NewzIntel.com

Category: Federal Bureau of Investigation

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Haven Gang Member Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Murders, Additional Shootings

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TYJON PRESTON, also known as “TJ,” 22, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 264 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent New Haven street gang, including two murders and additional shootings.

    Today’s announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating a gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city.  The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven.  Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.

    The investigation revealed that Preston and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders.  Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence.  Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.

    On April 24, 2024, Preston pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that on April 27, 2021, he and other Exit 8 members attempted to kill a rival gang member and shot him in the leg; on May 19, 2021, he and other Exit 8 members conspired to kill rival gang members, and shot and killed an associate of a rival gang; on May 20, 2021, he and other Exit 8 members shot and attempted to kill rival gang members; and on July 5, 2021, he and another Exit 8 member shot and killed a 22-year-old woman after she made a rap song containing derogatory comments about Exit 8.

    Preston has been detained since September 9, 2021.

    This investigation has been conducted by the ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.

    This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.

    PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

    Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on March 12, 2025, WILLIE SYLVESTER (“SYLVESTER”), age 29, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), by Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown.  Following his imprisonment, SYLVESTER will be placed in supervised release for 3 years.  SYLVESTER was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

    According to filed court documents, between April and September of 2020, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives (JPSO) investigated SYLVESTER for an April 2020 shooting.  In so doing, JPSO observed SYLVESTER post several social media messages with weapons. SYLVESTER also acknowledged, in a separate message, that he fired a gun during the April 2020 shooting, before sustaining a gunshot wound to his own hand.

    Federal law prohibits convicted felons, such as SYLVESTER, from possessing ammunition.  On May 1, 2013, SYLVESTER was convicted of simple robbery, a felony offense, in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court and, on November 6, 2014, SYLVESTER was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm and controlled dangerous substances, and possession of a stolen firearm, all felony offenses in the 24th Judicial District Court of the State of Louisiana.

    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.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rhode Island Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Kilos of Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island man who provided kilos of cocaine that made its way to mid-level distributors and street-level drug dealers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Jonathan Masa-Gonzalez, 29, is among more than a dozen individuals charged in federal court in September 2021 during a multi-agency Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into a wide-ranging street-level drug trafficking conspiracy. Many of the individuals charged had previously been convicted of violent crimes such as firearm, robbery, assault, and domestic violence charges.

    According to court documents and information presented to the court, Masa-Gonzalez was responsible for brokering the sale of multiple kilograms of cocaine to a leader of the conspiracy.

    Masa-Gonzalez pleaded guilty on June 5, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possesses with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 60 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervise release.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey A. Erickson.

    This case 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.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The matter was investigated by the FBI Rhode Island Safe Street Task Force, DEA, and the Providence Police Department’s Narcotics Bureau.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Wagoner County Resident Sentenced for Two Counts of Second-Degree Murder

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

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nicholas Lapez Scarborough, age 32, of Redbird, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 405 months in prison for two counts of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On May 6, 2024, Scarborough pleaded guilty to two counts of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree.  According to investigators, on October 24, 2023, Scarborough intentionally stabbed two individuals with a steak knife.  One victim died after completing an emergency call for help.  A second victim died two weeks later from injuries sustained in the attack.  The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Scarborough will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington State Resident Sentenced for Receiving Child Sexual Exploitation Material

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

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Dean Robinson-Holm, age 26, of Lynnwood, Washington, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of Receipt of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.  This term of imprisonment will be followed by 10 years of supervised release.

    The charge arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.

    On August 26, 2024, Robinson-Holm pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, in June 2022, Robinson-Holm knowingly received a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  The subject of that image resided in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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

    We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement.  You can file a report through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com, through the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or through Homeland Security Investigations at 1-877-4-HSI TIP.

    The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Robinson-Holm will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Tulsa Resident Pleads Guilty to Robbery

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

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wilmer Medardo Guerrero, age 24, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Robbery in Indian Country.

    The Indictment alleged that on December 18, 2020, Guerrero took and attempted to take items of value from the person and presence of another by force, violence, and intimidation.

    The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ada Police Department, and the District 22 Task Force.

    The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Guerrero will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien indicted in multi-year smuggling conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 26-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Laredo has been charged with conspiracy to smuggle and harbor illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Originally charged by criminal complaint, Giovana Lozano Hernandez is expected to appear for her arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

    The charges allege she was an alien smuggler in an ongoing conspiracy. Law enforcement took her into custody Feb. 19.

