NewzIntel.com

Category: Gun Control

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mason City Woman Sentenced to Over Three Years in Federal Prison for Being a Drug User in Possession of Firearms

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

    A drug user who possessed firearms was sentenced November 1, 2024, to 37 months in federal prison.

    Brittany Graham, age 37, of Mason City, Iowa, received the sentence after a June 3, 2024, guilty plea to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms.  At the plea hearing, Graham admitted that, in August 2022, she possessed four handguns while she was an unlawful user of marijuana.  The evidence at sentencing showed that Graham had possessed seven handguns since 2018.  Other prohibited persons later possessed some of these guns, including a .357 magnum revolver that was seized from a felon in Chicago less than seven months after Graham purchased it.

    Graham was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Graham was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.   

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mason City Police Department, the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

    Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 23-3014.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Felon Sentenced for Possessing Firearms

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

    A man who was stopped for speeding and found in possession of several firearms was sentenced November 1, 2024, to more than three years in federal prison.

    Douglas Lynn Greer, age 41, from Fort Worth, Texas, received the prison term after a March 26, 2024, guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  At the guilty plea, Greer admitted he possessed four firearms in his car when he was stopped for speeding in Clayton, County, Iowa.  Greer had previously been convicted of the felony offenses of making terroristic threats and offering a forged check.

    Greer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Greer was sentenced to 40 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    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.

    Greer is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, the Clayton County Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-01002.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Narcotics and Loaded Glock .40 Used in Shooting Get Wilmington Career Offender 16 Years in Federal Prison

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

    WILMINGTON, N.C. – Desmond Antonio Hines, also known as “Head,” has been sentenced to 196 months after the 35-year-old was found guilty by a federal jury for illegal possession of a firearm, which ballistics showed was used in a shooting two months earlier.  Hines was sentenced for gun and drug charges and considered a career offender based on prior convictions for drug trafficking and assault, including a prior federal drug conviction.

    “Neighbors called 911 when they saw Hines ditch his loaded Glock .40 in a patch of the azaleas as he tried to dodge police.  Ballistics traced the gun to a recent shootout that left a popular area rapper dead,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr.  “A celebration of life for the rapper was shot up weeks later, leaving two men, a teen, and a 6-year-old boy shot.  Hines was just a small part the escalating patterns of crime and violence claiming far too many lives.  But neighbors have had enough.  And when neighbors start talking, the shooting starts stopping.”

    According to court records and evidence presented in court, on November 7, 2020, Wilmington Police stopped Hines for traffic violations. Upon approaching the car, the officer noticed an odor of marijuana and asked Hines to step out of the vehicle to conduct a search. A blunt and marijuana were found in the car and, during the search of Hines, the officer felt what he believed to be a metal object between the defendant’s legs. While the officer attempted to secure Hines in handcuffs, he tried to flee but was tackled by the officer. A subsequent search of Hines conducted at the police station uncovered a bag containing ten oxycodone pills and about 17 grams of crack cocaine. 

    On March 31, 2022, detectives attempted to arrest Hines on federal charges related to the November 7 incident. Officers surveilled him driving a new Chrysler minivan. During surveillance, officers lost sight of Hines after he made a series of evasive maneuvers. After officers located Hines and placed him into custody, 911 dispatch reported a call from area residents who saw a man matching Hines’ description and driving a minivan stop the vehicle, walk to a patch of azalea bushes, and toss something into the bushes before driving off. Upon pulling back the bushes, witnesses saw a firearm. When police responded to the scene, which was approximately half a mile from where Hines was arrested, they recovered a semi-automatic Glock 27 Gen 4 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine containing 20 live rounds of ammunition. Ten of those rounds were a distinctive, red-tipped round known as Hornady Critical Defense.  When executing a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, detectives found a box of the same ammunition, with ten rounds missing. Later, testing of the firearm confirmed that Hines’ DNA was present.  Ballistics traced the gun to the scene of a shootout two months earlier that left a man dead.

    Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and U.S. Attorney Michael Easley and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel prosecuted the case.

    The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP), a collaborative effort of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies working with the community to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, interagency coordination, and intelligence-led policing.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.7:22-cr-36-M.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PDS Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution

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

                WASHINGTON – Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, 29, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large quantities of marijuana in the District of Columbia.

                The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Special Agent David Geist 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).

                Hawkins, aka “Shitty,” was a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) and Jugg Gang (JG) street crews. He pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of marijuana. Hawkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. A sentencing hearing is set for March 7, 2025.

                As part of his plea, Hawkins admitted to possessing a firearm as part of the offense and further admitted to using Instagram to sell marijuana. According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast and operated an open-air drug market outside a market at 3509 Wheeler Road, Southeast. In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG,” that included Hawkins. The combined gang also conspired to use, carry, and possess firearms – including machine guns – to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom PDS had “beefs.”

                This plea is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 23 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.

    Hawkins after his arrest on March 11, 2023, on the 2700 block of Shipleley Terrace, Southeast. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fraudulent Tax Preparer Sentenced to Ten Years on Federal Charges

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

    ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke woman who prepared and filed false tax returns for others, committed wire fraud, distributed fentanyl, and illegally sold firearms, was sentenced last week to 120 months in federal prison.

    Alisha Warrick, 40, pled guilty in November 2023 to filing a false and fictitious claim against the United States, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, distribution of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

    According to court documents, beginning in 2015 and continuing at least through 2019, Warrick prepared and filed tax returns for other individuals, and she deliberately included false and fraudulent information in the tax returns. As part of this scheme, Warrick would “boost” the tax returns she filed on behalf of other individuals by including false employment and wage information or false information about the named filer’s dependents, or both. Warrick knew the information was false when she submitted the tax returns.

    Warrick also filed tax returns for certain individuals without their knowledge, and used those individuals’ names and personal identifying information to file the tax returns.

    While on bond pending trial, Warrick arranged with a confidential informant to sell the informant heroin (which later testing showed to contain fentanyl), and two firearms, one of which was connected to a prior fatal shooting in the Roanoke area.

    United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanagh and Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement today.

    The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Jones and Kelly McGann prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sarasota Man Sentenced To Nine Years For Possessing A Firearm And Ammunition As A Convicted Felon

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

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced John Lewis (34, Sarasota) to nine years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Lewis to forfeit a HS Produkt (a/k/a “IM Metal”) 9mm model XDS pistol and assorted ammunition, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Lewis entered a guilty plea on August 6, 2024.

    According to court documents, at approximately 2 a.m. on November 30, 2023, a deputy with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office observed an SUV being driven by Lewis run a red light while traveling more than 100 mph. Despite running over stop sticks deployed by law enforcement, Lewis continued driving recklessly at a high rate of speed. Lewis then lost control of the SUV while going over the south bridge near the Isle of Venice and crashed, coming to a stop in the middle of the bridge. Lewis then fled from the SUV and jumped off the bridge, losing a sandal in the process. Lewis landed on the Venetian Waterway Trail instead of in the Venetian Waterway and continued to flee from law enforcement despite sustaining injuries from the impact. A matching sandal and a black semi-automatic firearm containing four rounds of live ammunition were located on the Venetian Waterway Trail and Lewis was located nearby in a shed. Forensic testing further corroborated Lewis’s possession of the firearm.

    Lewis has previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon or ammunition by a juvenile delinquent, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, grand theft of a firearm, possession of cocaine, interference with child custody, and fleeing or attempting to elude. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Venice Police Department, and the North Port Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brooke M. Padgett.

    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 USA: Florida Man Indicted for Posting Threats on the Internet

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    An indictment was unsealed charging Nathaniel James Holmes, 51, of Jacksonville, Florida, with four counts of transmitting interstate threats to injury other persons. If convicted on all counts, Holmes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

    According to the indictment, on four dates in October, Holmes transmitted threats to injure others, including threats to kill three particular victims, the children of one victim, and Jewish and African American individuals generally. A federal grand jury charged Holmes in a sealed indictment on Oct. 24. He was arrested on Nov. 1, made his initial appearance in court, and ordered detained pending a competency evaluation.

    The FBI; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly S. Milliron and Michael J. Coolican for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: McKeesport Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

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

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 31, 2024, to 33 months in prison for violating federal firearm laws and conditions of his federal supervised release, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

    Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Jared Abraham Ogrosky, 26, also ordering Ogrosky to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

    Ogrosky previously pleaded guilty in this case to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon on March 12, 2024. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Additionally, Ogrosky admitted to violating several conditions of his supervised release following his earlier convictions for trafficking in heroin and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    United States Attorney Olshan commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Allegheny County District Attorney Narcotics Enforcement Team; and U.S. Marshals Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ogrosky.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Freddie “Bankroll Freddie” Gladney, III Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison Following Guilty Verdict at Jury Trial on Firearm and Drug Trafficking Charges

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

          LITTLE ROCK—Freddie “Bankroll Freddie” Gladney, III, will spend the next 150 months in federal prison after being convicted of multiple narcotics offenses, including a firearms offense, which involved a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana in and around central Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.

