NewzIntel.com

Category: Federal Bureau of Investigation

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mount Vernon Police Sergeant Sentenced for Use of Excessive Force

    Source: US FBI

    United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that MARIO STEWART, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department (“MVPD”), was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas to six months in prison.  While working as a Sergeant for the MVPD in 2019, STEWART used excessive force against an individual experiencing a mental health crisis (the “Victim”), tasing him seven times over the course of several minutes, in violation of the Victim’s rights under the U.S. Constitution.

    “New Yorkers depend daily on the women and men of law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “We trust them to keep us safe, to act in line with their training, and to respect our individual rights.  This trust, earned over decades, is essential to our way of life.  When a law enforcement officer breaches that trust, we are all affected.  Yesterday’s sentencing was about protecting the trust between our communities and our police departments.”

    According to the Indictment, court filings and statements made in court:

    On or about March 26, 2019, STEWART was employed as a Sergeant with the MVPD.  STEWART was assigned to the MVPD’s Emergency Services Unit, which is responsible for, among other things, responding to individuals who are experiencing mental health crises.  On that day, STEWART and six other MVPD officers received a call to assist the Victim in Mount Vernon, New York, as the Victim was experiencing a mental health crisis.

    At the scene, STEWART and the other MVPD officers restrained the Victim, handcuffing his hands behind his back and securing his legs in a restraint bag in preparation to transport the Victim for medical assistance.  When the MVPD officers were unable to pull the restraint bag over the Victim’s chest because the Victim was holding onto one of the bag’s straps, STEWART directed the Victim to release the strap.  STEWART then deployed his taser seven times on the Victim. During each of STEWART’s taser deployments, the Victim remained laying on the ground, handcuffed with his hands behind his back and his legs secured in the restraint bag.  STEWART’s actions caused bodily injury to the Victim, including extreme pain.   

    In pronouncing STEWART’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas stated that a prison sentence was necessary “to send a clear message” to law enforcement that “even though your job is really hard, and even though you protect us every day and you have to make really tough decisions, there are still times where you have to yield to authority, and where the line is clear, you cannot cross it. . . . The people of Mount Vernon have to know that they will not be themselves victims of their law enforcement officers.”

    *               *                *

    In addition to the prison term, STEWART, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, was also sentenced to six months of home confinement.

    Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the MVPD for their assistance with the investigation.

    The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jared Hoffman are in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mount Vernon Police Sergeant Sentenced for Use of Excessive Force

    Source: US FBI

    United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that MARIO STEWART, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department (“MVPD”), was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas to six months in prison.  While working as a Sergeant for the MVPD in 2019, STEWART used excessive force against an individual experiencing a mental health crisis (the “Victim”), tasing him seven times over the course of several minutes, in violation of the Victim’s rights under the U.S. Constitution.

    “New Yorkers depend daily on the women and men of law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “We trust them to keep us safe, to act in line with their training, and to respect our individual rights.  This trust, earned over decades, is essential to our way of life.  When a law enforcement officer breaches that trust, we are all affected.  Yesterday’s sentencing was about protecting the trust between our communities and our police departments.”

    According to the Indictment, court filings and statements made in court:

    On or about March 26, 2019, STEWART was employed as a Sergeant with the MVPD.  STEWART was assigned to the MVPD’s Emergency Services Unit, which is responsible for, among other things, responding to individuals who are experiencing mental health crises.  On that day, STEWART and six other MVPD officers received a call to assist the Victim in Mount Vernon, New York, as the Victim was experiencing a mental health crisis.

    At the scene, STEWART and the other MVPD officers restrained the Victim, handcuffing his hands behind his back and securing his legs in a restraint bag in preparation to transport the Victim for medical assistance.  When the MVPD officers were unable to pull the restraint bag over the Victim’s chest because the Victim was holding onto one of the bag’s straps, STEWART directed the Victim to release the strap.  STEWART then deployed his taser seven times on the Victim. During each of STEWART’s taser deployments, the Victim remained laying on the ground, handcuffed with his hands behind his back and his legs secured in the restraint bag.  STEWART’s actions caused bodily injury to the Victim, including extreme pain.   

    In pronouncing STEWART’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas stated that a prison sentence was necessary “to send a clear message” to law enforcement that “even though your job is really hard, and even though you protect us every day and you have to make really tough decisions, there are still times where you have to yield to authority, and where the line is clear, you cannot cross it. . . . The people of Mount Vernon have to know that they will not be themselves victims of their law enforcement officers.”

    *               *                *

    In addition to the prison term, STEWART, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, was also sentenced to six months of home confinement.

    Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the MVPD for their assistance with the investigation.

    The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jared Hoffman are in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Doctor Pleads Guilty to Role in Telemedicine Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND – Mohammed Ahmad, 38, of Avon, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to submitting orders for patients in connection with a durable medical equipment (DME) scheme that caused Medicare to be unnecessarily billed for thousands of dollars. Medicare is a federal health care benefit program that provides items and services mainly to people who are age 65 and older.

    According to court documents, Ahmad has been a licensed physician in Ohio since 2014 and worked as a contractor for Florida-based Lifeline Recruiting Inc. to provide telemedicine services. Lifeline Recruiting purchased “leads” of Medicare beneficiaries and used call center services to find and target individuals who were eligible to receive orthotic braces and other DME. Lifeline provided pre-completed orders for Ahmad to review and sign to authorize treatment with DME as medically necessary, even though he did not personally examine patients or conduct the tests that his orders indicated he had performed.

    From November 2018 to May 2019, medical orders that Ahmad signed caused approximately $267,402 in false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare, of which approximately $126,643 was paid.

    On July 9, 2025, Ahmad pleaded guilty after being charged by information for making false statements related to health care matters in connection with the DME telemedicine scheme. He faces a maximum of up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is yet to be scheduled.

    This investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea S. Rice and Erica D. Barnhill prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.

    This case is part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The Takedown is part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that brought criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers. For more information, visit: justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/2025-national-health-care-fraud-takedown.

    The owner of Lifeline Recruiting, Alicia Hiller, pleaded guilty in March to charges related to the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5, 2025, in the Southern District of Florida.

    To report health care fraud and abuse, call 1-800-HHS-TIPS (8477).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harlem, Montana, Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Abuse Charges on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

    Source: US FBI

    GREAT FALLS – A Harlem man accused of sexual abuse on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Ross Vincent Dale, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse. Dale faces maximum penalties of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing has been set November 5, 2025. Dale was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that in January 2022, Jane Doe was taken to Benefis in Great Falls for a sexual assault examination. Doe alleged she was sexually abused by the Ross Dale on New Year’s Eve or in the early morning hours of New Year’s day, 2021-2022.

    Doe lived with her grandmother/guardian at the time. On New Year’s Eve, Doe’s grandmother and aunt traveled to Wolf Point, leaving Doe at the house alone. Dale contacted her on New Year’s Eve and brought alcohol. Doe took a video of herself and Dale drinking. At some point, Doe must have passed out because she woke up in her bed to her headboard banging against the wall. Dale was behind her, vaginally raping her. She tried to remain calm until he finally left the house. She told her grandmother immediately upon her return home from Wolf Point.

