NewzIntel.com

Category: Federal Bureau of Investigation

  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Defendants Charged in Federal Investigation Targeting Fentanyl Sales in Chicago

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

    CHICAGO — A federal investigation into fentanyl sales in Chicago has resulted in drug or firearm charges against five individuals.

    An indictment unsealed this week in federal court in Chicago accuses four of the defendants of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin in the city in 2023 and 2024.  Three defendants are charged with illegally possessing firearms, including handguns equipped with a “switch” device, making them capable of firing multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.

    Charged with drug conspiracy and distribution are JARED DANIELS, 33, of Chicago, CRISTINE SERRANO, 34, of Chicago, SHERNELL ANDERSON, 35, of Chicago, and LARRY LEMON, 43, of Brookfield, Ill.  Daniels, Serrano, and JONATHAN COLLINS, 33, of Chicago, are also charged with federal firearm offenses.

    All five defendants are in law enforcement custody. The charges against Daniels, Serrano, Anderson, and Lemon carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, as well as mandatory minimums ranging from ten to 15 years.  The charge against Collins is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

    The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookfield, Ill. Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago, FBI Minneapolis, Minn. Field Office, and the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Satellite Office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

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

    The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Attempting to Destroy Satanic Temple in Salem With a Pipe Bomb

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

    BOSTON – An Oklahoma man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple (TST) in Salem, Mass. on April 8, 2024. 

    Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Okla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2025, Palmer pleaded guilty to one count of using an explosive device to damage and attempt to damage a building used in interstate or foreign commerce. He was charged by criminal complaint and arrested on April 17, 2024, in Perkins, Okla. 

    TST is a non-theistic religious organization headquartered in Salem, Mass. According to the charging documents, at approximately 4:14 a.m. on April 8, 2024, surveillance cameras captured a man, subsequently identified as Palmer, walking towards TST wearing a black face covering, a tan-colored tactical vest and gloves. As Palmer approached TST, he ignited a pipe bomb – a type of improvised explosive device or “IED” – threw it at TST’s main entrance, and then ran away. The IED did not fully detonate and therefore caused only minor damage to TST’s exterior. 

    The pipe bomb was constructed from a roughly two-foot section of plastic pipe covered with metal nails attached to the pipe with duct tape. The inside of the pipe was filled with smokeless gunpowder. During the investigation, Palmer’s DNA was found on the outside of the IED.

    A six-page handwritten note was found in a flower bed adjacent to TST, near the area where Palmer threw the IED. Among other things, the letter stated: 

    DEAR SATANIST
    ELOHIM SEND ME 7 MONTHS AGO TO GIVE YOU
    PEACEFUL MESSAGE TO HOPE YOU REPENT. YOU SAY
    NO, ELOHIM NOW SEND ME TO SMITE SATAN AND I
    HAPPY TO OBEY. AND ELOHIM WANT ME TO CONTACT
    YOU TO TELL YOU REPENT. TURN FROM SIN. ELOHIM
    NO LIKE THIS PLACE AND PLAN TO DESTROY IT. MAYBE
    SALEM TOO? ELOHIM SEND ME TO FIGHT CRYBABY
    SATAN, BUT WANT ME TO MAKE HARD EFFORT SO NO
    ONE DIES. I OBEY.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Lucas J. Miller, Chief of the Salem Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Massachusetts State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office; Payne County Sherriff’s Office; Oklahoma Highway Patrol; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma; and Stillwater (Okla.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Supreme Court ignores precedent instead of overruling it in allowing president to fire officials whom Congress tried to make independent

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Claire B. Wofford, Associate Professor of Political Science, College of Charleston

    Can President Donald Trump — or any president — fire the heads of independent agencies created by Congress? Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    What may be one of the U.S. Supreme Court’s most important and far-reaching rulings in decades dropped in late May 2025 in an order that probably didn’t get a second – or even first – glance from most Americans.

    But this not-quite-two-page ruling, as technical and procedural as they come, potentially rewrites a major principle of constitutional law and may restructure the operation of the federal government.

    The case is dry in a way only lawyers could love, but its implications are enormous.

    Public mission, not presidential whims

    The dispute began when President Donald Trump fired two Biden-era officials: Gwynne Wilcox, a member of the National Labor Relations Board, and Cathy Harris, a member of the Merit Systems Protection Board.

    The National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board, like the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Reserve, are among more than 50 independent agencies established by Congress to help the president carry out the law. Though technically located within the executive branch, independent agencies are designed to serve the public at large rather than the president.

    The dispute began when President Donald Trump fired board members of two independent agencies.
    Win McNamee/Getty Images

    To ensure these agencies are devoted to their public mission, not the will or whims of a president, congressional statutes generally permit the president to remove leaders of these agencies only for “good cause.” Malfeasance in office, neglect of duty, or inefficiency generally constitute “good cause.”

    Other executive branch agencies, such as the FBI, Food and Drug Administration and Department of Homeland Security are entirely under presidential command – if he wants their leaders out, out they go. But independent agencies, in existence since the late 19th century, are to carry out congressional policy free from the president’s purview and his political pressure.

    Because independent agencies are creatures of Congress housed within the executive branch, there is long-standing disagreement among scholars about just how much power the president should have over them.

    Limiting Congress, empowering the president

    In the two firings, there was agreement that Trump had violated the relevant statute by firing Wilcox and Harris without “good cause.”

    He justified Wilcox’s removal, in part, because she did not share his policy preferences. For Harris, he gave no reason at all.

    But the bigger issue was whether the law itself was constitutional: Could Congress limit why or how a president can remove employees of the executive branch?

    The root of the problem lies within the Constitution. Although Article 2 specifically gives the president the power to “appoint” certain federal officials, it says nothing about the power to fire -– or “remove” – them.

    Conservative legal scholars propose, under what’s called the “unitary executive theory,” that because the president “is” the executive branch, he has complete authority, including removal, over all who serve within it. Only with the unfettered ability to fire anyone who serves under him can the president fulfill his constitutionally mandated duty to ensure that “the Laws be faithfully executed.”

    Opponents have countered that this ignores fundamental aspects of our constitutional framework: the framers’ devotion to checks and balances, their aversion toward monarchical, kinglike rule, and their determination to put policymaking in the hands of Congress.

    These questions are not new.

    The Supreme Court first took up the issue in 1926 in Myers v. United States, when Chief Justice – and former president – William Howard Taft held that Congress could not limit the president’s ability to fire an Oregon postmaster, writing that “the power to remove inferior executive officers … is an incident of the power to appoint them.”

    Less than a decade later, however, the court ruled in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States that the Constitution did not grant the president an “illimitable power of removal,” at least over certain types of officials. This included the head of the Federal Trade Commission, whose firing by President Franklin Roosevelt had sparked the case.

    Humphrey’s Executor stood basically untouched for decades, until Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito – both of whom had previously served in the executive branch – were appointed.

    With a now-solid conservative majority, the Supreme Court invalidated restrictions on the president’s ability to remove members of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in 2009.

    Two years after the arrival of fellow executive branch alumnus Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, the court struck down the “good cause” removal restriction for the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

    Rather than explicitly overrule Humphrey’s Executor, however, the justices declared that these agencies were factually distinct from the Federal Trade Commission – leaders of one were protected by a “two-layer” removal system and the other because it was run by a single individual, not a multimember board.

    ‘Massive change in the law’

    Because Humphrey’s Executor was still good law, and the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board were structured like the Federal Trade Commission, district courts in 2025 initially held that the firings of Wilcox and Harris were unlawful.

    On April 9, 2025, Trump filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court, asking it to put the district court decisions on hold. On May 22, the Supreme Court granted that request, at least while the cases proceed through the lower courts.

    The court did not decide on the constitutionality of the removal statute, but the ruling is nonetheless a major victory for Trump. He can now fire not only Wilcox and Harris but also potentially the heads of any independent agency. Low-level civil servants may also be at risk.

    In the unsigned order, the high court echoed unitary executive theory, stating, “Because the Constitution vests the executive power in the Presidents … he may remove without cause executive officers who exercise that power on his behalf, subject to narrow exceptions.” It simply ignored Humphrey’s Executor altogether, leaving its value as precedent unclear.

    The Supreme Court also said that the holding did not apply to the Federal Reserve Board. That “uniquely structured, quasi-private entity” would remain free from executive control via removal.

