cash across the country.

    The Phans and Nguyen did not register their money transmitting business with the Department of the Treasury nor did the state of Texas license them to engage in money transmission.

    Nguyen was the last of six to be sentenced. Vinh Quang Phan and Diana Le Phan, 59, and 47, a Houston-area married couple, received prison terms of 10 years and were ordered to pay $80,000 in fines and forfeit their home and more than $486,000 in cash and seized accounts.

    Branden Richards, 33, Little Elm, was ordered to serve five years in prison, while Davis, 31, Keller, and Michael Richards, 36, Frisco, were both ordered to serve two years.

    Nguyen was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    IRS Criminal Investigation-led South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Financial Crimes Task Force conducted the investigation with assistance from Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston Police Department and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Eun Kate Suh prosecuted the case with assistance from Deputy Chief Brandon Fyffe of the Asset Recovery Section.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington Man Indicted on 11 Counts of Sex Trafficking Children, Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material, and Forced Labor

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    Richland, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that on April 2, 2025, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Jonathan Michael Atkinson, age 34, with 11 criminal counts including Sex Trafficking Children, Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography, Online Enticement of a Minor, and Forced Labor. The criminal charges against Atkinson carry a maximum sentence of up to a lifetime in prison.

    Atkinson was arrested on April 8, 2025, by the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, consisting of Homeland Security Investigations, Richland Police Department, Kennewick Police Department, and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Additional assistance was provided by Pasco Police Department, ATF and DEA. Atkinson will be arraigned in federal court on April 10, 2025.

    “The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Washington will continue to aggressively prosecute all versions of human trafficking,” stated Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker. “We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to seek justice for the most vulnerable among us.”

    “Human trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable members of our communities and the most effective way we can dismantle these criminal networks is through strong partnerships,” said Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “HSI is proud to work alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect victims, bring traffickers to justice, and put an end to this exploitation.”

    If members of the public have any information regarding this case, please contact the Pasco Police Department.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Holland and Stephanie A. Van Marter.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Affiliated Companies Agree to Pay $10.8 Million to Resolve Allegations that They Fraudulently Obtained COVID-19 Loans

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 2, 2025, a group of affiliated companies controlled by a family office have agreed to pay $10,853,246.94 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false certifications in connection with loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The affiliated companies include: Barrington Venture Holding Company LLC; The Club at Strawberry Creek LLC; The Garlands of Barrington LLC; Nuestro Queso, LLC; SSCO LLC; and Tire Profiles LLC.  

    The PPP loan program, created by Congress in March 2020 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, provided emergency financial assistance to small businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allowed eligible businesses to apply for loans that, if spent on payroll and other eligible expenses, could be forgiven and repaid on the borrower’s behalf by the federal government. When applying for a loan and for forgiveness, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the PPP and that the information provided was accurate. 

    Congress limited eligibility for PPP loans to businesses with less than 500 employees (or less than an industry-based size standard, if applicable). 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(36)(D)(i). With respect to counting employees, Congress adopted the Small Business Administration’s pre-existing “affiliation rules,” which require businesses under common ownership or control to add their employee counts together when determining their size. 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(36)(D)(vi); 13 C.F.R. § 121.301(f)(1), (3) & (6) (effective March 27, 2020, to September 7, 2021). The Small Business Administration’s regulations also make clear that companies are to count all employees equally, including part-time and temporary employees the same as full-time employees. 13 C.F.R. § 121.106(a), (b)(2) & (4)(i). 

    This settlement resolves allegations that four of the family office affiliates—The Club at Strawberry Creek LLC; The Garlands of Barrington LLC; Nuestro Queso, LLC; and Tire Profiles LLC—falsely certified that they were eligible for the PPP loans they received. Collectively, these family office companies received six PPP loans totaling over $5 million in principal value, despite collectively employing more than 500 individuals (and not otherwise complying with an alternative size-standard). The government alleges that these entities knew that they were ineligible for the PPP loans that they received but that they applied anyway and took affirmative steps to avoid detection by regulators.  

    “When it passed the Paycheck Protection Program, Congress made policy decisions about what types of businesses would and would not be eligible for the pandemic-relief resources that it made available,” said Acting United States Attorney Frohling. “Congress decided that it did not want to provide taxpayer dollars to large companies or groups of affiliated companies who likely had access to private sources of capital typically unavailable to American small businesses.The eight-figure settlement announced today reflects the continuing commitment of the Department of Justice and the Small Business Administration to hold accountable sophisticated businesses that abused this emergency program.”

    “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other Federal law enforcement agencies to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.

    The United States encourages anyone with information about potential fraud involving COVID-19 to 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. PPP recipients also may voluntarily disclose self-discovered evidence of fraud involving the PPP to their district’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorney Aaron R. Wegrzyn represented the government in connection with this matter, with assistance from Kandace Zelaya in the Small Business Administration’s Office of Litigation and Office of General Counsel.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

    # #  #

    For Additional Information Contact: 

    Public Information Officer,

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    414-297-1700

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rep. Becca Balint Joins Bicameral Spotlight Hearing to Hold Trump Accountable

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT-AL)

    Washington, D.C. –  On Monday, Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, joined Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, for a bicameral spotlight hearing to demand answers on the Trump Administration’s attacks on the rule of law. Rep. Balint questioned the witnesses on Trump’s attacks on the American legal system, the importance of judicial independence and the dangers of Trump’s authoritarian actions. 

    “It’s important to understand that Trump’s actions – while based on his personal grievances – are not only petty, they are designed to remove the checks on unlimited power, the guardrails that protect our democracy,” said Rep. Becca Balint. 

    “Trump and all his enablers in Congress seem to think laws do not apply to them. They don’t care about the Constitution, they don’t care about the rule of law, and they certainly don’t care about our rights. We need more courage like yours in order to stand up to this,” Rep. Balint concluded in her statement to the witnesses. 

    “ While my GOP colleagues passively watch Trump punish his critics and take a jack hammer to the work of anti-corruption fighters at the Department of Justice, Democrats are lifting up the tough Americans who are standing strong against the corruption and lawlessness of Trump,” said Ranking Member Raskin.