    Dale was interviewed. Although he claimed he was not in Harlem but in Billings with his kids on New Year’s Eve, DNA testing resulted in his DNA being found in Doe’s underwear, extracted from semen that was present on Doe’s underwear.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harlem, Montana, Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Abuse Charges on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

    Source: US FBI

    GREAT FALLS – A Harlem man accused of sexual abuse on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Ross Vincent Dale, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse. Dale faces maximum penalties of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing has been set November 5, 2025. Dale was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that in January 2022, Jane Doe was taken to Benefis in Great Falls for a sexual assault examination. Doe alleged she was sexually abused by the Ross Dale on New Year’s Eve or in the early morning hours of New Year’s day, 2021-2022.

    Doe lived with her grandmother/guardian at the time. On New Year’s Eve, Doe’s grandmother and aunt traveled to Wolf Point, leaving Doe at the house alone. Dale contacted her on New Year’s Eve and brought alcohol. Doe took a video of herself and Dale drinking. At some point, Doe must have passed out because she woke up in her bed to her headboard banging against the wall. Dale was behind her, vaginally raping her. She tried to remain calm until he finally left the house. She told her grandmother immediately upon her return home from Wolf Point.

    Dale was interviewed. Although he claimed he was not in Harlem but in Billings with his kids on New Year’s Eve, DNA testing resulted in his DNA being found in Doe’s underwear, extracted from semen that was present on Doe’s underwear.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seventy-One-Year-Old Repeat Felon Sentenced to 15 Months for Defrauding Taxpayer-Funded Program

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON DC –Geary Simon, 71, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for defrauding the STAY DC rental housing assistance program out of more than $38,500 and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

                Simon, aka “Robert Sutton,” pleaded guilty on Nov. 18, 2024, to one count of wire fraud in connection with a presidentially declared disaster or emergency and to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. In addition to the 15-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Simon to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the D.C. government of $38,560.

                According to court documents, Simon obtained $38,560 from the city government program called Stronger Together by Assisting You D.C., known as STAY DC. The program was intended to provide financial assistance during the Covid pandemic to help tenants cover housing and utility expenses due to a loss of income. In April 2021, the District allocated $352 million in federal relief funds for the program. Applicants applied for funds from the STAY DC program via an online portal operated by the D.C. Department of Human Services

                Simon applied to the program on June 22, 2021. In his application, Simon claimed that he was a tenant who rented a property in the District at 2433 H Street, NW; that his landlord was “Robert Sutton;” and that Simon owed “Robert Sutton” $72,000 in past due rent. All of the statements were false. Simon was not a tenant at that address; “Robert Sutton” was not Simon’s landlord; Simon did not owe “Robert Sutton” the sum of $72,000 in unpaid rent; and the phone number and email address that Simon provided for “Robert Sutton” were for a phone number and email account that Simon created and controlled.

                Unaware of the fraud, DC-DHS granted Simon’s application and issued Simon a check for $38,560 that DC-DHS would not otherwise have approved. Simon deposited the check into an account in the name of “The Geary Stephen Simon 2016 Irrevocable Trust.”

                Simon used the taxpayer-backed relief funds to pay private school tuition and to satisfy his court-ordered child support obligations.

                On March 14, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Simon’s home. Officers recovered two firearms. Simon has two prior felony convictions, including a conviction for carrying a pistol without a license. By virtue of the prior felonies, Simon was prohibited from possessing any firearms under federal law.

                This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Borchert.

     

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Aggravated Illegal Reentry Charges

    Source: US FBI

    Greenbelt, Maryland – Sarah Maud Jess, 62, a Jamaican national living in Capitol Heights, Maryland, pled guilty to two counts, distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl and re-entry of an alien removed after conviction for an aggravated felony.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

    According to her guilty plea, Jess disseminated at least 40 grams of fentanyl in Maryland and elsewhere between at least November 2023 and October 2024. Jess distributed the fentanyl in the form of pressed fentanyl pills – round, light blue pills imprinted with “M30.” As part of the investigation, a DEA undercover (UC) agent purchased fentanyl pills from Jess. Law enforcement also seized fentanyl pills from her vehicle as she was en route to distribute to the UC and recovered additional fentanyl pills and a firearm from Jess’s residence. In total, law enforcement recovered more than 3,000 fentanyl pills, totaling more than 350 grams of fentanyl, from Jess.

    During the investigation, on June 21, 2024, after coordinating with Jess via text message, the UC conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 600 fentanyl pills from Jess in a Greenbelt, Maryland restaurant parking lot for $3,600. Jess provided the UC with a black sock containing a clear plastic baggie with pills totaling more than 65 grams of fentanyl.

    Then on September 4, the UC conducted another purchase of approximately 1,000 pills from Jess for $6,000. Jess again met the UC in the Greenbelt restaurant parking lot and provided the UC with a black sock containing a clear plastic baggie with fentanyl pills comprised of more than 100 grams of fentanyl.

    On September 30, Jess texted the UC asking how many pills he or she wanted to purchase. Jess agreed to sell the UC 700 pills. Then on October 2, Jess and the UC spoke and arranged to meet at a Silver Spring, Maryland mall parking lot. Law enforcement officers surveilled Jess while she drove to the mall. As Jess drove to meet the UC, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop.

    Law enforcement found the pills Jess intended to sell to the UC and took her into custody. Jess provided the officers with a fake driver’s license with a fake name and an address that was not her actual residence. However, law enforcement saw her visit that address during the investigation. While searching the vehicle, law enforcement officers recovered a black sock with a clear plastic baggie inside containing approximately 700 blue pills — weighing more than 75 grams of fentanyl — that Jess intended to distribute to the UC.

    Additionally, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jess’s residence. During the search, law enforcement discovered a plastic baggie containing 46 fentanyl pills — weighing more than five grams — and a handgun loaded with nine rounds of ammunition in Jess’s bedroom.

    Throughout this timeframe, Jess was an alien illegally in the United States. Jess was previously convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Based on the conviction for an aggravated felony, Jess was previously removed from the United States after proceedings before an immigration judge. As part of her removal, Jess was advised that she was permanently excluded from re-entering the United States because of her prior conviction.

    Jess voluntarily and unlawfully re-entered the United States without inspection or permission. She never sought nor obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for re-admission.

    Jess faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison for the fentanyl charge. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for the illegal re-entry charge.

    Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, October 29, at 2 p.m.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the DEA, FBI, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who are prosecuting the federal case.

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

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seven Chinese Nationals Charged for Alleged Roles in Multimillion-Dollar Money Laundering, Alien Smuggling, and Drug Trafficking Enterprise

    Source: US FBI

    Defendants allegedly smuggled Chinese nationals into the United States to work at grow houses in suburban neighborhoods, cultivating and distributing kilogram-sized quantities of marijuana

    BOSTON – Seven Chinese nationals were charged today in connection with a multi-million-dollar conspiracy to cultivate and distribute marijuana across the Northeast that used interconnected grow houses concealed inside single-family properties in Massachusetts and Maine. It is alleged that Chinese nationals were smuggled into the United States to work in these grow houses without access to their passports until they repaid their smuggling debts.

    The following individuals have been indicted on one count each of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, as well as additional charges listed respectively:

    1. Jianxiong Chen, 39, of Braintree, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy, 11 counts of money laundering and one count of bringing aliens into the United States;
    2. Yuxiong Wu, 36, of Weymouth, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and four counts of money laundering;
    3. Dinghui Li, 38, of Braintree, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering;
    4. Dechao Ma, 35, of Braintree, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering;
    5. Peng Lian Zhu, 35, of Melrose, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy;
    6. Hongbin Wu, 35, of Quincy, Mass.; and
    7. Yanrong Zhu, 47, of Greenfield, Mass. and Brooklyn, N.Y.