          Following a four-day trial, Gladney, 30, of Helena, was convicted by a federal jury on April 12, 2024. The jury found Gladney guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of using a telephone in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

          In addition to the 150 months’ total imprisonment, which is more than twelve years, Judge Moody sentenced Gladney to three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Gladney was also ordered to pay a $242,000 money judgment as part of his conviction. 

          Gladney was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 3, 2023, in a 32-count superseding indictment that charged him with numerous offenses related to a conspiracy that was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

          Two FBI operations, each focused on a rival gang, were created to address violence and drug trafficking in the corridor between Pine Bluff and Little Rock. The investigations focused on rival gangs responsible for violence throughout central Arkansas, with one operation focused on the EBK or Every Body Killas gang and resulting in the indictment of 35 defendants.

          An investigation revealed that on April 14, 2022, an Arkansas State Police trooper observed a black truck speeding and conducted a traffic stop in Marion. The trooper noted the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and asked Gladney to exit the vehicle. Gladney began to exit the vehicle but then reentered and started reaching for something in the vehicle. Because Gladney refused to exit the vehicle, the trooper was forced to remove him.

          During a search of Gladney’s vehicle, law enforcement officers located in the passenger seat near the area where Gladney had been reaching, a Romarm/Cugie Model Micro Draco 7.62x39mm caliber firearm and a Polymer 80 Model PF940C, 9mm privately made firearm (also known as a “ghost gun”). Additionally, during a search of the back seat of the vehicle, law enforcement officers located a duffle bag containing 21.4 pounds of high-grade marijuana and $33,662, which was located in the center console along with seven magazines, five of which were extended and fully loaded.

          At sentencing, Gladney received a 4-level increase for being an organizer or leader of criminal activity that involved five or more participants. Gladney received a 2-level increase in his guideline range for obstruction of justice related to a May 25, 2021, wiretap call in which he instructed a codefendant to remove guns and scales used for weighing illegal drugs from his Helena residence in anticipation that it would be searched by law enforcement. 

    GLADNEY III:           So where, what you got in the house in Helena?

    CODEFENDANT:     I got everything out of there.

    GLADNEY III:           You got everything out of there already?

    CODEFENDANT:     Yeah.

    GLADNEY III:           Scales and everything?

    CODEFENDANT:     Naw, I gotta, gotta, lemme call them. Send em back in to get that. I gotta find out where all they at.

    GLADNEY III:           Scales and shit. Get everything out the house. Any guns, anything.

    CODEFENDANT:     Alright, let me..

    GLADNEY III:           Where that MAK-90 at?

    CODEFENDANT:     It’s not there.

    GLADNEY III:           Alright get everything else out that house before they go search that b***h.

    CODEFENDANT:     Alright.

          Judge Moody cited the ghost gun in increasing Gladney’s sentence 2.5 years above the guidelines range. Judge Moody noted that based on trial testimony, it was apparent that Gladney’s ghost gun, which did not have a back plate, was either ready to receive a “switch,” or had recently had a “switch” on it, that would turn the ghost gun from a semi-automatic firearm to a fully-automatic firearm. Judge Moody also recognized that Gladney was on probation from a drug and gun case in Memphis at the time he was intercepted on the wiretap in this case. 

          This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

          The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, Little Rock Police Department, North Little Rock Police Department, Pine Bluff Police Department, and Jonesboro Police Department. FBI’s GETROCK Task Force was formed in 2017 in response to the escalation in gang and gun violence in Little Rock. The unit’s investigations and operations are coordinated out of FBI Little Rock’s field office, and GETROCK continues to serve as the clearinghouse for gang-related law enforcement activity in Central Arkansas. Additional support was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Inspection Service; Arkansas National Guard Counterdrug Joint Task Force; and the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters, Amanda Fields, and Reese Lancaster.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas City Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Fentanyl Conspiracy

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in the deaths of three persons.

    Luis Manuel Morales, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

    On May 8, 2024, Morales pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    Morales admitted that he was a source of supply of fentanyl pills for co-defendant Tiger Dean Draggoo, 24, of Kansas City, Mo. On occasion, Draggoo also served as a source of supply of fentanyl pills for Morales. Morales also introduced Draggoo to additional sources of fentanyl pills.

    Morales sold at least 1,764 pills to Draggoo over 15 separate transactions from Jan. 17 to Oct. 29, 2022, for which he was paid $2,320 through Cash App and an additional amount in cash. Morales also purchased at least 100 fentanyl pills from Draggoo during this time period, for which he paid $750. In total, those 1,864 pills contained approximately 205 grams of fentanyl.

    Morales and Draggoo conspired to conceal and disguise the nature of the transfer of funds through Cash App by referring to the payments as “rent,” “food clothes,” “clothes,” “food and beer,” “food,” “apt rent,” “reimbursement for mechanic,” and “reimbursement car payment.”

    Morales was on probation at the time that he was supplying Dragoo with fentanyl pills, following his guilty plea in state court to attempted armed robbery after he and another person robbed a victim at gunpoint.

    Morales is the first defendant in this case to be sentenced. On Oct. 16, 2024, Draggoo pleaded guilty to his role in the fentanyl conspiracy and to three counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. Five additional defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Belton, Mo., Police Department, the Raymore, Mo., Police Department, the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Bleichroeder Acquisition Corp. I Completes $250,000,000 Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NY, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bleichroeder Acquisition Corp. I (the “Company”) announced today the closing of its initial public offering of 25,000,000 units. The offering was priced at $10.00 per unit, resulting in gross proceeds of $250,000,000.

    The Company’s units began trading on November 1, 2024 on the Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) under the ticker symbol “BACQU.” Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share of the Company and one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Class A ordinary share upon the consummation of the Company’s initial business combination. Once the securities constituting the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and rights are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “BACQ” and “BACQR,” respectively.

    Of the proceeds received from the consummation of the initial public offering and a simultaneous private placement of units, $250,000,000 (or $10.00 per unit sold in the offering) was placed in a trust account of the Company.

    The Company is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business or industry. The Company’s primary focus, however, will be on businesses in the technology, media and telecommunications (“TMT”) sector as well as sectors that are being transformed via technology adoption. The Company’s management team is led by its Co-Founders, Michel Combes and Andrew Gundlach, and Robert Folino, its Chief Financial Officer. The Board also includes Nazim Cetin, Joseph Samuels, Kathy Savitt, Antoine Theysset, and Pierre Weinstein.

    Cohen & Company Capital Markets acted as lead book-running manager for the offering. Seaport Global Securities acted as co-book runner.

    The offering was made by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from Cohen & Company Capital Markets, 3 Columbus Circle, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10019, Attention: Prospectus Department, or by email at: capitalmarkets@cohencm.com.

    A registration statement relating to the securities was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on October 31, 2024. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the proposed initial public offering and the anticipated use of the net proceeds thereof. No assurance can be given that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

    Company Contact:

    Bleichroeder Acquisition Corp. I
    1345 Avenue of the Americas, 47th Floor
    New York, NY 10105
    Attn: Robert Folino
    (o) 212.984.3835
    robert.folino@bspac1.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Law Enforcement Officers Join Students for A Day of Learning

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

    BLAST
    (Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community)
    The BLAST Program Brings Law Enforcement and Communities Together

    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – The United States Attorney’s Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, and Leon High School will present a BLAST event at Leon High School on Thursday, November 7. The BLAST event offers students an opportunity to meet and ask questions of prosecutors and law enforcement officers. The program is based on the belief that young people and law enforcement officers can benefit from spending time together discussing challenges and perspectives on law enforcement to reach a better understanding of each other. This productive interaction enhances relationships and replaces doubt with familiarity and trust.

    During the three-hour program, law enforcement officers share the challenges in responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the actions officers and civilians can take to de-escalate situations.

    Agencies participating in the program include the ATF, DEA, FBI, United States Marshals Service, and the Tallahassee Police Department.

    Members of the media are welcome to attend and photograph/video most segments of the BLAST (Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community) program.

    Event: BLAST
    (Building Lasting Relationships Between Law Enforcement and Community)
    Location: Leon High School
    550 East Tennessee Street
    Tallahassee, FL 32308

    Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024

    Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. EST

    Media: Please RSVP to chris.canova@usdoj.gov if you plan to attend.

    The BLAST program schedule includes the following discussion sessions, during which students have a chance to participate in role-play with law enforcement officers. (Students with media permissions will be identified)

    • Federal Crimes Scenario: Students evaluate video scenarios and learn about each phase of a federal criminal case, including investigation, prosecution, and sentencing. This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

    • Domestic Response / K-9 Demonstration: Students participate in a scenario in which law enforcement officers respond to a domestic disturbance. The discussion includes the challenges officers face, the rights of witnesses and suspects, and the benefits of providing information to law enforcement. Officers explain the role and capabilities of police K9s. This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

    • Traffic Stop Simulation: Students and officers alternate playing the roles of civilians and officers in a traffic stop. The discussion includes de-escalation and the uncertainty officers and vehicle occupants face during a traffic stop. This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

    • Use of Force: Facilitators and students discuss when law enforcement officers may use force and an officer’s reaction time when confronted with a life-threatening situation. This session is closed to the media. Reporters may try the simulator equipment after the event ends.