    Witnesses included: 

    • Ryan Crosswell, Former Trial Attorney, Public Integrity Section, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice
    • Liz Oyer, Former Pardon Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice
    • Rachel Cohen, Former Senior Associate, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 
    • Stacey Young, Former Senior Trial Attorney, DOJ Civil Rights Division, and Founder and Executive Director, Justice Connection

    Watch Rep. Becca Balint’s full remarks here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Banks Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Mental Health Care and Substance Use Disorder Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jim Banks (R-IN), members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, introduced the Providing Empathetic and Effective Recovery (PEER) Support Act, bipartisan legislation to support mental health care and substance use disorder recovery. Specifically, the bill would elevate peer support specialists—individuals with lived experience with a mental health condition or substance use disorder who are certified to assist individuals and their families in recovery through advocacy, relationship and community building, resource sharing, mentorship, goal setting, and more. Although peer support specialists have been shown to decrease substance use for individuals with substance use disorders and reduce re-hospitalization for individuals with mental health conditions, they often face significant barriers to entering or staying in the profession. The PEER Support Act would help remove these barriers, address workforce shortages in the field, and support access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

    “Peer support specialists play an important role in mental health and substance use disorder treatment teams, and provide valuable support to individuals in recovery,” said Kaine. “At a time where we need to expand access to mental health care and substance use disorder treatment, this bipartisan legislation is critical to helping peer support specialists enter the field.”

    “As millions of Americans struggle to overcome addiction, access to peer support specialists saves lives. This bipartisan bill helps better connect these experts—who have overcome addiction themselves—to those in recovery,” said Banks.

    “Fifty-two million adults in the U.S.—or 1 in 5 adults—have a mental health condition, and we lack the workforce to help provide much-needed services. The Bipartisan Policy Center has recommended policies advancing peer support specialists and boosting recovery services, and we believe the reintroduction of the PEER Support Act is a critical step toward addressing the shortage of behavioral health workers in this country,” said Michele Stockwell, President of Bipartisan Policy Center Action.

    “Trained peer supporters make an incredible difference in helping people recover, and this bill positions peer support specialists to be a lifeline throughout the behavioral health care system,” said Bruce Curser, Executive Director of Mental Health America of Virginia.

    “I’m both excited and incredibly grateful to see the reintroduction of the PEER Support Act, as it highlights the real and significant barriers faced by Peer Recovery Specialists in our communities. For many of us, including myself, entering this workforce can be an unnecessarily difficult challenge after overcoming the obstacles created by our lived experiences with substance use and mental health diagnoses. The PEER Support Act is essential in creating more job opportunities, fostering professional growth, ensuring recognition as equal professionals, and enabling the collection of crucial data that supports this evidence-based practice,” said Rachel Alderman, AAS, RPRS, CCHW, Community Health Center of the New River Valley (Christiansburg, Virginia).

    “I am more than happy to see advocates stepping up to support Peer Recovery Specialists in this way. Having personally faced barriers in this field due to past charges, I know how discouraging it can be to be turned away from a position despite a commitment to recovery and helping others. I almost gave up, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to prove that a past does not define one’s future. Peer support is built on connection, understanding, and lived experience—showing others that recovery is not only possible but sustainable. This bill is vital to ensuring that those who have walked the path of recovery can continue to uplift and guide others on their own journeys,” said Kellie Simpkins, CPRS, Community Health Center of the New River Valley (Christiansburg, Virginia).

    Specifically, the PEER Support Act would:

    • Codify the Office of Recovery in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to
      • Train, educate, and support the professional development of peer support specialists.
      • Research and publish best practice recommendations for the training, certification, and supervision of peer support specialists for entities that employ these professionals.
      • Recommend career pathways for peer support specialists.
      • Provide leadership in the identification of new and emerging issues related to recovery support services.
    • Instruct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct a study to research states’ screening processes for prospective peer support specialists that may pose undue barriers to their certification, and provide evidence-based recommendations for overcoming those barriers. Some prospective peer support specialists cannot get a license because of their past interactions with law enforcement related to their substance use disorder (such as convictions for possession of drugs that occurred prior to recovery).
    • Direct the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to revise the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system to recognize peer support specialists as a profession, which would help ensure accurate data reporting on the field.

    The PEER Support Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The PEER Support Act is supported by American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD), American Association of Suicidality, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), American Psychological Association Services (APA Services), Anxiety & Depression Association of America, Ballad Health, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Face and Voices of Recovery, Fountain House, International Society for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses, Lakeshore Foundation, Mental Health America (MHA), Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA), NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Association for Peer Supporters (NAPS), National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), National Council for Mental Wellbeing, National Federation of Families, Overdose Prevention Initiative, Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, Psychotherapy Action Network, RI International, SMART Recovery, and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).

    Full text of the PEER Support Act is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Wyden Launch Investigation into Google, Microsoft Partnerships with AI Developers Anthropic, OpenAI

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    April 08, 2025

    “We are concerned that corporate partnerships within the AI sector discourage competition, circumvent our antitrust laws, and result in fewer choices and higher prices for businesses and consumers using AI tools.” 

    Text of Letter to Google/Anthropic (PDF) | Text of Letter to Microsoft/OpenAI (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to cloud service providers Google and Microsoft with concerns that their respective partnerships with AI developers Anthropic and OpenAI may violate antitrust laws, leading to fewer choices and higher prices for businesses and consumers using AI tools. 

    The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned in a January 2025 report that these types of partnerships might pose “risks to competition and consumers, such as ‘. . . locking in the market dominance of large incumbent technology firms.” The FTC and the Department of Justice have also raised concerns about these partnerships, warning that they can act as de facto mergers and allow companies to consolidate talent, information, and resources, while bypassing the traditional scrutiny associated with mergers and acquisitions. 

    These partnerships can involve minority stakes and significant investment from cloud service providers (CSPs), like Google and Microsoft, giving them access to AI developers’ talent, computing capacity, intellectual property, or business information. 

