NewzIntel.com

Category: Intelligence Agencies

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Florida Highway Patrol Trooper and DEA Task Force Officer Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Drugs, Defrauding the United States, and Illegal Firearm Possession

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

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Joshua Grady Earrey (46, Jacksonville) to nine years in federal prison for multiple federal offenses including one count of conspiring to distribute narcotics, one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, and one count of possessing firearms and ammunition while addicted to illegal narcotics. As part of the sentence, Earrey also agreed to forfeit or abandon the money, firearms, and ammunition involved in these offenses. He entered a guilty plea on April 4, 2024.

    According to court documents, while employed as a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper and designated Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Earrey and a co-conspirator engaged in extensive corrupt activity from 2021-2023. These acts included the theft of money and illegal drugs that were seized as evidence during criminal investigations; providing illegal drugs (including fentanyl and cocaine) to others to distribute on their behalf; and providing ammunition to an individual that Earrey knew to be a convicted murderer in exchange for opiates. Earrey and his co-conspirator stole more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana from evidence and provided the drugs to others to sell on their behalf. They covered up the theft by submitting falsified paperwork showing that the marijuana had been destroyed. Similarly, they stole a kilogram of cocaine from evidence and then gave it to a drug dealer to sell for them.

    “Law enforcement officers who operate as though they are above the law betray the badge and the citizens they swore to protect,” said FBI Jacksonville Acting Special Agent in Charge Hubert Reynolds. “This case exemplifies the FBI’s commitment to holding public servants accountable if they violate the very laws they promised to uphold.”

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service — Criminal Investigation, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton. The United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection wish to thank the Florida Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their cooperation during this investigation.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Fentanyl and Cocaine Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The defendant, a felon, also possessed a firearm in connection with the drug offense.

    Baltimore, Maryland – Freddie Anthony Curry, 54, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty in federal court to possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. 

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge William DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; and Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division.

    In May 2024, the FBI and DEA began investigating Curry in connection with suspected fentanyl and cocaine trafficking in the Baltimore area.  During their investigation, they verified Curry’s vehicle and residence. Authorities then executed federal search warrants on Curry’s residence and vehicle. During the search, investigators recovered approximately 980 grams of fentanyl, 1,040 grams of cocaine, digital scales, drug-packaging materials, and a Glock 19 9-millimeter handgun. Curry is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions.

    The parties have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Curry will be sentenced to 120 months in federal prison. Sentencing is set for Monday, June 30, 2025, at 2 p.m.

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

    This case is part of a Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Baltimore Strike Force is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations to reduce drug-related and/or gang violence in the Baltimore metropolitan and surrounding areas.  The Baltimore Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, DEA, and USPIS for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins who is prosecuting the case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md  and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Seattle man who carjacked a BMW near Lumen Field pleads guilty in federal court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – A 32-year-old Seattle man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to carjacking and using a firearm during a crime of violence, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Louis Montel De’Andre Dowers was arrested June 9, 2024, hours after he carjacked a BMW outside the Seattle Team Shop on Occidental Avenue South in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. Dowers faces a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to life in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on August 4, 2025.

    According to the plea agreement, a man was waiting for his wife, sitting in the driver’s seat of his car outside a business on Occidental Avenue South. Dowers approached the car from behind, pulled out a distinctive firearm, pointed it at the victim, and ordered him out of the car saying “It’s mine now. Get out.”  The victim was able to get his dog out of the car before Dowers drove off. The victim’s wife came out of the store and was nearly hit by the car as it raced away.

    Police were able to track the car to Auburn, Washington – near a middle school. Working with a description of the alleged carjacker, a King County Sheriff’s deputy located Dowers walking nearby. When searched, Dowers possessed a semi-automatic firearm that had been privately manufactured – a so-called ‘ghost gun.’ The firearm was fully loaded with a round in the chamber. In his plea agreement Dowers admits he used the gun in the carjacking

    Carjacking is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Using a firearm during a crime of violence, as described in the plea agreement, is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to life in prison. Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend no more than seven years in prison. The defense can recommend no less than five years and a day in prison.  Judge Chun is not bound by the recommendations and can impose any sentence allowed by law after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case was investigated by the federal carjacking task force made up of the Seattle Police Department, the Kent Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg who leads the Western District of Washington Carjacking Task Force.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Members of an International Money Laundering Organization Charged with Laundering Millions of Dollars in Drug Proceeds

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Florence, South Carolina returned an indictment on Tuesday, April 22, charging Nasir Ullah, 28, and Naim Ullah, 32, both of Sumter, South Carolina, and Puquan Huang, 49, of Buford, Georgia, with conspiring to launder millions of dollars of proceeds derived from drug trafficking.

    “As alleged in the indictment, the defendants laundered tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds from the United States through China and the Middle East, enabling a continuous flow of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our country from Mexico,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Dismantling transnational criminal organizations and Chinese Money Laundering Organizations that support them is a critical priority for the Department. Alongside DEA and our local law enforcement partners, we will continue to prosecute the financial networks that fuel illegal drug trade and profit from the sale of deadly substances.”

    “We are committed to dismantling criminal organizations that seek to profit through the distribution of dangerous drugs like cocaine and fentanyl across South Carolina and beyond,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “This $30 million money laundering operation, which has international ties, was conducted in multiple communities in our state. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to trace these illicit funds, disrupt these networks, and hold those involved accountable for the harm they present.”

    “Cases like this exemplify the value of partnerships,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “The volume of dangerous drugs, including deadly fentanyl, impacts our communities beyond comprehension. This investigation and subsequent arrests demonstrate DEA’s commitment to protecting our community by destroying these drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.”

    According to court documents, unsealed today, Ullah, Ullah, and Huang allegedly worked for a money laundering organization that laundered at least $30 million in proceeds related to the distribution of illegal drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl, which were unlawfully imported into the United States, typically through Mexico. Ullah, Ullah, Huang, and their co-conspirators allegedly traveled throughout the United States to collect drug proceeds. They communicated with co-conspirators in China to arrange for the laundering of these proceeds through transactions designed to conceal the illegal source of the proceeds, including disguising the source of the drug proceeds by moving money through the shipment of electronic goods to China and the Middle East.

    Ullah, Ullah, and Huang are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

    The DEA’s Charleston, South Carolina Resident Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit; DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit; DEA’s offices in Columbia, South Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia; the FBI’s offices in Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina; the U.S. Air Force, Office of Special Investigations; the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office; the South Carolina Highway Patrol; the Fort Mill Police Department; the York County Sheriff’s Office; the North Charleston Police Department; the Mount Pleasant Police Department; and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

    Trial Attorneys Mary K. Daly and Jasmin Salehi Fashami of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett E. McMillian for the District of South Carolina are prosecuting the case.

    The Third and Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Offices of South Carolina provided assistance in this case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: York County Man Charged With Production Of Child Pornography And Related Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Haley, age 41, of York County, Pennsylvania, was charged on April 23, 2025, by a federal grand jury with producing and possessing child pornography. 

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on March 29, 2021, in York County, Haley enticed an 11-year-old minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing four videos.  It is further alleged that on March 20, 2025, Haley possessed a SanDisk 64 GB micro-SD card that contained images of child pornography involving a minor who had not attained 12-years of age.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc.

    This case was investigated by the FBI.  Assistant United States Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting the case.      

    The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 140 years’ imprisonment, a term of up to lifetime supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Torres Introduces Protecting America’s Cybersecurity Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

    April 24, 2025

    Bill Blocks DOGE Interference, Reinforces Congressional Oversight, and Restores CISA’s Cyber Defense Workforce

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) introduced the Protecting America’s Cybersecurity Act, legislation to safeguard the nation’s critical cybersecurity infrastructure from outside interference by DOGE and restore Congressional authority over resource decisions at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

    The bill would take decisive action to protect the integrity of federal cybersecurity operations by prohibiting any DOGE agency teams from participating in or interfering with CISA’s mission. It also blocks the use of federal funds for the salary or expenses of any DOGE-affiliated personnel working at, transferred to, or detailed to CISA.

    “In a time when our critical infrastructure is under constant threat, the last thing we need is politically motivated interference undermining our frontline cybersecurity defenses,” said Congresswoman Torres. “This bill restores essential Congressional oversight, protects our nonpartisan cyber workforce, and reaffirms our commitment to a secure, resilient digital future.”

    Key provisions of the bill include:

    • Prohibiting DOGE interference in national cybersecurity efforts by banning its personnel from working at CISA.

    • Reinstating CISA federal workers who were improperly terminated or displaced from their roles protecting national cybersecurity.

    • Restoring federal funding allocated by Congress to support CISA operations and staff.

    • Requiring Congressional approval for any reduction in CISA staff or resources, ensuring transparency and accountability.

    • Reaffirming CISA’s reporting requirements under the Cybersecurity Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA), including mandates on harmonization of cyber incident reporting.

    Full bill text

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Box Elder woman sentenced for trafficking fentanyl on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder woman who distributed fentanyl in northern Montana and on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to time served to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Dai Shawn Whitford, 33, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of distribution of fentanyl.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement received information that Whitford’s co-defendants were working together to bring drugs from Washington to distribute on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and nearby locations. On at least one occasion, Dai Shawn Whitford helped distribute on behalf of the co-defendants.

    In May 2023, a confidential source paid a co-defendant $800 for 30 fentanyl pills. The co-defendant directed the confidential source to pick up the fentanyl at a residence on Rocky Boy’s. The informant went to the house and was provided approximately 30 fentanyl pills from Dai Shawn Whitford.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, and the investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Tri-Agency Task Force.

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn, NY Woman Sentenced to 4 Years for Aiding and Abetting Armed Robbery of Hyde County Family Dollar Store

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW BERN, N.C. – A Brooklyn, NY woman was sentenced Wednesday to 4 years in prison for aiding and abetting in the armed robbery of a Family Dollar in Swan Quarter. On November 13, 2024, Victoria Michelle Cyren Clarke, 32, pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on Sunday, June 4, 2023, at approximately 9:00 p.m., Hyde County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) received a call about an armed robbery at the Family Dollar, located at 13065 US Highway 264 in Swan Quarter. Two individuals entered the store brandishing firearms while demanding money. After retrieving over $2000 in cash from the store, the two individuals left and got into a car being driven by Clarke. A deputy with HCSO attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle after it was observed leaving the area at a high rate of speed. A high-speed chase ensued for approximately 18 miles with speeds in excess of 100 mph before the vehicle was finally stopped. In addition to the two armed robbers and Clarke, two children were unrestrained in the vehicle. Subsequent investigation revealed that Clarke bought both firearms used in the robbery and rented the get-away car.

    “The Hyde County Sheriff’s Office is committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and businesses,” said Sheriff Guire Cahoon. “The armed robbery at the Family Dollar in Swan Quarter was a serious crime that put innocent lives at risk, and we are grateful for the quick response of our deputies which resulted in the apprehension of the individuals involved, and we are grateful for the assistance of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work on the case. Violent crime has no place in our community, and we will continue working tirelessly to protect the people of Hyde County.”

    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. Hyde County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Childress  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. 4:24-CR-12-FL-RJ-3.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Fugitives Arrested in San Juan and Carolina, PR

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Three individuals who were fugitives since December 2024 were arrested today in the municipalities of San Juan and Carolina, PR, on criminal charges related to their alleged participation on drug trafficking and violent crimes associated to a drug trafficking organization that operated in San Juan, Carolina, and other areas nearby, from in or about 2021 through December 2024, when the arrest operation took place. The three fugitives had been charged in the case of United States v. Victor J. Pérez-Fernández, a.k.a. “La Cone/Vitu/Vitikin/Enano,” et al., Case No. 24-453 (MAJ).

    Defendants [10] Gerald O. Rodríguez-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Patrón;” [18] Ángel L. Sanjurjo, a.k.a. “Vaca;” and [33] Ramsell Maldonado-Tatis, a.k.a. “R” were arrested by FBI special agents, Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Carolina Municipal Police Department. They are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession and distribution of heroin, cocaine base (crack), cocaine, marijuana, and fentanyl; and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Defendant Maldonado-Tatis is also facing one count for possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    “As alleged in the indictment, these individuals were engaged in violent crime and spread deadly drugs through our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow.  “Today’s arrests make clear that this Office will work tirelessly to keep the law-abiding residents of Puerto Rico safe and hold accountable those who bring violence to our streets.”

    “The arrests carried out this morning reaffirm our unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal organizations. The message is clear: if you’re part of a violent criminal enterprise, the FBI will work relentlessly to find you and bring you to justice,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The residents of Puerto Rico deserve safe communities, and through close collaboration with our local and federal partners, we will continue to bring fugitives to justice and restore peace where it is most needed.”

    According to the charging documents, the drug trafficking organization distributed heroin, fentanyl, crack, cocaine, marijuana, Tramadol, and Clonazepam within 1,000 feet of the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project (PHP), the Luis Lloréns Torres PHP, the Los Mirtos PHP, the Lagos de Blasina PHP, the La Esmeralda PHP, the El Coral PHP, the Monte Hatillo PHP, and other areas near those locations, all for significant financial gain and profit. The drug trafficking organizations that operated in and around these areas (known as The Alliance) reached an agreement to conduct their drug trafficking operations as allies, which they referred to as “La Paz” (The Peace). At that time, each housing project organization was controlled by their own leadership and structure. As part of The Alliance, there would not be war between these organizations and members would be able to rely on each other for protection, drugs, and weapons.

    Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort; Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares; and AUSAs Laura Díaz-González, R. Vance Eaton, and Joseph Russell are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI-Led Operation in Nigeria Leads to Sextortion Arrests

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

    In early 2023, a unit in the FBI’s Criminal Division that focuses on child exploitation sifted through terabytes of communications and uncovered thousands of digital breadcrumbs that led to Nigeria. The Child Exploitation Operational Unit assembled priority lists of subjects to locate and interview in the West African country, including some of the cases that involved suicides.

    The FBI, through the legal attaché office in Nigeria, coordinated all this with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the country’s lead agency for investigating financial crimes. Other partners included federal agencies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom that had similar sextortion cases resolving to Nigeria.

    In late summer 2023, a team of FBI special agents, analysts, and forensic examiners—along with criminal investigators from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)—set up a discreet temporary command post in the city of Lagos. The operation was dubbed Artemis after the Greek goddess who protects youths. In Nigeria, the teams worked in shifts for weeks at a time exchanging information with EFCC investigators to facilitate the arrests and interviews of Nigerians whose digital footprints appeared to connect them to some of the most appalling cases in the U.S.

    “Everybody was equally invested in making this one goal happen,” said Special Agent Karen R., who managed the Bureau’s coordination of the sextortion cases that led up to the weeks-long operation in Nigeria. While Canada and Australia are well-known partners for the FBI, Karen pointed out that Nigeria’s EFCC has a uniquely strong track record of working with the Bureau, particularly on sprawling financial crimes that both countries are trying to stamp out.

    “They are just as invested as we are in trying to make this problem go away,” she said. “We all know Nigerian prince scams. We know all of the scams that are traditionally done there. They’re aware of it, too, and don’t like that their country is known for that type of activity.”

    Indeed, as everyone set out in the summer of 2023 to find and arrest the criminals and bring them to justice, Nigerian authorities were on a parallel mission of trying to dissuade would-be scammers in their own country from taking up sextortion and other financial crimes as an easy way to make money.

    Poverty is widespread in Nigeria, and jobs and opportunities are scarce. Smart, tech-savvy, college-aged individuals with a phone, nude images scraped from the internet, and a script for duping faraway boys might view sextortion as a viable trade with little risk or downside. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Detroit Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking Operation

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

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jovonne Haynes, age 30, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 13 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization selling controlled substances that spanned from Michigan to Monongalia County.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Haynes was allowing his apartment in Morgantown to be used for the drug trafficking operation. Haynes pled guilty to a methamphetamine distribution charge in December 2024.

    Haynes will serve three years of supervised release following his sentence.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    The case was investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Clarksburg; the FBI Clarksburg; the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; the Morgantown Police Department; WVU Police Department; the DEA Cincinnati District Office; the DEA Detroit Field Division; and the FBI Detroit.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Tacoma resident indicted for damaging six different energy facilities in the South Sound and Southwest Washington

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – A 33-year-old former Tacoma resident was indicted by a federal grand jury earlier this month for conspiracy to destroy energy facilities and six counts of destruction or attempted destruction of an energy facility, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Zachary Rosenthal, who is currently incarcerated in the Washington State Department of Corrections for vehicular assault, was indicted in Oregon last July for damaging two energy facilities in Portland. The Oregon case is scheduled for trial on November 3, 2025.

    According to the Western Washington indictment, between June and December 2022, Rosenthal conspired with others to damage six different power substations in western Washington: the Toledo substation in Lewis County on August 5, 2022; the Woodland 1 substation in Cowlitz County on November 17, 2022; the Woodland 2 substation on November 18, 2022; the Puyallup substation in Pierce County on November 20, 2022; and the Tumwater substation in Thurston County on November 22, 2022; and the attempted destruction to the Oakville substation in Grays Harbor County on December 5, 2022. The indictment charges five counts of destruction of an energy facility, and one count of attempted destruction of an energy facility for the Oakville substation attack.

    The indictment calls for forfeiture of proceeds of the criminal scheme which appears to have been an attempt to burglarize businesses and ATMs when the power was out, and alarm systems might be down.

    The attacks on the power stations resulted in power outages ranging from about 1,000 customers to 6,000 customers per substation.

    Rosenthal and his coconspirators damaged the substations through a variety of means including gunshots, smashing equipment, or using heavy chains to cause short circuits.

    The Oregon substation attacks occurred in the same timeframe as the Washington attacks, on November 24 and 28, 2022.

    Damaging an energy facility with intent to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the function of the facility is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

    The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.  

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hardin man sentenced to 3 years in prison for using a phone to promote prostitution with a minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS – A Hardin man who promoted prostitution with a minor was sentenced today to 36 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    William Serges Joseph, 75, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to use of facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering.

    U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that in March 2023, Jane Doe, a juvenile female, disclosed to law enforcement that, commencing in approximately September 2022, she began showing her breasts to the Joseph. The two messaged each other on Facebook and Joseph was aware of she was a juvenile. Jane Doe said she allowed Joseph to touch her in exchange for alcohol and he also asked her for naked pictures.

    Jane Doe was interviewed again in June 2023. She added that Joseph continued to message her and offered her $50 for sexual contact. A review of her cell phone reflected, among other communications, a February 2023 message from Joseph with a picture of male genitalia. Joseph was interviewed in February 2024. He admitted providing alcohol to Jane Doe in exchange for pictures of her breasts. At the time of the offense, prostitution was illegal under the laws of Montana and Sex Trafficking was illegal under the laws of the United States.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, and the investigation was conducted by the FBI.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy and Murdering Man They Misidentified as a Rival Gang Member

    Source: US State of California

    Following a two-week trial, a federal jury in Minneapolis convicted three Minnesota men yesterday for their involvement in the Highs — a violent Minneapolis street gang — and a gang-related murder on Aug. 7, 2021.

    “These defendants participated in a senseless murder and other acts of violence that terrorized their community,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s conviction sends a message to gang members in Minneapolis that there is no glory in gun violence. Working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the Department is committed to prosecuting criminal enterprises that use violence and intimidation to exert power in our cities — dismantling violent gangs and securing justice for the victims and their loved ones.”

    “Minneapolis criminal street gangs have inflicted devastating harm on our community for far too long. Three years ago, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced our federal violent crime initiative to address the skyrocketing and completely unacceptable rates of violent crime in Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick for the District of Minnesota. “Since then, we have brought large RICO cases against three criminal street gangs — charging them as the violent enterprises they are. Make no mistake: we will not stop. Criminal street gangs in Minneapolis will continue to see federal justice. The citizens of Minnesota — the many victims of these crimes — deserve no less.”

    “This conviction sends a strong message that violent street gangs will not be tolerated in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “Through the power of the RICO statute, ATF agents, in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, have been able to target the violent criminal activity of the Highs gang. This conviction is a direct result of the tireless work by our agents who are committed to dismantling these criminal organizations and ensuring that those who use violence to control neighborhoods are held accountable. ATF will continue to lead efforts to take down street gangs and protect the citizens of Minneapolis.”

    “This was cold-blooded, calculated violence meant to control through fear,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “They believed violence gave them power—but today’s conviction proves that justice is stronger. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, is committed to dismantling these criminal enterprises and holding violent offenders accountable.

    “Minneapolis has seen a significant drop in violent crime, especially gun violence, thanks to the outstanding work of MPD officers and our law enforcement partners. Most notably, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been instrumental in helping us target the small number of individuals driving violence, without causing harm to the broader communities we serve. Together, we’re not just reducing crime — we’re rebuilding trust,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

    “The verdict marks a decisive victory in the fight against violent criminal organizations,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Reducing violence in this community has required a change in tactics, and IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are perfectly poised to support our law enforcement partners in this effort. Our agents will continue to apply their financial expertise and investigative skills to bring justice to those who endanger our communities and threaten our way of life.”

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Keon Pruitt, 22, Dantrell Johnson, 32, and Gregory Hamilton, 29, each of Minneapolis, were members of various “cliques,” or subsets, of the Highs — a criminal enterprise that controlled territory north of West Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis. Evidence at trial proved that the Highs gang committed multiple murders, narcotics trafficking, weapons violations, burglaries, assaults, and robberies. As members of the Highs, the defendants were expected to retaliate against the rival Lows gang, which operated south of West Broadway Avenue.

    On Aug. 7, 2021, a prominent Highs member was shot and killed by a Lows member at the Winner gas station, a Highs hangout. The following day, Highs members organized a memorial for the deceased member at the gas station, where they distributed firearms and encouraged each other to retaliate against Lows members for the murder. Defendants Pruitt, Johnson, and Hamilton were all in attendance at the memorial.

    Later that day, Johnson and Hamilton drove to a known Lows hangout — Wally’s Foods — and shot a Lows associate, who survived his injuries. Approximately two hours later, Johnson, Hamilton, and Pruitt drove to Skyline Market, another known Lows hangout, to shoot another Lows member. Inside the market, they shot a man whom they mistakenly believed to be a Lows member — which was captured on the store’s cameras. The victim ran for his life from the store and into the street. Pruitt, who was driving two juvenile members in a stolen Porsche, let the juveniles out of the car. The juvenile members then chased the victim into a nearby alley and fatally shot him. The victim was shot at least eight times.

    The jury convicted Prutt, Johnson, and Hamilton of Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy and using and carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    This is the first of several trials scheduled in this case, which charged a total of 28 defendants with RICO conspiracy, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses, and other charges related to their activities as members and associates of the Highs gang. Sixteen defendants are pending trial.

    The ATF, FBI, Minneapolis Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minnesota Department of Corrections are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, and numerous other law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation.

    Trial Attorney Brian Lynch of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Lopez-Calhoun, Albania Concepcion, and Rebecca Kline for the District of Minnesota tried this case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Roles in Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery While Posing as DEA Agents

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

    FBI Releases Annual Internet Crime Report

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has released its latest annual report. The 2024 Internet Crime Report combines information from 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and details reported losses exceeding $16 billion—a 33% increase in losses from 2023.

    News Blog

    The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) issued its latest annual report showing 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and losses exceeding $16 billion last year—a 33% increase in losses from 2023.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Money Service Business Unlawfully Residing in Beaverton Faces Federal Charges for Laundering Drug Proceeds

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

    Brenda Lili Barrera Orantes, the owner and operator of La Popular, a money service business with locations in Oregon and Washington, was arraigned in federal court.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Unlawfully Residing in Portland Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

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

    FBI Releases Annual Internet Crime Report

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has released its latest annual report. The 2024 Internet Crime Report combines information from 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and details reported losses exceeding $16 billion—a 33% increase in losses from 2023.

    News Blog

    The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) issued its latest annual report showing 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and losses exceeding $16 billion last year—a 33% increase in losses from 2023.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arrest of Jean Paul Cotto Rosario

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

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), San Juan Field Office, announced the arrest of Jean-Paul Cotto Rosario (Cotto Rosario).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI New Orleans Recognizes 45th Anniversary of the Joint Terrorism Task Force

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

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation is marking the 45th anniversary of the creation of its first Joint Terrorism Task Force. Formed in New York in 1980, the first JTTF became a model for law enforcement cooperation across the nation. The FBI New Orleans JTTF is the group responsible for the ongoing investigation into the New Year’s Day terrorist attack on Bourbon Street.

    The FBI New Orleans Field Office organized its JTTF 25 years ago in April of 2000, with Louisiana State Police representing the only full-time local law enforcement partner working with the FBI, Department of Defense, and what is now the Department of Homeland Security. The JTTF allowed for a concentration of dedicated FBI manpower and resources. This new JTTF supplemented work already being done by regional task forces and working groups.

    Today, the following agencies provide full-time support to the JTTF mission across the state:

    • Louisiana State Police
    • New Orleans Police Department
    • Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office
    • St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office
    • St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office
    • Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office
    • East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office
    • United States Army
    • United States Coast Guard
    • Department of Homeland Security
    • United States Secret Service

    JTTFs can be found at each of the FBI’s 55 field offices and many of their smaller offices—around 280 locations in all.

    JTTFs gather trained investigators, intelligence analysts, linguists, and tactical experts from federal, state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Task force members share intelligence and investigative leads and respond to threats and incidents.

    “We rely on our law enforcement partners to help keep our communities safe,” said Jonathan Tapp, special agent in charge of FBI New Orleans. “All of our partners bring their special skills and expertise to these teams, making us all that much stronger.”

    The FBI’s JTTF model dates to 1979, when the New York Police Department and the FBI’s New York Field Office created a joint task force to tackle violent bank robberies. They imitated the model in 1980, when terrorist bombings, bomb threats, and other violence plagued the city, and announced the formation of the first JTTF in April 1980.

    After the 9/11 attacks, FBI leadership directed all FBI field offices to establish a JTTF. In addition, the FBI established its National Joint Terrorism Task Force to support the local task forces in June of 2002. The NJTTF, at FBI Headquarters, enhances communication, coordination, and cooperation from partner agencies.

    JTTFs have disrupted dozens of plots in the past four decades. The FBI New Orleans JTTF is dedicated to identifying and targeting for prosecution terrorist organizations planning or carrying out terrorist acts occurring in or affecting the State of Louisiana and apprehend individuals committing such violations.

    Resources

    A recorded video interview with David Scott, assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division, is available for media outlet use on the FBI’s new DVIDs page. This is the main “hub” for FBI-produced multimedia projects that can be directly downloaded and used by the media. This video is not intended to be amplified in its raw form but rather edited into on-air products.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force Turns 45

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

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is marking the 45th anniversary of the creation of its first Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Formed in 1980, the first JTTF became a model for law enforcement cooperation across the nation. The Boston Division of the FBI organized its first JTTF in April 1986.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy and Murdering Man They Misidentified as a Rival Gang Member

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Following a two-week trial, a federal jury in Minneapolis convicted three Minnesota men yesterday for their involvement in the Highs — a violent Minneapolis street gang — and a gang-related murder on Aug. 7, 2021.

    “These defendants participated in a senseless murder and other acts of violence that terrorized their community,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s conviction sends a message to gang members in Minneapolis that there is no glory in gun violence. Working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the Department is committed to prosecuting criminal enterprises that use violence and intimidation to exert power in our cities — dismantling violent gangs and securing justice for the victims and their loved ones.”

    “Minneapolis criminal street gangs have inflicted devastating harm on our community for far too long. Three years ago, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced our federal violent crime initiative to address the skyrocketing and completely unacceptable rates of violent crime in Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick for the District of Minnesota. “Since then, we have brought large RICO cases against three criminal street gangs — charging them as the violent enterprises they are. Make no mistake: we will not stop. Criminal street gangs in Minneapolis will continue to see federal justice. The citizens of Minnesota — the many victims of these crimes — deserve no less.”

    “This conviction sends a strong message that violent street gangs will not be tolerated in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “Through the power of the RICO statute, ATF agents, in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, have been able to target the violent criminal activity of the Highs gang. This conviction is a direct result of the tireless work by our agents who are committed to dismantling these criminal organizations and ensuring that those who use violence to control neighborhoods are held accountable. ATF will continue to lead efforts to take down street gangs and protect the citizens of Minneapolis.”

    “This was cold-blooded, calculated violence meant to control through fear,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “They believed violence gave them power—but today’s conviction proves that justice is stronger. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, is committed to dismantling these criminal enterprises and holding violent offenders accountable.

    “Minneapolis has seen a significant drop in violent crime, especially gun violence, thanks to the outstanding work of MPD officers and our law enforcement partners. Most notably, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been instrumental in helping us target the small number of individuals driving violence, without causing harm to the broader communities we serve. Together, we’re not just reducing crime — we’re rebuilding trust,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

    “The verdict marks a decisive victory in the fight against violent criminal organizations,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Reducing violence in this community has required a change in tactics, and IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are perfectly poised to support our law enforcement partners in this effort. Our agents will continue to apply their financial expertise and investigative skills to bring justice to those who endanger our communities and threaten our way of life.”

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Keon Pruitt, 22, Dantrell Johnson, 32, and Gregory Hamilton, 29, each of Minneapolis, were members of various “cliques,” or subsets, of the Highs — a criminal enterprise that controlled territory north of West Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis. Evidence at trial proved that the Highs gang committed multiple murders, narcotics trafficking, weapons violations, burglaries, assaults, and robberies. As members of the Highs, the defendants were expected to retaliate against the rival Lows gang, which operated south of West Broadway Avenue.

    On Aug. 7, 2021, a prominent Highs member was shot and killed by a Lows member at the Winner gas station, a Highs hangout. The following day, Highs members organized a memorial for the deceased member at the gas station, where they distributed firearms and encouraged each other to retaliate against Lows members for the murder. Defendants Pruitt, Johnson, and Hamilton were all in attendance at the memorial.

    Later that day, Johnson and Hamilton drove to a known Lows hangout — Wally’s Foods — and shot a Lows associate, who survived his injuries. Approximately two hours later, Johnson, Hamilton, and Pruitt drove to Skyline Market, another known Lows hangout, to shoot another Lows member. Inside the market, they shot a man whom they mistakenly believed to be a Lows member — which was captured on the store’s cameras. The victim ran for his life from the store and into the street. Pruitt, who was driving two juvenile members in a stolen Porsche, let the juveniles out of the car. The juvenile members then chased the victim into a nearby alley and fatally shot him. The victim was shot at least eight times.

    The jury convicted Prutt, Johnson, and Hamilton of Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy and using and carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    This is the first of several trials scheduled in this case, which charged a total of 28 defendants with RICO conspiracy, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses, and other charges related to their activities as members and associates of the Highs gang. Sixteen defendants are pending trial.

    The ATF, FBI, Minneapolis Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minnesota Department of Corrections are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, and numerous other law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation.

    Trial Attorney Brian Lynch of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Lopez-Calhoun, Albania Concepcion, and Rebecca Kline for the District of Minnesota tried this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: FBI Assistant Legal Attaché Robert Cameron Discusses Sextortion

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)

    FBI Assistant Legal Attaché Robert Cameron discusses a financially motivated sextortion operation in Nigeria. The joint international operation targeted suspects whose crimes occurred in at least three countries and led to multiple deaths by suicides, including more than 20 in the U.S. since 2021.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-operation-in-nigeria-targeted-perpetrators-of-online-extortion-schemes-that-prey-on-teens
    —————————————————
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsvcocunQLI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Joint Operation Targets Sextortion Suspects in Nigeria

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)

    The FBI and law enforcement partners from Canada, Australia, and Nigeria conducted a first-of-its kind operation in Summer 2023 that resulted in charges against some of the most egregious perpetrators of financially motivated sextortion.

    More at: www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-operation-in-nigeria-targeted-perpetrators-of-online-extortion-schemes-that-prey-on-teens
    —————————————————
    Subscribe to Inside the FBI wherever you get your podcasts:
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4H2d3cg…
    Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
    Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0…
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd6GHxPqJo4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Nigerian EFCC Investigator Dein Whyte Discusses Sextortion

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)

    Dein Whyte, cyber crime section supervisor for Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, discusses a financially motivated sextortion operation in Nigeria. The joint international operation targeted suspects whose crimes occurred in at least three countries and led to multiple deaths by suicides, including more than 20 in the U.S. since 2021.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-operation-in-nigeria-targeted-perpetrators-of-online-extortion-schemes-that-prey-on-teens
    —————————————————
    Subscribe to Inside the FBI wherever you get your podcasts:
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4H2d3cg…
    Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…
    Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0…
    More ways to follow us: https://inside-the-fbi.transistor.fm/…

    Follow us on social media:
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PANUxcKmdU

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Nigerian EFCC Investigator Abba Sambo Discusses Sextortion

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)

    Abba Sambo, advanced fee fraud section supervisor for Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, discusses a financially motivated sextortion operation in Nigeria. The joint international operation targeted suspects whose crimes occurred in at least three countries and led to multiple deaths by suicides, including more than 20 in the U.S. since 2021.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-operation-in-nigeria-targeted-perpetrators-of-online-extortion-schemes-that-prey-on-teens
    —————————————————
    Subscribe to Inside the FBI wherever you get your podcasts:
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4H2d3cg…
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    Follow us on social media:
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVuPc88zo6s

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Ayotunde Solademi, Investigator for FBI in Lagos, Discusses Sextortion

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)

    Ayotunde Solademi, an nvestigator for the FBI in Lagos, discusses a financially motivated sextortion operation in Nigeria. The joint international operation targeted suspects whose crimes occurred in at least three countries and led to multiple deaths by suicides.

    More at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/fbi-operation-in-nigeria-targeted-perpetrators-of-online-extortion-schemes-that-prey-on-teens
    —————————————————
    Subscribe to Inside the FBI wherever you get your podcasts:
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4H2d3cg…
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    Follow us on social media:
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/fbi
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    YouTube: youtube.com/fbi

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hPlW38BWww

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bridgehampton Man Charged with Immigration Fraud for Concealing His Role as a Perpetrator of Rwandan Genocide

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Was a Local Leader During the Rwandan Genocide and Did Not Disclose His Role in the Violence, Including Killings and Rapes, to U.S. Immigration Authorities

    CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, an indictment was unsealed charging Faustin Nsabumukunzi with visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud for lying on his applications for a green card and for United States citizenship by concealing his role as a local leader and perpetrator of violence during the Rwandan genocide in 1994.  Nsabumukunzi was arrested this morning on Long Island and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Darren B. McCormack, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the arrest and charges.

    “As alleged, Nsabumukunzi repeatedly lied to conceal his involvement in the horrific Rwandan genocide while seeking to become a lawful permanent resident and citizen of the United States,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “For over two decades, he got away with those lies and lived in the United States with an undeserved clean slate, a luxury that his victims will never have, but thanks to the tenacious efforts of our investigators and prosecutors, the defendant finally will be held accountable for his brutal actions.”

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor for their work on the case.

    “As alleged, the defendant participated in the commission of heinous acts of violence abroad and then lied his way into a green card and tried to obtain U.S. citizenship,” stated Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  “No matter how much time has passed, the Department of Justice will find and prosecute individuals who committed atrocities in their home countries and covered them up to gain entry and seek citizenship in the United States.”

    “This defendant has been living in the United States for decades, hiding his alleged horrific conduct, human rights violations, and his role in these senseless atrocities against innocent Tutsis,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge McCormack.  “The depraved conduct of which the defendant is accused represent the worst of humanity. As demonstrated through the tireless work of HSI New York agents, analysts, and task force officers, we will never tolerate the safe-harboring of individuals linked to such unimaginable crimes.”

    As set forth in court filings, Nsabumukunzi served as a local leader with the title of “Sector Councilor” in Rwanda in 1994 when the genocide began.  Between April 1994 and July 1994, members of the majority Hutu population persecuted the minority Tutsis, committing acts of violence, including murder, rape, and sexual violence.  An estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed during the three-month genocide.

    As alleged in the indictment, Nsabumukunzi used his leadership position as Sector Councilor to oversee the violence and killings of Tutsis in his local sector of Kibirizi and directed groups of armed Hutus to kill Tutsis. He set up roadblocks during the genocide to detain and kill Tutsis and participated in killings and violence.  For example, Nsabumukunzi ordered a group of armed Hutus to locations where Tutsis were sheltering and the Hutus killed them.  Nsabumukunzi also facilitated the rape of Tutsi women by verbally encouraging Hutu men to do so.  According to court filings, Nsabumukunzi has been convicted of genocide in absentia by a Rwandan court.

    As further alleged, Nsabumukunzi applied for refugee resettlement in the United States in August 2003, applied for and received a green card in November 2007, and later submitted applications for naturalization in 2009 and 2015.  Nsabumukunzi lied to United States immigration officials to gain admission to the United States as a refugee, by falsely denying in the applications under penalty of perjury that he ever engaged in genocide.  He repeated those lies in his subsequent applications for a green card and for naturalization.  As a result of his ongoing efforts to conceal his actions during the genocide, Nsabumukunzi has been able to live and work in the United States since 2003.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted on all counts, Nsabumukunzi faces a maximum of 30 years in prison.

    The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section and the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Samantha Alessi and Katherine P. Onyshko and Paralegal Specialist Erin Payne are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Brian Morgan from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions (HRSP) Section, with assistance from HRSP Senior Historian Dr. Christopher Hayden.

    The Defendant:

    FAUSTIN NSABUMUKUNZI
    Age: 65
    Bridgehampton, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-138 (JS)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Five People Indicted for Trafficking Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Marijuana in Western Tennessee

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jackson, TN – Five people have been indicted in the Western District of Tennessee and are facing federal charges for their involvement in an organized drug trafficking scheme in the Western District of Tennessee according to recently unsealed indictments. The charges are the culmination of a two-year long investigation by FBI’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration in conjunction with the Selmer Police Department, McNairy County Sheriff’s Office, Adamsville Police Department, Bolivar Police Department, and Jackson Police Department.  Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the unsealing of the indictments today.

    According to court documents, between April 2023 and March 2025, the defendants worked together and with others to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana throughout West Tennessee. The investigation revealed the drug trafficking organization is linked to and worked in conjunction with the Sinaloa cartel in furtherance of the distribution efforts within McNairy County and Memphis, Tennessee.  The Sinaloa cartel, also known as Cártel de Sinaloa, is a transnational organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico and was designated on February 20, 2025 as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.  Cártel de Sinaloa is one of the world’s most powerful drug cartels and is one of the largest producers and traffickers of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine into the United States.

    During the investigation, agents seized 10 kilograms of cocaine, over 16 pounds of methamphetamine, 30,000 fentanyl pills, approximately 40 pounds of marijuana, approximately $21,000 in cash, and a firearm. The indictment is in conjunction with the initiative “Operation Take Back America.”

    On March 20, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging all five individuals with Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms of cocaine; four of the individuals with Conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine; and three of the individuals with conspiracy to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana. Two of the defendants were charged with multiple individual counts of distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. One defendant was charged with being an illegal alien and unlawfully in the United States and knowing possession of a firearm.

    Those individuals named in the indictment are:

    • Juan Palomino, 36, of Selmer, TN
    • Joaquin Elizalde, 44, of Selmer, TN
    • Javier Varela, 41, of Byhalia, MS
    • Luis Lizarraga, 36, of Memphis, TN
    • David Asua, 46, of Memphis, TN

    “These defendants took part in a conspiracy that exposed our communities to significant amounts of Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Marijuana,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling any criminal enterprise that risks the wellbeing of our citizens.”

    McNairy County Sheriff Guy Buck stated “We are extremely proud of the outcomes of this investigation and would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Federal, State, and Local Agencies that played a vital role in its success. This case highlights how even small, tight-knit communities are directly impacted by the influence of drug cartels and the international drug trade. As Sheriff, I want to emphasize that no one is above the law, and we will ensure that every individual involved is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

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

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christie Hopper and Greg Allen.  It was investigated by FBI’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Selmer Police Department, the McNairy County Sheriff’s Office, the Adamsville Police Department, the Bolivar Police Department, and the Jackson Police Department.  The investigation was furthered by assistance from the FBI – Denver Division.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence.  The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.

    ###

    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis County Men Sentenced for the Armed Robbery of Dollar Stores

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – Two men who robbed two dollar stores at gunpoint have both been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison.

    U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced Deon Walker, 27, to 11 years and nine months in prison. Samuel Nance, 33, of Black Jack, Missouri, was sentenced in July to 14 years in prison. Both men pleaded guilty to three felonies: two counts of robbery and one count of possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

    On Oct. 9, 2022, just after 6 p.m., Walker and Nance robbed a dollar store in Berkeley, Missouri. Both men entered the store wearing clothing with hoods and black ski masks. When an employee asked them to remove their hoods, Walker pointed a black handgun at the employees and customers, demanded money and ordered everyone to get on the floor. One customer was able to escape out of the rear of the store with two children. An employee opened one cash register, which Nance emptied. Walker grabbed a customer and escorted her to the front of the store at gunpoint before forcing her to the floor. He and Nance then took money from another cash register and then stole about 18 packs of Newport cigarettes along with about $481 in cash.

    About 90 minutes later, the two men robbed a dollar store in Ferguson, Missouri. Walker and Nance walked behind the checkout counter and Walker pointed a handgun at a cashier before demanding money. Nance jumped over the checkout counter to stop a customer who was trying to leave the store. Walker then took the entire cash drawer and both Nance and Walker ran out of the store. Walker and Nance stole about $486.

    The FBI and the Berkeley Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Lane prosecuted the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Chief Financial Officer Sentenced for Embezzling over $40 Million from the Conservancy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – Former Detroit Riverfront Conservancy Chief Financial Officer William A. Smith was sentenced to 19 years in prison today for embezzling over $40 million from his employer over an eleven year period, announced Acting United States Attorney Julie Beck. Smith was also sentenced to a three year term of supervised release, ordered to pay approximately $44.3 million in restitution, and ordered to forfeit ill-gotten gains that were traceable to his scheme.

    Beck was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office and Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-Criminal Investigations Detroit Field Office.

    Smith, 52, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering before United States District Judge Susan K. DeClercq.

    Acting United States United States Attorney Beck stated, “William Smith stole an astonishing amount of money from an important community institution, and he spent that money to finance an extravagant lifestyle. Every dollar that Smith spent on luxury goods for himself is dollar that the Conservancy could not spent beautifying and improving our city’s riverfront. This is one of the most egregious economic crimes in recent memory in this District. Smith has now been held accountable for his criminal activity and we hope that today’s sentence deters any others who contemplate enriching themselves at the expense of a public trust.”

    “Today’s sentencing of William Smith marks the conclusion of a scheme, spanning more than a decade, deeply violating the trust of his employer and the community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Mr. Smith exploited his position of authority for personal financial gain. This outcome is the hard work and dedication from members assigned to the FBI Detroit’s Complex Financial Crimes (CFC) Squad and the successful prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan. We remain committed to working with our partners to investigate and pursue those who violate federal laws.”

    “As the trusted leader of a local advocacy nonprofit, William Smith had a duty to be a responsible steward of the organization’s funds, especially the money raised to beautify and increase access to the Detroit Riverfront,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Mr. Smith proved he did not deserve that trust when he stole over $40 million from the Conservancy and by proxy, everyone who would enjoy the riverfront for many years to come. IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to work with the US Attorney’s Office of Eastern Michigan and our law enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served, and Mr. Smith is held accountable for such an egregious breach of trust;  stealing a huge amount of money to fund his personal lifestyle.”

    According to court documents, Smith Smith was employed as the Chief Financial Officer for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Inc. (the Conservancy) from 2011 through May 2024.  The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) organization formed with the mission of developing access to the Detroit riverfront. The Conservancy envisions creation of a continuous Riverwalk from the Ambassador Bridge in the west to Gabriel Richard Park in the east, along with plazas, pavilions, and green spaces.  Funding for the Conservancy is provided by both private donors and public grants. In his position as Chief Financial Officer of the Conservancy, Smith enjoyed substantial discretion in overseeing and managing the Conservancy’s financial affairs.

    Court Documents indicate that beginning no later than November 2012 and continuing until May 2024, Smith orchestrated a scheme to embezzle millions of dollars in funds belonging to the DRFC.  The embezzlement scheme took three principal forms:

    •          First, Smith diverted Conservancy funds from the organization’s bank accounts to a bank account in the name of  “The Joseph Group, Inc.,” an entity owned and controlled by Smith. The Joseph Group was not an approved vendor for the Conservancy and provided no goods or services of any kind to the organization. However, between February 2013 and May 2024, Smith transferred approximately $24.4 million from the Conservancy’s bank accounts to an account in the name of the Joseph Group.

    •          Second, Smith maintained an American Express account in the name of another of the many entities he owned and controlled, this one called “William Smith & Associates LLC.”  There were four American Express credit cards issued on this account. Between November 2012 and May 2024, Smith used approximately $14.9 million in Conservancy funds to pay off purchases made on this account. None of these expenditures were authorized by the Conservancy, which maintained other credit card accounts for Conservancy purchases. Smith used the American Express account to purchase furniture, designer clothing, handbags, lawn care services, airline tickets, and other consumer goods and services for himself and his family.

    •          Third, Smith used Conservancy funds to purchase cashier’s checks from various financial institutions. These cashier check purchases were unauthorized, and Smith used the cashier’s checks for his own purposes without the knowledge or approval of the Conservancy’s Board of Directors.

    Court documents indicate Smith engaged in various practices to cover up and sustain this massive fraud scheme. In some instances, Smith falsified bank statements that he provided to the Conservancy’s bookkeeper, altering or deleting unauthorized transfers on the statements in order to keep them off of the Conservancy’s books. In at least one other instance, he took out a line of credit with a financial institution (Citizen’s Bank) on behalf of the Conservancy. Smith claimed to be acting with the authorization of the Conservancy’s Board of Directors in taking out this line of credit. In fact, Smith had no such authority, and the documents he provided Citizen’s Bank purporting to show that he had such authorization were forgeries.  Smith used the funds from this line of credit (which eventually totaled $5 million) to infuse monies into the Conservancy’s bank accounts to help cover up his substantial embezzlement from those accounts.

    Sentencing documents indicate that Smith spent the money he appropriated from the Conservancy to live a lavish and extravagant lifestyle. Over the course of his scheme, Smith spent enormous sums of money on basketball tickets, cruises, private jet travel, designer clothing, jewelry, and the like.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John K. Neal and Robert A. Moran. Assistant United States Attorneys K. Craig Welkener and Jessica Nathan handled the asset forfeiture. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division.

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