    Such an explicit carve-out in legal doctrine is striking but responds directly to claims made by litigants and political commentators of the dire economic consequences that could result were the president to have free rein over the Federal Reserve’s chairman.

    In dissent, Justice Elena Kagan blasted the majority for allowing the president to overrule Humphrey’s Executor “by fiat,” a result made even worse because the court had done so via the so-called shadow docket, in the absence of full briefing or oral argument. Such “short-circuiting” of the “usual deliberative process” is, she wrote, a wholly inappropriate way to make a “massive change in the law.”

    After the appointments of conservatives John Roberts, left, and Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court in 2009 invalidated restrictions on the president’s ability to remove members of an independent agency.
    Alex Wong/Getty Images

    The shadow of Humphrey’s Executor

    What happens now?

    The National Labor Relations Board is paralyzed, and the Merit Systems Protection Board is somewhat hamstrung, with both lacking the quorum necessary to act. Cases about the firing of Harris, Wilcox and multiple other officials will bedevil lower courts as they try to figure out whether Humphrey’s Executor still stands, even as a shadow of its former self.

    Trump aims to continue axing federal employees, even as the administration struggles to rehire others.

    And, already asked again to make major legal change on its emergency docket, the Supreme Court will need to determine whether such change warrants more than the few paragraphs of explanation it gave in the ruling on the Wilcox and Harris firings.

    If, as seems likely, the court ultimately overturns Humphrey’s Executor, Kagan’s dissent serves as a warning voiced by others as well: A decision that allows the president to have total control over the heads of more than 50 independent agencies – agencies that pursue the public interest in areas from financial regulation to the environment, to nuclear safety – could shift their focus from serving the public to pleasing the president, profoundly affecting the lives of many Americans.

    In 2022, I donated $20 to ActBlue.

    – ref. Supreme Court ignores precedent instead of overruling it in allowing president to fire officials whom Congress tried to make independent – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-ignores-precedent-instead-of-overruling-it-in-allowing-president-to-fire-officials-whom-congress-tried-to-make-independent-257784

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cryptocurrency Financial Services Firm “Gotbit” and Founder Sentenced for Market Manipulation and Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – Gotbit Consulting LLC (Gotbit), a financial services firm known in the cryptocurrency industry as a “market maker,” was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for criminal charges relating to Gotbit’s fraudulent manipulation of cryptocurrency trading volume on behalf of client cryptocurrency companies.  

    Aleksei Andriunin, 26, of Russia and Portugal, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to eight months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. In March 2025, Andriunin pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud. Andriunin was arrested in Portugal on Oct. 8, 2024 and extradited to the United States on Feb. 25, 2025.

    As part of its criminal resolution, Gotbit was ordered to forfeit a total of approximately $23 million in seized cryptocurrency. The court also sentenced Gotbit to a term of probation for five years, during which time Gotbit shall cease to exist or operate.

    Gotbit and Andriunin were indicted by a federal grand jury on the same charges in October 2024. The indictment also charges two of Gotbit’s directors, Fedor Kedrov and Qawi Jalili.

    Gotbit was a well-known “market maker” in the cryptocurrency industry. Between 2018 and 2024, Gotbit provided market manipulation services to create artificial trading volume for multiple cryptocurrency companies, including companies located in the United States and companies whose cryptocurrencies traded on platforms available to investors located in the United States. Andriunin was Gotbit’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer. In a 2019 interview, Andriunin described how he developed a code to “wash trade” cryptocurrencies to artificially inflate trading volume for the purpose of getting cryptocurrencies listed on CoinMarketCap (a website that published information about “trending” cryptocurrencies) and trading on larger cryptocurrency exchanges. Andriunin and Gotbit’s employees marketed these wash trading tactics to prospective clients and explained how Gotbit used multiple accounts to avoid detection of the wash trades on the public blockchain. Gotbit made wash trades worth millions of dollars on behalf of clients and received tens of millions of dollars in payments from clients.

    Gotbit admitted that it engaged in manipulative trades to artificially increase the trading price and volume of tokens for clients that included Robo Inu and Saitama. Leaders of those cryptocurrency companies were charged in separate cases unsealed in October 2024.

    Gotbit is the third market maker to resolve criminal charges relating to wash trading in the cryptocurrency industry. In October 2024, the founder of MyTrade pleaded guilty in connection with providing an unlawful wash trading service identified through an undercover law enforcement operation. In April 2025, CLS Global FZC LLC was sentenced in connection with offering illegal “volume support” services uncovered by the same operation.

    The Securities & Exchange Commission brought a related civil enforcement action against Gotbit alleging violations of the securities laws.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is handling the forfeiture matter.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former State Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty To Planting Prison Contraband That He Then Pretended To Discover

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Avelino Ramirez, a former K-9 sergeant at California state correctional facilities, pleaded guilty in federal court today to one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to plant contraband that he would then discover.

    Ramirez, 52, of Vallejo, Calif., was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 31, 2024.  According to his plea agreement, from approximately 2013 to September 2022, Ramirez worked as an Investigative Services Unit K-9 Officer with the California Department of Corrections and

    Rehabilitation at San Quentin State Prison.  In September 2022, he was promoted to K-9 sergeant and began working at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, Calif., around November 2022.

    From October 2021 to February 2024, Ramirez engaged in a scheme to smuggle and then plant contraband in common areas of San Quentin State Prison and the California Medical Facility, which he would then pretend to discover.  Ramirez did so in order to hold himself out as a successful K-9 officer with the hope that it would help him obtain a promotion to K-9 sergeant.  The contraband items Ramirez planted included drugs, such as methamphetamine, marijuana, and cocaine; drug paraphernalia; tobacco; cell phones; and weapons.  At times, Ramirez mixed the narcotics he planted in the prisons with salt and/or sugar and mixed the marijuana he planted in the prisons with lawn trimmings.

    Ramirez also sought to inflate his salary by claiming overtime related to searches where contraband was recovered pursuant to his fraudulent scheme and writing reports of these false discoveries.  In total, Ramirez fraudulently obtained approximately $8,200 in overtime pay.

    United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.

    Ramirez is currently released on bond.  Ramirez’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 18, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick.  Defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.  Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin K. Kleinman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Lance Libatique.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisiana Men Receive Lengthy Federal Prison Sentences for Trafficking Controlled Substances

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

    SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that several men have been sentenced in related Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) cases involving the trafficking of controlled substances. James Cordell Zeno, 37, of Jennings, Blaze Duhon, 27, of Kinder, Jamarcus Jamall Epps, 31, of Many, and James Spikes, 28, of Zwolle, have all been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr.  Another defendant, Desmond Antoine Jackson, 40, of Zwolle, has pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing. 

    Zeno was sentenced to 282 months (23 years, 6 months) in prison, and Duhon was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to information presented in court, in July 2022, the United States Postal Inspector intercepted a suspicious package that was destined for Duhon’s residence. Agents obtained a search warrant for the package and found it contained suspected methamphetamine.  The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office then obtained a search warrant for the residence, and Duhon was located inside.  Days after the search warrant, the United States Postal Inspector intercepted a second suspicious package destined for Duhon’s residence.  Agents obtained a search warrant for this package and found it also contained suspected methamphetamine.  A search of Duhon’s phone revealed text messages between him and Zeno.  Two text messages sent by Zeno to Duhon contained photos of United States Postal Service receipts containing tracking information for two packages.  The tracking information matched both packages of methamphetamine that were intercepted by the United States Postal Inspector.   

    The suspected methamphetamine from both packages was seized and sent to the crime laboratory for testing and the results were positive for methamphetamine with a total weight of 280 grams.  Zeno and Duhon were indicted, and both pleaded guilty. 

    Jamarcus Jamall Epps and Desmond Antoine Jackson were also charged as the result of an investigation into drug trafficking activities in the Sabine Parish area.  In December 2021, the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office Tactical Narcotics Team conducted a controlled purchase of a Taurus PT738 .380 caliber pistol from Epps. An audio/video recording of the transaction was captured by law enforcement. An examination of the firearm by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) determined that the firearm sold by Epps was a working firearm. At the time of the sale of this firearm, Epps was a convicted felon, with a prior conviction of aggravated second degree battery in 2019 and he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. Epps pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 77 months (6 years, 5 months) in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    Approximately one month later, law enforcement agents conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Jackson and that transaction was also recorded. The suspected controlled substance was sent to the crime laboratory for analysis and determined to be pure methamphetamine weighing at least 50 grams.  Jackson was charged and pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine in February 2025 and is awaiting sentencing. 