    • The Way Forward – Returning from Prison: A formerly incarcerated individual shares his journey from prison to a productive citizen.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Keen Sword 25: Supporting the Joint-Bilateral Air Defense Kill Chain Across Japan

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan  –  

    38th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade deployed several units to strategic air defense positions across Honshu, Japan in support of Keen Sword 25 (KS25), demonstrating the capability to help create and support a joint and bilateral Air Defense network between U.S. joint forces and allies.

    KS25 was a joint-bilateral field training exercise held Oct. 23-Nov. 1 at multiple bases across Japan, demonstrating and strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance during the largest iteration of the exercise since its inception in 1986; it included participants from the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), Australian Defence Force (ADF), Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and U.S. service members from each of the joint services.

    To support KS25, Delta Battery, 1st Battalion, 1st ADA Regiment (1-1 ADA) 38th ADA Brigade deployed to Misawa Air Base, equipped with a Patriot Minimum Engagement Package (MEP) – everything needed for a MIM-104 Patriot air defense system to successfully engage an air defense threat.

    “The expeditionary deployment of a Patriot MEP to Misawa Air Base, and the validation of our ability to integrate into the joint kill chain for air defense,” said Maj. Robert Knaibel, the 1-1 ADA Battalion Operations Officer, “is a key part of (1-1 ADA’s)  mission – even if that mission takes us all the way across Japan, we’re still able to support rapid deployment and emplacement through our batteries… Testing those capabilities regularly, in real conditions, is key.”

    While Delta Battery was emplacing their Patriot MEP at Misawa Air Base for the start of KS25 on Oct. 23, senior Air Defense Artillery Fire Control Officer (ADAFCO) teams had already integrated at key Air Defense Commands, including Yokota and Misawa Air Bases. There, the ADAFCO teams use their knowledge of tactics procedures to integrate Army Air Defense assets in joint and bilateral Air and Missile Defense engagement operations.

    “The great thing with these exercises is training with both a joint and combined force,” said Capt. Frederick Breslow, who was serving in the exercise as the U.S. Army’s Regional Air Defense Commander (RADC) on Yokota Air Base. “Coordinating with our allies, despite the challenges… that’s where we learn the most in these exercises.” Breslow added that, thanks to lessons learned during KS25, the RADC are already working to improve their procedures in preparation for future exercises.

    Another team of ADAFCO Soldiers worked on-location with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. “On Misawa Air Base, we coordinated with the Misawa Direction Center to plan and carry out joint and bilateral air defense engagements,” said Staff Sgt. Thomas Zmyewski, an ADA Fire Control Assistant (FCA) with 38th ADA Brigade. “That’s when we bring each force’s tactics, techniques, procedures and capabilities to maximize their effectiveness – for example, which force has the best engagement odds for an incoming air threat.”

    Zmyewski believes testing this team-based planning and communication is the best way to strengthen partnerships and prepare for real-world application. “Our ADA FCAs always benefit from these exercises, because we learn how to work with our partners under those realistic conditions, learn from each other’s strengths,” Zmyewski stated.

    While deployed to Misawa Air Base, the Soldiers of Delta Battery conducted validation training and Table VIII Gunnery evaluations, improving their proficiency with their systems, including rapid Patriot emplacement, rapid reloading of interceptors, operation of missile-defense radar systems and other core competencies; each crew’s proficiency in these tasks are tested during annual Table VIII gunnery certifications. These evaluations proved both the battery’s equipment and crews could operate effectively under field conditions immediately following a rapid deployment, while simultaneously integrating with ongoing joint and bilateral operations between all U.S. services and our allies.

    “Delta Battery – in Okinawa – is my first duty station, and this is my third exercise,” said Spc. Alexander Noel, a Patriot Launching Station Enhanced Operator/Maintainer with Delta Battery, “and so far it’s been the best – we’ve gotten so much accomplished, a lot of good hands-on training; it’s been a really good experience.”

    “Everything is muscle memory,” explained Spc. Malek James, a Patriot Launching Station Enhanced Operator/Maintainer with Delta Battery. “This is my first exercise, with my first unit, and it started stressful, having to certify on every single task at once, but… that’s what’s good about doing (these tasks) in the field – you build that muscle memory, you don’t have to think about what to do next, you just do it. Then it’s all just muscle memory.”

    Keen Sword 25 is a significant initiative that helps build warfighting readiness, enhances tactics, techniques, and procedures across a wide range of military operations, and strengthens national sovereignty and a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    (U.S. Army story by Sgt. Connor Davis)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Mainland college students invited to visit Taiwan

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Taiwan-based Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation announced Monday that it plans to invite 40 faculty members and students from seven mainland universities to visit the island, following a successful visit of mainland college students in 2023.
    The visit is scheduled to take place from Nov. 27 for nine days and eight nights, said Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the foundation, at a press conference, adding that the foundation will submit applications to relevant authorities and hopes for swift approval to facilitate the visit.
    The mainland students and teachers will be from Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhejiang University, Fujian Normal University and Beijing Sport University. The students will include Olympic champions, table tennis gold medalist Ma Long from Beijing Sport University, and shooting gold medalist Yang Qian from Tsinghua University, Hsiao said.
    They will visit six universities in Taiwan, including Taiwan University, Tsing Hua University in Hsinchu, Chengchi University, Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Chinese Culture University in Taiwan, and Chang Gung University, as well as the Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School, he said.
    The itinerary will also include visits to scenic spots such as Sun Moon Lake so that mainland students will have an in-depth understanding of Taiwan’s history and natural beauty. Additionally, the foundation will arrange baseball experience activities, allowing mainland students to engage firsthand with Taiwan’s popular baseball culture.
    This is the second such visit planned by the foundation. In 2023, faculty members and students from five mainland universities were warmly received across Taiwan, positively impacting cross-Strait relations.
    In 2023 and 2024, Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, also led youth groups from Taiwan on visits to the mainland.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Stage set for 76th Republic Day Celebrations at Kartavya Path

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Stage set for 76th Republic Day Celebrations at Kartavya Path

    Indonesian President Mr Prabowo Subianto to be the Chief Guest

    The ceremony to showcase India’s rich cultural diversity, unity, equality, development & military prowess; Special focus on 75 years of enactment of the Constitution

    Around 10,000 Special Guests from different walks of life to witness the parade

    31 Tableaux to roll down Kartavya Path on the theme ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas’; In a first, a Tri-services tableau to display the spirit of jointness & integration among the Armed Forces

    Cultural performance by 5,000 artists to cover entire Kartavya Path for the first time

    Posted On: 25 JAN 2025 2:58PM by PIB Delhi

    President Smt Droupadi Murmu will lead the Nation in celebrating the 76th Republic Day from Kartavya Path in New Delhi on January 26, 2025. With special focus on 75 years of enactment of the Constitution and Jan Bhagidari, the celebrations this year will be a unique blend of India’s rich cultural diversity, unity, equality, development and military prowess. President of the Republic of Indonesia Mr Prabowo Subianto will be the Chief Guest.

    Around 10,000 Special Guests have been invited to witness the parade, in line with the Government’s objective to increase ‘Jan Bhagidari’ in events of national importance. These Special Guests from different walks of life are the architects of ‘Swarnim Bharat’. They include best performers in various fields and those who have made best use of the schemes of the Government.

    The parade

    The Republic Day parade will start at 1030 hrs and run for a duration of approx. 90 minutes. The ceremony will commence with the visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. Thereafter, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path to witness the parade.

    The arrival of the President of India and her Indonesian counterpart will be escorted by the President’s Bodyguard, the senior most Regiment of the Indian Army. The two Presidents will arrive in the ‘Traditional Buggy’, the practice which made a comeback in 2024 after a gap of 40 years.

    As per tradition, the National Flag will be unfurled followed by the National Anthem with a thunderous 21-gun salute using 105-mm Light Field Guns, an indigenous weapon system. 

    The parade will be heralded by 300 cultural artists playing ‘Sare Jahan Se Achha’ with musical instruments of different parts of the country. This indigenous mix of instruments would resonate with the melody, beat and hopes of a billion Indians hearts. The ensemble of instruments includes Shehnai, Sundari, Nadaswaram, Been, Mashak Been, Ransingha – Rajasthan, Flute, Karadi Majalu, Mohuri, Sankha, Tutari, Dhol, Gong, Nishan, Chang, Tasha, Sambal, Chenda, Idakka, Lezim, Thavil, Gudum Baza, Talam and Monbah.