    Six defendants were arrested this morning. Yanrong Zhu remains a fugitive.

    “This case pulls back the curtain on a sprawling criminal enterprise that exploited our immigration system and our communities for personal gain. These defendants allegedly turned quiet homes across the Northeast into hubs for a criminal enterprise – building a multi-million-dollar black-market operation off the backs of an illegal workforce and using our neighborhoods as cover. That ends today,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.

    “Today, we arrested members of an alleged Chinese-run drug trafficking organization who are accused of running a massive marijuana cultivation and distribution scheme that has raked in millions and contributed widely to the illegal drug trade here in the Northeast,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Equally disturbing is that Jianxiong Chen – the accused ringleader of this organization – is charged with paying to smuggle a Chinese national across the Mexican border to work at his grow houses. This takedown highlights the need for a sustained law enforcement effort, across all levels, to shut down and thoroughly investigate the organized criminal enterprises behind these unlicensed and illegal operations.”

    “The Massachusetts State Police share the resolve of our federal and local partners to support safer communities across the Commonwealth,” said Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. “Troopers assigned to our Special Services Section used their training and skill in this Operation to respond to the concerns of our neighbors, disrupt these illicit growing activities, and improve the quality of life across Massachusetts. Each of these properties can now return to their intended purpose as homes which our communities desperately need.”

    According to the charging documents, from in or about January 2020, the defendants allegedly owned, operated or partnered with a network of interconnected grow houses in Massachusetts and Maine to cultivate and distribute kilogram-sized quantities of marijuana in bulk. Specifically, the enterprise allegedly operated grow houses in Braintree, Mass.; Melrose, Mass.; and Greenfield, Mass., among other locations in Massachusetts, Maine and elsewhere. It is alleged that the grow house operators maintained contact with each other through a list of marijuana cultivators and distributors from or with ties to China in the region called the “East Coast Contact List.”

    It is alleged that Chen controlled several grow houses in Maine as well as a home in Braintree, Mass., which served as a base of operations for the enterprise. Marijuana manufactured by the interconnected grow house network, as well as bulk cash from dealers, was allegedly delivered to and redistributed by Chen at this Braintree residence. It is further alleged that co-conspirators concealed the marijuana and cash they were delivering to Chen inside the engine compartments of their vehicles. During a search of the home in October 2024, over $270,000 in cash was allegedly recovered from the house and from a Porsche in the driveway, as well as several Chinese passports and other identification documents inside a safe.

    Data extracted from Chen’s cell phone allegedly revealed that he helped smuggle Chinese nationals into the United States – putting the aliens to work at one of the grow houses he controlled while keeping possession of their passports until they repaid him for the cost associated with smuggling them into the country.

    It is alleged that profits from the marijuana sales, which totaled in the millions of dollars, were used to purchase luxury homes, automobiles, jewelry and other items in Massachusetts including to expand the enterprise through the purchase of real estate.

    Additional October 2024 searches of grow houses located in Braintree and Melrose where Ma and Zhu resided, respectively, allegedly resulted in the seizure of over 109 kilograms of marijuana, nearly $200,000 in cash and numerous luxury items including a gold Rolex watch with a $65,000 price tag still on it.

    It is further alleged that the enterprise conducted bulk cash transactions with operators located in the Eastern District of New York. According to court documents, in June 2023, Hongbin Wu and Yanrong Zhu were stopped by law enforcement after leaving a grow house in Greenfield, Mass., during which $36,900 in cash was seized from the defendants.

    The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, at least two years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. The charge of bringing aliens into the United States provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of three years and up to 10 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.

    U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks and MSP Superintendent Colonel Noble made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; New York State Police; Maine State Police; and the Braintree, Westchester County and New York Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seven Chinese Nationals Charged for Alleged Roles in Multimillion-Dollar Money Laundering, Alien Smuggling, and Drug Trafficking Enterprise

    Source: US FBI

    Defendants allegedly smuggled Chinese nationals into the United States to work at grow houses in suburban neighborhoods, cultivating and distributing kilogram-sized quantities of marijuana

    BOSTON – Seven Chinese nationals were charged today in connection with a multi-million-dollar conspiracy to cultivate and distribute marijuana across the Northeast that used interconnected grow houses concealed inside single-family properties in Massachusetts and Maine. It is alleged that Chinese nationals were smuggled into the United States to work in these grow houses without access to their passports until they repaid their smuggling debts.

    The following individuals have been indicted on one count each of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, as well as additional charges listed respectively:

    1. Jianxiong Chen, 39, of Braintree, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy, 11 counts of money laundering and one count of bringing aliens into the United States;
    2. Yuxiong Wu, 36, of Weymouth, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and four counts of money laundering;
    3. Dinghui Li, 38, of Braintree, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering;
    4. Dechao Ma, 35, of Braintree, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering;
    5. Peng Lian Zhu, 35, of Melrose, Mass. also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy;
    6. Hongbin Wu, 35, of Quincy, Mass.; and
    7. Yanrong Zhu, 47, of Greenfield, Mass. and Brooklyn, N.Y.

    Six defendants were arrested this morning. Yanrong Zhu remains a fugitive.

    “This case pulls back the curtain on a sprawling criminal enterprise that exploited our immigration system and our communities for personal gain. These defendants allegedly turned quiet homes across the Northeast into hubs for a criminal enterprise – building a multi-million-dollar black-market operation off the backs of an illegal workforce and using our neighborhoods as cover. That ends today,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.

    “Today, we arrested members of an alleged Chinese-run drug trafficking organization who are accused of running a massive marijuana cultivation and distribution scheme that has raked in millions and contributed widely to the illegal drug trade here in the Northeast,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Equally disturbing is that Jianxiong Chen – the accused ringleader of this organization – is charged with paying to smuggle a Chinese national across the Mexican border to work at his grow houses. This takedown highlights the need for a sustained law enforcement effort, across all levels, to shut down and thoroughly investigate the organized criminal enterprises behind these unlicensed and illegal operations.”

    “The Massachusetts State Police share the resolve of our federal and local partners to support safer communities across the Commonwealth,” said Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. “Troopers assigned to our Special Services Section used their training and skill in this Operation to respond to the concerns of our neighbors, disrupt these illicit growing activities, and improve the quality of life across Massachusetts. Each of these properties can now return to their intended purpose as homes which our communities desperately need.”

    According to the charging documents, from in or about January 2020, the defendants allegedly owned, operated or partnered with a network of interconnected grow houses in Massachusetts and Maine to cultivate and distribute kilogram-sized quantities of marijuana in bulk. Specifically, the enterprise allegedly operated grow houses in Braintree, Mass.; Melrose, Mass.; and Greenfield, Mass., among other locations in Massachusetts, Maine and elsewhere. It is alleged that the grow house operators maintained contact with each other through a list of marijuana cultivators and distributors from or with ties to China in the region called the “East Coast Contact List.”

    It is alleged that Chen controlled several grow houses in Maine as well as a home in Braintree, Mass., which served as a base of operations for the enterprise. Marijuana manufactured by the interconnected grow house network, as well as bulk cash from dealers, was allegedly delivered to and redistributed by Chen at this Braintree residence. It is further alleged that co-conspirators concealed the marijuana and cash they were delivering to Chen inside the engine compartments of their vehicles. During a search of the home in October 2024, over $270,000 in cash was allegedly recovered from the house and from a Porsche in the driveway, as well as several Chinese passports and other identification documents inside a safe.

