NewzIntel.com

Category: Gun Control

  • MIL-OSI Security: Piedmont Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

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

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Piedmont, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 10, 2024.

    Corbin Mudlin, age 31, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Mudlin was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February of 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 1, 2024.

    In January of 2024, a Rapid City Police Officer observed Mudlin walking in Rapid City and knew that Mudlin had an active warrant for his arrest. The officer contacted Mudlin and arrested him on his active warrant. At the time he was arrested, Mudlin had a SIG Sauer 9mm semi-automatic pistol in his waistband with an extended magazine containing 20 rounds of ammunition. Mudlin knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2016 felony conviction.

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

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

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

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Warner Robins Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Meth

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

    Organization Distributed Deadly Narcotics to Middle Georgia from Atlanta Supplier

    MACON, Ga. – A member of an armed methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking organization operating in Middle Georgia was sentenced to serve more than 19 years in prison for his crime.

    Travis Warthen aka “Trap,” 40, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 235 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Warthen previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Sept. 28, 2023. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal handed down the sentence on Oct. 16. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Travis Warthen is a repeat armed drug trafficker who put the community at additional risk when he dangerously attempted to outrun law enforcement at high speeds, which he’s done before,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are focused on combatting dangerous armed drug trafficking organizations, which heighten violent crime in our communities.”

    “Violent and dangerous drug traffickers are enriching their lives by profiting off someone else’s pain and addiction,” stated Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Travis Warthen will now face significant federal prison time for his crime.”

    “This organized criminal network peddled poison onto the streets of our community,” said Peach County Sheriff Terry W. Deese. “Most law enforcement agencies don’t have the resources to handle investigations to combat organizations like this one. We are fortunate to have federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Middle Georgia that recognize the benefit of working together to keep our communities safe.”

    The following codefendants have been sentenced to prison:

    Heather Marie Breland, 40, of Atlanta, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison on Aug. 14. Breland previously pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting others to possess with intent to distribute more than fifty grams of methamphetamine on Oct. 5, 2023;

    Randall Heath, 64, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison on Aug. 13. Heath previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 5, 2023;

    Raiford Reeves aka “RH,” 44, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 210 months in prison on May 15. Reeves previously pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on March 29, 2023;

    Jeremiah Kaleta, 47, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 77 months in prison on July 23. Kaleta previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 3, 2023;

    Lucretia Snellgrove, 52, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison on Jan. 24. Snellgrove previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 12, 2023;

    Kendall Howard, 32, of Centerville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison on Jan. 24. Howard previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 12, 2023;

    Luis Acosta, 36, of Centerville, was sentenced to time served on Jan. 24. Acosta previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 16, 2023; and

    Kenneth Maddox, 32, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve four years of probation on Oct. 16. Maddox previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on June 15, 2023.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, between Oct. 2021 and June 2022, DEA agents and local law enforcement investigated a drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by co-defendant Reeves and several of his criminal associates including Warthen and Breland. Breland—the supplier to this DTO—was distributing kilogram quantities of narcotics, primarily methamphetamine and fentanyl, to Reeves out of her condominium located in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. Law enforcement obtained court orders to intercept the phone calls and text messages from cell phones belonging to Breland and Reeves and conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Reeves. Reeves would supply other co-defendants, including Warthen, with some of the narcotics to sell.

    On May 25, 2022, Reeves obtained methamphetamine from Breland in Atlanta and met with Warthen in Warner Robins to supply him with the illegal narcotic. After the transaction, agents followed Warthen and attempted a traffic stop. Warthen fled from authorities, driving into oncoming traffic and reaching speeds more than 100 miles per hour. The defendant lost control and wrecked before exiting the vehicle and running on foot. Warthen fell to the ground and was eventually detained. Agents seized a stolen 9mm caliber handgun under the front passenger seat and found a blue plastic container holding 274.2 grams of methamphetamine in the rear floorboard area. Warthen has a lengthy criminal history including prior felony convictions in both state and federal courts for illegal drug distribution.

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

    The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Warner Robins Police Department, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Peach County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.

    Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes prosecuted the case for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Convicted of Possessing Firearms and Transporting Stolen Vehicle

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

    A man with fifteen prior felony convictions who used a stolen motorcycle to drive from Minnesota to Iowa and broke into a Winneshiek County home to steal firearms and other items pled guilty on October 15, 2024, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Steven Michael Current, age 58, from Canton, Minnesota, was convicted of one count of possession of firearms as a felon and one count of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle.

    In a plea agreement, Current admitted that he had fifteen prior felony convictions, and on September 26, 2022, he broke into a rural Winneshiek County home and stole eight firearms.  Current also admitted that he drove a stolen 2004 Harley Davidson Motorcycle from Canton, Minnesota, to the burglary scene in Iowa on September 26, 2022.  This motorcycle was stolen from a home in Rochester, Minnesota, on June 9, 2022.  Current admitted that, during the burglary, he dropped two unscratched Minnesota lottery tickets from his pocket.  Current was identified by images captured on a home camera system, and by images from the Minnesota store where Current purchased the lottery tickets.      

    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.

    Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Current remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Current faces a possible maximum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated by Winneshiek County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, Fillmore County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s Office, and the federal 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 23-CR-02050.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Convenes Louisiana Energy Security Summit, Highlights Louisiana Investments and Future Economic Potential

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    BATON ROUGE – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) hosted the “Louisiana Energy Security Summit: Unleashing American Abundance in a Changing Global Landscape” at the Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge, bringing together leaders from the federal, state, and local government levels, industry, the research community, and elsewhere. 

    In his keynote address, Cassidy highlighted the geopolitical challenges confronting U.S. manufacturers operating internationally. Adversaries exploit lax environmental and labor standards to gain an unfair trade advantage over American companies. 
    “We are working to preserve the jobs we have in Louisiana and create more in the future,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We can do this by requiring that trade with countries like China be fair, and not allow them to pollute the atmosphere while we’re working to clean it.”
    “The Foreign Pollution Fee Act is a trade policy that rewards U.S. businesses and workers while penalizing foreign polluters. It creates a level playing field for American companies on the global stage. It’s a win for American workers, the U.S. economy, our national security, and the environment,” added Dr. Cassidy.
    The summit featured ten panels which explored protecting U.S. interests from unfair trade practices, Louisiana’s low emissions manufacturing advantage, and the role of natural gas in strengthening U.S. geopolitical influence. Panelists included presidents and CEOs from Entergy, First Solar, Buzzi UnicemUSA, Orsted, and Aluminum Technologies, former Trump administration officials, and leaders from Louisiana trade associations and major energy and Fortune 500 companies. 