    Showering of flower petals will be carried out by Mi-17 1V helicopters from 129 Helicopter Unit in the Dhwaj Formation. Trooping the National Flag, this formation of helicopters will be led by Group Captain Alok Ahlawat.

    The parade will then begin with the President taking the salute. The parade will be commanded by Parade Commander Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, a second-generation officer. Major General Sumit Mehta, Chief of Staff, HQ Delhi Area will be the Parade Second-in-Command.

    The proud winners of the highest gallantry awards will follow. They include Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav (Retd) & Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar (Retd), and Ashok Chakra winner Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (Retd). The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for the most conspicuous act of bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy, while the Ashok Chakra is awarded for similar acts of valour and self-sacrifice but, other than, in the face of the enemy.

     

    Indonesian Contingent

    Kartavya Path will be witness to a march past by the Marching Contingent of Indonesian National Armed Forces and Military Band of Indonesia’s Military Academy. The marching contingent will consist of 152 members, with 190 members in the military band.

     

    Indian Army Contingent

    The first Army contingent leading the Mounted Column will be of 61 Cavalry, led by Lt Ahaan Kumar. Raised in 1953, the 61 Cavalry is the only serving active Horsed Cavalry Regiment in the world, with the amalgamation of all the ‘State Horsed Cavalry Units’. It will be followed by nine Mechanised Columns and nine marching contingents.

    Tank T-90 (Bhishma); NAG Missile System along with BMP-2 Sarath; BrahMos; Pinaka Multi-launcher Rocket System, Agnibaan Multi-barrel Rocket Launcher; Akash Weapon System; Integrated Battlefield Surveillance System; All-Terrain Vehicle (Chetak), Light Specialist Vehicle (Bajrang), Vehicle Mounted Infantry Mortar System (Airawat), Quick Reaction Force Vehicles (Nandighosh & Tripurantak) and Short-Span Bridging System will also be on display at the Kartavya Path.

    Marching down the Kartavya Path will be the contingents of Brigade of the Guards, The Jat Regiment, The Garhwal Rifles, The Mahar Regiment, The Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Regiment, the Corps of Signals, among others.

     

    Tri-Services Tableau

    For the first time, a Tri-services tableau will roll down on Kartavya Path, displaying the spirit of jointness and integration. With the theme ‘Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat’, the tableau will depict a Joint Operations Room facilitating networking and communication among the  three Services. It would display a battlefield scenario demonstrating a synchronised operation in land, water and air with the indigenous Arjun Main Battle Tank, Tejas MKII fighter aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter, destroyer INS Visakhapatnam & a Remotely Piloted Aircraft, reflecting the Tri-services synergy in multi-domain operations. These platforms exemplify the vision to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence.

     

    Veterans’ Tableau

    Another highlight would be the Veterans’ Tableau on the theme ‘Viksit Bharat ki Ore Sadaiv Agrasar’, a heartfelt tribute to the unwavering spirit of our veterans, who are the symbols of discipline, resilience, and unyielding dedication.

    Adding to the display of honor will be the esteemed veterans who have brought glory to India in sports. Among them are Padma Shri awardees Subedar Murlikant Petkar, whose story inspired the Bollywood film Chandu Champion, and Honorary Captain Jitu Rai. Arjuna and Khel Ratna awardees Colonel Balbir Singh Kular, Captain (IN) Homi Motivala, Master Chief Petty Officer Tajinder Toor, Master Warrant Officer Ram Mehar Singh, and Wing Commander Gurmeet Sandhu will also be present.

    Representing Nari Shakti will be veteran women officers from all three services – Lieutenant Colonel Ravinderjeet Randhawa, Lieutenant Commander Mani Agarwal, and Flight Lieutenant Ruchi Saha, showcasing the pivotal role of women in shaping our armed forces.

     

    Indian Navy Contingent

    The Indian Navy contingent will consist of 144 personnel, led by Lt Cdr Sahil Ahluwalia as Contingent Commander and Lt Cdr Indresh Choudhary, Lt Cdr Kajal Anil Bharani & Lt Devender as Platoon Commanders. It will be followed by the Naval Tableau, depicting a strong ‘Aatmanirbhar’ Navy capable of protecting India’s maritime interests.

    The tableau showcases the newly-commissioned indigenous frontline state-of-the-art combatants including the Destroyer INS Surat, Frigate INS Nilgiri and Submarine INS Vaghsheer, highlighting India’s rapid progress in indigenous warship design and construction and reinforcing Indian Navy’s commitment to build a robust and self-sufficient defence eco system.

     

    Indian Air Force Contingent

    The Indian Air Force contingent will comprise four officers and 144 personnel, led by Sqn Ldr Mahender Singh Garati, with Flt Lt Nepo Moirangthem, Flt Lt Damini Deshmukh & Fg Offr Abhinav Gorsi being supernumerary officers. It will be followed by a fly-past by three MiG-29 aircraft in ‘Baaz Formation’.

     

    Indian Coast Guard

    The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) contingent will be led by Deputy Commandant Navita Thakran followed by three officers of the guard – Deputy Commandant Sumit Kumar, Deputy Commandant Pankaj Saini and Assistant Commandant Priya Balurkar.

    It will be followed by a tableau of ICG focussing on coastal security and maritime search and rescue. The theme is ‘Swarnim Bharat: Heritage and Progress’.

     

    DRDO Tableau & Equipment

    DRDO will display some path-breaking innovations for national security during the parade. The DRDO Tableau, with the theme ‘Raksha Kavach – Multi-layer Protection against Multi-domain Threats’ will feature Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile; Airborne Early Warning & Control System; 155 mm/52 Cal Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System; Drone Detect, Deter & Destroy; Satellite-Based Surveillance System; Medium Power Radar – Arudhra; Advanced Light Weight Torpedo; Electronic Warfare System – Dharashakti; Laser-Based Directed Energy Weapon; Very Short Range Air Defence System; Indigenous Unmanned Aerial System; V/UHF Manpack Software Defined Radio for Land Forces; Indigenous Secure Satellite Phone and UGRAM Assault Rifle.

    Apart from this, DRDO’s major landmarks of 2024 will also be showcased in the tableau posters namely Long Range Hypersonic Anti-Ship Missile; Light Weight Bullet Proof Jacket ‘ABHED’; Divyastra – Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle; ‘Zorawar’ Light Tank and the Dornier Mid-Life Upgrade with radar, Electronic Warfare System, Software Defined Radio etc.

     

    Contingents of paramilitary & other auxiliary civil forces

    Among the contingents marching down the Kartavya Path will be a 148-member all-women marching contingent of Central Reserve Police Force, led by Assistant Commandant Aishwarya Joy M. The marching contingent of Railway Protection Force will be led by Divisional Security Commissioner Aditya.

    The Assam Rifles contingent will be led by Captain Karanveer Singh Kumbhavat of 29 Assam Rifles. It will comprise soldiers recruited from all over the country.

    The Delhi Police marching contingent will be led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishi Kumar Singh. The Delhi Police all-women band will be participating for the second time, led by Band Master Ruyangunuo Kense.

    The Camel contingent of Border Security Force will be under the command of Deputy Commandant Manohar Singh Kheechee.

    The all-girls marching contingent of NCC – SW (Girls) – will be led by Senior Under Officer Ekta Kumari of Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate. The all-boys marching contingent – SD (Boys) – will be led by Senior Under Officer Prasad Prakash Waikul of Maharashtra Directorate. The National Service Scheme (NSS) marching contingent of 148 volunteers will be led by Mr Deepak from Punjab.

     

    Tableaux

    Tableaux from 16 State Government/Union Territories and 10 Ministries/Departments of the Central Government highlighting ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas’, will participate in the parade this year. These tableaux would showcase India’s diverse strengths and its constantly-evolving cultural inclusiveness marching into a glorious future. The details of the participating tableaux of States/UTs are as follows:

    States/UTs

    Cultural Heritage of Goa

    Uttarakhand

     

    Uttarakhand: Cultural Heritage and Adventure Sports

    Haryana

     

    Showcasing Bhagwad Gita

    Jharkhand

     

    Swarnim Jharkhand: A Legacy of Heritage and Progress

    Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas

    Andhra Pradesh
     

    Etikoppaka Bommalu- Eco-Friendly Wooden Toys

    Punjab as the land of knowledge and wisdom

    Uttar Pradesh

    Mahakumbh 2025 – Swarnim Bharat Virasat aur Vikas

    Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas (Nalanda Vishwavidyalya)

    Madhya Pradesh
     

    Madhya Pradesh’s Glory: Kuno National park- The land of CHeetahs

    Tripura

     

    Eternal Reverence: The worship of 14 Deities in Tripura – Kharchi Puja

    Karnataka

     

    Lakkundi: Cradle of Stone craft

    West Bengal

    The ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ & ‘Lok Prasar Prakalpa’ – Empowering Lives and Fostering Self-Reliance in Bengal