    Data extracted from Chen’s cell phone allegedly revealed that he helped smuggle Chinese nationals into the United States – putting the aliens to work at one of the grow houses he controlled while keeping possession of their passports until they repaid him for the cost associated with smuggling them into the country.

    It is alleged that profits from the marijuana sales, which totaled in the millions of dollars, were used to purchase luxury homes, automobiles, jewelry and other items in Massachusetts including to expand the enterprise through the purchase of real estate.

    Additional October 2024 searches of grow houses located in Braintree and Melrose where Ma and Zhu resided, respectively, allegedly resulted in the seizure of over 109 kilograms of marijuana, nearly $200,000 in cash and numerous luxury items including a gold Rolex watch with a $65,000 price tag still on it.

    It is further alleged that the enterprise conducted bulk cash transactions with operators located in the Eastern District of New York. According to court documents, in June 2023, Hongbin Wu and Yanrong Zhu were stopped by law enforcement after leaving a grow house in Greenfield, Mass., during which $36,900 in cash was seized from the defendants.

    The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, at least two years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. The charge of bringing aliens into the United States provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of three years and up to 10 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.

    U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks and MSP Superintendent Colonel Noble made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; New York State Police; Maine State Police; and the Braintree, Westchester County and New York Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: H Block Gang Member Sentenced to Over Six Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    BOSTON – A long-time member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, was sentenced today in federal court for drug conspiracy offenses.

    Dennis Wilson, a/k/a “Deuce,” 36 of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 77 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2025, Wilson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

    Wilson was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation that began in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation.

    According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.

    From 2022 through 2023, Wilson participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, including fentanyl, powdered cocaine and cocaine base (crack). On numerus occasions, Wilson accompanied a co-conspirator on various drug deals with undercover officers.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Nevada Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Engage in Voter Registration Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    MINNEAPOLIS – Ronnie Williams pled guilty today to an information charging him with conspiracy to engage in voter registration fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

    “Today’s guilty plea underscores our commitment to protecting the integrity of the electoral process,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. Any attempt to undermine that process through fraud will be investigated and prosecuted. This case sends a clear message—election fraud will not be tolerated in Minnesota.”

    According to court documents, beginning in 2021 through 2022, Ronnie Williams, 58, was involved in a conspiracy to create fictitious identities and information for use in Minnesota voter registration applications. After filling out the forms, Williams signed a statement affirming that he had read and understood the certification, which included a warning that submitting false information constitutes a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. 

    According to court documents, Williams then submitted the fraudulent registrations to Foundation 1, an organization focused on voter registration efforts in Minnesota. Foundation 1 forwarded the false applications to county election offices throughout the state. In exchange, Foundation 1 compensated Williams for each registration submitted, and Williams shared a portion of the payments to his co-conspirator.

    Williams pled guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office wishes to thank the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section for partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also wishes to thank the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State and the Carver County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance and full cooperation with this investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Jonathan Jacobson of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting this case.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Johnson Subpoenas FBI for Records on the July 13, 2024 Trump Assassination Attempt

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, issued a subpoena to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel for records relating to the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt of President Donald Trump in Butler, PA. 

    “One year following the assassination attempt of President Trump, the American people still do not have answers to all of their questions about the breakdown of security at the Butler campaign rally and detailed information about the would-be assassin, Thomas Crooks. I had expected the FBI to be more forthcoming with the public and provide my office with the records we have been seeking for months. I am issuing the subpoena to help prompt transparency and I look forward to Director Patel’s full cooperation,” Sen. Johnson stated. 

     The subpoena requires the FBI to provide, in part:  

    • Security camera footage obtained that may identify Crooks’ movements in advance of the shooting;
    • Forensic reports on the assassination attempt, including ballistics, trajectory, explosive, and drone analysis records; and
    • Records about Crooks including documents relating to his social media and email accounts, search history, call logs, and other communications.

    Following the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt, Sen. Johnson immediately began investigating the security failures surrounding the Butler campaign rally. On July 14, 2024, Sen. Johnson wrote to the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Security requesting records about Crooks and the security of the event. On July 21, 2024 and July 23, 2024, he released preliminary findings and provided the public updated timelines on July 30, 2024 and on Aug. 29, 2024 regarding law enforcement’s awareness of Crooks.

    On Sept. 25, 2024, Sens. Johnson, Rand Paul, Gary Peters, and Richard Blumenthal released an interim report detailing the security failures at the Butler campaign rally and outstanding requests connected to the assassination attempt.

    The deadline for Sen. Johnson’s subpoena is Aug. 1, 2025. The full text of the subpoena can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Washington Man of Three Counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COEUR D’ALENE – After a four-day trial, a federal jury sitting in Coeur d’Alene found Jason Bergeron, 50, of Washington, guilty of three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.  U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford presided over the trial, which began on July 7, and concluded with guilty verdicts as to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon on July 10.

    According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Bergeron drove to his ex-girlfriend’s house on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation.  Once there, he shot a rifle into the house while his ex-girlfriend, her daughter and son-in-law, and her three-year-old grandson were at the house.  Bergeron shot multiple additional rounds of ammunition towards the daughter and son-in-law as they fled with their child, then pointed the rifle at his ex-girlfriend multiple times and threatened to kill her.  All the victims in this case are members of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation.

    Each of the three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.  Sentencing is set for September 24, 2025, before Judge Brailsford at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a meticulous and professional investigation, which led to the charges. He also thanked the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Prosecutor and the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney for their assistance with this case.  Assistants United States Attorney Bryce Ellsworth and Adam Johnson prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Arrested for Pointing a Laser at Police Helicopter During Protests in Los Angeles

    Source: US FBI

    LOS ANGELES—A Los Angeles man was taken into custody this week by FBI agents and charged federally with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft—specifically, a helicopter operated by pilots with the Los Angeles Police Department.

    Dominic Rios, 21, whose last known address was in Hemet, was arrested on July 7 pursuant to a federal criminal complaint filed on June 27 in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.

    The complaint alleges that, on June 10, 2025, a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) helicopter was flying at an altitude of approximately 950 feet while monitoring protests in downtown Los Angeles when it was struck three times by green laser light.

    The LAPD helicopter pilot and flight officer were able to identify the person using the laser, later identified as Rios, and relay his description and location near a parking lot to LAPD officers on the ground, who located Rios and arrested him. An LAPD officer searched Rios and found a laser pointer in his pocket. After the LAPD officer Mirandized Rios, Rios admitted that he had used his green laser pointer on the LAPD helicopter.

    Testing confirmed that the device seized from Rios was a green laser pointer. The helicopter was struck three times by the green laser and each strike lit up the cockpit. Each strike lasted approximately 3-5 seconds, forcing the pilot to modify the helicopter’s altitude to avoid additional strikes, according to the complaint.

    Testing conducted by the LAPD confirmed that the green laser used by Rios is hazardous to the eyes.

    Rios had an initial appearance before a federal magistrate and was released on bond.

    If convicted, Rios faces statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.

    This investigation was conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Derek Flores.

    When laser beams are aimed at any piloted aircraft, whether military or commercial, what might seem like a tiny beam on the ground can blind aircrew, potentially causing a midair collision or other incident.

