NewzIntel.com

Category: Gun Control

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm as a Felon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on January 23, 2025.

    Arlen Blackburn, 19, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Blackburn was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024.

    In April 2024, Rapid City Police Department responded to a shots-fired report in town. Law enforcement located a vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle associated with the shots-fired report. The driver of the vehicle initially fled but later stopped and law enforcement discovered Arlen Blackburn inside as a passenger. Law enforcement learned that Arlen Blackburn had discharged a sawed-off shotgun earlier that day. The sawed-off shotgun barrel was far less eighteen inches in length. It is unlawful to possess an unregistered shotgun whose barrel is less than eighteen inches in length.

    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.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

    Blackburn was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Phoenix Woman Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Possession of a Machinegun and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

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

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Cynthia Solano, 40, of Phoenix, was sentenced this week by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 87 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, for her involvement in a transnational firearm smuggling organization. On August 14, 2024, Solano pleaded guilty to Possession of a Machinegun and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.

    Between February 2022 and January 2023, Solano conspired with others to conduct financial transactions which were designed to conceal proceeds generated from the sale of firearms trafficked from the United States into Canada. After the proceeds were received, Solano used the proceeds to purchase additional firearms.

    Beginning in late December 2022, Solano gathered 87 firearms in Phoenix which she intended to deliver to other members of the organization in Michigan.  

    On January 3, 2023, Solano was driving near Springfield, Illinois when she was contacted by the Illinois State Police. The Illinois State Police troopers searched her vehicle and found 87 firearms, individually wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper. One of the firearms was equipped with a machinegun conversion device (also known as a “Switch”) attached. A machinegun conversion device converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm.

    After Solano was arraigned in Arizona, she was placed on pretrial release. She later removed her electronic monitoring device and fled to Mexico. Through the efforts of the United States Marshals’ Office, she was captured by law enforcement in Mexico and removed to the United States to face prosecution.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

    The OCDETF Arizona Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Arizona Army National Guard, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Pima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Scottsdale Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-00408-PHX-GMS
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-012_Solano

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PDS Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Discharging Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Admitted to Participating in “Rolling Shootout” Targeting Rival Gang

                WASHINGTON – Isjalon Jermiah Armstead, 22, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with an indictment charging numerous members of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) street gang with distributing large quantities of marijuana in the District of Columbia as well as using, carrying, and possessing firearms, including fully automatic machineguns, in furtherance of their drug dealing business.

                The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Armstead, aka “Smaut,” pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense. Armstead faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Judge Berman Jackson scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 7, 2025.

                As part of his plea, Armstead admitted to participating in a “rolling shootout” in the Washington Highlands neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C. on June 5, 2023.  According to court documents, Armstead and a fellow PDS gang member were driving a gray Nissan Altima in the area with marijuana that they intended to distribute when they observed a rival gang member.  The two men then chased the rival through a residential neighborhood while shooting from their vehicle as the rival returned fire. The gray Nissan Altima was disabled as a result of the shootout, and Armstead and his fellow PDS member fled on foot – discarding bags of marijuana and their firearms as they ran – before being apprehended by MPD officers a few blocks away.   

                Additional MPD officers responded to the scene and retraced the flight path, at which time they discovered two firearms discarded in a trash can alongside a residence. The firearms were identified as a Glock Model 26, 9mm semi-automatic handgun and an American Tactical Omni Hybrid semi-automatic AR-Pistol chambered in .300 caliber. These firearms matched shell casings recovered from the scene of the rolling shootout.  As part of his plea agreement, Armstead admitted to discharging the AR-Pistol during the rolling shootout.

                This plea is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 24 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.

                The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.

    Surveillance Footage Showing the Grey Nissan Altima (circled in red) and the Vehicle it was Pursuing During the Shootout on June 5, 2023.

     

    Surveillance Footage Showing Armstead Fleeing From the Scene

     

    Firearms Recovered from Armstead’s Flight Path

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Sentenced To 60 Months In Prison For Possessing A Firearm In Furtherance Of A Drug Trafficking Crime

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

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gabriel Figueroa, age 29, a resident of New York, was sentenced on January 28, 2025, to 60 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, between December 2023 and January 2024, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant to conduct three controlled purchases of cocaine from Figueroa. Following the controlled purchases, a search warrant was executed at Figueroa’s residence and law enforcement recovered methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, ammunition, and a Taurus .380 caliber handgun.

    The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives—Allentown Field Office, the Kingston Police Department, and members of the Luzerne County Drug Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson prosecuted the case.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: East St. Louis Woman Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Prison for Transporting Controlled Substances to Pemiscot County

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday sentenced Georgia R. Phillips, 49, of East St. Louis, Illinois, to 120 months (10 years) in federal prison for the offense of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

    Court records reflect that Phillips was pulled over for a traffic violation on Interstate 55 in Pemiscot County last May. During the stop, officers discovered large quantities of controlled substances in her vehicle, including approximately four ounces of crack cocaine. After being placed under arrest, Phillips admitted she was traveling from East St. Louis to deliver the controlled substances to an individual in Hayti, Missouri. The pair met in prison while serving a previous sentence for a drug-trafficking crime. At her guilty plea hearing last year, Phillips admitted that she intended to distribute the controlled substances. After serving her sentence, Phillips will be placed on a three-year term of supervised release.

    This case was investigated by the Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TROY LOCKE (“LOCKE”), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 15, 2024, by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter, after previously pleading guilty to nine different counts related to federal drug and firearms violations, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

    According to court records, undercover ATF agents made several, camera recorded, controlled purchases of crack cocaine and firearms from LOCKE in July and August 2023. During one of the purchases, LOCKE had a gun in his lap. During another, LOCKE sold an AR style rifle for $1,000 to an undercover ATF agent.  After these controlled purchases, the ATF executed a search warrant at LOCKE’s residence and found him in possession of two more firearms, including an assault rifle with an extended magazine. LOCKE had several prior felony convictions, that prohibited him from possessing firearms.  In total, LOCKE sold the agents over 120 grams of crack cocaine and illegally possessed three different firearms.

    Judge Vitter sentenced LOCKE to 120 months imprisonment, ordering that he serve 60 months on each of Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9, to run concurrently, and another 60 months on Count 5, to run consecutively.  Judge Vitter also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release and ordered that LOCKE pay a $900 mandatory special assessment fee. 

    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 track violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator, handled the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Rajya Mantri presents awards to best Marching Contingents and Tableaux of Republic Day Parade 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 JAN 2025 5:47PM by PIB Delhi

    Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth presented awards to the best Marching Contingents and Tableaux of Republic Day Parade 2025 at Rashtriya Rangshala Camp in Delhi on January 30, 2025. Shri Sanjay Seth also conferred special prizes to CPWD Tableau and artists of cultural performance, along with six mementos to the representatives of the tractor companies.