    “We have the talent, we have the resources, we have the God-given location here in Louisiana with the Mississippi River, the Gulf, so much pipeline running underneath us, some of the greatest ports in the country, we’ve got all those tools. We just need to make sure we marry those with good policy,” said Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President Will Green. “If we do, we will be unstoppable here in Louisiana.”
    “This is an energy economy here in Louisiana. We send it out, and we bring it in. It’s a manufacturing powerhouse. This state embodies what we can achieve again, if we open our alliances and we shut down our adversaries,” said Former Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality James Connaughton.
    “There is a market disadvantage for U.S. producers and manufacturers,” said Former Energy Deputy Secretary Mark Menezes. “This is basic fairness. As a consumer you have choices to make on products. You can choose a U.S.-made product or something that is imported. The choice is easy. And as a consequence of making that choice you address the fundamental fairness of this, you recognize the importance of the U.S. role, and you incentivize U.S. manufacturers to come back from China.”
    “Everyone in this room knows China has not relaxed. They have increased production and are flooding the market,” said Huntsman Corporation Vice President of Global Communications and Government Affairs Kevin Gundersen. “We have gotten away from [our] competitive advantage, and we have leaned into our disadvantage as a country. I think there needs to be a course correction.”  
    “We already import more than 26 million tons [of cement] per year. All of the countries where we import cement—they don’t have all the environmental regulations we do. They don’t have all the laws. They don’t have all the regulation, so we already have a disadvantage,” said Buzzi UnicemUSA President and CEO Massimo Toso. “So we do appreciate the effort by Senator Bill Cassidy and his colleague to put in place a carbon border adjustment mechanism.”
    “Non-market actors overseas, subsidies, and unfair trade practices make it cheaper to produce goods than companies like ourselves,” said CF Industries Vice President for Public Affairs Linda Dempsey. “We’ve got the best workers and the best standards, but the second piece really is flipping the switch on the trade rules.”
    “The cheap solar panels that are brought in from China don’t have the same standards of which we hold ourselves accountable to creating an unfair blade,” said First Solar CEO Mark Widmar. “Between American ingenuity, passion, creativity, and know-how, we can outcompete, but we need fairness.”
    Background
    Cassidy and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced their Foreign Pollution Fee Act to level the playing field with Chinese manufacturing and expand American production.
    Earlier this month, he released the 3rd episode of Bill on the Hill, where he highlights his Foreign Pollution Fee Act and discusses China’s growing economy and military coming at the expense of the American worker. After hearing fellow Americans share their concerns, Cassidy presented his plan to address the nexus between economic development, national security, and the environment. His Foreign Pollution Fee Act would even the playing field while holding China accountable.
    He penned editorials in Foreign Affairs, The Washington Times, and jointly in the USA Today Network discussing the geopolitical threat that China poses to U.S. global standing. Cassidy also joined Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax to discuss his foreign pollution fee, noting the competitive advantage China receives from intentionally ignoring environmental standards. 
    Last Spring, the Louisiana Senate and House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution urging Congress to pursue an industrial manufacturing and trade policy to counter competition from China. Learn more here. 
    Last Congress, Cassidy released a landmark energy policy outline in response to the Biden administration’s assault on domestic energy. The outline details how we can successfully reset U.S. energy policy, including Cassidy’s plan for an Energy Operation Warp Speed to cut permitting red tape and unleash domestic energy and manufacturing. In support of this complete vision and in addition to the Foreign Pollution Fee Act, Cassidy led Republican colleagues in opposition to a domestic carbon tax and introduced the first comprehensive judicial reform for permitting bill. He also pushed back on disastrous proposals from the Biden administration to limit development in the Outer Continental Shelf with the introduction of the WHALE Act and the Offshore Energy Security Act of 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of a Firearm

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, RAYMOND BROWN (“BROWN”), age 41, resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long to 37 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

    According to court documents, in April 2023, the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”) responded to report that there were people under the I-10 overpass with guns.  Upon their arrival, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) saw BROWN, wearing a black sweatshirt and camouflage pants, holding a rifle in his hand.  BROWN then fled from police, ran through the backyard of a Touro Street residence, and discarded the firearm, before his eventual arrest.

    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.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug charges

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

    SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. 

    “Illegally possessed guns, particularly those converted to automatic fire, are a persistent threat to public safety,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “With our law enforcement partners, we are committed to eliminating these sources of violence in our communities.” 

    The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.

    Those indicted in October include:

    • Javon Edwards, 30, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Machine Gun, referring to a pistol converted to automatic fire with a “Glock switch”; and,
    • Travis Sanders, 44, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

    All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:

    • Laron Thompson, a/k/a “Hollywood,” 38, of Savannah, was sentenced to 115 months in prison after pleading guilty to a drug conspiracy charge and to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Thompson is one of 10 defendants, including Tyquian Bowman, a/k/a “Quando Rondo,” 24, of Savannah, indicted in 2023 in a Savannah-area drug trafficking conspiracy.
    • Jacqueline Christmas, 50, of Statesboro, was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. An ATF investigation determined that Christmas purchased multiple handguns from a Bulloch County gun store, falsely claiming a legal owner was the buyer of the guns when they were actually purchased by and delivered in New York to Christmas’ brother-in-law, who since has pled guilty to related federal firearms charges.
    • Jakobian Sentell Jones, 25, of Warrenton, Ga., was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine. Georgia State Patrol troopers found Jones in possession of a revolver during a traffic stop, and in possession of cocaine and methamphetamine during a subsequent search.
    • Othnell Christian Ferguson, 27, of Pembroke, Ga., was sentenced to 70 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Statesboro police officers determined Ferguson possessed a pistol during a foot chase following a February 2023 traffic stop.
    • Kenyatta Dunn Nero, 40, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies found a pistol in Nero’s vehicle during a July 2023 traffic stop. Nero has multiple previous criminal convictions on state charges that include illegal gun possession.
    • Jamal Brashad Hawkins, 22, of Swainsboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Emanuel County deputies found Hawkins in possession of a pistol after a traffic stop in June 2023.
    • Darnell Harold Miller, 25, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police in January found Miller in possession of a pistol while investigating a domestic disturbance.
    • Nathan Sparks, 27, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found a pistol in Sparks’ waistband during a traffic stop. 
    • Anthony McQuarters, 31, of Hardeeville, S.C., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Georgia State Patrol trooper arrested McQuarters on state charges following a chase on I-16 by multiple law enforcement agencies through Laurens, Treutlen, Emanuel, and Candler counties, and found pistols in his possession.
    • Christopher Jeramy Blair, 44, of Pembroke, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon. Acting on a tip, investigators from the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives seized 11 handguns, rifles, and shotguns during a search of Blair’s residence.

    The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. 

    For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Horry County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Machine Gun and Machine Gun Conversion Devices

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

    FLORENCE, S.C. —Orlanier Colon Menendez, 21, of Conway has pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun and multiple machine gun conversion devices.

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Conway Police Department officers responded to a vehicle crash within the city limits involving Menendez. While investigating the crash, the responding officer found a .45 caliber handgun that had a machine gun conversion device installed on the firearm. During a search, officers found a backpack that contained an additional 12 machinegun conversion devices, also known as Glock conversion switches, and a rotary tool with accessories commonly used to install the devices.