    In 2023 alone, the Federal Aviation Administration (or FAA) received more than 13,000 reports of laser strikes. And the U.S. Air Force Safety Center’s webpage dedicated to the issue notes that “aircrew are issued laser eye protection glasses before each flight.”

    These incidents are both dangerous and illegal.

    The FBI is reminding the public to keep their laser pointers out of the sky to protect pilots—and to avoid hefty fines and potential prison time.

    To learn more about this crime, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/preventing-laser-strikes-on-aircraft.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: San Antonio Man Arrested for Alleged Facebook Threat Against President Trump Ahead of Friday’s Visit to Texas Hill Country

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was arrested Thursday night in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged threat against the President of the United States.

    According to court documents, Robert Herrera, 52, commented on a San Antonio news outlet’s July 10 Facebook post pertaining to President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the Texas Hill Country. Using the handle, “Robert Herrer,” Herrera allegedly commented, “I won’t miss,” along with a photo depicting President Trump surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents immediately after the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. The criminal complaint alleges that a separate Facebook poster replied to “Robert Herrer” stating, “you won’t get the chance, I promise,” to which “Robert Herrer” responded to, “I’ll just come for you.” Accompanying that statement, “Robert Herrer” included a photo of an assault rifle and loaded magazines.

    Herrera was arrested the same day and is facing a federal charge of making threats against the President and interstate threatening communications. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison for each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    “This case is an example of great cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement partners committed to taking down anyone who would threaten the life of the President or anyone else,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “I want to thank Chief McManus and his team at SAPD for their swift response to this threat. To be clear, these types of threats will not be taken lightly, and we will always take a swift, aggressive approach, as was done here.”

    “I would like to thank the San Antonio Police Department and the FBI San Antonio Field Office for assisting the U.S. Secret Service in this matter,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Gibson for the U.S. Secret Service San Antonio Field Office. “Investigating threats towards individuals under Secret Service protection are treated as our highest priority. This is one of the countless reasons the Secret Service prides ourselves on forging and maintaining relationships with other law enforcement agencies. As this is an ongoing investigation, the Secret Service will have no further comment on this incident.”

    “While the FBI fully supports and defends every American’s right to free speech, it is important to understand that threatening violence against any individual is not constitutionally protected speech, it is a federal crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “We take all threats to human life with the utmost seriousness, and we urge others to do the same. We would like to thank the United States Secret Service, the San Antonio Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the United States Attorney’s Office for their tremendous partnership in addressing this threat against the President. We urge all members of the public to express their views peacefully and respectfully in a manner consistent with the values that define our nation.”

    “SAPD remains committed to working alongside our federal partners to ensure that threats of violence are taken seriously and addressed quickly,” said Chief William McManus for the San Antonio Police Department. “I want to commend the individual who reported the threatened violence against POTUS. Law enforcement cannot do this job without the assistance of our community.”

    The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and San Antonio Police Department are investigating the case with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg is prosecuting the case.

    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: Former Banker Arrested for Allegedly Obtaining $2.7 Million in COVID Business-Relief Funds Using Stolen IDs of Disabled Persons

    Source: US FBI

    LOS ANGELES – A former Wells Fargo & Co. banker and his brother have been arrested on an eight-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they schemed to fraudulently obtain more than $2.7 million in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief funds and federally-guaranteed small business loans, including by submitting applications using the stolen identities of developmentally disabled persons who lived in long-term care facilities, the Justice Department announced today. 

    Norayr Madadi, 40, of Burbank, and Vazrik Madadi, 44, of Glendale, were arrested Wednesday morning.

    Both men are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering. Norayr Madadi is separately charged with one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of making a false statement to a government agent.

    They pleaded not guilty at their arraignment Wednesday afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles. A federal magistrate judge ordered Norayr Madadi released on $25,000 bond, ordered Vazrik Madadi released on $50,000 bond, and scheduled a September 2 trial date.

    According to the indictment returned on June 17 and unsealed Wednesday, Norayr Madadi was a banker at Wells Fargo and opened fraudulent accounts in the names of shell companies and persons including using stolen and fictious identities.

    From March 2020 through April 2021, the defendants obtained millions in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) loans by submitting loan applications with false statements about revenues, operations, and employees. The defendants used fake and stolen identities to further the fraudulent scheme, including the stolen identities of two victims who are developmentally disabled and live in long-term care facilities.

    The Small Business Administration (SBA) and PPP participating lenders disbursed the loans into bank accounts controlled by the defendants, including the Wells Fargo bank accounts opened by Norayr Madadi. The Madadi brothers allegedly spent the loan proceeds at casinos, paying for luxury cars and jewelry, and cash withdrawals.

    Law enforcement believes the losses caused by this scheme are approximately $2.7 million.

    An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

    If convicted, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 in federal prison for each wire fraud-related count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count. Norayr Madadi would face up to five years in federal prison if convicted of the false statements count and would face a mandatory two-year consecutive prison term if convicted of the aggravated identity theft count.

    The FBI is investigating this matter. 

    Assistant United States Attorney Jason Pang of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case, with substantial assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Haven Narcotics Distributor Sentenced to 28 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: US FBI

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DEVARO TAYLOR, 35, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 28 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2020, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and New Haven Police Department conducted an investigation into narcotics trafficking and related criminal activity in and around New Haven.  Between September and December 2020, investigators made controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Taylor.  A court-authorized wiretap of Taylor’s phone revealed that he sold powder and crack cocaine to numerous drug customers in New Haven.

    Taylor was arrested on January 26, 2021.  On that date, a search of his residence revealed approximately 124 grams of cocaine, approximately 226 grams of crack cocaine, and $6,702 in cash.

    On December 7, 2021, Taylor pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”).

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Delaware Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Coercing 11-Year-Old New Jersey Resident to Travel to Delaware for Sexual Activity

    Source: US FBI

    WILMINGTON, Del. – Dylan J. Steinberg, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that on July 2, 2025, the Honorable Jennifer L. Hall sentenced Darius Matylewich, 27, to a period of 240 months of incarceration for coercion and enticement of a minor.

    According to court documents, the FBI arrested Matylewich after he removed an 11-year-old from her New Jersey home and travelled with her to his Bear, Delaware home to engage in sexual activity.  On September 10, 2023, the Wayne Township, New Jersey Police Department (“WTPD”) received a report of a missing 11-year-old girl (“the Victim”). Through investigative measures, WTPD determined that Matylewich took the Victim from her New Jersey home to his home in Bear, Delaware.  The FBI, with assistance from WTPD and the New Castle County Police Department, safely recovered the Victim and arrested Matylewich.

    A subsequent investigation revealed that Matylewich met the 11-year-old Victim on the internet and communicated with the Victim via online video games and social media platforms. A forensic analysis of Matylewich’s cellphone and social media uncovered message threads in which Matylewich coerced the 11-year-old Victim to perform sexual acts, and, in turn, produce child pornography for him.  Investigators also recovered messages in which Matylewich described covertly watching and following the Victim near her New Jersey home.

    Matylewich also used an application on his phone to covertly record conversations, videos, and images of the Victim performing sexual acts that Matylewich solicited from her.   Unbeknownst to the Victim, Matylewich then stored videos and images of her within the “hidden” folder of his phone, which could only be accessed via facial recognition.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Steinberg stated, “This sentence sends a clear message: those who harm the community’s most vulnerable will be held fully accountable for their actions.  This sentence also reflects the dedication and cooperation of local, state, and federal law enforcement.  We commend the FBI and the Wayne Township and New Castle County Police Departments, who acted swiftly to return the Victim to her family and ensure justice was served.  We hope this outcome brings a measure of closure to the Victim and her family.”