    Hernandez allegedly used multiple cellular devices to facilitate the smuggling conspiracy. One such failed event allegedly occurred Oct. 28, 2024. Authorities identified numerous digital images of paper ledgers and illegal aliens in relation to that event on the devices, according to the charges. There were also numerous voice messages allegedly exchanged between Hernandez and coconspirators detailing the human smuggling activity including numerous illegal aliens who had already been transported and housed for whom there needed to be financial accountability. Law enforcement also found video messages depicting the transportation of illegal aliens, according to the allegations.

    If convicted, Hernandez faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine on each of the two counts in the indictment.  

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Border Patrol and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    An indictment 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 USA: ICE arrests 81 illegal aliens as part of joint federal law enforcement operation in Kentucky, of which 25 also charged with felony criminal offenses

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LOUISVILLE, Ky. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 81 illegal aliens during an enhanced targeted enforcement operation March 10 to 14 which included multiple federal law enforcement agencies in Kentucky, with 25 of the aliens charged with criminal offenses including illegal reentry, illegal possession of firearms, and illegal possession of controlled substances.

    Illegal aliens who were not charged criminally will be held in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

    Arrests included illegal aliens from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Cuba, India and Palau.

    Among those arrested during the operation include:

    • A 35-year-old citizen of Honduras charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and illegal reentry.
    • A 50-year-old citizen of Mexico charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
    • A 30-year-old citizen of Mexico charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
    • A 45-year-old citizen of Guatemala convicted of domestic violence conviction, public intoxication, driving without a license, and DUI.
    • A 44-year-old citizen of India convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor, intimidation, and battery.
    • A 28 -year-old citizen of Mexico charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
    • A 32-year-old citizen of Mexico convicted of drug trafficking, possession of multiple firearms with machine gun conversion devices who is charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and illegal reentry.

    “Public safety relies on the expertise of ICE officers who are able to coordinate across federal agencies to accomplish these arrests,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Chicago Field Office Director Sam Olson. “Operations that lead to the arrest and detention of alien offenders can be complex and may, at times, prove to be challenging. Our agency is more than capable to meet those challenges. I’m grateful for all our federal partners here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and we are committed, as a united group, to removing individuals from our communities who pose a threat to public safety and national security.”

    Partner law enforcement participating in the operation included the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Criminal charges by indictment or criminal complaint are pursued by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Kentucky and the Eastern District of Kentucky.

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

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X at @EROChicago.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Portage Woman sentenced to 21 months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HAMMOND – Kathelia Hopkins, 48 years old, of Portage, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to wire fraud announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Hopkins was sentenced to 21 months in prison and was ordered to pay $424,250 in restitution for her role in submitting dozens of fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to the Small Business Administration (SBA) on behalf of herself and others. 

    According to documents in the case, between June and August 2020, Hopkins submitted applications to the SBA claiming that the Covid-19 epidemic was creating an economic hardship on her business and other businesses owned by her family, friends, and others. The investigation revealed that these applications were falsified and the businesses that Hopkins claimed were entitled to funds either did not exist or did not qualify for EIDL loan funds.  In total, Hopkins sought to extract over $1,250,000 from the disaster loan program and the SBA disbursed over $420,000 relying on her false claims.  Hopkins’ personal profit from the fraud scheme was estimated to be $185,040.  

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mescalero Man Charged with Sexual Assault of Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man is facing charges in federal court for an alleged sexual assault incident involving a minor.

    According to court records, John Albert Carrillo, Jr., 35, an enrolled member of Mescalero Apache Tribe, is accused of sexual assault against a minor under the age of 16. After being caught in the act by witnesses, Carrillo reportedly became agitated, denied being a pedophile, and attempted to leave the scene.

    Carrillo is charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse of a Minor and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Carrillofaces up to life in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson K. Dering V is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Grey Hills Man Charged with Assault After Threatening Family with Handgun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Two Grey Hills man has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon following an alleged altercation with family members at a residence on the Navajo Nation.

    According to the criminal complaint, on February 28, 2025, James Smiley, Jr., 55, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly entered a residence within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation and threatened several family members with a small black handgun without provocation. Witnesses reported that Smiley discharged the firearm into the ceiling, pointed it at multiple individuals, and threatened to kill them. During the incident, Smiley allegedly stated that he was a felon and acknowledged that he would go to jail before leaving the residence.

    The incident lasted approximately 20 minutes, during which time the victims felt like hostages.

    Navajo Nation Police responded to the scene but were unable to make contact with Smiley that evening.

    Smiley, who was previously convicted of aggravated sexual abuse, battery upon a peace officer, and resisting or obstructing an officer, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    Smiley will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted, Smiley faces up to 10 years in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mia Ulibarri-Rubin is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Wilbraham Man Indicted for Violent Threats Targeting Public Officials, Private Individuals and Children

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Wilbraham man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mass. for allegedly making numerous violent threats on social media targeting public figures, private individuals, children in Wilbraham and Boston, and an elementary school in Springfield.

