NewzIntel.com

Category: Federal Bureau of Investigation

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kentucky Man Sentenced to 10 Plus Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Sex Offenses Against a Child in Southern Illinois

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

    BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Paducah, Kentucky, man to 121 months’ imprisonment for attempting to entice a minor in southern Illinois to engage in illegal sexual activity.

    In October, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts for Robert R. Rodriguez, 41, on one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of soliciting an obscene visual depiction of a minor.

    “Those who target children for sex crimes sicken us all. The federal justice system will relentlessly pursue and prosecute these offenders to ensure they face severe consequences for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.

    According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, Rodriguez initiated conversation with an undercover federal agent on an online social media platform in May 2023. In the messages, Rodriguez discussed meeting with a purported 9-year-old child to engage in sexual activity and requested child sexual abuse material.

    On May 10, 2023, law enforcement arrested Rodriguez in Marion, Illinois, when he tried to meet with the purported 9-year-old child. 

    “This sentencing makes one thing clear: the FBI Springfield Field Office is taking decisive action to protect the children of Illinois. We will use every tool at our disposal to stop those who seek to do them harm, and with our partners at the Department of Justice, we will pursue the highest penalties for these crimes.”

    Following imprisonment, Rodriguez will serve seven years of supervised release.

    FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Leggans and David Sanders prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Raleigh Man Convicted of Possessing More Than 300 Images of Child Sexual Abuse Material on his Work Laptop

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Raleigh man Tuesday for possession of child sexual abuse material.  Joseph Matthew Dobbs, 45, now faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison when sentenced in July.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Dobbs was working from home as an IT support engineer for a multinational technology company when, in early November 2022, a supervisor remotely observed Dobbs watching content on his work-issued laptop that appeared to be child sexual abuse material. The company terminated Dobbs’s employment and forwarded screenshots taken by the supervisor to law enforcement for investigation.  The Raleigh Police Department executed a search at Dobbs’s apartment and seized the company laptop.  A review of the laptop and the company’s back-up servers revealed that Dobbs’s laptop contained over 300 image files of child sexual abuse material, including the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers and depictions of bondage.  On a special verdict form, the jury found Dobbs guilty as charged and found that the images included visual depictions of prepubescent minors.

    In 2006, Dobbs was also convicted of having carnal knowledge of a child, using a computer to solicit a minor (three counts), possession of child sexual abuse material (ten counts), and manufacturing sexually explicit material in Virginia.  He spent seven years in prison and was still on probation for those offenses at the time of this incident.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the verdict. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori Warlick and Logan Liles prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-CR-182.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Career offender sentenced to 14 years in prison for fentanyl trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced yesterday to 14 years in prison for distributing fentanyl.

    According to court documents, law enforcement identified Alphonso Page, aka Zoe and Fonzie, 35, as a narcotics distributor in Northern Virginia. On March 14, 2024, and April 2, 2024, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases from Page of approximately 2,300 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl for a total net weight of 247.92 grams.

    Page was convicted twice previously on drug charges in Arlington County. On March 14, 2008, Page was convicted of distribution of cocaine and the distribution of an imitation controlled substance. On July 16, 2018, Page was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Page also has previous convictions for conducting an illegal gambling operation, trespassing, identity theft, petit larceny, maliciously shooting at a dwelling, and the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Rosenberg prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-257.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Five Years In Prison For Possessing A Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced Malcolm Bellamy (25, Orlando) to five years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Bellamy to forfeit the firearm which was used during the commission of the offense. Bellamy pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024.

    According to court documents, on April 21, 2023, an individual called 911 to report that the driver of a vehicle, whom he later identified as Bellamy, had just pulled out a gun and fired it at him. Officers from the Orlando Police Department responded to the scene and observed an individual standing in the street having a verbal confrontation with the occupants of a blue sedan. The vehicle immediately drove away as officers were approaching in their marked cars. The individual in the street pointed at the vehicle and stated, “that’s them”.

    Officers pursued the vehicle which pulled into the driveway of Bellamy’s residence in a nearby neighborhood. The front passenger exited the car with a black object in his hand. Officers gave the passenger commands to get on the ground. The passenger, who had gone behind a tree approximately four feet from the car with the black object in his hand, returned to the vehicle without the object and laid on the ground. The driver, who was later identified as Bellamy, got out of the car and was also detained.

    Officers searched behind the tree and discovered an open black bag with a chrome 9mm Taurus handgun sticking out. The handgun’s magazine was loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, a shell casing was discovered at the scene in the vicinity of the reported shooting.

    DNA swabs collected from the firearm and a comparison sample taken from Bellamy were a match. A shell casing from the handgun was also matched to the shell casing recovered at the scene.

    At the time of the incident, Bellamy was a convicted felon, with prior convictions for robbery with a firearm and aggravated assault with a firearm. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Lyons and Matthew Del Mastro.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bread Springs Man Sentenced to Home Confinement with GPS Monitoring for Assault

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Bread Springs man was sentenced to four years of supervised probation with strict special conditions following his guilty plea to assault resulting in serious bodily injury following a confrontation on the Navajo Nation.

    According to court documents, on January 22, 2024, Arthur Pat, 69, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, responded to a commotion near his residence in Bread Springs, New Mexico. Upon observing his son involved in an altercation with three other men, Pat retrieved a loaded handgun and drove to the scene. After a verbal dispute escalated, Pat fired multiple shots, one of which struck John Doe in the knee. Doe was hospitalized with a “limb-threatening” injury and may face lifelong mobility issues.

    Pat was arrested following a criminal complaint filed January 23, 2024, and later pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. For the first year of his sentence, Pat will be subject to home detention with GPS monitoring. He is also strictly forbidden from contacting his victim and must complete 250 hours of community service. If Pat violates the terms of his supervised probation, the sentencing judge could impose any term of imprisonment originally available; that is, up to 10 years.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Phillip Russel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Army Soldier Charged with Distribution of Cocaine Following DEA Operation at Illegal Nightclub

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

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez, age 28, was charged by complaint with one count each of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

    According to the criminal complaint, Orona-Rodriguez, while serving as an active-duty U.S. Army solider, unlawfully distributed controlled substances.  During the week of April 21, 2025, Orona-Rodriguez sold cocaine to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent.  Additionally, when investigators obtained a search warrant for Orona-Rodriguez’s phone, they found text messages between at least September 16, 2024, and April 9, 2025, which appear to show him repeatedly purchasing cocaine and selling it to others.   

    Orona-Rodriguez appears to hold a leadership role in a business called Immortal Security LLC, which provides armed security at “nightclubs” – including an afterhours, unlawful nightclub called Warike – within Colorado Springs, Colorado.  On numerous occasions, the Colorado Springs Police Department received 911 calls related to Warike citing a wide variety of alleged crimes, including weapons violations, assault, narcotics, and other violent crime.  Warike was the site of a federal search warrant that was executed and led by the DEA on April 27, 2025.  Orona-Rodriguez was one of approximately 17 active-duty U.S. Army service members present at Warike during the execution of that search warrant. 

    The investigation is being conducted by the Denver Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and DEA’s Colorado Springs Resident Office.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Houlihan.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Case Number:  25-mj-00092-TPO

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Florida Men Charged in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Involving Shipping Methamphetamine and Fentanyl From California to Florida

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

    Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Clarence Black, Jr. (49, Tampa) and Jarrek Fabrion Myrick (39, Fort Myers) with drug trafficking conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. 

    According to court documents, between January 25 and February 4, 2025, Black and Myrick traveled to California and shipped methamphetamine and fentanyl to Tampa and areas in southwest Florida. The drug-laden parcels were intercepted and the total quantity of methamphetamine and fentanyl was approximately more than 90 pounds. Black has a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and Myrick has a prior conviction for second-degree murder.

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

    This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Honors Dr. John Horgan Community Leader with National Award

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

    On Friday, April 25, 2025, Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the Atlanta Field Office presented Dr. John Horgan with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) for his dedicated work directing the Violent Extremism Research Group, which has not only impacted Atlanta, Georgia, but has had transformative impact worldwide. Dr. Horgan, who is a distinguished university professor at Georgia State University’s Department of Psychology, accepted the award. Dr. Horgan has shown a strong and enduring commitment to applying his extraordinary abilities and expertise to further the interests of U.S. National Security.

    The FBI established the DCLA in 1990 to publicly acknowledge the achievements of those working to make a difference in their communities through the promotion of education and the prevention of crime and violence. Each year, one person or organization from each of the FBI’s 55 field offices is chosen to receive this prestigious award.

    “Dr. Horgan has not only been a trusted collaborator with the FBI, but his research has also been instrumental in deepening our understanding of extremist psychology, thereby enhancing the safety of our communities,” said Paul Brown, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta. “Congratulations, Dr. Horgan! Your dedication and pursuit of excellence have made a lasting impact, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with you.”

    Dr. Horgan’s research examines terrorist psychology. He has over 120 publications, and his books include The Psychology of Terrorism (now in its second edition and published in a dozen languages), Divided We Stand: The Strategy and Psychology of Ireland’s Dissident Terrorists; and Walking Away from Terrorism. Dr. Horgan has helped to shape the thinking of scientists, policymakers, and the public; helping them to better understand the pathways and processes by which people become attracted to, engaged with, and (importantly) disengaged from violent extremist ideologies and activities.

    The FBI recognizes the important role that community partnerships play in keeping our shared communities safe. These partnerships – as exemplified by the breadth of the work by the DCLA recipients – have led to a host of crime prevention programs that protect the most vulnerable in our communities, educate families and businesses about cyber threats, and work to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. Learn more about the Director’s Community Leadership Award program, the FBI’s general outreach efforts, and the Atlanta Field Office About — FBI on our website.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Velda City Police Chief, Who Also Served as City’s Administrator, Accused of Stealing $313,000 From City

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

    ST. LOUIS – The former police chief and city administrator of Velda City, Missouri was accused in an indictment Wednesday of fraudulently obtaining $313,420 in city funds through a series of fraudulent transactions.

    Daniel Paulino, 51, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis with three counts of wire fraud.

    The indictment says Paulino used the city’s credit card to make about 828 charges for his personal expenses totaling about $145,428. The indictment says Paulino used the city credit card on about 17 additional occasions to transfer Velda City funds totaling about $43,870 to a business he owned, R & B Towing, and one owned by his spouse, Renovations-STL. The city funds were ultimately transferred to either Paulino’s personal bank account or the account for another company he owned, D and H Towing, the indictment says.

    Paulino caused about eight city checks to be issued in a total amount of about $34,374 to pay third party vendors for his personal expenses, the indictment says. One $25,500 city check was used to pay for a 2007 International tow truck that was then registered in Paulino’s name and used by Paulino’s privately-owned towing company, the indictment says. Paulino caused Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions to be made from a city account to pay third party vendors for $2,575 in personal expenses, the indictment says.

    Paulino also caused about 20 direct deposits totaling $30,667 in city funds, purportedly for additional payroll, into his personal account, the indictment says. He caused about 55 direct deposits of a total of about $54,693 in Velda City funds, purportedly for his spouse’s payroll, to be sent to his personal bank account, the indictment says. Paulino’s spouse was being paid for work that was not actually performed in the city’s public works division during the years 2021 through 2023 and Paulino used that money for his own personal expenses, the indictment says.

    The indictment also alleges that Paulino caused three city checks totaling $1,800 to be fraudulently issued to him.

    The money was transferred without the authority or knowledge of the city, its mayor, treasurer or Board of Aldermen, the indictment says. Paulino used the money for travel, automobiles, pool supplies, utilities at his personal residence and food and beverage charges, the indictment says.

    During the scheme, Paulino transferred about $58,171 from his personal or business bank accounts to Velda City’s bank account or the city’s credit card to conceal his crimes, the indictment says.

    Paulino was appointed to the city administrator position in 2021. He was police chief until the department was dissolved in 2024.

    Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Finally Ends the Madness of NPR, PBS

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Last night, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order ending the taxpayer subsidization of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) — entities that receive tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds each year to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as “news.”
    Here are some examples of the trash that has passed for “news” at NPR and PBS:
    NPR ran a story titled “Cannibalism: It’s ‘Perfectly Natural,’” in which an author described eating another human’s placenta: “It was really the prep that made it taste good. Granted, the [husband] was a chef and so he knew how to prepare it osso bucco style and used a really nice wine I had brought. It smelled great. It didn’t taste bad.”
    In 2021, NPR declared the Declaration of Independence to be a document with “flaws and deeply ingrained hypocrisies.”
    In 2022, NPR scrapped its decades-long Independence Day tradition of reading the Declaration of Independence on air to instead discuss “equality.”
    NPR subsequently issued an “editor’s note” warning the Declaration of Independence is “a document that contains offensive language.”

    NPR apologized for calling illegal immigrants “illegal.”
    NPR sounded the alarm about young men who abstain from masturbating to pornography.
    NPR featured a Valentine’s Day story centered around “queer animals,” in which it suggested the make-believe clownfish in “Finding Nemo” would’ve been better off as a female, that “banana slugs are hermaphrodites,” and that “some deer are nonbinary.”
    PBS devoted a panel to what it “mean[s] to be woke” and “white privilege.”
    NPR routinely promotes the chemical and surgical mutilation of children as so-called “gender-affirming care” without mentioning the irreversible damage caused by these procedures.
    In 2021, a PBS station aired a “children’s program” that featured a drag queen named “Lil’ Miss Hot Mess.”
    NPR educated the nation on the “whole community of genderqueer dinosaur enthusiasts” and “trans-ceratops.”
    Then-PBS White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor characterized President Trump’s patriotic 2020 Mount Rushmore speech as a love letter to “white resentment” that promoted the “myth of America.”
    NPR reported on the “cousin of diet culture” known as “healthism, which is the idea that we have to be healthy” — as if that was a bad thing.
    NPR assigned three reporters to investigate how the thumbs-up emoji is racist.
    NPR suggested doorway sizes are based on “latent fatphobia.”
    PBS produced an entire movie celebrating a transgender teenager’s so-called “changing gender identity.”
    NPR absurdly claimed “limited scientific evidence of physical advantage” exists between male and female athletes.
    NPR lamented that “animals deserve pronouns, too.”
    NPR ran a feature titled “What ‘Queer Ducks’ can teach teenagers about sexuality in the animal kingdom.”
    In 2023, PBS’s Washington Week roundtable covered up Joe Biden’s clear mental decline, with far-left “journalist” Jeffrey Goldberg claiming Biden was actually “quite acute.”
    NPR dedicated an entire segment to the “population of anthropomorphic animal enthusiasts known as ‘furries.’”
    PBS produced a documentary making the case for reparations.
    NPR disparagingly referred to pro-life Americans at the March for Life as “anti-abortion rights activists.”
    NPR explored “the racial origins of fat phobia.”
    NPR management asked its editors to avoid the term “biological sex” when discussing transgender issues.
    PBS show Sesame Street partnered with CNN on a one-sided narrative to “address racism” amid the Black Lives Matter riots.
    NPR and PBS have zero tolerance for non-leftist viewpoints:
    In 2020, NPR refused to cover the explosive Hunter Biden laptop scandal in the runup to the election, baselessly claiming its “assertions don’t amount to much” and writing they “don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions.”
    When a 25-year veteran NPR reporter and editor spoke out about the network’s obsession with liberal causes, they suspended him.
    The editor found that registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans 87 to zero in their newsroom.
    NPR prolifically reported on the Russian collusion hoax, with the editor describing “[Adam] Schiff talking points” as “the drumbeat of NPR news reports.”

    NPR CEO Katherine Maher once called President Trump “racist,” shared a photo of herself wearing a “Biden for President” campaign hat, serves on the board of a Soros-funded activist group, and described “reverence for the truth” as a “distraction.”
    In 2023, a study found that congressional Republicans saw 85% negative coverage while congressional Democrats saw 54% positive coverage on PBS’s flagship news program.
    According to a 2024 study, PBS news staff used 162 variations of the term “far-right,” but only six variations of “far-left.”
    Media bias rating agency AllBias — which surveyed nearly 24,000 readers — found NPR’s bias aligns with “liberal, progressive or left-wing thought and/or policy agendas.”
    NPR repeatedly dismissed the theory that COVID-19 originated in a lab — a conclusion now deemed likely by the FBI, CIA, and Department of Energy.
    April 2020: “Scientists Debunk Lab Accident Theory Of Pandemic Emergence”
    May 2020: “As Trump Pushes Theory Of Virus Origins, Some See Parallels In Lead-Up To Iraq War”
    May 2021: “Many Scientists Still Think The Coronavirus Came From Nature”
    March 2023: “Virologist says COVID origin report could make it harder to study dangerous diseases”
    September 2024: “New research points to raccoon dogs in Wuhan market as pandemic trigger. It’s controversial”

    A 2024 Media Research Center study found that PBS’s coverage of the Republican National Convention was 72% negative, while coverage of the Democratic National Convention was 88% positive.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Transnational Narcotics Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Saipan, MP – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Ye Fang, aka “BATU”, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was sentenced by Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona in District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to 25 years imprisonment, after being convicted of Conspiracy to Possess over 500 Grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1).  The court also ordered 5 years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee.  He was also ordered to report to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon release from prison.

    Ye Fang arrived in the CNMI from China in 2016 under a tourist visa waiver program.  After his waiver term elapsed, he remained on Saipan where he ran a birth tourism business for three years.  Ye Fang hosted at least 200 women and their families from China so that pregnant women could give birth on island.  He later began trafficking methamphetamine.

    In November 2022, CNMI police executed a search warrant at Ye Fang’s home.  They seized more than one kilogram of methamphetamine.  A CNMI arrest warrant was issued, but Ye Fang remained a fugitive, escaping from Saipan by boat and traveling to Guam in the summer of 2023. From Guam, Ye Fang continued to organize methamphetamine trafficking in the CNMI.  In September 2023, he arranged the shipment of methamphetamine hidden inside lava lamps, which were sent to Saipan from California.  The packages were intercepted by CNMI Customs, who coordinated with the DEA to conduct a controlled delivery.  That resulted in the arrest of co-conspirator Liang Yang, another out of status PRC national.  A total of eight pounds of liquid methamphetamine was seized.

    Ye Fang eventually fled Guam in November 2023 via commercial airline using the identification of another person.  He then traveled to Palau, where he organized the murder of another PRC citizen.  In January 2024, Ye Fang and three others were arrested in Palau for that crime.  Ye Fang pled guilty to manslaughter in March 2024 and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.  In May 2024, he was extradited to the CNMI where he pled guilty to the lava lamp drug scheme.

    “Law enforcement has brought Ye Fang’s Indo-Pacific crime spree to an end,” stated United States Attorney Anderson.  “He will now serve many years in a United States prison with other high-risk offenders.  Every day of his sentence is day made safer for the people of the CNMI. We will continue to use our resources to combat transnational criminals and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime.”

    “Methamphetamine is potent and highly addictive. This synthetic stimulant has contributed to the overdose crisis facing America. DEA, along with federal and international partners, are in lockstep in our commitment to combat drug networks,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Saipan. “We will vehemently pursue all criminals who flood our communities with this poison.”

    “Today’s sentencing is the direct result of sustained commitment and collaboration between the FBI and our law enforcement partners,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “Mr. Fang led a violent, transnational narcotics trafficking organization; his crimes significantly contributed to the ongoing drug epidemic facing America and plaguing our island communities. The FBI—standing in resolve with our local, state, and federal partners—is prepared to confront and disrupt these dangerous criminal organizations, wherever they may operate.”

    “The conviction of Mr. Fang is a testament to HSI’s enduring commitment to keep harmful substances out of Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Island,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “Understanding the damage that illegal narcotics do to our communities, we will stop at nothing to hold those accountable for their contributions to drug trafficking within our islands.”

    “As the law enforcement and security arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the safety of postal employees and the public is our top priority,” said Inspector in Charge Stephen Sherwood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  “Anyone who misuses the U.S. Postal Service will be held accountable for their actions. I would like to thank our federal and local law enforcement partners, including our task force partners from the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Guam Police Department, and Army National Guard Counterdrug Program.”

    This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshal Service for extradition, CNMI Customs, CNMI Department of Public Safety, Republic of Palau Bureau of Public Safety, and in collaboration with the CNMI Attorney General’s Office, the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, and the Republic of Palau.

    Assistant United States Attorney Albert S. Flores, Jr., and former Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Kost prosecuted this case in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.

    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 Neighborhoods (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ends the Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    ENDING TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZATION OF BIASED MEDIA: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order ending the taxpayer subsidization of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
    NPR and PBS receive tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds each year, primarily from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
    The Order ceases federal funding to NPR and PBS to the maximum extent allowed by law.
    It also ceases indirect funding to PBS and NPR by prohibiting local public radio and television stations and any other recipients of CPB funds from using taxpayer dollars to support these organizations.
    The Order mandates that the CPB revise its 2025 General Provisions to explicitly prohibit direct or indirect funding to NPR and PBS.
    It directs all federal agencies to terminate any direct or indirect funding to NPR and PBS and to review existing grants and contracts for compliance.
    The Order instructs the FCC and relevant agencies to investigate whether NPR and PBS have engaged in unlawful discrimination. 
    EXPOSING BIAS IN PUBLIC BROADCASTING: NPR and PBS have fueled partisanship and left-wing propaganda with taxpayer dollars, which is highly inappropriate and an improper use of taxpayers’ money, as President Trump has stated.
    Unlike in 1967, when CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options, making government funding of news media outdated, unnecessary, and corrosive to journalistic independence.
    Moreover, while the CPB is legally mandated to be “nonpolitical [in] nature” and not “contribute to or otherwise support any political party,” both NPR and PBS make significant in-kind contributions to the Democrat party and its political causes.
    An NPR editor found that registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans 87 to zero in the newsroom’s editorial positions.
    NPR’s President and CEO admitted that she regards “truth” as a harmful “distraction” from NPR’s objectives.
    To illustrate its partisan capture, NPR management asked its editors to avoid the term “biological sex” when discussing transgender issues.
    NPR has run stories defending looting and suggesting that crime fears are racist and has described its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices as “inseparable” from its content.
    NPR refused to cover the Hunter Biden laptop story, calling it a waste of time and a distraction, despite that it was highly relevant to the presidential election.
    NPR repeatedly insisted COVID-19 did not originate in a lab and refused to explore the theory.
    The FBI, CIA, and Department of Energy have all since deemed the lab-leak theory the likely cause.

    NPR ran a Valentine’s Day feature around “queer animals,” in which it suggested the make-believe clownfish in “Finding Nemo” would’ve been better off as a female, that “banana slugs are hermaphrodites,” and that “some deer are nonbinary.”
    Research shows that “congressional Republicans faced 85% negative coverage, compared to 54% positive coverage of congressional Democrats,” on PBS’s flagship news program.
    Over a six-month period, PBS News Hour used versions of the term “far-right” 162 times, but “far-left” only 6 times.
    A PBS station featured drag queen Lil Miss Hot Mess on a program meant for kids ages 3-8.
    PBS produced a movie titled “Real Boy” which celebrates a transgender teen’s transition.  
    PBS show Sesame Street partnered with CNN for a town hall aimed presenting children with a one-sided narrative to “address racism” amid the Black Lives Matter riots.
    PBS’s coverage of the 2024 Republican National Convention was 72% negative, while its coverage of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was 88% positive.
    No media outlet has a Constitutional right to taxpayer subsidized operations, and it’s highly inappropriate for taxpayers to be forced to subsidize biased, partisan content.
    SAFEGUARDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS: President Trump is working to ensure taxpayer dollars are no longer wasted on progressive pet projects, but rather used to benefit hardworking Americans.
    President Trump established the “Department of Government Efficiency” to examine how to streamline the federal government, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
    President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new rule is justified by clear benefits.
    President Trump terminated DEI discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending.
    The Trump Administration is aggressively investigating Biden-era programs that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on inefficient and politically-driven projects, including canceling unnecessary government contracts and grants that do not serve the national interest.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prosecutors in CDCA Charge 45 Defendants with Being Illegal Aliens in U.S. Following Removal – a 3,755% Increase from Previous Year

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors in the Central District of California this week criminally charged 45 defendants who allegedly illegally re-entered the United States following removal, bringing the total number of defendants charged with this crime since January 20 of this year to 347, a year-over-year increase of 3,755%, the Justice Department announced today.

    The defendants charged were previously convicted of felonies before they were removed from the United States, offenses that include attempted burglary and forgery.

    Since the change in administration this year, federal prosecutors in the seven-county Central District, which includes Los Angeles, have aggressively pursued criminal illegal aliens. In comparison, federal prosecutors in 2024 charged a total of nine defendants with Title 8 United States Code § 1326 – illegal re-entry following removal. In 2023, the office charged eight such defendants.

    “The government has a duty to protect its citizens,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “During the prior administration, this office abdicated its duty by effectively failing to prosecute any illegal re-entry cases. Those days are over. Criminal illegal aliens will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “The difference in numbers is staggering,” said United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd M. Lyons. “Since January 20, this jurisdiction has prosecuted 347 illegal aliens for reentering the United States after removal — but last year, there were only nine of these prosecutions. That’s a 3,755% increase in just over a quarter of the time. Partnerships between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ICE, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the FBI play a critical role in ensuring that individuals who pose threats to public safety are removed from our communities.”

    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 10-year sentence and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.

    The recently filed cases include the following defendants:

    • Paulino González-García, 26, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. González-García was removed in 2018 and has two prior state convictions in Santa Barbara County Superior Court for driving under the influence (DUI). He is in state custody and charged with a third DUI offense. Assistant United States Attorney Christina A. Marquez of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
    • Ricardo Cruz-García, 31, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States following removal. Cruz-García was removed in 2019. He has a 2018 conviction for attempted burglary and 2019 convictions in Orange County Superior Court for possession of a controlled substance, possession of unlawful paraphernalia, and forgery. Assistant United States Attorney Christina A. Marquez of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

    Federal prosecutors this week also charged the following defendant:

    • José Rosales Ramírez, 27, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Ramirez was caught with possession of two firearms because of his involvement in an incident in Compton where it is alleged that he shot at a moving vehicle. Assistant United States Attorney Christina A. Marquez of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

    A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating these matters.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Afghan citizen charged with visa fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dilbar Gul Dilbar a/k/a Dilbar Gul Taj Ali Khan, a citizen of Afghanistan, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with visa fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in 2016 and 2021, Dilbar submitted applications to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) for a Special Immigrant Visa. A limited supply of these visas is set aside each year for Afghan nationals who have assisted the United States military. Dilbar’s applications included a counterfeit U.S. Embassy Kabul Chief of Mission approval, a fraudulent letter of employment, and a fraudulent Letter of Recommendation. On March 20, 2024, Dilbar’s fraudulent application was approved, and, on April 4, 2024, he was granted admission to the United States and currently resides in the Western District of New York. On the same day Dilbar was granted admission to the United States, he applied for Legal Permanent Resident card, commonly referred to as a “green card,” which was issued on July 22, 2024.

    Specifically, in July 2016, Dilbar applied to the Department of State for U.S. Embassy Kabul Chief of Mission approval but was denied. However, Dilbar continued his application for a Special Immigrant Visa, submitting a counterfeit approval letter in November 2017. In 2021, Dilbar re-applied for the Special Immigrant Visa. For the second application, Dilbar submitted a letter of employment from a U.S.-based company. Subsequent investigation determined that the U.S.-based company that issued the purported employment verification letter was engaged in a large-scale scheme to provide fraudulent documents, such as employment verification letters, in exchange for a fee. All employment verification letters authored by this entity are fraudulent. Dilbar also submitted a second Letter of Recommendation, which also came from an individual involved in an “advance-fee” scam, which sells fraudulent immigration documents. As a result, Dilbar was granted a Special Immigrant Visa, admitted to the United States and issued a green card.

    Dilbar made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and was held pending a detention hearing on May 9, 2025.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

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

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rochester man pleads guilty to stealing $168-thousand dollars from his employer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Michael Torres, 37, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to financial institution fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that between September 2021 and February 2022, Torres was employed as a Relationship Manager at Financial Institution 1. While in this position, he misused his position to apply for loans through Financial Institution 1 in the names of individuals without their knowledge or authorization. Torres applied for 19 loans for a total of $168,000, which was deposited into bank accounts that he controlled.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

    Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marty Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Kidnapping

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Marty, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Kidnapping. The sentencing took place on April 25, 2025.

    Ellery Zephier, age 39, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200, and restitution in the amount of $22,260.

    Zephier was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. Following his trial in January, he was found guilty. The conviction stemmed from incidents between July 20-25, 2024, when Zephier kidnapped and held a woman against her will in his home in Marty and assaulted her resulting in the infliction of serious bodily injury.

    This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Yankton Sioux Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Petersen and Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.

    Zephier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ashland man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for trafficking meth on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS – An Ashland man who trafficked methamphetamine on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 151 months in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Joe Vega, 49, pleaded guilty in July 2024 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that in December of 2023, the FBI began an investigation into Joe Vega for the distribution of methamphetamine. One source reported purchasing methamphetamine from Vega a dozen times.

    In April of 2024, the FBI intercepted a package from Arizona destined for Vega’s Billings address. Agents obtained a search warrant for the package and discovered 1331.5 grams of meth, almost three pounds, that was 100% pure.

    The FBI later learned Vega was traveling to Arizona, possibly to pick up methamphetamine. On April 22, 2024, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper conducted a stop of the vehicle in which Vega was a passenger. Vega and the driver consented to a search and law enforcement found two pounds of methamphetamine in a bag belonging to Vega. That meth was also 100% pure.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with the assistance of BIA, Montana DCI, and the Montana Highway Patrol.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lawler Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Effort to Extend Civil Rights Cold Case Review Board’s Mandate

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 5/1/2025… This week, Congressman Mike Lawler joined Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) in the House, with companion legislation led by Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) in introducing the bipartisan, bicameral Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act of 2025. 

    The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board was established by Congress in 2018 to resolve unsolved criminal investigations from the Civil Rights Era. The Board is a nonpartisan organization, led by a panel of private citizens appointed by the President. 

    The bill extends the authorization of the Review Board for another four years, allowing it to complete its work uncovering information related to these unsolved cases and afford family members of the victims a measure of closure.

    “I’m proud to join Congresswoman Watson Coleman in reintroducing this bill. These cases represent a painful and important part of our nation’s history, and we have a responsibility to ensure they’re not forgotten. Extending the work of the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board helps us continue the process of reviewing these records carefully and transparently. It’s about doing our part to support the pursuit of truth to right the wrongs of our past and move forward with historical clarity,” said Congressman Mike Lawler.

    “In the years since its creation, the Cold Case Records Review Board has made remarkable progress in shedding light on some of the darkest moments in our nation’s history,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “Working without partisan bias or ideological inclination, the Review Board has proven indispensable in providing clarity and closure for the victims’ families, and the communities roiled by these terrible events. Before we can finally turn the page on this dark chapter in American history, the Review Board must complete its work. This bipartisan bill with my colleagues across the aisle and across the Capitol will allow the Board to do just that. I strongly encourage leadership in both chambers to take up this legislation to once and for all lay these cases to rest.”

    “As a former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, I’ve spent my career pursuing the truth and delivering justice. The families who lost loved ones to racial violence during the Civil Rights Era have waited far too long for answers. Reauthorizing the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board ensures that critical investigations are completed, the pursuit of justice continues, and that we honor our obligation to confront and correct historic wrongs,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

    “For too long, families of Civil Rights cold case victims have waited for answers and justice. Our bipartisan bill is an opportunity to pursue justice and truth on behalf of those who were killed. There’s no expiration date on justice; that’s why this effort must continue,” Senator Ossoff said.

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Slams Trump Administration For Making Seniors More Vulnerable To Financial Frauds And Scams

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    In 2023, More Than 4,300 Older New Yorkers Were Victims of Fraud; Victims Lost Over $200 Million;
    Trump Is Firing The Federal Regulators Who Help Older Adults Fight Frauds and Scams
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, held a virtual press conference highlighting Trump administration policies that are leaving senior citizens vulnerable to financial fraud. 
    President Trump is working to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal agency that prevents Americans from getting scammed by big banks and corporations and responds to millions of consumer complaints each year. He has attempted to fire nearly 90% of the agency’s staff, including all but one employee of the CFPB’s Office of Financial Protection of Older Americans. Older Americans are disproportionately the targets of scams and fraud; in 2023 alone, Americans over age 60 lost $3.4 billion to scams. Without the CFPB’s financial education and counseling, coordination with other agencies, and enforcement support activity, they will be left even more vulnerable to exploitation. 
    “Since its creation after the 2008 financial crisis, the CFPB has provided over $21 billion in compensation and relief to Americans impacted by financial scams, frauds, and wrongdoing,” said Senator Gillibrand.“Now, President Trump is trying to shutter the agency and eliminate the support and resources it offers to seniors, putting them at risk of losing their savings or even plunging them into debt. I will be doing everything in my power to stop this ill-considered and illegal shutdown from moving forward.” 
    The CFPB’s Office of Financial Protection of Older Americans helps educate older Americans about common scams that target seniors and provides a variety of resources to help them navigate medical billing and debt, reverse mortgages, the death of a spouse, and more. 
    The effort to shut down the CFPB is just the latest of President Trump’s attacks on seniors’ financial wellbeing. He has attempted to shut down Social Security field offices, cut thousands of staff, and eliminate phone support – making it harder for seniors to access the benefits they have spent a lifetime earning. The administration has also paused regulations on inaccurate credit reporting that would protect victims of elder abuse. 
    The full text of Senator Gillibrand’s letter to the Acting Director of the CFPB is available here or below: 
    Acting Director
    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
    1700 G St. NW
    Washington, DC 20552
    Dear Acting Director Vought,
    We write with grave concerns about illegal actions you are taking in your acting role at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Last week, you tried to fire nearly all of the agency’s remaining 1,700 employees—the staff responsible for fulfilling the CFPB’s mission and statutory requirements to prevent Americans from getting scammed by big banks and giant corporations. Your hasty and unjustified mass firings are an illegal shutdown of the CFPB that will leave it unable to conduct agency actions that are required by law.
    You directed the gutting of entire divisions—including departments created by Congress to protect service members and older Americans—attempting to leave a shell of only 200 employees to supervise and examine large financial institutions across the country, respond to millions of consumer complaints, answer the phone for hundreds of thousands of people seeking help, monitor emergency financial risks, and run all of the agency’s other operations. This rush to dismantle the CFPB without any careful analysis of the impact on its work is not only illegal, it also defies a court order prohibiting you from shutting down the agency and interfering with its statutorily required responsibilities.
    A bipartisan majority in Congress created the CFPB as part of the Dodd-Frank Act in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Since its creation, the CFPB has returned over $21 billion to Americans cheated by giant companies and has been the primary federal regulator supervising and examining the largest financial institutions across the country for compliance with consumer financial protection laws. Congress authorized the CFPB to play this role and required it to perform more than 80 specific functions to protect consumers and our economy from the types of rampant consumer abuse that set off the Great Recession. It is not possible for your proposed skeleton crew of CFPB employees to conduct anything close to all of those congressionally mandated activities to protect consumers. To take just a few examples, your planned cuts include:
    •      Slashing staff so just 16 employees would be responsible for addressing millions of complaints from scammed consumers. Under 12 U.S.C. 5493(b)(3) and 5511(c), the CFPB must maintain an office for collecting, investigating, and addressing complaints from consumers about financial products and services. Specifically, the law states that the Director shall establish a unit whose functions shall include establishing a single, tollfree telephone number, a website, and a database or utilizing an existing database to facilitate the centralized collection of, monitoring of, and response to consumer complaints regarding consumer financial products or services.” 
    In 2024 alone, CFPB received more than 2.7 million complaints, routed more than 100,000 complaints to other regulators, directed more than 100,000 complaints to companies, and oversaw the vendor responsible for handling more than 40,000 calls per month.6 But according to court filings, you have slashed the staff in that responsible section of the CFPB from approximately 135 to 16 people (and did not consult the head of the Office of Consumer Response to determine how to continue fulfilling the agency’s statutory responsibilities). In fact, the head of that office said that after the staff cuts, “the Office will be incapable of performing its statutory duties.”
    •      Wiping out the office required to help members of our military, leaving just one employee responsible for assisting thousands of service members and their families. Under 12 U.S.C. 5493(e), the Director “shall establish an Office of Service Member Affairs, which shall be responsible for developing and implementing initiatives for service members and their families.” These initiatives must include efforts to “educate and empower service members and their families to make better informed decisions regarding consumer financial products and services,” “monitor complaints by service members and their families and responses to those complaints by the Bureau or other appropriate Federal or State agency” and “coordinate efforts among Federal and State agencies . . . regarding consumer protection measures relating to consumer financial products and services offered to, or used by, service members and their families.”
    There are more than two million service members in the United States. In 2023, service members and their families submitted nearly 84,600 complaints to the CFPB, a 27% increase from 2022 and a 98% increase from 2021. But according to court filings, you have gutted the entire office so it will be staffed by a single person.
    •      Eliminating support for older Americans, leaving just one employee focused on the tens of millions of seniors who are disproportionately targeted by scams and fraud. Under 12 U.S.C. 5493(g), the CFPB must maintain an “Office of Financial Protection for Older Americans” that is “headed by an assistant director” and must “facilitate the financial literacy of [seniors] on protection from unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices and on current and future financial choices.” The office must specifically monitor certifications of financial advisors, conduct research to identify best practices for counseling seniors about personal financial management, develop goals for financial literacy programs, coordinate consumer protection efforts with other federal and state regulators, and work with outside organizations involved with assisting seniors.
    There are roughly 62 million adults aged 65 and older in the United States. According to the FBI, older Americans are disproportionately the targets of scams and fraud; these crimes against Americans over age 60 caused $3.4 billion in losses in 2023. The average older fraud victim lost $33,915 in 2023.But according to court filings, you have eliminated all but one position in the Office of Financial Protection for Older Americans.
    •      Gutting the capacity to supervise hundreds of giant financial institutions and to enforce the law. Under 12 U.S.C. 5514(b) and 5515, the CFPB has exclusive authority to supervise banks with more than $10 billion in assets—along with all nonbank lenders—to ensure they are complying with federal consumer financial laws and to assess risks they may pose to consumers and the broader market for consumer financial products. The Chair of the Federal Reserve confirmed earlier this year that the CFPB is the only federal regulator examining giant banks to ensure they are following federal consumer financial laws. The CFPB is responsible for supervising more than 180 banks and bank affiliates as well as many nonbank lenders that service more than 55% of the U.S. mortgage market. But according to court filings, you have slashed the staff responsible for this nationwide supervision of hundreds of institutions from 487 to just 50 employees, with only 50 additional people remaining from the 248 who were previously assigned to pursue legal action when the CFPB discovers illegal activity or violations of consumer protection laws.
    •      Dismantling the office responsible for monitoring developments in our markets that could crash our economy again. Under 12 U.S.C. 5493(b)(1), the CFPB must maintain a research unit to analyze and report on trends in consumer financial products and services, including on consumer understanding of costs, risks and benefits of those products; the use of disclosures; and access to fair and affordable credit for traditionally underserved communities. Under 12 U.S.C. 5499, the CFPB must maintain public access to all published data sets. Under 12 U.S.C. 5512(c), it must actively monitor and issue reports on emerging risks to consumers. Under 12 U.S.C. 5106(a)(1), 2809(a), and 2809(c), it must also help maintain a registration system for mortgage loan originators; compile statistics, on an ongoing basis, on mortgage issuance; and make mortgage issuance data available to the public. But according to court filings, your cuts would slash the research unit from 208 to 22 staff and eliminate all 10 current employees of the data office.
    •      Eliminating almost 90% of the agency that has returned $21 billion to scammed consumers and families. The examples above only illustrate the broader ways in which you are dismantling the CFPB, where you plan to leave a single person responsible for the Office of Fair Lending and Equal Opportunity, a single person in the Office of Civil Rights, a Private Education Loan Ombudsman with no staff, no Chief Data Officer, and almost no one responsible for basic tasks like running CFPB operations—much less fulfilling all of the more than 80 statutory obligations of the agency. You appear to have no plan for ensuring the CFPB meaningfully meets its responsibilities, including many not highlighted here—such as maintaining an Office of Financial Education, working with a Consumer Advisory Board, engaging in community affairs, and regulating mortgage loan servicing.
    In short, it is not possible for the CFPB to perform all of its statutorily required functions with a staff of 200 people left after slashing almost 90% of the agency. Directors from both Republican and Democratic Administrations have all made clear that they needed far more personnel to fulfill their responsibilities under the law. Even during the cuts early in the first Trump Administration, the number of employees never dropped below 1,400—nearly seven times the broken shell that would be left after you have hollowed out the staff. In fact, staffing increased after Director Kathy Kraninger—appointed by President Trump—undertook a “comprehensive planning initiative in 2019 to determine the staffing levels needed to support and execute the Bureau’s priorities in Fiscal Year 2020.”
    Maintaining the staff to perform the agency’s required functions is a critical responsibility. There is no other federal agency that is chiefly responsible for enforcing our federal consumer financial protection laws, and consumers across America will be left to fend for themselves against a broad swath of unchecked financial frauds and scams. Though the Trump Administration filed a document last week with a superficial list of the number of people assigned to some sections of the CFPB, it includes a number of zeroed-out offices and does not explain how the remaining 200 staff will perform each of the agency’s required functions.
    In light of these significant concerns, we request that you provide—by April 30, 2025—a detailed accounting of each of the more than 80 statutory obligations of the CFPB, the number of employees assigned to each of those functions as of December 2024, the number of employees who would be assigned to each function if your rushed reduction in force were to go into effect, the immediate impact of such a reduction on the agency’s ability to perform each function consistent with federal law and federal court orders, and copies of any individualized or particularized analysis of those planned reductions on the agency’s work.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MS-13 Gang Member who Led Transnational Fentanyl Distribution Operation from Inside State Prison Sentenced to 17 Years by South Florida Federal Judge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – A district judge in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. has sentenced an MS-13 gang member and leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization (DTO) to 210 months in federal prison for running a fentanyl distribution ring, some of which he did from inside a state prison.

    Mario Clifford Rivera (a/k/a “Chuky”), 32, is a member of MS-13, a designated foreign terrorist organization. From at least 2022, Rivera used the U.S. Postal Service to distribute fentanyl smuggled into the United States from Mexico. The fentanyl’s travel path: over the wall from Mexico to California, then to Florida by mail for distribution by Rivera and the DTO dealers he controlled.  

    In early 2023, while free on bond waiting to report to state prison to serve three years for felon in possession of a firearm, throwing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle, and aggravated assault crimes, Rivera offered to sell two kilograms of fentanyl to a buyer in Florida, some of which was purchased. Once inside state prison, Rivera continued managing and supervising his DTO. He used prison phones and a contraband cell phone to communicate with his dealers on the outside. Rivera directed them on how to sell fentanyl and what prices to charge, all while making sure that he received his share of the drug proceeds.

    Rivera was responsible in this case for distributing over three kilograms of fentanyl. He pled guilty to drug trafficking charges and will begin serving his federal sentence once he completes his state sentence.   

    “Rivera’s 17-year federal prison sentence should serve as a warning to MS-13 and other terrorist gangs who seek to flood our communities with deadly poisons like fentanyl: Whether you operate on the streets or behind prison walls, we will identify your leaders and members, dismantle your networks, and hold you accountable using the full force of American law,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida.   

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Rinku Tribuiani for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted this case.

    FBI Miami; U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division; DEA Miami Field Division; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Division, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated it. 

    “The safety of South Florida communities is our top priority,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “Shutting down drug trafficking networks like Rivera’s is a key step towards achieving this priority. Our long-standing partnerships with USPIS Miami, DEA Miami, HSI Miami and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office were crucial to this successful investigation. Let this case serve as a warning to MS-13 and other gangs who terrorize communities with violence and sow misery through drug trafficking: these activities will not be tolerated.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to ensuring the U.S. Mail is not used as a tool to distribute dangerous drugs, like fentanyl, to our communities, said Miami Division acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges. “The sentence handed down should serve as a reminder that we remain steadfast with our law enforcement partners to bring those who engage in drug trafficking through the mail to justice.”

    “We and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue and arrest those who flood our communities with illicit, dangerous, and highly-addictive drugs,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “It is our top priority to protect our citizens and get these gang members off our streets.”

    “Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners have a clear message: those who traffic deadly narcotics and endanger our communities through gang violence will face the full force of justice,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of HSI Miami Field Division. “HSI remains relentless in dismantling transnational criminal organizations like MS-13 and stopping the flow of fentanyl that continues to devastate families across our nation.”

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

    It is also part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-80140.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ringleader of Bank Fraud Conspiracy Case Receives Lengthy Federal Prison Sentence

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Destane Glass, 24, of Shreveport, has been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 135 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Glass was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $539,578. In addition, Judge Hicks ordered that Glass’s sentence run consecutive to a 37-month federal prison sentence she is currently serving for Payment Protection Program fraud, making her sentence a total of 172 months (14 years, 4 months).

    According to evidence presented in court, beginning on or about January 1, 2021, and continuing through October 31, 2022, Glass and her co-conspirators conspired to commit bank fraud from USAA Savings Bank (USAA Bank), Navy Federal Credit Union, and JP Morgan Chase Bank. Glass was the ringleader of this conspiracy and directed and recruited others to participate in the scheme to defraud the banks. Glass was indicted, along with 20 other defendants, in April 2024 in connection with this federal bank fraud scheme. 

    USAA Bank was a financial institution whose deposits were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  Teleperformance was a multinational company that provided a wide variety of business services including operating a call center in Shreveport, Louisiana.  The call center provided customer service for USAA Bank.  Teleperformance employees had access to USAA Bank customer information including, but not limited to, customer names, the age of customers, account balances, and account numbers. Glass was not an employee of Teleperformance but conspired with others who were to execute a scheme to defraud USAA Bank.

    As part of the conspiracy, Glass worked with her co-defendants to improperly obtain account holder information so that the information could be used by Glass to create counterfeit USAA Bank checks. She instructed her co-defendants to target elderly bank customers whose bank accounts held high account balances as they would be less likely to regularly check their accounts. Glass created counterfeit checks on USAA Bank totaling $2,149,621 from accounts accessed by her co-defendants.  After she created the checks, Glass used social media and other methods to recruit individuals in the Shreveport area with bank accounts to use their accounts to deposit the counterfeit checks.

    Once the counterfeit checks were deposited into the accounts, Glass and others, worked to withdraw the funds at various locations to include area casinos. Glass and her co-conspirators would share the proceeds generated from negotiating the counterfeit checks. 

    ZarRajah Z. Watkins, 23, of Shreveport, who also participated in this scheme and was charged as a defendant in this case was sentenced today. Watkins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $397,930. 

    All of the other defendants charged in this case have now pleaded guilty and received their sentences.

    This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police and Shreveport Police Department and was prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Passaic County Man Admits to Using An Explosive to Damage a Chase Bank ATM

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County man admitted to using an explosive to damage a Chase Bank Automated Teller Machine (“ATM”) in Prospect Park, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Nicolas Torres, 42, of Passaic, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court to a one-count information charging him with using an explosive to damage real property used in interstate commerce.

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

    In the early morning hours of July 5, 2022, Torres was captured on surveillance video approaching the Chase Bank ATM in Prospect Park, New Jersey and igniting an item in front of the ATM. Several seconds later, an explosion was seen at the ATM. Torres was seen fleeing the location with two individuals.

    In addition to the surveillance video, cellular phone location data placed Torres in the area of the Chase Bank at the time of the explosion. The investigation also revealed that Torres had traveled to Pennsylvania the day before and purchased approximately $1,000 worth of fireworks.

    The use of an explosive to damage real property used in interstate commerce charge carries a statutory minimum of 5 years in prison, a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and the Prospect Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Rausch, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vera Varshavsky of the U.S. Attorney’s National Security Unit in Newark. 

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    Defense counsel: Adalgiza A. Núñez, Office of the Public Defender

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Naples Men Indicted In A Murder-For-Hire Plot

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Jesus Pujol Hernandez (41), Miguel Marquez Romero (29), and Paulo Sabon Montero (54), all of Naples, Florida, with conspiracy to use a facility of interstate commerce to commit murder-for-hire and use of a facility of interstate commerce with intent to commit murder-for-hire. If convicted, each faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

    According to the indictment and evidence presented in court, between April 16 and 17, 2025, Marquez Romero and Sabon Montero discussed over the phone killing an individual that Hernandez had identified for up to $30,000. Hernandez had been hired by the intended victims’ brother to carry out the plot. Marquez Romero, Sabon Montero, and Hernandez exchanged phone calls and organized a meeting to discuss the murder. On April 17, 2025, the conspirators met in a grocery store parking lot in Naples before being apprehended by law enforcement.

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Patrick L. Darcey.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Marathon County Woman Sentenced to 2 ½ Years for Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jessica L. Colby, 29, Stratford, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 30 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Colby pleaded guilty to this charge on January 31, 2025.

    In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Marathon County area. Colby was identified as a facilitator for the group.

    Following a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine involving other co-defendants in March and April 2024, task force officers executed a search warrant a residence that Colby shared with co-defendant Joshua Lake. Officers found approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of cocaine, 2 rifles, over $24,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search.

    Further investigation revealed that between January 22, 2024, and April 15, 2024, Colby assisted in the distribution of approximately 23 kilograms of methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine. Colby assisted by picking up and delivering bulk shipments of drugs – at times on her own, as well as making payments to the cartel-connected sources of supply. In addition, Colby admitted to having her own drug customers.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley weighed the severity of Colby’s conduct, including the large quantities of drugs involved and her active role in the conspiracy, against her lack of a prior criminal record and her extraordinary conduct while on pretrial release.

    Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking conspiracy. Mercadys Perkins was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 6 years in federal prison on April 17, 2025. Dustin Brunker was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 7 years in federal prison on April 24, 2025. Joshua Lake has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2025.

    The charge against Colby was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Idaho Falls Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    POCATELLO – Andrew Clifford Meyer, 36, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. 

    According to court records, on August 18, 2023, officers contacted Meyer in the Fort Hall Casino parking lot, after receiving reports of a fight.  After locating Meyer’s car, officers observed fentanyl pills through a window.  Officers subsequently searched Meyer’s car and found approximately 12,000 fentanyl pills and a large quantity of cash.  Meyer told officers the pills came from Arizona and admitted to selling fentanyl.

    Meyer pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on September 19, 2024.  Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Meyer to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. 

    Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fort Hall Police Department and the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: California man sentenced to 10 years for sexual exploitation of a minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for enticing a 12-year-old minor from Prince William County to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

    Cash Taylor Dalton, 30, of Morro Bay, California, pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2025, to enticement of a minor. According to court documents, FBI agents began investigating Dalton after the victim’s parents discovered communications on their daughter’s cellphone between her and Dalton. The investigation revealed that Dalton and the victim had been communicating for approximately three months, and that he sent her sexually explicit images of himself and graphic sexual messages via text and email, including directing her to engage in sexual activity. In November 2024, FBI agents searched Dalton’s home and recovered evidence of Dalton’s communications with the victim, as well as with three other minors who were under the age of 16.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano for the Eastern District of Virginia Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.

    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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1: 24-CR-227.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: California Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    A California man was sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia today to 10 years in prison and 30 years supervised release for enticing a 12-year-old child from Prince William County to engage in unlawful sexual activity. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.

    Cash Taylor Dalton, 30, of Morro Bay, California, pleaded guilty on Jan. 16 to enticement of a minor. According to court documents, FBI agents began investigating Dalton after the child victim’s parents discovered communications on their daughter’s cellphone between their daughter and Dalton. The investigation revealed that Dalton and the victim had been communicating for approximately three months, and that he had sent her sexually explicit images of himself and extremely graphic sexual messages via text and email, including messages directing her to engage in sexual activity and directing her to record herself engaging in sexual activity and send those recordings to him. Dalton and the victim also discussed meeting in person in order to have sex. In November 2024, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Dalton’s home and recovered evidence of Dalton’s communications with the victim, as well as with three other children who were under the age of 16.

    Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Azusa Man Charged in Federal Grand Jury Indictment with Committing Abusive Sexual Contact on Florida-to-LAX Flight

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a San Gabriel Valley man with a federal criminal charge alleging he inappropriately slapped a flight attendant’s buttocks on a Los Angeles-bound flight last month.

    Dennis Wally Woodbury, 49, of Azusa, is charged with one count of abusive sexual contact within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of two years in federal prison.

    Woodbury, who made his initial federal court appearance last month and is free on $50,000 bond, is scheduled to be arraigned on May 12 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

    According to court documents previously filed in this case, on April 13, Woodbury – a former California Highway Patrol captain who had been dismissed from state service – was a passenger on a JetBlue Airways flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

    Before the flight left the gate, Woodbury engaged in inappropriate conduct with two flight attendants, both of whom were male. For example, Woodbury showed one of the flight attendants a photograph of a dog. The picture contained pornographic imagery in the background. Woodbury later told one of the flight attendants that he should go on a cruise with him then made a crude hand gesture.

    Just after meal service and while the plane was still in the air, the second flight attendant collected passengers’ meal trays and walked past Woodbury. Woodbury, who had been drinking heavily, then used his left hand to slap the victim’s buttocks. Woodbury then yelled that he loved him.

    Later during the flight, the first flight attendant was in the plane’s front galley when Woodbury entered. Woodbury allegedly then pulled down his trousers and underwear, exposing his genitalia. The first flight attendant told Woodbury that his behavior was inappropriate. Soon afterward, Woodbury asked him for wine, a request that was denied. When Woodbury again pulled down his trousers and underwear, the flight attendant said, “Enough, go back to your seat.”

    During later interviews with law enforcement, the flight attendants confirmed that neither of them consented to Woodbury’s behavior.

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

    The FBI and the Los Angeles Airport Police are investigating this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorney William M. Larsen of the Criminal Appeals Section is prosecuting this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Assault on Baltimore Cruise Ship

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Jalen Thomas Kelley, 22, of Abingdon, Maryland, to 20 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. On December 12, 2024, after a two-week trial, a federal jury convicted Kelley of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and assault.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

    According to the evidence presented at trial, between January 1 and January 2, 2023, Kelley forcibly raped and assaulted Victim 1 aboard the Carnival Legend. The cruise vessel was scheduled to return to Baltimore on January 2. In addition to the charged offenses, during trial, prosecutors presented testimony from six other individuals who alleged Kelley sexually assaulted them on separate occasions.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation, and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office; Harford County Sherriff’s Office; Union County, North Carolina, District Attorney’s Office; Wingate University Campus Safety; Wingate, North Carolina Police Department; and Wingate Police Department for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who prosecuted the federal case.

    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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Click the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page to learn about Internet safety education.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Yemeni Man Charged in Federal Indictment Alleging He Sent ‘Black Kingdom’ Malware to Extort Businesses, Schools, and Medical Clinics

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Yemeni national was charged today in a three-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he deployed the so-called “Black Kingdom” ransomware against computer servers owned organizations worldwide, including businesses, schools, and hospitals in the United States, including a medical billing services company in the San Fernando Valley.

    Rami Khaled Ahmed, 36, a.k.a. “Black Kingdom,” of Sana’a, Yemen, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of intentional damage to a protected computer, and one count of threatening damage to a protected computer. He is believed to be residing in Yemen.

    According to the indictment, from March 2021 to June 2023, Ahmed and others infected computer networks of several U.S.-based victims, including a medical billing services company in Encino, a ski resort in Oregon, a school district in Pennsylvania, and a health clinic in Wisconsin. Ahmed developed and deployed Black Kingdom ransomware to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange.

    The ransomware either encrypted data from victims’ computer networks or claimed to take that data from the networks. When the malware was successful, the ransomware then created a ransom note on the victim’s system that directed the victim to send $10,000 worth of Bitcoin to a cryptocurrency address controlled by a co-conspirator and to send proof of this payment to a Black Kingdom email address.

    During the conspiracy, the Black Kingdom conspirators caused the transmission of the Black Kingdom malware to approximately 1,500 computer systems in the United States and elsewhere.

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

    If convicted, Ahmed would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.

    The FBI is investigating this matter with assistance from the New Zealand Police.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Angela C. Makabali and Alexander Gorin of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

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