    “Nothing can erase the harm Matylewich inflicted on an innocent child. With this lengthy sentence, he is being held accountable for his appalling abuse. Stopping predators like Matylewich from harming children remains a top priority of the FBI and our partners. Let this sentence be a warning to others seeking to take advantage of kids through online video games or social media, you will pay for your crimes,” said FBI Baltimore Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Michelle Thurstlic-O’Neill. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Taskforce with assistance from the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Wayne Township New Jersey Police Department, New Castle County Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-CR-102.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Cary Man Who Wounded Police Dog Sentenced to 12 and One Half Years for Armed Carjacking

    Source: US FBI

    NEW BERN, N.C. – Joshua Whittlesey, a resident of Cary, was sentenced today to 12.5 years in prison and $28,000 in restitution, for carjacking. The 26-year-old man pled guilty to the charge on November 13, 2024.

    According to court records and other information presented in court, on July 21, 2023, Whittlesey went to Hendrick’s Cadillac in Cary under the guise of purchasing a Ford Raptor. While out on a test drive with the sales representative, Whittlesey brandished what the sales representative believed to be a firearm and ordered him out of the vehicle. The sales representative immediately called 911 to report the crime. Whittlesey took the vehicle and led officers from the Cary, Durham, and Raleigh Police Departments on a high-speed chase reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour. While fleeing from the officers, Whittlesey struck and wounded a Cary Police dog with the stolen vehicle. Whittlesey later abandoned the vehicle and was apprehended in Burlington. Whittlesey claimed that the apparent firearm was a BB gun, but law enforcement did not recover either.

    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 Justice.gov/PSN.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cary Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaren E. Kelly and Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00115-FL.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marijuana Dealer Who Possessed Machine Gun Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced that Zimarie Bryant, 20, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison in connection with marijuana trafficking and illegally possessing a machine gun.

                Bryant, an aspiring rapper aka “Cruddy Marie,” pleaded guilty on March 13, 2025, to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and to one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun. In addition to the 30-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Bryant to serve three years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, on Aug. 31, 2023, FBI agents went to an apartment in the 3600 Block of Jay Street, NE, to execute a federal arrest warrant. Agents knocked on the door but did not gain entry for more than 20 minutes. Agents obtained a search warrant and recovered numerous firearms, including a 9mm Glock 45 that had been modified with a switch to make it a functionally fully automatic machine gun.

                Agents also recovered about 12 pounds of marijuana, ammunition, and a firearm magazine. As part of this plea, Bryant acknowledged that he possessed the marijuana with the intent to distribute it, that he possessed the machine gun in connection with that possession with intent to distribute, and that he knew the firearm was a machine gun.

                While Bryant was released from the apartment, messages from his Instagram account from around the time of the search acknowledge his presence at the scene. On Aug. 31, 2023, Bryant sent an Instagram message to another user saying, “I was just locked up and got picked up by the fbi.” In a separate conversation that day, another Instagram user asked him, “Ever found some thunder 1” “? *”, which refers to marijuana. Bryant responded, “I had some but fbi ran in our spot and took everything”.

                On May 30, 2024, Bryant was arrested at an apartment in Southeast Washington, D.C. Law enforcement recovered a disassembled Glock 19 handgun, two 9mm magazines with 15 rounds each, a black scale, and two additional 9mm rounds. When Bryant was shown his arrest warrant during booking, he denied having a machine gun but did admit he had a Glock 19.

                Bryant has a history of using and possessing firearms unlawfully. On June 30, 2023, he posted a video on Instagram showing him possessing what appears to be the same firearm involved in this case.

                Joining in the announcement were Assistant Director in Chief Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the DEA, and MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel.

    This news release, originally issued on July 2, was updated July 8 to reflect a resentencing of the defendant.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Myers Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Convenience Stores at Gunpoint

    Source: US FBI

    Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Kevoun Najae Watts (22, Fort Myers) to 10 years in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The court also ordered Watts to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the offenses. Watts pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025.

    According to court documents, Watts admitted to robbing a gas station and a convenience store at gunpoint on July 31, 2024, in Fort Myers.

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

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mike Kelly statement ahead of anniversary of attempted assassination of President Trump in Butler, Pa.

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) released this statement ahead of the one-year anniversary of the attempted assassination of President Donald J. Trump in Kelly’s hometown of Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.

    “As we reflect on the tragic events that unfolded in Butler, Pennsylvania one year ago this weekend, may we pray for the Comperatore family as they continue to heal, for David Dutch and James Copenhaver who were injured, and for President Trump who continues to serve our great nation despite not one, but two assassination attempts. In the wake of tragedy, the Butler community remains united and stronger than ever,” said Rep. Kelly. “In the year since the attempted assassination of President Trump, Congress has taken significant steps to investigate the events of July 13. Our Task Force produced nearly 40 recommendations to modernize the Secret Service and to better protect America’s leaders. I continue to work with Director Curran and the agency as my colleagues in Congress and I put these recommendations into action. Like many in the Butler community, I still have questions about everything that led up to, and unfolded on, July 13. May we continue to pursue the truth to get the American people the answers they deserve.”

    BACKGROUND

    Following the assassination attempt, Rep. Kelly was named Chairman of the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump. In their final report published in December 2024, the Task Force produced nearly 40 actionable recommendations related to the July 13 events and overarching structural changes the Secret Service should consider.

    The Task Force also:

    • Conducted 46 transcribed interviews (TI’s)
    • Reviewed nearly 20,000 pages of documents
    • Held a dozen briefings with relevant agencies and officials, including Secret Service, FBI, ATF, and others.
    • Visited sites in Butler, West Palm Beach, and the FBI laboratory to review evidence in Quantico, Virginia

    You can read the Task Force’s final report here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mike Kelly statement ahead of anniversary of attempted assassination of President Trump in Butler, Pa.

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) released this statement ahead of the one-year anniversary of the attempted assassination of President Donald J. Trump in Kelly’s hometown of Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.

    “As we reflect on the tragic events that unfolded in Butler, Pennsylvania one year ago this weekend, may we pray for the Comperatore family as they continue to heal, for David Dutch and James Copenhaver who were injured, and for President Trump who continues to serve our great nation despite not one, but two assassination attempts. In the wake of tragedy, the Butler community remains united and stronger than ever,” said Rep. Kelly. “In the year since the attempted assassination of President Trump, Congress has taken significant steps to investigate the events of July 13. Our Task Force produced nearly 40 recommendations to modernize the Secret Service and to better protect America’s leaders. I continue to work with Director Curran and the agency as my colleagues in Congress and I put these recommendations into action. Like many in the Butler community, I still have questions about everything that led up to, and unfolded on, July 13. May we continue to pursue the truth to get the American people the answers they deserve.”

    BACKGROUND

    Following the assassination attempt, Rep. Kelly was named Chairman of the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump. In their final report published in December 2024, the Task Force produced nearly 40 actionable recommendations related to the July 13 events and overarching structural changes the Secret Service should consider.