    Funwayo Mbilini Nyawo, also known as “Jonathan Funwayo Nyawo,” “Michael Jacobs” “Robert, Jacobs,” and “Carl Fields,” 36, was indicted with 13 counts of interstate transmission of threatening communications and one count of stalking through facilities of interstate commerce. Nyawo was previously arrested on Feb. 5, 2025 in the Southern District of Florida and ordered detained until his appearance in federal court in Springfield, which will be scheduled at a later date.

    According to the Indictment, between July 30, 2024 and Oct. 1, 2024, Nyawo posted various communications on X (formerly known as Twitter) threatening to kill an elected United States official (and their family), a former United States official (and their family), a former member of a Massachusetts police department (and their family), a private individual, local officials and their family members; the children of Wilbraham and Boston; members of the Wilbraham Police Department and Wilbraham Fire Department (and their families); and an elementary school in Springfield, among others.

    In addition, between Aug. 17, 2024 and on or about Oct. 1, 2024, Nyawo used X to engage in a course of conduct with the intent to harass and intimidate the elected United States official, their spouse, their child, their child’s spouse, and their grandchildren.

    All of the charges provide 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; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Special Agent in Charge J. Thomas Manger of the United States Capital Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Wilbraham Police Department, the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, and the Miami-Dade Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn Park Felon Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl Mixture Resulting in Death on Mille Lacs Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Brooklyn Park man pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking that resulted in death, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, on July 26, 2023, Allen Lee Goodwin, 50, sold a mixture of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl to a 38-year-old male victim who lived on the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. The next morning, Goodwin’s victim injected the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl substance and died minutes later. In his plea agreement, Goodwin admitted he intentionally transferred the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl mixture to his victim, and that the man would not have died but for the use of the fentanyl substance that he sold him.

    “Deadly fentanyl is flooding our state and our country—resulting in the tragic loss of so many of our citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  “Overdose rates are highest on our Indian reservations. This is unacceptable. My heart breaks for the Minnesota parents who have lost their children, struggling with drug addiction, to the greed and callousness of drug dealers.  My office will prosecute these purveyors of poison to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Goodwin pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death in U.S. District Court today before Judge Donovan W. Frank. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Video: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Welcomes President Donald J. Trump to the Justice Department

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    On Friday, March 14, 2025, Attorney General Pamela Bondi welcomed President Donald J. Trump to the Justice Department. Both President Trump and Attorney General Bondi delivered remarks, as did FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl9V_JNFa0c

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison on Multiple Child Exploitation Charges

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

    NASHVILLE – Robert L. Northrup, 55, of Niles, Michigan, was sentenced last Friday to 25 years in federal prison after having pled guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, advertising child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, attempted transfer of obscene material to an individual under the age of sixteen, and committing an offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Northrup will be required to continue registering as a sex offender.

    “Stopping those who intend to prey on children is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney. “This sentence will make sure that Robert Northrup will not harm another child for a quarter century. I commend the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Morrison for their diligent pursuit of justice and drive to hold child sex offenders like Northrup accountable for their crimes.”

    According to court records, between July 21, 2022, and August 22, 2022, Northrup communicated with an FBI online covert employee, who was posing as a thirteen-year-old girl, on an online dating application and by text message. Northrop’s status block on the online dating application made clear that he was looking for young girls. This was one of eight accounts Northrop had on this online dating application. While Northrop was communicating with the FBI employee, he requested sexually explicit photos of multiple minors, discussed engaging in sexually activity with the online covert employee, and sent photos of his penis and a masturbation video.

    Northrup has prior convictions for a number of offenses including Criminal Sexual Conduct Third Degree, Child Solicitation, and Inappropriate Communication with a Child, which required him to register as a sex offender. He also has six convictions for Failure to Register or Attempted Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

    After serving his sentence, Northrup will be on supervised release for the remainder of his life.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Clarksville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case.

    # # # # #

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  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests 31 illegal aliens, 3 charged for criminal activity

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with support from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, arrested 31 illegal aliens March 9 during a targeted enforcement operation in the San Juan area.

    The multi-agency operation took place at an illegal cockfight location. Three of the arrested were charged for criminal activity.

    All the illegal aliens are in ICE custody pending removal.

    ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Juan Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos said: “This operation is part of ongoing enforcement under the Presidential Executive Order, to combat illegal immigration across Puerto Rico. Local enforcement partnerships are key to fulfill our mission of keeping our communities safe.”

    ICE is focused on public safety and national security threats. Individuals illegally present in the United States who are encountered during an enforcement operation may be taken into custody and processed for removal as stated by law.

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

    Learn more about ICE HSI mission to increase public safety in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on X at @HSISanJuan.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lackawanna County Man Sentenced to 96 Months’ Imprisonment for Theft of Major Artwork

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

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas Trotta, age 49, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 13, 2025, to 96 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a term of supervised release, and to pay restitution in the amount of $2,759,073, by U.S. District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for one count of theft of major artwork.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Trotta had previously pleaded guilty to one count of theft of major artwork, and admitted to stealing the following:

    • “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania;
    • Nine (9) World Series rings, seven (7) other championship rings, and two (2) MVP plaques all belonging to Yogi Berra, worth over $500,000 stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls, New Jersey;
    • Six (6) championship belts, including four belonging to Carmen Basilio and two belonging to Tony Zale stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York;
    • The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy belonging to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo, North Dakota;
    • The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library;
    • Fourteen (14) trophies and other awards worth approximately $300,000 stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York;
    • Five (5) trophies worth over $30,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York;
    • Three antique firearms stolen in 2006 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;
    • A 1903/1904 Tiffany Lamp stolen in 2010 from the Lackawanna Historical Society in Scranton, Pennsylvania,
    • “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, worth approximately $120,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey;
    • Antique firearms worth over $150,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey;
    • Hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of gold nuggets stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey;
    • An antique shotgun worth over $30,000 stolen in 2018 from Space Farms: Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;

    Trotta committed the above thefts as part of a larger, eight-person conspiracy.  After a month-long trial held earlier this year, co-conspirators Nicholas Dombek, age 54, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Damien Boland, age 48, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, and Joseph Atsus, age 48, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania, were convicted of conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as multiple related substantive offenses. They are presently pending sentencing.

    Three additional co-conspirators pleaded guilty pursuant to felony informations and were sentenced by Judge Mannion earlier this year. They include:

    • Dawn Trotta, age 53, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property;
    • Frank Tassiello, age 52, of Taylor, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property; and
    • Ralph Parry, age 47, of Springbrook Township, Pennsylvania, who was sentenced to three years of probation as well as a period of home-confinement for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property.

    After stealing the above-described items, the conspirators would transport the stolen goods back to northeastern Pennsylvania, often to the residence of Dombek, and melt the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars.  The conspirators would then sell the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for hundreds or a few thousands of dollars, significantly less than the sports memorabilia would be worth at fair market value.

    Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Crospey, valued at approximately $100,000, to avoid the painting being recovered by investigators and used as evidence against the members of the conspiracy. The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown, however, several antique firearms stolen from the Space Farms: Zoo and Museum and the Ringwood Manor Museum, both in New Jersey, were recovered by investigators.

    The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the New Jersey State Park Police, the Newport Police Department (Rhode Island), the Fargo Police Department (North Dakota), the Chester Police Department (New York), the Exeter Borough Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Scranton Police Department, the Franklin Police Department (New Jersey), the Village of Goshen Police Department (New York), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.), the West Milord Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey), the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York), the Canastota Police Department (New York), the South Abington Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Bernards Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Salisbury Township Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Montclair State University Police Department (New Jersey) the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania), the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (New York), and multiple other local law enforcement agencies from across the country.   

    Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Buchanan, Jenny Roberts, and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Carbon County Man Sentenced to 240 Months in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

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

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ignacia Salcido-Lopez, age 19, of Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 13, 2025, to 240 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for producing child pornography.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between December 23, 2023, and January 14, 2024, Salcido-Lopez produced hundreds of images of child pornography involving two children, ages seven and three, that he was babysitting. 

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Mt. Carmel Borough Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate Civil Rights

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

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that former Lt. David Donkochik, age 53, of the Mt. Carmel Borough Police Department, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. Chief District Judge Matthew W. Brann, to conspiring to use excessive force when arresting people over a three-year period.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, former Lt. Donkochik was previously indicted on June 15, 2023, with former Officer Jonathan McHugh, age 36, and former Officer Kyle Schauer, age 36, on charges of conspiracy to deprive rights under color of law.  Donkochik, McHugh, and Schauer conspired to violate the civil rights of those they arrested from 2018 to 2021.  During 22 different arrests, one or more of the defendants kicked, punched, choked, or otherwise used excessive force against those they were arresting.  In those arrests, they caused bodily injuries to their victims.

    Donkochik, McHugh, and Schauer also took steps to ensure that video of the arrests was not captured by police cameras, or if footage that incriminated them was captured, took steps to ensure that footage was not preserved.  They falsely reported that arrestees acted in a manner requiring violence and then charged arrestees with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and related offenses to conceal their own use of violence.  