    James Spikes was also involved in the trafficking of methamphetamine in the Sabine Parish area. In August 2022, an audio/video recording was made of a controlled purchase from Spikes in connection with this investigation. The suspected controlled substance purchased from Spikes was sent to the crime laboratory for testing and confirmed to be approximately 62 grams of pure methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison.

    These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, ATF, and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy. These cases were part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USAID Official and Three Corporate Executives Plead Guilty to Decade-Long Bribery Scheme Involving Over $550 Million in Contracts; Two Companies Admit Criminal Liability for Bribery Scheme and Securities Fraud

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Four men, including a government contracting officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and three owners and presidents of companies, have pleaded guilty for their roles in a decade-long bribery scheme involving at least 14 prime contracts worth over $550 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars.

    • Roderick Watson, 57, of Woodstock, Maryland, who worked as a USAID contracting officer, pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official;
    • Walter Barnes, 46, of Potomac, Maryland, the owner and president of PM Consulting Group LLC doing business as Vistant (Vistant), a certified small business under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) contracting program, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud;
    • Darryl Britt, 64, of Myakka City, Florida, the owner and president of Apprio, Inc. (Apprio), a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official; and
    • Paul Young, 62, of Columbia, Maryland, the president of a subcontractor to Vistant and Apprio, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official.

    In addition, Apprio and Vistant, both of which contracted with USAID, have agreed to admit criminal liability and enter into three-year deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) in connection with criminal informations filed today in the District of Maryland. As part of these resolutions, both Apprio and Vistant admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud. The DPAs entered into with Apprio and Vistant require each company to, among other obligations, provide ongoing cooperation with and disclosures to the Justice Department, implement a compliance and ethics program, and report to Justice Department regarding remediation and implementation of these compliance measures.

    “The defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers through bribery and fraud,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their scheme violated the public trust by corrupting the federal government’s procurement process. Anybody who cares about good and effective government should be concerned about the waste, fraud, and abuse in government agencies, including USAID. Those who engage in bribery schemes to exploit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s vital economic programs for small businesses — whether individuals or corporations acting through them — will be held to account.” 

    “Watson was entrusted to serve the interests of the American people — not his own — and his criminal actions for his own personal gain undermine the integrity of our public institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Public trust is a hallmark of our nation’s values, so corruption within a federal government agency is intolerable. This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue and prosecute corruption at every level to ensure accountability and protect public trust.”

    “The guilty pleas reflect the FBI’s unwavering commitment to holding accountable all those who abuse the authority and responsibility of public service,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox. “The actions of the defendants in this scheme serve to erode public trust. The FBI is focused on rebuilding this trust and protecting American taxpayers from corruption through investigations such as these.”

    “Corruption in government programs will not be tolerated. Watson abused his position of trust for personal gain while federal contractors engaged in a pay-to-play scheme,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean Bottary of the USAID Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG). “USAID-OIG is firmly committed to rooting out fraud and corruption within U.S. foreign assistance programs. Today’s announcement underscores our unwavering focus on exposing criminal activity, including bribery schemes by those entrusted to faithfully award government contracts. We appreciate our longstanding partnership with the Department of Justice in holding accountable those who defraud American taxpayers.”    

    “Watson exploited his position at USAID to line his pockets with bribes in exchange for more than $550 million in contracts. While he helped three company owners and presidents bypass the fair bidding process, he was showered with cash and lavish gifts,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Through its financial crime investigations, IRS-CI works to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure government funds are awarded based on merit — not corruption. In close coordination with our law enforcement partners, IRS-CI helped put an end to their greed and criminal conduct. Now, Watson and his co-conspirators will face justice.”

    Overview of Bribery Scheme

    According to court documents, beginning in 2013, Watson, while a USAID contracting officer, agreed with Britt to receive bribes in exchange for using Watson’s influence to award contracts to Apprio. As a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, which helps socially and economically disadvantaged businesses, Apprio could access lucrative federal contracting opportunities through set-asides and sole-source contracts exclusively available to eligible contractors without a competitive bid process.

    Vistant was a subcontractor to Apprio on one of the contracts awarded through Watson’s influence. After Apprio graduated from the SBA 8(a) program and it was no longer eligible to be a prime contractor for new contracts with USAID under this program, the scheme shifted so that Vistant became the prime contractor and Apprio became the subcontractor on USAID contracts awarded through Watson’s influence between 2018 and 2022.

    During the scheme, Britt and Barnes paid bribes to Watson that were often concealed by passing them through Young, who was the president of another subcontractor to Apprio and Vistant. Britt and Barnes also regularly funneled bribes to Watson, including cash, laptops, thousands of dollars in tickets to a suite at an NBA game, a country club wedding, downpayments on two residential mortgages, cellular phones, and jobs for relatives. The bribes were also often concealed through electronic bank transfers falsely listing Watson on payroll, incorporated shell companies, and false invoices. Watson is alleged to have received bribes valued at more than approximately $1 million as part of the scheme.

    In exchange for the bribe payments, Watson influenced the award of contracts to Apprio and Vistant by manipulating the procurement process at USAID through various means, including recommending their companies to other USAID decisionmakers for non-competitive contract awards, disclosing sensitive procurement information during the competitive bidding process, providing positive performance evaluations to a government agency, and approving decisions on the contracts, such as increased funding and a security clearance.

    Apprio and Vistant also agreed to resolve concurrently with the Justice Department in its separate Civil False Claims Act investigations relating to the bribery scheme.

    Overview of Vistant Securities Fraud Scheme

    According to court documents, in 2022, Barnes and Watson defrauded a licensed small business investment company (SBIC), in furtherance of the bribery scheme, by inducing it into executing a credit agreement with Vistant. Through the credit agreement, Barnes caused Vistant to issue stock warrants that, if exercised, would result in the SBIC having a 40% equity stake in Vistant. The credit agreement also provided for a $14 million loan to Vistant from which Barnes could pay himself a $10 million dividend. Prior to executing the credit agreement, Watson agreed at Barnes’s request to speak with the SBIC about Vistant’s performance as a government contractor on USAID contracts. When speaking with the SBIC, Watson omitted that Barnes had bribed Watson to obtain USAID contracts for years. Watson’s endorsement of Vistant thereafter induced the SBIC to enter into the credit agreement with Barnes.

    Overview of Apprio Securities Fraud Scheme

    According to court documents, in 2023, Apprio, acting through Britt, engaged in a scheme in which Apprio fraudulently induced a private equity firm, which had an investment pool that was licensed as a SBIC, to purchase from Apprio’s parent company a 20% equity stake in the company for $4 million and simultaneously extend it a $4 million loan secured by shares of Apprio stock. In addition to making false material representations in the stock purchase and loan agreements, Britt intentionally omitted during his negotiations the material fact that he had bribed Watson for years, which was intended to deceive and induce the private equity company into executing the agreements.

    Deferred Prosecution Agreements with Apprio and Vistant

    The Justice Department reached its resolution with Apprio based on several factors, including Apprio’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct, fully cooperating in the investigation and engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 10% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the Criminal Division Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (CEP). According to court documents, Apprio agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $51,673,185; however, Apprio also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $500,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Apprio. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $500,000 in a civil settlement.

    Similarly, the Justice Department reached its resolution with Vistant based on a number of factors, including Vistant’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct and cooperating with the investigation. Although Vistant’s cooperation was initially delayed and limited, Vistant began to fully cooperate thereafter. Vistant also received credit for engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the penalty calculated under the Guidelines reflects a 5% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the CEP. Vistant agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $86,407,740; however, Vistant also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $100,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Vistant. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $100,000 in a civil settlement.

    Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Young is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Britt is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Barnes is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

    The FBI, USAID-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the cases.

    Trial Attorneys Matt Kahn and Brandon Burkart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the cases. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Essex County Convicted Felon Sentenced to 73 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Possession of Firearms, including Two Assault Rifles

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

    NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced on June 10, 2025, for his role in distributing cocaine, possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and possessing three firearms, including two assault rifles with high-capacity magazines, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Azmar Carter, a/k/a “Bizzy,” 32, of East Orange, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to a superseding information charging him with two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.