    The Task Force also:

    • Conducted 46 transcribed interviews (TI’s)
    • Reviewed nearly 20,000 pages of documents
    • Held a dozen briefings with relevant agencies and officials, including Secret Service, FBI, ATF, and others.
    • Visited sites in Butler, West Palm Beach, and the FBI laboratory to review evidence in Quantico, Virginia

    You can read the Task Force’s final report here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: BJMining Launches XRP-Compatible Cloud Mining Contracts Amid Market Volatility and Increased XRP Demand

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As XRP experiences a sharp increase in market interest during July’s volatile crypto climate, BJMining has announced a timely expansion of its global mining services by enabling XRP as a supported asset for its cloud-based mining contracts. The development comes as part of BJMining’s commitment to providing more accessible and diversified digital asset options for global users.

    The recent market uptick—marked by Ethereum gas fee reductions, Bitcoin stabilizing above $114,000, and a surge in Solana activity—has prompted investors to revisit XRP’s long-term utility. Amid this environment, BJMining’s new support for XRP-based cloud mining aims to meet demand from investors seeking stable digital income models beyond traditional coin-holding strategies.

    Transforming Passive Holdings into Productive Assets

    With XRP lacking a native staking mechanism, many long-term holders have had limited opportunities to earn on idle assets. BJMining addresses this gap by offering a system where users can participate in crypto mining using XRP as payment for cloud-based contract plans.

    “By integrating XRP as a payment and mining option, we’re giving users a practical way to generate income without needing advanced technical knowledge or infrastructure,” said a BJMining representative. “This is especially important for those looking to diversify and stabilize their exposure in the crypto sector.”

    BJMining’s seven advantages make mining easy and reliable

    • Sign up and get $15: New users can get a $15 when they register, and can start mining without recharging;
    • No equipment or maintenance required:The platform is responsible for operation and maintenance and energy consumption management throughout the process, and users only need to select a contract to start earning profits;
    • AI Intelligent Scheduling System:Automatically determine the currency market and mining difficulty, dynamically allocate computing power, and improve yield;
    • Green energy drive:All mines use clean energy such as wind, hydro, and solar energy, which is in line with the global trend of carbon neutrality;
    • Funds and data security:McAfee + Cloudflare dual protection architecture, user assets are fully insured by AIG;
    • Supports flexible withdrawals in multiple currencies: BTC, DOGE, ETH, XRP, USDT and other mainstream assets, fast arrival without waiting;
    • Flexible promotion rebate mechanism: Invite friends to enjoy up to 5% commission reward, with no upper limit, to build your passive income network.

    Mainstream contract recommendations to suit different investment objectives

    BJMining currently has a variety of main contracts online, covering short-term trials to long-term stable configurations:

    •  WhatsMiner M50S+：Invest $100 for 2 days, total net income is $106;
    • WhatsMiner M60S++：Invest $600 for 7 days, total net income is $652.50;
    • Avalon Miner A1566：Invest $1200 for 15 days, total net income is $1434;
    • WhatsMiner M66S+：Invest $5800 for 30 days, total net income is $8410;
    • Antminer L7：Invest $12000 for 40 days, total net income is $20160;
    • Antminer S21e XP Hyd：Invest $27000 for 45 days, total net income is $48870;

    All contracts support XRP payment, which takes effect immediately after purchase, and you can start receiving daily dividends the next day.

    About BJMining

    Founded in 2015, BJMining is a UK-headquartered cloud mining provider serving over 5 million users across more than 180 countries. Operating more than 60 mining farms and 1.2 million mining machines globally, the company leverages AI-driven scheduling and renewable energy infrastructure to deliver secure and energy-efficient mining services.

    All mining operations are backed by enterprise-grade security architecture and insurance protocols. BJMining supports asset management in multiple cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, DOGE, and now XRP.

    Forward Outlook

    As cryptocurrency continues to evolve from speculative trading to asset-backed income generation, BJMining’s expansion of payment options reflects a broader industry shift toward accessibility, energy sustainability, and risk-managed crypto investing.

    For more information about BJMining’s latest XRP-supported features or to explore its global mining offerings, visit https://bjmining.com or contact:

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Diego Securities Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Securities attorney Andrew Coldicutt was sentenced in federal court today to 85 months in prison for securities fraud, false securities registration statements, and wire fraud in connection with two pump-and-dump schemes.

    U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta also ordered Coldicutt to pay $42,970 in forfeiture and a $100,000 fine.

    Coldicutt was convicted by a federal jury in March on all 17 counts following a weeklong trial. According to evidence presented at trial, in the first scheme, Coldicutt worked with others from 2017 through 2019 to prepare and execute a pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt created a business plan for a fake backyard fruit harvesting company. He prepared and filed securities registration statements with the SEC for an initial public offering of the company’s stock.

    The securities registration statements contained false and misleading information about the company, its business plans, and the people who owned and controlled the company. Since Coldicutt was unwittingly working with undercover FBI agents and sources gathering evidence against him, no investors were injured.

    In the second scheme, in 2019, one of Coldicutt’s corporate clients needed to raise money fast. Rather than raise money legally, Coldicutt presented the undercover FBI agents with another pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt wrote a false attorney opinion letter to facilitate the sale of stock for the pump-and-dump scheme. However, a broker-dealer denied the stock transfer and again, no investors were injured.

    A “pump and dump” scheme is a type of fraud where manipulators gain control over a company’s stock and boost a company’s stock price by spreading false information or trading in a way that creates fake demand. Once the stock price is inflated, they sell off their shares (the “dump”), causing the price to drop and leaving investors with losses.

    “Attorneys are expected to uphold the law, not exploit it,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for abusing that trust and attempting to manipulate the market for personal gain.”

    “Today’s sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable those who unlawfully pursue personal gain at the expense of the American people,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. “Attorneys who exploit the system not only hurt potential victims. They also erode the community’s trust. The FBI will relentlessly investigate such criminals to protect our citizens and ensure justice is served.”

    The Securities and Exchange Commission has also taken civil action against Coldicutt.

    DEFENDANT                        Case Number 22cr1881                                       

    Andrew Coldicutt                    Age: 44                    San Diego, California

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77q, 77x – Securities Fraud

    Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison

    Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77g, 77x – False Securities Registration Statements

    Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison

    Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1343 – Wire Fraud

    Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ute Fish and Wildlife Officer Pleads Guilty in 2022 Shooting on Tribal Land in Uinta Canyon

    Source: US FBI

    SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Waneka Rosebud Cornpeach, age 42, of Fort Duchesne, Utah, pled guilty to felony charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, both while within Indian Country.

    According to the plea agreement, on July 17, 2022, the defendant admits to firing her weapon at two different victims, resulting in serious bodily injury to both victims.

    The defendant was remanded, and sentencing will be held on November 17, 2025.

    The FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn from the District of Colorado is handling the prosecution of the case in the United States District Court for the District of Utah.

    Case Number: 2:23-cr-00434-HCN-DAO-1

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ute Fish and Wildlife Officer Pleads Guilty in 2022 Shooting on Tribal Land in Uinta Canyon

    Source: US FBI

    SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Waneka Rosebud Cornpeach, age 42, of Fort Duchesne, Utah, pled guilty to felony charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, both while within Indian Country.

    According to the plea agreement, on July 17, 2022, the defendant admits to firing her weapon at two different victims, resulting in serious bodily injury to both victims.

    The defendant was remanded, and sentencing will be held on November 17, 2025.

    The FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn from the District of Colorado is handling the prosecution of the case in the United States District Court for the District of Utah.