    Schauer pleaded guilty on October 24, 2024, to conspiracy to deprive rights under color of law. 

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio and Carlo D. Marchioli and are prosecuting the case.

    The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: City Man Charged in 2023 Kidnapping, Death of Philadelphia Man Abducted Outside His Home

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

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tyheem Tyler, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping resulting in death, and aiding and abetting.

    The indictment alleges that on or about March 6, 2023, the defendant traveled to Wey Um’s place of business in Philadelphia and participated in a robbery of Wey Um at gunpoint.

    The indictment further alleges that in the early hours of March 31, 2023, Tyler and his co-conspirators drove a Ford Explorer SUV to Wey Um’s Philadelphia home, kidnapped Wey Um from outside of his residence, and at approximately 2:12 a.m., drove Wey Um in the Ford Explorer to a location near the Delaware River in Philadelphia.

    As alleged, Tyler knowingly, willfully, and unlawfully seized, confined, kidnapped, abducted, carried away, and held, and aided and abetted the unlawful seizing, confining, abduction, carrying away, and holding of, Wey Um, deceased, for ransom, reward, and otherwise, resulting in the death of Wey Um, and in committing and in furtherance of the commission of the offense used means, facilities, and instrumentalities of interstate commerce.

    If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment or death.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Timothy Lanni.

    An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Southern District of Texas Charges Nearly 250 People in Second Week of March in Relation to Border Enforcement Efforts

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

    HOUSTON – A total of 245 new cases have been filed in the last week related to immigration and border security, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    Of those, 115 are charged with illegally re-entering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses. A total 118 face charges of illegally entering the country, 10 cases involve various instances of human smuggling, and the remainder relate to firearms and assault of federal officers. 

    Of those facing allegations of illegally re-entering the country is Santos Demetrio Marquez-Hernandez from El Salvador. The criminal complaint indicates he has a felony conviction of contact with a minor with sexual intent and was removed just over two months ago on Jan. 8. He could receive up to 20 years in U.S. prison.

    Juan Daniel Pena and Jose Cristian Cantu Jr. were also arrested this week for attempting to smuggle 15 aliens through the Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita. The charges allege the aliens, who were from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Vietnam, were hidden inside two trucks being hauled on a flatbed trailer. Five of the illegal aliens were allegedly previously ordered removed from the United States and are now facing their own charges of illegal reentry into the United States.

    Relevant cases also featured this week include an Arkansas man who was found guilty of transporting illegal aliens in a truck’s wheel well and fuel tank. The jury deliberated for under 30 minutes following a less than two-day trial before finding Noel Mercado guilty on two counts of alien smuggling. An x-ray scan revealed at least two individuals in the truck’s wheel wells – found bolted inside modified wheel well compartments. Law enforcement also discovered two more individuals in the auxiliary fuel tank below the truck bed. All four were illegal aliens from the countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala with no authority to be in the United States. 

    Among those charged this week also includes Gerardo Hervey Rodriguez-Toscano, a Mexican citizen who allegedly ran up the Mexican side of the Hidalgo port of entry and attempted to evade U.S. law enforcement at the midpoint. Authorities were able to detain him, but after a struggle, according to the allegations. One officer allegedly suffered injuries to his wrist, knee and elbow. If convicted, Rodriguez-Toscano faces up to eight years in prison.

    In addition, a Honduran man attempted to enter the country illegally by pretending to be a minor. Elger Fabricio Cotto-Navarro claimed he was born in May 2007, when he was actually born the previous year. He initially denied the allegations and made a written statement as such, but ultimately acknowledged he was an adult and that he provided an incorrect date of birth and made false statements.   

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.  

    The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. 

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Western District of Texas Exceeds 200 New Immigration Cases in Four Days

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

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 215 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from March 10 through March 13.

    In Austin, several individuals were charged with illegal reentry after deportation, after being found in local area jails. Among those were Ricardo Hernandez-Hernandez, a Mexican national who had allegedly been previously removed from the United States to Mexico on two prior occasions and had been convicted of indecency with a child sexual contact and failure to register as a sex offender; Andres Garcia-Saldana, a Mexican national who had allegedly been previously removed from the United States on four occasions and had been convicted of intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury and driving while intoxicated three times—the third time being a felony conviction; Hernan Vasquez-Medina, a Mexican national who had allegedly been removed from the United States three times before and had been convicted of making a terroristic threat and driving while intoxicated three times—like Garcia-Saldana, Vasquez-Medina’s third DWI was charged as a felony as well; and Jaime Ricardo Lopez-Rojas, a Mexican national who had allegedly been removed from the United States a total eight times and had been convicted of illegal entry twice, illegal reentry after deportation four times, driving while intoxicated three times, and family violence assault causing bodily injury.