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

    In 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that operates primarily in and around Orange, New Jersey and distributes narcotics throughout Essex County. During the investigation, Carter distributed cocaine to law enforcement in May 2021 and in July 2021. Subsequently, on August 18, 2021, law enforcement searched Carter’s residence and car in East Orange, New Jersey and recovered the following items: one Draco AK 47 rifle; one Smith and Wesson AR rifle; one .40 caliber pistol; ninety-four rounds of associated ammunition; a distribution quantity of heroin and cocaine; and approximately $7,177.00.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Carter to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents and members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; members of the Orange Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Todd Warren, Chief Vincent Vitiello and Captain Brian Mooney; members of the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Giacomo Sacca and Police Director Earl J. Graves; members of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis Bindi; member of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda and Chief of Police Sharonda Morris; and the Belleville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Minichini, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrests.

    This case is part of Operation Orange, which is a part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, the Orange Police Department and the Irvington Police Department.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.

                                                                                                             ###

    Defense counsel: Christopher D. Adams, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE investigation nets 10-year sentence for leader of drug trafficking organization

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — A Massachusetts man was sentenced June 2 in federal court in Boston after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation into his role leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization found he distributed fentanyl sourced from Latin America.

    Jonathan Melendez Decatro, aka “Jacha,” 32, of Braintree, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In January 2025, Melendez Decatro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Melendez Decatro was indicted in June 2023.  

    In 2019, Melendez Decatro was identified as the leader of a large-scale DTO operating in the Brockton area, who sourced narcotics directly from Colombia, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. On two dates in 2021, packages intended for Melendez Decatro were intercepted by law enforcement and each found to contain a kilogram of cocaine. Additionally, on several dates in the spring of 2023, Melendez Decatro conspired with an individual who resided in the Dominican Republic to distribute 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl to another individual in Braintree. It was later determined that the purity of the fentanyl ranged from 54% to 79% and also contained xylazine. During of search of Melendez Decatro’s residence, over $11,000 in drug proceeds and clothing worn during the fentanyl transactions were recovered.

    The investigation was led by the ICE Homeland Security Investigations New England Strike Force with the Massachusetts State Police, the FBI Boston Division, and the DEA New England Field Division. Valuable assistance was provided by DEA Bogota, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Brockton Police.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fugitive Physician Sentenced to Prison in Medicare Fraud Scheme

    Source: US State of California

    A California physician was sentenced today in Los Angeles to 54 months in prison for health care fraud arising from her false home health certifications and related fraudulent billings to Medicare. She is a fugitive and was sentenced in absentia.

    According to court documents, Lilit Gagikovna Baltaian, 61, of Porter Ranch, was a physician licensed to practice in California and an enrolled Medicare provider. From approximately January 2012 to July 2018, she falsely certified patients to receive home health care from at least four Los Angeles area home health agencies. These certifications were used by the home health agencies to fraudulently bill Medicare. In some instances, Baltaian pre-signed blank, undated physician certification forms knowing that the home health agencies would falsify the forms to make appear that she had seen the Medicare beneficiaries and made clinical findings to support the need for home health care, when she had done neither. Baltaian received cash payments related to these referrals and also separately billed Medicare for signing the fraudulent certifications.

    Between January 2012 and July 2018, four home health agencies used Baltaian’s false certifications to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, resulting in loss to the government estimated at $1,497,159.64.

    Baltaian pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud on Nov. 21, 2024. At sentencing, she was also ordered to pay $1,497,159.64 in restitution.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and Acting Special Agent in Charge Omar Perez of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.

    The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Matthew Belz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fugitive Physician Sentenced to Prison in Medicare Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A California physician was sentenced today in Los Angeles to 54 months in prison for health care fraud arising from her false home health certifications and related fraudulent billings to Medicare. She is a fugitive and was sentenced in absentia.

    According to court documents, Lilit Gagikovna Baltaian, 61, of Porter Ranch, was a physician licensed to practice in California and an enrolled Medicare provider. From approximately January 2012 to July 2018, she falsely certified patients to receive home health care from at least four Los Angeles area home health agencies. These certifications were used by the home health agencies to fraudulently bill Medicare. In some instances, Baltaian pre-signed blank, undated physician certification forms knowing that the home health agencies would falsify the forms to make appear that she had seen the Medicare beneficiaries and made clinical findings to support the need for home health care, when she had done neither. Baltaian received cash payments related to these referrals and also separately billed Medicare for signing the fraudulent certifications.

    Between January 2012 and July 2018, four home health agencies used Baltaian’s false certifications to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, resulting in loss to the government estimated at $1,497,159.64.

    Baltaian pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud on Nov. 21, 2024. At sentencing, she was also ordered to pay $1,497,159.64 in restitution.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and Acting Special Agent in Charge Omar Perez of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.

    The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Matthew Belz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Watchdog Confirms Grassley Oversight: Biden-Harris Gave Suspected Terrorists Protected Status through Afghan Evacuee Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Inspector General (OIG) today issued a report confirming Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) longstanding concern that the Biden-Harris administration failed to properly vet all Afghan evacuees after the U.S.’s botched withdrawal from the region. 
    According to the DOJ OIG report, 55 Afghan evacuees with hits on the terrorist screening database were encountered by U.S. officials. Of those, at least 21 were added to the database after entry into the United States and an additional two evacuees were already on the database prior to entry into the country. As of July 2024, eight evacuees in the United States remained on the terrorist watchlist with four of them subject to active FBI investigation. Notably, last year, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, an Afghan evacuee, was arrested for planning an Election Day terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS.
    “I’ve sounded the alarm about the need to thoroughly vet Afghan evacuee applicants since August 2021. The Biden-Harris administration, my Democrat colleagues in Congress and many in the media were quick to dismiss glaring red flags that a nonpartisan national security analysis now confirms,” Grassley said. “As if it wasn’t already obvious, the Biden-Harris administration endangered American lives by allowing suspected terrorists to enter the United States and roam free for years. My oversight of this matter will continue.”
    Read the full DOJ OIG report HERE.
    Background:
    While the previous administration left key allies stranded, refused to thoroughly vet evacuees and ignored congressional inquiries, Grassley spearheaded dogged congressional oversight. Further, Grassley took steps to protect Afghan allies and hold the administration accountable for an Afghan evacuee charged with the Election Day terror plot.
    After calling out then-FBI Director Christopher Wray’s failed leadership – including the Bureau’s inability to vet Afghan evacuees – Grassley urged FBI Director Kash Patel to release updated data on national security concerns posed by some Afghan evacuees. 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ransomware Actors Exploit Unpatched SimpleHelp Remote Monitoring and Management to Compromise Utility Billing Software Provider

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Summary

    The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is releasing this advisory in response to ransomware actors leveraging unpatched instances of a vulnerability in SimpleHelp Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) to compromise customers of a utility billing software provider. This incident reflects a broader pattern of ransomware actors targeting organizations through unpatched versions of SimpleHelp RMM since January 2025.

    SimpleHelp versions 5.5.7 and earlier contain several vulnerabilities, including CVE-2024-57727—a path traversal vulnerability.1 Ransomware actors likely leveraged CVE-2024-57727 to access downstream customers’ unpatched SimpleHelp RMM for disruption of services in double extortion compromises.1 

    CISA added CVE-2024-57727 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog on Feb. 13, 2025.

    CISA urges software vendors, downstream customers, and end users to immediately implement the Mitigations listed in this advisory based on confirmed compromise or risk of compromise.

    Download the PDF version of this report:

    Mitigations

    CISA recommends organizations implement the mitigations below to respond to emerging ransomware activity exploiting SimpleHelp software. These mitigations align with the Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs) developed by CISA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The CPGs provide a minimum set of practices and protections that CISA and NIST recommend all organizations implement. CISA and NIST based the CPGs on existing cybersecurity frameworks and guidance to protect against the most common and impactful threats, tactics, techniques, and procedures. Visit CISA’s CPGs webpage for more information on the CPGs, including additional recommended baseline protections. These mitigations apply to all critical infrastructure organizations.