    Case Number: 2:23-cr-00434-HCN-DAO-1

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ute Fish and Wildlife Officer Pleads Guilty in 2022 Shooting on Tribal Land in Uinta Canyon

    Source: US FBI

    SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Waneka Rosebud Cornpeach, age 42, of Fort Duchesne, Utah, pled guilty to felony charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, both while within Indian Country.

    According to the plea agreement, on July 17, 2022, the defendant admits to firing her weapon at two different victims, resulting in serious bodily injury to both victims.

    The defendant was remanded, and sentencing will be held on November 17, 2025.

    The FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn from the District of Colorado is handling the prosecution of the case in the United States District Court for the District of Utah.

    Case Number: 2:23-cr-00434-HCN-DAO-1

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/11/2025 Blackburn, Cotton, Kustoff Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Protect Americans from Violent Criminals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and U.S. Representative David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) introduced the Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act, which would reinstate an important tool for prosecutors to seek enhanced penalties against violent, repeat offenders:

    “Violent, repeat offenders have no business being back on our streets,” said Senator Blackburn.“We’ve seen the heartbreaking consequences of rewarding repeat offenders with the freedom to victimize more law-abiding Americans. The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act would empower prosecutors to keep dangerous felons behind bars and prevent future tragedies.”

    “Violent, repeat criminals should be behind bars, not roaming the streets threatening law-abiding citizens,” said Senator Cotton. “The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act will give back federal prosecutors the tool they need to lock up hardened, repeat offenders.”

    “Career criminals are a danger to our citizens and our communities,” said Representative Kustoff. “The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act will reinstate a critical tool that allows prosecutors to seek tougher penalties for violent career criminals. I appreciate Senator Marsha Blackburn and Senator Tom Cotton for their work on this important bill.”

    BACKGROUND

    • The Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), which became law in 1984, requires a minimum 15-year prison sentence for felons convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm who have three prior state or federal convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses, which must have been committed on three different occasions. These are the worst-of-the worst, career criminals. 
    • The ACCA defines serious drug offenses as those punishable by imprisonment for 10 years or more. It defines violent felonies as those:
      • That have an element of threat, attempt, or use of physical force against another person;
      • That involve burglary, arson, or extortion; or
      • That constitute crimes similar to burglary, arson, or extortion under what is known as the ACCA’s “residual clause.” This is any crime that otherwise involves conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another person.
    • In 2015, the Supreme Court in Johnson v. United States declared the residual clause unconstitutionally vague and thus effectively void. 
      • Many criminals were sentenced under the ACCA and their premature release following the Johnson decision resulted in tragic consequences.
      • In 2016, Cornelius Spencer, a gang member with nine felony convictions—including drug trafficking, aggravated assault, and robbery—was released a full five years before his sentence was up. In 2018, he was charged with raping two Arkansans, including a 62-year-old woman and a 21-year-old autistic, homeless man. These crimes would never have occurred if Spencer had not been prematurely released.
    • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel has labeled Memphis, Tennessee, as the “homicide capital of America.”
      • Memphis leads the United States in homicides per capita.

    o    The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act would give federal prosecutors in Memphis the tools they need to keep violent criminals behind bars.

    THE RESTORING THE ARMED CAREER CRIMINAL ACT

    • The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act would do away with the concepts of “violent felony” and “serious drug offense” and replace them with a single category of “serious felony.” The bill defines “serious felony” as any crime punishable by 10 years or more.
    • By defining “serious felony” solely based on the potential term of imprisonment, the bill would address the vagueness issue and remove any discretion or doubt about which offenses qualify.
    • Importantly, the bill would give federal prosecutors an additional tool to go after the most dangerous, career criminals and would not apply to low-level offenders.

    Click here for bill text.

    ENDORSEMENTS

    The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act is endorsed by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Organizations, and the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition:

    “I am grateful for Congressman Kustoff and Senator Blackburn’s leadership on this important legislation that ensures serious federal time for dangerous criminals. Career criminals with guns put our communities at risk.  This legislation restores prosecutors’ ability to seek appropriate enhanced penalties for dangerous repeat offenders while ensuring the law meets constitutional standards. This common-sense approach will keep violent criminals off our streets,” said Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.

    “Senator Blackburn’s Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act will empower federal prosecutors to target Memphis’ most dangerous career criminals, delivering a much-needed boost in tackling Memphis’ crime challenge. Her relentless focus on Shelby County’s safety will help us restore law and order. As I work to Make Memphis Matter, Senator Blackburn’s partnership ensures we’ll Make Memphis Safe Again,” said Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor.

    “This bill empowers law enforcement and the justice system to better protect the public—especially at a time when some of our nation’s cities are still struggling to bring down violent crime rates. The Fraternal Order of Police firmly stands behind this effort to bring clarity, consistency, and safety back to our neighborhoods,” said Patrick Yoes, the Fraternal Order of Police National President.

    “Congress passed the Armed Career Criminal Act in 1984 to protect our nation’s communities from the most dangerous violent criminals. Unfortunately, this important law was essentially voided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 due to part of the definition of “violent felony” being unconstitutionally vague, taking away an important tool that law enforcement used to get the worst career criminals off our streets. The Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act will fix and restore the Act, giving law enforcement and prosecutors back a significant resource in the fight against violent crime. We thank Senator Blackburn for her leadership and support,” said Bill Johnson, Executive Director of the National Association of Police Organizations.

    “The National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC) strongly supports the Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act, led by Senator Blackburn and Congressman Kustoff, because it gives law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to keep communities safe. Violent, repeat offenders continue to drive much of the serious crime in our neighborhoods, and this legislation ensures they can be effectively identified and prosecuted. By clearly defining serious felonies, the bill strengthens our ability to focus federal resources where they’re most needed. We appreciate Senator Blackburn and Congressman Kustoff’s leadership on this important public safety measure,” said Eric Brown, President of the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition.

    RELATED

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ICE and CBP Law Enforcement Dodge Literal Bullets from Rioters While Rescuing at Least 10 Migrant Children During Operations at Two Marijuana Grow Sites in California

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Brave agents faced gun fire as they executed on criminal search warrants at a marijuana facility where they rescued at least 10 migrant children, arrested approximately 200 illegal aliens

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released the following statement after U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers faced gunfire while conducting operations at two marijuana grow sites in California. The shooter remains at-large.

    On July 10, 2025, federal law enforcement officers executed criminal warrant operations at marijuana grow sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo. During the operation, at least 10 migrant children were rescued from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking. Federal officers also arrested approximately 200 illegal aliens from both sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo.

    During the operation, more than 500 rioters attempted to disrupt operations. Four U.S. citizens are being criminally processed for assaulting or resisting officers. The rioters damaged vehicles and one violent agitator fired a gun at law enforcement officers. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is now offering $50,000 for any information leading to the arrest of this violent rioter.

    The individual was caught on video firing what looked like a pistol at federal law enforcement. Despite law enforcement’s heroic actions to rescue these children, politicians are defending rioters and attacking our men and women in uniform.

    “At the California marijuana facilities, ICE and CBP law enforcement rescued at least 10 migrant children from what looks like exploitation, forced child labor, and potentially human trafficking or smuggling. Our law enforcement also arrested nearly 200 illegal aliens,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “During the operation, a violent agitator fired a gun at our brave officers. While ICE and CBP officers are being assaulted by rioters and dodging bullets to save children, Sanctuary politicians are demonizing ICE and CBP. We will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law anyone who assaults or doxes federal law enforcement.”

    The investigation into immigration and potential child labor violations is ongoing. Information will be released as it becomes available.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –