NewzIntel.com

Category: Federal Bureau of Investigation

  • MIL-OSI Security: Elizabeth City Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – An Elizabeth City man was sentenced Thursday to 6.5 years in prison after he ran from law enforcement during a traffic stop and was found in possession of 29.66 grams of fentanyl. Rashawn M. Baum, 29, pled guilty to Possession With the Intent to Distribute a Quantity of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl on February 27, 2025.

    According to court records, officers with the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement and Elizabeth City Police Department observed Baum driving erratically at a high rate of speed.  When officers tried to initiate a traffic stop, Baum sped off.  After a short pursuit, Baum collided with two separate cars before coming to a stop near a local family restaurant.  Baum and one of the passengers in the car attempted to flee on foot but were caught quickly.

    In Baum’s vehicle, law enforcement found a green Crown Royal bag on the driver’s side floorboard. It contained a plastic bag and ten bindles containing various quantities of a white substance. Tests of that substance confirmed it to be approximately an ounce of fentanyl.  Law enforcement also recovered a .357 semi-automatic pistol from the scene.

    U.S. District Court Judge James C. Dever, III, imposed the sentence and stated that “fentanyl is destroying thousands of lives.” Judge Dever explained the sentence was, in part, because the defendant would rather poison members of his community than seek legitimate employment. The 78-month sentence will commence after Baum finishes an unrelated state sentence in 2031.

    Elizabeth City Chief of Police Eddie Graham echoed the District Court and stated that “drugs ruin people’s lives, break up families, and have a disastrous effect on our community.” Chief Graham asserted that such conduct “will no longer be tolerated.”

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, and Elizabeth City Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Logan Liles prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-CR-182.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Man Guilty of Felon in Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found Noel Hall of St. Paul guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to evidence presented at trial, Noel Debra Hall, 47, drunkenly brandished a firearm inside a St. Paul apartment at approximately 5:30 a.m. on July 7, 2024. The St. Paul Police Department responded to the apartment complex and engaged in a multi-hour standoff with Hall, who was barricaded inside. Hall surrendered to police after the St. Paul SWAT team deployed a drone inside the apartment. Law enforcement ultimately discovered a semiautomatic pistol and a loaded magazine concealed in a box spring within the apartment.

    According to court documents, Hall is a former federal defendant convicted in 2019 of possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. He was on supervised release for that conviction when he committed this offense of unlawfully possessing a firearm.

    “As a convicted felon, Noel Hall was prohibited from possessing a firearm, and his conduct underlying his conviction in this case shows precisely why that was—he was a clear and present danger to the public. St. Paul is a safer place as a result of the jury’s verdict,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the St. Paul Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn tried the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Woman Indicted in Federal Court After Shooting Man with a Handgun on Navajo Nation

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Navajo Nation woman has been indicted in federal court after allegedly shooting a man with a handgun during an incident that left the victim with serious injuries.

    According to court documents, on November 17, 2024, Beverleta Tayah, 53, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe with a handgun and that assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Doe.

    Tayah stands charged with three felony crimes—assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and discharging said firearm. She will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which will occur next week. If convicted of the current charges, Tayah faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

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

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Indicted for Multiple Armed Carjackings

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man made his initial court appearance Tuesday before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts for allegedly committing multiple violent armed carjackings.

    According to allegations contained in the indictment, on March 24, 2025, Aerion Warmsley brandished a Taurus 9mm firearm and stole a Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 from a victim by force, violence, and intimidation. The victim suffered a fractured nose. Then, on March 27, 2025, Warmsley brandished the 9mm firearm and stole a Mercedes-Benz GL450 from a victim by force, violence, and intimidation. While fleeing from law enforcement, he struck two pedestrians with the vehicle resulting in serious bodily injury to the victims. One victim suffered a brain bleed and multiple fractures, and the second victim suffered multiple fractures. On the same day, Warmsley brandished the 9mm firearm and stole a Kia Sorrento from a victim by force, violence, and intimidation.

    Warmsley is charged with two counts of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of carjacking. A jury trial has been scheduled for July 14, 2025, before United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro.

    If convicted, Warmsley faces the maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.

    This case was investigated by the FBI, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, North Las Vegas Police Department, Henderson Police Department, and the Clark County School District Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Edward Penetar is prosecuting the case.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Idaho Man Indicted After Allegedly Assaulting U.S. Park Rangers in Southern Utah

    Source: US FBI

    SAINT GEORGE, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Idaho man after he allegedly assaulted federal officers with his vehicle at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Southern Utah.  

    Gregory Aaron Farley, 51, of Hazelton, Idaho, was charged by complaint on May 3, 2025.  
        
    According to court documents, on May 3, 2025, two U.S. Park Rangers working at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area responded to a dispatch call that reported an erratic driver in a white pick-up truck near Lake Powell. At 7:47 p.m., the rangers conducted a traffic stop on Highway 89 on a pick-up truck matching the vehicle description. Farley was the driver and while one of the rangers was speaking to him, Farley fled the scene at a high rate of speed, nearly hitting one of the rangers. The rangers returned to their patrol vehicle and pursued Farley. During the pursuit, Farley turned around and collided into the driver’s side of the rangers’ vehicle. As a result, the rangers were pushed into the shoulder of the road, the airbags deployed, and the driver’s side door was rendered inoperable. After Farley hit the rangers’ truck, he reversed his truck and was still facing the rangers’ truck. In response, both rangers fired their weapons at Farley. Additional officers arrived on the scene, Farley exited his truck, and received medical aid. He was then taken into custody.  

    Farley is charged with assault on an employee of the United States with a Dangerous Weapon. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before a U.S. Magistrate judge in Room 2B of the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen P. Dent and Joseph M. Hood of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

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

    Attachments:

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Made Bomb Threat on a Flight to Seattle Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: US FBI

    Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Brandon L. Scott, age 40, to 22 months in prison for making a bomb threat onboard a flight to Seattle. Judge Rice also imposed 3 years of supervised release and $79,449.47 in restitution to Alaska Airlines and the Spokane International Airport.

    According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, On July 5, 2023, Scott was a passenger on an Alaska Airlines flight from Atlanta to Seattle. During the flight, Scott handed a flight attendant a note that said in part:

    “There is a bomb on the plane. This is not a joke. Several pounds of homemade explosives are in my carry-on bag. I have a detonator with me. Handle this matter carefully and exactly how I say, otherwise I will detonate the explosives and kill everyone on board. You are to alert the pilot to this note and keep the issue to yourself. Many innocent lives are in your hands, do as I demand and everyone will live. Deviate and the consequences will be deadly for all of us. I have nothing left to lose.”

    The note included instructions to reroute the plane from its destination in Seattle and land at another airport. The flight attendant alerted the captain and co-pilot to the threat who then alerted Air Traffic Control. Air Traffic Control diverted the flight to the Spokane International Airport. The airport placed a ground stop on all aircraft, resulting in significant delays to other departing and arriving aircraft and passengers.

    The plane landed at Spokane International Airport and Scott was taken into custody and admitted to what he had done. No explosive materials or devices were found on the plane.

    “Threatening the safety of a commercial flight is a serious federal crime that puts lives at risk, disrupts national air travel, and drains emergency resources,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard R. Barker. “Mr. Scott’s actions caused widespread disruption and alarm, and this case underscores our commitment to protecting the safety of passengers and airline personnel in Eastern Washington and across the country.”

    “The threat made by Mr. Scott ended up being a hoax, but he is finding it had real-life consequences,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office.  “Fortunately, his actions did not result in anyone being hurt. I am grateful that the flight landed without incident in this case and applaud the flight crew for the professional manner in which they handled a potentially dangerous situation.”

    This case was investigated the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler H.L. Tornabene and Patrick J. Cashman. 

    2:23-cr-00084-TOR

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Summary Report: FBI Denver 2024 Investigative Review of Wyoming Cases Involving Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons

    Source: US FBI

    In 2024, FBI Denver launched a data collection project to review Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) cases in the state of Wyoming. This initiative began with collecting tips from the public as well as case information from Wyoming law enforcement regarding MMIP investigations in Wyoming over the last 10 years. During this review, FBI Denver identified a new lead in a cold case due to advancements in technology, identified contributing factors associated with death investigations in and around the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR), and identified no new homicides or unknown missing persons investigations in Wyoming from public and law enforcement outreach efforts.

    In 2015, FBI Denver was advised of evidence retained by a coroner’s office from a 1969 cold case homicide on the Wind River Indian Reservation. FBI Denver opened a cold case investigation, however evidence reviewed by the FBI laboratory did not identify any new leads at that time. Based on recent advancements in technology, FBI Denver will re-open the investigation for investigative genetic genealogy review to identify potential new leads.

    A 10-year review of death investigations involving Native American victims in Wyoming identified gunshot wounds as the primary manner of death for homicides cases. This review identified the majority of Native American homicides are occurring in or around the Wind River Indian Reservation and involve Native American offenders and Native American victims. Intoxicants were a major contributing factor in the death investigations reviewed. FBI Denver did review the age of victims and offenders for Native American homicide cases in Wyoming; however, the ages of the victims and offenders varied greatly.

    The 10-year review of death investigations involved thoroughly reviewing documents such as medical reporting, law enforcement reporting, interviews, and evidence reports. The following are examples:

    • In August 2019, a Native American male was kidnapped by three other Native American males in Riverton, Wyoming. The individual was beaten and transported onto the WRIR, where he was executed and dumped off a bridge. Through extensive cooperation with other state and local LE agencies, the FBI successfully prosecuted the three subjects, all of whom received lengthy prison sentences.
    • In November 2017, a Native American male was found deceased inside a suitcase in the crawlspace of a home on the WRIR. The individual suffered from blunt force injuries and severe sharp force injuries. The investigation indicated the victim in this case was killed due to his refusal to provide alcohol to other involved individuals during a party at the residence. The FBI was able to successfully identify and prosecute four Native American individuals that were involved in the captioned homicide case.

    FBI Denver also collected information from public outreach efforts including a press release, public forums, and tip lines. Between February 8 2024, and October 30, 2024, FBI Denver received eight tips, however these tips did not provide any new leads or identify any unknown missing or murdered indigenous persons cases.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Manchester Man Sentenced for Defrauding State and Federal Taxpayers of Nearly $300,000 in Pandemic Relief Funds

    Source: US FBI

    CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain CARES Act funds from the United States government and the State of New York, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Kyereem Sackey, age 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 18 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.  Sackey was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $295,167.  In January 2025, Sackey pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of bank fraud.

    “The defendant exploited a national crisis for personal gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “He stole nearly $300k in pandemic relief funds that were meant to support struggling families and small businesses. This office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who stole from the government during the pandemic and intentionally depleted the public fisc for personal profit.”

    “While the entire world was focused on dealing with a pandemic, Kyereem Sackey was selfishly focused on exploiting programs designed to help people struggling financially to instead enrich himself,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “With today’s sentence, Mr. Sackey has been held accountable for cheating taxpayers, and the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who have committed similar crimes.”

    “Kyereem Sackey and his co-defendants engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain New York Department of Labor pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and Small Business Administration Payroll Protection Program loans. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who seek to exploit these critical benefit programs,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

    According to the court documents and statements made in court, Sackey used social media to conspire with others to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Sackey filed unemployment insurance claims in the State of New York on behalf of a co-defendant, which he was not entitled to.  When the money was deposited into the co-defendant’s bank account, a portion of the money was sent to Sackey and another co-defendant.  Sackey and his co-defendants filed approximately $50,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.  In addition to the claim made on behalf of his co-defendant, Sackey filed claims on behalf of a dozen individuals as well as himself resulting in more than $250,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits to be paid by the State of New York.

    Sackey also used a co-defendant’s information to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using a false and fraudulent business that did not exist.  Sackey provided the bank with false documents, including fabricated tax documents.  Court records show that Sackey fraudulently applied for and obtained more than $30,000 in PPP loans.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General led the investigation.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Illinois Police Officer Sentenced for Assaulting Handcuffed Man

    Source: US FBI

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday sentenced a former police officer who struck a handcuffed man in the face to two years in prison.

    Justin Gaither was in full uniform and on duty with the Venice Police Department on Nov. 20, 2022, when he began pursuing a car that was displaying stolen license plates. The car drove over spike strips that Gaither deployed, then over the McKinley Bridge and into St. Louis. A Brooklyn Police Department officer was also pursuing the car. The pursuit ended in the 3800 block of Parnell Avenue in St. Louis. The vehicle’s occupants ran away. Gaither, the Brooklyn officer and that officer’s K-9 chased the driver. The driver was bitten while climbing over a fence and fell. His hands were then handcuffed behind his back by the Brooklyn officer. As Gaither lifted the driver from the ground to escort him to a police vehicle, he struck the driver twice in the face without justification and without a legitimate purpose, breaking the driver’s nose.

    Gaither, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in February to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The right violated in this case is the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force under the Fourth Amendment.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 15 suspected gang members indicted for drug trafficking scheme

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    HOUSTON — A 29-count indictment was unsealed May 22 following the arrest of nine individuals for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking scheme that delivered illicit narcotics using a taco truck and the U.S. mail.

    The investigation that led to the indictments was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Houston and the Houston Police Department, with assistance from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Board of Criminal Justice – Office of the Inspector General.

    Houston residents James Michael Brewer aka ‘Creeper’, 33, Jonathan Alvarado aka ‘Joker’, 28, Alexis Delgado aka ‘Chino’, 28, Hector Luis Lopez aka ‘Capulito’, 23, Kylie Rae Alvarado, 24, Ruby Mata, 31, Victor Norris Ellison, 35, Mexi Dyan Garcia aka ‘Mexi’, 31, and Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez aka ‘Jr.’, 33, made their initial appearances in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas May 22 when the indictment was unsealed.

    Also charged are Enzo Xavier Dominguez aka ‘Smiley’, 32, William Alexander Lazo aka ‘Miclo’, 21, and Alfredo Gomez aka ‘Fredo’, 26. They are currently in custody and expected to make their initial appearances in the near future.

    Three other individuals who were allegedly involved in the scheme are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests — Mexican national Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez aka ‘Paco’, 29, Guatemalan national Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch aka Taco Man, 41, and Jose Eduardo Morales aka ‘Primo’, 22.

    “For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics,” said ICE HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Working in conjunction with the Houston Police Department and our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces partners, we were able to expose and dismantle their drug trafficking scheme, eliminating a significant contributor to violent crime in the area and saving an untold number of Houstonians from becoming addicted.”

    “As alleged, this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico and used the U.S. mail, a taco truck, and homes in different Houston neighborhoods to distribute and sell methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Several of the defendants are also alleged to have used firearms in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking and illegally possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of felonies. The Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in communities.”

    The indictment, returned under seal May 14, alleges all were members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax, psylocibin mushrooms, and marijuana. They are alleged to have used several drug houses and a food truck to store illegal drugs and conduct drug transactions. In one notable instance in June 2023, authorities seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine that one defendant was attempting to transport into the United States, according to the charges.

    With the exception of Simaj-Guch who faces up to 40 years, the rest could receive up to life, upon conviction. Brewer, Alvarado, Lopez, Gomez and Ellison are further charged with firearms offenses which carry up to another 15 years.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.

    For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking, transnational gangs and illegal firearms in Southeast Texas follow us on X @HSIHouston.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: National Missing Children’s Day 2025

    Source: US FBI

    How the FBI supports missing children cases 

    The FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) teams are composed of experienced personnel with a proven track record in crimes against children investigations, especially cases where a child has been abducted by someone other than a family member. 

    CARD team members provide on-the-ground investigative, technical, and resource assistance to state and local law enforcement. The teams work closely with representatives from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime coordinators, and child exploitation task force members.

    The FBI’s Child Victim Services program within the Victim Services Division provides support to child victims, the families of child victims, and witnesses of federal crimes. The team is focused on ensuring that any interactions with child victims or witnesses are tailored to the child’s stage of development and minimize any additional trauma to the child. In addition, they connect children and families to other resources to support their health and well-being through difficult times.

    Learn more

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Charge Filed Against Convicted Felon for Illegal Firearm Possession in Shiprock

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A previously convicted felon, already under investigation for multiple crimes, has been federally charged after being found with a stolen firearm in Shiprock.

    According to court documents, on the morning of May 15, 2025, the Navajo Nation Police Department received reports of a male firing a gun near a Marathon gas station on U.S. Highway 64 in Shiprock. Responding officers located and detained Jay Kelly, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. Officers discovered a stolen revolver and approximately 100 rounds of ammunition inside Kelly’s backpack.

    Witnesses confirmed Kelly fired the handgun multiple times in the air, but did not report anyone being threatened or injured. A background check revealed Kelly to be a convicted felon, making it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms or ammunition. Kelly was implicated in two other criminal investigations earlier this year, including arson and illegal firearm possession.

    Kelly is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which will occur next week. If convicted of this charge, Kelly faces up to 10 years in prison.

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

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: 31/2025・Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 31 / 2025
    Schindellegi, Switzerland – 26 May 2025

    Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    On 28 February 2025, Trifork initiated a share buyback program in accordance with Regulation No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (MAR) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052, (Safe Harbour regulation). The share buyback program runs from 4 March 2025 up to and including no later than 30 June 2025. For details, please see company announcement no. 7 of 28 February 2025.

    Under the share buyback program, Trifork will purchase shares for up to a total of DKK 14.92 million (approximately EUR 2 million). Prior to the launch of the share buyback, Trifork held 256,329 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.3% of the share capital. Under the program, the following transactions have been made:

            Number of shares        Average purchase price (DKK)        Transaction value (DKK)
    Total beginning 88,874 86.74 7,709,372
    19 May 2025 1,300 92.53 120,289
    20 May 2025 1,200 91.89 110,268
    21 May 2025 1,200 91.57 109,884
    22 May 2025 1,200 91.53 109,836
    23 May 2025 1,200 90.93 109,116
    Accumulated 94,974 87.06 8,268,765

    A detailed overview of the daily transactions can be found here: https://investor.trifork.com/trifork-shares/

    Since the share buyback program was started on 4 March 2025, the total number of repurchased shares is 94,974 at a total amount of DKK 8,268,765.
    On 25 March, 25 April and 23 May 2025, 4,370 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized for the Executive Management’s monthly fixed salary, representing a change from cash payment to payment partly in shares (refer to company announcement no. 1 of 21 January 2025). On 1 April 2025, 19,943 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized to serve the RSU plan of Executive Management and certain employees.

    With the transactions stated above, Trifork holds a total of 326,016 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.7%. The total number of registered shares in Trifork is 19,744,899. Adjusted for treasury shares, the number of outstanding shares is 19,417,909.


    Investor and media contact
    Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director, frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 73 17

    About Trifork
    Trifork is a pioneering and global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative digital solutions. With 1,215 professionals across 71 business units in 16 countries, Trifork specializes in designing, building, and operating advanced software across sectors such as public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. The Group’s R&D arm, Trifork Labs, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic, high-potential technology companies. Trifork Group AG is publicly listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen. Learn more at trifork.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Deadly Shooting at Capital Jewish Museum, Rep. Sherrill Urges DHS and DOJ to Dedicate Additional Resources to Combat Antisemitic Attacks and Threats

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC — In the wake of the May 21st shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) today sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Noem and Attorney General Bondi urging immediate action and additional federal resources to protect Jewish communities, houses of worship, and nonprofit organizations.

    In her letter, Rep. Sherrill detailed several recent violent antisemitic attacks, including the May 21st shooting, the April 13th arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence following a Passover celebration, and incidents in her New Jersey Congressional District such as the firebombing of Temple Ner Tamid and the vandalism of Oheb Shalom Synagogue.

    The May 21st attack came just one day after the Capital Jewish Museum received a grant from the District of Columbia’s Safe and Secure DC Grant Program to cover the costs of security officers at the museum, highlighting the critical need for additional funding to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations.

    “On the night of May 21, 2025, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two staffers from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, were horrifically shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum,” wrote Rep. Sherrill. “While details from the shocking attack are still emerging, the suspect’s antisemitic motivations highlight the threat of violence against Jewish Americans and residents across the United States. This attack was an assault on the core values and ideals of our nation – particularly the right to religious expression and to practice one’s faith without fear of violence – and we must take every effort to prevent it from happening again. In the wake of this violence and yet another devastating antisemitic attack in our country, I write to urge you to dedicate additional resources at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations and to combat the significant rise in antisemitic attacks and threats nationwide.”

    Read the full letter here or below:

    Dear Secretary Noem and Attorney General Bondi,  

    On the night of May 21, 2025, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two staffers from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., were horrifically shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum. While details from the shocking attack are still emerging, the suspect’s antisemitic motivations highlight the threat of violence against Jewish Americans and residents across the United States. This attack was an assault on the core values and ideals of our nation – particularly the right to religious expression and to practice one’s faith without fear of violence – and we must take every effort to prevent it from happening again.

    In the wake of this violence and yet another devastating antisemitic attack in our country, I write to urge you to dedicate additional resources at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations and to combat the significant rise in antisemitic attacks and threats nationwide. Over the past two years, our country has seen a concerning number of high-profile instances of antisemitic violence. It is vital that your departments ensure there are sufficient resources focused on preventing and investigating these violent crimes. Specifically, I ask that you surge funding from your departments to ensure that synagogues, faith-based organizations, and nonprofits have the resources to put necessary security measures in place and that law enforcement is prepared and able to investigate antisemitic violence and other hate crimes across the country.

    In addition to the heinous attack in Washington, on the night of April 13, 2025, an arsonist set fire to the residence of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. The fire was reportedly set only hours after Governor Shapiro hosted more than two dozen people commemorating the first night of Passover. The suspected arsonist reportedly sought to kill Governor Shapiro over his stated support for Israel. Such a brazen assault on one of our states’ governors highlights the ever-present risk of antisemitism and violence to all Jewish Americans.

    In my own Congressional District, Jewish houses of worship have come under these same types of hateful, antisemitic attacks. This January, the Oheb Shalom Synagogue in South Orange, New Jersey was vandalized with antisemitic threats. In 2023, Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, New Jersey was firebombed by an individual with a molotov cocktail in a brazen antisemitic attack.

    As antisemitic violence and threats have increased, I remain concerned that synagogues, Jewish faith-based organizations, and nonprofits are under-resourced for the heightened threats that they face. I urge you to take whatever actions you can to ensure that the programs that support these organizations are properly resourced and staffed. One such program, DHS’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, offsets the cost of physical security enhancements for religious, educational, and nonprofit community institutions, including Jewish organizations. Synagogues and schools have been targeted with vandalism, destruction, and violent attacks by extremists who seek to strike fear into congregations and civil society leaders. This funding will help to keep Americans safe from antisemitic and extremist attacks, and allow communities of faith to practice in peace.

    I also urge you to ensure that initiatives to combat, investigate, and prosecute hate crimes are fully staffed and resourced. As President Trump has slashed budgets and staffing across the Executive Branch – including for the FBI staff who track and combat domestic terrorism – I am concerned that initiatives within your departments meant to combat antisemitism and other hate crimes will be left unable to address the rising threat that we face today. Specifically, it is vital that DOJ maintains its focus on investigating and prosecuting antisemitic violence across the country. However, prosecutions alone will not reduce antisemitic violence across America. For that reason, it is important that the DOJ continues programs designed to research and address hate crimes like antisemitism in our communities. Activities authorized by the Khalid Jabara & Heather Heyer NO HATE Act and the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, as well as the Community Relations Service, Community Approaches to Advancing Justice Grants, and continued research into domestic extremism and radicalization, are vital tools to allow the federal government to combat the rising tide of antisemitic violence. I urge you to maintain and expand funding for these programs.

    Our country faces a crisis of antisemitic violence and threats that show no signs of abating. It is vital that the federal government take urgent action to protect Jewish communities, prosecute perpetrators of antisemitic hate crimes, and support community programs to counter antisemitism. Jewish Americans face the severe threat of antisemitic violence every day, and it is long past time that the U.S. federal government prioritizes their safety. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Woman Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Ring

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that NEYSA VAZQUEZ-FERRER, 35, of Waterbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for her participation in a Waterbury drug trafficking ring.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other law enforcement agencies investigated two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury.  One organization operated in the area of William Street and the other operated in the area of Maple Avenue.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers.  The organizations shared sources of supply and worked together to further their operations.

    Vazquez-Ferrer managed a stash location for the Maple Street organization where she packaged bags of individual dose capsules of crack cocaine.  She also enlisted her two teenage daughters to package and deliver narcotics.

    Seventeen individuals were charged with federal offenses as a result of the investigation.  Vazquez-Ferrer and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023.  In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials (“caps”) of crack, approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more than $39,000 in cash.

    On January 31, 2025, Vazquez-Ferrer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

    Vazquez-Ferrer, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on July 11.

    The FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task includes members from the FBI, the Waterbury Police Department, the Naugatuck Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction.  The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, Wolcott Police Department, and Meriden Police Department have assisted the investigation.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Registered Sex Offender from Minnesota Charged with Production of Child Pornography, Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    MINNEAPOLIS – Robert James Levi, 22, a registered sex offender from Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been charged by indictment with production and attempted production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, and offense by a registered sex offender announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents and court hearings, for a three-year period—from February 2022 through February 2025, defendant Robert Levi coerced and enticed a 12-year-old girl in another state into producing child sexual abuse material and sending it to him over the internet.  Levi “catfished” the victim, posing as a 16-year-old boy, exchanging tens of thousands of messages with the victim, and convincing the victim she was in a “relationship” with Levi.  In fact, Levi was an adult man and, later, a convicted sex offender.  In February 2024, Levi was convicted of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Second Degree in Stearns County, Minnesota, and was required to register as a sex offender.  The conviction did not stop Levi—he continued to exploit the victim during the pendency of that case and after he was placed on probation.  If convicted in this case, Levi faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

    “Our country is enduring a sextortion epidemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  “My heart goes out to the many victims—vulnerable children—who are sexually exploited by online predators.  The Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office is full of federal prosecutors who have zero tolerance for Levi and other repeat sexual offenders who will only stop when they are stopped.  Levi faces decades in federal prison.  We will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.”   

    “This case is a stark reminder of the depravity that exists online and the relentless threat posed by predators who target children,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The fact that a registered sex offender manipulated and coerced minors into producing explicit material is both horrific and intolerable. The FBI and our partners will use every available resource to find and stop those who exploit children, and we will not rest until they are held fully accountable.”

    Levi was charged via indictment in U.S. District Court. He had his detention hearing on May 5, 2025, before Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright and was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristian C. Weir is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Finds Red Lake Man Guilty of Sexually Abusing a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    FERGUS FALLS, Minn. – A federal jury found Clarence Clark, Jr., guilty of two counts of sexually abusing a minor on the Red Lake Indian Reservation after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Clarence Edward Clark, Jr., 37, sexually assaulted a minor victim who was physically incapacitated at a Red Lake Reservation home in the early morning hours of March 1, 2024.  Another minor present at the home interrupted the assault and ran to a neighbor’s home for help.  The concerned neighbor called 911 to report the crime.  Clark was found intoxicated at the scene and was apprehended by Red Lake Tribal Police.

    On May 15, 2025, a jury convicted Clark Jr. of both counts with which he was indicted in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim.  “This guilty verdict is the result of close and timely coordination between the Red Lake Nation, FBI, and U.S. Attorney’s office.  It reflects the courage of two minors and the deep partnership between the Federal and Tribal governments.  Those who hurt children will find no quarter in Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    “Clarence Clark Jr. robbed a child of safety and innocence,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis.  “His actions were not only depraved — they were an egregious violation of trust.  This guilty verdict ensures he will face the consequences of his crimes.  The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protect children, pursue predators relentlessly, and bring them to justice.”

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Red Lake Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel L. Kraker and Michael P. McBride prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Electrical Company General Manager Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Keolis Commuter Services

    Source: US FBI

    BOSTON – The former general manager of a Massachusetts-based electrical company was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a false invoicing scheme that defrauded Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis) of over $4 million.

    John Rafferty, 72, of Hale’s Location, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Rafferty was also ordered to pay $4,016,087 in restitution and a $893,227.93 forfeiture money judgment. In June 2023, Rafferty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Rafferty was charged in April 2023 and his alleged co-conspirator, John P. Pigsley, was charged in a separate case.

    Keolis has operated the MBTA commuter rail system since 2014 under an annual contract of $291–$349 million. Rafferty was the general manager of LJ Electric, Inc., an electrical supply vendor to which Keolis paid over $17 million between 2014 through 2021.

    Between July 2014 and November 2021, Rafferty and Pigsley defrauded Keolis of over $4 million through a false LJ Electric invoicing scheme. Specifically, Rafferty spent more than $3 million on items for Pigsley and others – including: at least nine trucks; construction equipment including at least seven Bobcat machines; at least $1 million in home building supplies and services; and a $54,000 camper. Rafferty then recovered the cost of these items by submitting false and fraudulent LJ Electric invoices to Keolis, which also included a percentage profit that Rafferty kept for himself.

    In April 2025, Pigsley was sentenced to 70 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $8,580,311 in restitution to Keolis and $2,689,206 to the Internal Revenue Service, forfeiture of three real properties and a $7,687,083.70 money judgment.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge, Northeastern Region, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit and Raquelle Kaye of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the cases.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 18th Street Gang Associate Pleads Guilty to Dealing Fentanyl

    Source: US FBI

    BOSTON – An associate of the 18th Street Gang pleaded guilty yesterday to drug charges in federal court in Boston.

    Elvin Martinez-Flores, 23, of Everett, pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl. United States District Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Aug. 5, 2025. Martinez-Flores was charged by criminal complaint in January 2025.

    On Sept. 20, 2024, Martinez sold approximately 400 pressed fentanyl pills to a cooperating witness. Later, on Oct. 28, 2024, Martinez sold another 500 pressed fentanyl pills to the cooperating witness.

    The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kim Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Moran and Fred Wyshak of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Attempted to Stab Flight Attendant and Open Airplane Door Mid-Flight Pleads Guilty

    Source: US FBI

    BOSTON – A Leominster, Mass. man pleaded guilty today in connection with an incident in which he attempted to open an emergency exit door while aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston and then attempted to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken metal spoon.

    Francisco Severo Torres, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2025. Torres was charged by criminal complaint in March 2023 following his arrest at Boston Logan International Airport. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023.

    On March 5, 2023, Torres was a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. Approximately 45 minutes prior to landing, the flight crew received an alarm in the cockpit that a starboard side door located between the first class and coach sections of the aircraft was disarmed. Upon inspection, a flight attendant found that the door’s locking handle had been moved out of the fully locked position – approximately a quarter of the way towards the towards the unlocked position – and that the emergency slide arming lever had been moved to the “disarmed” position. The flight attendant reported this to the captain and flight crew after securing the door and emergency slide.

    In subsequent discussions, a fellow flight attendant reported that he had observed Torres near the door and believed Torres had tampered with the door. A flight attendant then confronted Torres about tampering with the door, to which he responded by asking if there were cameras showing that he had done so. The flight attendant then notified the captain that they believed Torres posed a threat to the aircraft and that the captain needed to land the aircraft as soon as possible.  

    Shortly thereafter, Torres got out of his seat and approached the starboard side door where two flight attendants were standing in the aisle. One of the flight attendants saw Torres mouthing something that he could not hear. Video taken by a passenger depicts Torres yelling at points that he would “kill every man on this plane” and “I’m taking over this plane.” Torres then thrust towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon, hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times. Passengers then tackled Torres and he was restrained with the assistance of flight crew. Torres was immediately taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival to Boston.  

    During subsequent interviews, passengers who were aboard the flight reported that Torres asked a fellow passenger where on the safety card it showed where the door handle was located during the flight attendants’ safety briefing prior to takeoff and that Torres was seen pacing in a galley before attacking the flight attendant.

    The charge of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Gang Members Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Firearms; Defrauding Federal Credit Union; Hundred-Thousand-Dollar Check Theft Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    BOSTON – A Mission Hill gang member with multiple prior convictions has pleaded guilty to three separate indictments charging him with a sweeping slate of federal charges – including trafficking firearms, defrauding a credit union of over $130,000 and stealing mail as part of a large-scale “card cracking” scheme that caused up to half a million dollars in losses.

    Glenroy Miller, a/k/a “Trinny,” 28, of Boston, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025 to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun; one count of trafficking in firearms; two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; one count of bank fraud and aiding and abetting; and one count of conspiracy to steal and possess stolen mail. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Aug. 7, 2025.

    In September 2019, Miller was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of possession of a firearm without a permit; carrying a firearm with ammunition; possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number; and resisting arrest. He was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison, followed by two years’ probation. In December 2019, shortly after beginning his state prison sentence, Miller conspired with long-time friend Nadaje Hendrix to defraud a credit union where Hendrix served as a loan officer and assistant branch manager at the time. Specifically, between December 2019 and August 2021, the two defrauded the credit union by obtaining loans in the names of other individuals, including Miller’s fellow inmates, as well as loans under stolen identities. In total, Miller and Hendrix defrauded the credit union of approximately $134,000. The two were indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024 in relation to this conduct. In October 2024, Hendrix was sentenced to eight months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in July 2024.

    In the summer of 2023, upon his release from state prison, and prior to his January 2024 indictment, Miller conspired with other Mission Hill members to engage in a mail theft and “card cracking” scheme while on probation. According to court documents, card cracking involves the theft of checks – usually checks stolen from USPS collection boxes – which are chemically washed to remove the payee information. The checks are then rewritten in the names of others who have typically been recruited into the scheme via social media, deposited into their bank accounts and withdrawn or transferred as soon the funds are made available. According to the signed plea agreement, Miller is responsible for $250,000 – $550,000 in losses or attempted losses via checks that were stolen from the mail, washed and/or deposited into recruited accounts between June 2023 and February 2024. In August 2024, Miller was indicted by a federal grand jury along with eight other Mission Hill gang members and associates for their alleged roles in the card cracking scheme.

    Additionally, during the summer of 2023, while on state probation, Miller sold six firearms to a cooperating witness on four separate occasions on Aug. 7, 2023 and Oct. 24, 2023. One of the sales included a firearm with a high-capacity magazine equipped with a machinegun conversion device. Additionally, Miller was aware that the cooperating witness was a convicted felon who was prohibited from purchasing or possessing the firearms.

    The charges of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition each provide for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of unlawful possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of trafficking in firearms provides for a sentence up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to steal and possess stolen mail provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston and Wellesley Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kriss Basil, Lucy Sun and Philip C. Cheng of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Making Hate Crime Threat against Michigan Attorney General

    Source: US FBI

    DETROIT – A New York man pleaded guilty today to a federal crime for threatening Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. and Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    According to court documents, on October 21, 2023, AG Nessel posted to her X account a photograph of herself and her friend who had been murdered that day. Along with the photograph, AG Nessel described her friend’s faith and contributions to the community and expressed grief and shock about the murder. The next day, Kevin Delgado, 40, of Bayside, New York, posted a threatening reply to AG Nessel’s post. Delgado then pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. Delgado admitted that he threatened her because of her religion and her perceived sexual orientation.

    “The federal government is dedicated to protecting all Americans against threats of violence. Everyone person has equal dignity, and our office will tirelessly work to protect them. And public officials must be free to exercise their office without fear,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said.

    “Threatening public officials is both illegal and unacceptable. The hateful comments made by Mr. Delgado online were especially outrageous,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those who make these dangerous and harmful threats against officials dedicated to serving and protecting our communities.”

    Delgado will be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Nancy G. Edmunds on September 22, 2025. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 5 years’ imprisonment.

    This case was investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MENG STATEMENT ON MURDER OF ISRAELI DIPLOMATS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Grace Meng (6th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) released the following statement on the murder of two Israeli diplomats, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, outside a Jewish community event in Washington, D.C. last night:

    “I am horrified by the murder of two innocent young people, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, last night. Yaron and Sarah were attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the Capital Jewish Museum about coexistence—a tribute to the values they lived. My heart is with their families, their loved ones, and the Jewish community. Your worst fears have been realized once again, and your pain is heard and felt across the country.

    This act of antisemitic terror was not random. It was stoked by the demonization of Israel and the Jewish people, which has skyrocketed since October 7, 2023. We must stand united against it and reject calls for violence, or its normalization – our communities and democracy depend on it.

    As the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science—which funds law enforcement and hate crime prevention programs—I will continue fighting for federal dollars that support our communities’ ability to stop these attacks before they happen. Earlier today, I was briefed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on their involvement in this case. In the days and weeks ahead, I will continue to monitor its progress and continue the call for accountability for the perpetrator. I have also reached out to local and national Jewish and Israeli community leaders—including Ambassador Leitner, Consul General Akunis, and AJC CEO Ted Deutch—to express my condolences and offer support.

    Hate, bigotry, and violence have no place in any community. I know that many of my constituents are reeling from this attack, and my office stands ready to help those in my district who may need assistance.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Orlando Man In Armed Robbery Spree

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Nijah Jahni Mitchell (23, Orlando) guilty of Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, four counts of Hobbs Act robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Mitchell faces a minimum penalty of 28 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 26, 2025. Mitchell was indicted in April 2024, along with co-defendant Dany Telfort (20, Orlando). Telfort previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.  

