Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew Thomas Bull (37, Tolland, CT), a/k/a Andrew Thomas Picard, to 30 years in federal prison for attempting to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing photos of her own sexual abuse. The court also ordered Bull to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and forfeit the electronic device that he used to commit this offense. Bull is a convicted sex offender who was convicted of importation and possession of child pornography in Connecticut in 2013, and was on court-ordered probation when he was arrested on May 25, 2023. Bull was detained and transported to Jacksonville. He pleaded guilty on February 18, 2025.
According to court documents, on November 15, 2022, an FBI agent (UC) in the Jacksonville area was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adults seeking to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. The UC posted a text message in a public chat room on a social media application (app) indicating that the UC had access to an 11-year-old “child.” Later that same day, user “brdr1066,” subsequently identified as Bull, contacted the UC directly using the private online text messaging feature of the app. Bull asked the UC to confirm the age and sexual experience of the “child.” Bull sent the UC explicit photos of himself to show to the “child.” Between November 2022 and May 2023, during text conversations on the app, Bull confirmed his desire to have sex with the “child,” and he sent the UC photos depicting young children being sexually abused. He solicited the UC to take and send to Bull pornographic photos of the “child,” and directed the UC as to how the UC could accomplish this. On May 9, 2023, Bull asked the UC, “do i get live pics tonight? / before she goes to bed hopefully / you ask to see her [genitalia] yet?”
On May 25, 2023, FBI agents arrested Bull and executed a federal search warrant at his residence. A search of Bull’s cellphone revealed that it contained at least 15 videos and 40 photos depicting children being sexually abused, including an infant.
“Protecting kids from predators is among the most important work that we do at the FBI,” said Jason Carley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Let this case be a warning – the FBI is relentless in our efforts to identify and stop child predators from abusing our kids.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and New Haven, Connecticut. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys D. Rodney Brown and Kelly S. Milliron.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, locate, and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)
MINNEAPOLIS–Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) released the following statement following the enforcement action that took place on Lake Street in Minneapolis yesterday.
“Our community is on high alert, panicked, and scared after yesterday’s federal enforcement action on Lake Street. What we saw with the militarized force and unjust misuse of force created chaos that was on full display.
“While we do not have all the details, HSI confirmed it was part of a criminal investigation, not an immigration raid. Our office is in contact with officials at our local FBI, HSI, MPD, and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. While the investigation is ongoing, we might not be able to give more information immediately, but we will share available information as soon as we receive it.
“We all have a duty to keep our neighbors safe and protect the most vulnerable in our community.”
Demonstrators clash with counterdemonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 12, 2017. AP Photo/Steve Helber
A man named Regan Prater was charged with arson for the burning of Highlander Center in New Market, Tennessee, on May 7, 2025. The nonprofit has a long history of involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. The FBI stated in a court document that Prater participated in neo-Nazi Telegram group chats online.
In the past several years, extremists have started using the term “accelerationism” to describe their desire to create social chaos and societal collapse that leads to a race war and the destruction of liberal democratic systems, paving the way for a white ethnostate.
Scholars who study extremism have used the term “accelerationism” since the 1980s, but it wasn’t widely associated with right-wing extremist violence until the late 2010s. People calling themselves “eco-fascists,” for example, often endorse mass violence as a means to reduce population and spark societal collapse.
Accelerationism is often connected to the white replacement theory, a white nationalist conspiracy theory that falsely asserts that there is a deliberate plot to diminish the influence and power of white people by replacing them with nonwhite populations.
While not all extremists who advocate violent confrontation use the label, the calls for violent disruption strive for the same results. Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the Australian white supremacist who perpetrated the Christchurch mosque shootings on March 15, 2019, in New Zealand, labeled an entire section of his online manifesto Destabilization and Accelerationism: Tactics for Victory.
Members of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement salute and shout ‘sieg heil’ during a rally in front of the State House in Trenton, N.J., on April 16, 2011. AP Photo/Mel Evans
This primer provides an overview of some of the key groups that have embraced accelerationist thinking, posing significant threats to public safety, democratic institutions and social cohesion.
The Order
One of the first American groups to embody this ideology was The Order – also known as Brüder Schweigen, or the Silent Brotherhood – which continues to influence newer generations of extremist organizations, both directly and indirectly.
Robert Jay Mathews, who founded The Order in 1983, was inspired by the apocalyptic vision laid out in the novel “The Turner Diaries.” The 1978 book by William Luther Pierce – under the pseudonym Andrew Macdonald – calls for a violent, apocalyptic race war to overthrow the U.S. government and exterminate Jews, nonwhite people and political enemies. Pierce founded the National Alliance – a neo-Nazi, white supremacist organization advocating for a white ethnostate and violent revolution – in 1974.
The call for violent insurrection and radical societal overhaul has since served as a blueprint for white supremacists and right-wing extremists.
The Order believed the U.S. federal government was under the control of Jews and other minority groups, and it aimed to overthrow it to create a white ethnostate. The Order funded its activities through robberies, including US$3.6 million taken from an armored car near Ukiah, California, on July 19, 1984.
Its criminal and violent actions escalated to murder, most notably the 1984 assassination of Jewish radio host Alan Berg in Denver by Order member Bruce Pierce.
Russell had been active on a neo-Nazi web forum IronMarch.org since 2014 and announced the group’s formation on the site. He used the handle “Odin” to connect with other far-right extremists.
AWD quickly gained notoriety for its violent, neo-Nazi ideology, advocating for a race war and the collapse of the U.S. government through terrorism. The group drew inspiration from the writings of white supremacist James Mason, particularly his collection of essays titled “Siege.”
By 2020, AWD unraveled due to law enforcement pressure, prosecutions and internal splits. Though not fully gone, it effectively stopped operating under its name. Members helped form the National Socialist Order, which continues to promote Mason’s “Siege” and violent accelerationism.
Neo-Nazi counterdemonstrators shout angrily at the marchers from behind police barricades during the Lesbian and Gay Pride March on Fifth Avenue in New York, on June 25, 1995. AP Photo/Kathy Willens
Beginning in December 2020, The Active Club Network formed as a loosely affiliated, decentralized web of white supremacist, fascist and accelerationist groups that operate under a shared banner promoting physical training, brotherhood and militant white nationalism.
The Base
Founded around 2018, The Base represents one of the most explicit modern expressions of white nationalist accelerationism: as it is known by members, its “Siege Culture.”
Founded by Rinaldo Nazzaro, an American living in Russia who used the name Roman Wolf, the group recruited ex-military and survivalists preparing for collapse through self-sufficiency, aiming to spark a race war. The Base was directly influenced by James Mason’s book “Siege.”
The Base operates as a decentralized network of cells trained in paramilitary tactics, sabotage and guerrilla warfare. Their online propaganda explicitly calls for violent action to destabilize society.
Although several members have been arrested and convicted on a variety of crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder, civil disorder, firearm charges, vandalism and other violent crimes, The Base illustrates a fundamental feature of accelerationism: “leaderless resistance,” or a lack of a centralized leadership, which helps it survive and thrive. Its ideology and tactics are spread through online forums dedicated to white supremacist propaganda.
The goals of the organizers of the Unite the Right rally included unifying the American white nationalist movement and opposing the proposed removal of the statue of Robert E. Lee, the general who led the Confederate troops of slave states during the Civil War, from Charlottesville’s former Lee Park. The rally sparked a national debate over Confederate iconography, racial violence and white supremacy.
The Patriot Front defines itself as an organization of “American nationalists.” According to the Anti-Defamation League, since 2019 the Patriot Front has been responsible for a majority of white supremacist propaganda distributed in the United States, using flyers, posters, stickers, banners and the internet to spread its ideology.
Understanding the motivations and tactics of accelerationist groups and individuals, I believe, is critical to recognizing and countering the dangers they represent.
Art Jipson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher McCarty, age 33, of Manhattan, New York, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for mailing a letter that contained a threat to kill two New York State judges.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, McCarty admitted that between May and June 2023, he was incarcerated at the Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York. McCarty further admitted that on or about May 31, 2023, he mailed a letter to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul. In the letter, McCarty wrote that when he was released from prison, he was going to kill two New York State judges who had presided over his case leading to his incarceration at Auburn Correctional Facility.
U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “When someone threatens a judge, they threaten our system of justice. Those who threaten judges for doing their jobs are going to be prosecuted and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “The FBI will not tolerate threats of violence to any member of our community, but especially those who work hard to safeguard our democratic process. No judge should have to fear their rulings might provoke such a violent response. Mr. McCarty’s actions were dangerous and unacceptable, and today’s sentence ensures he will remain behind bars.”
FBI Albany’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss prosecuted the case.
PORTLAND, Maine: A Kennebunkport man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing child pornography.
According to court records, in November 2024, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Kevin Rockwell, 41, in Kennebunkport. In executing the warrant, agents recovered a tablet located on a nightstand; a review of the tablet uncovered numerous image and video files of child sexual abuse material, including prepubescent children. In an interview, Rockwell admitted owning the tablet and acknowledged the presence of the files on it. Rockwell has a prior federal conviction for transporting child pornography, for which he was sentenced to 8 ½ years in federal prison.
Rockwell faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years with a maximum of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory supervised release period of at least 5 years up to lifetime supervision. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned people on Tuesday against protesting at the weekend military parade in Washington marking the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary.
“For those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force,” Trump told reporters in the White House’s Oval Office.
Law enforcement agencies are preparing for hundreds of thousands of people to attend Saturday’s parade, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool said on Monday.
McCool said thousands of agents, officers and specialists will be deployed from law enforcement agencies from across the country. The FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department have said there are no credible threats to the event.
At least nine permits have been issued for protests on that day, a U.S. Secret Service spokesperson said on Tuesday.
In unscheduled Oval Office remarks, Trump discussed his decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles after protests erupted in response to federal immigration raids at workplaces there.
Trump defended his decision to take that rare step and said troops were necessary to contain the unrest, despite objections from local and state officials that they were needed.
Saturday’s event, which will coincide with Trump’s 79th birthday, includes an Army birthday festival on the National Mall and will culminate with a parade through the capital and an enlistment and re-enlistment ceremony presided over by the president.
Nationwide protests on that day were being organized by a group called No Kings.
“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights and slashed our services,” the group says on its website. “The corruption has gone too far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”
Last week, President Donald Trump ordered an investigation into “who ran the United States while President Biden was in office”, alleging top aides masked the “cognitive decline” of his predecessor. The announcement referenced revelations in a new book by journalists Jake Tapper (CNN) and Alex Thompson (Axios).
Original Sin made headlines last month for revealing that Biden’s declining physical and cognitive health had been hidden from the public by his closest aides and his loyal but overly protective wife, Jill Biden.
Whatever merit there is in Trump’s order must be seen alongside his bottomless cynicism. He seizes on the two authors’ investigative journalism to continue tarnishing his predecessor’s reputation, while doing everything in his power to bully news companies such as CBS over almost meritless defamation cases and to cut the funding of public media organisations PBS and NPR.
Review: Original Sin – Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson (Hutchinson Heinemann)
In November 2020, Biden was seen by many as a hero. He won the American election and saved the country from Donald Trump, who scholars judged among the worst presidents in the nation’s history, not least because just over 384,500 people died from COVID-19 that year.
Today, just as many see Biden as a villain. He said he would be a “bridge” president. He knew he would have ended his second term aged 86 if he had won and served it, so said he would hand over to a successor well in time for the 2024 election. But he didn’t. Not until three and a half weeks after his wincingly bad performance in a debate with Trump last June.
By then it was too late for his Democratic Party to go through its usual primaries process. Biden anointed his vice president Kamala Harris as his successor, but with only 107 days to campaign before the election, it is more accurate to say he gave her what football commentators call a “hospital pass”.
Donald Trump regained the presidency. Four months into his second term, all but his most loyal supporters (and this time he has made sure to surround himself only with loyal supporters) think it is already much worse than his first.
Whatever Biden achieved in his presidency is being forgotten amid the horror at watching America’s democratic institutions assaulted by an authoritarian leader determined to undo Biden’s policies, especially on climate change.
What on earth happened? How much responsibility does Biden bear? Did the news media subject Biden to sufficient scrutiny before the debate last June? Was everyone except the MAGA base suffering from a new variant of what conservative commentators long ago dubbed “Trump derangement syndrome”?
In short order, the answers are: Biden declined faster and worse than had been anticipated; a lot; the media possibly didn’t scrutinise him enough, but it’s more complicated than that – and, yes, “Trump derangement syndrome” was a factor, though not quite in the way conservative commentators thought.
Clooney’s alarm
Original Sin’s most spectacular revelation was that at a Democrat fundraising event last year, Biden did not appear to recognise George Clooney – who as well as being an actor, is a longtime Democrat supporter and a friend of the president.
Clooney was shocked by Biden’s frail appearance. “Holy shit,” he thought, according to the authors, as he watched Biden enter the room, taking tiny steps with “an aide guiding him by his arm”. The book describes the excruciating moment in detail:
“You know George,” the assisting aide told the president, gently reminding him who was in front of him.
“Yeah, yeah,” the president said to one of the most recognizable men in the world, the host of this lucrative fundraiser. “Thank you for being here.”
“Hi, Mr. President,” Clooney said.
“How are ya?” the president replied.
“How was your trip?” Clooney asked.
“It was fine,” the president said.
It was obvious to many standing there that the president did not know who George Clooney was. […]
“George Clooney,” the aide clarified for the president.
“Oh, yeah!” Biden said. “Hi, George!”
A Hollywood VIP who witnessed the moment told the authors “it was not okay”, describing it as “uncomfortable”. Clooney felt he had to sound the alarm publicly, which he did in an impassioned opinion piece for The New York Times a few weeks later, on July 10. He wrote about how he loved and respected Biden, but
the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.
Just days after publicity about the book began, news broke that Biden has stage four prostate cancer – and that he had not had a prostate test for more than a decade.
The ‘loyalty police’
Tapper and Thompson’s book derives not only from their day jobs, but from reporting they have done since last November’s election, including interviews with 200 people. Some of them, even now, prefer to speak on background rather than be named.
Through them, they tell a bracing story with three main themes.
First, there is the unblinking loyalty of close aides. Chief strategist Mike Donilon had been with Biden since 1981. Bruce Reed was a speechwriter and longtime political consultant. Steve Ricchetti had been Biden’s chief of staff when he was vice president, and was also a friend who would watch the morning political shows with him. All four of Richetti’s children worked in the Biden administration, the authors write.
Jill Biden’s longtime aides, Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal, were fiercely protective of the Bidens as much as the office of the president. “Are you a Biden person?” they would ask, leading other aides to label them the “loyalty police”.
Collectively, the close aides were known as The Politburo. Kamala Harris’ aides called them a “cabal of the unhelpful”. Time and again, they responded to queries about Biden’s health with firm assurances he was doing fine – even though the president needed to be supplied with cue cards when he was meeting his cabinet secretaries.
Biden, like previous presidents, had an annual medical check-up and was given a clean bill of health. But doctors outside the White House noted that his cognitive abilities were not tested. Asked about this, aides – and Biden himself – would say he passed a cognitive test every day of his presidency, which was a superficially plausible but practically meaningless statement.
Some aides genuinely believed in Biden, while others harboured doubts. The latter suppressed those to focus on the task of defeating Trump in 2024. One told Tapper and Thompson: “He just had to win, and then he could disappear for four years – he’d only have to show proof of life every once in a while.” Which sounds pretty much like the plot of the 1989 movie, Weekend at Bernie’s, except the situation was anything but comic.
Biden’s aides admonished journalists, including Alex Thompson, for even raising the issue of the president’s health. Worse, they shielded Biden from what his own pollsters were saying about his dire prospects for re-election.
The oldest presidential candidates
For Biden, work usually began at 9am, included two hours in the afternoon for “POTUS time”, and finished at 4.30pm when he had dinner. Availability for evening events was limited. By 2024, cabinet secretaries in the Biden administration told Tapper and Thompson that Biden could not be relied upon to be available at 2am for the kind of emergency the presidency can require.
After the Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, born the same year as Biden, froze in public a second time, in 2023, his fellow Republican Nikki Haley said, “The Senate is the most privileged nursing home in the country […] You have to know when to leave.”
When the Democrats did unexpectedly well at the 2022 midterm elections, Biden’s aides took that as a sign he should run again, rather than note the level of protest in the midterm vote, which came soon after the Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v Wade decision on abortion.
The opinion polls, though, were telling. An early November 2022 Ipsos poll had the president’s approval rating at a low 39%, Tapper and Thompson report. Two thirds of those surveyed said they thought the country was on the wrong track. When Ipsos ran a poll after the midterm election, 68% said Biden might not be up for the challenge of running in 2024. Worse, almost half of Democrats agreed.
Biden’s aides may have been right to marvel at what their boss could still do, and to resent the media harping on about Biden’s age while turning a blind eye to his cheeseburger-chomping, Coke-slurping political nemesis, only four years younger. The bitter fact for them is that by 2020 Biden looked and sounded frail while Trump looked and sounded commanding.
Trump may have lied repeatedly during the debate last June, but in a real sense that was not news; Trump lies as easily as he breathes. What was news was watching a mumbling, open-mouthed US president freeze on live television.
Grisly anecdotes and Hunter Biden
Original Sin is replete with grisly anecdotes about Biden’s decrepitude. “The guy can’t form a fucking sentence”, thought one aide attending to him onboard Air Force One. This leads to the second main theme: the tragic circumstances that appear to have accelerated the decline.
It is well known that personal tragedy has scarred – and in crucial ways shaped – Biden’s life and career. He lost his first wife, Neilia, and their one-year-old daughter, Naomi, in a car accident in 1972. Their young sons, Beau and Hunter, were in the car. They survived but Hunter suffered a fractured skull, an injury with lifelong effects, according to Tapper and Thompson.
Beau served as an army officer in the Iraq war. On his return, he was elected attorney-general of Delaware in 2006 and 2010. He planned to run for governor in 2016. But a year earlier, the brain cancer for which he was first treated in 2013 recurred; he died in May 2015. In a worrying precursor to later actions, the Bidens kept Beau’s illness a secret. “Beau’s death aged him significantly,” a longtime Biden confidant told Tapper and Thompson. “His shoulders looked smaller. His face looked more gaunt. In his eyes, you could just see it.”
A year later, Hunter Biden became addicted to crack cocaine. Ashley, Biden’s daughter by his second wife Jill, also struggled with addiction. Both spiralled downwards after Beau’s death, which weighed heavily on their father. As the authors write:
After Beau’s death in 2015, Biden desperately and understandably clung to Hunter. He would privately refer to him as ‘my only living son.’ But Biden aides felt that Hunter manipulated his father’s blind love for his own aims. The president struggled to say no to Hunter. Aides felt that he had tragically become Hunter’s chief enabler.
In 2021 Hunter published a memoir, Beautiful Things, and travelled round the country in an effort to provide hope to others struggling with addiction. The memoir’s candour provided valuable information to David Weiss, a special counsel appointed by Attorney-General Merrick Garland in 2023.
Weiss had been previously appointed by the first Trump administration to investigate the contents of a laptop Hunter Biden left at a repair shop. Biden had not interfered with Garland’s decision, as he did not want to be seen as behaving the way his predecessor had.
Weiss charged Hunter Biden over his possession of a handgun while being addicted to cocaine. A plea deal broke down and Hunter faced trial in 2024. The Biden family attended each day of the trial. Biden felt guilty, believing Hunter would never have been on trial if he wasn’t the president’s son.
There is little doubt the Republicans weaponised Hunter Biden’s actions, but he gave them plenty of ammunition. He had had an extramarital affair with his brother’s widow and had introduced her to cocaine, to which she became addicted. There is more, but you get the (tawdry) picture.
Then, after the election in November, Biden did what he had repeatedly said he wouldn’t, exercising his power as president to pardon his son. It may have been the understandable action of a besieged father, but Biden did not frame it that way, blaming Garland, wrongly, for pursuing the case.
Equally to the point, the authors report that Trump’s lawyers took note, believing the Hunter Biden pardon “gave them a great deal of leeway on whether they could pardon and free from prison the hundreds of convicted January 6 insurrectionists” from the 2021 Capitol riot. Which of course Trump did as soon as he took office in January 2025.
The old adage has it that two wrongs don’t make a right. But for a politician who had won the presidency promising to be everything Trump was not, it was a fatal, final blow to Biden’s credibility.
The media ‘missed a lot’
The third theme of the book asks how much of all this the news media reported during Biden’s presidency. Some, but not all of it – including some by Thompson, who recently won a White House Correspondents’ Association award for his disclosures.
Both he and his co-author acknowledge they and other journalists did not dig hard enough to reveal the extent to which the Biden administration was hampered by the president’s declining health. Said Thompson:
Being truth-tellers also means telling the truth about ourselves. We – myself included – missed a lot of this story, and some people trust us less because of it […] We should have done better.“
It is worth keeping this in perspective. The news media’s failings in the lead up to the Iraq war in 2003 were more significant. Then, too many journalists swallowed the administration’s lines justifying its decision to invade a country, while the work of those who did report sceptically was buried well inside the newspaper. There, it “played as quietly as a lullaby”, as The New York Times’ first public editor, Daniel Okrent, wrote in 2003.
The war’s reporting led to a lot of soul searching in American newsrooms. If there was a coverup in the media about the Biden administration, it wasn’t very effective, wrote media critic Jon Allsop in the New Yorker. “Not least because the majority of the public thought Biden was too old long before the debate.”
The other element infecting both the mainstream media and social media is divisiveness, rancour and hostility. It is hard, for journalists and the public, to see political information other than through a hyper-partisan lens. I felt this acutely when reading the section in Original Sin about Biden getting drawn into the FBI’s investigation of Trump for withholding classified documents – when the FBI found Biden had done essentially the same thing. (Though it should be stressed Biden, unlike Trump, cooperated at all times.)
‘Well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory’
It was through this investigation that special counsel Robert Hur’s recording of a long interview with Biden came to light. Journalists were backgrounded that Hur was a right-wing operative; he was anything but that, write Tapper and Thompson. He treated Biden fairly and respectfully. In the interview, excerpts of which run to seven pages of the book, Biden rambles and needs regular reminding of facts – including the year his son Beau died.
In Hur’s report, released in 2024, he found Biden had inappropriately retained classified documents but he did not recommend pressing charges. To a jury, Hur concluded, Biden would present “as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory”. He was making the kind of decision prosecutors routinely make about the likelihood of a conviction.
Hur was attacked by the White House and much of the media as a partisan warrior who had brought up the death of the president’s son in the interview, when it was Biden who mentioned it himself. If Hur really had been a partisan warrior, the authors write, he would have recommended continuing with the prosecution.
Several months later, after the disastrous Biden-Trump debate, friends and colleagues texted Hur saying he must have felt vindicated. “Hur told them that all he felt was sad. How could anyone look at Joe Biden at that debate and not feel bad?”
It is true that aides, and sometimes the news media, have covered up previous presidents’ health issues, such as Franklin Roosevelt’s paralysis from polio, John Kennedy’s debilitating back pain that required heavy doses of painkillers, and Ronald Reagan’s Alzheimer’s disease.
Tapper and Thompson argue the coverup of Biden’s health problems is the most consequential in presidential history.
Underplays Biden’s achievements
The authors successfully prosecute their case about Biden’s responsibility for his own demise. Perhaps worried they may not be believed by Democrat supporters, they continue amassing evidence well beyond that point, which means the minutiae of aides continuing to deny the reality of Biden’s decline becomes repetitive.
Their relentless focus on Biden’s decline also means they underplay both his achievements as a president and the breadth of his character. At one point, they admiringly refer to Richard Ben Cramer’s book about the 1988 presidential campaign, What it Takes, which includes Biden’s failed attempt to win the Democratic nomination for the presidency.
Cramer’s book is a massive 1,047 pages. He interviewed more than a thousand people and took so long on the book it came out during the next presidential campaign, in which Bill Clinton was elected.
One reviewer, Richard Brownstein, wrote of it: “Presidential elections are the white whale of American journalism – and in Cramer they have found a manic Melville.” But it is written in an intimate, novelistic style, taking the reader deep into the lives and thoughts and feelings of the candidates, George H.W Bush, Bob Dole, Michael Dukakis, Richard Gephardt, Gary Hart and Biden.
Cramer told Robert Boynton in an interview for his 2005 book, The New New Journalism, he was amazed political journalists spend so little time talking to childhood friends, family and early colleagues.
If you want to understand how someone got to the point where he [sic] is a credible candidate for president of a nation of 250 million people, you’d better godamn-well know how he is wonderful. But most journalists don’t care about that.
As such, Cramer provides a deeper, richer portrait of Biden as an idiosyncratic and flawed, but also impressive politician, who was a force of nature in his youth. By comparison, Original Sin reads like an autopsy: which in a way, it is. If you want to remember why Biden became an effective politician in the first place, seek out a copy of What it Takes.
In the end, though, whatever achievements Biden had as president are being overtaken by his disastrous decision to try to hang on for a second term. By the evidence presented in Original Sin, “Honest Joe” was, like many politicians, prey to ego and overvaulting ambition, and prone to secrecy when it suited him.
He and his aides thought – and astonishingly still do think – he was the person best able to repel the return of a person they feared (with good reason) would do enormous damage to the country. Biden said this after the November election, earning Harris’s ire, for which he apologised, and Donilon affirmed it in an interview with the authors early this year.
The savage irony is, by their actions, Biden and his team eased Trump’s path to victory last November. Now, it is not just Americans but the rest of the world who are left to deal with the second Trump administration.
Matthew Ricketson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO OF KAINE’S EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE HERE.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), delivered opening remarks at the SASC hearing on U.S. Navy posture. During his remarks, he discussed his concerns about President Trump and Secretary Hegseth activating thousands of National Guard members and 700 Marines in California—over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass—in response to immigration protests.
“I have a lot of experience in dealing with the [National] Guard as a former mayor and governor,” said Kaine. “The genius of the Guard is that it is a partnership between the President and the Governors and Guardsmen and women… The President’s decision to deploy thousands of Guardsmen and women to quell protests in Los Angeles—without a request by the California Governor and in fact, over the objection of the California Governor—is nearly unprecedented.”
Kaine continued, “We are in very, very dangerous territory. I think my colleagues and I are right to be concerned about this. The American public is concerned about this.”
“To deploy active duty Marines to quell civilian protests is, in my view, very, very dangerous,” said Kaine. “It’s dangerous beyond the escalatory effects that both the Governor and Mayor of Los Angeles are warning us about. If we screw up the balance of how we use the Guard or how we use the military in the instance of civilian protests that local law enforcement can handle, we will regret that for a very, very long time.”
“Many Americans are worried now that if they express dissenting voices to policies and the Administration, they’re concerned that the military may be deployed against them,” Kaine continued. “We’re coming up on the commemoration of 250 years of American democracy. It’s on the shoulders of this generation to decide whether the commemoration will be a celebration or a requiem or a wake or a coronation. We need to make it a celebration, and for that, we need brave and patriotic citizens who are willing to, without fear, exercise rights that were guaranteed to them from the very first days of this country.”
Then, Kaine rebutted comments from his colleague erroneously comparing Trump’s decision to activate the National Guard in California to President Dwight Eisenhower’s activation of the Arkansas National Guard to ensure the integration of Central High School in Little Rock.
“The issue is not is there lawless behavior that can be controlled by local law enforcement. You either believe in a federal system or you don’t where a Governor requests the National Guard or doesn’t, and you either believe in a civilian military division or you don’t,” Kaine said.
“Senator Cotton brings up the example of Little Rock. President Eisenhower, Republican President, did federalize the Guard in that instance. Why? Because it was the Governor that was violating federal law. There is no suggestion that Governor Newsom is violating federal law. In fact, he said, arrest me if I’m violating the law—and yesterday, the chief border agent for the United States said there is no cause to arrest you. You are not violating federal law,” said Kaine.
Kaine continued, “The right balance in this instance is to let a local official—mayor, governor—seek assistance if they need it. If the President decides if more assets are needed, we wouldn’t even be having this discussion if he sent in federal law enforcement—FBI, DEA. We’re having this discussion because the President in an unprecedented way, without a request and over the objection of the local elected leadership decided to send in the United States military.”
Kaine also raised concerns about the Trump Administration’s failure to submit a full budget request; delays with naval shipbuilding programs, including Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines and amphibious assault ships; and the lack of the nomination from the Administration for a new Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). He also expressed his commitment to continuing to work with the Department of the Navy and other services on the implementation of provisions from the Brandon Act, which he helped get signed into law to make it easier for servicemembers to access mental health care.
“The Navy does remain the finest maritime force in the world, but it’s struggled to grow and maintain the fleet… Many vessels—aircraft carriers, multiple destroyers and frigates, and some of the air platforms—are behind schedule,” Kaine said. “In particular, the Virginia-class fast attack subs and Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, which are so critical and prioritized very highly by all of you, are delayed and face budgetary challenges… We need to do more. I continue to believe that the most significant challenge we have is a workforce challenge.”
“The Brandon Act was passed by this body a number of years back—named after a young sailor, Brandon Caserta, who died by suicide in Norfolk,” said Kaine. “There were a lot of challenges and problems with, frankly, lack of access to mental health services, and it was a pivotal step toward improving access to mental health services, not just for the Navy, but everybody in the service. The implementations across the Armed Services—we’ve seen fits and starts, but some critical gaps in effectiveness, fragmented implementation, undefined procedures for mental health requests, lack of policies tailored toward the National Guard and Reserves… I would really love your help working to continue to implement this.”
GREAT FALLS – A Havre man who possessed fentanyl was sentenced today to 168 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Isaiah Starr Standingrock, 33, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on August 26, 2023, Standingrock attempted to evade law enforcement, leading to a high-speed pursuit on and off the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. During the pursuit, Standingrock called 911 several times, threatening to shoot officers and/or himself. Officers watched Standingrock throw various items out of his car window throughout the pursuit, including what appeared to be a gun (which was never recovered) and a blue Nike backpack (which was recovered and later searched). Standingrock later threw a pistol holster at officers during a brief standoff. Ultimately, Standingrock was taken into custody without incident.
In a search incident to arrest, officers seized $430 in various denominations of cash, as well as various empty syringes and a plastic bag. Officers observed what appeared to be fentanyl pills in plain view in the vehicle.
Officers then located a .40 caliber S&W round and a .38 caliber SPL +P round, as well as a syringe and tin foil in the blue Nike backpack. They recovered suspected fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder, a tube containing powder residence, a digital scale containing white powder, a flip phone and a gold iPhone from the vehicle search.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services, and the Hill County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Laundered Over $800,000 of the Proceeds of a Business Email Compromise Scheme that Defrauded a Cedar Rapids Church
An accountant and adjunct business instructor who laundered over $800,000 of the proceeds of a multi-state business email compromise scheme was sentenced today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Margo Ann Williams, age 63, from Scranton, Pennsylvania, received the prison term after a September 12, 2024, jury verdict finding her guilty of one count of bank fraud, three counts of money laundering, three counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
The evidence at trial showed that, between December 2022 and July 2023, five victims—a Cedar Rapids church, two businesses, a non-profit, and an individual—had their electronic payments misdirected due to hacked email accounts. The email accounts were hacked while the victims were in the process of making large wire and automatic clearinghouse (“ACH”) transactions to others. The victims received “spoofed” emails that falsely appeared to come from legitimate and trusted sources. The fraudulent emails contained instructions to change the routing information for the wire and ACH transactions. Unbeknownst to the victims, those accounts listed in the new instructions belonged to Williams. After receiving “spoofed” emails, the victims instructed their banks to wire the funds according to the new payment instructions. Williams received the funds into bank accounts she controlled, and then she rapidly transferred the stolen money to other bank accounts that she controlled. Williams eventually transferred stolen funds to two national cryptocurrency exchanges and an individual in Florida.
For example, in June 2023, a Cedar Rapids church was engaged in a $7 million renovation of its campus. The hackers compromised the email account of the project’s architect and caused the church to receive “spoofed” emails in which the email domain of the project’s general contractor was slightly changed. As a result, the church representatives thought they were engaged in email correspondence with the project’s general contractor when, in truth, unknown individuals were impersonating the general contractor’s employees. As a result, the church unwittingly wired over $466,000 to Williams’s shell corporation, “MBCI & Evercorp, LLC.” Other victims in the business email compromise scheme included a hotel manager in Colorado, a large non-profit in Washington state, a self-employed homebuilder in Montana, and a general commercial contractor in Pennsylvania.
During the scheme, Williams repeatedly opened bank accounts at major national banks, including one in the name of her shell corporation. As the banks discovered the fraud and closed the accounts, Williams continued to open new accounts at other banks in an effort to continue to perpetrate the fraud. Williams claimed at trial that she was doing so at the direction of a famous British actor with whom she had formed a romantic relationship. Williams earned approximately $25,000 from the scheme. Williams made many personal purchases with the stolen money, including an Apple Watch and a Louis Vuitton handbag.
Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Williams was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $594,037.41 in restitution to her victims. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy L. Vavricek and Kyndra A. Lundquist and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Williams was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
A Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was extradited to the United States on June 10, in connection with an indictment filed in the Southern District of New York. Khan was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO), the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Khan is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court on June 11.
“The foreign terrorist organization ISIS remains a clear and present danger to the American people, and our Jewish citizens are especially targeted by evil groups like these,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice is proud to help secure this extradition, and we will prosecute this man to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Khan allegedly tried to enter the United States to commit an attack on the Jewish community in New York City, planning an ISIS-inspired mass shooting around the one-year anniversary of the attack on Gaza by Hamas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Thankfully, the great work of the FBI and our partners shut that down, and Khan has now been extradited to New York to face American justice. I want to thank our teams and partners for their diligent work in this case and executing the mission.”
“As alleged, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan attempted to enter the United States to carry out a deadly terrorist attack on a Jewish center in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “He planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many members of our Jewish community as possible, all in support of ISIS. Khan’s deadly, antisemitic plan was thwarted by the diligent work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors in this Office who are committed to rooting out antisemitism and stopping terror. Thanks to their efforts, Khan will now face justice in New York.”
Khan was provisionally arrested in Canada on Sept. 4, 2024 based on a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York. As alleged in the complaint, Khan, who resided in Canada, attempted to travel from Canada to New York City, where he intended to use automatic and semi-automatic weapons to carry out a mass shooting in support of ISIS at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. Khan began posting on social media and communicating with others on an encrypted messaging application about his support for ISIS in or about November 2023, when, among other things, Khan distributed ISIS propaganda videos and literature. Subsequently, Khan began communicating with two undercover law enforcement officers (collectively, the UCs).
During those conversations, Khan confirmed that he and a U.S.-based ISIS supporter (Associate-1) had been planning to carry out an attack in a particular U.S. city (City-1). Among other things, Khan said that he had been actively attempting to create “a real offline cell” of ISIS supporters to carry out a “coordinated assault” in City-1 using AR-style rifles to “target[] Israeli Jewish chabads . . . scattered all around [City-1].” During subsequent conversations, Khan repeatedly instructed the UCs to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified the specific locations in City-1 where the attacks would take place. Khan also provided details about how he would cross the border from Canada into the United States to conduct the attacks. During these conversations with the UCs, Khan emphasized that “Oct 7th and oct 11th are the best days for targeting the jews” because “oct 7 they will surely have some protests and oct 11 is yom.kippur.”
On or about Aug. 20, Khan changed his target location from City-1 to New York City. After initially suggesting certain neighborhoods in New York City to the UCs, Khan decided to target Location-1, a Jewish center located in Brooklyn, New York. Khan told the UCs that he planned to carry out this attack on or around Oct. 7, 2024 — which Khan recognized as the one-year anniversary of the brutal terrorist attacks in Israel by Hamas, a designated FTO, which, on Oct. 7, 2023, launched a wave of violent, large-scale terrorist attacks in Israel. In support of his choice of New York City as his target location, Khan boasted that “New york is perfect to target jews” because it has the “largest Jewish population In america” and therefore, “even if we dont attack a[n] Event[,] we could rack up easily a lot of jews.” Khan proclaimed that “we are going to nyc to slaughter them,” and sent a photograph of the specific area inside of Location-1 where he planned to carry out the attack.
Thereafter, Khan continued to urge the UCs to acquire AR-style rifles, ammunition, and other equipment for his attack, including “some good hunting [knives] so we can slit their throats.” Khan repeatedly reiterated his desire to carry out the attack in support of ISIS, and discussed planning for the attack, including by identifying rental properties close to Location-1 and paying for a human smuggler to help him reach and cross the border from Canada into the United States. During one communication, Khan noted that “if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11.”
On or about Sept. 4, as Khan said he planned to do in connection with his attack, Khan attempted to reach the U.S-Canada border. To do so, Khan used three separate cars to travel across Canada towards the United States, before he was stopped by Canadian authorities in or around Ormstown, Canada, approximately 12 miles from the U.S.-Canada border.
Khan is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization and one count of attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles Field Offices are investigating the case. The Justice Department is grateful to Canadian law enforcement for their actions in this matter. The Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division accomplished the extradition of Khan from Canada.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky and David J. Robles for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A complaint or an indictment merely contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was extradited to the United States on June 10, in connection with an indictment filed in the Southern District of New York. Khan was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO), the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Khan is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court on June 11.
“The foreign terrorist organization ISIS remains a clear and present danger to the American people, and our Jewish citizens are especially targeted by evil groups like these,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice is proud to help secure this extradition, and we will prosecute this man to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Khan allegedly tried to enter the United States to commit an attack on the Jewish community in New York City, planning an ISIS-inspired mass shooting around the one-year anniversary of the attack on Gaza by Hamas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Thankfully, the great work of the FBI and our partners shut that down, and Khan has now been extradited to New York to face American justice. I want to thank our teams and partners for their diligent work in this case and executing the mission.”
“As alleged, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan attempted to enter the United States to carry out a deadly terrorist attack on a Jewish center in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “He planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many members of our Jewish community as possible, all in support of ISIS. Khan’s deadly, antisemitic plan was thwarted by the diligent work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors in this Office who are committed to rooting out antisemitism and stopping terror. Thanks to their efforts, Khan will now face justice in New York.”
Khan was provisionally arrested in Canada on Sept. 4, 2024 based on a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York. As alleged in the complaint, Khan, who resided in Canada, attempted to travel from Canada to New York City, where he intended to use automatic and semi-automatic weapons to carry out a mass shooting in support of ISIS at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. Khan began posting on social media and communicating with others on an encrypted messaging application about his support for ISIS in or about November 2023, when, among other things, Khan distributed ISIS propaganda videos and literature. Subsequently, Khan began communicating with two undercover law enforcement officers (collectively, the UCs).
During those conversations, Khan confirmed that he and a U.S.-based ISIS supporter (Associate-1) had been planning to carry out an attack in a particular U.S. city (City-1). Among other things, Khan said that he had been actively attempting to create “a real offline cell” of ISIS supporters to carry out a “coordinated assault” in City-1 using AR-style rifles to “target[] Israeli Jewish chabads . . . scattered all around [City-1].” During subsequent conversations, Khan repeatedly instructed the UCs to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified the specific locations in City-1 where the attacks would take place. Khan also provided details about how he would cross the border from Canada into the United States to conduct the attacks. During these conversations with the UCs, Khan emphasized that “Oct 7th and oct 11th are the best days for targeting the jews” because “oct 7 they will surely have some protests and oct 11 is yom.kippur.”
On or about Aug. 20, Khan changed his target location from City-1 to New York City. After initially suggesting certain neighborhoods in New York City to the UCs, Khan decided to target Location-1, a Jewish center located in Brooklyn, New York. Khan told the UCs that he planned to carry out this attack on or around Oct. 7, 2024 — which Khan recognized as the one-year anniversary of the brutal terrorist attacks in Israel by Hamas, a designated FTO, which, on Oct. 7, 2023, launched a wave of violent, large-scale terrorist attacks in Israel. In support of his choice of New York City as his target location, Khan boasted that “New york is perfect to target jews” because it has the “largest Jewish population In america” and therefore, “even if we dont attack a[n] Event[,] we could rack up easily a lot of jews.” Khan proclaimed that “we are going to nyc to slaughter them,” and sent a photograph of the specific area inside of Location-1 where he planned to carry out the attack.
Thereafter, Khan continued to urge the UCs to acquire AR-style rifles, ammunition, and other equipment for his attack, including “some good hunting [knives] so we can slit their throats.” Khan repeatedly reiterated his desire to carry out the attack in support of ISIS, and discussed planning for the attack, including by identifying rental properties close to Location-1 and paying for a human smuggler to help him reach and cross the border from Canada into the United States. During one communication, Khan noted that “if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11.”
On or about Sept. 4, as Khan said he planned to do in connection with his attack, Khan attempted to reach the U.S-Canada border. To do so, Khan used three separate cars to travel across Canada towards the United States, before he was stopped by Canadian authorities in or around Ormstown, Canada, approximately 12 miles from the U.S.-Canada border.
Khan is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization and one count of attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles Field Offices are investigating the case. The Justice Department is grateful to Canadian law enforcement for their actions in this matter. The Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division accomplished the extradition of Khan from Canada.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky and David J. Robles for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A complaint or an indictment merely contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington –U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) today issued a statement applauding the FBI’s recent arrest of two Chinese nationals, with alleged Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ties, who were caught smuggling the fungus Fusarium Graminearum into the United States. This fungus can cause ‘head blight’, which devastates wheat, barley, maize, and rice crops, and has caused billions of dollars in economic losses globally. When ingested, the toxins can cause liver damage, vomiting, and reproductive defects in both humans and livestock.
“I want to thank FBI Director Kash Patel for saving Kansas’ economy and America’s food supply from potential ruin. Kansas, the largest wheat producer in America, faces the constant threat of wheat scab, a devastating disease that could wipe out a major portion of both Kansas’ and the United States’ economy,” said Senator Marshall. “I have long maintained that food security is national security, and the FBI’s arrest of two individuals with alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party only reinforces the critical need to protect American agriculture from foreign influence, interference, and ownership.”
Background:
Senator Marshall previously introduced the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act, which would help prevent improper foreign interference and disruption to the U.S. agriculture industry.
Senator Marshall has also continuously spoken out against the lies around COVID-19, both from China and the Biden-Harris Administration.
In 2024, Senator Marshall joined fellow Kansas U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (R-Kansas-01) in demanding that he stand up against a proposal before the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Council that would alter governance and leadership arrangements at the FAO, strengthen China’s position in the organization, and weaken American agricultural leadership on the world stage.
H.R. 2116 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct a public service outreach campaign to educate the public and international allies about transnational repression and related terrorist threats. The outreach campaign would include information on resources and ways for victims of threats and intimidation by foreign governments and related terrorism threats to anonymously contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The bill also would require DHS to engage in research and development of technologies and techniques that would help state and local governments counter transnational repression and related threats.
Based on the costs of similar outreach campaigns, CBO expects that the required campaign would have no significant costs. Under current law, DHS can conduct research and development to enhance its security and intergovernmental situational awareness. On that basis, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2116 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Jeremy Crimm. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
Wilmington, Del. – Tyler Ramaley, 31, of Wilmington, pleaded guilty today to distributing child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”), announced Dylan J. Steinberg, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware. The Honorable Gregory B. Williams accepted the plea.
According to statements made in open court, the investigation into Ramaley began in October 2024 when law enforcement received information that an individual was seen on multiple online video calls with others watching, screen sharing, and masturbating to CSAM. Law enforcement successfully identified the individual in the video calls as Ramaley. Ramaley also admitted to possessing CSAM on his devices and to entering the video calls and broadcasting CSAM to others over the calls.
“Sharing explicit images of children being sexually abused is a heinous crime, and Tyler Ramaley’s actions are a tragic reminder of the persistence of individuals who prey on children,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “My office remains committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who possess and distribute child sexual abuse material. We will continue to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to protect children and hold offenders accountable.”
“Tyler Ramaley’s crimes are depraved and unconscionable. Viewing and sharing child sexual abuse material online continually victimizes the child. Ramaley thought he could hide behind a keyboard, but the FBI and our partners will work relentlessly to identify and hold accountable predators who exploit innocent children,” says FBI Baltimore Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski.
The FBI investigated this case, with the assistance of the New Castle County Police Department, Delaware State Police, and the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia L. Pare prosecuted this case.
Ramaley is facing a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of 5 years. Judge Williams will determine the defendant’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
MINNEAPOLIS – Isabel Lopez, 27, of St. Paul, Minnesota, has been charged by federal complaint and indictment with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
According to court documents, on June 3, 2025, law enforcement officers from multiple federal agencies were executing federal search warrants at eight Twin Cities locations. These search warrants were related to a long-term investigation into narcotics trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking, and related offenses. The investigation began with the seizure of 900 pounds of methamphetamine, with a street value of between $22 million and $25 million.
One of the search warrant locations was the Cuatro Milpas restaurant on Lake Street in Minneapolis. Shortly after the search warrant execution began, a crowd began to gather. The crowd appeared to be under the mistaken belief that law enforcement was present to arrest individuals illegally present in the country for immigration offenses. This was incorrect. In fact, agents were there to collect evidence pursuant to a federal search warrant signed by a federal judge. Indeed, no one was arrested that day. Recognizing the apparent misunderstanding, law enforcement explained the nature of the search warrant to crowd members.
Some people in the crowd engaged in legal protest activity. Lopez, as detailed below, obstructed, impeded, and assaulted federal agents and officers, in violation of federal law. Lopez physically assaulted several agents and officers. She punched, kicked, and shoved agents and officers. Crowd members moved to restrain Lopez. Even as they were doing so, Lopez kicked an FBI agent. Lopez continued to assault federal agents and officers. As law enforcement attempted to depart the scene, Lopez threw a softball at the back of a deputy from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
On June 9, 2025, Lopez was charged by complaint with Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding Officers, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1). When federal agents attempted to arrest Lopez, she punched an FBI agent in the head.
Today, June 10, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against defendant Lopez. The grand jury charged Lopez with three counts of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding Officers, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1)—two counts related to the assaults Lopez committed during the June 3rd search warrant execution and one count related to Lopez punching an FBI agent at the time of her arrest. The grand jury also charged Lopez with one count of Obstruction of Law Enforcement During Civil Disorder, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 231(a)(3).
“As laid out in the complaint, federal agents were executing federal search warrants signed by a federal judge,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “The search warrants were part of a long-term drug trafficking, money laundering, and human trafficking investigation involving a transnational criminal organization. The defendant physically attacked law enforcement agents in the course of their duties, even as the crowd tried to hold her back. When the defendant was arrested, she doubled-down, punching an FBI agent in the head. Let me make clear: it is against the law to assault or obstruct federal law enforcement agents. We do not punch cops.”
“Assaulting a law enforcement officer engaged in their lawful duties, or damaging government property during a protest, is not protected under the First Amendment — it is a criminal offense,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will use every available resource to investigate these acts, identify those responsible, and ensure they are held accountable under the law.”
“Our agents were lawfully performing their duties when they were surrounded and obstructed by individuals attempting to interfere with a federal operation. Let me be clear – interfering with federal law enforcement is a crime, and those responsible will be identified and held accountable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt. “HSI and its partners operate with professionalism, purpose, and the full backing of the law. I fully support the men and women who put themselves in harm’s way every day to uphold public safety. No one should face threats, intimidation, or violence while carrying out the duties entrusted to them by the American people. The safety of our agents and officers will never be compromised.”
“Respect for the rule of law is the foundation of our justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge of ATF Travis Riddle. “When federal law enforcement officers are executing a lawful search warrant, which is part of ensuring due process, interference, especially violent interference, will not be tolerated. Anyone who chooses to escalate these situations and assault officers should expect to be held accountable. Actions have consequences.”
Assaulting a federal agent is not only a criminal act–it is an attack on an individual, a member of our community, and the integrity of the justice system itself,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Acts of violence against federal agents will not be tolerated and will be met with swift and appropriate action. This arrest underscores our commitment to upholding the rule of law without compromise and ensuring offenders who attempt to obstruct justice are held fully accountable.”
Lopez made her initial appearance in U.S. District Court today, before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty. She will remain detained pending a detention hearing.
This case is a result of a criminal investigation conducted by the FBI, HSI, DEA, IRS-CI, ATF, USMS, and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Over 13,000 counterfeit “Adderall” pills containing methamphetamine recovered during search of defendant’s storage unit
BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty yesterday to distributing thousands of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine, including to a member of the Asian Boyz gang.
Scott Fournier, a/k/a “S.G.,” 34, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine; two counts of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine; two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine; and three counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Oct. 8, 2025.
According to court documents, a long-term investigation identified that Asian Boyz gang members and associates had access to a plentiful supply of dangerous, homemade pills pressed with varying doses of methamphetamine and caffeine and designed to resemble pharmaceutical-grade Adderall.
Between March 2, 2023 and May 12, 2023, Fournier supplied an Asian Boyz gang member with more than 2,000 methamphetamine pills to be used in street deals. Fournier’s fingerprints were identified on one of the bags containing the pills.
The investigation subsequently traced Fournier’s supply operation to a storage unit in Tyngsborough. Security video recordings from the facility showed Fournier routinely accessing the storage unit, including at the times in which he delivered methamphetamine pills to the Asian Boyz gang member. During a search of the storage unit in October 2023, 13,464 counterfeit “Adderall” pills containing methamphetamine were found – with a combined weight of over four kilograms – as well as other types of pills. Upon being approached by law enforcement, following the search of his storage unit, Fournier was found in possession of a bag that contained an additional 1,684 counterfeit “Adderall” pills made with methamphetamine.
Additionally, over the course of five separate occasions between April 2024 and October 2024, Fournier sold approximately 8,000 counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine – with a combined weight of over two kilograms – in recorded deals to a cooperating witness.
The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least five year and up to life in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; 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 defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Craig Daskam, 69, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to four years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. This prison term will be followed by ten years of supervised release. In addition to these penalties, Daskam was ordered to pay $22,000 in assessments to funds that support victims of child exploitation crimes. Daskam pleaded guilty to this offense on March 19, 2025.
In 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Madison, Wisconsin, received a report from FBI-Charlotte that Daskam had received child pornography. The FBI ultimately searched Daskam’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. Agents searched Daskam’s phone and found numerous child pornography images and videos.
In sentencing Daskam, Judge Peterson expressed concern that Daskam’s conduct was driven by a dangerous impulse that Daskam doesn’t understand and can’t control.
The charge against Daskam was the result of an investigation conducted by FBI Madison, FBI Charlotte, and the Beloit Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago physician has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for billing Medicaid and private insurers for nonexistent and unnecessary services.
MONA GHOSH owned and operated Progressive Women’s Healthcare, S.C., a medical office in Hoffman Estates, Ill., specializing in obstetrics and gynecology services. From 2018 to 2022, Ghosh submitted and caused her employees to submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid, TRICARE, and numerous other insurers for procedures and services that were not medically necessary, including endometrial ablations and biopsies, ultrasounds, vaccinations, laboratory blood tests, and tests for sexually transmitted diseases. Some of the procedures were performed without patient consent. Ghosh also fraudulently overstated the length and complexity of in-office and telemedicine visits and submitted claims using billing codes for which the visits did not qualify in order to seek higher reimbursement rates. Ghosh prepared false patient medical records to support the fraudulent reimbursement claims.
Ghosh, 52, of Inverness, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to two counts of health care fraud. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama imposed the ten-year prison sentence and ordered Ghosh to pay approximately $1.5 million in restitution.
The sentence 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; Mario Pinto, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jason Sargenski, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office; and Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kavitha Babu and Hayley Altabef.
“When physicians submit fraudulent claims to federal health care programs, they divert taxpayer-funded resources away from those who truly need them,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Dr. Ghosh’s fraud scheme was particularly egregious because she endangered the health of her patients through unnecessary medical procedures, including procedures that denied women of childbearing age the opportunity to start their own families with children. We applaud the victims’ strength to come forward and confront this defendant. Our Office will fight tirelessly for victims and work diligently with our law enforcement partners to safeguard taxpayer funds and hold accountable those who steal from the American public.”
“Dr. Ghosh spent years traumatizing patients, lying to insurers, and stealing taxpayer money to feed her greed,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “The depraved conduct uncovered in this case represents an extreme betrayal of trust toward patients who were simply seeking care and integrity from their doctor. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue and hold accountable any medical professional who seeks to harm patients for their personal enrichment.”
“Physicians and other medical professionals who place profits ahead of patient care do so at the expense of the very people they swore an oath to protect,” said HHS-OIG SAC Pinto. “The sentence imposed in this case reflects the severity of the defendant’s crimes and the harm inflicted on numerous patients. This investigation underscores our agency’s commitment to aggressively pursuing those who fraudulently submit claims to federal health care programs and put patients at risk.”
“It is imperative that our service members have full confidence that the medical care they receive is both legitimate and delivered by healthcare providers who are unwaveringly committed to their well-being,” said DCIS SAC Sargenski. “Today’s outcome should reassure the public that DCIS, alongside our investigative partners, remains steadfast in our pursuit of those who harm the health, safety, and readiness of our men and women in uniform.”
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two men have been charged for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Ramon Garcia-Parra, 37, a Mexican national, and Abraham Acevedo-Hernandez, 32, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
The complaint alleges that Ramon Garcia-Parra and Abraham Acevedo-Hernandez conspired to distribute methamphetamine. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants delivered approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine during a controlled purchase on June 2, 2025.
Trinidad Garcia-Parra, 40, a Mexican national and relative of Ramon Garcia-Parra, has also been charged in a separate criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, June 5, 2025, with illegal re-entry. Trinidad Garcia-Parra had previously been removed from the United States on two prior occasions.
The charges contained in these complaints are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Operation Take Back America
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).
CONCORD – A Hooksett man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for distributing methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Erik Pena, age 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott to 90 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In February 2025, Pena pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance.
“The distribution of methamphetamine devastates communities, fuels addiction, and endangers public safety. Drug trafficking will not be tolerated in New Hampshire. We will vigorously support law enforcement and prosecute offenders to stop the spread of drugs in the Granite State,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack.
“Methamphetamine traffickers must be held accountable for the pain, suffering, and destruction inflicted by their crimes,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Make no mistake, the FBI’s Major Offender Task Force will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue dangerous drug traffickers like Erik Pena in order to make New Hampshire a safe place for everyone who lives and works here.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2023 and 2024, law enforcement purchased over two pounds of methamphetamine from Pena. Investigators identified and searched Pena’s stash house and located distribution level quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, as well as four firearms, ammunition, and body armor. Additional fentanyl pills were found at Pena’s residence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Major Offender Task Force led the investigation. The New Hampshire State Police and the Hooksett Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherniske prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced a resolution condemning former FBI Director James Comey for inciting violence against President Donald Trump in a recent social media post. In response to Comey’s reckless threat on the President’s life, the resolution condemns his incitement of violence, bars Comey from future employment by the federal government, and calls for investigations by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security into Comey’s threats. The resolution was cosponsored by U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), and a companion resolution was led by Reps. August Pfluger (R-TX) and Laurel Lee (R-FL) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“For the former FBI director to be amplifying threats against the President of the United States is disgraceful,” said Senator Mike Lee. “President Trump has been targeted in two assassination attempts and wounded in one, which killed Corey Comperatore. Congress should unite to condemn Jim Comey in the strongest terms.”
“As violent riots rage across Los Angeles, it has never been more important to have leaders in Washington that are prepared to defend the rule of law and uphold our shared values,” said Rep. August Pfluger, Chairman of the Republican Study Committee. “James Comey’s reckless incitement of violence is another reminder of how dangerous it is when former public officials prioritize politics over the values our nation was founded upon. This bicameral resolution demands the accountability and transparency the American people deserve, ensuring Comey never again holds a position of public trust.”
“For years, we’ve heard accusations from the Left about so-called dangerous rhetoric. But now, former FBI Director James Comey—the same official who helped launch the discredited Russia collusion hoax —is engaging in rhetoric that carries an implicit threat against President Trump. As a former federal prosecutor and judge, I take this very seriously. James Comey should never again hold a position of public trust in the United States Government, and we formally urge the Department of Justice to investigate whether his conduct violates applicable laws. The American people deserve equal justice—not selective outrage. If we are to preserve the rule of law, then even those who once led law enforcement must be held accountable.” – Representative Laurel Lee
Resolution
A resolution condemning James B. Comey, former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for inciting violence against President Donald J. Trump.
Whereas James B. Comey, former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (in this preamble, referred to as the ‘‘FBI’’), on May 15, 2025, posted an image on Instagram depicting the numbers ‘‘86 47’’ with the cryptic caption ‘‘cool shell formation’’;
Whereas this message promotes violence against the sitting President of the United States, Donald J. Trump;
Whereas Mr. Comey posted this to his public Instagram account during President Trump’s first overseas trip to the Middle East, jeopardizing his security and invigorating the enemies of the United States abroad;
Whereas it is indefensible and inexcusable to issue a call for violence against the President of the United States;
Whereas Mr. Comey exhibits a clear desire to undermine President Trump; Whereas there have been multiple assassination attempts against President Trump;
Whereas former public officials owe a special duty of care not to use their past positions and influence accrued through public service to threaten the lives of their political opponents; and
Whereas Congress must hold Mr. Comey accountable for his violations of the public trust and preserve the rule of law to protect our institutions from those that seek to sow discord and promote violence against their political opponents:
Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate—
(1) unequivocally condemns James Comey’s ap3 parent incitement of political violence against President Trump;
(2) urges the relevant authorities to take every relevant action to ensure that Mr. Comey is never again permitted to serve as an employee of the Federal Government; and
(3) requests that the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security conduct a full and comprehensive investigation of Mr. Comey’s attempts to incite violence against the President, and release the findings to the relevant committees of Congress and the public.
Read exclusive coverage from The Daily Signal here.
See the official resolution text here.
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with a firearms offense.
According to court documents, Leonard Rrapaj, 61, of Topeka, is charged with illegal possession of a machinegun.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Debenham and Stephen Hunting are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Alejandro Espinosa-Hinostroza, 32, a Mexican national residing illegally in Topeka, Kansas, was indicted on one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and one count of reentry of a removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###
NEW ORLEANS – ActingU.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MARK BROOKS (a/k/a “Baby Nu”) (“BROOKS”) age 35, a resident of New Orleans, was indicted on June 5, 2025 for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ‘ 2422(b) (Count 1), and attempted transmission of obscene matter to a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ‘ 1470 (Count 2).
According to the indictment, beginning on or about May 1, 2025, and continuing until on or about May 13, 2025, BROOKS attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual he believed to be a fifteen-year-old female to engage in unspecified sexual activity for which a person can be criminally charged. Additionally, beginning on May 1, 2025, and continuing until on or about May 4, 2025, BROOKS attempted to transfer, by means of interstate commerce, obscene matter to an individual who had not attained the age of sixteen years.
BROOKS faces a mandatory minimum of ten (10) years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison as to Count One. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years as to Count Two. BROOKS also faces a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and can be required to register as a sex offender. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
Acting U. S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
ATLANTA – Bartholomew Keeton Harralson, 47, of Atlanta, Ga., was charged earlier today by a federal grand jury seated in the Northern District of Georgia with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Heroin, and Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Harralson allegedly possessed 28 firearms, including a machine gun, and hundreds of thousands of pills containing fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
“Thanks to the hard work of the FBI, DEA, and our U.S. Attorney, Georgians are safer following this drug bust. This defendant was using state-of-the-art pill presses to produce poison on a massive scale — he will now face severe consequences for his alleged crimes as we continue to shut down fentanyl networks across the country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“This armed felon allegedly ran a massive fentanyl pill pressing operation in our community, producing enough deadly fentanyl to potentially kill millions of people,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Due to the quick action and seamless collaboration of our law enforcement partners, Harralson now faces federal drug and firearms charges, his operation has been dismantled, and countless lives have almost certainly been saved.”
“The scale of this fentanyl operation—run by a convicted felon—posed a grave threat to our community,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The presence of high-powered firearms alongside industrial pill-pressing equipment underscores the deadly convergence of drug trafficking and violence. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to dismantling these operations and holding dangerous individuals accountable.”
“The DEA and our partners are working hard day in and day out to protect our communities from the dangers and violence associated with drug trafficking. DEA’s priorities are to save American lives and to keep our communities safe,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “We will continue to leverage every partnership, and every resource available to ensure drug traffickers who distribute poison, like fentanyl and other illicit drugs in our communities, are brought to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On June 5, 2025, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Bartholomew Keeton Harralson’s Atlanta-area residence. Once inside, law enforcement located over 56 kilograms of fentanyl, 84 kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly 10 kilograms of heroin, and approximately four kilograms of cocaine – all in the form of powders and hundreds of thousands of pressed pills. Law enforcement also located nine firearms, including one converted to function as a machine gun, $145,000 in cash, and a book titled “How to Avoid Federal Drug Conspiracy & Firearms Charges.” Harralson was arrested at the scene.
Later that same day, law enforcement executed another federal search warrant at Harralson’s Douglasville, Georgia residence. In that residence, law enforcement found two large pill press machines capable of pressing up to 25,000 pills per hour, three hydraulic presses used to form kilogram-sized bricks of narcotics, more than 37 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 13 kilograms of methamphetamine, just over eight kilograms of heroin, and more than six kilograms of cocaine. These drugs, like those recovered during the search of Harralson’s other residence, were in the form of powder and hundreds of thousands of pressed pills. In addition, in a machine shop located behind the Douglasville residence, law enforcement found approximately 1,375 pounds of binding agent used to press pills, 564 punch dies to mark the pills, 19 firearms, four drum-style magazines, and a significant amount of ammunition.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with valuable assistance provided by the South Fulton Police Department and Douglasville Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Forsyth, III is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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).
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
WILMINGTON, Del. – Dylan J. Steinberg, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that, on June 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted a Philadelphia man for participating in the kidnapping and murder of a Wilmington resident in July 2021.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dwayne Alexander, 41, was a high-ranking member of the Shotgun Crips street gang. In the summer of 2021, a lower-ranking Shotgun Crip named Kimon Burton-Roberson became embroiled in a dispute with a Wilmington man. A group of Shotgun Crips then invaded the man’s home, beat him with multiple blunt objects, bound his hands behind his back with zip ties, and drove him to Alexander’s home in Philadelphia. After picking up Alexander, the gang then drove the victim to an industrial park in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, where they executed the victim by shooting him in the head. Alexander supplied the murder weapon and approved the killing.
Alexander is the sixth person convicted in connection with the fatal kidnapping. Other persons convicted federally include:
Kimon Burton-Roberson – pending sentencing
Stephanie Bultes-Ramirez – pending sentencing
Rodney Chambers – pending sentencing
Jamil Salahuddin – pending sentencing
A sixth person, Josiah Rivera, who was a minor at the time of the crime, has been convicted in the Superior Court for the State of Delaware.
Acting U.S. Attorney Steinberg stated, “This conviction marks yet another step forward on the path toward securing full justice for the victim of a brutal and senseless crime. We thank our law enforcement partners for their tireless work on the case. Together, we have sent a message that we hope reaches every corner of Delaware: violent gang activity in this State will be detected, investigated vigorously, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“We appreciate the continued commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold each party responsible for their role in this kidnapping and murder,” said Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos. “It is our hope that this latest conviction will continue to offer some degree of comfort to the family of the victim, that the law enforcement community will leave no stone unturned in delivering justice in this case.”
“Dwayne Alexander committed a horrific and ruthless murder with his fellow gang members. This guilty verdict is the result of years of painstaking investigation and constant collaboration between our dedicated law enforcement partners and the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Together we will relentlessly pursue justice and ensure that dangerous criminals who target our communities are held accountable.”
The FBI, the Wilmington Police Department, the Yeadon Borough Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and Delaware Probation and Parole investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle L. Morgan and Benjamin L. Wallace are prosecuting the case.
NEW ORLEANS – ActingU.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BROCK TAYLOR GUILLOT (“GUILLOT”), age 27, from Slidell, Louisiana, pled guilty June 5, 2025, before United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe, to possession of images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children under the age of twelve years old, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ‘ 2252(a)(4)(B).
According to the court documents, in or around January 2020, Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) investigated the sharing of files depicting the sexual exploitation of children (i.e., Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)) via an instant messaging mobile application. During the investigation, an individual, subsequently determined to be GUILLOT, transmitted a series of files depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children via the mobile application. Law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at GUILLOT’s residence in February 2021 and seized several electronic items that belonged to GUILLOT. A review of the GUILLOT’s cellular phone identified at least 1 image and 518 videos depicting the sexual victimization of children. Some of the child victims were less than approximately three (3) years old at the time the CSAM was created. GUILLOT possessed his collection of images and videos depicting the sexual victimization of children on his cellular phone, and in multiple accounts GUILLOT maintained on a social media instant messaging mobile application.
GUILLOT faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years. GUILLOT also faces at least five (5) years, and up to a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. GUILLOT may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Ashe has been scheduled for September 25, 2025.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
DALLAS, Texas – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas joined the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI Dallas’s North Texas Child Exploitation Task Force to announce the conclusion of Operation Soteria Shield, a month-long collaborative enforcement effort conducted in April 2025 aimed at rescuing children from online sexual exploitation and bringing perpetrators to justice. This operation was run in conjunction with the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and was jointly managed by the FBI Dallas Division, Dallas Police Department, Plano Police Department, Wylie Police Department, and Garland Police Department.
More than 70 Texas law enforcement agencies joined forces throughout the month of April to combat the exploitation of children in the digital space. These agencies leveraged the expertise of highly skilled computer crimes investigators that worked around the clock to identify victims and apprehend offenders engaged in the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material.
Operation Soteria Shield resulted in the rescue of 109 children and the arrest of 244 offenders. In addition to these enforcement actions, investigators seized extensive volumes of digital evidence, including terabytes of illicit data stored on electronic devices that were used in the commission of these crimes. These devices are undergoing forensic analysis and may lead to further arrests and the identification of additional victims.
“The numbers of offenders arrested, and children rescued in this operation are stunning. The numbers leave us breathless because, at some level, we understand that behind every statistic, every number, there is a child with dreams, aspirations, and the right to live a life free from sexual exploitation,” said Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay Combs. “We are committed to teaming with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute these cases with urgency and ferocity in order to protect our children.”
In the Eastern District of Texas, this Operation has led to the grand jury indictment of individuals for not only distributing child pornography, but also sexually exploiting children to produce child sexual abuse material.
Operation Soteria Shield stands as a powerful example of what can be accomplished with coordinated, interagency cooperation. It reflects the shared commitment of law enforcement professionals across Texas to relentlessly pursue those who prey on children and to ensure that survivors are no longer silenced or hiding in the shadows.
The participating agencies also extend their gratitude to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) for their unwavering support. NCMEC analysts provided vital intelligence and case coordination that proved instrumental to the success of this operation.
List of Participating Agencies:
Abilene Police Department, Allen Police Department, Alvarado Police Department, Amarillo Police Department, Arlington Police Department, Army Criminal Investigative Division, Aubrey Police Department, Azle Police Department, Bartonville Police Department, Breckenridge Police Department, Cedar Hill Police Department, Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County, Cleburne Police Department, Colleyville Police Department, Collin County District Attorney’s Office, Collin County Sheriff’s Office, Cooke County Sheriff’s Office, Crowley Police Department, Dalhart Police Department, Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, Dallas Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Denton County Sheriff’s Office, DeSoto Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, Elm Ridge Police Department, Ennis Police Department, Euless Police Department, Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, Fate Police Department, FBI Dallas Field Office, FBI El Paso Field Office, FBI San Antonio Field Office, Fort Worth Police Department, Frisco Police Department, Garland Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department, Grand Saline Police Department, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, Haltom City Police Department, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Honey Grove Police Department, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department, Hurst Police Department, Irving Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Joshua Police Department, Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, Kaufman Police Department, Lamesa Police Department, Lone Star Police Department, Lubbock Police Department, McKinney Police Department, Midlothian Police Department, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, North Richland Hills Police Department, Office of Inspector General, Plano Police Department, Prosper Police Department, Richardson Police Department, Richardson Police Department SWAT, Rockwall County District Attorney’s Office, Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office, Rockwall Police Department, Rowlett Police Department, Royse City Police Department, Sachse Police Department, San Antonio Police Department, Snyder Police Department, Tarrant County Human Trafficking Task Force, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Terrell Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, University of Texas System Police, White Settlement Police Department, Wilmer Police Department, and Wylie Police Department.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus police officer was sentenced in federal court here today to 36 months in prison for destroying or altering records related to a criminal investigation.
Nicholas P. Duty, 36, of Commercial Point, Ohio, pleaded guilty in January to two counts of the crime.
According to court documents, on two occasions, Duty destroyed, altered or falsified records by purposefully deactivating or removing his police body worn camera. Duty’s actions were intended to impede, obstruct or influence a federal investigation.
In February 2024, Columbus police officers were working street-level prostitution crimes in the area of Sullivant Avenue on the west side of Columbus when a witness expressed concerns about Duty’s on-duty activities with sex workers. Duty was positively identified during the administration of a blind photo array.
Further investigation revealed that, on Oct. 31, 2023, and March 22, 2024, Duty deactivated or removed his body worn camera during interactions with two women, including during a sexual encounter.
During the incidents, Duty was on duty, wearing a police uniform, in a marked police vehicle and assigned a body worn camera. He knew he was required to comply with Columbus Division of Police policies for wearing the division-issued camera.
On Halloween 2023, the first woman had called Columbus police and asked for assistance, stating her boyfriend was attempting to kill himself. Duty transported the woman following the call and disabled his body worn and in-car cameras when he was alone with her. Duty made sexual advances toward the woman while his cameras were deactivated, and they exchanged phone numbers. Duty continued to reach out to her, including in April 2024, a few days before his arrest.
On March 22, 2024, body worn camera footage shows Duty speaking with the second woman near the Sunoco station at Sullivant and Clarendon avenues. The woman confirmed that Duty had money with him and asked if he wanted to go to their “normal spot.” Duty drove away in his police vehicle, relocated to a different alley, and met up with the woman. Duty removed his body worn camera and blocked it from recording video. The camera, however, still recorded audio from the incident. The audio recording reveals Duty asking the woman several times to have sex. She declines but performs oral sex on Duty. The two discuss meeting up later for sex and Duty paid the woman $20 for the sex act. During this time, he was marked “out,” indicating that he was actively working on a police call.
Further review of Duty’s digital devices revealed numerous conversations in which Duty would seek out sex from various women, including victims of crime, whom he met while working on duty as a Columbus Police Officer. He would also send messages to sex workers while working and then meet up with them in his police cruiser, engage in sex acts with them, and then pay them for the sex acts.
Duty was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. He had been employed with the Columbus Division of Police since June 2018.
Acting United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas A. Greco, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphy, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison.
Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Kevin W. Kelley are representing the United States in this case, which was investigated by the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission’s Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.
WASHINGTON – Eleanor Hunton Hoppe, 46, of Charlottesville, Va., was sentenced to 135 months in prison today for distributing child pornography in a plot to molest an eight-year-old girl.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro of the District of Columbia, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Emily Odom of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Hoppe pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography on April 24, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. The terms of Hoppe’s plea agreement call for her to serve 135 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. In addition, she will have to register as a sex offender for a minimum period of 25 years.
According to court documents, in late February 2023, an undercover law enforcement officer encountered Hoppe on a social media site where individuals discuss their sexual interest in children and exchange child sexual abuse material. Hoppe distributed images of child pornography to the undercover officer and repeatedly expressed an interest in sexually abusing his purported 8-year-old daughter.
On March 16, 2023, Hoppe arranged to have the undercover officer bring his daughter from D.C. to a motel in Warrenton, Va., where she would meet them to sexually abuse the child. Police arrested Hoppe when she arrived at the hotel.
This case was investigated by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division, Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell and Rachel Forman.