    Vulnerable Third-Party Vendors

    If SimpleHelp is embedded or bundled in vendor-owned software or if a third-party service provider leverages SimpleHelp on a downstream customer’s network, then identify the SimpleHelp server version at the top of the file /SimpleHelp/configuration/serverconfig.xml. If version 5.5.7 or prior is found or has been used since January 2025, third-party vendors should:

    1. Isolate the SimpleHelp server instance from the internet or stop the server process.
    2. Upgrade immediately to the latest SimpleHelp version in accordance with SimpleHelp’s security vulnerability advisory.2
    3. Contact your downstream customers to direct them to take actions to secure their endpoints and undertake threat hunting actions on their network.

    Vulnerable Downstream Customers and End Users

    Determine if the system is running an unpatched version of SimpleHelp RMM either directly or embedded in third-party software.

    SimpleHelp Endpoints

    Determine if an endpoint is running the remote access (RAS) service by checking the following paths depending on the specific environment:

    • Windows: %APPDATA%JWrapper-Remote Access
    • Linux: /opt/JWrapper-Remote Access
    • MacOs: /Library/Application Support/JWrapper-Remote Access

    If RAS installation is present and running, open the serviceconfig.xml file in /JWrapper-Remote Access/JWAppsSharedConfig/ to determine if the registered service is vulnerable. The lines starting with indicate the server addresses where the service is registered.

    SimpleHelp Server

    Determine the version of any SimpleHelp server by performing an HTTP query against it. Add /allversions (e.g., https://simple-help.com/allversions) to query the URL for the version page. This page will list the running version.

    If an unpatched SimpleHelp version 5.5.7 or earlier is confirmed on a system, organizations should conduct threat hunting actions for evidence of compromise and continuously monitor for unusual inbound and outbound traffic from the SimpleHelp server. Note: This is not an exhaustive list of indicators of compromise.

    1.  Refer to SimpleHelp’s guidance to determine compromise and next steps.3
    2. Isolate the SimpleHelp server instance from the internet or stop the server process.
    3. Search for any suspicious or anomalous executables with three alphabetic letter filenames (e.g., aaa.exe, bbb.exe, etc.) with a creation time after January 2025. Additionally, perform host and network vulnerability security scans via reputable scanning services to verify malware is not on the system.
    4. Even if there is no evidence of compromise, users should immediately upgrade to the latest SimpleHelp version in accordance with SimpleHelp’s security vulnerabilities advisory.4

    If your organization is unable to immediately identify and patch vulnerable versions of SimpleHelp, apply appropriate workarounds. In this circumstance, CISA recommends using other vendor-provided mitigations when available. These non-patching workarounds should not be considered permanent fixes and organizations should apply the appropriate patch as soon as it is made available.

    Encrypted Downstream Customers and End Users

    If a system has been encrypted by ransomware:

    1. Disconnect the affected system from the internet.
    2. Use clean installation media (e.g., a bootable USD drive or DVD) to reinstall the operating system. Ensure the installation media is free from malware.
    3. Wipe the system and only restore data from a clean backup. Ensure data files are obtained from a protected environment to avoid reintroducing ransomware to the system.

    CISA urges you to promptly report ransomware incidents to a local FBI Field Office, FBI’s Internet Crime Compliant Center (IC3), and CISA via CISA’s 24/7 Operations Center (report@cisa.gov or 888-282-0870).

    Proactive Mitigations to Reduce Risk

    To reduce opportunities for intrusion and to strengthen response to ransomware activity, CISA recommends customers of vendors and managed service providers (MSPs) implement the following best practices:

    • Maintain a robust asset inventory and hardware list [CPG 1.A].
    • Maintain a clean, offline backup of the system to ensure encryption will not occur once reverted. Conduct a daily system backup on a separate, offline device, such as a flash drive or external hard drive. Remove the device from the computer after backup is complete [CPG 2.R].
    • Do not expose remote services such as Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) on the web. If these services must be exposed, apply appropriate compensating controls to prevent common forms of abuse and exploitation. Disable unnecessary OS applications and network protocols on internet-facing assets [CPG 2.W].
    • Conduct a risk analysis for RMM software on the network. If RMM is required, ask third-party vendors what security controls are in place.
    • Establish and maintain open communication channels with third-party vendors to stay informed about their patch management process.
    • For software vendors, consider integrating a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) into products to reduce the amount of time for vulnerability remediation.
      • An SBOM is a formal record of components used to build software. SBOMs enhance supply chain risk management by quickly identifying and avoiding known vulnerabilities, identifying security requirements, and managing mitigations for vulnerabilities. For more information, see CISA’s SBOM page.

    Resources

    Reporting

    Your organization has no obligation to respond or provide information back to FBI in response to this advisory. If, after reviewing the information provided, your organization decides to provide information to FBI, reporting must be consistent with applicable state and federal laws.

    FBI is interested in any information that can be shared, to include boundary logs showing communication to and from foreign IP addresses, a sample ransom note, communications with threat actors, Bitcoin wallet information, decryptor files, and/or a benign sample of an encrypted file.

    Additional details of interest include a targeted company point of contact, status and scope of infection, estimated loss, operational impact, transaction IDs, date of infection, date detected, initial attack vector, and host- and network-based indicators.

    CISA and FBI do not encourage paying ransom as payment does not guarantee victim files will be recovered. Furthermore, payment may also embolden adversaries to target additional organizations, encourage other criminal actors to engage in the distribution of ransomware, and/or fund illicit activities. Regardless of whether you or your organization have decided to pay the ransom, FBI and CISA urge you to promptly report ransomware incidents to FBI’s Internet Crime Complain Center (IC3), a local FBI Field Office, or CISA via the agency’s Incident Reporting System or its 24/7 Operations Center (report@cisa.gov) or by calling 1-844-Say-CISA (1-844-729-2472).

    SimpleHelp users or vendors can contact support@simple-help.com for assistance with queries or concerns.

    Disclaimer

    The information in this report is being provided “as is” for informational purposes only. CISA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, company, or service, including any entities, products, or services linked within this document. Any reference to specific commercial entities, products, processes, or services by service mark, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favor by CISA.

    Version History

    June 12, 2025: Initial version.

    Notes

    1. Anthony Bradshaw, et. al., “DragonForce Actors Target SimpleHelp Vulnerabilities to Attack MSP, Customers,” Sophos News, May 27, 2025, https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2025/05/27/dragonforce-actors-target-simplehelp-vulnerabilities-to-attack-msp-customers/.
    2. For instructions for upgrading to the latest version of SimpleHelp, see SimpleHelp’s security vulnerability advisory.
    3. To determine possibility of compromise and next steps, see SimpleHelp’s guidance.
    4. For instructions for upgrading to the latest version of SimpleHelp, see SimpleHelp’s security vulnerability advisory.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona Residents Charged in Felony Indictments with Assaulting FBI Agents During Immigration Operation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX Ariz. – On June 10, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a three-count indictment against Jose Sarinana, 42, and Abran Villa, Jr., 40, both of Chandler, Arizona for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding Federal Officers. 

    The indictment alleges that on June 1, 2025, FBI agents were assisting ICE/ERO with immigration enforcement operations. As part of those operations, FBI and ICE/ERO pulled over Villa’s vehicle and arrested the passenger, who was illegally present in the United States. After the passenger was arrested, Villa returned to the passenger’s residence and told Sariana, at which point both men got into their vehicles and returned to the scene of the arrest.

    As one of the FBI agents involved in the immigration enforcement action was leaving the scene, Sarinana followed the agent and made several attempts to run the agent off the road with his vehicle. The agent called for backup and multiple FBI agents responded to the scene to stop Sarinana.

    While agents were pursuing Sarinana, Villa used his truck to block one of their cars, revving his engine as he obstructed the agent’s exit from a parking lot. Villa eventually left after the agent called for assistance.

    After agents successfully pulled Sarinana over and detained him, Villa appeared again, driving up to the group at a high rate of speed in his truck. Villa stopped shortly before reaching the agents, but pointed the truck directly at them and revved his engine. Villa eventually complied with commands from the FBI agents after several of them unholstered their firearms, and he was taken into custody without further incident.

    A conviction for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding Federal Officers carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

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

    An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The FBI is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-25-00865-PHX-DWL-JZB
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-092_Sarinana, et al.

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Buckhannon Man Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Child Pornography Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David Walter McCauley, 66, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for a child pornography charge.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, McCauley enticed a 17-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct for photo and video production. Several electronic devices containing illegal images and videos of the minor engaged in sexual acts with McCauley were seized from McCauley’s residence and office.

    McCauley will serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pittsburgh Police Department, and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.