    In the Midland-Odessa area, two individuals with prior federal convictions were found in local area jails and were charged with illegal entry after deportation. Mexican national Saul Villalobos-Vasquez was allegedly removed from the United States once before and convicted in the Eastern District of Texas for unauthorized use of a social security number for which he had been sentenced to 12-months imprisonment in 2016.  Daniel Olivas-Nieto, also a Mexican national, had been allegedly removed from the United States and was previously convicted in the Western District of Texas for the illegal transportation of aliens for financial gain, for which he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, law enforcement partners arrest 24 illegal criminal alien offenders during Charlotte enforcement operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with law enforcement partners from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, apprehended 24 illegal aliens in Charlotte during an enhanced targeted enforcement operation which ran March 1 to 8.

    Charges from those arrested included:

    • 13 aggravated felonies or other violent offenses.
    • Three illegal firearms or weapons offenses.
    • Two MS-13 gang member affiliation cases.
    • One assault on a federal officer.
    • Five property crimes.
    • 11 DWI charges.

    Of these criminal aliens, six had active immigration detainers which the Charlotte Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Office had not honored. There are 18 additional targeted aliens still at large who also had detainers that were not honored. ICE has been unable to locate those individuals, and they remain at large and pose a potential danger to the community. These aliens could have been safely and efficiently transferred into ICE custody if their detainers had been honored.

    ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that protects the U.S. homeland through the arrest and removal of those individuals who compromise the safety of our communities and the integrity of our immigration laws.

    Entering the United States without authorization is a violation of federal law, and those who do so may be subject to administrative arrest and, in some cases, criminal prosecution.

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

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROAtlanta.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pasco Tow Truck Operator Charged with Firearm Offense

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

    Richland, Washington – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced today that Socorro Jesus Lopez-Spindola, 59, has been charged by criminal complaint with one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Lopez-Spindola was arraigned on March 13, 2025, before the U.S. District Court in Richland, Washington.

    According to court documents, in November of 2024, Pasco Police detained Lopez-Spindola in connection to an investigation involving robbery, extortion, and threats to kill. Pasco Police also obtained a search warrant for the business Classic Towing and Recovery, which is owned and operated by Lopez-Spindola. During a search of Lopez-Spindola’s office, investigators allegedly located a loaded .22 caliber revolver in a desk drawer.

    Prior to November of 2024, Lopez-Spindola had been convicted of a number of crimes, including an Unlawful Reentry after Deportation conviction.

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

    This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Pasco Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon L. Pang.

    4:25-mj-07039-ACE

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The ‘Wolf of West Virginia’ Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

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

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Theodore Miller, 35, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud. Miller admitted to defrauding more than 170 individuals through two real estate-related investment schemes that caused losses of between $395,000 and $434,501.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller conceived and perpetrated the two fraudulent schemes between the spring of 2022 and September 2024. One scheme solicited direct investments to develop modern residential duplexes and a dry-storage lot on Bigley Avenue in Charleston. The other scheme offered a pooled real estate investment vehicle dubbed “Bear Lute.”

    To carry out these schemes, Miller portrayed himself on social media as the “Wolf of West Virginia,” a wealthy, successful and knowledgeable real estate mogul with enough disposable income to travel the world at his leisure. As part of his guilty pleas, Miller admitted that in reality, he had poor credit, thin month-to-month financial margins, was delinquent on property taxes and bills, and defaulted on loans.

    In each scheme, Miller made multiple misrepresentations to investors. These misrepresentations included that individuals would receive returns on their investments, that their investments were secured by real property, and that they could withdraw their investments. As part of his guilty pleas, Miller admitted that there were no returns on investments, that he never owned the real property he identified as security for the investments, and that he used the money from his fraud schemes to pay unrelated expenses, debts and obligations.

    Miller’s victims included an individual who wired $20,000 to Miller from California for the storage lot project on July 5, 2022, and an individual who wired $2,500 to Miller from Texas for Bear Lute on December 12, 2022.

    The money from the schemes was deposited into bank accounts for several entities Miller solely owned and operated including Bear Industries LLC, which initially served as an umbrella entity for the related businesses. Miller’s mother, Deanna Drumm, served as vice president of operations for Bear Industries from in or around 2019 to September 2024. While Miller lived outside the United States from in or about June  2021 to on or about August 8, 2024, he directed his mother to handle the day-to-day operational tasks for the Bear entities including the management of finances and transfer of funds.