    In some cases, CSPs hire the top AI talent away from the AI developer and obtain exclusive licensing of the developer’s technology, “effectively swallowing the start-up and its main assets — without becoming the owner of the firm.” An agreement may also give the CSP a high level of control over, and stake in, the AI developer’s business decisions. In the most egregious case, individuals have held concurrent board positions with both the CSP and the AI developer, in a blatant violation of U.S. antitrust law. Partnership agreements can also lock AI developers in with particular CSPs because of the high contractual and technical cost of starting an agreement with a new CSP, limiting innovation in cases where there are better partnerships available. 

    “Partnerships between CSPs and AI developers, if left unchecked, may accelerate consolidation of the AI sector, ultimately driving up prices and choking off innovation,” wrote the senators. 

    In order to better understand the potential anticompetitive risks of these agreements, the senators requested the companies provide more information about their partnerships, including on the consolidation of computing resources, talent, and intellectual property, by April 21, 2025.  

    Senator Warren has long fought to crack down on corporate consolidation that threatens consumers and raises prices, including in the technology sector: 

    • In February 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Omeed Assefi, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division, calling on the agency to closely scrutinize Disney’s proposed acquisition of FuboTV (Fubo).
    • In December 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) introduced the bipartisan Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act to ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD)’s procurement of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing tools prioritizes resiliency and competition. The bill offers meaningful regulation to limit Big Tech monopolies from elbowing out competitors in the AI and cloud computing markets.
    • In November 2024, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent two letters regarding the impact of private equity and large corporations in veterinary care, to JAB Holding Company (JAB) and to Mars Petcare (Mars), a subsidiary of Mars, Inc., respectively.
    • In October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led the reintroduction of the Stop Wall Street Looting Act, comprehensive legislation to fundamentally reform the private equity industry and level the playing field by forcing private investment firms to take responsibility for the outcomes of companies they take over, empowering workers and protecting investors. 
    • In August 2024, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), joined by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), wrote to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC), calling on the agencies to closely scrutinize the proposed joint venture between FOX, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Disney subsidiary ESPN that would create a new streaming service named Venu Sports (Venu). 
    • In July 2024, Senators Warren, Klobuchar, Murphy, Sanders, Booker, and Blumenthal wrote a letter to the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission, urging them to scrutinize T-Mobile’s proposed acquisition of UScellular.
    • In July 2024, Senator Warren and Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and John Garamendi (D-Calif.) urged the Department of Defense (DoD), FTC, and DOJ to review TransDigm Group Inc.’s acquisitions of two specialized aerospace contractors to prevent price gouging.
    • In June 2024, Senator Warren wrote to DOJ, FTC, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), calling out high health care costs due to vertically integrated insurers, private equity companies, and pharmaceutical companies that are driving health care consolidation.
    • In June 2024, Senators Warren and Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act of 2024 to root out corporate greed and private equity abuse in the health care system.
    • In May 2024, chairing a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Senator Warren highlighted the impact of concentration in the food industry and its impact on prices, product, and consumer choice.
    • In May 2024, Senator Warren and Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the bipartisan Airport Gate Competition Act, which would increase competition in the airline industry and lower prices for consumers by increasing the number of common-use gates in airports.
    • In March 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Penn.) led a group of 14 lawmakers in urging the FTC to revive enforcement of the Robinson Patman Act, a critical tool to promote fair competition in the food industry.
    • In March 2024, Senators Warren and Klobuchar led 26 lawmakers in urging the leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to strike parts of the Commerce, Science, and Justice (CJS) appropriations bill that undercut DOJ’s ability to block anticompetitive mergers.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren urged FTC to closely scrutinize Choice Hotels’ attempted hostile takeover of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which would further consolidate the hotel market and create the largest branded hotel chain in the United States.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren delivered the keynote address at RemedyFest, where she called out Big Tech for their anti-competitive tactics that have led to market consolidation and record profits.
    • In February 2024, Senator Warren and 12 other lawmakers called on regulators to block the Capital One-Discover Merger.
    • In December 2023, Senator Warren led 6 senators in a letter to Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, calling on OCC to allow states to move forward with their efforts to protect consumers from harmful bank practices. The senators criticized the OCC for overstepping its preemption authority under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which the agency is abusing to block tough, state-level consumer protections.
    • In November 2023, Senators Warren and Blumenthal called out U.S. Anesthesia Partners’ (USAP) monopolistic business model and use of restrictive non-compete agreements that have reduced patients’ quality of care, increased prices, and suppressed workers’ wages.
    • In October 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) urged DOJ and FTC to carefully scrutinize UnitedHealth Group’s pending acquisition of Amedisys; and urged the agencies to scrutinize similar deals, reject behavioral or structural remedies, and oppose any health care acquisition that would threaten competition, increase prices, and reduce quality of care.
    • In September 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Becca Balint (D-Vt.), along with a bicameral group of lawmakers, submitted a public comment to the FTC and DOJ in support of the agencies’ proposed merger guidelines, endorsing the agencies’ reading of antitrust law, praising the guidelines as necessary to prevent harm to workers, consumers, and small businesses.
    • In August 2023, chairing a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Senator Warren highlighted the need for regulators to implement the strongest version of bank merger review guidelines in order to ensure stability in the financial system. 
    • In July 2023, Senators Warren and Lindsey Graham unveiled comprehensive legislation that would rein in Big Tech by establishing a new commission to regulate online platforms. The commission would have concurrent jurisdiction with FTC and DOJ, and would be responsible for overseeing and enforcing the new statutory provisions in the bill and implementing rules to promote competition, protect privacy, protect consumers, and strengthen our national security.
    • In June 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, Federal Deposit Investment Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Gruenberg, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Hsu, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, urging regulators to promote greater competition in the banking sector by toughening their stances on bank mergers and strengthening bank merger review guidelines.
    • In May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warren questioned Acting Comptroller Hsu on his decision to approve JPMorgan Chase’s purchase of First Republic Bank after its collapse. This merger allowed a large, poorly supervised bank to be swallowed by America’s largest bank, making it $200 billion larger than it was before.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud Involving A Paycheck Protection Program Loan

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Larry E. Denson, Jr. (31, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving COVID relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  Denson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United State government. Denson has also agreed to forfeit $18,190, the proceeds of the charged criminal offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, in April 2021, Denson submitted a PPP loan application to a lender authorized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to lend funds for approved PPP loan applications. The PPP loan application falsely claimed that Denson operated his own janitorial services business with a gross income of $87,312. Throughout the loan application, Denson made false statements regarding his purported payroll and operating expenses. In support of his PPP loan application, Denson submitted a fraudulent IRS form that contained false statements about expenses and income for his purported business. Upon reliance of the false statements in his PPP loan application and supporting documentation, Denson received a PPP loan for $18,190. 

    After receiving the PPP loan proceeds into his bank account, Denson began making withdrawals and spending the funds on personal expenses, including meals at restaurants, retail purchases, and cash withdrawals. In July 2022, Denson filed a PPP Loan Forgiveness Application, falsely stating that he had spent the $18,190 on payroll. Relying on his false statements, the SBA forgave the entire loan amount.

    This case was investigated by Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Superseding Indictment Charges Massachusetts Man with Attempted Enticement, Interstate Travel, Child Pornography Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts man is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Rhode Island on Wednesday on attempted enticement, interstate travel, and child pornography charges contained in a superseding indictment, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    The superseding indictment, returned by a grand jury on April 2, 2025, charges Robert Consorti, 51, of Wilmington, MA, with two counts of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, interstate travel for the purpose of illicit sexual activity, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

    The government sought a superseding indictment following an extended investigation into Consorti’s alleged criminal conduct after his arrest in October 2024.  Consorti was arrested in October 2024 when he arrived at a Warwick hotel allegedly expecting to meet with and engage in illicit sexual contact with a fourteen-year-old girl. Unbeknownst to him at the time, Consorti was communicating with a law enforcement officer posing as the girl with whom he allegedly made the arrangements. A grand jury returned an indictment on November 13, 2024, charging him with one count each of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity and interstate travel for the purpose of illicit sexual activity.

    According to recently filed court documents, it is alleged that a subsequent investigation, including a review of Consorti’s electronic devices, revealed that he was in communication with dozens of minors and allegedly grooming them for sexual activity. It is alleged that in many instances, Consorti transmitted child sexual abuse material (CSAM), requested minors send him CSAM, and/or sent the minors sexually explicit images of himself.

    It is further alleged that Consorti began communicating with a victim who was 12 years old at the time the communications began. Over a six-month period, Consorti allegedly traveled out of state on multiple occasions to meet with the victim and provided the victim with vapes and edible marijuana. It is alleged that Consorti repeatedly attempted to get the victim to engage in sexual activity in return for the items Consorti was providing, rather than pay in cash. Consorti allegedly persuaded the then 13-year-old to meet Consorti and to go to a local hotel to engage in sexual contact, but the defendant’s arrest prevented the meeting from occurring.

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

    This case has been 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.

    The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.

    The ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Warwick Police Department, Cranston Police Department, East Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Bristol Police Department, Middletown Police Department, and Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien felon imprisoned for unlawfully reentering the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally entering the country without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Joaquin Hernandez-Reyes pleaded guilty Jan. 9.

    U.S. District Court Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Hernandez-Reyes to serve 72 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

    Hernandez-Reyes has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as assault of a public servant and possession of a controlled substance. He was first removed from the United States in 2016 and returned illegally several more times.

    On Dec. 10, 2024, authorities discovered Hernandez-Reyes near McAllen again.

    He has 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 investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Delcolle prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Swears In Harmeet Dhillon as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    On Monday April 7, 2025 the Justice Department announced that Harmeet Dhillon was sworn in as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division (CRT). The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all persons in the United States, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, national origin, and citizenship status. As the Assistant Attorney General, Harmeet Dhillion will bring experiences and perspectives to the DOJ unlike anyone before her.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 900 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the First week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 900 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the First week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from 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 OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indictment Charges Stamford Men with Trafficking Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging TASEAN LEMAR BROWN, 35, and STANLEY CHARLES, 44, both of Stamford, with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    The indictment was returned on April 3, 2025, and Brown and Charles were arrested yesterday.  They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven, entered pleas of not guilty to the charge, and were ordered detained.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Brown and Charles were using the U.S. Mail to traffic fentanyl into Connecticut and distribute it in southwestern Connecticut.  The investigation included the seizure of two parcels that Brown mailed to Charles from California and Arizona, the first containing approximately one kilogram of fentanyl powder, and the second containing approximately three kilograms of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.

    If convicted of the charge in the indictment, Brown and Charles each face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Connecticut State Police, and the Stamford, Greenwich, Bridgeport, Danbury, Stratford, and Norwalk Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.

    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).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Individuals Charged with Illegal Re-Entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Two individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for illegally re-entering the United States after they were previously deported.

    Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry

    According to an indictment returned this week, Fernando Herrera-Cruz, who was previously removed from the United States on March 30, 2022, was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.  He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States.  On March 18, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States in Camden County, Missouri, when he was arrest for driving without a valid driver’s license following a single vehicle accident.

    El Salvadoran National Charged in Indictment

    In addition, Guadalupe De Jesus Aldana Sandoval a/k/a “Edgar Navarro Melendez”, who was previously removed from the United States on November 13. 2009, was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States.  On March 25, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States when he was located in Pettis County, Missouri.

    The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    These cases were investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations.

    Operation Take Back America

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Members of a Sureños-affiliated Transnational Criminal Organization Charged in Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury recently returned a nine-count indictment against five members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) affiliated with the Sureños, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, the defendants intentionally conspired with each other to acquire and distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Lead and organized by Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, the “Diaz-Aguilar DTO” has been operating and distributing controlled substances throughout Minnesota since at least 2024. During a multi-month investigation, law enforcement seized large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl from various individuals associated with the Diaz-Aguilar-DTO. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that the Diaz-Aguilar DTO is associated with and supplied by one or more transnational criminal organizations trafficking narcotics from Mexico.

    The following individuals have been indicted for the following crimes:

    Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, 32, a Mexican national residing in New Prague, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Juan Martin Elvira, Jr., 36, of Rochester, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

    Edward Gonzalez, 29, of Hastings, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 46, of St. Paul, Minnesota, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    One other member of the conspiracy remains at large and is pending arrest.

    “The Sureños and other drug cartels are dangerous criminal organizations that are fueling the drug crisis in America,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Cartel-backed drug dealers are on notice.  Do not bring your poison to Minnesota.  If you do, you will see federal charges and federal prison time.”

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It 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.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican citizen and felon imprisoned for smuggling illegal aliens

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Mexican man who illegally resided in Roma has been ordered to federal prison for human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Allan Eduardo Mar-Uballe pleaded guilty Dec. 12, 2024. 

    U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Mar-Uballe to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 3 years of supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, Mar-Uballe is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence. Mar-Uballe has prior convictions for illegal reentry into the United States, assault on a federal officer and possession of a controlled substance. 

    “Mr. Mar-Uballe’s prior convictions obviously did not dissuade him from engaging in dangerous criminal activity,” said Ganjei. “His actions put the lives of law enforcement, innocent motorists, and every person in his vehicle at risk that day. Hopefully his new stay in federal prison will give him time to learn the lessons his earlier convictions didn’t teach him.”

    On Oct. 22, 2024, Mar-Uballe was driving a Ford Expedition with the back seats and seatbelts removed near Roma. Inside the vehicle were 18 illegal aliens, including two unaccompanied minors. 

    Authorities attempted to stop the vehicle, but Mar-Uballe evaded at a high rate of speed and drove erratically through the streets of Roma, disregarding stop signs and other vehicles, before crashing into a ditch. Several inside the vehicle sustained injuries. 

    Mar-Uballe and the others were all determined to be in the United States illegally and from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. 

    Mar-Uballe will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 900 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the First week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from 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).

    Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Central California, Southern California, New Mexico, Southern Texas, and Western Texas charged more than 900 defendants with criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.

    The Southern District of Texas filed 225 cases in relation to immigration and border security. Of those cases, 70 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses, among others. A total of 144 people face charges of illegally entering the country, nine cases involve various instances of human smuggling with others relating to firearms and assault of a federal officer.

    The Western District of Texas filed 259 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases.  Among the new cases, Mexican national Miguel Angel Torres-Segura resided illegally in San Antonio and was arrested March 28 for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges that Torres-Segura participated in a human smuggling organization (HSO) that transported illegal aliens using tractor trailers, carrying out at least 19 human smuggling events and leading to the apprehension of more than 900 aliens between May 2021 and June 2022. Torres-Segura allegedly communicated with high-level leaders and organizers and assisted the HSO by transporting aliens and preparing tractor trailers for transport. Torres-Segura has multiple convictions, including two illegal entries in 2009 and 2010 and an illegal re-entry in 2011. He was convicted again for illegal re-entry on March 26 following an October 2024 arrest and has now been charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.

    The District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 204 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 83 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 107 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 13 cases against 14 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Among those convicted was Ivan Mauricio Hernandez-Mosqueda, a Mexican national, who was sentenced to 46 months in prison after smuggling more 100 illegal aliens to the United States. Many of the illegal aliens were coached by Hernandez-Mosqueda to illegally enter the United States and claim asylum under false pretenses.

    The Southern District of California filed 97 border-related cases last week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, receipt of bribes by public official, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances. Among those charged was Francisco Anguiano Rios, a Mexican national, who was arrested and charged with importation of a controlled substance after Customs and Border Protection officers found 209 packages containing 547 pounds of cocaine concealed in the fuel tank of the tractor trailer Rios was driving as it attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

    The Central District of California filed criminal charges against 24 defendants who allegedly were found in the U.S. following removal, the Justice Department announced today. Among these defendants included criminals who previously were convicted of felonies prior to their removal from the United States, including one previously convicted of narcotics crimes involving methamphetamine and cocaine. The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

    The District of New Mexico brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 56 individuals were charged with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326), 11 individuals were charged with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324), and 32 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325). Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions, with some of those convictions being for aggravated felonies, including convictions for solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct, leaving the scene of an accident with fatality, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    We are grateful for the hard work of our border prosecutors in bringing these cases and helping to make our border safe again. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat alien smuggler sent to prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Roma resident has been sentenced for his involvement in alien smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Felipe Montez pleaded guilty Jan. 23.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Montez to serve 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Montez had four prior state arrests for human smuggling within the seven months preceding his federal arrest in December 2024. Several of these prior smuggling attempts involved fleeing from law enforcement. Two resulted in injury to illegal aliens present in his vehicle. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Montez’s dangerous activities.

    “If you smuggle, assist, or attempt to bring people into this country illegally, you are going to serve federal time,” said Ganjei. “The Department of Justice is going to be relentless in its pursuit of those that make their money violating our nation’s immigration laws.”

    On Dec. 23, 2024, Montez attempted to transport seven illegal aliens.

    He was driving a vehicle waiting by the Rio Grande River near Escobares as the individuals ran from the river towards him.  

    Upon the sight of law enforcement, they all attempted to flee, but authorities apprehended them.

    Further investigation revealed Montez was involved in four previous alien smuggling events which involved attempts to evade law enforcement. All five occurred in the area of Roma.

    Montez’s smugglings attempts have involved a total of 41 illegal aliens.

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

    Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety and Roma Police Department conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Reintroduce Legislation to Guarantee Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Children in Immigration Proceedings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    April 08, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined colleagues in reintroducing the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025, legislation to provide unaccompanied children with legal representation in court when they appear in proceedings before an immigration judge. This comes as the Trump Administration attempts to terminate the contract that provides legal services for approximately 26,000 unaccompanied children who appear in immigration court.

    “President Trump’s inhumane immigration policies are putting kids in danger by forcing unaccompanied children to represent themselves in court,” said Merkley. “It’s unimaginably cruel, and we must fight to ensure every child has a fair chance to accurately present their case for legal protection in our country.”

    “No kid should ever have to represent themself in court – period,” said Wyden. “It should go without saying that courts are meant to be navigated by the attorneys who understand America’s complex legal system. The Trump administration’s decision to gut legal representation for unaccompanied kids is not only immoral but also blatantly illegal. Forcing unaccompanied babies, toddlers, and youth to go without representation will leave kids vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and trafficking. Congress must ensure children have real legal counsel and protect them from harm.”

    Nearly half of all unaccompanied children represent themselves during legal proceedings and it is extremely difficult for children to successfully navigate the U.S. immigration system without an attorney—unrepresented children appear alone in immigration court to face a judge and an adversarial government attorney seeking their removal from the United States. Immigration judges are nearly 100 times less likely to grant relief to unaccompanied children without counsel compared to those with counsel. The federal government provides legal representation to some unaccompanied minors in accordance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, which created special protections for children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or a legal guardian. Now, the Trump Administration is working to terminate those services completely.

    Specifically, the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act:

    1. Requires that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provide counsel to noncitizen unaccompanied children appearing before the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or a state court, unless the child has obtained counsel at their own expense;
    2. Extends the government’s duty to ensure counsel for unaccompanied children to the end of the immigration proceedings, even if the child turns 18 during proceedings;
    3. Ensures that children are informed of their right to representation within 72 hours of entering HHS custody and creates infrastructure to identify, recruit, and train pro bono lawyers to provide representation;
    4. Allows unaccompanied children to reopen their case if HHS fails to provide counsel;
    5. Requires the government and stakeholders to create guidelines and duties for counsel representing unaccompanied children, largely based on American Bar Association recommendations;
    6. Clarifies that the government may, at its choosing, also provide counsel to other individuals in immigration court;
    7. Requires noncitizens, and their attorneys, to receive a complete copy of the noncitizen’s immigration file at least 10 days before the removal proceedings;
    8. Guarantees access to counsel for all noncitizens detained in DHS facilities; and
    9. Requires a report on children’s access to counsel.

    The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act was led by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono. In addition to Merkley and Wyden, this bill is cosponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    Full text of the bill can be found by clicking here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ATF Announces 2025 Raven’s Challenge Interoperability Explosives Exercises

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

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Center for Explosives Training and Research (NCETR) in partnership with the U.S. Army, announce the locations for the 2025 Raven’s Challenge Interoperability Exercises.

    The event trains explosives-expert participants on preparing for and countering the threat of improvised explosive devices. The training occurs at multiple locations throughout the U.S.

    • April 13 – 18, Volunteer Training Site, Tunnel Hill, Georgia
    • May 18 – 23, Camp Gruber, Braggs, Oklahoma
    • June 8 – 13, Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, Colorado
    • July 13 – 18, Camp Dawson, Kingswood, West Virginia

    Raven’s Challenge started in 2004 as an ATF-led training exercise for military explosives ordinance disposal teams and civilian public safety bomb squads in the Pacific Northwest. The exercise grew into the largest explosives disposal public safety training exercise in the world. Last year’s challenge had more than 900 participants and included training staff from the U.S. and 18 countries.

    “This training is vital in strengthening partnerships between multiple organizations allowing us to protect the public from these evolving threats,” said Greg Smith, Law Enforcement Training Specialist and ATF Raven’s Challenge Program Manager. “Our training team continues to lean forward and remains focused on providing realistic scenarios in operational environments.”

    Raven’s Challenge includes participants from all U.S. military branches, local and state bomb squads, and teams from the Department of Justice. International participation has increased to include countries from Europe and north Africa.

    The training emphasizes the U.S. military’s explosives ordnance disposal role in Defense Support of Civil Authorities and their interoperability with public safety bomb squads in support of homeland defense.

    Raven’s Challenge is funded by the U.S. Army and executed by ATF and partner agencies including the U.S. Army, the FBI, and local and state law enforcement agencies throughout the country.

    ATF provides training facilities and the expertise of its training staff in delivering life-saving advanced explosives and arson training for our nation’s explosives handlers, bomb technicians and certified fire investigators.

    NCETR manages ATF’s key explosives, fire, and response operations at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. NCETR consists of the Explosives Enforcement and Training Division, Explosives Research and Development Division, and the Fire Investigation and Arson Enforcement Division. Other components include the National Canine Division located in Front Royal, Virginia. The main NCETR facility and explosives ranges in Huntsville make this center a unique resource in the fight against violent crime.

    For more information and videos, visit Raven’s Challenge Interoperability Exercise.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Blackberry Volunteer Fire Chief Sentenced for COVID-19 Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – The former Fire Chief of the Blackberry Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD) in Pike County, Christopher Chapman, 36, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 12 months in prison, for theft of public funds.

    In 2021, as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, to support communities and local governments that were struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government distributed emergency funding to local governments to maintain vital local services.  In Spring 2022, Pike County local government authorized the distribution of $50,000 of these funds through grants that were allocated for the purchase of turnout gear for fire and rescue, along with equipment and building maintenance. Chapman applied for these grants on behalf of BVFD, and the local government awarded the full amount of the grants.

    According to his plea agreement, on April 11, 2022, Chapman created a company named Rural Public Safety Equipment, LLC. (RPSE), as the sole organizer and member, and registered it with the West Virginia Secretary of State.  Chapman then informed members of the BVFD that he could obtain fire safety equipment at cost from a safety equipment company, and he failed to disclose that he was the owner of the company.  The fire department pre-paid and ordered $76,854.50 worth of fire and safety equipment from RPSE.  Instead of using the prepayments from BVFD to fulfill the orders, Chapman never fulfilled any fire and safety equipment orders, spent all the money on his own personal use, and withdrew $61,500 in cash from the RPSE bank account.

    Under federal law, Chapman must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Chapman was also ordered to pay $76,854.50 in restitution. 

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Bruce Roberts, Interim Executive Director, Kentucky Fire Commission, jointly announced the sentencing.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky Fire Commission.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Dunn-Pirio is prosecuting the matter on behalf of the United States.

    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. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lexington Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Eric Kelsey Shepherd, 30, was sentenced on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, to 50 years in prison, for production of child pornography. 

    According to his plea agreement, in January 2022, law enforcement was contacted about a 12-year-old victim who was sexually exploited by an adult male. Further investigation revealed that Shepherd, then 27 years-old, met the victim on Snapchat, where he initially claimed he was 17 years-old. Shepherd met the minor victim on numerous occasions to engage in sexual activity, some of which the victim alleged involved violence against the victim. Shepherd took images and videos of many of the sexual interactions, which were located on both the victim’s and Shepherd’s cellphones. Shepherd has a prior state conviction for sexual abuse and unlawful transaction with a minor and, as a result, will face enhanced penalties.    

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

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by HSI; Lexington Police Department; and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    – END –

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boone Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to a Minor

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

    DES MOINES, Iowa – A Boone man was sentenced on March 28, 2025, to five years in federal prison for attempted transfer of obscene material to a person he believed to be a minor.

    According to public court documents, Travis Lee Morgan, 40, used a Facebook account to communicate with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old female, but was instead a law enforcement officer. Between June and August 2023, Morgan sent numerous videos and images to the female, including images of his genitals and himself engaged in a sex act, and discussed in-person sex acts Morgan desired to occur with the minor female.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Morgan will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, the Altoona Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from the Boone Police Department and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

    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 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 information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Dallas Conducts Federal Civil Rights Training with San Angelo-Area Law Enforcement

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

    SAN ANGELO, TX—The FBI Dallas Field Office and FBI San Angelo Resident Agency partnered with the Angelo State University Police Department (ASUPD) to serve as the host for federal civil rights training for regional law enforcement this week.

    The interactive training explains how federal criminal statues related to law enforcement misconduct applies to local and state agencies, and outlines the roles of the FBI and Department of Justice. Presentation materials included body camera footage, scenario-based discussions and case study review.

    Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock explained, “Training is critical to the continued education of our law enforcement population to recognize and prevent potential civil rights violations. We are grateful for Angelo State University Police Department’s commitment to host this session for regional law enforcement, and thank them for their continued partnership.”

    The FBI is the primary federal agency responsible for investigating allegations regarding possible violations of federal civil rights statutes and works closely with its partners to prevent and address hate crimes and color of law violations.

    More than 25 law enforcement officers from 10 departments participated.

    For additional information on the FBI’s Civil Rights program please visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Murder on the Colville Reservation

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

    Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Steven Joseph Zacherle, age 38, to 204 months in prison for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country and Threats in Interstate Commerce. Judge Rice also imposed 5 years of supervised release and restitution payable to the Colville Confederated Tribes for the murder victim’s funeral expenses.

    According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing, on the evening of October 18, 2022, Zacherle was in a domestic dispute with his intimate partner (Victim 1) near a gas station on the Colville Indian Reservation. During the dispute, Victim 1 drove away from the area without Zacherle, who had gone inside a nearby store.

    When Zacherle realized Victim 1 had left him, he began calling and texting her, demanding she return, or he was going to “kill” and “hurt people.” About the same time as Zacherle was making these threats to Victim 1, Dion Boyd, an elder within the Colville Tribe, exited the nearby gas station. Zacherle and Mr. Boyd walked the same direction for a short distance. Zacherle then attacked Mr. Boyd, striking him in the head.

    Within minutes of that attack, Zacherle called Victim 1 and referenced the assault, bragging that he had knocked someone out.  He then asked Victim 1 whether she wanted to see what Zacherle had done.  Victim 1 reported that she could hear garbled breathing and snorting on the phone line.

    Shortly after the assault, Omak Police and first responders located Mr. Boyd, who was unresponsive and face down, bleeding from his head. Medical providers later determined Mr. Boyd was braindead and that Mr. Boyd would never recover from the injuries Zacherle inflicted. Mr. Boyd’s family spent the next twenty days at Mr. Boyd’s bedside in the hospital hoping for a miracle, but Mr. Boyd ultimately died as a result of the injuries sustained in the assault.  The Medical Examiner determined Mr. Boyd suffered a severe brain hematoma and cracked skull because of the unprovoked attack.

    “My heart goes out to the Boyd family, who have suffered so much pain as a result of Mr. Zacherle’s unprovoked attack,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “My office is fully committed to working federal, state, local, and Tribal leaders to fully prosecuting violent crimes on Tribal land. The victims and survivors of these terrible crimes deserve nothing less.”

    At sentencing, MMIP AUSA Bree Black Horse explained “Mr. Boyd’s family and friends have uniformly described Mr. Boyd as a kind, generous person who helped raise his younger siblings and later his own children. Mr. Boyd also served his Tribe as an IT technician, ensuring Colville Tribal members living in rural areas could have cell service.”

    In recommending the Court impose a 17-year sentence, MMIP AUSA Black Horse explained “Mr. Boyd’s violent and senseless death at the hands of Zacherle has severely impacted the large family Mr. Boyd has left behind. And, Mr. Boyd is now among the disproportionate number of murdered Indigenous people and Mr. Boyd’s family has joined the ranks of too many other MMIP families throughout Eastern Washington and elsewhere.”

    “This appalling attack was truly senseless.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Mr. Zacherle displayed a shocking disregard for the value of human life when he took his frustrations out on an innocent bystander, recklessly costing that person his life.  The Colville Indian Reservation is a safer place with him off the streets.”

    This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.  The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components.  Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker and Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Assistant United States Attorney Bree R. Black Horse.

    2:23-cr-00007-TOR

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay

    US Senate News:

    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.  Extension.  (a)  The enforcement delay specified in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14166 of January 20, 2025 (Application of Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to TikTok), is further extended until June 19, 2025.  During this period, the Department of Justice shall take no action to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (the “Act”) (Public Law 118-50, Div. H) or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act, including for distributing, maintaining, or updating (or enabling the distribution, maintenance, or updating) of any foreign adversary controlled application as defined in the Act.  In light of this direction, even after the expiration of the above-specified period, the Department of Justice shall not take any action to enforce the Act or impose any penalties against any entity for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period or any period prior to the issuance of this order, including the period of time from January 19, 2025, to the date of this order.
    (b)  The Attorney General shall take all appropriate action to issue written guidance to implement the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.
    (c)  The Attorney General shall further issue a letter to each provider stating that there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period, as well as for any conduct from the effective date of the Act until the date of this order.
    (d)  Because of the national security interests at stake and because section 2(d) of the Act vests authority for investigations and enforcement of the Act only in the Attorney General, attempted enforcement by the States or private parties represents an encroachment on the powers of the Executive.  The Attorney General shall exercise all available authority to preserve and defend the Executive’s exclusive authority to enforce the Act.
    Sec. 2.  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.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Extending the TikTok Enforcement Delay

    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.  Extension.  (a)  The enforcement delay specified in section 2(a) of Executive Order 14166 of January 20, 2025 (Application of Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to TikTok), is further extended until June 19, 2025.  During this period, the Department of Justice shall take no action to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (the “Act”) (Public Law 118-50, Div. H) or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act, including for distributing, maintaining, or updating (or enabling the distribution, maintenance, or updating) of any foreign adversary controlled application as defined in the Act.  In light of this direction, even after the expiration of the above-specified period, the Department of Justice shall not take any action to enforce the Act or impose any penalties against any entity for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period or any period prior to the issuance of this order, including the period of time from January 19, 2025, to the date of this order.

    (b)  The Attorney General shall take all appropriate action to issue written guidance to implement the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.

    (c)  The Attorney General shall further issue a letter to each provider stating that there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period, as well as for any conduct from the effective date of the Act until the date of this order.

    (d)  Because of the national security interests at stake and because section 2(d) of the Act vests authority for investigations and enforcement of the Act only in the Attorney General, attempted enforcement by the States or private parties represents an encroachment on the powers of the Executive.  The Attorney General shall exercise all available authority to preserve and defend the Executive’s exclusive authority to enforce the Act.

    Sec. 2.  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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney Recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Timothy M. O’Shea, is joining with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, in recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 6-12, 2025.

    This year’s theme, Kinship, recognizes that shared humanity drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. Kinship is where victim advocacy begins.

    This annual observance challenges us to build a world where every connection built through kinship holds the potential to heal. It asks us to ensure that resources are available to all survivors and that we show up for one another with empathy and intention.

    National Crime Victims’ Rights week was established in 1981 to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime. The week is an opportunity “to reflect on the importance of making the justice system work for survivors of crime,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “Many people think justice is only a conviction or an arrest, but for survivors, justice means being heard, treated with dignity and respect, and restored to the degree that goal can be achieved through restitution, treatment, and other remedies. My office will continue to strive to honor the voices of crime victims throughout all stages of federal criminal prosecutions.”

    U.S. Attorney O’Shea also praised the work of those in law enforcement and in the larger community who support crime victims, “being a crime victim can have lifelong impacts on an individual’s mental and physical health. Providing emotional support and other assistance to crime victims is an invaluable part of providing justice and I applaud those who do this important work.”

    More information about Crime Victims’ Rights Week can be found at: https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rensselaer Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – James Edwards, age 30, of Rensselaer, New York, pled guilty today to unlawfully possessing multiple rounds of ammunition.

    United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.

    In pleading guilty, Edwards admitted that on October 8, 2024, inside of his Rensselaer residence, he unlawfully possessed more than 40 rounds of various caliber ammunition.  A prior felony conviction prevented Edwards from lawfully possessing the ammunition. 

    When he is sentenced on August 5, 2025, Edwards faces a maximum term of fifteen years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release up to three years.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. 

    The FBI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Rensselaer Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss is prosecuting the case, as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sutter County Man Indicted for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On March 13, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Thomas Michael Davis, 39, of Yuba City, charging him with receipt of child sexual abuse material, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following his arrest.

    According to court documents, between May 2023 and January 2024, Davis used the internet to download child pornography. Davis has previously been convicted of having sex with a minor.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Yuba City Police Department, and the Sacramento Valley Hi Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted of receipt of child sexual abuse material, Davis faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Deming, Washington man convicted at trial of receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant possessed some 90,000 files of child sexual abuse imagery on 21 different electronic devices

    Seattle – A 47-year-old resident of Deming, Whatcom County, Washington was convicted last week in U.S. District Court in Seattle of two federal felonies related to his receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Robert J. Howell Jr. came to the attention of law enforcement in late 2019 when a foreign country police organization alerted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that an Ip address associated with Howell Jr’s residence had accessed a website devoted to images of child sexual abuse. Following a two-day jury trial, jurors deliberated about an hour before finding Howell Jr. guilty on April 1, 2025.  U.S District Judge John C. Coughenour scheduled sentencing for July 15, 2025.

    According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, after getting the tip from a foreign law enforcement organization, HSI agents sought information on the account associated with the IP address. The IP address was linked to Howell’s home in Deming. On September 15, 2020, federal agents executed a search warrant and seized several dozen electronic devices. A forensic review determined there were more than 90,000 files depicting child sexual abuse on some 21 electronic devices. Many of the images were of the sexual abuse of very young children and included depictions involving extreme violence.

    At trial prosecutors specifically proved that between 2016 and 2019, Howell Jr. received five specific files of child sexual abuse material and knowingly possessed many more.

    In all more than 75 electronic assets including computers, phones, tablets, hard drives, storage devices, gaming devices, and CDs were seized by law enforcement and have been forfeited to the government.

    Howell Jr. faces a mandatory 5 years in prison and up to twenty years in prison when sentenced by Judge Coughenour. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Coughenour after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Hampton and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M. Ly.

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

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