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Category: Federal Bureau of Investigation

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fast Flux: A National Security Threat

    News In Brief – Source: US Computer Emergency Readiness Team

    Executive summary

    Many networks have a gap in their defenses for detecting and blocking a malicious technique known as “fast flux.” This technique poses a significant threat to national security, enabling malicious cyber actors to consistently evade detection. Malicious cyber actors, including cybercriminals and nation-state actors, use fast flux to obfuscate the locations of malicious servers by rapidly changing Domain Name System (DNS) records. Additionally, they can create resilient, highly available command and control (C2) infrastructure, concealing their subsequent malicious operations. This resilient and fast changing infrastructure makes tracking and blocking malicious activities that use fast flux more difficult. 

    The National Security Agency (NSA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), and New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ) are releasing this joint cybersecurity advisory (CSA) to warn organizations, Internet service providers (ISPs), and cybersecurity service providers of the ongoing threat of fast flux enabled malicious activities as a defensive gap in many networks. This advisory is meant to encourage service providers, especially Protective DNS (PDNS) providers, to help mitigate this threat by taking proactive steps to develop accurate, reliable, and timely fast flux detection analytics and blocking capabilities for their customers. This CSA also provides guidance on detecting and mitigating elements of malicious fast flux by adopting a multi-layered approach that combines DNS analysis, network monitoring, and threat intelligence. 

    The authoring agencies recommend all stakeholders—government and providers—collaborate to develop and implement scalable solutions to close this ongoing gap in network defenses against malicious fast flux activity.

    Download the PDF version of this report: Fast Flux: A National Security Threat (PDF, 841 KB).

    Technical details

    When malicious cyber actors compromise devices and networks, the malware they use needs to “call home” to send status updates and receive further instructions. To decrease the risk of detection by network defenders, malicious cyber actors use dynamic resolution techniques, such as fast flux, so their communications are less likely to be detected as malicious and blocked. 

    Fast flux refers to a domain-based technique that is characterized by rapidly changing the DNS records (e.g., IP addresses) associated with a single domain [T1568.001]. 

    Single and double flux

    Malicious cyber actors use two common variants of fast flux to perform operations:

    1. Single flux: A single domain name is linked to numerous IP addresses, which are frequently rotated in DNS responses. This setup ensures that if one IP address is blocked or taken down, the domain remains accessible through the other IP addresses. See Figure 1 as an example to illustrate this technique.

    Figure 1: Single flux technique.

    Note: This behavior can also be used for legitimate purposes for performance reasons in dynamic hosting environments, such as in content delivery networks and load balancers.

    2. Double flux: In addition to rapidly changing the IP addresses as in single flux, the DNS name servers responsible for resolving the domain also change frequently. This provides an additional layer of redundancy and anonymity for malicious domains. Double flux techniques have been observed using both Name Server (NS) and Canonical Name (CNAME) DNS records. See Figure 2 as an example to illustrate this technique.

    Figure 2: Double flux technique. 

    Both techniques leverage a large number of compromised hosts, usually as a botnet from across the Internet that acts as proxies or relay points, making it difficult for network defenders to identify the malicious traffic and block or perform legal enforcement takedowns of the malicious infrastructure. Numerous malicious cyber actors have been reported using the fast flux technique to hide C2 channels and remain operational. Examples include:

    • Bulletproof hosting (BPH) services offer Internet hosting that disregards or evades law enforcement requests and abuse notices. These providers host malicious content and activities while providing anonymity for malicious cyber actors. Some BPH companies also provide fast flux services, which help malicious cyber actors maintain connectivity and improve the reliability of their malicious infrastructure. [1]
    • Fast flux has been used in Hive and Nefilim ransomware attacks. [3], [4]
    • Gamaredon uses fast flux to limit the effectiveness of IP blocking. [5], [6], [7]

    The key advantages of fast flux networks for malicious cyber actors include:

    • Increased resilience. As a fast flux network rapidly rotates through botnet devices, it is difficult for law enforcement or abuse notifications to process the changes quickly and disrupt their services.
    • Render IP blocking ineffective. The rapid turnover of IP addresses renders IP blocking irrelevant since each IP address is no longer in use by the time it is blocked. This allows criminals to maintain resilient operations.
    • Anonymity. Investigators face challenges in tracing malicious content back to the source through fast flux networks. This is because malicious cyber actors’ C2 botnets are constantly changing the associated IP addresses throughout the investigation.

    Additional malicious uses

    Fast flux is not only used for maintaining C2 communications, it also can play a significant role in phishing campaigns to make social engineering websites harder to block or take down. Phishing is often the first step in a larger and more complex cyber compromise. Phishing is typically used to trick victims into revealing sensitive information (such as login passwords, credit card numbers, and personal data), but can also be used to distribute malware or exploit system vulnerabilities. Similarly, fast flux is used for maintaining high availability for cybercriminal forums and marketplaces, making them resilient against law enforcement takedown efforts. 

    Some BPH providers promote fast flux as a service differentiator that increases the effectiveness of their clients’ malicious activities. For example, one BPH provider posted on a dark web forum that it protects clients from being added to Spamhaus blocklists by easily enabling the fast flux capability through the service management panel (See Figure 3). A customer just needs to add a “dummy server interface,” which redirects incoming queries to the host server automatically. By doing so, only the dummy server interfaces are reported for abuse and added to the Spamhaus blocklist, while the servers of the BPH customers remain “clean” and unblocked. 

    Figure 3: Example dark web fast flux advertisement.

    The BPH provider further explained that numerous malicious activities beyond C2, including botnet managers, fake shops, credential stealers, viruses, spam mailers, and others, could use fast flux to avoid identification and blocking. 

    As another example, a BPH provider that offers fast flux as a service advertised that it automatically updates name servers to prevent the blocking of customer domains. Additionally, this provider further promoted its use of separate pools of IP addresses for each customer, offering globally dispersed domain registrations for increased reliability.

    Detection techniques

    The authoring agencies recommend that ISPs and cybersecurity service providers, especially PDNS providers, implement a multi-layered approach, in coordination with customers, using the following techniques to aid in detecting fast flux activity [CISA CPG 3.A]. However, quickly detecting malicious fast flux activity and differentiating it from legitimate activity remains an ongoing challenge to developing accurate, reliable, and timely fast flux detection analytics. 

    1. Leverage threat intelligence feeds and reputation services to identify known fast flux domains and associated IP addresses, such as in boundary firewalls, DNS resolvers, and/or SIEM solutions.

    2. Implement anomaly detection systems for DNS query logs to identify domains exhibiting high entropy or IP diversity in DNS responses and frequent IP address rotations. Fast flux domains will frequently cycle though tens or hundreds of IP addresses per day.

    3. Analyze the time-to-live (TTL) values in DNS records. Fast flux domains often have unusually low TTL values. A typical fast flux domain may change its IP address every 3 to 5 minutes.

    4. Review DNS resolution for inconsistent geolocation. Malicious domains associated with fast flux typically generate high volumes of traffic with inconsistent IP-geolocation information.

    5. Use flow data to identify large-scale communications with numerous different IP addresses over short periods.

    6. Develop fast flux detection algorithms to identify anomalous traffic patterns that deviate from usual network DNS behavior.

    7. Monitor for signs of phishing activities, such as suspicious emails, websites, or links, and correlate these with fast flux activity. Fast flux may be used to rapidly spread phishing campaigns and to keep phishing websites online despite blocking attempts.

    8. Implement customer transparency and share information about detected fast flux activity, ensuring to alert customers promptly after confirmed presence of malicious activity.

    Mitigations

    All organizations

    To defend against fast flux, government and critical infrastructure organizations should coordinate with their Internet service providers, cybersecurity service providers, and/or their Protective DNS services to implement the following mitigations utilizing accurate, reliable, and timely fast flux detection analytics. 

    Note: Some legitimate activity, such as common content delivery network (CDN) behaviors, may look like malicious fast flux activity. Protective DNS services, service providers, and network defenders should make reasonable efforts, such as allowlisting expected CDN services, to avoid blocking or impeding legitimate content.

    1. DNS and IP blocking and sinkholing of malicious fast flux domains and IP addresses

    • Block access to domains identified as using fast flux through non-routable DNS responses or firewall rules.
    • Consider sinkholing the malicious domains, redirecting traffic from those domains to a controlled server to capture and analyze the traffic, helping to identify compromised hosts within the network.
    • Block IP addresses known to be associated with malicious fast flux networks.

    2. Reputational filtering of fast flux enabled malicious activity

    • Block traffic to and from domains or IP addresses with poor reputations, especially ones identified as participating in malicious fast flux activity.

    3. Enhanced monitoring and logging

    • Increase logging and monitoring of DNS traffic and network communications to identify new or ongoing fast flux activities.
    • Implement automated alerting mechanisms to respond swiftly to detected fast flux patterns.
    • Refer to ASD’s ACSC joint publication, Best practices for event logging and threat detection, for further logging recommendations.

    4. Collaborative defense and information sharing

    • Share detected fast flux indicators (e.g., domains, IP addresses) with trusted partners and threat intelligence communities to enhance collective defense efforts. Examples of indicator sharing initiatives include CISA’s Automated Indicator Sharing or sector-based Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) and ASD’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Sharing Platform (CTIS) in Australia.
    • Participate in public and private information-sharing programs to stay informed about emerging fast flux tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). Regular collaboration is particularly important because most malicious activity by these domains occurs within just a few days of their initial use; therefore, early discovery and information sharing by the cybersecurity community is crucial to minimizing such malicious activity. [8]

    5. Phishing awareness and training

    • Implement employee awareness and training programs to help personnel identify and respond appropriately to phishing attempts.
    • Develop policies and procedures to manage and contain phishing incidents, particularly those facilitated by fast flux networks.
    • For more information on mitigating phishing, see joint Phishing Guidance: Stopping the Attack Cycle at Phase One.