    Drumm, 61, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on November 21, 2024, to aiding and abetting the sale and offer of unregistered securities. Both the direct investments and the Bear Lute investments were securities as defined by federal law, offered through interstate commerce via the internet, and were required to be registered. Drumm admitted that no registration statement was in effect for either of these securities, and that neither was exempt from the registration requirement. Drumm further admitted that she aided and abetted the offering of these unregistered securities in the course of her duties as vice president of operations for Bear Industries. Drumm is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2025.

    In September 2022, the West Virginia Securities Commission issued a cease-and-desist letter to Bear Industries ordering it to stop the unregistered sale and offering of securities in Bear Lute. In November 2022, the West Virginia Securities Commission issued a cease-and-desist order regarding the same. Miller admitted that he continued to operate Bear Lute in violation of the order and never disclosed the order to his investors.

    On August 9, 2024, law enforcement officers arrested Miller following his return to the United States. Miller admitted that he told his wife during a recorded jail phone call on August 11, 2024, to report his iPhone stolen to make it inaccessible to law enforcement and to hide a backpack containing his laptop computer. Miller further admitted that the laptop contained most of the documents related to the direct investments and Bear Lute.

    Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. Miller also owes restitution of between $395,000 and $434,501, with the final amount to be determined by the Court.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia Fusion Center, the West Virginia Securities Commission, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

    United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Holly Wilson and Joshua Hanks are prosecuting the case.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a parallel civil action against Miller, Bear Industries LLC, Bear Investments and Business Consulting LLC, and Drumm in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. The lawsuit alleges that Miller has engaged in the unregistered and fraudulent offer of securities related to his real estate-related investment programs since at least 2022, and that Miller’s social-media persona and businesses were all a calculated fraud to divert investor funds for his own personal benefit. The lawsuit seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains and prejudgment interest, and civil penalties.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:24-cr-145 and 2:24-cv-479.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cocoa Man Who Drove Across the State to Commit Armed Robbery in Tampa and Shot Employee in the Face Charged

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

    Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Phillip Johnson (21, Cocoa) with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, robbery, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, Johnson faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.  

    According to the complaint, during the early morning hours of February 1, 2025, three individuals traveled from Brevard County to Tampa to commit a robbery. After arriving in Tampa, the three individuals went inside the Dreams Club near Ybor City. The three individuals were wearing all black clothing, ski masks, and armed with rifles and handguns.  

    While inside, the three individuals demanded money from the victim, and Johnson ultimately shot the victim in the face. 

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

    This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with great assistance provided by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Cocoa Police Department and the State Attorney’s Office for the 13th Judicial Circuit in Tampa. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.

    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).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Haines City Man Arrested for String of Convenience Store Robberies

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

    Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest of Davian Walker (19, Haines City) for robberies of convenience stores throughout the Middle District of Florida. If convicted, Walker faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. 

    According to the complaint and court statements, Walker committed five robberies over the course of less than three months. Each robbery involved Walker brandishing what appeared to be a handgun to store clerks and demanding cash.

    Through an investigation into the first four robberies, law enforcement was able to link Walker to the robberies by identifying his phone number and the vehicle Walker was using to travel to each of the robberies. Using that information, law enforcement tracked and ultimately arrested Walker shortly after he committed a robbery in Titusville during the early morning hours of March 13, 2025.

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Zephyrhills Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Titusville Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.

    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).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Transnational Criminal Organization That Dispatched Thousands of Kilograms of Cocaine From the Venezuela/Colombia Border Dismantled

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

    Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the dismantlement of a transnational criminal organization (TCO) that operated out of La Guajira, a peninsula on the Venezuelan/Colombian border. From there, the organization dispatched thousands of kilograms of cocaine intended for the United States and Europe.

    Socrates Barros-Fince Transnational Criminal Organization

    Name

    Age

    Sentence Imposed
    Socrates Gabriel Barros-Fince, a/k/a “Chunchun,” “Chun,” “Indio,” “El Loco,” “Tawara,” “Chupo”

    45

    		 17 years, 6 months
    Cristian Camilo Cordoba-Cuesta, a/k/a “Cris,” “El Primo”

    37

    		 14 years
    Jorge Leonardo Diaz-Ramos, a/k/a “40,” “Numerito”

    35

    		 7 years, 3 months
    Santander Barros-Pulido, a/k/a “Pollo,” “Tio,” “Divino”

    57

    		 15 years, 8 months
    Nefer Alfonso Hinojosa-Larrada, a/k/a “El Negrito,” “Divino”

    45

    15 years, 8 months

     

    According to the plea agreements, the above-named individuals were part of a transnational criminal organization that dispatched cocaine-laden vessels to the Dominican Republic and Spain. From the Venezuela/Colombia border, the organization planned smuggling trips and recruited crewmembers for that purpose. It was foreseeable to the conspirators that some of the cocaine was intended for the United States.