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

    Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Little Water Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Navajo Nation Shooting and Homicide

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Little Water man pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from his involvement in a violent April 2024 shooting and subsequent homicide on the Navajo Nation.

    According to court records, on April 24, 2024, Dewayne George, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, accompanied Brittania Navaho to a pawn shop in Gallup where she purchased a .22 caliber revolver and ammunition for Rydell Happy, who is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. Later that day, the group, joined by John Doe, drove through the Gallup area and encountered a vehicle on U.S. Highway 491 within the Navajo Nation.

    Happy initially fired a shot into the air, then, after a pursuit, multiple shots were fired at the vehicle by Happy, George, and John Doe. George admitted to reloading and discharging the firearm several times at the fleeing vehicle, which was struck by multiple bullets. Fortunately, the occupants were not injured.

    After the shooting, the group drove near Shiprock, New Mexico, where a confrontation led to Happy fatally shooting John Doe. George helped Happy drag John Doe’s body over a cliff in an attempt to conceal the body and avoid arrest and prosecution.

    Brittania Navaho pled guilty to federal charges related to the straw purchase of the firearm and faces up to 15 years in prison.

    Rydell Happy is charged with first degree murder, two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence and discharging said firearm, assault with a dangerous weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He remains in custody pending trial, which is currently scheduled for July 14, 2025.

    George pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact, assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and discharging said firearm. At sentencing, George faces not less than 10 years and up to life in prison. Upon his release from prison, George will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.

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

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Navajo Nation Police Department, the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney R. Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Requests Public’s Help to Locate Three Fugitives Wanted for Drug Trafficking

    Source: US FBI

    The FBI Atlanta Field Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating fugitives Trayvon Simmons, Leroy Mintz, and Devonta Jackson, who are wanted on federal charges including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and other related offenses.

    On January 16, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia announced the indictment of 12 individuals on federal drug trafficking charges. To date, nine of the defendants have been apprehended. Simmons, Mintz, and Jackson remain at large.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of these individuals is urged to contact the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). You may also reach out to your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Adderall on Darknet Marketplace Sites

    Source: US FBI

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three New York men and a New Jersey man have been sentenced to prison for conspiracy to create a counterfeit substance and distribute methamphetamine.

    According to court documents, Gregory Castillo-Rosario, 32, of Brooklyn, New York; Joseph James Vasquez, 33, of Brooklyn; Joshua William Vasquez, aka Fredrico Sanchez and Luis Santos, 32, of Jackson Township, New Jersey; and Rafael Antonio Roman, 35, of Brooklyn, manufactured and distributed thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills that contained meth. They distributed the pills through three identified darknet marketplace (DM) drug vendor aliases: MrJohnson, NuveoDeluxe, and AllStateRx.

    The conspirators operated the vendor pages, posted listings for controlled substances, processed orders, packaged controlled substances using methods designed to evade law enforcement detection, and shipped the counterfeit pills to customers nationwide via the U.S. Postal Service. Payment from customers typically came in the form of cryptocurrency.

    The counterfeit Adderall were round, orange pills, debossed with “b974” on one side and “30” on the other to appear to be generic Adderall. The pills did not contain the active ingredients of the pharmaceutically manufactured drug, however, and instead contained meth. The conspirators advertised the counterfeit pills as Adderall, and while the NuveoDeluxe vendor page explicitly advertised its pills as containing meth, the AllStateRx and MrJohnson pages did not.

    The conspirators purchased meth over the darknet and used high-speed grinders to grind it into powder form. The conspirators also bought binding materials, mechanical pill presses, and pill press attachments to transform the meth into counterfeit Adderall pills.

    After a series of controlled buys, on Feb. 21, 2024, law enforcement searched a commercial facility used by the conspiracy that was leased and operated by members of Roman’s family as well as the residences of Joshua Vasquez and Roman. At the facility, investigators recovered two pill presses used to make the pills, three high-speed grinders used to grind bulk meth, and approximately 39,996 counterfeit pills. 

    At Joshua Vasquez’s residence, investigators found $298,108 in cash, and Vasquez had $15,726 on his person at the time of his arrest.

    At Roman’s residence, investigators recovered approximately 34,593 counterfeit pills, a handgun, three loaded ammunition magazines, and approximately $34,820.

    Analysis of the vendor pages’ sales showed the three vendor pages were responsible for over 13,000 sales of counterfeit Adderall pills nationwide. When added to the pills seized as part of the investigation, analysis showed the conspiracy was responsible for at least 320 kilograms of counterfeit Adderall pills either manufactured for distribution or distributed across the United States.

    Joshua Vasquez pled guilty on April 24, 2024. On July 25, 2024, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

    Joseph Vasquez pled guilty on April 15, 2024. On Aug. 8, 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

    Roman pled guilty on May 30, 2024. On Nov. 14, 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

    Castillo-Rosario pled guilty on Jan. 3, 2024. He was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; George Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office; and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was supported by the Justice Department’s Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team’s Operation RapTor, a global initiative to disrupt the sale of illicit narcotics on the darknet.

    The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, Howell Township Police Department, Marlboro Township Police Department, Asbury Park Police Department, Freehold Borough Police Department, Middletown Police Department, Wall Township Police Department, Jackson Township Police Department, Lakewood Township Police Department, Orlando Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Arlington County Police Department, and New York Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:24-cr-76 (Joseph Vasquez), 1:24-cr-83 (Joshua Vasquez), 1:24-cr-114 (Roman), and 1:24-cr-276 (Castillo-Rosario).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ypsilanti Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Federal Prison on Child Exploitation Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – Mubasher Riaz, 41, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison after having pleaded guilty to charges of coercion and enticement of a minor, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.

    Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.

    According to court records, in July 2023, local police in Maumee, Ohio, learned that Riaz was messaging a 13-year-old girl, Minor Victim 1 (MV-1) on Snapchat. Communications between Riaz and MV-1 showed that Riaz had requested and received nude images of the minor and that he attempted to gather information about her home with the intent to meet with her to engage in sexual activity.  FBI agents reviewed Riaz’s Snapchat communications and found that Riaz messaged numerous other individuals on Snapchat who identified themselves as minors, some as young as 11 years old. For example, Riaz communicated with Minor Victim 2 (MV-2), who was 13 years old when Riaz contacted her. Riaz drove to MV-2’s foster home and engaged in sexual activity with her in his parked car. Riaz offered MV-1 and MV-2 tobacco and other items in exchange for sex acts. As part of his sentence, Riaz will be required to pay $150,000 in restitution to his minor victims.

    “This defendant preyed in the most disgusting ways on vulnerable girls as young as 11 years old. Those are the actions of an evil man. And we will do everything in our power to prosecute fiends who prowl around pursuing our children,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said.

    “The sentencing of Mubasher Riaz sends a powerful and unequivocal message: those who exploit children will be investigated aggressively and held fully accountable under federal law,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “I commend the exceptional efforts of our Ann Arbor Resident Agency and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. Their unwavering dedication to justice was instrumental in securing this conviction. The FBI in Michigan is resolute in its mission to protect children and ensure that anyone who seeks to harm them will face justice.”

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Zurek. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Caught on Missouri Highway with 58 Kilograms of Cocaine Pleads Guilty

    Source: US FBI

    ST. LOUIS – A man from Phoenix, Arizona on Wednesday admitted being caught with over 58 kilograms of cocaine in a traffic stop on Interstate 44 in Phelps County, Missouri.

    Rene Alejandro Valdivia-Gonzalez, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine. On Sept. 21, 2024, Valdivia-Gonzalez was stopped in a Mercedes Sprinter van by the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department for a traffic violation. After receiving consent to search the van, the deputy spotted an after-market compartment that had been installed to create a cavity under the original floorboards. The deputy found rectangular bricks wrapped in plastic and tape that weighed about one kilogram each. Investigators also found bricks hidden behind the dashboard. The 53 bricks contained cocaine weighing a total of 58.85 kilograms.

    Valdivia-Gonzalez, who was living in Phoenix, is scheduled to be sentenced October 2. He faces at least 10 years in prison.

    The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Philadelphia Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

    Source: US FBI

    World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is recognized each year on June 15, and FBI Philadelphia is taking this time to continue the dialogue on the issue of elder fraud and the effects it has on our community. The abuse of older Americans can come in various forms, to include physical, emotional, mental, or financial exploitation. According to the 2024 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Elder Fraud Report, the FBI received over 147,000 complaints from victims over the age of 60, with reported losses of approximately $4.8 billion. In 2024, Pennsylvanians over the age of 60 field over 6,300 complaints of various frauds and scams with over $151 million in reported losses. “Elder abuse—whether through fraud, neglect, or exploitation—has a devastating impact on victims, their families, and the broader community,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia. “World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is a reminder of our responsibility to protect older Americans. It’s a chance to reaffirm our commitment to investigating those who prey on the vulnerable, to educate the public on how to safeguard themselves and their loved ones, and to encourage victims to come forward and report scams and abuse to the FBI.”

    Education and outreach are vital in bringing awareness to these crimes, protecting against victimization, and reinforcing the importance of reporting. FBI Philadelphia Community Outreach and field office personnel frequently engage with community groups and partners to bring awareness to the scams impacting our community. Some ways to protect yourself and your loved ones include:

    • Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator. This includes the very simple step to hang up the phone!
    • Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to lure victims into immediate action, typically by instilling trust and inducing empathy or fear, or the promise of monetary gains, companionship, or employment opportunities.
    • Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door services offers.
    • Never give or send any personally identifiable information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses.
    • Make sure all computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections are up to date. Use reputable anti-virus software and firewalls.
    • Be careful what you download. Never open an e-mail attachment from someone you don’t know and be wary of e-mail attachments forwarded to you.

    Combatting elder fraud continues to be a priority for the Department of Justice, which operates the Elder Justice Initiative. The Elder Justice Initiative supports and coordinates the DOJ’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s seniors. FBI Philadelphia has Victim Specialists who work to ensure victims have the resources they need, as well as support in navigating the criminal justice process. If you think or someone you know may have been a victim of elder fraud, contact FBI Philadelphia at (215) 418-4000 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. You can also file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Talks FBI Politicization

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Newsmax ahead of tonight’s Congressional Baseball Game to discuss the FBI falsely classifying the 2017 shooting as ‘suicide by cop’ and how Kash Patel has worked to release information around the incident to correct the record. Leader Scalise also outlined how the One Big Beautiful Bill unlocks economic growth by preventing a $4.5 trillion tax hike on American families and secures the border by funding more ICE agents.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full interview. 
    On this year’s Congressional Baseball Game:“Well, feeling really good. Tonight, I drop all the titles, and I’m the leadoff batter for the team. And you know, we’re focused. We’ve been practicing. We want to win the game. We’re going to raise over two and a half million dollars for charity. So it’s a lot of fun. It’s a really good cause, but we’re competitive people, so we play to win, and we’re in the big league ballpark. We already are halfway there.”  On the transparency of Kash Patel’s FBI:“Well, I’m really glad and appreciative that Kash Patel got the facts out, because there were a lot of things not only suppressed, there were inaccuracies, deliberate inaccuracies, in the original report. They tried to call it suicide by cop. The gunman came out there, and he wasn’t only trying to kill all of us. He tried to kill the two cops that were with me once he found out they were cops because they were [dressed in] plain clothes, he didn’t know they were cops. And then he tried to kill them as he was trying to kill us. So, where the FBI got that original classification, we were furious about that. Kash and others changed it to what it was – domestic terrorism. But he’s also getting other facts out that I didn’t even know about the shooter. And so I think it’s good for the public to really see the full picture. You know why? The original FBI, back then in 2017 tried to change the narrative, tried to suppress facts, to say it wasn’t even politically motivated when it was clearly politically motivated. You know, call it what it is. I mean, their job should be to get the facts out wherever the facts lead. They didn’t do that in 2017. Kash Patel is getting them back to their original mission, and I appreciate it.”On securing President Trump’s agenda through reconciliation: “Look, I mean, we had a lot of internal conversations. Once Democrats walked away and said, because it’s President Trump’s signature achievement, Democrats decided they didn’t want to be a part of it, and that’s a shame, because this bill prevents a four-and-a-half trillion dollar tax hike on American families. So we came together as Republicans and said, if this is going to get done, and it has to get done, then it’s going to be us who does it. And so we put coalitions together. We built a really good coalition of members when we can only lose two votes or three votes at certain points, and then we got it done and sent it to the Senate.“You know, this is a really, really important bill. It’s One Big Beautiful Bill, but it has all of President Trump’s priorities – no tax increases, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime. You know, you think about producing more energy in America. President Trump ran on it. We deliver. Having border security. You look at what’s going on in LA right now. You know, they’re waving foreign flags in American cities. President Trump said, I’m securing the border, and he’s done most of it, but he needs more money from Congress now to build the wall, to hire more Border Patrol and ICE agents. That’s in this bill, by the way, that’s another reason every Democrat voted no, is because we hire more ICE agents. They want to defund ICE. Does any American want to literally turn the streets of America over to hardened criminals from foreign countries? So all of that is in this bill. It will get our economy moving again. We’ve got to get it done. I don’t think the Senate is going to make a lot of big changes just because they have the same dynamics on their side. No Democrats will vote for it, so only Republicans are going to get it done. They just need to keep it moving, get it to his desk by July 4th so we can turn America around.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 69 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Jovan James, 45, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced yesterday to 69 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition on November 25, 2024.

                The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                James pleaded guilty on March 5, 2025, to one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon ordered James to serve three years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, on Nov. 25, 2024, at about 4:55 p.m., MPD officers were patrolling the 5000 block of H Street SE, when they noticed James smoking marijuana in a public space. Officers placed James under arrest. During a search incident to arrest, officers recovered a loaded black Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number from James’s waistband. The handgun was loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition.

                James was previously convicted of first degree murder while armed in February 1998 in the District of Columbia and sentenced to a 30-year prison term. James was resentenced in August 2019 to a 22-year prison term and placed on supervised probation for five years under the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA).

                This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sabena Auyeung.

    24cr541

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lowell Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Guns, Drugs, Machinegun Conversion Devices

    Source: US FBI

    The devices, commonly called “switches,” could convert handguns into fully automatic weapons

    BOSTON – A Lowell man has pleaded guilty to multiple federal crimes after he was recorded illegally selling numerous guns, thousands of methamphetamine pills and machineguns.

    Billy Chan, a/k/a “Juju,” 20, pleaded guilty on June 6, 2025 to one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license; one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine; one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and one count of transfer and possession of a machinegun. U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, 2025.

    On five different dates in Lowell between March 2023 and June 2023, Chan sold three handguns, four machinegun conversion devices and approximately 2,000 pills marketed as “Adderall,” to undercover law enforcement. Laboratory testing confirmed that the “Adderall” pills were homemade methamphetamine pills pressed with caffeine and designed to look like the genuine pharmaceutical product. Chan trafficked the counterfeit pills with an alleged co-conspirator who was a member of the Asian Boyz gang. The investigation revealed that, in 2023, Asian Boyz gang members and associates had access to a plentiful supply of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine, which they distributed widely across the Merrimack Valley region.

    During a recorded meeting with a cooperating source, Chan said he worked at a machine shop, could make the machinegun conversion “switch” devices himself and gave instructions and demonstrations on how to install the “switches” on a pistol. A few days later, Chan sent the source a video of a person shooting a fully automatic handgun into the air, with the message: “I let my boys test the switch.”

     
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Superintendent Gregory C. Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

    This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: FBI San Francisco: Assault on Federal Officers

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)

    Video depicts an unknown female wearing a black hoodie and black mask assaulting a federal officer in Concord, California, on June 10, 2025. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the individual, as well as the recovery of the FBI special agent’s badge.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/san-francisco-assault-on-federal-officers-061025.mov/view

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s San Francisco Field Office is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the individual responsible for assaulting federal officers and the theft of government property on June 10, 2025, in Concord, California. The government property stolen is identified as a Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent’s badge. The individual is described as a female who was wearing a black hoodie at the time. She is believed to be the individual who took the FBI special agent’s badge. If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
    —————————————————
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1PtV29FwRE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: VIDEO: DHS Arrests Christian Cerna-Camacho for Allegedly Punching CBP Officer during L.A. Riots

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    “If you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” – Secretary Noem 

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released video footage of the arrest of a Christian Damian Cerna-Camacho, a United States (U.S.). citizen, for allegedly assaulting a federal law enforcement officer during the Los Angeles (LA), California (CA) riots. When officers tried to make the arrest, Cerna-Camacho tried to flee.

    “Homeland Security Investigations arrested Christian Damian Cerna-Camacho for punching a federal law enforcement officer,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Our officers are facing a 413% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murders, rapists, and gang members. Secretary Noem’s message to the LA rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Christian Damian Cerna-Camacho

    Watch the arrest footage here.

    Additionally, this week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Emiliano Garduno-Galvez—an illegal alien from Mexico—for attempted murder after he threw a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement during the LA riots. 

    Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Elpidio Reyna for allegedly throwing rocks and explosives at federal officers.

    Elpidio Reyna

    If you see Reyna or have any information that could help lead to his arrest, call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit http://tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 06/12/2025 PHOTO: Blackburn Meets with Memphis Mayor Paul Young

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after meeting with Memphis Mayor Paul Young today to discuss the importance of local and federal cooperation to expand economic opportunity in Memphis and efforts to crack down on violent crime:

    “It was a pleasure to meet with Mayor Paul Young this afternoon to discuss ways we can continue working together to grow Memphis’s economy and fight violent crime that has blighted the city for too long,” said Senator Blackburn. “FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi are working closely with me to Make Memphis Safe Again, and Mayor Young will be a critical part of our federal efforts to address the unacceptable violence in this city that we all love.”

    Click here to download this photo of Senator Blackburn and Mayor Young.

    BACKGROUND

      • Last year, Tennessee was ranked among the top ten states for motor vehicle thefts, and Tennessee saw a nearly 200% increase in auto theft crime by juveniles in 2023.
      • The current federal carjacking statute requires prosecutors to prove defendants had an “intent to cause death or bodily harm,” which has made it harder to bring federal carjacking prosecutions and accounts for the decrease in federal carjacking prosecutions in certain parts of the country.
      • The Federal Carjacking Enforcement Act would fix this drafting error by requiring prosecutors only have to prove the knowing taking of a motor vehicle.
      • In cases in which death results following a carjacking, the bill would maintain the higher “intent to cause death or bodily harm” requirement.
    • Senator Blackburn introduced the AFTER SCHOOL Act to establish a grant program administered through the U.S. Department of Justice for localities to receive funds to establish, maintain, and strengthen after school programs proven to reduce juvenile crime and recidivism.
      • Much of the crime committed in Memphis is driven by juvenile offenders, who are committing more and more aggravated assaults, robberies, and carjackings against innocent city residents;
      • The gap of time after school and before their parents get home is prime time for violent behavior among youth, and the four hours following the end of the school day (around 2:00 to 6:00 PM) is typically the peak of violent crime.
    • Senator Blackburn also introduced the Restoring Law and Order Act to increase funding for law enforcement and help keep violent criminals behind bars by establishing a “Make America Safe Again” federal grant program to:
      • Hire more police officers and detectives, so that states can better target violent crime;
      • Provide funding for law enforcement agencies to target drug-related crimes such as fentanyl;
      • Detain and deport illegal aliens who have committed crimes in the United States;
      • Use public safety tools such as bail and pretrial detention to prevent dangerous offenders from returning to communities; and
      • Give state and local governments the funds to eliminate investigatory backlogs and more-quickly process criminal evidence.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tennessee Man Sentenced in Kentucky to 25 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking

    Source: US State of California

    WASHINGTON — A Tennessee man was sentenced yesterday in the Western District of Kentucky for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; conspiracy to commit sex trafficking; obstructing a sex trafficking investigation; interstate transportation for prostitution; and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Portier Q. Govan, 37, of Memphis, was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release after a jury found Govan guilty in December 2024.

    Evidence presented during the trial established that Govan and his co-defendant, Brittany R. Howard, 25, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, recruited and enticed the victim to engage in commercial sex by preying on her young age and financial situation, and by making false promises of easy money.  To establish his control over the victim, Govan threatened to kill her by pressing a pistol against her head while she was in the front passenger seat of a car, and then lowered and discharged the gun, firing a bullet across her lap and missing her body by inches. Govan also showed her a video of himself torturing a defenseless man tied to a chair. He sexually assaulted her and compelled her to engage in commercial sex acts for his profit by making her fear for her life.

    “The defendant used brazen acts of violence to compel the 18-year-old victim to engage in commercial sex, even holding a gun to the victim’s head,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This significant sentence reflects the severity of the defendant’s conduct and sends a clear message that the DOJ will relentlessly prosecute and hold accountable human traffickers who abuse and exploit others for financial gain.”

    The FBI Louisville Field Office, Bowling Green Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Bowling Green Police Department.

    “This sentence is the culmination of a tremendous joint effort between the Bowling Green Police Department and the FBI’s Bowling Green Resident Agency,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky Kyle G. Bumgarner. “Thanks to their efforts, Portier Govan will spend a significant portion of his adult life in federal penitentiary for his depraved conduct. While his sentence is lengthy, there is no sentence that sufficiently remedies the trauma he inflicted on his victim—who will continue to have unwavering support from our office”

    “Depriving an innocent victim of their civil rights by violently forcing them to engage in commercial sex is unconscionable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of Portier Govan’s criminal activity. The FBI, in collaboration with our state and local law enforcement partners, will never stop working to identify and hold accountable violent criminals and to help victims receive the support needed as they recover from significant trauma.”

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Sewell for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.

    Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tennessee Man Sentenced in Kentucky to 25 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    WASHINGTON — A Tennessee man was sentenced yesterday in the Western District of Kentucky for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; conspiracy to commit sex trafficking; obstructing a sex trafficking investigation; interstate transportation for prostitution; and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  Portier Q. Govan, 37, of Memphis, was sentenced to 25 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release after a jury found Govan guilty in December 2024.

    Evidence presented during the trial established that Govan and his co-defendant, Brittany R. Howard, 25, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, recruited and enticed the victim to engage in commercial sex by preying on her young age and financial situation, and by making false promises of easy money.  To establish his control over the victim, Govan threatened to kill her by pressing a pistol against her head while she was in the front passenger seat of a car, and then lowered and discharged the gun, firing a bullet across her lap and missing her body by inches. Govan also showed her a video of himself torturing a defenseless man tied to a chair. He sexually assaulted her and compelled her to engage in commercial sex acts for his profit by making her fear for her life.

    “The defendant used brazen acts of violence to compel the 18-year-old victim to engage in commercial sex, even holding a gun to the victim’s head,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This significant sentence reflects the severity of the defendant’s conduct and sends a clear message that the DOJ will relentlessly prosecute and hold accountable human traffickers who abuse and exploit others for financial gain.”

    The FBI Louisville Field Office, Bowling Green Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Bowling Green Police Department.

    “This sentence is the culmination of a tremendous joint effort between the Bowling Green Police Department and the FBI’s Bowling Green Resident Agency,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky Kyle G. Bumgarner. “Thanks to their efforts, Portier Govan will spend a significant portion of his adult life in federal penitentiary for his depraved conduct. While his sentence is lengthy, there is no sentence that sufficiently remedies the trauma he inflicted on his victim—who will continue to have unwavering support from our office”

    “Depriving an innocent victim of their civil rights by violently forcing them to engage in commercial sex is unconscionable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of Portier Govan’s criminal activity. The FBI, in collaboration with our state and local law enforcement partners, will never stop working to identify and hold accountable violent criminals and to help victims receive the support needed as they recover from significant trauma.”

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Sewell for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.

    Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wolf Point Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Methamphetamine to a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man accused of distributing methamphetamine to a minor admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Brickie Cole Jackson, 36, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine to a person under 21 years of age. Jackson faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 1 year, a maximum term of 40 years, a $2,000,000 fine, and at least 6 years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 30, 2025. Jackson was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that in November 2023, law enforcement responded to Wolf Point High School after a student, Jane Doe, admitted drug use and tested positive. Doe, a 16-year-old female, disclosed she had gone to Jackson’s house, and he provided her with methamphetamine. Doe said she had gone to the house multiple times over multiple days and Jackson provided her with methamphetamine on several occasions in November.

    In January 2024, Doe again admitted to hanging out with Jackson at his house over multiple days. He again provided Doe with methamphetamine.

    Jackson was interviewed. He admitted providing Doe with methamphetamine but said he believed she was 18 years old. Jackson said Doe stayed with him on two occasions, and he gave her about a gram of meth each time she stayed at his house.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, and Wolf Point Police Department conducted the investigation.

    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.

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