    Network defenders

    The authoring agencies encourage organizations to use cybersecurity and PDNS services that detect and block fast flux. By leveraging providers that detect fast flux and implement capabilities for DNS and IP blocking, sinkholing, reputational filtering, enhanced monitoring, logging, and collaborative defense of malicious fast flux domains and IP addresses, organizations can mitigate many risks associated with fast flux and maintain a more secure environment. 

    However, some PDNS providers may not detect and block malicious fast flux activities. Organizations should not assume that their PDNS providers block malicious fast flux activity automatically and should contact their PDNS providers to validate coverage of this specific cyber threat. 

    For more information on PDNS services, see the 2021 joint cybersecurity information sheet from NSA and CISA about Selecting a Protective DNS Service. [9] In addition, NSA offers no-cost cybersecurity services to Defense Industrial Base (DIB) companies, including a PDNS service. For more information, see NSA’s DIB Cybersecurity Services and factsheet. CISA also offers a Protective DNS service for federal civilian executive branch (FCEB) agencies. See CISA’s Protective Domain Name System Resolver page and factsheet for more information. 

    Conclusion

    Fast flux represents a persistent threat to network security, leveraging rapidly changing infrastructure to obfuscate malicious activity. By implementing robust detection and mitigation strategies, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of compromise by fast flux-enabled threats. 

    The authoring agencies strongly recommend organizations engage their cybersecurity providers on developing a multi-layered approach to detect and mitigate malicious fast flux operations. Utilizing services that detect and block fast flux enabled malicious cyber activity can significantly bolster an organization’s cyber defenses. 

    Works cited

    [1] Intel471. Bulletproof Hosting: A Critical Cybercriminal Service. 2024. https://intel471.com/blog/bulletproof-hosting-a-critical-cybercriminal-service 

    [2] Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre. “Bulletproof” hosting providers: Cracks in the armour of cybercriminal infrastructure. 2025. https://www.cyber.gov.au/about-us/view-all-content/publications/bulletproof-hosting-providers 

    [3] Logpoint. A Comprehensive guide to Detect Ransomware. 2023. https://www.logpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/logpoint-a-comprehensive-guide-to-detect-ransomware.pdf

    [4] Trendmicro. Modern Ransomware’s Double Extortion Tactic’s and How to Protect Enterprises Against Them. 2021. https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/news/cybercrime-and-digital-threats/modern-ransomwares-double-extortion-tactics-and-how-to-protect-enterprises-against-them

    [5] Unit 42. Russia’s Trident Ursa (aka Gamaredon APT) Cyber Conflict Operations Unwavering Since Invasion of Ukraine. 2022. https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/trident-ursa/

    [6] Recorded Future. BlueAlpha Abuses Cloudflare Tunneling Service for GammaDrop Staging Infrastructure. 2024. https://www.recordedfuture.com/research/bluealpha-abuses-cloudflare-tunneling-service 

    [7] Silent Push. ‘From Russia with a 71’: Uncovering Gamaredon’s fast flux infrastructure. New apex domains and ASN/IP diversity patterns discovered. 2023. https://www.silentpush.com/blog/from-russia-with-a-71/

    [8] DNS Filter. Security Categories You Should be Blocking (But Probably Aren’t). 2023. https://www.dnsfilter.com/blog/security-categories-you-should-be-blocking-but-probably-arent

    [9] National Security Agency. Selecting a Protective DNS Service. 2021. https://media.defense.gov/2025/Mar/24/2003675043/-1/-1/0/CSI-SELECTING-A-PROTECTIVE-DNS-SERVICE-V1.3.PDF

    Disclaimer of endorsement

    The information and opinions contained in this document are provided “as is” and without any warranties or guarantees. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government, and this guidance shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

    Purpose

    This document was developed in furtherance of the authoring cybersecurity agencies’ missions, including their responsibilities to identify and disseminate threats, and develop and issue cybersecurity specifications and mitigations. This information may be shared broadly to reach all appropriate stakeholders.

    Contact

    National Security Agency (NSA):

    Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA):

    • All organizations should report incidents and anomalous activity to CISA via the agency’s Incident Reporting System, its 24/7 Operations Center at report@cisa.gov, or by calling 1-844-Say-CISA (1-844-729-2472). When available, please include the following information regarding the incident: date, time, and location of the incident; type of activity; number of people affected; type of equipment user for the activity; the name of the submitting company or organization; and a designated point of contact.

    Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):

    • To report suspicious or criminal activity related to information found in this advisory, contact your local FBI field office or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). When available, please include the following information regarding the incident: date, time, and location of the incident; type of activity; number of people affected; type of equipment used for the activity; the name of the submitting company or organization; and a designated point of contact.

    Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC):

    • For inquiries, visit ASD’s website at www.cyber.gov.au or call the Australian Cyber Security Hotline at 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371).

    Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS):

    New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ):

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NSA, CISA, FBI, and International Partners Release Cybersecurity Advisory on “Fast Flux,” a National Security Threat

    News In Brief – Source: US Computer Emergency Readiness Team

    Today, CISA—in partnership with the National Security Agency (NSA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), and New Zealand’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ)—released joint Cybersecurity Advisory Fast Flux: A National Security Threat (PDF, 841 KB). This advisory warns organizations, internet service providers (ISPs), and cybersecurity service providers of the ongoing threat of fast flux enabled malicious activities and provides guidance on detection and mitigations to safeguard critical infrastructure and national security.

    “Fast flux” is a technique used to obfuscate the locations of malicious servers through rapidly changing Domain Name System (DNS) records associated with a single domain name. This threat exploits a gap commonly found in network defenses, making the tracking and blocking of malicious fast flux activities difficult.

    The authoring agencies strongly recommend adopting a multi-layered approach to detection and mitigation to reduce risk of compromise by fast flux-enabled threats. Service providers, especially Protective DNS providers (PDNS), should track, share information about, and block fast flux as part of their provided cybersecurity services. Government and critical infrastructure organizations should close this ongoing gap in network defenses by using cybersecurity and PDNS services that block malicious fast flux activity.

    For more information on PDNS services, see Selecting a Protective DNS Service.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kamlager-Dove Holds First Hearing as Top Democrat on House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, Calls out Republican Hypocrisy on Free Speech

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, delivered opening remarks at the inaugural Subcommittee on South and Central Asia hearing, which ignored pressing bipartisan national security issues to instead repeat Republicans’ false claims of right-wing censorship.

    Watch the full video here.

     

    Below are Ranking Member Kamlager-Dove’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at today’s subcommittee hearing:

    Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to our witnesses for being here for our first South and Central Asia Subcommittee hearing. I look forward to working with the Chair in a bipartisan way on the critical issues we are charged with overseeing.

    Unfortunately, we’re not having a hearing about any of those. Instead, this Subcommittee is wasting taxpayer time and resources on the fifth such hearing Republicans have held across multiple committees on the so-called “censorship-industrial complex.”

    The majority is relitigating a made-up conspiracy theory about a part of the State Department that no longer exists to distract from the dumpster fire foreign policy this Administration is pursuing—and elevating a serial sexual harasser as their star witness in the process.

    Mr. Chair, I request unanimous consent to enter into the record two articles about the Republican witness Matt Taibbi: A Chicago Reader article titled, “Twenty years ago, in Moscow, Matt Taibbi was a misogynist a–hole—and possibly worse,” and a Washington Post article titled, “The two expat bros who terrorized women correspondents in Moscow.”

    This hearing could not be more out of touch with the concerns of everyday Americans.

    People’s retirement savings are being decimated as Trump’s arbitrary tariffs tank the stock market.

    They are staring down the barrel of cuts to their Social Security and Medicare because the Republican majority wants to give a tax break to billionaires like Elon Musk who have deep financial ties to our adversaries.

    Meanwhile, Trump is siding with Putin against American national security interests and risking the lives of American troops in a Signal group chat.

    I’ve been to the State Department, and I do have concerns about censorship—censorship of the employees who are terrified to say the wrong thing or have the wrong word in their job title and be terminated by an Administration that publicly relishes punishing people for their speech.

    If we want to talk about censorship, we should begin with Trump’s unprecedented assault on the First Amendment and rule of law.

    Here a few examples that should send shivers down all our spines:

    Trump banned the Associated Press from the Oval Office and Air Force One because they kept using the name “Gulf of Mexico”, something that none of us would have hesitated to do until a few months ago.

    Trump signed executive orders targeting law firms for representing clients that opposed or investigated him—upending the fundamental principle that lawyers should not fear to represent their clients.

    And most terrifying, Trump ordered ICE agents to arrest and detain Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder, and snatch off the street a Tufts University student and visa holder, Rumeysa Ozturk, for protesting and writing an op-ed—for exercising their right to free speech.

    As you can see, Trump is brazenly weaponizing the government to intimidate and silence any part of American society that disagrees with him.

    Countering disinformation from hostile foreign powers should not be a partisan issue. Yet this Administration has crippled our capacity to respond to these threats while aiding, abetting—even amplifying—our adversaries’ influence operations.

    The PRC has invested billions in pumping out propaganda, weaponizing the world’s largest known online disinformation operation to silence critics, discredit lawmakers, and harass U.S. companies who are at odds with China’s interests.

    Russia maintains a sophisticated and sprawling disinformation apparatus to manipulate American public sentiment to Putin’s advantage–even paying conservative influencers to create and amplify pro-Kremlin content.

    How has Trump confronted these threats?

    He shut down independent media broadcasters like USAGM and Radio Free Asia, a move that was actually celebrated in Chinese state media.

    He dismantled the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which his own Administration first created in 2017 to uncover foreign disinformation and propaganda targeting Americans.