    Chandigarh

    Chandigarh: A Harmonious Blend of Heritage, Innovation and Sustainability

    Quality Education

    Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

    Daman Aviary Bird Park along with Kukri Memorial- a tribute to the valiant sailors of the Indian Navy

    The details of tableaux of Ministries/Departments are as follows:

    Departments/Ministries

    Department of Social Justice and Empowerment

    The Constitution of India, a cornerstone of our Virasat (Heritage), Vikas and Path-Pradarshak

    Ministry of Tribal Affairs

    Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh

    Ministry of Women & Child Development

    Multifaceted journey of women and children nurtured under the Ministry’s comprehensive schemes

    Ministry of New & Renewable Energy

    Swarnim Bharat: Heritage and Development

    Ministry of Rural Development

    Lakhpati Didi

    Department of Financial Services

    India’s remarkable journey in financial evolution

    Ministry of Earth Sciences (IMD)

    Modern Science forecasting extreme weather conditioning- saving lives and livelihood

    Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying

    Golden India Heritage and Development Honouring India’s Indigenous Bovine Breeds as Icons of Sustainable Rural Growth

    Ministry of Culture

    Swarnim Bharat: Heritage and Development

    75 Years of Constitution of India through flower tableau

             

    Cultural Performance

    This year, 5,000 artists in a title of ‘Jayati Jaya Mamaḧ Bharatam’ will perform over 45 dance forms from different part of the country in a 11-minute cultural performance. For the first time, the performance will cover the entire Kartavya Path – from Vijay Chowk to C hexagon – to ensure that all guests get the same viewing experience.

     

    Motorcycle Display

    The Corps of Signals Motorcycle Rider Display Team, famously known as ‘The Dare Devils’, will carry out breath-taking stunts during the motorcycle display. The team will showcase their bravery and determination through a number of formations, including Bullet Salute, Tank Top, Double Jimmy, Devils Down, Ladder Salute, Shatrujeet, Shraddhanjali, Mercury Peak, Info Warriors, Lotus and Human Pyramid.

     

    Fly-past

    One of the most eagerly-awaited events of the parade, the ‘Fly-past’ will witness a breath-taking air show by 40 aircraft/helicopters – 22 fighter jets, 11 transport aircraft and seven helicopters – of IAF. These include Rafale, Su-30, Jaguar, C-130, C-295, C-17, AWACS, Dornier-228 & An-32 aircraft and Apache & Mi-17 helicopters. They will display a variety of formations including Dhwaj, Ajay, Satluj, Rakshak, Arjan, Netra, Bheem, Amrit, Vajrang, Trishul and Vijay. The concluding Vertical Charlie maneuver will be performed by a Rafale fighter aircraft.

    The ceremony will culminate with the national anthem and the release of balloons carrying banners with the official logo depicting 75 years of enactment of the Constitution in both English and Hindi.

    A number of unique activities have been carried out as part of the celebrations. These include:

     

    Rashtraparv Portal & Mobile App

    ‘Rashtraparv Portal’ portal and mobile App (Apple play and Msewa) have been launched to facilitate access to information related to national events such as Republic Day, Beating Retreat Ceremony, Independence Day; live streaming, purchase of tickets, provide information related to seating arrangements & route-maps of events etc.

     

    Ease of Access

     

    • Metro Services: Free Metro ride will be provided to Invitees/Ticket holders of RDP-2025 at entry point of the Metro Stations across Delhi. Delhi Metro operations will begin at 4:00 AM on January 26, 2025 across Delhi. Parking spaces of Delhi Metro in Across Delhi will be opened on chargeable basis at regular rates.
    • Park and Ride Scheme: Park and Ride Scheme will be available. Under this scheme, invitees will park their vehicle at Palika Parking, Connaught Place and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium’s parking area (Gate -14 & 15). From there, they can avail the ferry services (pick and drop) through the hired DTC buses. The ferry services will start at 6:00 AM and stop at 8:30 AM.
    • All enclosures are accessible and Divyang friendly with ramp facility. There will also be youth volunteers from NCC with wheelchairs for assistance.
    • Although the list of prohibited items are communicated well in advance, a cloak room facility will also be available.

     

    Special Guests

    Approximately 10,000 Special Guests in 34 categories, including the Sarpanches from villages excelling in key government schemes, have been invited as Special Guests to witness the parade this year. Details are as follows:

     

    S No

    Category

    No of Guests
    1.  

    Sarpanches

    500
    1.  

    Sarpanches from top performing village

    200
    1.  

    Disaster Relief Workers

    300
    1.  

    Guests from Vibrant Villages

    300
    1.  

    Best performing Water Warriors

    400
    1.  

    Primary Agriculture Credit (PAC) Societies

    200
    1.  

    Pani Samitee

    400
    1.  

    Community Resource Person (Krishi Sakhi, Udhyog Sakhi etc.)

    400

     
    1.  

    SHG members

    200
    1.  

    Trainees of DGT got training under National Skill Development Corporation

    200
    1.  

    PM YASASVI Scheme

    400
    1.  

    Forest & Wildlife conservation volunteers/workers

    200
    1.  

    Handloom Artisans

    200
    1.  

    Handicraft Artisans

    200
    1.  

    Special Achievers and Tribal beneficiaries of various schemes

    500

     
    1.  

    ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist)

    500
    1.  

    Mann Ki Baat Participants

    400
    1.  

    My Bharat Volunteers

    400
    1.  

    Paralympic Contingent & winners of International Sports events

    200
    1.  

    Agriculture Infrastructure Fund scheme, Farmers Producing Organisation, Padma Awardee Farmers, PMKISAN, PMFBY, PMKSY

    800
    1.  

    PM Surya Ghar Yojna

    400
    1.  

    Renewable Energy workers

    200
    1.  

    Beneficiaries of PM KUSUM scheme

    200
    1.  

    Anganwadi Workers

    400

    		  
    1.  

    Road Construction Workers

    300
    1.  

    Best Start-Ups

    100
    1.  

    Best Patent Holders

    100
    1.  

    PM-VISHWAKARMA yojana Beneficiaries

    200
    1.  

    PM Matasya Sampada Yojana Beneficiaries

    200
    1.  

    Rashtriya Gokul Mission beneficiaries

    200
    1.  

    Guests from North Eastern States

    200
    1.  

    Foreign Cadets of Youth Exchange Programme/NCC

    250

    		  
    1.  

    Finalist of the National School Band Competition

    600

    		  
    1.  

    Winners of Veer Gatha 4.0

    100

    		  

     

    Beating Retreat Ceremony

    RDC comes to a close with the ‘Beating Retreat Ceremony’, which is held every year on the 29th January at Vijay Chowk. It marks a centuries old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms, withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the Retreat. Colours and Standards are cased and flags lowered. During the Beating Retreat Ceremony 2025, only Indian Tunes will be played by all the participating bands.

     

    Bharat Parv

    ‘Bharat Parv’ will be organised at the Red Fort, Delhi from January 26-31, 2025 by the Ministry of Tourism. It will showcase Republic Day Tableaux, performances by the Military Bands (Static), cultural performances, Food Courts serving pan India cuisines and Crafts Bazaar.

     

    PM’s NCC Rally

    PM’s NCC rally, with the theme of ‘Yuva Shakti-Viksit Bharat’ is scheduled to be organised at Cariappa Parade Ground, Delhi Cantt. on January 27, 2025. During the event, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will review the multifarious activities of the NCC.

    ****

    VK/SR/Savvy/KB

    (Release ID: 2096097) Visitor Counter : 47

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President approves conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards-2024

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Ministry of Home Affairs

    President approves conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards-2024

    Posted On: 25 JAN 2025 6:10PM by PIB Delhi

    The President of India has approved the conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards – 2024 on 49 persons which includes Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak to 17, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak to 09 and Jeevan Raksha Padak to 23 persons. Six awardees are posthumous. The details are as under: –

     

    Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak

     

    1.  

    Shri Pintu Kumar Sahni  (Posthumous), Bihar
    1.  

    Shri Manesh K M (Posthumous), Kerala
    1.  

    Shri Dawa Tshering Lepcha (Posthumous), Sikkim
    1.  

    Dr. Pema Tenzing Lachungpa (Posthumous), Sikkim
    1.  

    Gunner Anis Kumar Gupta (Posthumous), M/o Defence
    1.  

    Shri Vaqeel Hassan, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Munna Qureshi, NHIDCL, M/o Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Ankur Kumar, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Monu Kumar, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Devendra, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Mohmmed Rashid, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Firoz Qureshi, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Jatin Kashyap, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Saurabh Kashyap, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Mohmmed Irshad, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Nasruddin, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways
    1.  

    Shri Naseem, NHIDCL, M/o Road Transport and Highways

     

    Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak
     

    1.  

    Shri Ritik Chauhan, Himachal Pradesh
    1.  

    Shri Shashikant Ramkrushna Gajbe, Maharashtra
    1.  

    NK Shankar Singh Kharayat, Border Roads Organisation
    1.  

