NewzIntel.com

Category: Gun Control

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Snapshot of Trump’s First Month: Making America Safe Again

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: A Snapshot of Trump’s First Month: Making America Safe Again

    em>“President Trump said from the start: criminal illegals have no place in our homeland. He is keeping his promise.” – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem
    WASHINGTON – In a single month, President Trump and Secretary Noem have made massive strides to address the crisis at the southern border and remove violent criminal aliens from American communities. This is just the beginning of the golden age of America. PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT:   

    On day one, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border and restarted construction of the border wall.   
    President Trump instantly reinstated “Remain in Mexico” and ended catch and release.   
    The Trump administration has empowered our brave men and women in ICE, Border Patrol, and Coast Guard to use common sense to do their jobs effectively.   
    DHS has repealed Biden Era rules that allowed criminal aliens to hide from law enforcement in places like schools and churches to avoid arrest.    
    DHS returned to using the term “illegal alien” to use statutory language and stop political correctness from hindering law enforcement.   
    ICE arrests of criminal aliens have doubled and arrests of fugitives at large has tripled.   
    Daily border encounters have plunged 93% since President Trump took office.  
    To fulfill President Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations, the administration is detaining illegal aliens, including violent criminals, at Guantanamo Bay.    
    President Trump designated international cartels and other criminal gangs, such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.    
    President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act which mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.    
    President Trump stopped the broad abuse of humanitarian parole and returned the program to a case-by-case basis.  
    Secretary Noem ended the previous administration’s extension of Venezuelan Temporary Protected Status.   
    DHS froze all grants to non-profit organizations that facilitate illegal immigration.   
    DHS deputized  the Texas National Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, members of the State Department and the IRS to help with immigration operations.   
    Secretary Noem clawed back $80 million that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to put illegal aliens up in luxury New York City hotels. 

    Bottom Line: Since President Trump was inaugurated, he’s made it clear there is a new sheriff in town. The President and Secretary Noem will continue fighting every day to secure our borders and keep American communities safe.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waukee Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl and Fraud-Related Charges

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

    DES MOINES, Iowa – A Waukee man was sentenced today to 32 years in federal prison for fraud, money laundering, and fentanyl distribution.

    According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Stephan Rashad Haley, 36, also known as “Ace” and “Bosh,” acquired large quantities of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl from multiple drug sources and distributed the fentanyl-laced pills in the Southern District of Iowa. During an October 2023 search warrant at Haley’s Waukee residence, law enforcement located a stolen, loaded pistol, marijuana, cocaine, and pills containing fentanyl. Haley used the stolen pistol during an October 2023 shooting at an apartment complex in West Des Moines. At sentencing, the Court found Haley was responsible for more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl.

    From May to August 2023, Haley also participated in a vast, multi-million-dollar fraud scheme. Working with coconspirators located throughout the country, Haley recruited at least three other individuals to open fraudulent bank accounts and deposit stolen checks. The portion of the conspiracies in which Haley participated caused an intended loss of over $3.5 million to more than 10 victims.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Haley will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Haley was also ordered to pay $66,437 in restitution.

    Ten of Haley’s co-defendants in the fraud and money laundering case remain set for trial, currently scheduled to begin on June 23, 2025. Eight co‑defendants have pleaded guilty.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and West Des Moines Police Department, with assistance from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Clive Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Des Moines Police Department, Secret Service, and numerous state and local agencies from across the country.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, attends ‘Unity Utsav – One Voice, One Nation’ festival organized by Assam Rifles in New Delhi as the chief guest

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, attends ‘Unity Utsav – One Voice, One Nation’ festival organized by Assam Rifles in New Delhi as the chief guest

    Modi government has opened numerous avenues for North East in every field, from tourism to technology, sports to space, agriculture to entrepreneurship and banking to business

    Reduction of 70% in violent incidents and 85% in civilian causalities in the North East under the Modi government indicates that along with the establishment of peace in the region, cultural development is also taking place

    All the 8 states of North East will be connected to Delhi through rail and air connectivity by 2027

    Whole of India takes pride in the heritage of North East, India without North East and North East without India is incomplete

    Through 5-day Unity Utsav, the unity of the North East has been showcased in Delhi

    Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India, it is identified as a ‘Friend of the North East’, played a crucial role in rescuing the North East from numerous crises

    In 2036 Olympics, India will be in top 10 in medal tally, North Eastern states will play a vital role in it

    Posted On: 20 FEB 2025 7:30PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, attended the ‘Unity Utsav – One Voice, One Nation’ event organized by Assam Rifles in New Delhi today as the chief guest. Many dignitaries including the Director General of Assam Rifles were present on the occasion.

    In his address, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the word unity is very important for the North-East. For many years after independence, a vast area of ​​North-East was physically and emotionally distant from Delhi. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has eliminated the physical and emotional distance between North-East and Delhi through connectivity. Today North-East belongs to the whole of India and the whole of India belongs to the North-East. Shri Shah said that the Modi government has increased hundreds of budgetary provisions for the North-East and has given 3-4 times more budget to the North-East. He said that by 2027, all the eight states of North-East will be connected to Delhi through rail and air connectivity.

    Home Minister said that Prime Minister Modi has popularized North-East across the country as Ashtalakshmi and all 8 states of the region are capable of enriching the country in every aspect. He said that there are immense opportunities for the youth of North-East in the fields of economic, cultural, security, sports and research and development. He added that the Modi government has opened numerous avenues for North-East in every field, from tourism to technology, sports to space, agriculture to entrepreneurship and banking to business.

    Shri Amit Shah said that more than 220 ethnic groups and more than 160 tribes reside in our North-East, more than 200 dialects and languages ​​are spoken, more than 50 unique festivals are celebrated and more than 30 traditional dances and more than 100 cuisines exist in the region. He said that all this is a treasure of a rich heritage for the whole of India, which is proud of its heritage. Shri Shah said that India without the North-East and the North-East without India is incomplete.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the theme of the North-East Unity Festival is ‘one voice, one nation’. He said that our country is a wonderful blend of many languages, cultures, cuisines and costumes and this unity in diversity is the specialty and biggest strength of our country. Through the 5-day Unity Utsav, the unity of the North-East has been showcased in Delhi. Shri Shah said that Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force of India and this force is identified as a ‘Friend of the North-East’. He said that the Assam Rifles has played a crucial role in rescuing the North-East from numerous crises. He said that through this event, today Assam Rifles has succeeded in showcasing the unity and cultural strength of the North-East to the entire country and the world.

    Shri Amit Shah said that 212 teams and 1500 students took part in the sports competitions in this event and more than 150 students also participated in the cultural programs. He said that today most of the prizes have been bagged by Manipur, which shows the importance of sports in Manipur. Shri Shah said that keeping in mind the popularity of sports in the North-East, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi decided to establish the country’s first sports university in Manipur. He said that Sports for All, Sports for Excellence have become the formula for the development of sports in India. Home Minister expressed confidence that in 2036, India will host the Olympic Games, and the country will be in the top 10, with the North-Eastern states playing a key role in this achievement.

    Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, in the last 10 years, especially in the last 5 years, there has been a significant change in the law-and-order situation in the North-East. He said violent incidents and deaths of security personnel have been reduced by 70 per cent and causalities of civilians by 85 per cent in the North-East. Shri Shah said that this reduction in the figures of violence shows that there is now a gradual peace in the North-East and a new era of development and cultural development is beginning.

    Shri Amit Shah said that since 2014, more than 10,500 militants have laid down their arms in the North-East and 12 peace accords have been signed in the region between 2019 and 2024. He said that many disputes had been going on here for decades, but the Modi government took two steps forward and made the youth believe that a lot of opportunities are available for them. Union Home Minister appealed to the youth indulging in violence to join the mainstream by laying down arms.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that today, there is no part of India that does not consider the North-East as its own, and where there is no love for the people of this region. He stated that the people of every state in the country have a special place for the people of the North-East in their hearts, and every state in the North-East should also step forward and contribute to the development of the entire country. Shri Shah said that the North-East now desires peace and development and wants to function as an integral part of India.

    ****

    RK/VV/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2105090) Visitor Counter : 56

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Straw purchaser sentenced for unlawfully supplying firearms to illegal aliens

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

    McALLEN, Texas – A 54-year-old Baytown resident has been ordered to prison for his role in firearms trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Eduardo Hernandez pleaded guilty Oct. 31, 2024. 

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Hernandez to serve 151 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about Hernandez’ activities, including his purchase of several firearms from a licensed dealer in the Houston area. He had also sent photos of the firearms to an individual in Michoacan, Mexico, to provide confirmation of the transaction. During his allocution, Hernandez apologized for his offense against the United States. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane responded by commenting that the victim of this offense is really Mexico and how the people of that country suffer at the hands of cartel violence.