    He even appointed a white nationalist named Darren Beattie, who has parroted Kremlin and CCP talking points and denied the PRC’s ongoing Uyghur genocide, to the State Department’s top public diplomacy job.

    Mr. Chair, I request unanimous consent to enter into the record my letter urging Secretary Rubio to fire Darren Beattie for his dangerous anti-American, pro-CCP, white nationalist ideology.

    Countering foreign propaganda has become politicized not because of censorship concerns, but because of conspiracy theories, in some cases spread by the majority witnesses at this very hearing. And now the most egregious disinformation spreader is sitting in the White House.

    We should be exploring real bipartisan solutions to this pressing national security issue on behalf of the American people, not perpetuating culture war divisions.

    Thank you Mr. Chair and I yield back.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona to Receive Additional Resources From Justice Department to Investigate Unresolved Violent Crimes

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

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Justice Department today announced that it will boost FBI assets across the country over the next six months to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country through Operation Not Forgotten.

    The FBI will send a total of 60 personnel, rotating in temporary duty assignments over a six-month period to select FBI field offices across the United States, including Arizona. Operation Not Forgotten is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. The detailed FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. FBI Phoenix will receive 11 agents on a rotating basis over the next six months, who will be spread across offices in Arizona.

    FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and will work in partnership with Tribal law enforcement agencies across the country.

    “Protection of the public is one of the key responsibilities of the Department of Justice. Here in Arizona, the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI have a special trust relationship with the 22 federally recognized tribes in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Operation Not Forgotten reflects the continued commitment of the federal government to pursue justice for crime victims in all Native American communities.”

    “Our FBI personnel and Safe Trails Task Forces work closely every single day with our law enforcement partners to investigate crimes of violence throughout the many tribal territories in Arizona,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “We are responsible for investigating the most serious crimes in Indian Country and this initiative will provide much needed additional resources to help us better serve those same communities by assisting victims and bringing criminals to justice.”

    “Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

    “The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.

    Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.

    Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.

    Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.

    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-046_Operation Not Forgotten

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Fatal Fentanyl Overdose

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

    BEAUMONT, Texas – An Orange, Texas man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his role in a fatal fentanyl overdose in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Lawrence Duguett Hardin, Jr., 39, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on April 1, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on August 17, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to an overdose death in Humble, Texas.  Autopsy results determined the victim died due to the toxic effects of fentanyl.  An investigation determined Hardin to be responsible for supplying the fentanyl that led to the individual’s death.  A search warrant was executed at Hardin’s residence in Orange and a substance containing fentanyl and weighing 365.2 grams was discovered.

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a Public Safety Alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.  The Public Safety Alert coincides with the launch of DEA’s One Pill Can Kill Public Awareness Campaign to educate the public of the dangers of counterfeit pills and urges all Americans to take only medications prescribed by a medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in fake pills that are mass-produced by criminal drug networks in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate prescription pills, and are killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate. For more information, please visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; Orange Police Department; Houston Police Department; West Orange Police Department; Bridge City Police Department; Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct 4; Jefferson County Crime Laboratory; and Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Lee and Rachel Grove.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Centralia Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Possessing Firearms as a Felon

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

    EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Centralia man to 125 months in federal prison for possessing three firearms as a convicted felon in three separate incidents with police.

    Lamar R. Bennett, 33, pleaded guilty in July to three counts of felon in possession of a firearm.

    “Three brushes with the law by one defiant felon—this sentence of more than a decade in federal prison sends a strong message that repeat offenders who defy the law can expect to face certain justice in the federal system,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.

    According to court documents, Bennett was convicted as a felon in possession of a firearm in Marion County Circuit Court in 2020, further barring him from legally possessing firearms.

    Bennett was the driver of a vehicle in a single-car crash in Washington County on April 21, 2023. Following the accident, Bennett placed a Smith and Wesson 9-millimeter pistol behind a concrete barrier on the side of the highway. Law enforcement recovered the firearm.

    On Oct. 14, 2023, emergency personnel and law enforcement responded to Bennett’s residence in Jefferson County. Officers observed a Glock 43X pistol in his sweatshirt and recovered the firearm.

    On November 23, 2023, law enforcement tried to conduct a traffic stop on Bennett’s vehicle in Marion County, but he fled. Ultimately, Bennett was apprehended and law enforcement recovered one Ruger SR9C pistol from him.

    “This investigation and sentencing are a direct result of FBI Springfield Field Office’s dedication to disrupting and dismantling violent threats in our territory,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “This sentencing is a direct warning to those who continue criminal activity in our area.”

    Following imprisonment, Bennett will serve three years of supervised release.

    The FBI Springfield Field Office, Centralia Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Hudson prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of International Ponzi Scheme Targeting Indonesian-American Community Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Defrauded Hundreds of Victims in Three Countries and More than 30 States Who Invested More than $24.5 Million in Sham Loan Programs

    Earlier today, at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Francius Marganda was sentenced by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry to 18 years’ imprisonment for running a $24.5 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of predominantly Indonesian and Indo-American victim investors. Marganda, an Indonesian national, led the scheme until it unraveled in 2021 and he fled the United States.  Marganda was extradited to the United States from Singapore in November 2023 and pleaded guilty to securities fraud in July 2024. As part of his sentence, Marganda was ordered to pay $8.5 million in restitution and $7.5 million in forfeiture.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the sentence.

    “Marganda’s attempt to evade justice by fleeing halfway across the world to hide in fancy hotels was futile, as he found out today in a federal courtroom in Brooklyn,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “No matter how far defendants may flee, this Office and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to make sure they are brought to justice.  It is my hope that this prosecution will bring some measure of relief to the victims of Marganda’s fraud, who trusted him with their life savings because of their shared nationality and were cruelly exploited by him.”

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, particularly the DOJ Attachés based in Manila and Bangkok; law enforcement partners at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore, including the FBI’s Legal Attaché, the HSI Attaché, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Overseas Criminal Investigations Office; and Singaporean authorities, particularly the Singapore Police Force and Attorney-General’s Chambers, for their assistance with Marganda’s arrest and extradition to the United States.  Mr. Durham also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, Fort Worth Regional Office; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York; the Federal Trade Commission; the New York State Attorney General’s Office; the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New York County District Attorney’s Office; the Queens County District Attorney’s Office; the New York City Police Department; the Westford Police Department, Westford, Massachusetts; the Richfield Police Department, Richfield, Minnesota; and the Lexington Police Department, Lexington, South Carolina, for their assistance in this matter.

    Francius Marganda financially crippled hundreds of victims after collectively stealing millions of dollars to fund his personal lifestyle,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “The defendant enticed prospective investors across the globe with empty promises of guaranteed returns from his illegitimate companies, and subsequently created an alias to flee the country when his web of lies unraveled. The FBI will continue to pursue any individual who exploits others through fraudulent means, regardless of where they may hide.”

    HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso stated: “Francius Marganda’s heartless scheme caused irreparable emotional, psychological, and in some cases even physical damage to many of his more than 200 victims. Marganda swindled the innocent, well-meaning public out of over $23 million, and then fled the country as his shameless conspiracy crumbled. Marganda left hardworking families without money they desperately needed for crucial, life-altering expenses — among them, cancer treatments, medical procedures, and college tuition — and with no opportunities to recoup their lost savings. While no amount of prison time can make up for the irreversible pain Marganda and his co-conspirators have caused, we are thankful to the special agents and officers from HSI’s El Dorado Task Force, together with the FBI and the Eastern District of New York, for securing whatever justice possible on behalf of his victims.”   

    From May 2019 to May 2021, while residing in New York after overstaying his visa, Marganda orchestrated a scheme to defraud investors by soliciting investments in two sham programs called Easy Transfer and Global Transfer, which Marganda and his co-conspirators falsely represented were short-term, high-interest loan programs in which investors would earn passive income.  Marganda and his co-conspirators promised rates of return as high as 200% or more.  On a near-daily basis, multiple investors were deceived into signing investment contracts.   

    Marganda and his co-conspirators misappropriated the invested funds for their own benefit, including by buying real estate and luxury goods, and paying off credit card bills.  They also laundered proceeds into their bank accounts.  As an example, more than $3.8 million in scheme proceeds was transferred into just one of Marganda’s personal accounts over the course of 11 months, and more than $264,000 in proceeds in the account was used to pay off his credit card bills.

    The Ponzi scheme ultimately collapsed in May 2021, when Marganda and his co-conspirators stopped making payments to investors.  Marganda fled the United States, obtained an Indonesian passport under a fake name, and used the scheme funds to pay for lavish stays in luxury hotels around the world, including in France, the Maldives, Nepal, and Thailand, until he was apprehended abroad and extradited to the Eastern District of New York.

    To date, 237 victims, ranging in age from 24 to 84, have identified losses of more than $24.5 million because of the defendant’s scheme.  The victims reside in the District of Columbia and at least 31 states, including New York, as well as in Indonesia and Malaysia.  Many of the victims had limited means and had pooled their resources with relatives and friends to make investments in U.S. dollars and Indonesian rupiah.

    Judge Irizarry considered statements prepared by dozens of victims in connection with the sentencing hearing held earlier today.  Many reported that, as a result of the defendant’s conduct, they declared bankruptcy or lost nearly all of their savings.  Because of the financial loss, one victim struggled to pay for a family member’s chemotherapy, while another struggled to pay for medical expenses associated with a family member’s Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis.  One victim lacked the funds to travel and pay respects after both of the victim’s parents died.    Multiple victims suffered other serious losses and hardships.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Victor Zapana and Laura Zuckerwise are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kavya Kannan.