    Havildar Leki Passang, M/o Defence
    1.  

    Sep Rajesh Ranjan Kujur (Posthumous), M/o Defence
    1.  

    Shri Rakesh Singh Rana, M/o Defence
    1.  

    Shri Manmohan Singh, National Disaster Response Force
    1.  

    Shri Pradeep Kumar, National Disaster Response Force
    1.  

    Shri Sachin Kumar, National Disaster Response Force

     

    Jeevan Raksha Padak

     

    1.  

    Shri Nelli Srinivasa Rao, Andhra Pradesh
    1.  

    Shri Vikas Yadav, Bihar
    1.  

    Sushri Manishaben Amarshibhai  Malakiya, Gujarat
    1.  

    Kumari Diya  Fathima, Kerala
    1.  

    Shri Muhammad Hashir N K, Kerala
    1.  

    Shri Kishor Kumar Arney, Madhya Pradesh
    1.  

    Shri Dadarao Govindrao  Pawar, Maharashtra
    1.  

    Shri Dnyaneshwar Mukundrao  Bhedodkar, Maharashtra
    1.  

    Shri K. Shimreingam Shimray, Manipur
    1.  

    Master Elambok Dkhar, Meghalaya
    1.  

    Master Kisen Wanniang, Meghalaya
    1.  

    Shri Laltlanzova, Mizoram
    1.  

    Shri Y Pongba, Nagaland
    1.  

    Dr. Ranjana  Bhandari, Odisha
    1.  

    Shri C. Anbarasan, Puducherry
    1.  

    Shri Bandakindi Shravan Kumar, Telangana
    1.  

    Shri Aakash  Pradhan, West Bengal
    1.  

    Shri Kali Kinkar Manna, West Bengal
    1.  

    Naik Ajith R Nair, M/o Defence
    1.  

    Shri Dhanbeer Singh Negi, M/o Defence
    1.  

    Shri Dhanesh Chand Yadav, M/o Defence
    1.  

    Sgt Ram Kumar Jaiswal, M/o Defence
    1.  

    Ms. Pallabi  Biswas, M/o Railways (RPF)

     

    Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards are given to a person for meritorious act of human nature in saving the life of a person.  The award is given in three categories, namely, Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak and Jeevan Raksha Padak.  Persons of all walks of life are eligible for these awards.  The award can also be conferred posthumously.

    The decoration of the award consists of a Medal, Certificate signed by the Union Home Minister and lump sum Monetary Allowance. It is presented to the awardees by the respective Union Ministries/Organizations/State Government to which the awardee belongs.  

    *****

    Raj/Vivek/Ashutosh/Rajeev/Priyabhanshu/Pankaj 

    (Release ID: 2096171)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Enforcement of targeted measures by various agencies after imposition of GRAP to control and abate air pollution in Delhi-NCR during the period from 15.10.2024 to 31.10.2024

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 03 NOV 2024 3:31PM by PIB Delhi

    With the implementation of revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas since 15.10.2024, comprehensive and target specific actions under Stages I & II of GRAP are being taken by the concerned agencies responsible for control of air pollution in NCR. Stage-I of GRAP has been in-force since 15.10.2024 and Stage-II since 22.10.2024 in the entire NCR. During 15.10.2024 – 31.10.2024 period, a range of preventive and remedial measures were initiated to abate air pollution in the region. Summary of the actions taken by different agencies in this regard are as follows:

    Setting up a GRAP Monitoring Control Room in the Commission To follow up and monitor the targeted actions by NCR States, a GRAP Monitoring Control Room has been set up in the Commission since 15.10.2024 which is headed by Member (CAQM). A dedicated WhatsApp group has been created for smooth flow of information between Control Room and concerned Nodal Officers of States. The Control Room remains operational throughout the week.

    Some of the highlights of GRAP actions taken by the NCR States are as under: Inspection of Construction & Demolition (C&D) sites and action taken: As per the GRAP action, inspection of C&D sites has been intensified by concerned agencies to ensure compliance of air pollution control measures. Based on such inspections, action is being taken against non-complying units. More than 7000 C&D sites were inspected across NCR and Environmental Compensation (EC) has been imposed on 597 non-complying sites and orders for closure have been issued for 56 sites.

    Deployment of Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs), Water Sprinklers (WS) and Anti-Smog Guns (ASGs) to control Road Dust: To control the dust pollution at its source, deployment of MRSMs, Water Sprinklers and ASGs has been increased across NCR. In Delhi alone on an average 81 MRSMs were deployed daily while in Haryana and UP, 36 MRSMs were deployed daily to arrest the dust pollution from roads. Similarly, on an average around 600 water sprinklers and ASGs each were also deployed on daily basis across NCR.

    Enforcement actions in Vehicular Sector: Intensive drive was taken to challan non-compliant vehicles on account of non-possession of PUCs, visibly polluting, carrying C&D waste, etc. Overaged vehicles found plying on road were also impounded.  A total of around 54,000 vehicles have been challaned for non-possession of PUCs and around 3900 overaged vehicles have been impounded across NCR during the period (15.10.2024 – 31.10.2024).

    Enforcement of MSW Management measures: Intensive inspections were carried out for illegal dumping sites across NCR and necessary action taken against illegal sites. More than 5300 such inspections were carried out. Accordingly, action against defaulters for MSW burning during GRAP period was also taken.

    Enforcement actions in Industrial Sectors and use of DG sets: Enforcement drives have been taken by NCR State agencies to inspect industries and DG sets and take action against non-complying units by imposing EC and/or issuing closure.  Approx. 1400 industries and 1300 DG sets were inspected and action against non-complying units were taken.  

    Efforts by the concerned agencies responsible for control of air pollution in Delhi-NCR will be further intensified during the GRAP period as per the prevailing situation.

    ***

    VM/GS

    (Release ID: 2070436) Visitor Counter : 27

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visits Field Gun Factory, Kanpur; Takes stock of critical indigenous defence capabilities

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 02 NOV 2024 2:15PM by PIB Delhi

    Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, on November 02, 2024, visited the Field Gun Factory, Kanpur, a unit of Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL), in Uttar Pradesh. It specialises in manufacturing Barrel and Breach assemblies of various Artillery Guns and Tanks including Tank T-90 and Dhanush Gun.

    During the visit, Raksha Mantri inspected key facilities, including the Heat Treatment and the New Assembly Shop of the factory, to take stock of critical indigenous defence capabilities. He was accompanied by Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat.

    Following the visit to the shop floor, Shri Rajnath Singh was briefed by the CMDs of three Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) based in Kanpur – AWEIL, Troop Comforts India Limited, Gliders India Limited – and Director of Defence Materials and Stores Research & Development Establishment, a DRDO laboratory located in Kanpur.

    During the presentations, the CMDs of the new DPSUs apprised Raksha Mantri about the product profile, major ongoing projects, R&D efforts and modernisation activities being undertaken in their pursuit to meet the requirement of the Services.

    AWEIL specialises in manufacturing of Small, Medium and large caliber Gun systems. The main products of TCL are Combat Uniforms, Ballistic Protective Gears, Extreme Cold Clothing and Tentages for high altitude. Whereas, GIL has the largest and oldest production unit of parachutes in India.

    ******

    SR/SPS/Savvy

    (Release ID: 2070307) Visitor Counter : 44

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: U.S. 7th Fleet Attends Staff Talks with Indonesian Navy Leadership

    Source: United States Navy

    During the two-day visit, Kacher met with First Admiral I Gung Putu Alit Jaya, Head of Naval Operation and Exercise and other Indonesian counterparts to discuss current and future cooperation between the U.S. and Indonesian navies.

    “At the heart of our strategic partnership with Indonesia is our strong bilateral defense relationship,” said Kacher. “Staff talks like these strengthen those ties because they enable important dialogue on shared maritime challenges and they build trust between our teams at a fundamental, operational level.”

    “I hope we can strengthen our friendship and brotherhood,” said Jaya. “I am very confident that our meeting today will increase our mutual understanding and hopefully what we have done here will continue for years to come.”

    During the staff talks, discussions between the admirals were centered on deepening the relationship of the two nations through continued communication and coordination of future opportunities to operate together.

    “Our U.S. and Indonesian Navy partnership continues to flourish,” said Capt. Jennifer Barnes assistant chief of staff for plans and engagements at Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. “Here in 7th Fleet, our motto is ‘One Team’ and I can confirm that our two nations have worked together as one solid team over the last two days.”

    U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation Announces LOI with Fedilco Group Limited

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation, a Cayman Islands exempted company (NASDAQ: MSSA) (“Metal Sky Star” or the “Company”), announced today that it has entered into a letter of intent (the “LOI”) with Fedilco Group Limited, a Cyprus-based company (“Fedilco”) holding an 80% equity interest in Viva Armenia Closed Joint-Stock Company, an Armenia-based telecom company (“Viva”). Pursuant to the LOI, Metal Sky Star expresses interest in acquiring all the issued and outstanding shares of Fedilco. The parties will seek necessary permissions and/or approvals from the Republic of Armenia’s state authorities for the proposed transaction.