    According to evidence presented at trial, between March 23 and April 1, 2023, Mitchell and Telfort committed a string of nine armed robberies of convenience stores throughout Central Florida. The robberies occurred over three sprees on three separate evenings: the first spree included four stores, the second spree included three stores, and the third spree included two stores. During each of the robberies, Mitchell or Telfort entered the store, pointed a firearm at the clerks, and demanded money from the cash registers. 

    After the second spree, a witness obtained a partial license plate for the vehicle used by Mitchell and Telfort. The following evening, during the third spree, law enforcement observed the vehicle after the ninth robbery and gave chase. Mitchell and Telfort bailed from the moving vehicle and fled on foot. Telfort got away but Mitchell was apprehended that night. At the time of his arrest, Mitchell was wearing the same clothing and mask that he had worn during the third robbery spree, as depicted below. Mitchell also had a loaded Glock pistol on him when he was arrested. Telfort left behind a loaded Taurus pistol in the vehicle, which was later found to contain DNA linked to both Telfort and Mitchell.

    Surveillance video of Mitchell during the eighth robbery on April 1, 2023

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Clermont Police Department, the Ocoee Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oakland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Noah P. Dorman, Rachel S. Lyons, and Megan Testerman.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tampa Resident Charged With Sending A Threatening Message To Kill On Social Media

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Elizabeth Danielle Rowe (24, Tampa), a/k/a Simon Roe, with transmitting interstate a true threat to injure. If convicted, Rowe faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, on January 24, 2025, Rowe sent the following message on a social media platform to victim A.A.: “I am coming to kill you. I will kill your pets first while you watch. Die expletive.”

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Minnesota State Trooper Indicted for Producing and Distributing Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota State Trooper Jeremy Francis Plonski was charged today in a four-count indictment in U.S. District Court for the production and distribution of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    Plonski had been previously charged via federal complaint with one count of producing child pornography and had been ordered detained pending trial. Plonski faces a mandatory minimum of fifteen years and up to life in prison if convicted.

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has zero tolerance for public officials who violate federal laws—particularly those laws that protect vulnerable children from sexual abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Plonski took an oath to protect and serve our community. While donning his uniform, Plonski committed one of the most vile and predatory offenses imaginable. This is abhorrent—to Minnesota as a whole and to our law enforcement community in particular. I am proud of the swift and decisive action of law enforcement, who responded immediately and worked cooperatively to take Plonski into custody.”

    “The conduct alleged in this case is horrifying and a gross betrayal of public trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Law enforcement officers are sworn to protect the most vulnerable among us — not exploit them. When someone in a position of authority commits such an egregious and despicable crime, the damage extends beyond the victim — it shakes the very foundation of our communities’ trust. The FBI and our partners will not hesitate to investigate and bring to justice anyone who preys on children, no matter their badge or title.”

    “The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is committed to working with our federal, state and local partners to identify and hold accountable those who sexually abuse children,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. “We will pursue anyone who wishes to harm children in our communities.”

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the FBI for their investigation and hard work, as well as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Shakopee Police Department.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office also thanks the Minnesota State Patrol for their work and assistance in safely apprehending the defendant.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W. Bobier is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Charges San Diego County Dermatologist with Insurance Fraud of Over $1.3 Million

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    Friday, May 23, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    SAN DIEGO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the filing of felony charges against a San Diego dermatologist for Medi-Cal fraud of over $1.3 million. The investigation uncovered that the dermatologist charged Medi-Cal $1,386,995 for services that were never rendered.

    “We will not tolerate fraud where individuals take advantage of Medi-Cal to line thier own pockets, potentially jeopardizing critical, necessary medical services our most vulnerable residents rely on,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today’s action is possible due to my team’s efforts to hold accountable those who defraud Medi-Cal, and we will continue to do so. At the California Department of Justice, we are committed to fighting against all types of elder abuse, theft, and fraud. We will take prompt action to ensure that anyone who exploits or harms these vulnerable members of our community is held accountable.”

    It is alleged that the dermatologist was invoicing for as many as 233 patients on a daily basis, averaging between 60 to 70 patients per day for identical or comparable services. Furthermore, it was found that all patients were undergoing light therapy, with the majority using non-medical lamps. A complaint was filed in San Diego County Superior Court charging the dermatologist with 22 counts of healthcare insurance fraud, one count of Medi-Cal fraud, the white-collar crime enhancement, and the excessive takings enhancement. 

    The California Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) works to protect Californians by investigating and prosecuting those responsible for abuse, neglect, and fraud committed against elderly and dependent adults in the state, and those who perpetrate fraud on the Medi-Cal program. Assistance on this investigation was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Department of Healthcare Services, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. 

    The Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $69,244,976 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2025. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the State of California. FY 2025 is from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025.
     
    A copy of the complaint can be found here.  

    It is important to note that criminal charges must be proven in a court of law. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: May Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments Announced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the May Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Alejandro Aldave. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 1 and 2); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 3); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 4). Aldave, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute. He is additionally charged with maintaining a residence to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-173

    Daniel Allen Ash; Amber Dawn Murphy. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country (Count 1); Child Neglect in Indian Country (Counts 2 through 5); Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country; (Count 6); Second Degree Murder in Indian Country (Count 7); Child Neglect in Indian Country (Counts 8 through 11) Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country (Count 12) (superseding). Both from Commerce, Ash, 32, and Murphy, 30, a member of the Cherokee Nation, are charged with unlawfully killing a minor child in Sep. 2024 and willfully neglecting the health, safety, and welfare of four minor children. Ash is further charged with engaging in a sexual act with a minor child under 12 years old. Additionally, he is charged with possessing visual images depicting the sexual abuse of at least one prepubescent minor. The FBI and Quapaw Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-088

    David Moses Castro-Rivera. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Castro-Rivera, 22, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in June 2021. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Dill is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-183

    Javier Cortez Banda. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Banda, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2020. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Whipple is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-184

    James Devon Davis. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition After Conviction for a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence. Davis, 29, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony and a domestic violence misdemeanor. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dewhurst is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-177

    Bradley Ray Dick. Child Abuse in Indian Country. Dick, 47, of Claremore and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with willfully and maliciously injuring a child under the age of 18. The FBI and the Claremore Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Heign is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-176

    Stephen Dale Homer. Production of Child Pornography; International Production of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Homer, 57, of McAlester and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with using a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of child sexual abuse material. He also coerced a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct outside of the United States for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the sexually explicit conduct. This visual depiction was then transported to the United States. Additionally, Homer is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. The FBI Tulsa, FBI Charlotte, the Federal Air Marshal Service, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case with assistance from the Western District of North Carolina USAO. 25-CR-171

    Robert Marcus Johnston. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Johnston, 19, of Tulsa and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with assaulting a minor victim by strangulation. The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-169

    Kaci Anne-Rene Lima. Bank Fraud (Counts 1 through 3); Aggravated Identity Theft (Counts 4 through 6). Lima, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with fraudulently obtaining funds from the victim’s bank account without permission. Further, Lima used the victim’s identity while committing a felony. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Catoosa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-179

    Jorge Antonio Lopez Vasquez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lopez Vasquez, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in July 2018. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dewhurst is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-180

    Olajuwon Hasan Myers. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Myers, 39, of Phoenix, Arizona, is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-178

    Ricardo Plateado-Martinez; Rosa Maria Olmos; Rafael Gonzalez; Joel Rosales Pina. Drug Conspiracy; Conspiracy to Commit International Money Laundering; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Conspiracy to Import a Controlled Substance (third superseding). Plateado-Martinez, 34, of Broken Arrow; Olmos, 35, of Broken Arrow; Gonzales, 31, of Beaumont; and Pina, 40, a Mexican National are charged with conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. Plateado-Martinez, Olmos, Gonzalez, and Pina are charged with conspiring to move money internationally with the intent to promote methamphetamine distribution and the conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Pina is further charged with maintaining a residence to distribute drugs. Gonzalez, and Pina are charged with conspiring to import more than 500 grams of methamphetamine from Mexico. The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tulsa Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Broken Arrow Police Department, and Oklahoma City Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 
    24-CR-131

    Jordan Frazier Payne. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country; Child Neglect in Indian Country. Payne, 31, of Grove, is charged with unlawfully killing the minor victim by blunt force trauma to the head. Further, Payne is charged with willfully failing to provide medical care for the minor victim. The FBI, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Grove Police Department, and the Jay Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Emily Dewhurst are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-168

    Adan Orozco-Godines. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Orozco-Godines, 38, 
    a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2016. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-182

    Lekeith Deshawn Russell. Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony (Counts 1 and 2); Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 3). Russell, 38, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to possess methamphetamine through the mail. He is further charged with attempting to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-172

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Durable Medical Equipment Companies Agrees to Plead Guilty in Nearly $30 Million Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant allegedly used proceeds to purchase two Ferraris, a Mercedes-Benz Model S, at least three Rolex watches

    BOSTON – The owner of Pharmagears, LLC (Pharmagears) and RR Medco, LLC (RR Medco) has agreed to plead to guilty in connection with a nearly $30 million health care fraud conspiracy involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces. 

    Raju Sharma, 61, of Sharon, Mass., has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Per the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of 10 years in prison and more than $15.8 million in restitution.

    Sharma was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in February 2025 and subsequently released on conditions pending trial. He was later ordered detained in April 2025 after the Court found that he violated the conditions of his release by contacting a potential witness. 

    According to the charging documents, between February 2021 and February 2025, Sharma – on behalf of Pharmagears and RR Medco – entered into contracts with telemarketing companies that generated DME orders by targeting Medicare beneficiaries. It is alleged that Sharma then billed Medicare for this medically unnecessary DME, which the Medicare beneficiaries often did not want or could not use; and/or a medical practitioner ordered without having met or examined the beneficiary; or were ordered by the fraudulent use of practitioners’ national provider identifiers without their knowledge or assent. It is further alleged that these DME orders were obtained in violation of the anti-kickback statute, because although Sharma agreed in the contracts to pay the marketing companies a flat fee for their services, Sharma in fact paid the marketing companies on a per-lead, or per-order, basis.  

    According to the charging documents, Sharma worked with multiple other co-conspirators, including family and acquaintances, to open and operate additional DME companies in the same fraudulent manner. In total, the companies owned, operated, or connected with Sharma billed Medicare approximately $29.6 million for these fraudulent DME orders and were paid approximately $15.8 million. 

    Sharma made substantial profits from this alleged fraud, which he used to purchase luxury goods, including two Ferraris, a Mercedes-Benz Model S and at least three Rolex watches. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the defendant has agreed to forfeit these luxury goods, as well as over $250,000 in cash investigators seized from his bank accounts. 

    The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, supervised release for up to three years and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Sharon Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Graber and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Prison for Operating Sports Betting Ponzi Scheme That Stole More Than $8.5M from Victims

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLEVELAND – Matthew J. Turnipseede, 51, of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been sentenced to more than five years in prison (65 months) by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher A. Boyko after admitting to orchestrating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded business investors out of over $8.5 million. He was also ordered to pay $4,731,165.10 in restitution. Turnipseede pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud in November 2024.

    According to the indictment, from March 2015 to May 2021, Turnipseede induced approximately 72 individuals in Ohio and elsewhere to invest over $8.5 million in his betting companies, Edgewize and Moneyline Analytics. He promised that their funds would be used to make sophisticated sports wagers which used an algorithm that generated double-digit returns. Turnipseede also told investors that he would not take compensation for placing wagers, but instead would retain a percentage of winning profits.

    In truth, none of Turnipseede’s companies ever generated the promised profits. Instead, the defendant used the investors’ money to maintain the businesses, seek additional sources of funds, and pay off earlier investors.

    To perpetuate the scheme, the defendant emailed the victim-investors periodic updates describing how successful Edgewize and Moneyline Analytics were. He also emailed the victim-investors falsified financial statements purporting to show substantial gains on their investments. When a victim wanted to withdraw some, or all, of their funds, Turnipseede would use money invested by other victims to cover the withdrawal request. The scheme collapsed in May 2021 when Turnipseede declared bankruptcy, still owing his investors over $4.7 million in principal alone.

    The defendant also admitted to using investor funds for his personal expenses such as family trips, spa treatments, lease payments on multiple vehicles, and country club membership dues.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica D. Barnhill and Brian M. McDonough for the Northern District of Ohio.

    MIL Security OSI –