    “Illegal aliens are prohibited from possessing firearms, period,” said Ganjei. “Hopefully Hernandez’s conviction and sentence will serve as a warning to others would consider supplying guns to those illegally in the country.”

    On Nov. 1, 2023, as part of an on-going criminal investigation involving the unlawful purchase, transfer and exportation of firearms and ammunition, authorities conducted a search of a residence. At that time, they discovered and seized multiple firearms from an individual unlawfully present in the United States who admitted the firearms were intended to be transported into Mexico.

    The investigation revealed Hernandez had purchased two of the seized weapons – both rifles.

    At the time of his arrest, Hernandez admitted to purchasing approximately 50 firearms from licensed dealers and private sellers and transferring those firearms to aliens unlawfully present within the United States. Hernandez also admitted having transported tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition to a home near the U.S.-Mexico border.

    Hernandez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division are conducting the OCDETF operation with the assistance of the Baytown Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt and Brittany Jensen are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien sentenced for drug trafficking in South Texas

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

    McALLEN, Texas – A 44-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Mission has been ordered to prison for trafficking cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Jorge Alberto Galindo-Vargas pleaded guilty June 28, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Galindo-Vargas to serve 210 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. During the hearing, Galindo-Vargas spoke to the court noting that he had previously received a large sentence for drug trafficking at the age of 17. In handing down the sentence, in response to Galindo-Vargas statements, Judge Crane stated “Unfortunately, you’re in the cocaine business again, and that’s going to cost you another chunk of your life.”  

    “Illegally entering the United States is bad enough; illegally entering the United States in order to traffic drugs is even worse,” said Ganjei. “Galindo-Vargas will now have 17 years to think about his poor choices as he awaits his eventual deportation.”

    On Nov. 1, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. Upon inspection, authorities discovered 12 kilograms of cocaine inside an ice chest inside the vehicle. 

    Galindo-Vargas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.

    Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division are conducting the OCDETF operation with the assistance of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and the Mission and Alton police departments. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt and Brittany Jensen are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To 20 Years For Possessing With The Intent To Distribute Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, And Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – Acting U.S. Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Emmanuel Dourthe (26, Deltona) to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Dourthe pleaded guilty in November 2024.

    According to court documents, on February 14, 2023, law enforcement officers searched a storage unit that Dourthe, along with his co-conspirator Brendan Wells, utilized to store narcotics they were selling and intending to sell. Inside the storage unit, officers located 408 grams of methamphetamine, 399.7 grams of fentanyl, and 27.7 grams of cocaine. In addition, numerous bottles and baggies with various powders suspected to be cutting agents, as well as mixing tools, were found. A Smith & Wesson M&P semiautomatic rifle, along with numerous gun cases, magazines, and ammunition were also seized from the storage unit.

    A search of Dourthe’s phone had initially alerted law enforcement to the existence of the storage unit. Dourthe’s phone contained messages that showed that Dourthe and his associates were trafficking narcotics and that Wells, as well as others, were also involved in this trafficking.

    The firearm retrieved from the storage unit was swabbed for DNA, and testing revealed the presence of Douthe’s DNA on the firearm. Dourthe is a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

    Earlier in the day on February 14, 2023, law enforcement searched a backpack belonging to Wells, recovered from a residential search. Inside the backpack, law enforcement found what the Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory later confirmed to be 143.98 grams of methamphetamine.

    Wells pleaded guilty in November 2024. His sentencing is scheduled for March 26, 2025.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chatham County man sentenced to prison for stalking woman, exploding a bomb at her home

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAVANNAH, GA:  A Chatham County man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges that include planting and exploding a bomb that badly damaged a woman’s home.

    Stephen Glosser, 38, of Savannah, was sentenced to 240 months in prison after pleading guilty to Stalking and Use of an Explosive to Commit Another Felony Offense, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Glosser to pay $507,781 in restitution to two victims in the case, and to serve three years of supervised release up completion of his prison term.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    “The level of malevolent violence in this case is astounding, and it’s truly fortunate that there were no deaths as a result of this horrific crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “This successful prosecution is a credit to the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and our state and local law enforcement partners.”

    As described in court documents and testimony, Bryan County emergency services personnel responded Jan. 13, 2023, to a reported explosion that extensively damaged a Richmond Hill home with two people inside. A subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Glosser and a co-conspirator, and to a March 2024 federal indictment.

    Glosser’s guilty plea in the case describes his efforts to communicate with his co-conspirator to “create a plan to kill, intimidate, harass, or injure” the owner of the home. “This included conspiring to acquire and shoot arrows into the victim’s front door, acquire and release a large python into the victim’s home to eat the victim’s daughter, acquire and mail dog feces to the victim’s home, acquire and mail dead rats to the victim’s home, to scalp the victim, and to blow up the victim’s home,” as spelled out in the guilty plea.

    Glosser located the victim’s residence using internet searches on his cell phone based on an image the victim had previously shared with Glosser. His co-conspirator purchased exploding targets online, and the two used the explosive material to construct a bomb that Glosser and his co-conspirator used to blow up the victim’s home. After the bombing, Glosser hired a cleaning service to clean the carpets in his residence to hide traces of the bomb-making materials.

    Glosser’s co-conspirator, who was taken into custody in Louisiana on unrelated charges, is awaiting prosecution in the Southern District of Georgia. He is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

    “This case demonstrates the devastating impact of violent criminals who stop at nothing to terrorize their victims. ATF, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who use explosive devices as tools of destruction,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

    “This case serves as a stark reminder that those who use terror and threats to intimidate others will face the full force of the law,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. “We are fortunate that no lives were lost, and I commend the tireless efforts of the ATF and our local partners for their dedication in bringing this dangerous individual to justice. Our commitment to ensuring public safety remains steadfast, and we will continue to work together to protect our communities from such acts of violence.”  

    The case is being investigated by Bryan County Fire and Emergency Services, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and its K-9 unit, the Savannah Fire Department, and the Grant Parish (Louisiana) Sheriff’s Office, and Prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney L. Alexander Hamner.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: A Snapshot of Trump’s First Month: Making America Safe Again

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    “President Trump said from the start: criminal illegals have no place in our homeland. He is keeping his promise.” – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem

    WASHINGTON – In a single month, President Trump and Secretary Noem have made massive strides to address the crisis at the southern border and remove violent criminal aliens from American communities. This is just the beginning of the golden age of America. 

    PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT:   

    • On day one, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border and restarted construction of the border wall.   
    • President Trump instantly reinstated “Remain in Mexico” and ended catch and release.   
    • The Trump administration has empowered our brave men and women in ICE, Border Patrol, and Coast Guard to use common sense to do their jobs effectively.   
    • DHS has repealed Biden Era rules that allowed criminal aliens to hide from law enforcement in places like schools and churches to avoid arrest.    
    • DHS returned to using the term “illegal alien” to use statutory language and stop political correctness from hindering law enforcement.   
    • ICE arrests of criminal aliens have doubled and arrests of fugitives at large has tripled.   
    • Daily border encounters have plunged 93% since President Trump took office.  
    • To fulfill President Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations, the administration is detaining illegal aliens, including violent criminals, at Guantanamo Bay.    
    • President Trump designated international cartels and other criminal gangs, such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.    
    • President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act which mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.    
    • President Trump stopped the broad abuse of humanitarian parole and returned the program to a case-by-case basis.  
    • Secretary Noem ended the previous administration’s extension of Venezuelan Temporary Protected Status.   
    • DHS froze all grants to non-profit organizations that facilitate illegal immigration.   
    • DHS deputized  the Texas National Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, members of the State Department and the IRS to help with immigration operations.   
    • Secretary Noem clawed back $80 million that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to put illegal aliens up in luxury New York City hotels. 

    Bottom Line: Since President Trump was inaugurated, he’s made it clear there is a new sheriff in town. The President and Secretary Noem will continue fighting every day to secure our borders and keep American communities safe.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Hartford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Participating in Catalytic Converter Theft Ring

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YANQUEE RODRIGUEZ, also known as “Yankster Rodriguez,” 28, of West Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a catalytic converter theft conspiracy.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement has been investigating the theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles across Connecticut.  A catalytic converter contains precious metals, can easily be removed from its vehicle, and is difficult to trace, making it a desirable target for thieves.  The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component.

    The investigation revealed that Alexander Kolitsas owned and operated Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”), which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford.  Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot purchased stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves, including Rodriguez, and then transported and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey.  Kolitsas instructed his suppliers on the types of converters that would obtain the most profit upon resale, and he would often meet with them and transact business at his home in Wolcott late at night or behind a family member’s restaurant in Middlebury after hours.

    Business records seized during the investigation revealed that Rodriguez was one of Downpipe Depot’s largest suppliers of stolen catalytic converters.  Between January 2021 and May 2022, Downpipe Depot paid Rodriguez $411,845 for catalytic converters.  Kolitsas paid Rodriguez and his other catalytic converter suppliers a total of more than $3.3 million during that time.

    Rodriguez was arrested on November 15, 2023.  On June 26, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.

    Rodriguez, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 19.

    Kolitsas pleaded guilty to related charges and awaits sentencing.

    This investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the East Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graham, Colleagues Urge ATF To Strengthen Second Amendment Protections And Rescind Unconstitutional Biden Rules

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and 28 of their Senate Republican colleagues today to send a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Deputy Director Marvin Richardson urging him to align the agency with President Trump’s Second Amendment priorities as laid out in his recent Executive Order.

    Graham and his colleagues called on Director Richardson to identify and rescind former President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations, including the “Engaged in the Business” rule, pistol brace rule, so-called “ghost gun” rule, and “zero tolerance” policy under which ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations.

    The Senators wrote, “On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights.  We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment.”

    “Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies.”

    Along with Graham and Cornyn, the letter was signed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) and U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Jim Justice (R-W Virginia), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee) Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Jim Banks (R-Indiana) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas).

    The full text of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Previews Request to Rescind Unlawful Biden ATF Rules

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) blasted the Biden administration’s attempts to infringe on law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights, praised President Trump’s recently issued Executive Order, and discussed his upcoming request to the Trump administration to reverse course and rescind unlawful firearm regulations imposed under former President Biden’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

    “The President’s Executive Order comes on the heels of four years of President Biden’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, otherwise known as ATF, from trampling on Americans’ Second Amendment rights.”

    “In April of 2022, the Biden administration decided to target law-abiding citizens who exercised their Second Amendment rights to build their own firearms with the so-called ‘ghost gun’ rule.”

    “The Biden administration’s rogue ATF continued down this path in January of 2023, when they finalized the so-called ‘pistol brace’ rule.”

    “In April of 2024, the Biden administration’s ATF finalized a rule known as the ‘engaged in the business’ rule. This was an attempt to rewrite a statute that was passed by the Congress and signed into law by the President of the United States.”

    “I’ve long been a defender of Second Amendment rights for the 31 million people that I have the honor of representing in Texas.”

    “This is why I introduced the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would allow people with concealed carry privileges to exercise those privileges in other states that allow concealed carry.”

    “In addition to introducing this legislation, I will very soon send a letter to Deputy Director of the ATF, encouraging him to work with President Trump on rescinding many of these regulations in order to reverse the Biden administration’s reckless attacks on the Second Amendment.”

    “While the last four years have been a lot of headache for law-abiding citizens who simply want to exercise their constitutional rights, I have no doubt that President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi will right this ship.”

    “I look forward to working with both of them to reform and redirect the energies of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to safeguard rather than to attack the Second Amendment rights of American citizens.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mission man sent to prison for drug trafficking, again

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 56-year-old convicted felon has been ordered to prison for drug trafficking while on federal supervision, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Salvador Noyola pleaded guilty May 3, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Noyola to serve 188 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. On supervised release when he committed the crime, the court included 18 months as part of the sentence for violating that term. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane warned Noyola, stating “You’ve got to get out of this business… I hope hat you will find another way to make money.”

    In December 2023, authorities arrested Noyola following a search at his residence.

    At the time of the search, law enforcement seized over a kilogram of powdered cocaine.

    Noyola will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division are conducting the OCDETF operation with the assistance of the Hidalgo County Sheriffs Office and the Mission and Alton police departments. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt and Brittany Jensen are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Burlington Man Who Committed Shooting Sentenced to 10-Year Prison Term

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on February 18, 2025, Loren Senna, III, age 41, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Senna previously pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base and being a felon in possession of ammunition.

    According to court records, on March 19, 2021, Senna leaned out of the driver’s side window of the Jeep he was driving and fired multiple rounds from a semi-automatic rifle-style handgun while chasing another vehicle through a densely populated area of the Old North End in Burlington, Vermont. Although fired bullets went into multiple residences, and although pedestrians were present at the time of the shooting, no one was injured. Senna then sped through Burlington, briefly tried to hide in a parking lot, and crashed into an occupied Burlington Police Department cruiser with his Jeep while escaping the parking lot. He subsequently abandoned the Jeep and ran away on foot, throwing the semi-automatic handgun and a loaded pistol into an empty railcar. A short time later, Senna was pulled over in South Burlington, Vermont, driving a truck that belonged to a friend. In the truck were over 200 grams of cocaine base, over 20 grams of cocaine, and over 4 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture. Within a blue backpack on the floor on the passenger side was another loaded pistol. On Senna’s person was $5,812 in cash and a 9-millimeter bullet.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher stated “The defendant’s shooting and subsequent flight from law enforcement the evening of March 19, 2021, were shocking and extraordinarily dangerous. I commend our law enforcement partners for their bravery, and their quick, collaborative, focused investigative work that night to apprehend the shooter without injury to the public, the officers involved, or to the defendant.” Specifically, the Acting United States Attorney thanked the Burlington Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the South Burlington Police Department for their contributions to this case.

    “From dispatch to patrol, to detectives, to our identification unit, dozens of BPD employees took part in this elaborate case, to say nothing of our partners at the South Burlington police department and in federal law enforcement,” said Burlington Chief of Police Jon Murad. “Given the volume of gunfire, the intentional collision with a cop, and the span of the multiple crime scenes—a shooting scene, a vehicle crash, discarded evidence, a traffic stop—it’s nothing short of a miracle that no one was shot or seriously injured. I’m tremendously grateful to the US Attorney’s office, particularly AUSA Cate, for prosecuting this case and winning the kind of just, effective sentence that ensures the defendant won’t put the public at risk again for a long, long time.”

    “The reckless actions of Loren Senna, who fired a weapon from a moving vehicle in a residential neighborhood, posed a serious threat to public safety,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “This case highlights the dangers posed by armed felons and drug traffickers that underscores the importance of aggressive enforcement measures to keep our communities safe. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold violent offenders accountable.”

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole P. Cate and Zachary B. Stendig. Senna was represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fourteen Members of Bandidos Motorcycle Gang Indicted for Offenses Including Racketeering, Assault, and Murder

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

    HOUSTON – A 22-count indictment has been unsealed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) following an operation targeting multiple members of an allegedly violent, transnational motorcycle gang in the Houston metropolitan area.

    Current and former members of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and Mascareros Motorcycle Club are charged for their alleged roles in a criminal enterprise engaged in violent criminal activity in and around Houston. The Mascareros is a support club of the Bandidos.

    Several of those are expected to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m. Feb. 20.

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment Feb. 11 against 14 members and associates of the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang accusing them of various crimes, to include engaging in a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity and committing violent crimes in furtherance of the gang such as murder, attempted murder and assault. The indictment alleges the Bandidos are a self-identified “outlaw” motorcycle organization with a membership of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 in the United States and an additional 1,000 to 1,500 members internationally, including in Mexico.

    “Ensuring the safety of the public is SDTX’s paramount concern,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence, but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed.” 

    “Today’s indictment is an important step in eliminating the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Bandidos declare war on rivals—and they wage that war on our streets. Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities.”

    The indictment alleges that beginning in 2019, a violent turf war erupted between the Bandidos and B*EAST, a rival outlaw motorcycle gang in the Houston area. As part of this turf war, Bandidos national leadership allegedly put out a “smash on site” order to commit physical assaults, including murder, against B*EAST members. The turf war has resulted in gunfire exchanged on public roadways and in public establishments with innocent civilians present, according to the charges.

    John M. Pfeffer aka Big John, 32, Darvi Hinojosa aka 10 Round, 35, Bradley Rickenbacker aka Dolla Bill, 37, all of Katy; Michael H. Dunphy aka Money Mike, 57, Cleveland; Christopher Sanchez aka Monster, 40, Tomball; and Brandon K. Hantz aka Loco and Gun Drop, 33, Crosby; are charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Pfeffer, Dunphy, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez are further charged with multiple counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez are also charged with using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, while Sanchez faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hantz is also charged with arson.

    Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez each face up to life in prison if convicted, while Dunphy and Hantz each face up to 20 years on each of their counts upon conviction.

    The indictment also charges David Vargas aka Brake Check and First Time, 33, Houston, with murder in aid of racketeering; using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and using, carrying, brandishing, discharging and possessing a firearm during and in relation to the attempted murders. All those charges relate to the killing of a rival and the shooting of two others. Murder in aid of racketeering carries a mandatory life sentence or the death penalty, if convicted.

    Further, Pfeffer and Rickenbacker are also charged with assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence  along with Marky Baker aka Pinche Guero and Guero, 40, Ronnie McCabe aka Meathead, 56, and Jeremy Cox aka JD, 37, all of Houston; Roy Gomez aka Repo, 50, Richmond; and Marcel Lett, 56, Pearland. These charges are in relation to an alleged assault and robbery that resulted in the death of a rival. If convicted, they face up to life in prison.

    Hinojosa is also charged along with John Sblendorio aka Tech9, 54, Houston, with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in connection with the shooting of a rival gang member. Hinojosa is also charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Sblendorio and Hinojosa each face up to life in prison, if convicted.

    In addition, Sean G. Christison, aka Skinman, 30, Katy, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. 

    The FBI, Texas Board of Criminal Justice – Office of Inspector General, Texas Department of Public Safety and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation with the assistance of Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Houston and Pasadena Police Departments; Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; LaMarque and Katy Police Departments; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Police Department. 

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    This case is being 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.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Kelly Zenón-Matos of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case in partnership with Trial Attorneys Grace H. Bowen and Christopher Taylor of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division – Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Robbed National Chain Stores in San Antonio Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in federal court to 78 months in prison after his plea of guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery.

    According to court documents, James Anthony Kirkwood, 70, robbed six national chain stores around San Antonio between Jan. 28 and 31, 2023, using an Airsoft gun, which employees believed to be a real handgun. Over those three days, Kirkwood robbed two Dollar General stores, two Dollar Trees, a PetSmart and a Big Lots. At the time of the robberies, Kirkwood was on state parole for aggravated robbery. He was arrested Feb. 13, 2023 and pleaded guilty in July 2024.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney William Calve prosecuted the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Over 1,000 top-venting blank firers handed in

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    With less than 10 days remaining of national gun amnesty.

    Police forces across England and Wales have seen over 1,000 Turkish manufactured guns handed in as part of a national amnesty currently taking place for owners, of soon to be outlawed blank firing guns, to hand them over to police.

    The top-venting blank firing (TVBF) guns have become popular with organised criminals in recent years due to the ease at which they are readily convertible into lethal firearms. Tests by the National Crime Agency and policing, funded by the Home Office, show models produced by four Turkish manufacturers are readily convertible and therefore illegal. TVBFs are legal to buy in the UK without a licence by over 18s unless they are readily convertible.

    Police forces across England and Wales have been holding a four-week Firearms Amnesty for Turkish manufactured TVBFs namely models with the brand names ‘Retay’, ‘Ekol’, ‘Ceonic’ and ‘Blow’, although anyone with a TVBF who is unsure of whether the law change applies to them has been given the simple advice – if in doubt, hand it in.

    Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for the Criminal Use of Firearms, said: “These weapons are readily convertible and therefore have been outlawed. Only with the public’s support can we get these potentially lethal weapons off the streets.

    “What we have seen so far this month that the public have taken onboard the message and are visiting their local police station to hand in these weapons. It is important the public hand in these weapons to avoid them being used by criminals.

    “Taking these weapons off the streets will stop them from being converted and go a significant way to help protect the public.

    “With less than 10 days until the amnesty finishes, I would urge anyone with a Turkish manufactured TVBF to hand it in to their local police force. If you are in doubt whether yours is one of the brands, I would encourage you to hand it in to the police.”

    So far, the amnesty has seen the following items handed in:

    • 1,000 Turkish manufactured top-venting firers
    • 3,000 rounds of ammunitions surrendered; this is primarily blank ammunition

    The amnesty started on 3 February and is due to end next week on Friday 28 February 2025, after which anyone in possession of a TVBF could be subject to prosecution and up to 10 years imprisonment.

    In their original state TVBFs have a fully blocked barrel and are designed to discharge only blank cartridges. When discharged, combustion gases vent from the top of the weapon. TVBFs are sold with at least 50 per cent of their visible surface painted a bright colour however, criminals may paint them black so they look like an original lethal purpose (OLP) weapon as well as convert them to a lethal purpose firearm.

    Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson said: “Illegal firearms are dangerous and life-threatening, which is why we have such strong controls on them and we continue to keep all relevant laws under constant review.

    “That’s why it’s important for any member of the public to hand these blank firers into their local police station, as it’s vital to take these illegal weapons off our streets to protect public safety.”

    Since 2021, UK law enforcement has recovered more than 1,000 converted TVBFs in criminal circumstances. Firearms legislation has not changed; the weapons are illegal to own under the Firearms Act 1968 as they can be readily converted using common household tools and without specialist skill on the part of the person carrying out the conversion. Recent testing completed by the NCA has demonstrated this. Police are asking people to hand in any TVBFs before 28 February 2025 to help them avoid prosecution and prevent these pistols getting into the wrong hands.

    Many TVBFs may be held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or may be overlooked or forgotten in people’s homes. The amnesty gives holders the chance to dispose of the TVBFs safely by taking it to a local police station and handing it in.

    NCA Deputy Director, Charles Yates, said: “These four Turkish brands have appeared routinely in investigations and there had been a strong demand for them from organised criminals. They posed a significant threat.

    “Preventing the sale of these illegal guns will make it harder for offenders to acquire a firearm. By surrendering their top-venting blank-firers, members of the public have helped us in our ongoing mission to keep communities safe.

    “The amnesty is just one example of how the NCA and policing work together relentlessly to protect the public from the threat of firearms.”

    Other unwanted, unlicensed firearms and ammunition may be surrendered to police at any time which will avoid the risk of them becoming involved in criminality and means that members of the community can dispose of firearms in a safe place.

    Up until Friday 28 February 2025, those handing in a Turkish manufactured TVBF will not face prosecution for the illegal possession and will not have to give their details. However, the history of any live firearms handed in will be checked for evidence if its use in crime.

    Top-venting blank firers can be handed in at designated police stations across England and Wales but anyone handing one during the Firearms Amnesty is advised to check with their local force regarding station locations and opening times for the amnesty. To receive advice on how best to transport the weapon responsibly from home to the police station phone 101 before travelling.

    If you know of people involved in illegal firearms activity should call the Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Every call to Crimestoppers is anonymous and potentially vital to preventing or solving serious crimes; removing an illegally held firearm may just save someone’s life.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Introduces Bill to Raise Minimum Age to Buy Assault Weapons

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    February 19, 2025
    More than 85 percent of deaths in public mass shootings involving four or more fatalities were caused by assault rifles
    Washington, D.C. –  U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today said that he is joining legislation to raise the minimum age to buy assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines from 18 to 21. 
    “If you’re not old enough to purchase alcohol, you shouldn’t be allowed to buy an assault weapon either,” Wyden said. “We need to be doing everything we can to stop America’s gun violence epidemic, including raising the legal age of purchase to 21. I am proud to support this bill that will help keep weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of teenagers.”
    Gun violence is a national crisis, claiming more than 46,000 lives in 2023 — the third-largest number of gun-related deaths in U.S. history. Assault weapons, originally engineered for military combat to maximize damage, are frequently used in mass shootings because of their ability to inflict catastrophic harm in mere seconds. Individuals under 21 have used assault weapons in some of the most devastating school shootings in U.S. history, including the mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
    The same age requirement already applies to purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers. This bill would expand the ban to assault weapons, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and related ammunition. Additionally, the legislation would bar most individuals under 21 from possessing these items, with limited exceptions for specific circumstances such as service in law enforcement or the armed forces. 
    In addition to Wyden, the Age 21 Act was introduced by Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Chris Coons,  D-Del., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Tim Kaine, D-Va., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Brian Schatz, D-Hawai’i, Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
    The Age 21 Act is endorsed by organizations, including Brady: United Against Gun Violence, March for Our Lives, Giffords, Newtown Action Alliance, and Everytown for Gun Safety.
    A one-pager on the bill is here.
    The bill text is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Introduces Bill To Raise Minimum Age To Buy Assault Weapons; Legislation Would Help Prevent Tragedies Like 2022 Buffalo Supermarket Shooting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines from 18 to 21, the same age requirement that already applies to purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers. Individuals under 21 have used assault weapons in some of the most devastating shootings in U.S. history, including the 2022 mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, NY, in which 10 people were killed.

    Gun violence is a national crisis, claiming over 46,000 lives in 2023 — the third-largest number of gun-related deaths in American history. Assault weapons, originally engineered for military combat to maximize damage, are frequently used in mass shootings because of their ability to inflict catastrophic harm in mere seconds. More than 85 percent of deaths in public mass shootings involving four or more fatalities were caused by assault rifles. Furthermore, shootings involving assault weapons or large-capacity magazines result in more than 2.5 times as many people being shot compared to incidents involving other firearms.

    “Guns are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in America today. Year after year, deadly assault weapons inflict devastating and avoidable harm on our families, schools, and communities, causing children, parents, and teachers to live with the fear that the next school shooting may happen in their community,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Age 21 Act offers a critical safeguard to prevent such tragedies, decreasing the threat of gun violence against our kids. I am proud to support this legislation, and I will fight hard for its passage this Congress.”

    The Age 21 Act’s restrictions on the sale of assault weapons, handguns, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and related ammunition to individuals under the age of 21 would apply to both federally licensed and private sellers. Additionally, the legislation would bar most individuals under 21 from possessing these items, with limited exceptions for specific circumstances such as service in law enforcement or the armed forces.

    The Age 21 Act was originally introduced by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). In addition to Senator Gillibrand, it is cosponsored by 17 senators: Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    Senator Gillibrand is a longtime champion for commonsense gun safety legislation. She wrote the Hadiya Pendleton and Nyasia Pryear-Yard Gun Trafficking and Crime Prevention Act, which formed the centerpiece of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act’s (BSCA) anti-gun trafficking statute. So far, law enforcement has used the statute to take over 3,000 illegal guns off the streets and charge hundreds of suspected traffickers. In 2023, Senator Gillibrand also cosponsored the 3D Printed Gun Safety Act, federal legislation that would ban online distribution of blueprints for the 3D printing of firearms and help prevent the proliferation of “ghost guns,” and the Fair Legal Access Grants (FLAG) Act, which would ensure that any person filing a red flag petition, also known as an extreme risk protection order (ERPO), has access to the legal representation, counsel, and resources needed to be heard and successfully file an ERPO. She has also supported legislation to expand background checks to the sale and transfer of all firearms.

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Goodwood man charged with drug and firearms offences

    Thursday, 20 February 2025 – 9:53 am.

    Investigators from the Southern Drugs and Firearms Unit have charged a 45-year-old man with drug and firearms offences, following a targeted search of his Goodwood residence yesterday.
    Police will allege the man was in possession of a quantity of various illicit substances, a loaded shortened single barrel firearm and a small pistol.
    Detective Acting Inspector Felicity Boyd said police know the impact drugs and firearms have on the community.
    “This search is evidence of our continued commitment to community safety and holding offenders to account,” she said.
    The man was detained in custody to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court at 10am today.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 14 members of Bandidos motorcycle gang indicted for offenses including racketeering, assault and murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 22-count indictment has been unsealed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) following an operation targeting multiple members of an allegedly violent, transnational motorcycle gang in the Houston metropolitan area.

    Current and former members of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and Mascareros Motorcycle Club are charged for their alleged roles in a criminal enterprise engaged in violent criminal activity in and around Houston. The Mascareros is a support club of the Bandidos.

    Several of those are expected to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m. Feb. 20.

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment Feb. 11 against 14 members and associates of the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang accusing them of various crimes, to include engaging in a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity and committing violent crimes in furtherance of the gang such as murder, attempted murder and assault. The indictment alleges the Bandidos are a self-identified “outlaw” motorcycle organization with a membership of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 in the United States and an additional 1,000 to 1,500 members internationally, including in Mexico.

    “Ensuring the safety of the public is SDTX’s paramount concern,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence, but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed.” 

    “Today’s indictment is an important step in eliminating the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Bandidos declare war on rivals—and they wage that war on our streets. Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities.”

    The indictment alleges that beginning in 2019, a violent turf war erupted between the Bandidos and B*EAST, a rival outlaw motorcycle gang in the Houston area. As part of this turf war, Bandidos national leadership allegedly put out a “smash on site” order to commit physical assaults, including murder, against B*EAST members. The turf war has resulted in gunfire exchanged on public roadways and in public establishments with innocent civilians present, according to the charges.

    John M. Pfeffer aka Big John, 32, Darvi Hinojosa aka 10 Round, 35, Bradley Rickenbacker aka Dolla Bill, 37, all of Katy; Michael H. Dunphy aka Money Mike, 57, Cleveland; Christopher Sanchez aka Monster, 40, Tomball; and Brandon K. Hantz aka Loco and Gun Drop, 33, Crosby; are charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Pfeffer, Dunphy, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez are further charged with multiple counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez are also charged with using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, while Sanchez faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hantz is also charged with arson.

    Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez each face up to life in prison if convicted, while Dunphy and Hantz each face up to 20 years on each of their counts upon conviction.

    The indictment also charges David Vargas aka Brake Check and First Time, 33, Houston, with murder in aid of racketeering; using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and using, carrying, brandishing, discharging and possessing a firearm during and in relation to the attempted murders. All those charges relate to the killing of a rival and the shooting of two others. Murder in aid of racketeering carries a mandatory life sentence or the death penalty, if convicted.

    Further, Pfeffer and Rickenbacker are also charged with assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence  along with Marky Baker aka Pinche Guero and Guero, 40, Ronnie McCabe aka Meathead, 56, and Jeremy Cox aka JD, 37, all of Houston; Roy Gomez aka Repo, 50, Richmond; and Marcel Lett, 56, Pearland. These charges are in relation to an alleged assault and robbery that resulted in the death of a rival. If convicted, they face up to life in prison.

    Hinojosa is also charged along with John Sblendorio aka Tech9, 54, Houston, with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in connection with the shooting of a rival gang member. Hinojosa is also charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Sblendorio and Hinojosa each face up to life in prison, if convicted.

    In addition, Sean G. Christison, aka Skinman, 30, Katy, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. 

    The FBI, Texas Board of Criminal Justice – Office of Inspector General, Texas Department of Public Safety and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation with the assistance of Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Houston and Pasadena Police Departments; Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; LaMarque and Katy Police Departments; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Police Department. 

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    This case is being 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.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Kelly Zenón-Matos of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case in partnership with Trial Attorneys Grace H. Bowen and Christopher Taylor of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division – Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ariton, Alabama Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun Crime Committed While on Federal Probation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that 48-year-old Bobby Wayne Williams, from Ariton, Alabama, received a 51-month prison sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for violating the terms of his federal probation. During the sentencing hearing on February 18, 2025, the judge also ordered that Williams serve an additional three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.            

               According to Williams’ plea agreement and other court records, during the summer of 2024, Williams was on federal supervised release and residing in Dale County after completing a 63-month prison sentence from a previous federal gun conviction. In June of 2024, law enforcement obtained an arrest warrant for Williams stemming from allegations that Williams pointed a firearm at his ex-girlfriend and her current boyfriend, then threatened to shoot them both. On August 14, 2024, a United States Probation Officer and deputies from the Dale County Sheriff’s Office conducted a home visit at Williams’ residence to execute the arrest warrant. Officers found Williams in possession of a handgun. Williams’ previous felony conviction prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Possessing the firearm and committing a new crime also violated the terms of his supervised release. 

               The Dale County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Probation Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Russell T. Duraski prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fourteen Members and Associates of Violent Transnational Motorcycle Gang Indicted on RICO and Murder Charges

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas charging 14 members and associates of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang for their alleged roles in a criminal enterprise engaged in murder, robbery, arson, narcotics distribution, and witness intimidation in and around Houston.

    The indictment accuses the defendants of various crimes, including engaging in a conspiracy to commit racketeering (RICO) activity and committing violent crimes in furtherance of the gang such as murder, attempted murder, and assault. The indictment alleges that the Bandidos are a self-identified “outlaw” motorcycle organization with a membership of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 in the United States and an additional 1,000 to 1,500 members internationally, including in Mexico.

    “Today’s indictment is an important step in eliminating the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Bandidos declare war on rivals — and they wage that war on our streets. Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities.”

    “Ensuring the safety of the public is Southern District of Texas’ paramount concern,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence, but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed.”

    According to court documents and statements in court, beginning in 2019, a violent turf war erupted between the Bandidos and B*EAST, a rival outlaw motorcycle gang in the Houston area. As part of this turf war, Bandidos national leadership allegedly put out a “smash on site” order to commit physical assaults, including murder, against B*EAST members. The turf war has resulted in gunfire exchanged on public roadways and in public establishments with innocent civilians present, according to the charges.

    John M. Pfeffer, also known as Big John, 32, Darvi Hinojosa, also known as 10 Round, 35, and Bradley Rickenbacker, also known as Dolla Bill, 37, all of Katy, Texas; Michael H. Dunphy, also known as Money Mike, 57, of Cleveland, Texas; Christopher Sanchez, also known as Monster, 40, of Tomball, Texas; and Brandon K. Hantz, also known as Loco and Gun Drop, 33, of Crosby, Texas, are charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Pfeffer, Dunphy, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker, and Sanchez are further charged with multiple counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker, and Sanchez are also charged with using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, while Sanchez faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hantz is also charged with arson.

    If convicted, Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker, and Sanchez each face a maximum penalty of life in prison, while Dunphy and Hantz each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of their counts.

    The indictment also charges David Vargas, also known as Brake Check and First Time, 33, of Houston, with murder in aid of racketeering; using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and using a firearm during and in relation to the attempted murders. All those charges relate to the killing of a rival and the shooting of two others. If convicted, Vargas faces a mandatory penalty of life in prison or the death penalty.

    Further, Marky Baker, also known as Pinche Guero and Guero, 40; Ronnie McCabe, also known as Meathead, 56; and Jeremy Cox, also known as JD, 37, all of Houston; Roy Gomez, also known as Repo, 50, of Richmond, Texas; and Marcel Lett, 56, of Pearland, Texas, are charged along with Pfeffer and Rickenbacker with assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. These charges are in relation to an alleged assault and robbery that resulted in the death of a rival. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    Hinojosa is also charged along with John Sblendorio, also known as Tech9, 54, of Houston, with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in connection with the shooting of a rival gang member. Hinojosa is also charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, Sblendorio and Hinojosa each face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    In addition, Sean G. Christison, also known as Skinman, 30, of Katy, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    For all defendants, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI, Texas Board of Criminal Justice — Office of Inspector General, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Houston and Pasadena Police Departments; Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; LaMarque and Katy Police Departments; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Police Department.

    Trial Attorneys Grace H. Bowen and Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Kelly Zenón-Matos for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    This investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Justice Department’s OCDETF webpage.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Justice Department’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. For more information about PSN, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom proposes $125 million in mortgage relief to benefit victims of recent natural disasters

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 19, 2025

    Survivors of the Park Fire, Franklin Fire, and the recent Palisades and Eaton fires would be eligible for direct mortgage relief

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom is proposing an over $125 million package that includes disaster mortgage relief for homeowners whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters since 2023 and are at risk of foreclosure, as well as mortgage counseling services.

    LOS ANGELES — Governor Newsom today announced a new proposal to create an over $125 million mortgage relief program to assist homeowners whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged by recent natural disasters, placing them at risk of foreclosure. The proposal also includes funding to extend an existing counseling services program which would help affected homeowners navigate their recovery. The package would utilize existing mortgage settlement funding, and would not impact the proposed 2025-2026 budget. 

    “As survivors heal from the trauma of recent disasters, the threat of foreclosure should be the last thing on their minds. This disaster mortgage relief program would help lift this burden and give families more time to focus on recovery.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The package will be administered by the California Housing Finance Agency (CalFHA) and includes over $100 million in direct mortgage assistance, with an additional $25 million to extend an existing program that provides mortgage counseling and serves survivors by offering guidance on FEMA disaster assistance and other related needs. The program will provide mortgage relief for homeowners at risk of foreclosure and whose property was destroyed or substantially damaged as a result of declared emergencies since January 1, 2023. The proposal will be considered at CalHFA’s next meeting on February 20. Survivors of natural disasters since 2023, including those affected by the Park Fire, Franklin Fire, and the recent Palisades and Eaton Fires, would be eligible for mortgage assistance. Once approved, the direct assistance program and eligibility criteria will be developed and announced in more detail.

    The Governor last month announced that five major lenders (Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, and Wells Fargo) and recently announced that there are now 420 state-chartered banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders who have committed to offering impacted homeowners a 90-day forbearance of their mortgage payments, without reporting these payments to credit reporting agencies, and the opportunity for additional relief.

    Funding for the mortgage relief program comes from settlement funds California secured from big banks resolving allegations of misconduct during the mortgage crisis.

    This adds to the Governor’s work to provide tax and mortgage relief to those impacted by the Los Angeles area firestorms. California postponed the individual tax filing deadline to October 15 for Los Angeles County taxpayers. Additionally, the state extended the January 31, 2025, sales and use tax filing deadline for Los Angeles County taxpayers until April 30 — providing critical tax relief for businesses. Governor Newsom suspended penalties and interest on late property tax payments for a year, effectively extending the state property tax deadline. The Governor also worked with state– and federally-chartered banks that have committed to providing mortgage relief for survivors in certain zip codes.

    Historic recovery and rebuilding efforts — faster than ever before 

    As the Los Angeles community recovers from the firestorm disaster, Governor Newsom is removing barriers and helping survivors quickly by: 

    • Cutting red tape to help rebuild Los Angeles faster and stronger. Governor Newsom issued an executive order to streamline the rebuilding of homes and businesses destroyed — suspending permitting and review requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Coastal Act. The Governor also issued an executive order further cutting red tape by reiterating that permitting requirements under the California Coastal Act are suspended for rebuilding efforts and directing the Coastal Commission not to issue guidance or take any action that interferes with or conflicts with the Governor’s executive orders. The Governor also issued an executive order removing bureaucratic barriers, extending deadlines, and providing critical regulatory relief to help fire survivors rebuild, access essential services, and recover more quickly.
    • Fast-tracking temporary housing and protecting tenants. To help provide necessary shelter for those immediately impacted by the firestorms, the Governor issued an executive order to make it easier to streamline construction of accessory dwelling units, allow for more temporary trailers and other housing, and suspend fees for mobile home parks. Governor Newsom also issued an executive order that prohibits landlords in Los Angeles County from evicting tenants for sharing their rental with survivors displaced by the Los Angeles-area firestorms.

    • Mobilizing debris removal and cleanup. With an eye toward recovery, the Governor directed fast action on debris removal work and mitigating the potential for mudslides and flooding in areas burned. He also signed an executive order to allow expert federal hazmat crews to start cleaning up properties as a key step in getting people back to their properties safely. The Governor also issued an executive order to help mitigate risk of mudslides and flooding and protect communities by hastening efforts to remove debris, bolster flood defenses, and stabilize hillsides in affected areas. 

    • Safeguarding survivors from price gouging. Governor Newsom expanded restrictions to protect survivors from illegal price hikes on rent, hotel and motel costs, and building materials or construction. Report violations to the Office of the Attorney General here.

    • Directing immediate state relief. The Governor signed legislation providing over $2.5 billion to immediately support ongoing emergency response efforts and to jumpstart recovery efforts for Los Angeles. California quickly launched CA.gov/LAfires as a single hub of information and resources to support those impacted and bolsters in-person Disaster Recovery Centers. The Governor also launched LA Rises, a unified recovery initiative that brings together private sector leaders to support rebuilding efforts. Governor Newsom announced that individuals and families directly impacted by the recent fires living in certain zip codes may be eligible to receive Disaster CalFresh food benefits.

    • Getting kids back in the classroom. Governor Newsom signed an executive order to quickly assist displaced students in the Los Angeles area and bolster schools affected by the firestorms.

    • Protecting survivors from real estate speculators. The Governor issued an executive order to protect firestorm survivors from predatory land speculators making aggressive and unsolicited cash offers to purchase their property.

    • Helping businesses and workers get back on their feet. The Governor issued an executive order to support small businesses and workers, by providing relief to help businesses recover quickly by deferring annual licensing fees and waiving other requirements that may impose barriers to recovery.

    •  

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 19, 2025

    News State continues raising awareness of dangerous drug  What you need to know: California is using a multifaceted approach to tackle illicit fentanyl, including seizing nearly $300 million of illicit fentanyl since 2023 and increasing public education in schools…

    Feb 14, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Melissa Stone, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Department of Child Support Services. Stone has been Deputy Director of the Disability Insurance Branch at…

    Feb 14, 2025

    News What you need to know: California’s work to pre-deploy resources ahead of this week’s major storms paid off with successful rescue efforts and no major damage reported. SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today praised the proactive emergency response efforts that…

    Feb 19, 2025

    What you need to know: The passage of Proposition 1 by California voters adds rocket fuel to Governor Gavin Newsom’s transformational overhaul of the state’s behavioral health system. These reforms refocus existing funds to prioritize Californians with the most serious mental health and substance use issues, who are too often experiencing homelessness. They also fund more than 11,150 new behavioral health beds and supportive housing units and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots.

    Los Angeles, California – California took a major step forward in correcting the damage from 50 years of neglect to the state’s mental health system with the passage of Proposition 1. This historic measure — a signature priority of Governor Gavin Newsom — adds rocket fuel to California’s overhaul of the state’s behavioral health systems. It provides a full range of mental health and substance abuse care, with new accountability metrics to ensure local governments deliver for their communities.

    This is the biggest reform of the California mental health system in decades and will finally equip partners to deliver the results all Californians need and deserve. Treatment centers will prioritize mental health and substance use support in the community like never before. Now, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and begin implementing this critical reform – working closely with city and county leaders to ensure we see results.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    newsom-news-template
    IMG_3682-min
    contact-governor-landing
    workers-FxAJ5fkakAAtVI3
    priorities-and-progress-image
    economy-F-isBKpbsAAxdab
    gun-violence-San Diego Guns Package 2.18.22_2

    What they’re saying: 

    • Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, original author of the Mental Health Services Act: “Twenty years ago, I never could have dreamed that we would have the strong leadership we have today, committing billions and making courageous policy changes that question the conventional wisdom on mental health. Now, with the passage of Proposition 1. California is delivering on decades old promises to help people living with brain-based illnesses, to live better lives, to live independently and to live with dignity in our communities. This is a historic moment and the hard work is ahead of us.“
    • Senator Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), author of Senate Bill 326: “Today marks a day of hope for thousands of Californians who are struggling with mental illness – many of whom are living unhoused. I am tremendously grateful to my fellow Californian’s for passing this important measure.  And I am very appreciative of this Governor’s leadership to transform our behavioral health care system!”
    • Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), author of Assembly Bill 531: “This started as an audacious proposal to address the root cause of homelessness and today, Californians can be proud to know that they did the right thing by passing Proposition 1. Now, it’s time for all of us to get to work, and make sure these reforms are implemented and that we see results.”

    Bigger picture: Transforming the Mental Health Services Act into the Behavioral Health Services Act and building more community mental health treatment sites and supportive housing is the last main pillar of Governor Newsom’s Mental Health Movement – pulling together significant recent reforms like 988 crisis line, CalHOPE, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, CalAIM behavioral health expansion (including mobile crisis care and telehealth), Medi-Cal expansion to all low-income Californians, Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (including expanding services in schools and on-line), Older Adult Behavioral Health Initiative, Veterans Mental Health Initiative, Behavioral Health Community Infrastructure Program, Behavioral Health Bridge Housing, Health Care Workforce for All and more.

    More details on next step here

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 19, 2025

    News State continues raising awareness of dangerous drug  What you need to know: California is using a multifaceted approach to tackle illicit fentanyl, including seizing nearly $300 million of illicit fentanyl since 2023 and increasing public education in schools…

    Feb 14, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Melissa Stone, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Department of Child Support Services. Stone has been Deputy Director of the Disability Insurance Branch at…

    Feb 14, 2025

    News What you need to know: California’s work to pre-deploy resources ahead of this week’s major storms paid off with successful rescue efforts and no major damage reported. SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today praised the proactive emergency response efforts that…

    Feb 19, 2025

    What you need to know: The passage of Proposition 1 by California voters adds rocket fuel to Governor Gavin Newsom’s transformational overhaul of the state’s behavioral health system. These reforms refocus existing funds to prioritize Californians with the most serious mental health and substance use issues, who are too often experiencing homelessness. They also fund more than 11,150 new behavioral health beds and supportive housing units and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots.

    Los Angeles, California – California took a major step forward in correcting the damage from 50 years of neglect to the state’s mental health system with the passage of Proposition 1. This historic measure — a signature priority of Governor Gavin Newsom — adds rocket fuel to California’s overhaul of the state’s behavioral health systems. It provides a full range of mental health and substance abuse care, with new accountability metrics to ensure local governments deliver for their communities.

    This is the biggest reform of the California mental health system in decades and will finally equip partners to deliver the results all Californians need and deserve. Treatment centers will prioritize mental health and substance use support in the community like never before. Now, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and begin implementing this critical reform – working closely with city and county leaders to ensure we see results.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    newsom-news-template
    IMG_3682-min
    contact-governor-landing
    workers-FxAJ5fkakAAtVI3
    priorities-and-progress-image
    economy-F-isBKpbsAAxdab
    gun-violence-San Diego Guns Package 2.18.22_2

    What they’re saying: 

    • Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, original author of the Mental Health Services Act: “Twenty years ago, I never could have dreamed that we would have the strong leadership we have today, committing billions and making courageous policy changes that question the conventional wisdom on mental health. Now, with the passage of Proposition 1. California is delivering on decades old promises to help people living with brain-based illnesses, to live better lives, to live independently and to live with dignity in our communities. This is a historic moment and the hard work is ahead of us.“
    • Senator Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), author of Senate Bill 326: “Today marks a day of hope for thousands of Californians who are struggling with mental illness – many of whom are living unhoused. I am tremendously grateful to my fellow Californian’s for passing this important measure.  And I am very appreciative of this Governor’s leadership to transform our behavioral health care system!”
    • Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), author of Assembly Bill 531: “This started as an audacious proposal to address the root cause of homelessness and today, Californians can be proud to know that they did the right thing by passing Proposition 1. Now, it’s time for all of us to get to work, and make sure these reforms are implemented and that we see results.”

    Bigger picture: Transforming the Mental Health Services Act into the Behavioral Health Services Act and building more community mental health treatment sites and supportive housing is the last main pillar of Governor Newsom’s Mental Health Movement – pulling together significant recent reforms like 988 crisis line, CalHOPE, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, CalAIM behavioral health expansion (including mobile crisis care and telehealth), Medi-Cal expansion to all low-income Californians, Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (including expanding services in schools and on-line), Older Adult Behavioral Health Initiative, Veterans Mental Health Initiative, Behavioral Health Community Infrastructure Program, Behavioral Health Bridge Housing, Health Care Workforce for All and more.

    More details on next step here

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 19, 2025

    News State continues raising awareness of dangerous drug  What you need to know: California is using a multifaceted approach to tackle illicit fentanyl, including seizing nearly $300 million of illicit fentanyl since 2023 and increasing public education in schools…

    Feb 14, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Melissa Stone, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Department of Child Support Services. Stone has been Deputy Director of the Disability Insurance Branch at…

    Feb 14, 2025

    News What you need to know: California’s work to pre-deploy resources ahead of this week’s major storms paid off with successful rescue efforts and no major damage reported. SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today praised the proactive emergency response efforts that…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fourteen Members and Associates of Violent Transnational Motorcycle Gang Indicted on RICO and Murder Charges

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas charging 14 members and associates of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang for their alleged roles in a criminal enterprise engaged in murder, robbery, arson, narcotics distribution, and witness intimidation in and around Houston.

    The indictment accuses the defendants of various crimes, including engaging in a conspiracy to commit racketeering (RICO) activity and committing violent crimes in furtherance of the gang such as murder, attempted murder, and assault. The indictment alleges that the Bandidos are a self-identified “outlaw” motorcycle organization with a membership of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 in the United States and an additional 1,000 to 1,500 members internationally, including in Mexico.

    “Today’s indictment is an important step in eliminating the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Bandidos declare war on rivals — and they wage that war on our streets. Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities.”

    “Ensuring the safety of the public is Southern District of Texas’ paramount concern,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence, but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed.”

    According to court documents and statements in court, beginning in 2019, a violent turf war erupted between the Bandidos and B*EAST, a rival outlaw motorcycle gang in the Houston area. As part of this turf war, Bandidos national leadership allegedly put out a “smash on site” order to commit physical assaults, including murder, against B*EAST members. The turf war has resulted in gunfire exchanged on public roadways and in public establishments with innocent civilians present, according to the charges.

    John M. Pfeffer, also known as Big John, 32, Darvi Hinojosa, also known as 10 Round, 35, and Bradley Rickenbacker, also known as Dolla Bill, 37, all of Katy, Texas; Michael H. Dunphy, also known as Money Mike, 57, of Cleveland, Texas; Christopher Sanchez, also known as Monster, 40, of Tomball, Texas; and Brandon K. Hantz, also known as Loco and Gun Drop, 33, of Crosby, Texas, are charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Pfeffer, Dunphy, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker, and Sanchez are further charged with multiple counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker, and Sanchez are also charged with using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, while Sanchez faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hantz is also charged with arson.

    If convicted, Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker, and Sanchez each face a maximum penalty of life in prison, while Dunphy and Hantz each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of their counts.

    The indictment also charges David Vargas, also known as Brake Check and First Time, 33, of Houston, with murder in aid of racketeering; using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and using a firearm during and in relation to the attempted murders. All those charges relate to the killing of a rival and the shooting of two others. If convicted, Vargas faces a mandatory penalty of life in prison or the death penalty.

    Further, Marky Baker, also known as Pinche Guero and Guero, 40; Ronnie McCabe, also known as Meathead, 56; and Jeremy Cox, also known as JD, 37, all of Houston; Roy Gomez, also known as Repo, 50, of Richmond, Texas; and Marcel Lett, 56, of Pearland, Texas, are charged along with Pfeffer and Rickenbacker with assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. These charges are in relation to an alleged assault and robbery that resulted in the death of a rival. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    Hinojosa is also charged along with John Sblendorio, also known as Tech9, 54, of Houston, with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering, and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in connection with the shooting of a rival gang member. Hinojosa is also charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, Sblendorio and Hinojosa each face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    In addition, Sean G. Christison, also known as Skinman, 30, of Katy, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    For all defendants, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI, Texas Board of Criminal Justice — Office of Inspector General, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Houston and Pasadena Police Departments; Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; LaMarque and Katy Police Departments; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Police Department.

    Trial Attorneys Grace H. Bowen and Christopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Kelly Zenón-Matos for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    This investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Justice Department’s OCDETF webpage.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Justice Department’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. For more information about PSN, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Ukraine: Three years of war reverses progress for women and girls

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Peace and Security

    Three years of war in Ukraine have reversed decades of progress for women and girls, leaving millions in urgent need of support, according to UN Women.

    Russia’s full-scale invasion has forced more than 1.8 million women to flee their homes within Ukraine, while nearly 6.7 million require humanitarian assistance.

    More than 3,799 women and 289 girls have been killed, though the real toll is believed to be significantly higher.

    “The full-scale war has pushed an entire generation of Ukrainian women backwards,” said Sabine Freizer Gunes, UN Women Representative in the country.

    “They are facing heightened exposure to gender-based violence; rising unemployment; decreased decision-making power; greater domestic burdens; and a severe mental health crisis,” she explained.

    Stressed out

    Gender-based violence has surged by 36 per cent since 2022, driven in part by conflict-related stress, UN Women reported. In parallel, depression rates among women and girls have worsened.

    On the economic front, opportunities have shrunk. By 2024, less than half of displaced women had jobs whilst the gender pay gap doubled since the beginning of the war.

    Meanwhile, the burden of unpaid care, from cooking to caring for children, has intensified as childcare services centres have closed and services dwindled. Women spent an average of 56 hours a week on childcare in 2024, up from 49 hours before the war.

    Leaders of humanitarian recovery

    Despite these hardships, Ukrainian women are leading humanitarian responses and driving economic resilience.

    Women have assumed key roles as aid workers, community leaders and entrepreneurs. Today, one in every two businesses in Ukraine is founded by a woman.

    Women are also entering traditionally male-dominated sectors such as security, transportation and demining.

    “Donors’ support to Ukrainian women-led organizations and programmes is crucial so they can continue promoting gender equality, women’s rights and leadership,” said Ms. Gunes.

    “Women’s full engagement will be essential to rebuild Ukraine as a gender-equal and gender-responsive society,” she added.

    Support and call for action

    In 2024 alone, UN Women supported more than 180,000 women and girls affected by the war through initiatives under the Women Peace and Humanitarian Fund.

    The agency provides life-saving humanitarian aid, psychosocial and legal support, protection services and programmes to strengthen women’s economic independence.

    Four years on since the beginning of the war, UN Women is working to ensure that women are included in decision-making and recovery efforts, advocating for legal reforms to secure equal rights and representation.

    Overnight attack on Odesa

    The UN aid coordination office in Ukraine, OCHA, reported that an attack on Odesa City in the small hours of Wednesday morning had injured a number of civilians, including a child.

    Local authorities say the attack left a large residential area without electricity and heating, affecting at least 160,000 people – in the midst of winter.

    “Multiple apartment buildings were damaged, as well as a children’s hospital, and a kindergarten. For our part, we are providing emergency shelter materials, hot meals, psychosocial support, legal aid, and child protection services,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.,            

    Medical teams are conducting quick health checks and distributing medicines, while schools will remain closed until power and heating are restored.  

    In the southern city of Kherson aid workers are continuing to respond to an attack that took place on 17 February, and damaged a critical energy facility. 2,500 residents were left without electricity, heating, and water.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Indictment Charges Suburban Chicago Man With Trafficking Firearms and Drugs

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a suburban Chicago man for allegedly trafficking firearms and drugs.

    An indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges EFRAIN JACOBO, 42, of Prospect Heights, Ill., with federal firearm and drug offenses.  He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment this morning in federal court.  Jacobo is currently detained in federal custody.

    According to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in the case, Jacobo dealt six handguns, a rifle, ammunition, and narcotics in a series of transactions last fall in Joliet, Ill.  The drugs in the deals included methamphetamines and cocaine. Unbeknownst to Jacobo, the individual to whom he sold the guns and drugs was an undercover law enforcement officer, the charges allege.

    During the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 150 kilograms of methamphetamines from a truck that had traveled from Texas to Bolingbrook, Ill.  Law enforcement also seized fentanyl and cocaine from a storage facility used by Jacobo in Wheeling, Ill., and additional cocaine from Jacobo’s vehicle, the charges allege.

    The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Mike Rompa, Chief of the Bolingbrook, Ill. Police Department.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Steindorf.

    The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney Announces Guilty Plea in Unregistered Firearm Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – An Alamogordo man pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to possessing a modified shotgun that was used in the fatal shooting of Alamogordo Police Officer Anthony Ferguson on July 15, 2023.

    According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, Dominic De La O, 28, possessed a modified 12-gauge shotgun with a barrel length of less than 16 inches and an overall length of less than 26 inches, making it subject to registration under federal law. De La O admitted that the modified shotgun was operable and not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. He also acknowledged that the firearm lacked the new serial number required by law for modified weapons.

    On that date, De La O used the shotgun to shoot and kill Alamogordo Police Officer Anthony Ferguson during a traffic stop.

    Jonah Apodaca was subsequently charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm after the ATF determined that he had provided the modified shotgun to De La O. Apodaca pled guilty to the charges on June 18, 2024, and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison.

    De La O will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, De La O faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2024, a jury in New Mexico’s Twelfth Judicial District convicted De La O of murdering Officer Ferguson and a judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Alamogordo Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Ry Ellison are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon in Possession of Handgun and AR-15 Rifle in Nash County Sentenced to 10 Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW BERN, N.C. – A Benson man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.  On October 7, 2025, Keith Antonio Mcdougald, age 34, pled guilty to the offense.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, Mcdougald was found in Nash County by the Nash County Sherriff’s deputies in a disabled vehicle on I-95 blocking all traffic. Mcdouglad initially gave a false name to law enforcement and admitted to smoking marijuana in the vehicle. Inside of the vehicle, deputies located an AR-15 rifle loaded with a large capacity magazine containing 41 rounds of ammunition, a 10mm pistol and a loaded 10mm magazine, six grams of marijuana, a glass pipe, 22.87 grams of a mixture containing heroin, fentanyl, ANPP, and flourofentanyl (a fentanyl analogue) and 7.57 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and ANPP. Mcdougald admitted to traveling to Virginia to purchase tires from someone through Facebook Marketplace and that he needed to take “something” with him in case the seller tried to rob him for the money.

    Mcdougald was sentenced as a career offender and has four prior felony convictions including two counts of felony assault by strangulation, intimidation of a witness, and attempted obtaining Property by false pretenses. 

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Sandling and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aria Q. Merle prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00203-FL.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Winter Park Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Firearm As A Convicted Felon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Bailey Joseph Friese (23, Winter Park) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Friese faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Friese has also agreed to forfeit the Glock firearm involved in the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set. 

    According to the plea agreement, Friese sold a Glock firearm in December 2023. At the time Friese sold the firearm, he had a previous felony conviction for burglary. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole County City County Investigative Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Valrico Man Of Drug Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that a federal jury has found Tryon Metteria Byrd IV (45, Valrico) guilty of conspiring to distribute, and distributing, methamphetamine and cocaine. Byrd faces a minimum penalty 5 five years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 14, 2025.

    According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Byrd and his co-conspirators distributed methamphetamine and cocaine out of three residences in St. Petersburg. Byrd sold directly to undercover detectives from the St. Petersburg Police Department from a residence owned by his family.

    Byrd’s co-conspirators, Eric L. Lemon, Eric Lekent Lemon Jr., and Dominic Giannantonio pleaded guilty and have been sentenced for their roles in the drug conspiracy. Lemon was sentenced to 21 years and 6 months in federal prison, Lemon Jr. was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months’ imprisonment, and Giannantonio was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in prison.

    This case was investigated by the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.

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

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