    Menendez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.  United States District Judge Joseph Dawson accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Menendez after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Conway Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bennet, Hickenlooper Welcome Funding for Colorado Organizations Supporting Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet

    Denver — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper welcomed over $1.6 million from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for eight Colorado organizations that offer adaptive sports, recreational activities, and equine therapy for veterans and service members living with disabilities. 

    “Our veterans have sacrificed so much to keep our country safe, and we owe them our support after they have served,” said Bennet. “Colorado veterans deserve to live a full and independent life, and this funding will help wounded heroes access athletics and other recreational activities.”

    “Adaptive sports give our wounded veterans a community and outlet for mental health,” said Hickenlooper. “This funding makes it easier for our disabled vets to hit the slopes and enjoy all the outdoor activities that make Colorado special.” 

    The funding comes from the VA’s’ Adaptive Sports Grant Program, which supports more opportunities for disabled veterans to play recreational sports and activities customized to better fit their needs.  The VA has awarded over $119 million in grants through the Adaptive Sports Grant Program during the last nine years.

    A full list of selected organizations is below:


    Location

    Project Name

    Amount Awarded

    Sports

    Westminster

    Adaptive Adventures

    $748,510

    Alpine Skiing, Climbing, Cycling, Dragon Boat, Kayaking, Paddleboarding, Snowboarding

    Snowmass Village

    Challenge Aspen

    $230,100

    Alpine Skiing, Archery, Biking, Fly Fishing, Snowboarding

    Crested Butte

    Adaptive Sports Center of Crested Butte, Inc.

    $180,320

    Alpine Skiing, Backpacking, Biking, Canoeing, Climbing, Cycling, Kayaking, Nordic Skiing, Paddleboarding, Rafting, Snowshoeing

    Denver

    National Sports Center for the Disabled

    $145,394

    Air Gun, Alpine Skiing, Archery, Biking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing, Hiking, Nordic Skiing, Rafting, Snowboarding

    Breckenridge

    Breckenridge  Outdoor Education Center

    $105,637

    Air Rifle, Archery, Boccia, Cycling, Golf, Kayaking, Powerlifting, Rowing, Sitting Volleyball, Table Tennis, Wheelchair Basketball

    Colorado Springs

    Archery School of the Rockies Inc.

    $94,416

    Archery

    Vail

    Vail Veterans Foundation, Inc.

     

    $72,515

    Alpine Skiing, Fly Fishing, Horseback Riding, Rafting, Rock Climbing, Snowboarding, Ziplining

    Fruita

    Harmony Acres Equestrian Center

    $67,201

    Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Camden Men Sentenced to Prison for String of Armed Robberies and Carjackings

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

    CAMDEN, N.J. – Two Camden men have been sentenced to prison for their respective roles in conspiracies that involved committing armed carjackings and robbing multiple gas stations in southern New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    Kamau Bradshaw, 22, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison; Paul Rogers, 30, was sentenced on Aug. 7, 2024, to 188 months in prison. Both defendants previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to informations charging them with one count of conspiring to commit armed robberies, one count of committing an armed robbery, and one count of conspiring to commit armed carjackings. Judge Bumb imposed the sentences in Camden federal court.

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

    On Sept. 14, 2021, two masked individuals carrying an AR-style rifle robbed a gas station in Pennsauken, New Jersey. One of the robbers wore a gray Nike hooded sweatshirt and scuffed tan work boots. The second robber wore a tan hooded sweatshirt with “REACTIVE” printed on the sleeves and striped boxer shorts. They obtained cash and cigarettes while brandishing the firearm. Shortly after the robbery, two individuals were seen returning to a residence in Camden with a large duffle bag. On Sept. 17, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at the Camden residence and recovered, among other items, a duffle bag, an AR-style rifle, a gray Nike sweatshirt, scuffed tan work boots, and a tan hooded sweatshirt with “REACTIVE” printed on the sleeves. Bradshaw and Rogers were present when law enforcement agents executed the search warrant, at which time Bradshaw was wearing striped boxer shorts consistent with those worn by one of the robbers during the robbery.

    Rogers and Bradshaw each admitted their role in eight gas station robberies or attempted robberies in addition to the Sept. 14, 2021, robbery in Pennsauken, including robberies in Haddon Township on Aug. 30, 2021; Pennsauken on Aug. 30, 2021; Bridgeton on Aug. 31, 2021; Brooklawn on Aug. 31, 2021; Vineland on Aug. 31, 2021; Pennsauken on Sept. 1, 2021; Haddon Township on Sept. 1, 2021; and Haddon Township on Sept. 16, 2021. Two of the gas stations were victimized more than once. At each gas station, at least one member of the conspiracy brandished what appeared to be an assault weapon in order to threaten the gas station attendant.

    For several of the robberies, Bradshaw and Rogers used a car they obtained by committing an armed carjacking in Philadelphia. Members of the carjacking conspiracy traveled from Camden to Philadelphia and brandished what appeared to be an assault weapon in order to force a driver and passenger from an automobile. They returned to Camden with the victims’ car, which they proceeded to use to drive to and from some of their gas stations robberies.

    In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Bumb sentenced Rogers and Bradshaw each to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti, with the investigation leading to the sentencings. He also thanked the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Bridgeton City Police Department, Brooklawn Borough Police Department, Camden County Police Department, Haddon Township Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Oaklyn Police Department, Pennsauken Township Police Department, Vineland Police Department, and the Philadelphia Police Department.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fargo, ND Man Indicted for Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon and by a Drug User or Addict, and Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number

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

    Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on October 15, 2024, Amire J. Logan, made his initial appearance and was arraigned in federal court. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota unsealed an Indictment revealing that a federal grand jury indicted Logan on two counts of Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, two counts of Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by a Drug User or Addict, and one count of Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number, arising from a June 24, 2024 incident in Fargo, and a September 24, 2024 incident in West Fargo.

    The Indictment in this case is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    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. PSN is based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    This case is being investigated by the Fargo Police Department, the West Fargo Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ringleader Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Key Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

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

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Derrell Cashawn Massey, also known as “Rell” and “Fat Rell,” 34, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Massey admitted to a leading role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Southern District of West Virginia.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 3, 2023, Massey distributed approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Ninth Street residence in Huntington where Massey was living. The confidential informant had called Massey beforehand to arrange the transaction, agreeing to pay $2,000 in exchange for the methamphetamine.

    Massey admitted to the transaction and further admitted to participating in the DTO from at least November 2022 through November 2023. Massey’s participation included arranging for quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to be transported from Detroit and other areas to Huntington for distribution. Massey also distributed at least 30 pounds of methamphetamine to a specific customer in Nitro, West Virginia, and directed other individuals to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl to various customers. Massey admitted that he aided and abetted the distribution of a total of 8.6 pounds of methamphetamine on 10 separate occasions between February 27, 2023, and September 7, 2023.

    Massey and other DTO participants used multiple residences to store and distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, including Massey’s Ninth Avenue residence in Huntington. On September 12, 2023, law enforcement officers seized six 9mm semiautomatic pistols at Massey’s Ninth Avenue residence.

    Massey is among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia.