    Viva stands out as the sole telecom company in Armenia included in the country’s Top 10 taxpayers list, underscoring its economic impact and significant contributions to national development. Viva currently has over 2.3 million unique subscribers (2,327,684) and holds a 61% share by active subscribers and 58.18% by total revenue in Armenia’s telecom market. Viva’s team comprises 1,132 employees who support Viva’s mission to make mobile services widely accessible, ensuring subscribers stay connected both locally and globally.

    Viva has established roaming partnerships with 529 operators across 192 countries, demonstrating a strong commitment to maintaining connections for its customers worldwide. It also pioneered corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) as a management model in Armenia’s telecom industry, guided by ISO 26000 standards on community impact and sustainability.

    “We are excited to announce this LOI with Fedilco,” said Wenxi He, CEO of Metal Sky Star. “Viva is recognized as a trusted telecom market leader across Armenia, celebrated for its extensive reach and customer-first approach. We are confident that this partnership will position us well to capture Armenia’s economic growth trajectory and create added value for our shareholders.”

    About Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation

    Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation is a blank check company formed under Cayman Islands law to effect mergers, share exchanges, asset acquisitions, stock purchases, reorganizations, or similar business combinations with one or more businesses.

    About Fedilco Group Limited

    Fedilco Group Limited, incorporated in Cyprus, is the controlling shareholder of Viva, the most valuable company in Armenia’s telecom sector and a model of innovation in the telecom industry.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes “forward-looking statements” concerning the proposed transaction with Fedilco. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, as outlined in the Company’s annual report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on August 30, 2024, and available at www.sec.gov. The Company is under no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the release date unless required by law.

    Company Contacts:

    Wenxi He
    Chief Executive Officer
    221 River Street, 9th Floor,
    Hoboken, New Jersey
    (201) 721-8789
    Email: olivia.he@gmail.com
    olivia@metalskystar.com

    Source: Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Indicted for Posting Threats on the Internet

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    An indictment was unsealed charging Nathaniel James Holmes, 51, of Jacksonville, Florida, with four counts of transmitting interstate threats to injury other persons. If convicted on all counts, Holmes faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

    According to the indictment, on four dates in October, Holmes transmitted threats to injure others, including threats to kill three particular victims, the children of one victim, and Jewish and African American individuals generally. A federal grand jury charged Holmes in a sealed indictment on Oct. 24. He was arrested on Nov. 1, made his initial appearance in court, and ordered detained pending a competency evaluation.

    The FBI; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly S. Milliron and Michael J. Coolican for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Freddie “Bankroll Freddie” Gladney, III Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Federal Prison Following Guilty Verdict at Jury Trial on Firearm and Drug Trafficking Charges

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

          LITTLE ROCK—Freddie “Bankroll Freddie” Gladney, III, will spend the next 150 months in federal prison after being convicted of multiple narcotics offenses, including a firearms offense, which involved a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana in and around central Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.

          Following a four-day trial, Gladney, 30, of Helena, was convicted by a federal jury on April 12, 2024. The jury found Gladney guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of using a telephone in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

          In addition to the 150 months’ total imprisonment, which is more than twelve years, Judge Moody sentenced Gladney to three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Gladney was also ordered to pay a $242,000 money judgment as part of his conviction. 

          Gladney was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 3, 2023, in a 32-count superseding indictment that charged him with numerous offenses related to a conspiracy that was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

          Two FBI operations, each focused on a rival gang, were created to address violence and drug trafficking in the corridor between Pine Bluff and Little Rock. The investigations focused on rival gangs responsible for violence throughout central Arkansas, with one operation focused on the EBK or Every Body Killas gang and resulting in the indictment of 35 defendants.

          An investigation revealed that on April 14, 2022, an Arkansas State Police trooper observed a black truck speeding and conducted a traffic stop in Marion. The trooper noted the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and asked Gladney to exit the vehicle. Gladney began to exit the vehicle but then reentered and started reaching for something in the vehicle. Because Gladney refused to exit the vehicle, the trooper was forced to remove him.

          During a search of Gladney’s vehicle, law enforcement officers located in the passenger seat near the area where Gladney had been reaching, a Romarm/Cugie Model Micro Draco 7.62x39mm caliber firearm and a Polymer 80 Model PF940C, 9mm privately made firearm (also known as a “ghost gun”). Additionally, during a search of the back seat of the vehicle, law enforcement officers located a duffle bag containing 21.4 pounds of high-grade marijuana and $33,662, which was located in the center console along with seven magazines, five of which were extended and fully loaded.

          At sentencing, Gladney received a 4-level increase for being an organizer or leader of criminal activity that involved five or more participants. Gladney received a 2-level increase in his guideline range for obstruction of justice related to a May 25, 2021, wiretap call in which he instructed a codefendant to remove guns and scales used for weighing illegal drugs from his Helena residence in anticipation that it would be searched by law enforcement. 

    GLADNEY III:           So where, what you got in the house in Helena?

    CODEFENDANT:     I got everything out of there.

    GLADNEY III:           You got everything out of there already?

    CODEFENDANT:     Yeah.

    GLADNEY III:           Scales and everything?

    CODEFENDANT:     Naw, I gotta, gotta, lemme call them. Send em back in to get that. I gotta find out where all they at.

    GLADNEY III:           Scales and shit. Get everything out the house. Any guns, anything.

    CODEFENDANT:     Alright, let me..

    GLADNEY III:           Where that MAK-90 at?

    CODEFENDANT:     It’s not there.

    GLADNEY III:           Alright get everything else out that house before they go search that b***h.

    CODEFENDANT:     Alright.

          Judge Moody cited the ghost gun in increasing Gladney’s sentence 2.5 years above the guidelines range. Judge Moody noted that based on trial testimony, it was apparent that Gladney’s ghost gun, which did not have a back plate, was either ready to receive a “switch,” or had recently had a “switch” on it, that would turn the ghost gun from a semi-automatic firearm to a fully-automatic firearm. Judge Moody also recognized that Gladney was on probation from a drug and gun case in Memphis at the time he was intercepted on the wiretap in this case. 

          This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

          The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, Little Rock Police Department, North Little Rock Police Department, Pine Bluff Police Department, and Jonesboro Police Department. FBI’s GETROCK Task Force was formed in 2017 in response to the escalation in gang and gun violence in Little Rock. The unit’s investigations and operations are coordinated out of FBI Little Rock’s field office, and GETROCK continues to serve as the clearinghouse for gang-related law enforcement activity in Central Arkansas. Additional support was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Inspection Service; Arkansas National Guard Counterdrug Joint Task Force; and the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters, Amanda Fields, and Reese Lancaster.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnstown Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Firearms

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

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

    Keyshawn Savory, 24, pleaded guilty to six counts before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about April 11, May 28, July 15, and August 1, 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Savory acted as a straw purchaser when purchasing firearms from several federally licensed firearms dealers by stating that the firearms were being purchased for himself, when he actually was purchasing the firearms on behalf of another person.

    Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Savory.

    This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Offenders Plead Guilty in Separate Drug Trafficking Investigations

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

    ALBANY, Ga. – Two Albany residents, both with lengthy criminal histories in the community, pleaded guilty to federal charges resulting from separate drug trafficking investigations in Southwest Georgia.

    Roderick Terrell Ferrell, 37, and Kerry Lamont Davis, 42, each pleaded guilty in separate cases to one count of distribution of cocaine before U.S. District Judge Leslie Gardner on Oct. 30. Due to their criminal histories, both Ferrell and Davis qualify as federal career offenders and each face a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by six years of supervised release and a maximum $2,000,000 fine. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Both defendants have lengthy criminal records and have repeatedly disregarded the law,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “These cases demonstrate how federal, state and local law enforcement are working together to make our communities safer and hold career offenders accountable.”

    “The FBI is proud to work with our local law enforcement partners in helping to convict these repeat offenders at the federal level, where they face stiffer penalties and no opportunity for parole,” said Rich Bilson, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of the FBI Atlanta’s Albany office.

    “Our communities remain under attack by career criminals with no regard for the destruction they cause,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This investigation demonstrates the DEA’s commitment to protecting our community.”

    “Our message is clear: individuals with histories of criminal behavior who continue to engage in illegal activities will be met with the full force of the justice system. We are dedicated to working alongside our partners to ensure that those who choose this path face serious consequences,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Atlanta Field Division.

    “Eliminating drug trafficking in our communities requires a united front,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The successful convictions of these repeat offenders are a demonstration of the effectiveness of our collaboration across federal, state and local agencies to hold individuals accountable and ensure safer neighborhoods.”

    According to court documents and statements made public in court in the Ferrell case, federal, state and local law enforcement received information from various confidential sources that Terrell was distributing cocaine and was supplied by a metro-Atlanta unnamed co-conspirator. Due to COVID-19’s impact on drug supply at the time, Ferrell was charging $1,400 an ounce for powder cocaine. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at another dealer’s residence, seized cocaine, and discovered that Ferrell had sold at least 18 ounces of powder cocaine. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) then conducted a controlled buy from Ferrell on Nov. 8, 2021, where Ferrell sold two ounces of powder cocaine for $2,150. In addition, Ferrell reported that he had been pulled over by local law enforcement on Oct. 13, 2022, and was in possession at the time of $30,000 from a recent drug transaction. On Nov. 30, 2023, a patrol officer pulled Ferrell over and found ten pounds of marijuana in ten plastic vacuum-sealed bags in the rear cargo area. Ferrell said he was transporting the drugs to Camilla, Georgia. During the investigation, agents discovered that Ferrell filed only one tax return between tax years 2019 and 2023, in which he claimed a negative income in 2022. DEA conducted a concealment money laundering investigation to look at how Ferrell was dispersing his drug trafficking money. Agents found that between Aug. 2021 and Dec. 2023, Terrell received and moved $383,057 through his and his co-conspirators’ CashApp accounts and bank accounts, despite having no employment or declaring any income on his taxes. Credit card and bank statements also showed that Terrell and his girlfriend used drug proceeds to purchase luxury goods from Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Saks, Gucci and Balenciaga, as well as took luxury vacations and invested in a business that was never operational. Terrell also has several prior felony convictions including robbery by force, terroristic threats and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in Dougherty County, Georgia, Superior Court.

    According to court documents and statements made public in court in the Davis case, Albany Police Department (APD) officers responded to Ridgemont Road in Albany on March 26, 2023, about a suspicious auto parked in the middle of the road. Officers found Davis asleep in the driver’s seat. After Davis handed the officers his driver’s license, he fled at a high rate of speed and crashed his car. He then attempted to run away, but he was quickly apprehended. Inside the car, APD officers found a semiautomatic pistol, a semiautomatic rifle, a revolver, nearly four kilograms of vacuumed sealed marijuana, a distributable quantity of ecstasy and cocaine, a digital scale, plastic baggies and $25,039. Davis has two prior felony convictions for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute in Dougherty County, Georgia, Superior Court.

    The Ferrell case was investigated by the DEA, FBI and GBI.

    The Davis case was investigated by the ATF and APD.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Redavid prosecuted the cases for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady Man Charged with Drug and Firearm Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nekie Ricks, age 31, of Schenectady, New York, was ordered detained today following his indictment and arrest for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and his possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

    United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

    According to the indictment, on August 24, 2022, Ricks possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it, possessed a pistol in furtherance of that crime, and possessed that firearm even though he was a previously convicted felon. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The charges filed against Ricks carry a prison term of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

    Ricks was arraigned yesterday in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel. Following a detention hearing today, Ricks was ordered detained pending trial.

    ATF is investigating the case with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department and New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marathon County Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Shawn Hignite, Sr., 50, Weston, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Hignite pleaded guilty to this charge on August 1, 2024.

    On January 30, 2024, police responded to a domestic incident involving a gunshot. When they arrived, police made contact with Hignite, who initially denied there was a gunshot. Police later obtained a search warrant and located a loaded handgun inside the house and a spent shell casing in the backyard. Hignite later admitted that the gun belonged to him and that he fired it that night. Hignite is legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley acknowledged the dismal history of Hignite consuming alcohol and committing crimes. He noted that Hignite’s last 30 years have been plagued by poor decision making with either a fascination or compulsion with possessing firearms. Judge Conley expressed disappointment with the pattern of firearms being present in each of Hignite’s prior offenses. He also expressed hope that the sentence would deter Hignite from committing offenses in the future.

    The charge against Hignite was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Everest Metro Police Department, Rothschild Police Department, and Marathon County Sheriff’s Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also investigated the case. The 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 Ayala prosecuted this case.

    This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Madison Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tyez D. D. Boyd, 27, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 3 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Boyd pleaded guilty to this charge on August 14, 2024.

    On November 17, 2022, Madison Police Department officers stopped a vehicle in Madison on suspicion that its occupants were engaged in drug trafficking. Officers had intercepted a phone call earlier in the day between the front seat passenger, Davonte King, and a known fentanyl pill dealer setting up a drug deal. Tyez Boyd was a passenger in the rear seat.

    Officers took King out of the vehicle and found he was in possession of fentanyl pills, cocaine, and over $1,000 in cash. Officers also found a loaded Taurus 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat where King had been seated. King is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction.

    Officers searched Boyd after he got out of the vehicle and found a loaded Kahr .45 caliber handgun in his pocket. Boyd is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of multiple prior felony convictions. At the time of the stop, Boyd was on state probation for two cases, one involving a strangulation conviction and one involving a domestic violence conviction. Boyd also had three open criminal cases at the time, each of which involved acts of violence. Boyd had two active warrants for his arrest as well. His state probation has since been revoked and he was sentenced to 18 months in state prison on January 27, 2023.

    At sentencing, Judge Peterson said Boyd’s possession of a firearm was dangerous by itself, especially when he was carrying it into a dangerous situation with a drug trafficker. Judge Peterson found Boyd’s case was aggravated by his criminal history, which included instances of domestic violence, as well as his history of noncompliance while on supervision. Finally, Judge Peterson said this crime deserved a 4-year sentence but reduced that sentence for time he had already served on his multiple state revocation sentences.

    Co-defendant Davonte King pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced by Judge Peterson on September 5, 2024, to 7 years in federal prison.

    The charges against Boyd and King were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigations, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also investigated the case. The 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. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.

    This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Marion County Man Sentenced for Firearms Charge

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

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Shawn Allen Burns, 46, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, a vehicle driven by Burns, also known as “Shawn Fain,” was stopped by deputies from the U.S. Marshals Service because he was wanted on a state arrest warrant. The deputies discovered a handgun in the vehicle. Burns is prohibited from having firearms because of prior convictions of breaking and entering, unlawful firearms possession, domestic battery and assault, and drug possession. 

    Burns will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the United States Marshals investigated.

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

     

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  • MIL-OSI Canada: Ministers of Veterans Affairs and National Defence mark 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Belgium

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, issued a statement to mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Belgium.

    Ottawa, ON – Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement to mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Belgium:

    “The fall of 1944 was a defining period for the First Canadian Army. After clearing coastal areas in northern France following the successful D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy, tens of thousands of Canadian troops played a leading role in opening the Scheldt Estuary toward the Belgian port of Antwerp.

    “Not only did maintaining such a vital supply line allow the Allied armies to continue their push toward Germany, it also helped to ultimately free Western Europe from more than four years of Nazi occupation.

    “Eighty years ago today, the people of Belgium were finally liberated. For weeks, Canadian soldiers fought their way across flat, muddy and flooded terrain that offered them little cover as they advanced. Undeterred by the challenges they faced, they succeeded in clearing the Breskens Pocket and liberate the last portions of Belgian territory held by enemy troops, on 3 November 1944.

    “The victory was costly, with the Canadian army accruing thousands of casualties including more than 800 Canadian soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice in battle in Belgium. To this day, we remain grateful that our friends and allies in Belgium continue to honour the memory of the hundreds of Canadian service members who were laid to rest at in cemeteries like Adegem Canadian War Cemetery and Schoonselhof Cemetery.

    “The lasting bond between our countries was forged by thousands of Canadians and Belgians who bravely fought for freedom during the Second World War. Canadians like Edna Beattie who enlisted in 1940, and served as a nurse in England, France and later Belgium where she treated Allied wounded, and Joseph Ross who served with the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada helping liberate the Breskens Pocket.

    “Today, we remember them and their families, and all they endured to liberate Belgium and Europe.”

    Associated Links:

    Liberation of Belgium – Veterans Affairs Canada

    Media Relations
    Department of National Defence
    Phone: 613-904-3333
    mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca

    Simon Lafortune
    Press Secretary and Communications Advisor
    Office of the Minister of National Defence
    simon.lafortune2@forces.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orlando Man Sentenced To 30 Months For Unlawful Possession Of Machineguns

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

    Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza has sentenced Marcelo Manuel Maysonet (23, Orlando) to 30 months in federal prison for the possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons, specifically, a machinegun and 15 machinegun conversion devices. The court also ordered Maysonet to forfeit a Delton INC, DTI-15, 5.56 caliver AR style pistol with an installed machinegun conversion device and 15 additional machinegun conversion devices, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Maysonet entered a guilty plea on July 25, 2024.

    According to court documents, law enforcement officers from theOrange County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at Maysonet’s residence, where they discovered 15 machinegun conversion devices and a 5.56 caliber AR-style pistol with a machinegun conversion device installed. A machinegun conversion device is an illegal conversion device that converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon. Under the National Firearms Act, a machinegun conversion device is classified as a machinegun. None of these items were registered to Maysonet in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

    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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