    The Defendant:

    FRANCIUS MARGANDA
    Age:  42
    Jakarta, Indonesia and formerly of Queens, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-481 (DLI)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Indictment Unsealed Charging Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme at Prichard Water Board

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    According to the indictment unsealed today, Nia Bradley, 50, of Mobile, Alabama; Randy Burden, 47, of Prichard, Alabama; Steve Jones, 61, of Mobile, Alabama; Larry Knight, 35, of Mobile, Alabama; Dejuan Lamar, 47, of Mobile, Alabama; Ayanna Payton, 47, of Eight Mile, Alabama; and Stephanie Hunn, 49, of Mobile, Alabama, were charged with various federal crimes listed below.  Payton and Hunn previously pleaded guilty to all charges against them and are awaiting sentencing.  Their proceedings were sealed in light of the ongoing investigation which led to charges recently filed against Bradley, Burden, Jones, Knight, and Lamar.   Each of the defendants face potential sentences of decades in prison.

    The Grand Jury returned an indictment alleging the following scheme: starting as early as 2018 through 2022, the defendants bilked the Prichard Water Board of at least approximately $2.4 million dollars through a false and fraudulent contractor scheme involving outside contractors and employees and board members of the Prichard Water Board.  Approximately $960,000 of the money was illegally laundered, including through a business owned and operated by Bradley and Burden.  

    The Prichard Water Board provides water and sewer services to approximately 8,000 residential and 2,000 commercial clients and is funded by customer payments and also through a $55 million bond it secured in 2019.  The indictment alleges that the criminal scheme involved the creation of a fictitious business by Hunn and the creation of false invoices to justify unlawful payments to Hunn, Jones, Knight, and Lamar.  Bradley and Burden, who were employees of the Prichard Water Board, allegedly falsified payment authorizations and received kick-back payments and other benefits.

    Payton and another uncharged co-conspirator served on the board of the Prichard Water Board where they are alleged to have falsified payment authorizations and received kick-back payments and other benefits for their roles.  Several of the conspirators communicated through coded messages and destroyed evidence to attempt to avoid detection of the crimes, according to the indictment.   Bradley, Payton, Hunn, and Jones committed tax fraud to avoid revealing the criminal scheme and to avoid paying taxes to the United States.  Through its criminal cases, the United States is seeking money judgments in the amounts of approximately $2,459,279.39, $960,851.41, and $302,134.90, as well as the forfeiture of three real properties which were purchased using fraud proceeds and involved in the money laundering scheme.

    Nia Bradley is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Bank, and Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Defraud the United States (Taxes); Money Laundering Conspiracy; Wire Fraud; Bank Fraud; and related tax charges.

    Randy Burden is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Bank, and Wire Fraud; Money Laundering Conspiracy; and Bank Fraud.

    Steve Jones is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Bank, and Wire Fraud; Money Laundering Conspiracy; Bank Fraud; and filing false tax returns.

    Larry Knight and Dejuan Lamar are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Bank, and Wire Fraud and Bank Fraud.

    Ayanna Payton and Stephanie Hunn have pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Bank, and Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Defraud the United States (Taxes); Wire Fraud; Bank Fraud; and False Tax Filings and both women are awaiting sentencing.

    “The taxpayers of the Southern District of Alabama deserve to be able to rely on competent, honest public servants,” said United States Attorney Sean P. Costello. “This indictment is the result of careful, thorough, and meticulous investigation. Together with our partners in law enforcement, we will continue our efforts to protect the taxpayers and hold accountable thieves who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of our community.”

    “Fraud and theft by government employees from the very people they are put in place to serve will not be tolerated,” said FBI Mobile Division Supervisory Special Agent Parker Still.  “This investigation is another example of law enforcement cooperation between federal, state and local entities to ensure people have trust in their public works.”

    “Corrupt public officials waste government resources and diminish the trust citizens place in their government to provide the essential services they expect,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue investigating and forwarding for prosecution those who disregard the public trust by misusing taxpayers’ funds to enrich themselves and their coconspirators.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains steadfast in our commitment to protect the nation’s mail system from illegal use,” said Shameka Jackson, Acting Postal Inspector in Charge of the Houston Division. “With the collaborative investigative efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, we will continue to work together to bring to justice those who abuse the trust given to them by the American people.”

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and United States Postal Inspection Service, investigated the case with assistance from the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Bishop Ravenel and Kasee S. Heisterhagen are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    An indictment or information is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Long Beach Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Smash-and-Grab Robbery of Jewelry Worth $2.6 Million

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

    LOS ANGELES – A Long Beach man was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for his role in a smash-and-grab robbery of a Beverly Hills jewelry store in 2022 in which more than $2.6 million in merchandise was stolen – and the proceeds of which he later displayed on his Instagram account.

    Ladell Tharpe, 39, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu, who also ordered him to pay $2,674,600 in restitution.  

    Tharpe pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act).

    “Brazen criminal action that directly targets our small businesses in Los Angeles County will not be tolerated,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “The consequences for such action are severe and penalized accordingly, and I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their exceptional and dutiful work during this investigation.”

    “Mr. Tharpe terrified his victims during this violent robbery carried out in broad daylight, then shamelessly boasted about it online,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our counterparts at local police departments to address violent crime and pursue justice at the federal level where appropriate.” 

    “The Beverly Hills Police Department is committed to protecting our community and ensuring justice,” said Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark G. Stainbrook. “We value our partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and appreciate the investigators who relentlessly pursued and prosecuted those responsible for this crime. As a reminder, crime will not be tolerated in Beverly Hills.” 

    In March 2022, Tharpe and his accomplices, Deshon Bell, 22, Jimmy Lee Vernon III, 33, both from Long Beach, as well as an unnamed minor drove three vehicles to a jewelry store in Beverly Hills and used sledgehammers and crow bars to break the glass surrounding the merchandise while employees and customers were present.

    One of the vehicles driven to the jewelry store had been reported stolen four days prior to the robbery and was left in front of the victim store.

    The thieves removed from the store’s display cases at least 19 bracelets, seven pairs of earrings, four necklaces, a pair of obelisks, eight rings, and 20 watches, all of which was valued at approximately $2,674,600. The robbers then returned to the car in which Bell was waiting and then fled the scene.

    Two days after the heist, Tharpe posted images of large amounts of cash on his Instagram with the text “Robbery Gang.”

    Tharpe has been in federal custody since March 2023.

    Bell and Vernon each pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Judge Wu sentenced Bell to one year and one day in federal prison in February 2024, as well as ordering him to pay $2,674,000 in restitution.

    Vernon, whose cellphone fell out of his sweatpants pocket during the conduct of the robbery and was recovered by investigators, was sentenced last month to 80 months in prison and was also ordered to repay $2,674,000 in restitution.

    The FBI and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Kevin B. Reidy of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former School Custodian Admits Possessing Child Pornography

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

    ST. LOUIS – A former high school custodian on Wednesday admitted possessing child sexual abuse material.

    Bernard Ray Mennemeier, 58, of O’Fallon, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography. Mennemeier admitted possessing both child pornography and child erotica.

    The investigation began on Jan. 2, 2024, after Mennemeier uploaded five videos containing child sexual abuse material to Dropbox. An FBI agent traced the Dropbox account to Mennemeier, and then conducted a court-approved search of the Dropbox account, and then Mennemeier’s home. In an interview at the O’Fallon Police Department, Mennemeier admitted messaging someone on Twitter who would sell him child sexual abuse material. Mennemeier said he purchased those materials “numerous” times, his plea agreement says.

    Mennemeier is scheduled to be sentenced July 9. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

    “This crime came to light thanks to a CyberTip reported to our partners at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Bernard Mennemeier thought he could anonymously obtain and possess child sexual abuse material,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division.  “When it comes to protecting children, the FBI is even more diligent in identifying, locating and arresting such perpetrators.”

    The FBI investigated the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Millbourne Borough Officials and One Former Official Plead Guilty to Election Fraud Offenses

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

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that MD Nurul Hasan, 48, MD Munsur Ali, 48, and MD Rafikul Islam, 52, all of Millbourne, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to election fraud offenses, at separate hearings before United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III.

    In February, the defendants were charged in a 33-count indictment with conspiracy to commit voter fraud, giving false information in registering to vote, and fraudulent voter registration, arising from their scheme, ultimately unsuccessful, to steal Millbourne Borough’s 2021 mayoral election for Hasan.

    Hasan, the vice president of the Millbourne Borough Council, pleaded guilty to all 33 charges against him — one count of conspiracy, 16 counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and 16 counts of fraudulent voter registration.

    Ali, a member of the Millbourne Borough Council, pleaded guilty to all 25 charges against him — one count of conspiracy, 12 counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and 12 counts of fraudulent voter registration.

    Islam, a former member of the Millbourne Borough Council, pleaded guilty to all seven charges against him — one count of conspiracy, three counts of giving false information in registering to vote, and three counts of fraudulent voter registration.

    As set forth in court filings, in 2021, Millbourne held elections for mayor, three seats on its borough council, and tax collector. Defendant Hasan entered the majority party’s primary election for mayor.

    The primary election was held on May 20, 2021, and Hasan was defeated in the primary by a vote count of approximately 138 to 120. In the same primary, Ali was one of three majority party candidates for borough council to advance to the general election, while Islam lost his bid for reelection to the council.

    After the primary, Hasan decided that he would run as a write-in candidate for mayor in the general election, which was scheduled for November 2, 2021. Ali and Islam agreed to support Hasan in his write-in campaign.

    As detailed in court documents and admitted by the defendants, in or about 2021, defendants Hasan, Ali, and Islam conspired and agreed with one another, and other persons known and unknown to the U.S. Attorney, to steal the 2021 general election for Mayor of Millbourne for defendant Hasan through a multi-step process, which included:

    (a) obtaining personal identification information of non-Millbourne residents, such as their names, addresses, and dates of birth;

    (b) using the personal identifying information to access the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s online voter registration (PAOVR) website and change the voter registration addresses for those non-Millbourne residents to locations within Millbourne;

    (c) using the PAOVR website to request that mail-in or absentee ballots for those non-Millbourne residents be sent to addresses accessible by one or more of the defendants;

    (d) retrieving the ballots from the Millbourne mailboxes;

    (e) impersonating the voters and fraudulently casting write-in votes for defendant Hasan to be mayor;

    (f) enclosing the fraudulently completed ballots in envelopes and forging the voters’ signatures on the envelopes; and

    (g) submitting the ballots in their envelopes to the Delaware County Board of Elections.

    The defendants admitted that, to further this conspiracy, they contacted friends and acquaintances whom Hasan and Ali knew did not live in Millbourne, told these non-Millbourne residents that Hasan was running for mayor in Millbourne, asked if they could register the non-Millbourne residents to vote in Millbourne, and then cast mail-in ballots for Hasan to be mayor.

    Hasan and Ali persuaded many of their non-Millbourne friends and acquaintances to provide them with personal identification information so that defendants Hasan and Ali could register them to vote in Millbourne. During many of these conversations, Hasan and Ali told their non-Millbourne friends and acquaintances that they would not get in trouble, as long as they did not vote in another election in November 2021.

    Hasan and Ali also conspired and agreed to use personal identifying information for other non-Millbourne residents, which the two defendants had obtained from other sources, such as Hasan’s business, to register those nonresidents as Millbourne voters without the knowledge of those non-residents.

    Hasan personally did almost all of the fraudulent voter registrations himself, using a computer at his place of business to access the PAOVR website and change the voting addresses for non-Millbourne residents to locations within Millbourne. Every time that Hasan accessed the PAOVR website to change a voter registration address, he provided an email address for the voter. Many times, Hasan provided one of four email addresses that he used and accessed.

    To divert suspicion from himself, however, Hasan sometimes provided email addresses belonging to other people, who knowingly and willfully permitted Hasan to use their email addresses to cover up Hasan’s actions. One of those people was Islam, who allowed Hasan to use two of Islam’s email addresses when Hasan fraudulently changed the voter registration addresses for six individuals. Islam also permitted Hasan to use two of Islam’s email addresses when requesting mail-in ballots for five non-Millbourne residents.

    In total, the defendants conspired to falsely register nearly three dozen non-Millbourne residents as Millbourne voters and cast ballots for those non-Millbourne residents in the 2021 general election for mayor of Millbourne Borough. Hasan went on to lose the election by a vote of approximately 165 to 138.

    “Protecting the integrity of our elections is crucial to ensuring a fair result, as well as the public’s continued trust in the process,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “That’s why these cases are a priority for my office and the FBI. Election fraud will not be tolerated in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.”

    “Trust in the electoral process is the cornerstone of our democracy. When public officials betray that trust through fraud, they don’t just break the law — they erode confidence in the very institutions that uphold our system,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI is proud to stand with our partners in safeguarding the integrity of elections at every level of government.”

    “This investigation exposed public officials who forgot that their role in a democracy is limited to accepting the voters’ choice. I applaud the hard work and partnership of the United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI and my Special Investigations Unit led by Deputy DA Doug Rhoads. This investigation serves as a reminder that my Office remains committed to election integrity, ensuring that everyone’s vote is counted equally,” said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.

    The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on June 18 and face maximum possible sentences of five years in prison for each of the charges to which they have pleaded guilty.

    The case was investigated by the FBI and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Ashland Man of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Distribution of Methamphetamine

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

    BILLINGS – A federal jury yesterday convicted an Ashland man of sexually abusing four women and distributing methamphetamine to two of them over a three-year period, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    After a two-day trial that began on March 31, the jury found the defendant, Stephen “Mutt” John Parker, 60, guilty of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Parker faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life on each charge of sexual abuse, in addition to a fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of five years to life. For each meth charge, Parker faces zero to 20 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, and at least 3 years of supervised release.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 31, 2025. Parker was detained pending further proceedings.

    “Parker preyed on women on the Northern Cheyenne reservation by plying some of them with drugs and alcohol, seeking to capitalize on their addiction to perpetrate violent sexual assaults. We are pleased with the jury’s verdict, which will help ensure the safety of women on the Northern Cheyenne community. I would like to thank the attorneys and staff in our office for their hard work on this case as well as the FBI agents who conducted the investigation.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.

    The government alleged at trial and in court documents that from 2018 to 2021, Parker sexually abused six women after providing them with alcohol and illegal drugs. During one instance in 2018, he gave a victim food and a place to stay. Parker also provided her with alcohol and methamphetamine. During a party at his house, Parker threatened the victim with a stick before sexually abusing her. On another occasion, Parker distributed meth to a different victim. After hitting her with an ax handle, Parker sexually assaulted her. In other instances, Parker physically assaulted the victims, including punching one victim in the face multiple times, prior to sexually abusing them.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Northern Cheyenne Criminal Investigation Services.

    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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Justice Department to Surge Resources to Indian County to Investigate Unresolved Violent Crimes

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

    Operation Not Forgotten Will Surge 60 FBI Personnel to 10 FBI Field Offices to Support Investigations of Indian Country Violent Crimes

    BILLINGS  — The Justice Department today announced that it will surge FBI assets across the country to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons.

    The FBI will send 60 personnel, rotating in 90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period. This operation is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oreg.; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. The FBI will work in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions.

    FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and they will use the latest forensic evidence processing tools to solve cases and hold perpetrators accountable. U.S. Attorney’s Offices will aggressively prosecute case referrals.

    “Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

    “The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.

    “We are very pleased that the FBI is dispatching additional resources to the Salt Lake City Division, which covers Montana, to assist our ongoing efforts to find missing indigenous persons and hold violent offenders accountable. I want to thank the agents already working on these cases in Montana from both the FBI and the BIA’s Missing and Murdered Unit. Together with the Tribal Community Response Plans facilitated by DOJ for each Montana reservation community and DOJ’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, this deployment will help address this critical problem.  Missing and murdered indigenous people will not be forgotten.” said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.

    Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.

    Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.

    Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Transnational Manager for Colombia’s Clan del Golfo Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Colombian national and lieutenant for Clan del Golfo (CDG) pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine destined for the United States.

    According to court documents, Fabian Edilson Torres Caranton, also known as David and Cassius, 53, served as a coordinator, intermediary, and lieutenant for the Bloque Roberto Vargas Gutierrez of CDG — a Colombian paramilitary and multibillion-dollar Transnational Criminal Organization. CDG is one of Colombia’s largest and most powerful drug cartels with its membership in the thousands. CDG’s primary source of income is from cocaine trafficking, which it uses to fund its paramilitary activities.

    According to court documents, in July 2018, Torres Caranton and an individual seeking to broker the purchase of cocaine on behalf of Mexican buyers, attended a meeting with another member of CDG at a ranch in or near Caucasia, Colombia. During the meeting, the other CDG member authorized the production of 500 kilograms of cocaine to be transported from Colombia into and through Central America for delivery to Mexican buyers for final delivery to the United States. Torres Caranton spent several days monitoring the cocaine production at a clandestine laboratory in Coralito, Colombia. Torres Caranton and his co-conspirators made two controlled deliveries of cocaine to an undercover officer: 191 kilograms on Sept. 16, 2018, in Valledupar, Colombia, and 172 kilograms on Oct. 16, 2018, in Cartagena, Colombia. Torres Caranton knew the purported Mexican buyers intended to distribute the cocaine in Houston, Texas.

    Torres Caranton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine for unlawful importation into the United States from Colombia. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogota worked with law enforcement partners in Colombia to secure the arrest and December 2023 extradition of Torres Caranton.

    Trial Attorney Douglas Meisel and Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Local Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Drug, Money Laundering Crimes

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

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local man and woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to drug and money laundering crimes related to assisting two Chillicothe brothers traffic drugs from Mexico and Arizona. 

    Todd Michael Fulkerson, 42, of Columbus, admitted to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

    In February 2024, Fulkerson traveled to Arizona at the request of Caleb Barillaro, 30, who was acquiring kilogram quantities of the drugs to resell through street-level drug dealers in Chillicothe and the surrounding areas. The men drove separate vehicles to Arizona, and Fulkerson accompanied Caleb on the trip to provide security. Fulkerson was recruited for this role based on his military experience.

    In Arizona, Caleb purchased two kilograms of fentanyl and five kilograms of cocaine for $94,000 in cash. Caleb put the drugs in a cooler and placed ice on top of the drugs to conceal them before putting the cooler in Fulkerson’s car.

    Law enforcement surveilled the two vehicles traveling in tandem back towards Ohio from Arizona.

    The two stopped at a gas station near the Indiana and Ohio border. Caleb discovered that the melting ice in the cooler had ruined some of the kilograms of drugs. He became upset and took the cooler to his car. Caleb feared he was being surveilled by law enforcement as he traveled from the gas station, and he discarded the drugs along the side of the road.

    Fulkerson faces up to 20 years in prison for his role in transporting the drugs.

    Lazae Lett, 24, of Chillicothe, admitted to laundering drug proceeds to Sinaloa, Mexico, to help Dillon Barillaro, 31, obtain more drugs through a source of supply there. She sent several approximately $2,000 money orders via Western Union money orders from Walmart and two Kroger locations in Chillicothe. 

    Dillon Barillaro provided the illicit money to Lett and instructed her on recipient names and payment amounts. Dillon Barillaro drove Lett to the Walmart and Kroger locations to conduct financial transactions in immediate succession.

    Lett faces up to 20 years in prison.

    The Barillaro brothers have each pleaded guilty to federal narcotics crimes punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison and await sentencing.

    Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Field Office; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Chillicothe Police Chief Ron Meyers announced the guilty pleas offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Damoun Delaviz are representing the United States in the related cases.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Shooting Incident

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from a violent shooting incident involving the illegal use of a firearm.

    According to court records, on the night of September 19, 2024, Devin Wade Wyaco shot John Doe (who was riding a bicycle) from the passenger side of his girlfriend’s vehicle, striking John Doe in the abdomen. Doe was transported to Zuni Hospital and later to the University of New Mexico Hospital for treatment. During an interview with investigators, John Doe identified the vehicle as belonging to Wyaco’s girlfriend. Doe survived the shooting.

    Police identified Wyaco, 34, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, as the shooter through statements from his girlfriend, who admitted being present during the incident and confirmed Wyaco’s involvement. A federal search warrant executed at her residence corroborated her account. In his plea agreement, Wyaco confessed that he fired at John Doe after becoming angry when one of the bicyclists threw a rock at the car. He also admitted that as a previously convicted felon—having prior convictions for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and aggravated fleeing from a law-enforcement officer—he knowingly possessed a firearm and ammunition in violation of federal law.

    Handgun recovered from Wyaco’s girlfriend’s home.

    Wyaco pled guilty to all three charges contained in the indictment, including assault with a dangerous weapon, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    At sentencing, Wyaco faces no less than 10 years and up to life in prison followed by up to five years of supervised release. Additionally, Wyaco faces up to $250,000 in fines.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: All Charged Money Launderers Tied to Nigerian Sextortion Scheme Plead Guilty

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

              GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that all five defendants charged with conspiring to launder proceeds for Nigerian sex extortionists have pleaded guilty.

    • Dinsimore Guyton Robinson, 29, of Huntsville, Alabama, pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025.
    • Kendall Ormond London, 32, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025.
    • Brian Keith Coldmon, Jr., 30, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, pleaded guilty on March 28, 2025.
    • Jarell Daivon Williams, 31, of McDonough, Georgia pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025.
    • Johnathan Demetrius Green, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025.

              According to the Indictment, the conspirators used online payment systems to collect sextortion proceeds and send them to a Nigerian individual they referred to as “The Plug.” According to the Indictment, the sextortionists had boys and young men create nude images. After the sextortionists received those images, they allegedly had the victims send funds to the U.S.-based money launderers through online payment systems like Apple Pay, Cash App, and Zelle. The money launderers would keep about 20 percent of the money, convert the rest to bitcoin, and send the bitcoin to The Plug in Nigeria, who kept a portion and then sent the remainder to the sextortionists.

              The indictment alleges that conspirators laundered the funds of sextortion victims, including Jordan DeMay.  In November 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan charged three Nigerian nationals in a sextortion scheme that resulted in the death of Jordan DeMay, a 17-year-old high school student from Marquette, Michigan, and targeted more than 100 other victims. Two of the three defendants in that case were extradited to the United States in August 2023 and pled guilty in April 2024 and were later sentenced.

              “These individuals helped and profited from this awful, heartbreaking scheme and so they now will face the consequences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Birge.  The conspiracy offense is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.  The court will decide the sentences upon consultation with federal sentencing guidelines and the individual circumstances.

              “These guilty pleas by the defendants serve as a strong reminder to anyone involved in sextortion or money laundering schemes,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Michigan Division. “I want to express my sincere gratitude to the dedicated members of our FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force, as well as teams from the Grand Rapids Resident Agency, Lansing Resident Agency, Marquette Resident Agency, FBI Birmingham (Huntsville Resident Agency), and FBI Atlanta for their tireless efforts. We also deeply appreciate our partners at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. The FBI remains committed to protecting the American public and will continue to prioritize dismantling criminal networks that exploit our most vulnerable citizens.”

    Safety Tips and Resources for Victims, Teens, and Parents

              The FBI provides the following tips on how people can protect themselves from sextortion schemes:

    • Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
    • Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
    • Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
    • Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and that person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
    • Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next.
    • Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. Being a victim of sextortion is not your fault. You can get through this challenge, even if it seems scary and overwhelming. There are people who want to help.

              If you have information about or believe you are a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at http://tips.fbi.gov. This FBI PSA and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children PSA share survivor stories and resources for individuals to get help. More FBI sextortion resources are available here.

              This case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru.

              The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Transnational Manager for Colombia’s Clan del Golfo Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Colombian national and lieutenant for Clan del Golfo (CDG) pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine destined for the United States.

    According to court documents, Fabian Edilson Torres Caranton, also known as David and Cassius, 53, served as a coordinator, intermediary, and lieutenant for the Bloque Roberto Vargas Gutierrez of CDG — a Colombian paramilitary and multibillion-dollar Transnational Criminal Organization. CDG is one of Colombia’s largest and most powerful drug cartels with its membership in the thousands. CDG’s primary source of income is from cocaine trafficking, which it uses to fund its paramilitary activities.

    According to court documents, in July 2018, Torres Caranton and an individual seeking to broker the purchase of cocaine on behalf of Mexican buyers, attended a meeting with another member of CDG at a ranch in or near Caucasia, Colombia. During the meeting, the other CDG member authorized the production of 500 kilograms of cocaine to be transported from Colombia into and through Central America for delivery to Mexican buyers for final delivery to the United States. Torres Caranton spent several days monitoring the cocaine production at a clandestine laboratory in Coralito, Colombia. Torres Caranton and his co-conspirators made two controlled deliveries of cocaine to an undercover officer: 191 kilograms on Sept. 16, 2018, in Valledupar, Colombia, and 172 kilograms on Oct. 16, 2018, in Cartagena, Colombia. Torres Caranton knew the purported Mexican buyers intended to distribute the cocaine in Houston, Texas.

    Torres Caranton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine for unlawful importation into the United States from Colombia. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogota worked with law enforcement partners in Colombia to secure the arrest and December 2023 extradition of Torres Caranton.

    Trial Attorney Douglas Meisel and Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Distribution Operation

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

    MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Charles Edward Scott, 31, of Damascus, Maryland, was sentenced to 156 months in prison for his leadership of a drug conspiracy that sold the drug “boot” in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott, also known as “Whop Whop,” led a group of people selling Eutylone, also known as “boot,” in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. Scott was storing large quantities of the drug and firearms in an apartment in Maryland, and with other known defendants, traveled to West Virginia to distribute. Scott has prior drug, firearms, and theft convictions.

    Scott will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. 

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Martinsburg Police Department; the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department; the Virginia State Police, Montgomery County; and Maryland State Attorney’s Office investigated.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

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

    Find the related cases here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/16-indicted-conspiracy-charges-boot-distribution-operation

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Chester County Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Meth

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. —Alexander Wright, 37, of Chester, has pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Chester County Sheriff’s Department began investigating Wright after complaints from his neighbors. The neighbors reported several cars coming to his home and staying for short periods of time and leaving. Law enforcement began watching the home and confirmed the reports from the neighbors.

    After confirming the information, the police used an informant to make several buys from Wright. On June 5, 2023, the informant contacted Wright to purchase methamphetamine. Under surveillance by the police, the informant went to Wright’s home and purchased 2 ounces of methamphetamine. The informant was instructed by Wright that the drugs were in the rear passenger door of a car parked in his yard and told the informant to leave the money in the car.   After the deal and still under surveillance, the informant returned to law enforcement. The drugs were recovered and were tested with a 96% purity rate for methamphetamine and weighed 56.42 grams.

    Wright faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.  He also faces a fine of up to $10 million, and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Wright after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Chester County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Cleveland City Council Member Sentenced to Prison

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

    CLEVELAND – Basheer Jones, 40, of Cleveland, Ohio, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison by U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese, after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud by using his role as a public official for personal financial gain by seeking to defraud multiple community stakeholders out of more than $200,000. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $143,598.47 in restitution to local nonprofits.

    According to court documents, from about December 2018 to June 2021, the former Cleveland city councilman for Ward 7 persuaded several local nonprofits to enter into arrangements that benefitted Jones and his romantic partner and co-conspirator. Jones sought and obtained funds from the nonprofits under the guise of working on projects to redevelop Ward 7. Throughout the scheme, he took steps to ensure that his personal connection to his romantic partner, through whom he benefited from these arrangements, was not discovered.

    “Mr. Jones used his position to dishonestly line his pockets with tens of thousands of dollars,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “He betrayed the city of Cleveland and its citizens, who elected him to serve as a leader in our community. With his deceptive actions, he also violated federal laws. Anyone who thinks they can use a public office to defraud nonprofits and obtain bribes will face consequences and pay the price for those decisions, and my office will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”

    The defendant’s schemes worked by convincing nonprofits to make payments toward projects they believed were for Ward 7 revitalization projects, including to buy real estate from purported third parties. Instead, the money went into bank accounts that his romantic partner controlled. Jones then instructed her to divert those funds to herself, to himself, and to others he chose.

    Jones also convinced a nonprofit to make payments to an entity controlled by his co-conspiring partner, all while knowing that the funds would flow back to himself. Jones recommended that the nonprofit should hire a consultant for community outreach. Unbeknownst to the nonprofit, the consultant was actually Jones’s romantic partner. She submitted invoices to the unsuspecting nonprofit and was subsequently paid through her consulting business.

    Jones later defrauded the same nonprofit out of an additional $50,000, again through his partner’s consulting business. Jones claimed that he needed $50,000 to plan a community event, which included buying backpacks for schoolchildren, and falsely promised that the city would reimburse the organization. Instead, after the funds were paid, no event was held, and Jones again directed his romantic partner to divide the money amongst herself, Jones, and others Jones chose.

    “Public corruption at any level of government will not be tolerated. Jones abused his position of trust for personal gain while scheming against the people he was elected to serve, including non-profit entities and well-meaning leaders,” said FBI Cleveland Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Johnston. “Elected officials who demonstrate a reckless disregard for violating the oath they swore to uphold is detestable. Today’s sentence underscores the FBIs commitment to ensuring that those who engage in fraud and corruption will be investigated and held accountable. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to root out corruption and ensure elected officials are serving with honesty, fairness, and integrity.”

    Some of the projects Jones pushed included seeking community funding to rehabilitate certain distressed properties while concealing his financial interest in them. In one instance, Jones devised a bribery scheme under which he arranged for co-conspirators, including his romantic partner, to acquire a dilapidated property on Superior Road, and used his position as councilperson to pass ordinances allocating city funds to buy that property from them. Jones arranged for a co-conspirator to buy the property a minimal cost. After asking a nonprofit to purchase and rehabilitate the property, and promising city funding, Jones sponsored an emergency ordinance to fund the nonprofit’s purchase and renovation of the property. When Jones was unable to convince the nonprofit to proceed, he arranged to transfer the property to his romantic partner’s consulting business, with the understanding that she would share the proceeds of the sale with him. After sponsoring another ordinance to reauthorize city funding for the same project, Jones sought to finalize the nonprofit’s purchase of the property from his partner’s entity for $80,000. Ultimately that scheme failed when the nonprofit decided not to proceed with the purchase.

    However, Jones and his romantic partner did succeed in obtaining funds for the sale of a different property to another nonprofit. He misled them to believe that he was assisting with the acquisition of the property from the original owner. Instead, he was simultaneously arranging for his partner to acquire the property from the original owner in the name of another business entity, and then immediately to resell it to the nonprofit. Jones and his romantic partner arranged to purchase the property for only $1, promising to pay a $40,500 city demolition bill. But without paying that bill or disclosing it, Jones’s romantic partner immediately re-sold the property to the nonprofit for $45,000.

    “Basheer Jones abused his position of trust by deliberately engaging in fraudulent schemes to divert HUD money – funds meant to improve the community— for his own personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement to investigate and hold accountable bad actors who exploit HUD-funded programs for their own benefit.”

    This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS – Criminal Investigation.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Barnhill and Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio.

    To report fraud, visit justice.gov/action-center/report-crime-or-submit-complaint.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: National Sales Director for New York-Based Mobile Diagnostic Company Pleads Guilty to Kickback Scheme

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

    BOSTON – A New York-based national sales director pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to conspiring to offer and pay kickbacks to doctors in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans.

    David Fuhrmann, 60, of Port Jefferson, N.Y. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2025.

    From at least June 2013 through at least September 2020, Fuhrmann conspired with others, including two managers for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to enter into kickback agreements with various doctors. Fuhrmann and his co-conspirators agreed to offer and pay doctors kickbacks based on the number of TCD ultrasounds the doctors ordered. Some doctors were paid in cash and others by check. Fuhrmann and his co-conspirators created rental and administrative service agreements. On paper, these agreements made it appear as if doctors were compensated for the TCD company’s use of space and administrative resources based on fair market value and not based on the volume or value of referrals. These agreements were shams that hid the true nature of the arrangement of paying per test.  

    According to the charging documents, the scheme resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $70.6 million to Medicare.  

    The charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Kelly M.  Lawson, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Taunton Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution, Access Device Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges

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

    Defendant used another person’s identity to rent apartments for drug trafficking

    BOSTON – A Taunton has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to participating in drug distribution and a drug conspiracy involving wholesale quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. He also pleaded guilty to using an unknowing individual’s identity and an unauthorized access device to fraudulently rent locations he used for the purposes of drug trafficking.  

    Terrence Pyrtle, a/k/a “Big T,” a/k/a “T,” a/k/a “big_t558,” 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft; one count of access device fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2025. Pyrtle was charged in April 2023, along with co-conspirator Ashley Roostaie.

    Pyrtle and Roostaie utilized the personal identification information (including name, date of birth and Social Security number) of an unknowing individual to fraudulently enter into lease agreements for two apartments in Braintree and Somerville, which Pyrtle then used to participate in a drug conspiracy involving distribution quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. The drug conspiracy in which Pyrtle participated also extended to other locations across the state.

    Pyrtle and Roostaie also created an email account and obtained a counterfeit driver’s license using the individual’s identification information. Pyrtle and Roostaie also used the individual’s identification information to obtain a Green Dot debit card account, which they used to make payments associated with the apartments. By placing the apartment leases under another individual’s personal identification information, Roostaie and Pyrtle were able to conceal their connection to and use of the apartments which were used by Pyrtle in furtherance of his drug distribution and drug conspiracy.

    In February 2025, Roostaie pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2025.

    The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue, and methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue, and methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of access device fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year prison term consecutive to any term of imprisonment received on a predicate, substantive count, up to a one-year term of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Brockton, East Bridgewater and Bridgewater Police Departments and Plymouth County, Suffolk County and Bristol County Sheriff’s Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell David and Cutshall of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.  

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Fiji Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Carrying Out Multimillion-Dollar Real Estate Short Sale Fraud

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

    FRESNO, Calif. — Jyoteshna Karan, 52, and Praveen Singh, 45, both of Modesto, were sentenced for leading a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.  Karan received three years and four months in prison, and Singh received two years.

    According to court records, from 2006 through 2015, Karan and Singh conspired to make straw purchases and short sales of approximately 15 homes from Modesto to Sacramento.  A straw purchase is where one person buys a home on behalf of another person to get around certain restrictions.  Straw purchases are generally illegal in the real estate industry because they compromise lenders’ risk management practices.  A short sale is where a homeowner sells their home for less than the amount they owe on their mortgage, with lender approval, to avoid foreclosure.  Short sales must generally be arm’s length transactions in the real estate industry because that helps protect buyers and sellers from undervaluation, overpayment, and bias.

    After Karan and Singh acquired the homes, they allowed them to go into foreclosure and arranged for short sales with the lenders.  They then quickly resold, or flipped, the homes to other people at market rates and therefore reaped significant profits.  In doing so, they caused the lenders to suffer over $3,000,000 in losses.

    Karan and Singh were experienced real estate professionals who used unwitting participants, fabricated documents, and shell companies to carry out their fraud.  For example, they used Singh’s mother as one of the straw purchasers, fabricated documents to make it appear as though the straw purchasers worked for their shell companies making six figure salaries, and fabricated documents to make it appear as though the transactions were arm’s length.  This was all done to convince the lenders to go through with the deals.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, FDIC OIG, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of E-Card Lending Charged with Operating a Ponzi Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – The owner and founder of E-Card Lending LLC or E-Card Merchant LLC (E-Card) was charged with running an investment Ponzi scheme disguised as a merchant cash advance (MCA) business.

    Pablo Silverio Rebollido, 47, of Miami, Fla., was charged by an information with wire fraud on March 26.

    According to the allegations in the information, E-Card was purportedly engaged in the business of providing MCAs, a type of short-term financing typically used by small and medium-sized businesses. E-Card allegedly loaned money at high interest rates to its clients in the form of lump-sum cash advances in exchange for a percentage of future E-Card’s credit card sales or daily bank deposits.

    Court documents state that from August 2019 to February 2024, Rebollido fraudulently solicited money from investors purportedly to fund E-Card’s MCAs in exchange for regular monthly investment returns from E-Card’s profits. It is alleged that in reality, E-Card had no clients and Rebollido fraudulently used the investment funds to pay off earlier investors and finance his extravagant lifestyle. It is alleged that over 70 investors invested in E-Card and the scheme resulted in more than $40 million dollars in losses.

    Rebollido’s initial appearance hearing is scheduled for April 11 at 2:00 p.m. in Miami. If convicted, Rebollido faces up to 20 years in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    FBI Miami is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Moore and Jon Juenger are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.

    The charges contained in an information are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The FBI’s Miami Division is seeking to identify potential victims of “E Card Merchant LLC” or “E Card Lending LLC.” The FBI believes E Card Merchant primarily targeted victims between the timeframe of January 2019 to January 2024.

    If you and/or your minor dependent(s) were victimized by E Card Merchant or have information relevant to this investigation, please complete the short form located on the FBI’s Seeking Victims webpage.

    If you know of someone else who has possibly been victimized by E Card Merchant, please encourage them to complete the form themselves.

    The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes it investigates. Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and rights under federal and/or state law. Your responses are voluntary but may be useful in the federal investigation and to identify you as a potential victim. Based on the responses provided, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information. All identities of victims will be kept confidential.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20127.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: San Francisco Resident Who Shot and Killed Victim in the Presidio Found Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter

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

    SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today found Leion Butler, aka Leniyah Butler, 21, of San Francisco, guilty of voluntary manslaughter.  The verdict followed a two-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Susan Illston.

    The jury found that Butler, a sex worker, killed a man in the Crissy Field East Beach area of the Presidio of San Francisco on Nov. 12, 2023, after performing a sex act on the victim.  According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Butler shot the victim once in the eye after he asked for a refund and asked Butler to get out of the car.  After killing him, Butler stole the victim’s vehicle, drove it to Hunters Point, and tried to wipe away the fingerprints and DNA.  Butler spent the rest of that morning scattering the physical evidence, including the murder weapon.  

    “We extend our sincere condolences to the victim’s family, whose son and brother was taken from them prematurely, and hope today’s verdict brings some measure of justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins.  “We commend the swift actions of the FBI agents, who promptly and thoroughly investigated this case from the moment the victim’s body was found in the Presidio.”

    “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to seeking justice for victims of violent crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Through tireless investigative work and collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we ensured that the defendant was held accountable for this senseless act. The FBI will continue to pursue those who commit violent offenses and threaten the safety of our communities.”

    The jury acquitted Butler of murder in the second degree.

    Butler, who is currently being held in custody, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2025.  The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1112 is 15 years and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate.  Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Davidson and George Hageman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Helen Yee, Jessie Chelsea, Marina Ponomarchuk, and Janice Pagsanjan.  The prosecution is the result of a monthslong investigation by the FBI.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: South Dakota and Colorado Men Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Across the State of South Dakota Including the Crow Creek Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Christopher Spider, a/k/a “House”, age 45 of South Dakota and Lance Brunsting, age 56, of Colorado, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a four-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on March 27, 2025.

    The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Christopher Spider was also convicted of Tampering with a Witness. That charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, a possibility of up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Spider and Brunsting were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.

    Brunsting and Spider, along with numerous other individuals, conspired to distribute hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine throughout the state of South Dakota.

    Spider, a resident of Crow Creek, was responsible for distributing approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Crow Creek Indian Reservation during his involvement in the conspiracy. While under Indictment for the offense, Spider sent a letter to another witness attempting to intimidate the witness into changing her testimony at trial. The letter was reported to law enforcement and Spider was subsequently indicted for Witness Tampering.

    Brunsting, a resident of Denver, Colorado, was responsible for assisting in the weighing, packaging, and ultimate distribution of approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine. Brunsting made a trip to South Dakota alongside another co-conspirator where he assisted in selling approximately 41 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the state of South Dakota and into Minnesota.

    “Christopher Spider and Lance Brunsting were involved in one of the largest methamphetamine conspiracies in South Dakota history,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Our office was able to successfully prosecute the large-scale drug conspiracy thanks to the exceptional collaborative and investigative efforts of our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners. Last week’s convictions represent a crucial step toward bringing these individuals to justice for the roles they played in bringing hundreds of pounds of illegal narcotics into our South Dakota communities.”

    The Drug Enforcement Administration provided the following statement: “The two individuals convicted last week are responsible for inflicting immeasurable harm on members of our South Dakota communities,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “Their arrest and conviction should serve as a warning to drug traffickers that the combined efforts of state, local and federal law enforcement will bring those pushing these dangerous substances to justice.”

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (including the Rocky Mountain Field Division, Omaha Field Division, Mexico City Country Office, Los Angeles Field Division, Special Operations Division), as well as South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, FBI, South Dakota Highway Patrol, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation team, El Paso Intelligence Center, and collaboration received from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Marshals Service, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux Falls Police Department, Mitchell Police Department, Denver Police Department, Las Vegas Metro Police Department, Worthington Police Department, Brookings Police Department, Brookings Sherriff’s Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force, Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force,  Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, and the Colorado Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

    A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for June 16, 2025. The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

     

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Carjackings

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of announced today that James Poole (age 19) was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for his role in armed carjackings in Milwaukee.

    According to court records, Poole participated in two armed carjackings in late January 2024.  In each of the carjackings, Poole brandished a firearm. On January 29, 2024, at approximately 7:45 pm, Poole committed a carjacking on the 2400 block of N. Farwell Avenue on the East Side of Milwaukee. The following day, at approximately 5:00 pm, Poole engaged in a carjacking in a parking lot in downtown Milwaukee, near 2nd Street and Plankinton Avenue. Shortly after the second carjacking, while driving the stolen vehicle, Poole led members of the Milwaukee Police Department on a high-speed chase through residential neighborhoods and reaching speeds of 90 mph. Poole ultimately crashed the stolen car into a tree near 82nd and Burleigh Streets, causing life-threatening injuries to all passengers inside the stolen vehicle. Following his term of imprisonment, Poole also will spend three years on supervised release.  He also was ordered to pay restitution.

    Poole’s co-defendant, Jabari Griffin (age 21), was sentenced on February 27, 2025, for his role in aiding and abetting Poole in the January 30, 2024, carjacking. Griffin was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release.      

    “Individuals who engage in violent crimes – like these armed carjackings – not only endanger the lives and well-being of their victims but also can shatter the confidence of all residents that our cities are safe places in which to live and work,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to working with all of its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold these individuals accountable for their actions and to pursue justice for all impacted victims.”

    “Armed carjackings and the dangerous actions of those who committed the offenses in this case endangered the public and impacted the victims of this crime. This sentencing reflects the severity of the crimes committed by James Poole,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle. “The FBI remains steadfastly committed to working with our partners to investigate violent crime matters—to include armed carjackings—in our ongoing efforts to positively impact public safety within our community.”

    “The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) is proud of the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in holding violent individuals accountable for their actions. Armed carjackings are violent acts that cause great harm to our community.  Those that bring harm to our community must be held accountable.” said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman. “MPD values our collaboration with the community, federal, state and local law enforcement partners to build a safer city for everyone to live, work and play.”   

    This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force, including the Milwaukee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abbey M. Marzick and Michael C. Schindhelm.

    # # #

    For Additional Information Contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    414-297-1700

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sentences Imposed in Northeast Kingdom Drug Distribution Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on March 31, 2025, Nathaniel “JJ” Jones, 39, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 135 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Jones previously pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and cocaine.

    Three codefendants had previously been sentenced in the case. Jermaine “Bear” Douchette, 44, of Springfield, Massachusetts also received a sentence of 135 months’ imprisonment on December 16, 2024. Michelle Provencher, 26, of Irasburg, Vermont received a sentence of 37 months’ imprisonment on February 10, 2025. Daniel Peters, 29, of Newport, Vermont received a sentence of 45 months’ imprisonment on February 24, 2025. Three additional codefendants—Tyler Norris, Erica Desormeaux, and Jeremy Young—are awaiting sentencing.

    According to court records, “JJ” Jones and co-defendant “Bear” Douchette stayed at multiple short-term rental units and residences in Orleans County in 2022 while distributing fentanyl and cocaine they periodically acquired in Massachusetts. Between August and October 2022, they used the residence of Desormeaux and Young in Barton, Vermont, to prepare, store, and distribute the drugs to customers in the Northeast Kingdom. Provencher assisted Jones and Douchette in finding customers and willing hosts. Many of the conspirators carried firearms as part of their activities, and the group took firearms from some customers in exchange for drugs. Some of the group, including Jones and Douchette, made threats and engaged in acts of violence in furtherance of the conspiracy.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Northern Vermont Drug Task Force (NVDTF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in this case. He also noted the assistance NVDTF and ATF received from the Vermont State Police, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, the Newport Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, and Homeland Security Investigations throughout the investigation and prosecution.

    “This case underscores the relentless commitment of ATF and our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our communities through the distribution of deadly narcotics and illegal firearms,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “The sentences handed down as a result of this investigation send a clear message:  we will not tolerate violent criminal activity in the Northeast Kingdom or anywhere else in Vermont.”

    “Our commitment to community safety remains unwavering”, said Sheriff Jennifer L. Harlow of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department. “We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking organizations that distribute deadly narcotics and illegal firearms. We thank our federal partners for their dedication to ensuring these individuals are held responsible.”

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lasher. Jones was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.; Douchette was represented by Gregory Mertz, Esq; Provencher was represented by Robert Sussman, Esq.; and Peters was represented by Heather Ross, Esq. Tyler Norris is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.; Erica Desormeaux is represented by Natasha Sen, Esq.; and Jeremy Young is represented by Allan Sullivan, Esq. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Importer and Distributer of Wholesale Quantities of Fentanyl Pleads Guilty

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

               WASHINGTON – Ronnie Rogers, 69, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that imported and redistributed wholesale quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in the District of Columbia.

              The plea agreement was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, FBI Special Agent Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

              Rogers pleaded guilty to a three-count Information charging him with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and 100 grams or more of heroin; conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and cocaine base; and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

    U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 21, 2025. Rogers is eligible for a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison to a maximum of life.

              According to the plea agreement, between July 2021 and November 2023, Rogers coordinated with his co-conspirators to traffic fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base in the District of Columbia and elsewhere. This included over 12 kilograms of fentanyl (including carfentanil, which is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl), over 1967 grams of fentanyl analog (p-Fluorofentanyl, which is also more lethal than fentanyl), over 236 grams of heroin, over 500 grams of cocaine, and less than 28 grams of cocaine base.

              On November 29, 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at Rogers’ various residences.

              At his apartment on the 1200 block of Massachusetts Avenue, NW, law enforcement recovered an array of narcotics that included a large baggie containing 494.8 grams of mixture of heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil; another baggie with 704.8 grams of carfentanil, an envelope containing 115.91 grams of fentanyl; another baggie containing 201 grams of fentanyl; and baggies containing 1,785 grams acetaminophen and 18 grams of fentanyl. In addition, officers recovered a Smith & Wesson SD-40 firearm, a Glock 43 pistol, a Rugar LCP pistol, $23,000 in cash, and an assortment of drug packaging materials and scales.

              At Roger’s residence on the 6500 block of Gateway Boulevard, in District Heights, Maryland, law enforcement recovered more narcotics and weapons including two baggies containing 151 grams of fentanyl; plastic bags containing 2.4 grams of xylazine and 1.8 grams of heroin; baggies containing bundles of smaller bags containing 7.7 grams of  fentanyl, heroin, xylazine, 1.4 grams of carfentanil, and 2.8 grams of acetaminophen, 20 small baggies containing 5.1 grams of fentanyl, heroin and xylazine; and bags containing 97.3 grams of heroin and fentanyl, 45.4 grams of cocaine base, and 14.2 grams of fentanyl with xylazine. Officers also recovered a Smith &Wesson .357 revolver, a Springfield XD 9mm firearm, a Canik TP9 pistol, assorted ammunition and magazines and $1,524 in cash.

              At another residence utilized by Rogers located on the 2100 block of Pineview Court, Waldorf, Maryland, law enforcement recovered a FedEx parcel containing 1,013 grams of fentanyl.

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

             This case is being investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Washington Field Division, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Interdiction Unit, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Arlington County Police, Montgomery County Department of Police, Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sherriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.

              The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Section.

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