    Massey is also among 21 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the main case. One other of the 27 indicted individuals pleaded guilty to a related offense in a separate case. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

    United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Carolina Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

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

    BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Keith Deshon Adams, 39, of Statesville, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 13 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 7, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in Oak Hill in which Adams was a passenger. Adams admitted that he tried to flee on foot after he was asked to exit the vehicle and stand at the front of an officer’s cruiser. An officer deployed a taser to stop Adams. While struggling with the officer, Adams opened a cross-body bag he was wearing and retrieved a plastic baggy containing fentanyl powder from it. Adams tore open the bag, causing the fentanyl to spill out of the bag and onto the officer’s clothing, face and mouth. The officer ingested some of the fentanyl and began suffering an apparent overdose.

    Other officers secured Adams. A second officer suffered an apparent overdose after ingesting some of the spilled fentanyl. Both officers were taken to the hospital and treated with naloxone.

    Adams admitted that the cross-body bag contained controlled substances including methamphetamine, fentanyl and tablets containing methamphetamine and ecstasy.

    Adams has a long criminal history with prior convictions for such offenses as unlawful transport of firearms, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and failure to register as a sex offender.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Oak Hill Police Department, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

    Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-152.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Ammunition

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

    FRESNO, Calif. — Jamar Johnson, 30, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, on Dec. 8, 2019, a shooting occurred at the ARCO station at Fresno and C Streets in Fresno. During the incident, Johnson drove his silver Mercedes in the ARCO lot and fired a handgun at another vehicle. After the Johnson left the area, a cellphone belonging to Johnson was found in the parking lot where the Mercedes had been parked along with .45 caliber shell casings.

    The judge noted a number of factors supporting the sentence, including this being Johnson’s third firearms-related conviction, each of the firearms-related convictions involving Johnson discharging a firearm, Johnson’s history of violating the terms of his supervision, and continued risky behavior that put the community in danger. At the time of this offense, Johnson was on federal supervised release for a federal conviction for conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He violated the terms of his supervised release on that conviction within 71 days of commencing supervision.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice 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: Apollo Launches Evergreen Secondaries Products for Global Wealth Investors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) today announced the launch of Apollo S3 Private Markets Fund (“ASPM US”) and Apollo S3 Private Markets Lux (“ASPM Lux,” together with ASPM US, “ASPM”), products designed to provide investors with turnkey solutions to access diversified portfolios of multi-asset secondary investments across private markets. 

    ASPM US is available through a semi-liquid, perpetual 1940 Act tender offer fund and is part of Apollo’s suite of products accessible to accredited U.S. investors. ASPM Lux is part of the Apollo Private Markets SICAV umbrella, a Luxembourg-based platform offering a holistic set of Apollo’s alternative solutions to wealth investors in EMEA, Asia and Latin America. ASPM Lux is accessible in multiple currencies to address local investor needs.

    ASPM offers a differentiated approach to secondaries through a flexible mandate to invest across the capital stack, execute a variety of transaction types and aim to offer diversification across vintages and managers. These new offerings seek to build a balanced and diversified portfolio with attractive growth potential and long-term capital appreciation.

    Apollo’s Stephanie Drescher, Partner and Chief Client and Product Development Officer, said, “The launch of ASPM underscores Apollo’s commitment to providing access to institutional quality alternative offerings tailored to individuals and wealth investors. We continue to make progress as global investors increasingly seek more diversification than what has historically been provided through traditional portfolio construction.”

    Steve Lessar, Partner and Co-Head of Apollo’s Sponsor & Secondary Solutions (S3) business, added, “We believe these new offerings will provide distinct access points to private market secondaries, leveraging the collective strengths of the Apollo Private Markets ecosystem and the Apollo S3 team, which has sourced over $160 billion in these types of transactions in the past year. It is our view that secondaries can provide a combination of attractive attributes not commonly found in other private market strategies, and we’re pleased to make that available to investors.”

    Apollo’s Jason Singer, Partner and Global Lead for Product Development and Veronique Fournier, Managing Director and Head of EMEA Global Wealth said, “Apollo is an innovator in bringing institutional quality products to individual investors in tailored formats. As investors look to supplement public markets holdings and diversify their overall portfolios, we believe that Apollo’s Global Wealth platform provides solutions that prioritize the needs of the end investor globally.”

    Important Information

    This material is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation to purchase any security. Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, tax information, charges and expenses of ASPM US. This information and other important details about ASPM US are contained in the prospectus, which can be obtained by visiting http://www.apollo.com/aspm. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. Prospective investors should be aware that an investment in ASPM US entails substantial risks. Prior to investing, prospective investors should consult with their own tax and legal advisors.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements can generally be identified by our use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” or other similar words. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from the expectations, intentions, beliefs, plans or predictions of the future expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. As a result, investors should not rely on such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, but are not limited to: uncertainties relating to changes in general economic and real estate conditions; uncertainties relating to the implementation of our investment strategy; uncertainties relating to capital proceeds; and other risk factors as outlined in ASPM US’s prospectus, statement of additional information, annual report and semi-annual report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

    This communication has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product or be relied upon for any other purpose. The views expressed represent an assessment of market conditions at a specific point in time, are opinions only and should not be relied upon as investment advice regarding a particular investment or markets in general. Such information does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell specific securities or investment vehicles. It should not be assumed that any investment will be profitable or will equal the performance of ASPM US or any securities or any sectors mentioned herein. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources deemed to be reliable, but not guaranteed.

    About Apollo
    Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of June 30, 2024, Apollo had approximately $696 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit http://www.apollo.com.

    Apollo Contacts

    Noah Gunn
    Global Head of Investor Relations
    Apollo Global Management, Inc.
    (212) 822-0540
    IR@apollo.com

    Joanna Rose
    Global Head of Corporate Communications
    Apollo Global Management, Inc.
    (212) 822-0491
    Communications@apollo.com  

    The MIL Network –

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

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation, a Cayman Islands exempted company (NASDAQ: MSSA) (the “Company” or “Metal Sky”) announced today that it has entered into a letter of intent (the “LOI”) with Fedilco Group Limited, a Cyprus based company (“Fedilco”) holding 80% equity interest of Viva Armenia Closed Joint-Stock Company, an Armenia-based telecommunication company (“Viva”). Pursuant to the LOI, the Company expresses interest in acquiring all the issued and outstanding shares of Fedilco. The parties will obtain all the required permissions and/or approvals of the state authorities of the Republic of Armenia.

    Viva’s success in the field of mobile communications is conditioned by the following principle: mobile services should be available not to a limited number of people, but to everyone. Viva provides its subscribers with the opportunity to keep in touch with their homeland, regardless of their location. Viva has 529 roaming partners in 192 countries of the world. Viva is the first company in Armenia to introduce and apply CSR as a management model and is the first operator to be guided by the international principles of social responsibility ISO 26000.

    “We are excited to announce this LOI with Fedilco,” said Wenxi He, CEO of Metal Sky. “Viva is emerging as a leader in the telecommunication industry in Armenia, and we believe that this transaction will position us to effectively capitalize on growth opportunities in the sector and enhance shareholder value.”

    “We are excited to enter this partnership to meet our commitment to focus on the next generation telecommunication technology,” said Loizos Vasiliou, Director of Fedilco. “This partnership into the public markets broadens our investor base and the combined company will have a strong platform to drive innovation and expand our market reach.”

    About Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation

    Metal Sky Star Acquisition Corporation is a blank check company formed under the laws of the Cayman Islands for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses.

    About Fedilco Group Limited

    Fedilco Group Limited, incorporated under the laws of Cyprus, is the controlling shareholder of Viva, a leading and innovate technology company in Armenia’s ICT sector.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the proposed transaction with Fedilco. 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 annual report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on August 30, 2024. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, http://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 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: Fresno Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Series of Vehicle Pipe-Bombings

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    FRESNO, Calif. — Scott Eric Anderson, 46, of Fresno, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for conspiracy to destroy property, malicious destruction by means of an explosive device and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, between November 2022 and February 2023, Anderson committed a series of pipe-bombings on unoccupied vehicles and property in Fresno. The bombings damaged vehicles belonging to two auto-related businesses on Clinton Avenue in Fresno. On Feb. 19, 2023, a bomb heavily damaged a vehicle used by a home health care business on Fallbrook Avenue in Fresno. Anderson sometimes recorded his crimes by video. Law enforcement also recovered a pistol in Anderson’s bedroom. Anderson was previously convicted of carrying a loaded and concealed weapon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Tierney prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Rihanna’s “Goodnight Gotham” Acquisition by Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) Unlocks Significant Royalty Opportunities Across Global Platforms

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Naples, FL, Oct. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rihanna’s hit track “Goodnight Gotham” has become a key asset in the expanding portfolio of Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG), following the company’s acquisition of the sound recording rights to the song. This strategic move complements Music Licensing, Inc.’s prior acquisition of the publishing rights to “Goodnight Gotham,” providing the company with comprehensive control over one of the most celebrated works by the globally renowned artist. With over 250 million records sold and 14 Billboard No. 1 hits, Rihanna’s catalog is a valuable asset in the global music rights market, and this acquisition positions Music Licensing, Inc. as a significant player in this fast-growing sector.

    The sound recording rights will continue to be administered by Universal Music Group (EURONEXT: UMG) (OTC: UNVGY) (OTC: UMGNF), while the publishing rights are administered by Kobalt Music Group. By securing both the sound recording and publishing rights, Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) now holds a full stake in the work, opening up diverse revenue streams from multiple platforms and media channels.

    Value Proposition for Shareholders

    This acquisition is a milestone for Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG), as it underscores the company’s commitment to acquiring high-value, royalty-generating assets that promise consistent and scalable income. The ownership of both sound recording and publishing rights unlocks multiple revenue opportunities, ensuring Music Licensing, Inc. can capitalize on every instance of “Goodnight Gotham” being played, streamed, or licensed.

    Revenue Streams Across Global Platforms

    The acquisition allows Music Licensing, Inc. to generate income across various platforms, including:

    • Streaming Services: Royalties from top digital streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, Tencent Music, and SoundCloud, ensuring consistent revenue from millions of listeners worldwide.
    • Social Media and Short-Form Video: Revenue generated through platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where music is an integral part of user-generated content, presents further monetization opportunities for “Goodnight Gotham” through sync and performance royalties.
    • Radio and Broadcast: Income from the song’s airplay on traditional and digital radio platforms, including iHeartMedia and SiriusXM, provides another consistent stream of royalties through public performance.
    • Synchronization (Sync) Licensing: High-value opportunities arise from licensing “Goodnight Gotham” for use in films, TV shows, commercials, and video games. Rihanna’s widespread appeal makes this track a strong candidate for premium sync placements, driving significant revenue.

    By owning both forms of intellectual property—sound recording and publishing—Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) is in a unique position to maximize revenue from “Goodnight Gotham” across these diverse platforms.

    Strategic Growth Opportunity

    As global music consumption continues to rise, particularly through digital and streaming platforms, the acquisition of “Goodnight Gotham” gives Music Licensing, Inc. a valuable asset that offers steady, long-term revenue potential. The music rights industry is experiencing rapid growth, with expanding digital platforms and new technologies creating broader opportunities for music consumption and monetization. For shareholders, this acquisition represents a strategic entry into one of the most scalable sectors in entertainment, positioning Music Licensing, Inc. for sustainable growth and enhanced shareholder value.

    With platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal, and more continuing to experience growth in user engagement and content demand, the value of rights to works like “Goodnight Gotham” will only increase, solidifying Music Licensing, Inc.’s role as a key player in the music rights and intellectual property space.

    About Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) (ProMusicRights.com)

    Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG), also known as Pro Music Rights, is a diversified holding company and the fifth public performance rights organization (PRO) formed in the United States. Its licensees include notable companies such as TikTok, iHeart Media, Triller, Napster, 7Digital, Vevo, and many others. Pro Music Rights holds an estimated market share of 7.4% in the United States, representing over 2,500,000 works by notable artists such as A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Lil Yachty, MoneyBagg Yo, Larry June, Trae Pound, Sauce Walka, Trae Tha Truth, Sosamann, Soulja Boy, Lex Luger, Trauma Tone, Lud Foe, SlowBucks, Gunplay, OG Maco, Rich The Kid, Fat Trel, Young Scooter, Nipsey Hussle, Famous Dex, Boosie Badazz, Shy Glizzy, 2 Chainz, Migos, Gucci Mane, Young Dolph, Trinidad James, Chingy, Lil Gnar, 3OhBlack, Curren$y, Fall Out Boy, Money Man, Dej Loaf, Lil Uzi Vert, and countless others, as well as artificial intelligence (A.I.) created music.

    Additionally, Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) owns royalty stakes in Listerine “Mouthwash” Antiseptic and musical works by artists such as The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Elton John, Mike Posner, blackbear, Lil Nas X, Lil Yachty, DaBaby, Stunna 4 Vegas, Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, XXXTentacion, Jeremih, Ty Dolla $ign, Eric Bellinger, Ne-Yo, MoneyBagg Yo, Halsey, Desiigner, DaniLeigh, Rihanna, and numerous others.

    Forward-Looking Statements:

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of Music Licensing, Inc. & Pro Music Rights, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Music Licensing, Inc. & Pro Music Rights, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Pro Music Rights, Inc., Music Licensing, Inc., or any other person.

    Non-Legal Advice Disclosure:

    This press release does not constitute legal advice, and readers are advised to seek legal counsel for any legal matters or questions related to the content herein.

    Non-Investment Advice Disclosure:

    This communication is intended solely for informational purposes and does not in any way imply or constitute a recommendation or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, commodities, bonds, options, derivatives, or any other investment products. Any decisions related to investments should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor or professional. We assume no liability for any actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this communication.

    Contact: investors@ProMusicRights.com

    SOURCE: Music Licensing, Inc

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Glenorchy man charged with firearms and drug offences

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Glenorchy man charged with firearms and drug offences

    Tuesday, 15 October 2024 – 10:42 am.

    Police have charged a 35-year-old man with firearms and drug offences following a single vehicle crash at Chigwell yesterday.
    Inspector Mark Burke said officers were called to the scene on Coraki Street after a Ford XR8 Falcon reportedly crashed into a residential fence.
    “The man was drug tested at the scene and returned a positive result before he and the vehicle were searched, with police locating a quantity of ammunition, cash, illicit drugs and a firearm and magazine,” he said.
    “Detectives from Bridgewater and Glenorchy then conducted a search of the man’s Glenorchy residence alongside officers from the Southern Drug and Firearms unit, locating large quantities of prescription medications, methylamphetamine, steroids and cash.”
    “Officers also located a loaded firearm, a magazine and ammunition at the property.”
    “The man has been charged with several drugs, firearms and family violence offences and is expected to appear in court today.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Does drinking coffee while pregnant cause ADHD? Our study shows there’s no strong link

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gunn-Helen Moen, Post-doctoral research fellow in genetic epidemiology, The University of Queensland

    Velishchuk/Shutterstock

    International guidelines recommend people limit how much coffee they drink during pregnancy. Consuming caffeine – a stimulant – while pregnant has been linked to how the baby’s brain develops.

    Some studies have shown increased coffee consumption during pregnancy is associated with the child having neurodevelopmental difficulties. These may include traits linked to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as difficulties with language, motor skills, attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour.

    But is coffee the cause? Our new research aimed to clear up the sometimes confusing advice about drinking coffee during pregnancy.

    We studied tens of thousands of pregnant women over two decades. The results showed – when other factors like genes and income were accounted for – no causal link between drinking coffee during pregnancy and a child’s neurodevelopmental difficulties. That means it’s safe to keep drinking your daily latte according to current recommendations.

    What we were trying to find out

    Past research has identified a link between drinking coffee during pregnancy and a child’s neurodevelopmental difficulties. But it hasn’t been able to establish caffeine as the direct cause.

    Biological changes during pregnancy reduce caffeine metabolism. This means the caffeine molecules and metabolites (the molecules produced while breaking down the caffeine) take longer to be cleared from the body.

    Additionally, past studies have shown caffeine and its by-products can cross the placenta. The fetus does not have the necessary enzymes to clear them, and so it was thought that caffeine metabolites may impact the developing baby.

    However it can be hard to identify whether coffee directly causes changes to the fetus’s brain development. Pregnant women who drink coffee may differ from those who don’t in a number of other ways. And it could be these variables – not coffee – that affect neurodevelopment.

    These variables, known as “confounding factors” might include how much people drink or smoke while pregnant, or a parent’s income and education. For example, we know people who tend to drink coffee also tend to drink more alcohol and smoke more cigarettes than those who don’t drink coffee.

    Our study aimed to look at the effect of drinking coffee on neurodevelopmental difficulties, isolated from these confounding factors.

    What we did

    We know genes play a role in how many cups of coffee a person consumes per day. Our study used genetics to compare the development of children whose mothers did and did not carry genes linked to increased coffee consumption.

    The study looked at tens of thousands of families registered in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study. All pregnant women in Norway between 1999 and 2008 were invited to participate and 58,694 women took part with their child.

    Parents reported how much coffee they drank before and during pregnancy. Mothers also completed questionnaires about their child’s neurodevelopmental traits between six months and eight years of age.

    The questions covered many traits, including difficulties with attention, communication, behavioural flexibility, regulation of activity and impulses, as well as motor and language skills.

    The parents and children also provided genetic samples. This allowed us to control for genetic variants shared between mother and child and isolate the behaviour of coffee drinking.

    The study used reports from mothers about their child’s neurodevelopmental traits over more than seven years.
    Ann in the uk/Shutterstock

    What we found

    We were able to look at causality through this method of adjusting for potential confounding factors in the environment (the mother smoking or drinking alcohol, the parents’ education and income).

    The results showed no strong causal link between increased maternal coffee consumption and children’s neurodevelopmental difficulties.

    The difference in findings between our and previous studies may be explained by our work separating the effect of coffee from the effect of other variables, as well as genetic predisposition to neurodevelopmental conditions.

    Our study has limitations. Importantly, we were only able to rule out strong effects of coffee on neurodevelopmental difficulties, and it is possible small effects may exist.

    We only investigated offspring neurodevelopmental traits, and coffee consumption during pregnancy could impact the mother or child in other ways.

    However we have previously shown coffee consumption during pregnancy did not have strong causal effects on birth weight, gestational duration, risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. But other outcomes – such as mental health or a child’s risk for heart disease and stroke later in life – should be investigated.

    Overall, our study supports current clinical guidelines that state low to moderate consumption of coffee during pregnancy is safe for the mother and developing baby.

    For most people, that means sticking below 200mg of caffeine per day – usually equivalent to one espresso or two instant coffees – should be safe. If you have concerns, it’s best to speak to your clinician.

    Gunn-Helen Moen receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Research Council of Norway.

    Shannon D’Urso does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Does drinking coffee while pregnant cause ADHD? Our study shows there’s no strong link – https://theconversation.com/does-drinking-coffee-while-pregnant-cause-adhd-our-study-shows-theres-no-strong-link-241015

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Annual Awards Ceremony Recognizes Outstanding Contributions From Western Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Officers and Prosecutors

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

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Law Enforcement Agency Directors (LEAD) of Western Pennsylvania recognized more than three dozen area law enforcement officers and prosecutors during its 26th Annual LEAD Awards Ceremony, announced United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan. Comprising the Western Pennsylvania heads of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, LEAD bestows awards annually as a way of recognizing outstanding performance from law enforcement agents and officers, as well as prosecutors.

    Notable among the LEAD Awards presented were:

    • The Lifetime Service Award was presented to (Retired) Supervisory Special Agent Louis “Lou” Weiers for his outstanding service with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Weiers began his career with the ATF in January 1991 as a Special Agent with the Pittsburgh field office’s Arson/Explosives group, also serving as a member of the National Response Team from 1998 until 2005. Weiers was promoted to Resident Agent in Charge of the Pittsburgh Firearms Trafficking and Violent Crime group in March 2005, and was among the longest tenured supervisory investigators within the ATF upon his September 2024 retirement. Among the many investigations on which he worked during his career, Weiers served as the first-line supervisor at the 2018 Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, where his group led the ATF response and firearms investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); represented ATF at the September 11, 2001, Flight 93 crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania; and was involved in the 2014 48-day manhunt for Eric Frein, who killed a Pennsylvania State Trooper and critically injured another during an attack at a State Police barracks. Weiers also served in several acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge details within the Philadelphia Field Division throughout the decades.

    • The Courage Under Hostile Fire Award was presented to Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Officer Craig Claflin, who, as the first officer on the scene of a domestic dispute call at a Kincaid Street residence in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood in July 2024, was immediately fired upon by the assailant. Officer Claflin quickly neutralized, disarmed, and detained the assailant, saving lives and preventing injuries to neighboring civilians and fellow law enforcement officers.

    • An individual LEAD award was presented to Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Jordan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. AUSA Jordan’s work has consistently involved the handling of both complex, long-term investigations and prosecutions of violent individuals and drug traffickers. During the past year, her cases included multiple long-term drug trafficking investigations conducted by FBI’s Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force—one of which was a Title-III wiretap investigation—as well as a long-term Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization, the latter of which included the execution of multiple search warrants in late-June 2024 that ultimately resulted in the seizure of nearly 120 kilograms of cocaine, over $1.2 million in cash, and eight firearms, in addition to the charging of numerous individuals. In September 2024, shortly after the takedown of her FBI Title-III investigation, AUSA Jordan secured a guilty verdict in the jury trial of local large-scale drug trafficker Leon Ford Sr., whom Jordan and her team of investigators had indicted and successfully convicted of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, as well as possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    • Several individuals from the ATF, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, received a team award for outstanding performance for their seven-month investigation and prosecution of a complex illegal firearms manufacturing and distribution network out of Altoona, Pennsylvania. The criminal conspiracy involved the manufacture and sale of untraceable ghost guns, AR-15 style rifles, and “hit kits” containing a Polymer 80 privately made firearm with no serial number, a threaded barrel to attach an included silencer, subsonic ammunition, and latex gloves.

    • Members of the Mt. Lebanon Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, and FBI received a team award for their investigation of a series of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.

    • Corporals and troopers from Pennsylvania State Police Troops B and D Forensic Services Units were honored with a team award for their processing of a particularly complex Pittsburgh crime scene.

    • Two U.S. Postal Inspection Service officials received individual LEAD awards for their roles in helping to uncover and disrupt criminal operations in separate investigations involving, in one case, a California-to-Western Pennsylvania drug trafficking network, and, in the other, a games of chance theft ring. Officers and agents from organizations including the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and Pennsylvania State Police also received individual awards for their performance in a variety of incidents and investigations involving firearms, narcotics, sexual exploitation of minors, tax evasion, and public safety.

    LEAD is composed of the following law enforcement agencies: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania; Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration; U.S. Department of Defense – Defense Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Probation & Pretrial Services; United States Secret Service; U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of State – Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Air Marshal Service; U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Veterans Administration – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Service; U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; Pennsylvania State Police; Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole; Western Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association; Allegheny County Police Department; Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office; Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office; Allegheny County Chiefs of Police Association; Allegheny County Housing Authority Police Department; Port Authority of Allegheny County Police Department; Washington County District Attorney’s Office; Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office; Pittsburgh Bureau of Police; Mt. Lebanon Police Department; Carnegie Mellon University Police Department, and University of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Fort Dodge, Iowa Man for Illegal Possession of Firearm

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

    Vanvacter, a convicted felon, led law enforcement on high-speed chase prior to throwing his firearm from vehicle

    A man who illegally possessed a firearm was convicted by a jury on October 10, 2024, after a three-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.

    Lennox Vanvacter, 31, was convicted of one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  The verdict was returned following about 7 hours of jury deliberations.

    The evidence at trial showed that on July 30, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Vanvacter operating a motor vehicle.  Based on their observations and the fact Vanvacter had an active arrest warrant for a previous eluding charge, officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop and apprehend him.  When emergency lights/sirens were activated, Vanvacter engaged in a high-speed attempt (approximately 30 minutes in duration) to elude law enforcement, including speeds of 70 mph or more in Fort Dodge and 100 mph or more outside city limits in Webster County.  Two sets of spike strips deployed by officers ultimately stopped the vehicle.  Once stopped, Vanvacter attempted to flee from the officers on foot, through the passenger door, but was captured a short distance later.  Officers located a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, near the end of the vehicle’s flight path.  Later, officers determined by review of patrol car camera video, that the firearm was thrown from the vehicle at the end of the pursuit.   

    Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Vanvacter remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing.  Vanvacter faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    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.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa DCI Laboratory, and 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 23-3037.  

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Stratford Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Gun Trafficking Offense

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

    Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ESKAVAIL GORDON, also known as “Vail,” 21, of Stratford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm trafficking offense.        

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2023, Stefan Bagley, Jr. was shot and wounded while traveling in his vehicle in Bridgeport.  Later that same day, Bagley’s vehicle was used in another shooting incident in Bridgeport.  An investigation revealed that, between October 2022 and October 2023, Bagley purchased approximately 20 9mm handguns from licensed firearm dealers and then trafficked the guns to a network of customers, including Gordon.  Bagley typically scratched the serial numbers off of the firearms before providing them to his customers, making the guns more difficult to trace.

    During the investigation, a search of Bagley’s text messages revealed communications with Gordon in which the two discussed Bagley purchasing a Glock handgun for Gordon.  Gordon then paid Bagley $750 for the gun.

    Gordon was arrested on December 18, 2023, and investigators seized a 9mm firearm from Gordon on the date of his arrest.

    Gordon was previously convicted in state court of possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and he was on state probation at the time of his criminal conduct in this case.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    On May 20, 2024, Gordon pleaded guilty to receipt of a trafficked firearm.  He has been detained since his arrest.

    Bagley pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing.

    Most of the firearms trafficked by Bagley are unaccounted for.

    U.S. Attorney Avery noted that this case is being prosecuted, in part, 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.

    This matter is being investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: ATF Assembles Federal Law Enforcement Teams; Provides Emergency Support for Hurricanes Helene, Milton

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

    WASHINGTON – The federal government’s Emergency Support Function #13 (ESF #13) was activated to provide federal public safety and security assistance in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. ESF #13 is managed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on behalf of the Department of Justice.

    On Oct. 5, ESF #13 was activated to provide force protection for ESF #9 Federal Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams and ESF #8 Public Health and Medical Services missions following Hurricane Milton. ESF #13 is also positioned to provide direct federal assistance to Florida if needed. Since arriving in Florida, ESF #13 has:

    • Pre-staged 34 Law Enforcement Strike Teams (LEST) comprised of more than 440 federal law enforcement officers (FLEO) from 12 separate federal agencies, including ATF, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Federal Air Marshals (FAMS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS). It is anticipated that more FLEOs will be requested to assist with response efforts.
    • Staged resources to provide law enforcement and security support for 22 US&R teams and two Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT).

    On Sept. 24, ESF #13 was activated for Hurricane Helene to the southeastern part of the United States.

    At its peak, ESF #13:

    • Deployed more than 30 federal LESTs consisting of 400+ FLEOs from 15 federal law enforcement agencies, included ATF, DEA, FBI, USMS, BOP, CBP, BLM, USFWS, CGIS, Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), Department of Transportation OIG (DOT-OIG), U.S. Treasury Inspector General (TIGTA), Health and Human Services OIG (HHS-OIG), FAMS, and IRS.
    • Deployed to Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina for Helene recovery support.
    • Supported approximately 30 federal US&R teams from Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio, California, Texas, Indiana, Missouri, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.
    • Deployed more than 40 K-9s to assist in searches.
    • Supported four Health and Medical Task Forces (HMTF) and DMATs in the Western North Carolina area.
    • Deployed approximately 10 peer support personnel from ATF and USMS.

    The federal government’s disaster response includes 15 Emergency Support Functions. ESF #13 coordinates the federal law enforcement response to any disaster requiring the federal whole-of-government response. In Feb. 2006, the Department of Justice was designated the ESF #13 coordinating department. In October 2008, ATF was assigned as the lead coordinating agency for ESF #13 on behalf of DOJ.

    [1:01 PM] Herman, Cara A. (ATF) ATF teams up with multiple agencies to stage resources to provide law enforcement and security support to FEMA’s ESF #9 Urban Search and Rescue teams.

    ATF teams up with multiple agencies to stage resources to provide law enforcement
    and security support to ESF #9 Federal Urban Search and Rescue teams.

    ESF #13 provides force protection for FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue teams following Hurricane Milton.

    ESF #13 provides force protection for Federal Urban Search
    and Rescue teams following Hurricane Milton.

    ESF #13 provides force protection for a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team in the southeastern part of the U.S. following Hurricane Helene.

    ESF #13 provides force protection for aUrban Search and Rescue
    team in the southeastern part of the U.S. following Hurricane Helene.

    ESF #13 continues to provide force protection for Urban Search and Rescue teams as they use drones to look for victims across the southeastern part of the U.S. following Hurricane Helene.

    ESF #13 continues to provide force protection for Urban Search
    and Rescue teams as they use drones to look for victims across
    the southeastern part of the U.S. following Hurricane Helene.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Greenwood Felon on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced for Weapons Violation Arising from State Domestic Violence Charges

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

    SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Thaddeus Deon Devlin, Jr., 29, of Greenwood was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 11, 2023, a victim called 911 stating that her children’s father had a gun, threatened her with it, and had taken her 5-year-old son.  Greenwood Police Department officers responded to the location where the victim indicated Devlin would likely take her child and saw Devlin pull up. When Devlin and the child exited the car, Devlin was holding a liquor bottle and stated that he had been drinking. Officers searched the car and located a loaded .40 caliber pistol. At the time of the offense, Devlin’s criminal history included multiple incidences of domestic violence, assault and battery, and a prior felon in possession of a firearm charge. Devlin was on federal supervised release at the time.

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., sentenced Devlin to imprisonment for a term of 84 months on the indictment and a consecutive 16 months on the supervised release violation, all to be followed by a one-year term of court-ordered supervision.  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.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greenwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearms and Fentanyl

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

    TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Joseph McKinley Phillips, 34, of Tulsa, for Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Judge Russell ordered Phillips to 188 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, in Dec. 2023, Tulsa Police officers approached Phillips, and he took off running. After officers caught and detained Phillips, they found he had two loaded handguns and more than 40 grams of fentanyl.

    Data shows that only two milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose. Seven out of ten contraband pills seized and tested by the DEA contained fentanyl.

    Phillips will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McConney and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Informational: Federal Court arraignments

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

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:

    Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Oct. 11 was:

    Johntay Jujuan Taylor, 27, of Texas, on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. If convicted of the most serious crime, Taylor faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release. Taylor was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI; U.S. Secret Service; Chubbock, Pocatello and Kemmerer, Idaho, Police departments; Bannock County, Idaho, Sheriff’s Office; Idaho State Police; Missoula, Bozeman, Helena, Livingston and Laurel, Montana, Police departments; Yellowstone County, Montana, Sheriff’s Office; Teton County, Wyoming, Sheriff’s Office; and Evanston and Mountain View, Wyoming, Police departments conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-13.

    Appearing Oct. 10 was:

    Keegan Allan Strelnik, 42, of Florence, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Strelnik faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Strelnik was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Probation Office and Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-54.

    Nicole Lynn Shain, 39, of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. If convicted of the most serious crime, Shain faces a mandatory minimum of five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Shain was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations and the Flathead Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-50.

    The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Series of Vehicle Pipe-Bombings

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

    FRESNO, Calif. — Scott Eric Anderson, 46, of Fresno, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for conspiracy to destroy property, malicious destruction by means of an explosive device and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, between November 2022 and February 2023, Anderson committed a series of pipe-bombings on unoccupied vehicles and property in Fresno. The bombings damaged vehicles belonging to two auto-related businesses on Clinton Avenue in Fresno. On Feb. 19, 2023, a bomb heavily damaged a vehicle used by a home health care business on Fallbrook Avenue in Fresno. Anderson sometimes recorded his crimes by video. Law enforcement also recovered a pistol in Anderson’s bedroom. Anderson was previously convicted of carrying a loaded and concealed weapon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Tierney prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm After Shootout at Gas Station

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

    MINNEAPOLIS – A convicted felon has pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

    According to court documents, on March 17, 2023, Samit Mao, 43, entered a gas station in St. Paul and tried unsuccessfully to purchase a cash card using reward points. Mao then punched the glass window in front of the cash register with one hand and was asked to leave the store by a cashier and a security guard. After the security guard and Mao exited the store, they exchanged gunfire. Mao was hit in the left arm. The defendant entered his car and fled the scene.  Responding officers apprehended Mao in his vehicle nearby the gas station.  Underneath Mao’s seat in the vehicle, officers recovered a Springfield model Hellcat 9mm semiautomatic pistol containing eight rounds and a round in the chamber.

    Because Mao has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

    Mao pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Michael J. Davis to one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.

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

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Felon Sentenced to Over Seven Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm

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

    MINNEAPOLIS – An Oakdale man has been sentenced to 90 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

    According to court documents, on February 13, 2023, an officer from the New Hope Police Department initiated a traffic stop after observing a maroon Chevy Suburban commit several traffic violations. The officer noticed the smell of marijuana as he approached the vehicle and saw drug paraphernalia in the center console. Officers subsequently searched the vehicle and found a Glock model 17 GEN5 9mm caliber pistol equipped with a switch and a large capacity magazine hidden in a compartment underneath the cupholders. They also found a second large capacity magazine and additional ammunition on the driver’s side of the vehicle. DNA from the firearm’s textured grip and slide serrations matched the driver, Detroit Davis-Riley, 35. It was also later discovered that the firearm had previously been reported as stolen.

    Because Davis-Riley has multiple prior felony convictions in Hennepin County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

    On March 14, 2024, Davis-Riley pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced on October 9, 2024, in U.S. District Court by Judge Michael J. Davis.

    This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the New Hope Police Department, Crystal Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary S. Riverso prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

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

    FLORENCE, S.C. — Joshua Levon West, 39, of Myrtle Beach was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 9, 2023, following a traffic stop, officers with the Myrtle Beach Police Department discovered West in possession of a loaded, stolen firearm.  West is prohibited from possessing a firearm based on his prior convictions for armed robbery, strong arm robbery, attempted strong arm robbery, and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime.  

    United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced West to 30 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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 investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel is prosecuting the case.

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