    The investigation resulted in several seizures totaling over 6,700 kilograms associated with the organization that were prosecuted in the United States and abroad, to include:

    • Seizure of about 932 kilograms of cocaine near the Dominican Republic on August 15, 2016;
    • Interdiction of a go-fast vessel in the Caribbean Sea on November 9-10, 2016, smuggling about 700 kilograms of cocaine and prosecuted in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico;
    • Interdiction of a go-fast vessel in the Caribbean Sea on October 4, 2018, smuggling over 450 kilograms of cocaine and prosecuted in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida;
    • Interdiction of the M/V KARAR carrying about 4,000 kilograms of cocaine off the coast of Galicia, Spain on April 25, 2020, resulting in the arrests of 15 crewmembers and a dozen Spanish organized crime members.

    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.

    This prosecution is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Panama Express Strike Force Initiative, whose mission is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Colombian National Police, Spanish National Police, and Spanish Coast Guard provided critical investigative support. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá assisted in the extradition of these defendants. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Wainwright Soldier Arrested on Multiple Child Pornography Charges

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

    Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division is seeking additional information.

    FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Soldier stationed at Fort Wainwright was arrested yesterday evening on the military base after a criminal complaint was filed in federal court charging him with production and possession of child pornography.

    According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2024, the Fort Eustis Resident Unit of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (DACID) received a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) cybertip reporting that five images of alleged child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were uploaded to an online platform. Fort Eustis DACID reviewed the images and determined they depicted CSAM of prepubescent female children.

    A subsequent investigation resulted in law enforcement executing search warrants in October 2024 for the residence of David Andres Mayoral, 20, Mayoral’s electronic devices and his account on the previously mentioned online platform.

    A review and forensic examination of Mayoral’s accounts and electronic devices allegedly revealed over 2,500 images and over 680 videos of suspected CSAM that Mayoral possessed and communicated across four messaging applications.

    The complaint also alleges Mayoral engaged in sexually explicit conversations with minor victims, where he requested and directed the victims to take sexually explicit photos and send them to him.

    Mayoral is charged with three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. If convicted, Mayoral faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge Michele Starostka of the DACID Western Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

    The DACID and FBI Anchorage Field Office are investigating the case.  If anyone has information concerning Mayoral’s alleged actions or may have encountered an individual using the name “David Mayoral” or “ghoulishclown” online, please contact DACID at (907)353-6212 or anonymously at www.cid.army.mil/Submit-a-Tip/.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Vosacek and Jennifer Ivers are prosecuting the case.

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Case Concludes with Nine Defendants Sentenced to a Total of Over 79 Years in Federal Prison

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

    ALEXANDRIA, La. – Nine defendants involved in an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) operation have all been sentenced for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. This investigation in the Avoyelles Parish area resulted in a total sentence of over 79 years in federal prison for these defendants who conspired together in this drug trafficking organization. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell sentenced the nine defendants as follows:

    Darrell Joseph Sampson, Jr., 39, of Marksville, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 113 months (9 years, 5 months) in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Christopher Glynn Bradford, 46, of Marksville, was sentenced to 50 months (4 years, 2 months) in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Travis Demond Carroll, 34, of Baton Rouge, was sentenced to 180 months (15 years) in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Kelly Johnson, Jr., 32, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 90 months (7 years, 6 months) in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Troy Wayne Dominick, 42, of Mansura, was sentenced to 80 months (6 years, 8 months) in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Arthor Francisco, 37, of Moreauville, was sentenced to 160 months (13 years, 4 months) in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Desmond Dewayne Jordan, 46, of Alexandria, was sentenced to 225 months (18 years, 9 months) in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Joseph Patrick Murray, III, 27, of Cottonport, was sentenced to 37 months (3 years, 1 month) in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Tremayne Lee Lavalais, 34, of Bunkie, was sentenced to 20 months (1 year, 8 months) in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Each defendant will serve a term of supervised release following their release from prison.

    The FBI Central Louisiana Gang Task Force began an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in the Avoyelles Parish area. During their investigation, agents conducted surveillance of the defendants and observed them conducting drug transactions. Law enforcement agents received authorization to conduct wiretaps on phones which the defendants were using to conduct their drug trafficking business. Between January and September of 2023, numerous communications between the defendants wherein they discussed their narcotics trafficking were intercepted by law enforcement. This organization sourced the methamphetamine from the Houston, Texas area and distributed it throughout central and south Louisiana. 

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Louisiana State Police, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John W. Nickel and LaDonte A. Murphy.

    The investigation and conviction of these defendants is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.

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