    Three panels of judges were constituted to assess the performance of Marching Contingents from the Services & Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)/other auxiliary forces and tableaux from various States/Union Territories (UTs) & Ministries/Departments of the Central Government. The panels have declared the following results:

    • Best Marching Contingent among Services – Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Contingent
    • Best Marching Contingent among CAPFs/other auxiliary forces – Delhi Police Marching Contingent
    • Top three tableaux (States/UTs)
      • 1st – Uttar Pradesh (Mahakumbh 2025 – Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas)
      • 2nd – Tripura (Eternal Reverence: The worship of 14 Deities in Tripura – Kharchi Puja)
      • 3rd – Andhra Pradesh (Etikoppaka Bommalu – Eco-Friendly Wooden Toys)
    • Best Tableau from Central Ministries/Departments
      • Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh)
    • Special Prize:
      • Central Public Works Department (75 years of Constitution of India)
      • ‘Jayati Jai Mamah Bharatam’ Dance Group

    In addition, an online poll was conducted on the MyGov portal from January 26 to 28, 2025 for the citizens to vote for their favourite tableau and Marching Contingents as ‘Popular Choice Category. The results are as under:

    • Best Marching Contingent among Services – Signals Contingent
    • Best Marching Contingent among CAPFs/other auxiliary Forces – CRPF Marching Contingent
    • Top three tableau (States/UTs)
      • 1st – Gujarat (Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas)
      • 2nd – Uttar Pradesh (Mahakumbh 2025 – Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas)
      • 3rd – Uttarakhand (Uttarakhand: Cultural Heritage and Adventure Sports)
    • Best tableau from Central Ministries/Departments – Ministry of Women & Child Development (Multifaceted journey of women and children nurtured under the Ministry’s comprehensive schemes)

    Raksha Rajya Mantri in his address recalled the words of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi that the participation of individuals in Republic Day Parade showcases the love & dedication of people towards the nation. Shri Sanjay Seth emphasised on the fact that all the tableaux showcased creativity through the structures. Reiterating the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of Viksit Bharat by 2047, he stated that it is not the contribution of just one person but the resolve of 140 crore Indians to make the country one of the strongest nation in the world.

    Shri Sanjay Seth thanked the Ministry of Culture for taking up the challenge of creating a new Guinness World Record of 5,000 artists in the Cultural Performance. He stressed that the people from all over the country were impressed by the performance. As part of the event, Raksha Rajya Mantri also witnessed three cultural performances by the Tableaux Artists.

    ***** 

    SR/KB

    (Release ID: 2097650) Visitor Counter : 28

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Department of Justice Investigating Monterey County Sheriff Officer-Involved Shooting Under AB 1506

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, January 30, 2025

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

     **The information provided below is based on preliminary details regarding an ongoing investigation, which may continue to evolve**

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ), pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), is investigating and will independently review an officer-involved shooting (OIS) that occurred in Salinas, California on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at approximately 1:30 p.m. The OIS incident resulted in the death of one individual and involved personnel from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. 

    Following notification by local authorities, DOJ’s California Police Shooting Investigation Team initiated an investigation in accordance with AB 1506 mandates. Upon completion of the investigation, it will be turned over to DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review.

    More information on the California Department of Justice’s role and responsibilities under AB 1506 is available here: https://oag.ca.gov/ois-incidents.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Final Sentencings in Major Albuquerque Drug Trafficking Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – The final of four defendants has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking organization that operated out of various Motel 6 locations in Albuquerque. The sentences mark the conclusion of a multi-agency investigation that began in August 2020 as part of Operation Legend.

    According to court documents, the investigation revealed that the organization engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine. Members routinely carried firearms during drug transactions and were involved in other criminal activities, including selling firearms and a kidnapping incident.

    The Motel 6 on Carlisle and I-40 served as a hub for the group’s operations. Between January and June 2020, this location generated 233 calls for police service, including reports of firearms activity, armed robberies, and other serious crimes.

    Four defendants have been sentenced for their roles in a violent drug trafficking organization:

    • Jack Trujillo, 48, the ringleader, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for multiple counts of methamphetamine distribution, firearms offenses, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Upon his release from prison, Trujillo will be subject to five years of supervised release.
    • Alberto Gomez, 40, received a 11.5-year sentence for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting the possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Gomez will be subject to five years of supervised release.
    • Cedric Kulka, 26, was sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Kulka will be subject to three years of supervised release.
    • Christopher Hulsey, 29, received a 15-year sentence for multiple counts of methamphetamine distribution, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Hulsey will be subject to five years of supervised release.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hartford Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that OSIRIS MUHAMMAD, 24, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly after midnight on January 26, 2024, Muhammad fired several shots at an intended victim in the area of Belden Street and Albany Avenue in Hartford.  On January 28, 2024, Hartford Police spotted Muhammad at a liquor store on Albany Avenue.  After a brief pursuit, he was taken into custody.  Officers found him in possession of a Ruger P89 pistol.  Subsequent analysis by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) connected the firearm to shell casings collected at the scene of the shooting the day before.

    In 2020, Muhammad was convicted in state court of robbery in the first degree.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    Muhammad has been detained since his arrest.  On June 28, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    This investigation was conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Daniel Gordon .

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Winter Garden Man Who Backed Vehicle Into Business And Stole Six Firearms Sentenced To Four Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Edward Camacho (20, Winter Garden) to four years and three months in federal prison for theft of a firearm from a federal firearms licensee. Camacho pleaded guilty on September 17, 2024.

    According to the plea agreement, on August 18, 2023, Camacho backed a vehicle into the front of a federal firearms licensee business around midnight. After smashing the front door and wall of the business, Camacho entered the business and broke a glass case where multiple firearms were housed. Camacho stole six firearms and then fled in his vehicle.

    Camacho was apprehended less than two hours later after a foot pursuit with law enforcement. During the foot chase, Camacho was seen tossing three firearms onto the ground, two of which were confirmed to be stolen from the federal firearms licensee business.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Winter Park Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Alexa McNeff.

    This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Multiple Nashville Felons Charged with Federal Weapons, Drug Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NASHVILLE – Three Nashville men, all of whom have previous convictions for either violent crimes or drug felonies, were recently charged with federal firearms offenses, two of the men were additionally charged with drug offenses, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Robert E. McGuire. Carlos J. Rodriguez, 27, was charged on January 24 with being a felon in possession of a firearm; George Charles Carter, III, 48, was charged on January 24 with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; and Keontis Jenkins, 28, was charged on January 27 with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances,

    “We are ramping up our efforts to protect our community from those who would illegally possess guns and those who would sell drugs,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “These three arrests in the span of just a few days should put violent criminals on notice that if you break the law, we will hold you accountable in federal court—especially if you possess dangerous drugs like fentanyl and dangerous items like Glock switches. If we find evidence to support a federal charge, we are not going to wait. We are going to act.”

    Rodriguez

    According to court documents, on September 25, 2024, law enforcement conducted a surveillance operation in the area of a bar on Charlotte Pike in Nashville. While conducting surveillance, agents saw Rodriguez exit the bar and conduct what appeared to be hand-to-hand narcotics transactions in the parking lot. After agents stopped Rodriguez, he told them that he was on probation out of Rutherford County for selling narcotics. A search of Rodriguez’s car yielded over $500, 9mm cartridge cases, three cell phones, and handwritten ledgers and notes that appeared to document narcotics sales. Rodriguez was arrested on a state offense and was released. 

    On January 17, 2025, ATF Agents were notified that Rodriguez was arrested for driving with an expired license. Agents asked Rodriguez about his arrest on September 25, 2024, and Rodriguez acknowledged that he possessed the ammunition was recovered from his car and that he knew he was a convicted felon who could not possess ammunition. At the time Rodriguez possessed the ammunition, he was a prohibited person, having previously been convicted in Rutherford County of a felony drug offense.

    Carter

    On January 19, 2025, at approximately 3:20 a.m., Metro Nashville Police officers began investigating an armed robbery attempt that resulted in a shooting. When officers arrived on scene, they found a victim with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper left arm and a single gunshot wound to his upper right arm. The shooting was captured on Metropolitan House and Development Agency cameras near the J.C. Napier Housing Development. On the video, officers observed a person, later determined to be Carter, making movements consistent with pointing a weapon. Officers also recovered multiple shell casings from the area where Carter could be seen standing on the video.

    The next day, MNPD detectives observed a silver Dodge Avenger which matched the description of a suspect vehicle involved in the shooting the night before. The driver appeared to be conducting hand-to-hand narcotics transactions out the driver’s window. When officers attempted to stop the car, the Avenger’s driver, later identified as Carter, fled from officers, almost striking another vehicle. Carter drove at high rates of speed, drove into oncoming traffic, ran red lights, and almost caused multiple accidents. After he was arrested, Carter admitted throwing a bag of narcotics out of the car next to Margaret Allen Middle School on Spence Lane. Detectives later retrieved a bag which contained approximately 18.5 grams of cocaine, 5.2 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and multiple baggies.

    Carter eventually came to a stop in the area of Thompson Lane in Nashville and was taken into custody. Carter admitted that he fled from officers, that he had thrown a bag out the window which contained the drugs that were later recovered by detectives, and that he had a bag of crack cocaine, also known as cocaine base, inside his pants. Detectives recovered this bag during the interview. The bag weighed approximately 40.6 grams. A check through law enforcement databases revealed that Carter has multiple felony convictions in Tennessee including Aggravated Assault and Simple Possession with Priors in Davidson County.

    Jenkins

    On January 14, 2025, Metropolitan Nashville Police Detectives arrested Jenkins on outstanding warrants for attempted homicide. A search of Jenkins’ person led to the discovery of an oxycodone pill and a search of the vehicle Jenkins was driving resulted in the recovery of a Glock pistol from the rear passenger’s side floorboard, with an affixed machine gun conversion device (MCD). Later that day, MNPD detectives executed a search warrant on Jenkins’ residence, which resulted in the discovery of two additional firearms, a Glock model 17 9mm pistol and a Glock model 19 9mm pistol, along with three bags of M30 pills (approximately two hundred pressed suspected fentanyl pills), Xanax bars, hydrocodone, marijuana, baggies, scales, U.S. currency, and a money counter.

    MNPD detectives interviewed Jenkins who admitted selling marijuana, fentanyl, and Xanax. Jenkins also admitted that he carries a firearm to protect himself during narcotics sales and that he had shot one of his customers in a drug deal gone wrong. Jenkins has multiple prior felony convictions in Tennessee, including Reckless Endangerment with a Deadly Weapon and Contraband in a Penal Facility in Madison County.  Jenkins admitted he knew he was a felon and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

    These cases are being investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Stephens is prosecuting the cases.

    A complaint is merely an accusation. 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: ITS Logistics January Supply Chain Report: Recession Risks Heighten for US Economy as Consumer Confidence Decreases for Second Consecutive Month

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RENO, Nev., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ITS Logistics released the January ITS Supply Chain Report, revealing the U.S. economy was relatively stable last month but faced several headwinds. The job market remained strong, and inflation cooled significantly, but concerns about core inflation, higher interest rates, tariffs, and potential economic slowdown loomed. The Federal Reserve’s cautious approach to monetary policy and the housing market’s ongoing challenges also continued to influence the overall economic outlook.

    “As the U.S. entered December 2024, the economic outlook carried both positive and negative trends that could influence the trajectory of the economy in 2025 and beyond,” said Stan Kolev, Chief Financial Officer of ITS Logistics. “While many indicators suggest resilience, a number of challenges pose significant risks to continued growth.”

    Key concerns that supply chain professionals should be privy to include:

    • Inflationary Pressure: If inflationary pressures persist or accelerate, it could erode consumer spending and confidence
    • Monetary Policy Uncertainty: The risk of inflation becoming entrenched could lead to more aggressive action from the Federal Reserve, with possible interest rate hikes impacting consumer borrowing and business investment
    • Global Economic Uncertainty: The global supply chain disruptions and rising geopolitical tensions could negatively impact US exports and supply chains, hurting sectors that rely on international trade
    • Consumer Confidence: If inflation and high borrowing costs weigh too heavily on households, it could lead to reduced discretionary spending, further slowing growth in key sectors like retail, travel, and housing
    • Tariffs: Per the recent incoming Trump Administration announcement, there is a potential for an increase in tariffs. Companies should prepare for the potential of a front-loading event similar to 2018, disrupting transpacific trade lanes from Asia into North America

    The Conference Board reported that this month alone, U.S. consumer confidence decreased for the second consecutive month. Its consumer confidence index declined to 104.1 from 109.5 in December. This is considered to be worse than the projections presented by economists, which were expected to result in a reading of 105.8. The index measures Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. Overall, consumers’ outlook of current market conditions decreased by 9.7 points to a reading of 134.3 this month, while the views on current labor market conditions fell for the first time since September.

    “In December 2024, the U.S. labor market remained strong but showed some signs of slowing as the year came to a close,” continued Kolev. “The U.S. economy added about 200,000 to 250,000 jobs last month, continuing a solid pace of hiring. While lower than the stronger job growth observed in 2021 and 2022, it still represented a healthy expansion, especially given the higher interest rate environment. The unemployment rate remained steady at 3.5%, continuing near historic lows. This suggested a tight labor market, with many employers still struggling to find workers.”

    Although job growth slowed compared to earlier in the recovery, demand for workers remained robust, particularly in healthcare, hospitality, and blue-collar industries. However, concerns about higher interest rates and a potential economic slowdown in 2025 could bring more caution to the labor market.

    While the U.S. economy was not yet in recession in December 2024, the risks are heightened as we move into 2025. The key concerns include how inflationary pressures, high interest rates, and global uncertainties will impact growth, consumer confidence, and business investment in the year ahead.

    ITS Logistics offers a full suite of network transportation solutions across North America and distribution and fulfillment services to 95% of the U.S. population within two days. These services include drayage and intermodal in 22 coastal ports and 30 rail ramps, a full suite of asset and asset-lite transportation solutions, omnichannel distribution and fulfillment, LTL, and outbound small parcel.

    The monthly ITS Supply Chain Report serves to inform ITS employees, partners, and customers of marketplace changes and updates. The information in the report combines data provided through DAT and various industry sources with insights from the ITS team. Visit here for a comprehensive copy of the report with expected industry insights and market updates.

    About ITS Logistics
    ITS Logistics is one of North America’s fastest-growing, asset-based modern 3PLs, providing solutions for the industry’s most complicated supply chain challenges. With a people-first culture committed to excellence, the company relentlessly strives to deliver unmatched value through best-in-class service, expertise, and innovation. The ITS Logistics portfolio features North America’s #19 asset-lite freight brokerage, the #12 drayage and intermodal solution, a top 50 dedicated fleet, an innovative cloud-based technology ecosystem, and a nationwide distribution and fulfillment network.

    Media Contact
    Amber Good
    LeadCoverage
    amber@leadcoverage.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4910ceb2-75a8-407d-b57a-1342bbc2d3f0

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Coal Transportation Rates to the Electric Power Sector

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    This recent update of the Coal Transportation Rates to the Electric Power Sector web page incorporates final data for 2023 from Form EIA-923, Power Plant Operations Report, and updates the tables with data in nominal and real 2023 dollars. The data tables are based on primary data that we collect from plant owners and operators on Form EIA-923 and on supplement data and analysis of coal transportation costs that we released in June 2011 and November 2012.

    The initial report on coal transportation rates covered 2001 through 2008, applied only to railroad shipments, and was based exclusively on waybill sample data obtained from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB). The supplemental report provided an additional year of waybill sample data and incorporated data that we collected on Form EIA-923 for shipments by railroad, waterway, and truck for 2008 through 2010. The third set of tables on coal transportation rates were based on Form EIA-923 data for 2008 through 2012. The rates for 2008 and 2010 were slightly different from the rates we previously published due to minor changes in methodology. Transportation rates for 2011 and 2012 had not been previously published. The current release provides final rates for the years 2008 through 2023. We can no longer update waybill data due to STB’s modified interpretation of its data confidentiality obligation.

    As in previous iterations of Form EIA-923 data, the rates are based on primary mode of transportation. Because some shipments include a primary and secondary mode of transportation, these rates do not necessarily reflect the rates associated with only one transportation mode. In addition, the rates do not reflect shipments made to cogenerators and other end users of electricity, and they are based only on shipments made to plants in the electric power sector. We define the electric power sector as consisting of electric utilities and regulated and unregulated independent power producers.

    We calculate nominal rates by subtracting the commodity cost of the delivered coal from the total delivered cost, as reported by owners and operators of power plants with a combined nameplate capacity of 50 megawatts or greater. Because the commodity cost and delivered cost data are reported in terms of energy content (that is, million British thermal units), the costs are converted to dollars per ton using the average energy content of each shipment reported on the form. The representative transportation cost for each coal mine state, destination state, and transportation mode is a weighted average. Lastly, we convert the values to constant 2023 dollars by using the Implicit Price Deflators for Gross Domestic Product, as published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis in Table 1.1.9 of the National Income and Products Accounts tables.

    We make several assumptions when calculating the transportation costs. Most notably, we apply an internal methodology to identify and exclude costs that we believe to be outliers. In addition, we use only records that have reported values for commodity cost and delivered cost (in other words, we do not use imputed values).

    We assign coal shipments to basins based on counties as set out below.

    Basin State County
    Northern Appalachia Maryland  
    Ohio  
    Pennsylvania  
    West Virginia (northern)  
    Central Appalachia Kentucky (eastern)  
    Virginia  
    West Virginia (southern)  
    Tennessee Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Cumberland, Fentress, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Roane, and Scott
    Southern Appalachia Alabama  
    Tennessee Bledsoe, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, Rhea, Sequatchie, Van Buren, Warren, and White
    Illinois Basin Illinois  
    Indiana  
    Kentucky (western)  
    Powder River Basin Montana Big Horn, Custer, Powder River, Rosebud, and Treasure 
    Wyoming Campbell, Converse, Crook, Johnson, Natrona, Niobrara, Sheridan, and Weston
    Uinta Basin Colorado Delta, Garfield, Gunnison, Mesa, Moffat, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, and Routt
    Utah Carbon, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, Sanpete, Sevier, Uintah, Utah, and Wasatch

    Our data include shipments to blank counties that originated in 13 states (generally because the plant purchases coal from a blender that uses coal purchased from multiple mines). In such cases, we assign the shipments to a coal basin based on the origin state and, when appropriate, other factors. We assign shipments originating in Alabama to southern Appalachia because it is the only coal basin in the state. Similarly, we assign shipments originating in Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to northern Appalachia, and we assign all shipments originating in Illinois and Indiana to the Illinois Basin. Although Tennessee overlaps both central Appalachia and southern Appalachia, coal has not been produced in southern Appalachia since 1990, so we assign all shipments to central Appalachia. In addition, we assign all shipments originating in Utah to the Uinta Basin even though, in theory, a small number of the shipments originated in coal mines that are not technically part of the basin.

    For coal with a missing county that originated in Kentucky, we assign all shipments with an average sulfur content greater than 2.4% to the Illinois Basin and the others to central Appalachia. For coal with a missing county that originated in West Virginia, we assign all shipments with an average sulfur content greater than 1.6% to northern Appalachia and the others to central Appalachia. For coal with a missing county that originated in Wyoming, we only assigned shipments with an average energy content less than or equal greater 17.9 million British thermal units per ton to the Powder River Basin.

    Because cost data collected on Form EIA-923 are confidential, we had to ensure that we suitably aggregated rates to prevent any individual rates from being observed or inferred. To meet this requirement, we withheld rates where the number of plants within a particular aggregation of rates was less than three.

    Contacts:

    David Fritsch
    Phone: 202-287-6538
    Email: David Fritsch

    Jonathan Church
    Phone: 202-586-7693
    Email: Jonathan Church

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Enphase Energy Expands in Southeast Asia with Market Entry in Vietnam and Malaysia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), a global energy technology company and the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems, today announced that it is expanding in Southeast Asia by entering the solar markets in Vietnam and Malaysia. Enphase is now shipping IQ8P™ Microinverters, with peak output AC power of 480 W, for residential and commercial applications in Vietnam and Malaysia to support newer high-powered solar modules. Enphase announced first shipments of IQ8P Microinverters in Thailand and the Philippines last year.

    IQ8™ Microinverters are designed to maximize energy production and can manage a continuous DC current of 14 amperes, supporting higher-powered solar modules through increased energy harvesting. The IQ8P Microinverters are the most powerful microinverters available to date from Enphase. The product features a peak output power of 480 W and is built to seamlessly pair with a full range of solar modules up to 640 W DC. All IQ8P Microinverters activated in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines come with an industry-leading 25-year limited warranty.

    “The Vietnamese solar market is poised for explosive growth thanks to the new Decree 135/2024/ND-CP on October 22, 2024,” said Phan Ngoc Anh, CEO of Alena Energy, a distributor of Enphase products in Vietnam. “This will be a major boost to the government’s ambitious 2050 net-zero carbon goal. Enphase IQ8P Microinverters are a game-changer, delivering unparalleled performance and safety – perfect for our solar installations.”

    “In Malaysia, the demand for energy savings and reliable, clean power solutions is driving solar adoption,” said Bernard Fok, general manager of MYSOLARPOWER SDN BHD, a distributor of Enphase products in Malaysia. “As the global leader in microinverter technology, Enphase offers the IQ8P Microinverters, which provide an ideal blend of efficiency and reliability. This empowers our customers to enjoy consistent energy production while reducing both their carbon footprint and utility costs.”

    The Enphase IQ8P Microinverter is built to use low-voltage alternating current (AC) power instead of high-voltage direct current (DC) power used by central (“string”) inverter-based solar systems. Additionally, Enphase IQ® Microinverters include built-in rapid shutdown to help keep first responders and utility workers safe. In an emergency, solar power can be turned off instantly and easily.

    “At KG Solar, we prioritize safety and reliability in every project, whether it’s a simple installation or a sensitive site like a gas station,” said Gunn Teeraniti, engineering director of KG Solar, an Enphase installer in Thailand. “That’s why we choose Enphase. The Enphase IQ8P Microinverters, backed by their impressive 25-year warranty, provide unmatched peace of mind for us and our customers. Their advanced safety features and consistent energy savings make them the ideal choice for all types of installations, from straightforward setups to the most demanding environments.”

    “As homeowners, our homes are likely to be one of the most expensive investments we’ll ever make in our entire lives,” said Hsin Yao Cheng, CEO at Helios, an installer of Enphase products in the Philippines. “We care a lot about our homes and the loved ones we nurture in them. Therefore, it’s a no brainer to put in the absolute safest and highest quality equipment to protect your investment and your family. Enphase IQ8P Microinverters stand out for their safety, durability, and exceptional performance. The 25-year limited warranty reassures us of their long-term reliability, while the system’s efficiency helps our clients achieve significant energy savings.”

    “At Enphase, our focus remains on expanding access to leading-edge, reliable energy technology across Southeast Asia,” said Ken Fong, senior vice president and general manager of the Americas and APAC at Enphase Energy. “We deeply value our partnerships with regional solar installers and are committed to supporting their work as we drive the adoption of resilient, renewable energy solutions.” 

    For more information about IQ8P Microinverters, please visit the Enphase websites for Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

    About Enphase Energy, Inc.

    Enphase Energy, a global energy technology company based in Fremont, CA, is the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems that enable people to harness the sun to make, use, save, and sell their own power—and control it all with a smart mobile app. The company revolutionized the solar industry with its microinverter-based technology and builds all-in-one solar, battery, and software solutions. Enphase has shipped approximately 78.0 million microinverters, and over 4.5 million Enphase-based systems have been deployed in more than 160 countries. For more information, visit https://enphase.com/.

    ©2025 Enphase Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. Enphase Energy, Enphase, the “e” logo, IQ, and certain other marks listed at https://enphase.com/trademark-usage-guidelines are trademarks or service marks of Enphase Energy, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other names are for informational purposes and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements related to the expected capabilities and performance of Enphase Energy’s technology and products, including safety, quality, and reliability; and the availability and market adoption of Enphase’s products in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. These forward-looking statements are based on Enphase Energy’s current expectations and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties including those risks described in more detail in Enphase Energy’s most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other documents filed by Enphase Energy from time to time with the SEC. Enphase Energy undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations, except as required by law.

    Contact:

    Enphase Energy

    press@enphaseenergy.com

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sweden and Colombia sign law enforcement agreement

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Sweden and Colombia sign law enforcement agreement – Government.se

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    Press release from Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice

    Published

    On 28 January, Sweden signed a bilateral law enforcement agreement with Colombia during Maria Malmer Stenergard’s visit to Colombia.

    On behalf of the Government, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard signed a bilateral law enforcement agreement at a ceremony in Bogotá on 28 January together with Colombia’s Minister of Justice Ángela María Buitrago and Minister of National Defence Iván Velásquez. 

    The agreement aims to increase cooperation between Sweden and Colombia in the fight against cross-border organised crime, terrorism, drug trafficking and cybercrime. It also paves the way for increased information exchange, cooperation on capacity building and the exchange of experiences. 

    “Organised crime is a cross-border problem that requires international cooperation with our partners around the world. The Government looks forward to working together with Colombia in this area of vital importance to both our countries,” says Ms Malmer Stenergard. 

    This cooperation agreement that we have now concluded with Colombia is essential to further strengthening our agencies’ efforts to combat serious crime. It’s widely acknowledged that drug smuggling, especially of cocaine, helps finance serious organised crime that severely undermines individuals’ sense of security and integrity, and which is also a systemic threat to our free and open society as a whole. Cross-border problems demand cross-border solutions, and this cooperation is a key part of that,” says Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer.

    The law enforcement agreement is part of the bilateral partnership agreement between Sweden and Colombia signed in June 2024 by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and President of Colombia Gustavo Petro, during his visit to Sweden.

    Press contact

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Resistance and decisive action – Sweden’s national strategy against organised crime

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Resistance and decisive action – Sweden’s national strategy against organised crime – Government.se

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    Press release from Ministry of Justice

    Published

    The Swedish Government has adopted Sweden’s first comprehensive national strategy against organised crime. The strategy serves as a direction for the work against organised crime, with the purpose to reduce vulnerabilities exploited by criminals. The national strategy presents priorities and identifies central actors.

    Organised crime poses a serious threat to the Swedish society. The deadly violence and the criminal financial structures used by organised crime actors, and parallel social structures at local level, affect the safety and security of Swedish citizens. Also, the impact of organised crime damages citizens’ trust in public institutions. The national strategy against organised crime that the Swedish Government adopted on 1 February 2024 calls for resistance and action, and it highlights what is necessary in the fight against organised crime. 

    Sweden’s national strategy against organised crime targets five key areas: 

    • Criminal careers must be stopped. 
    • Criminals’ access to illegal firearms and explosives must decrease.
    • The criminal economy must be reduced. 
    • Society must be robust enough to resist the threat of criminal influence. 
    • The system related to identities and identification must be reliable, and government agencies’ possibilities to exchange information must be improved. 

    “With this strategy, we are bringing together a broad range of actors at national, regional and local levels, as well as the private sector and civil society, to combat crime. We need to be proactive, and it is essential that all parts of society contribute – this is not a task for law enforcement only. The national strategy will further amplify the impact of the Government’s decisions and legislative reforms,” says Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer.  

    Press contact

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Felon Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANFERNEE D. DANCY, 28, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by 30 months of supervised release, for unlawful possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 22, 2023, Waterbury Police attempted to stop an SUV Dancy was driving in Waterbury.  Dancy reversed the SUV, collided with one of the police cruisers, and attempted to flee on foot.  After a struggle, he was taken into custody.  A search of the SUV revealed a loaded Jimenez Arms, Inc. 9mm handgun, a quantity of crack cocaine, a digital scale, and $282 in cash.

    Dancy’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for burglary in the first degree, risk of injury to children, and failure to appear in the first degree.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    Dancy has been detained since his arrest.  On October 7, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Waterbury Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady Man Charged With Drug Trafficking and Firearm Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK –Jabree Jones a.k.a. “Breezy,” age 32, of Schenectady, New York, has been charged by indictment with crimes including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and to possess firearms, including a machinegun, in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.

    United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division; and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

    The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The 16-count indictment charges Jones for his participation in a drug conspiracy from January to May 2023, that included 11 instances of drug distribution between January and May 2023, and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine on May 23, 2023, when the ATF and DEA searched a property on Western Avenue in Albany, and a property in Halfmoon, New York. Jones’ coconspirators, Anthony Luizzi and Brandon Bartley, were each found at the Halfmoon property and the Western Avenue property, respectively. Between the two properties, Jones, along with his coconspirators, possessed 39 firearms, including an illegal machinegun, along with large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. 

    Another suspect in the investigation, Anthony Zaremski, was fatally shot during the execution of a federal search warrant on May 23, 2023, at Zaremski’s apartment in Clifton Park, after Zaremski opened fire and wounded two officers.

    The following defendants have also been charged in connection with this investigation:

    • Anthony Luizzi pled guilty to drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and his possession of the guns found at the Western Avenue property and Halfmoon property. Luizzi was sentenced to 210 months in prison and a $10,000 fine on October 1, 2024.
    • Brandon Bartley also pled guilty to drug and gun crimes in connection with his trafficking of large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and his possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 180 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
    • Devon Newsome pled guilty to transferring 29 firearms to Jones that were ultimately found at the Western Avenue property, and was sentenced to 60 months in prison.

    The DEA and the ATF are investigating the case, with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), the Rotterdam Police Department, and the Henry County Police Department in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Helena man admits conspiracy to distribute large quantities of meth, fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS — A Helena man accused of trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl he received from suppliers in California and Oregon admitted to a conspiracy charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Charles Clifford Hamlin, 61, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Hamlin faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 5. Hamlin was detained pending further proceedings.

    In a plea agreement filed in the case, the parties agreed that Hamlin would serve a sentence within a stipulated range of 15 years to 20 years in prison.

    In court documents, the government alleged that the Missouri River Drug Task Force and United States Postal Service began investigating Hamlin after they intercepted a package intended for Hamlin in August 2021. The package contained approximately three pounds of meth. Over the next several years, investigators spoke with numerous sources who identified Hamlin as a large-scale narcotics distributor. Two sources worked with Hamlin to bring meth from California to Montana, and one source went to Oregon to obtain meth for Hamlin to distribute. The sources stated the deliveries to Hamlin ranged from between one pound to three pounds.

    Another source told investigators about receiving ounces of meth and “rolls” of fentanyl pills regularly from Hamlin. Hamlin received deliveries every two and one-half weeks from a source in Oregon. Each delivery was approximately seven pounds of meth, 4,000 to 7,000 fentanyl pills, two ounces of cocaine and two ounces of heroin.

    In December 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Hamlin and his truck was searched based on a suspected probation violation. Officers located approximately 18 grams of meth in his gas tank flap. Investigators also made controlled buys of meth and fentanyl pills from Hamlin. In February 2024, law enforcement stopped an individual in Powell County, and the person had nine pounds of meth and 6,200 fentanyl pills. Approximately six pounds of the meth was destined for Hamlin.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Helena Police Department, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.

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

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fayette County Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kayla Nicole Dent, 34, of Mount Hope, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 23, 2024, Dent sold approximately 1.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $140 at Dent’s residence. Dent admitted to the transaction and to arranging it with the confidential informant beforehand.

    Dent is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which  consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

    United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys  Brian D. Parsons and Alexander A. Redmon are prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-140.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Parrish Man Arrested For Trafficking Firearms To Convicted Felon

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

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Frank Jude Petrone, Sr. (55, Parrish) with trafficking firearms to a convicted felon. If convicted, Petrone faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

    According to the complaint, on October 2, 2024, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office notified the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that Petrone was selling firearms to an individual he knew to be a convicted felon. Petrone sells firearms for a licensed gun dealer. On three separate occasions between October 2024 and January 2025, Petrone sold the convicted felon, acting as a confidential source, three firearms and 117 rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits selling firearms to a convicted felon and a convicted felon cannot pass the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

    On the evening of October 17, 2024, Petrone sold a .357 Taurus International 605 Poly Protector revolver and 10 rounds of .357 ammunition to the confidential source. On November 8, 2024, Petrone sold a 9mm Sig Sauer M18 semi-automatic pistol to the confidential source. And on January 2, 2025, Petrone sold a .45 ISAS 1911A1 semi-automatic pistol to the confidential source. During that transaction, Petrone also offered to sell a machinegun with an obliterated serial number.

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

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

    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: Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Over Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl, Meth, and Cocaine Charges After High-Speed Police Chase

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

    INDIANAPOLIS— Lamone Lauderdale, 37, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 248 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

    According to court documents, on January 19, 2022, a Zionsville Police Department K9 officer pulled Lamone Lauderdale over for speeding. A K9 sniff indicated the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. When Lauderdale was asked to step out of the car, he fled and led officers on a high-speed pursuit down US-421. Lauderdale eventually came to a stop after striking two other vehicles and popping his tire on a median near Michigan Road in Indianapolis. Lauderdale then fled on foot carrying a black bag.

    Lauderdale was eventually found and arrested but was no longer carrying the black bag. Officers located the abandoned bag, which contained 170 grams of methamphetamine, 60 grams of fentanyl, 111 grams of cocaine, a pill press, a digital scale, a 9mm handgun, and 11 rounds of live ammunition.

    A later search of Lauderdale’s vehicle recovered an additional 22 grams of methamphetamine, another digital scale, another handgun and five rounds of ammunition.

    “Traffickers of deadly drugs, armed with deadly weapons, are a poison in our communities,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Those who choose to endanger our families to further their own greed will be identified and prosecuted. With our federal, state, and local partners, we are committed to ensuring dangerous criminals are taken off our streets and held accountable for their actions. I commend the talented professionals at the Zionsville Police Department and ATF, and our federal prosecutor, for their efforts to apprehend and successfully prosecute this dangerous criminal.”

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Zionsville Police Department and investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce 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: Two Dorchester Men Charged as Felons in Possession of Firearms

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

    BOSTON – Two Dorchester men were charged yesterday with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition following the execution of a federal search warrant in Dorchester.  

    Rickey Simmons, 46, and Robert Campbell, 35, were each charged by criminal complaint with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  

    According to the charging documents, two loaded firearms were allegedly recovered from the first floor living area occupied by Simmons. Campbell was allegedly found in possession of a key to a safe in in his bedroom that was found to contain thousands of dollars along with a loaded Glock firearm. The room also contained a small amount of what is believed to be cocaine. Additionally, just outside the door of the bedroom, a bag containing three additional Glock firearms was located, including one that was equipped with a machine gun conversion device, allowing it to fire fully automatically. In the same bag, a loaded, extended magazine that fit the converted machine gun was recovered. According to court records, Campbell has prior convictions for assaulting police officers and resisting arrest.

    The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Grady and Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit are  prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Helena man sentenced to more than seven years in prison for conviction of firearm crime

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

    GREAT FALLS — A Helena man who admitted to a firearm crime after a welfare check led to him being arrested on a warrant while attempting to flee officers was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Scott Hamilton, 44, pleaded in October 2024 to receipt of a firearm and ammunition with intent to commit a felony.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    In court documents, the government alleged that at 4 a.m. on Dec. 20, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped a man wearing dark clothing and carrying a duffel bag on Montana Highway 12 for a welfare check. The man, identified as Hamilton, told officers he had car trouble and was walking to East Helena. Officers learned there was an active warrant for Hamilton out of Broadwater County. When officers attempted to arrest Hamilton, he fled across the highway and dropped his bag as he ran. Officers pursued and arrested Hamilton and recovered the duffle bag. Inside the duffle bag were two firearms, a .22 caliber revolver and a 9mm pistol, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Hamilton had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Son and Mom Sentenced for Their Role in Shooting a Victim and Conspiring to Tamper with Witnesses

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

    TULSA, Okla. – The U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Marco Dionte Atkins and his mother, Sidney Brook Mayfield, after a jury found them guilty in September.

    “Atkins acted recklessly and violently when he shot at someone outside of an occupied business, where children were present,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “After being arrested, Atkins and his mother relentlessly campaigned against witnesses, trying to evade being held accountable for their actions. I commend law enforcement for their hard work in pursuing justice.”

    In Nov. 2023, Sidney Mayfield pulled into a convenience store directly across the street from a high school. Five teenagers were in the car, including Marco Atkins, Mayfield’s then 18-year-old son. The teens, Mayfield and Atkins, were seen entering the store on video surveillance. After a few minutes inside the store, a verbal altercation began between the teens and the victim. The teens, Mayfield and Atkins, left the store. The teens continued to argue with the victim outside. The video shows Atkins inside the vehicle, firing multiple rounds toward the victim, eventually hitting him in the stomach. Mayfield then sped off.

    Shortly after Atkins was arrested in January 2024, Mayfield and Atkins began tampering with witnesses, obstructing the investigation, and commenting publicly about retaliation. Atkins’ original trial was set to begin in June of 2024 but was forced to be continued due to their obstruction and witness tampering. After the trial was continued in June, evidence showed Mayfield ranting on social media about a witness being a “snitch,” announcing the witness’s full name and where the family resided. In the video played for the jury, Mayfield stated that she would “kill anybody” that went against her or her son and that she would “ride with Marco until the [explicit] wheels fell off.” Shortly after she posted that video, Mayfield was indicted and arrested, and Atkins was charged with additional counts.    

    Atkins, 19, was sentenced to 180 months, followed by five years of supervised release. He was found guilty of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

    Mayfield, 39, was sentenced to 70 months, followed by three years of supervised release. She was found guilty of Retaliating Against a Witness, Victim, and Informant; Corruptly Tampering with a Witness, Victim, and Informant; and False Declaration Before a Grand Jury.

    They were both found guilty of Conspiracy to Tamper with a Witness, Victim, and Informant by Corrupt Persuasion and Corruptly Obstructing the Due Administration of Justice.

    Atkins and Mayfield are citizens of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. They will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Dowdell and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Convicted Felon Found with a ‘Ghost Gun’ Is Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON — Alonte Wilkinson, 31, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 57 months in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm, a “ghost gun” that was recovered after he was stopped by police on suspicion of shoplifting from a CVS in Southwest Washington D.C.

                The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Wilkinson pleaded guilty on October 23, 2024, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 57-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Wilkinson to serve three years of supervised release.

                According to court documents on January 17, 2024, about 5 p.m., MPD officers were conducting a retail theft operation at the CVS on the 1100 block of 4th Street SW. At 5:18 p.m., Wilkinson and another man entered the store. At 5:22 p.m., two CVS employees took note of Wilkinson and the other man exiting the store without paying for their items. The officers stopped the pair as they walked northbound on 4th Street SW.

                MPD officers searched both men. One of the officers recovered a firearm from Wilkinson’s right jacket pocket. Wilkinson claimed he had a license to carry a concealed weapon, but that he did not have the license in his possession. The firearm recovered from the Wilkinson was a Glock 27 .40 caliber pistol with one live round in the chamber, and 12 more rounds in the magazine. The serial number on the pistol was obliterated and rendered unreadable. A check of the D.C. Gun Registry database revealed that Wilkinson did not have a license to carry a firearm nor was the firearm in his possession registered to him, given the obliterated serial number.

                A criminal history search confirmed that Wilkinson was a felon, having been previously convicted for a firearms offense in 2019 for which he was sentenced to prison for more than one year.

                This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emory Cole.

    24cr0058

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Grand Jury Returns Seven Indictments

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation, and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    LAS VEGAS MAN CHARGED WITH COCAINE TRAFFICKING AND ILLEGAL FIREARMS POSSESSION

    Enrique Rodriquez possessed over 5 kilograms of cocaine

    Enrique Rodriguez, 41, Las Vegas, Nevada, is charged with distributing cocaine, possessing cocaine intended for distribution, possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that on June 6, 2024, Rodriguez distributed 500 grams or more of cocaine. The indictment also alleges that on January 16, 2025, Rodriquez possessed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine intended for distribution, illegally possessed a firearm as a felon, and possessed the firearm to further a drug trafficking crime. 

    If convicted, Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison for the count charging distribution of over 500 grams of cocaine. The count involving 5 kilograms or more of cocaine carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The felon in possession charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life.

    The charges against Rodriguez are the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Madison and Milwaukee, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson is handling the case.

    MARSHALL MAN CHARGED WITH DRUG AND GUN CRIMES

    Deontrae C. McIntosh, 21, Marshall, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl; possessing cocaine and fentanyl intended for distribution; possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon; and possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.

    The indictment alleges that McIntosh distributed cocaine on September 23, 2024, and on September 27, 2024. The indictment alleges that McIntosh distributed cocaine and heroin on October 4, 2024. The indictment further alleges that on November 6, 2024, McIntosh distributed cocaine and fentanyl, possessed cocaine and fentanyl intended for distribution, and possessed a loaded Glock 23, 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun as a felon and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

    If convicted, McIntosh faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each drug charge. The felon in possession charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, McIntosh faces a penalty of not less than 5 years in prison with a maximum of life in prison.

    The charges against McIntosh are the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea is handling the case.

    CHIPPEWA FALLS MAN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING METHAMPHETAMINE AND FENTANYL

    Jason Barnard, 39, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl and with possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that on October 6, 2024, Barnard distributed a mixture of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The indictment further alleges that Barnard distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Finally, the indictment alleges that on December 6, 2024, Barnard possessed 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, all intended for distribution.

    If convicted of the charge involving 50 grams or more of methamphetamine or 40 grams or more of fentanyl, Barnard faces a minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. If convicted of the charge involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, Barnard faces a minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The other distribution charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

    The charges against Barnard are the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Enforcement Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson is handling the case.

    WAUSAU MAN CHARGED WITH COCAINE TRAFFICKING AND ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARMS

    Johntay L. Johnson, 39, Wausau, Wisconsin, is charged with maintaining a drug involved premise, distributing cocaine, and possessing firearms as a felon. The indictment alleges that between December 19, 2023, and November 21, 2024, Johnson used his residence in Wausau to store, manufacture, and distribute illegal drugs. The indictment further alleges that Johnson distributed cocaine on nine occasions in 2024 and possessed three firearms as a felon on September 10, 2024.

    If convicted of the drug counts, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. If convicted of the felon in possession count, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. 

    The charges against Johnson were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of agents from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson is handling the case.

    SUN PRAIRIE MAN CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARM AND AMMUNITION

    Cashius Carter, 20, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Carter possessed a loaded Glock 9mm handgun and Federal 9mm ammunition between June 21, 2024, and September 26, 2024.  

    If convicted, Carter faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

    The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.

    FITCHBURG MAN CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY POSSESSING FIREARM

    Malcolm Whiteside, 29, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm as a felon. The indictment alleges that Whiteside possessed a loaded Glock Model 27 pistol on August 12, 2024. 

    If convicted, Whiteside faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

    The charge against Whiteside is the result of an investigation conducted by the Monona Police Department, Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma is handling the case.

    MADISON MAN CHARGED WITH DRUG CRIMES

    Gregory P. Robinson, 41, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing cocaine, possessing cocaine and fentanyl intended for distribution, and maintaining a drug trafficking place. The indictment alleges that Robinson distributed cocaine on four occasions in June 2024. The indictment also alleges that on June 25, 2024, Robinson possessed cocaine, 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and cocaine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, all intended for distribution. Finally, the indictment alleges that Robinson maintained a drug trafficking place from June 13, 2024, to June 25,2024.

    If convicted of the charge involving 400 grams or more, Robinson faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. If convicted of the charge involving 40 grams or more, Robinson faces a minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. The distribution charges, the possession of cocaine charge, and the maintaining a drug trafficking place charge all carry maximum penalties of 20 years in prison.

    The charges against Robinson are the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, the Madison Police Department, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.

    CHIPPEWA FALLS MAN CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING METHAMPHETAMINE

    Leroy T. McNamara, 61, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that McNamera distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on July 8, 2024, and July 24, 2024.

    If convicted, McNamara faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison on each charge.

    The charges against McNamara are the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force and the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes is handling the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Contract awarded as Sheahan Bridge upgrade planning project progresses

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 29 January 2025

    Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads

    The Albanese and Minns Labor governments are progressing plans for an upgrade of a key bridge on one of Australia’s busiest road freight corridors, as part of efforts to unlock access for more heavy vehicles.

    The $20 million jointly funded planning project for the Sheahan Bridge Upgrade project on the Hume Highway at Gundagai has moved into its next phase of development with a contract awarded to provide a concept design for the bridge’s upgrade or replacement.

    WSP Australia Pty Ltd will provide concept design development and environmental assessment of potential upgrade or replacement options for the northbound bridge over the Murrumbidgee River.

    The current northbound bridge was built in 1977, with duplication of the southbound lanes officially opened to traffic by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on 25 May 2009 when he was Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.

    While the load limit was increased from 68 to 85 tonnes in 2020 on the northbound bridge, for the safety of motorists Higher Productivity Vehicles still have to use a permit to travel on the NSW section of the Hume Highway due to the age of the bridge and structure limitations.

    These limitations on the northbound bridge also restrict opportunities for contraflow during emergency response or planned maintenance activities on the southbound bridge.

    The Federal and NSW Labor Governments are working together to ensure that this major bridge on the Hume Highway, the oldest and busiest highway in NSW, which follows the 200-year-old track traversed by Hume and Hovell in 1824, can meet the challenges of 21st century road freight.

    The upgrade planning project will investigate potential solution options which include:

    • building a replacement bridge on a new alignment upstream (east) or downstream (west) of the existing bridge
    • replacing the existing bridge on its current alignment
    • strengthening the existing bridge.

    Transport for NSW is now working with the contractor to further investigate each alternative and identify a preferred option.

    It is expected a preferred option will be identified for public display in mid-2026 and Transport will keep the community updated as the project progresses.

    Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

    “The Hume Highway is the major freight corridor from Sydney to Melbourne, the oldest and busiest highway in Australia. It has been Labor governments which have invested and delivered the crucial upgrades that have ensured freight, tourism and other road users can rely on this vital network.

    “Instead of forcing HPVs to use permits, the NSW and Federal Labor governments are working together to deliver a fit for purpose bridge which will reduce red tape for HPV freight operators by enabling them to use this route without having to obtain permits.”

    NSW Labor’s spokesperson for Cootamundra Stephen Lawrence MLC:

    “All across regional NSW, Labor governments are working together to improve roads, bridges and other transport infrastructure.

    “I am very pleased to see the Sheahan Bridge upgrade planning project progressing and look forward to learning what the preferred improvement option is.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: DRC – Humanitarian catastrophe unfolds in North and South Kivu as violence escalates: INGOs call for immediate action

    Source: Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)

    29 Jan 2025 – Press release from the International NGO Forum in the Democratic Republic of Congo

    International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) express their grave concern over consequences of ongoing combats in the city of Goma since Sunday, marked by the deployment of M23/AFC supported by Rwanda Defense Forces, and the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in North and South Kivu.

    Despite the challenges and forced sheltering in place of their staff, ready to provide urgently needed support, humanitarian NGOs remain committed to staying and delivering aid in North and South Kivu.

    Escalating fighting in and around Goma has engulfed densely populated areas, placing tens of thousands of civilians in immediate danger and direct harm. Active hostilities, including heavy artillery and small arms fire, have been reported in and around Goma’s outskirts. Relentless bombing and shelling have been heard in all neighborhoods, heightening fear among the local population and displaced communities alike.

    Multiple humanitarian compounds, including NGO offices, health centers, and warehouses, have been directly impacted by the fighting. Several humanitarian organizations have had their compounds shelled and entered by combatants. Military positions have been placed near humanitarian offices, including downtown areas. Several humanitarian facilities storing essential resources to support the population have been looted. Looting and shell impacts have further diminished aid stocks, hampering future service delivery. Essential civilian infrastructures, such as healthcare facilities, schools, and markets, are also attacked or under threat. All must be protected, as well as humanitarian workers, in accordance with international humanitarian law.

    In the three weeks leading to ongoing battle in Goma, intensifying conflict between the M23/AFC, the Congolese army and their allies had already displaced 400,000 new people, adding to the 4.6 million people already uprooted by years of violence in eastern DRC. Protection issues, including attacks on civilians, sexual violence, and human rights violations, have reached epidemic levels.

    In Goma and surroundings, the situation has reached a breaking point. The city, a vital hub for over 2 million people, including 696,650 internally displaced persons (IDPs), had already seen 30,000 additional displaced people arrive between January 6 and 22, with many more unaccounted for. While the situation in Goma is extremely tense, with INGOs forced to halt operations due to insecurity, organizations are preparing to respond to the growing humanitarian needs, despite already overstretched resources .

    Ongoing hostilities are forcing many families to abandon camps due to insecurity and regroup in the city or other overcrowded sites, further worsening their already precarious living conditions, with no safe space to go. Repeated attacks on critical infrastructure, including electrical grids, increasingly paralyze water supply systems, leaving the city without access to safe drinking water.

    As a central hub for humanitarian operations in the region, Goma plays a vital role in coordinating and delivering assistance across North and South Kivu and most of Eastern DRC. The ongoing conflict could have catastrophic consequences, overwhelming already strained resources, disrupting aid delivery, and jeopardizing the entire humanitarian response in the province.

    “Immediate diplomatic action is urgently needed. All parties to the conflict must uphold their obligations under international law to protect civilians from harm, ensuring their freedom of movements, and protection of humanitarian workers”, says Luc Lamprière, Director of DRC INGO Forum.”Humanitarians are there and ready. Safe and unhindered humanitarian access to deliver life-saving assistance must be an absolute priority to mitigate further deterioration of the crisis”, he adds.

    Gunfire near Goma Airport and overall security situation in other areas has led to the suspension of all flights, including humanitarian, further limiting the movement of humanitarian workers and relief supplies. Internet access is also severely impacted and often interrupted. In North and South Kivu, humanitarian access is now severely restricted due to widespread violence and insecurity, which have rendered many key routes impassable. Roads to critical areas such as Lubero are blocked by ongoing clashes and the presence of armed groups, cutting off vital aid supplies and leaving thousands without assistance.

    In Minova, South Kivu, since M23 took control of the city on January 21, stocks of essential medicines are rapidly depleting. While healthcare partners do their utmost to continue to provide critical services where possible, despite heavy artillery risks and proximity to frontline clashes, humanitarian access has been completely cut off. The delivery of essential goods such as food and medicines is close to impossible, and civilians are trapped without safe options for evacuation.

    Humanitarian organizations urgently call on all parties to the conflict to agree to the establishment of safe access to enable the resupply of critical medical and humanitarian supplies, safe civilian movement, and the rotation of humanitarian staff. Specifically, access in and out of Goma, and between Minova and Bukavu, must be prioritized to ensure life-saving assistance reaches affected populations.

    Donors must be prepared to mobilize humanitarian funding to address the immediate needs of affected populations and to support their long-term resilience. This includes providing food, shelter, water, healthcare, and protection services. The international community must act swiftly to prevent further suffering and ensure that the humanitarian response can meet the escalating needs.

    For further information on this communication, please contact: representante-goma@forumongirdc.org

    The INGO Forum in DRC is an independent body of over 124 international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). Forum members cover all the country’s provinces and work in all humanitarian, development, and peace-building sectors. Most INGOs members of the Forum have an active presence in Eastern DRC, including the provinces of North and South Kivu.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –