NewzIntel.com

Category: Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Leaders Among 16 Indicted for Drug Trafficking, Firearm Offenses

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

    CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned two multi-count indictments (United States v. Gailliard et al. and United States v. Bailey et al.) charging a total of 16 individuals for their roles in trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl as well as the use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

    The indictments stem from a lengthy investigation led by the Lowcountry Violent Crime Task Force to address significant drug trafficking in our local communities and the violence associated with such activities.  The individuals charged in these indictments operated primarily out of the North Charleston and West Ashley areas and several are associated with the Gangster Disciple and Fruit Town Piru street gangs.  During the course of this investigation, law enforcement has seized approximately 60 kilograms of cocaine, 1 kilogram of methamphetamine, 24 pounds of marijuana, 600 grams of fentanyl, 500 grams of heroin and thousands of narcotics pills, as well as 12 firearms.

    “These indictments send a clear message that we will not tolerate the proliferation of dangerous drugs and the violence they breed in our communities. The significant quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, along with numerous firearms, underscore the scale and severity of the alleged criminal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Our local, state, and federal partners demonstrated their commitment to aggressively dismantling drug trafficking networks, particularly those fueling violent street gangs.”

    “These indictments and arrests should provide the community with a sense of reassurance of the FBI’s commitment to work with our state and local partners to make our communities safer,” said Reid Davis, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia field office. “Every resident deserves to live in a safe environment, free from the threats of drugs and violence. The FBI is committed to justice, and we will continue to stand firm in protecting our communities by upholding the rule of law.”

    In the Gailliard et al indictment, the following charges have been filed in United States District Court, according to court documents:

    • Shawntez Gaillard, 32, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, as well as two counts of distribution of cocaine and one count of distribution of 50 gram or more of methamphetamine.
    • Bernard Garland Gregory, 36, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine.
    • Harold Alvin Champaigne, 49, of North Charleston was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, as well as one count of distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine.
    • Dominic Jaquan Mack, 44, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
    • Sharon T. Carter, 53, of Summerville, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, as well as one count of possessing with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
    • Mary Nelly Ayala, 48, of Summerville, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
    • Scott Clayton Hollins, 55, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of cocaine, as well as one count of possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
    • Quentin Rambert, 34, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
    • Levi Cohen, IV, 30, of Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
    • Jabari Cortez Lee, 28, of North Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine.
    • Marchevis Jefferson, 33, of Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine.

    In the Bailey et al indictment, the following charges have been filed in United States District Court, according to court documents:

    • Jarell Montsho Bailey, 31, of Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, as well as eight counts of distribution of cocaine, four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, three counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
    • DaQuan Hakeem Lee, 33, of Charleston, was charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine.
    • Cleo Williams, Jr, 36, of Summerville, was charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, as well as one count of distribution of cocaine.
    • Meri Elizabeth Sottile, 42, of Charleston, is charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine, as well as one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
    • Amanda Danielle Forth, 34, of Charleston, is charged with conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, as well as possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF

    The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Secret Service, City of Charleston Police Department, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, State Law Enforcement Division, North Charleston Police Department, Summerville Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Charleston Aviation Authority and Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Lietzow, Nick Bianchi, and Katie Orville are prosecuting the case. 

    All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Bank Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to rob a local bank.

    Cleburn Bruce Greene, 50, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes today to one count of attempted bank robbery. Greene has been detained in federal custody since his arrest.

    According to reports of bank employees and surveillance videos, on October 1st, 2024, Greene entered the bank at approximately 10:08 a.m. and went to the customer service counter where he wrote on a piece of paper.  Greene then approached a teller and showed the note that read: “Give me your money.” The teller asked Greene if the male had an account at the bank and Greene stated: “No. this is a robbery.” Greene further stated: “Don’t play with me” and “don’t make me do something crazy,” or words to that effect.  While the teller was typing on his computer to get access to emergency cash, Greene exited the bank and threw the note in a dumpster adjacent to the bank. Investigators later recovered the note.  Surveillance video footage captured Greene fleeing the scene in a nearby Kia Sportage vehicle.

    At approximately 3:30 p.m., Kansas City, Missouri Police Department Officers observed Greene in a restaurant parking lot in Kanas City, Missouri.  Greene was wearing the same clothing he had on during the attempted bank robbery. Greene drove to a Gas Station where officers arrested him without further incident.

    Under federal statutes, Greene is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford.  It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

    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: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 121 Months for Carjacking a Woman at Gunpoint

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kavon Coleman, 23, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to ten years and one month in prison and five supervised release by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sánchez for carjacking, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence, and aiding and abetting.

    On December 7, 2023, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania indicted Kavon Coleman on one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting, as well as one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

    These charges arose from the defendant and an accomplice committing a gunpoint carjacking of a woman sitting in her car in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 17, 2022. The victim was waiting for a food order at 3300 Fairmont Avenue around 5 p.m., when Coleman and his accomplice approached with guns. Coleman’s accomplice pointed his gun at the victim and demanded her keys, while Coleman got into her driver’s seat. The two men drove her car away. The next day, Coleman and others engaged police in a high-speed chase in a different carjacked vehicle and crashed into another driver during their flight. Police ultimately located a gun discarded by Coleman with no serial number, known as a ghost gun, along with other evidence. On July 9, 2024, the defendant pleaded guilty to the Indictment after jurors had been selected for trial.

    This case was investigated by the joint Carjacking Task Force comprised of the FBI, ATF, and the Philadelphia Police Department. The Carjacking Task Force was launched in January of 2022 to combat the rise of violent carjackings in and around Philadelphia.

    The case was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Shulman and Joseph LaBar.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 148 Months in Federal Prison for Involvement in Armed Robberies of U.S. Postal Carriers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 22, 2025, Huria H. Abu (age 22) was sentenced to 148 months in federal prison for his role in multiple armed robberies of U.S. postal carriers that occurred between October 2022 and March 2023 in Milwaukee. After completing his prison sentence, Abu will also spend five years on supervised release.

    According to court records, Abu and his co-defendants (who named themselves the “Scamily”) robbed U.S. postal carriers at gunpoint for the postal carriers’ arrow keys, which were then used to steal U.S. mail from mail receptacles. The following co-defendants have also been sentenced in relation to their individual roles in this case:

    •          Jessie L. Cook (21): 94 months’ prison, followed by four years of supervised release (sentenced August 9, 2024);

    •          Abdi A. Abdi (24): 96 months’ prison, followed by three years of supervised release (sentenced April 14, 2024);

    •          Darrion M. Allison (24): 72 months’ prison, followed by five years of supervised release (sentenced November 8, 2024);

    •          Abdi I. Baba (27): 120 months’ prison, followed by three years of supervised release (sentenced July 24, 2024)

    This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force and the Milwaukee Police Department.

    It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abbey M. Marzick and Bill T. Berens.

    # #  #

    For Additional Information Contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    414-297-1700

    Follow us on Twitter

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wolf Point man pleads guilty to sexual abuse charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man accused of sexually abusing two victims admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Jason Wise Spirit, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse. Wise Spirit faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a $250,000 fine, and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 2, 2025. Wise Spirit was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that on November 15, 2023, a victim referred to here as Jane Doe 1 started crying in class. She alleged Wise Spirit had sexually abused her older sister, referred to as Jane Doe 2. The FBI opened an investigation and both Jane Does 1 and 2 were interviewed on November 20, 2023. Jane Doe 1 said Wise Spirit sexually assaulted her more than 20 times on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation when she was between the ages of 6 and 9. She disclosed vaginal, anal, and oral sex while her mom was at work. Jane Doe 1 disclosed that Jane Doe 2 had also been abused.

    Jane Doe 2 corroborated some of the information from Jane Doe 1’s interview but denied any abuse.

    Jane Doe 2 was interviewed again on April 10, 2024, and disclosed she was afraid of Wise Spirit because he said he would kill her if she told anyone about the abuse. Jane Doe 2 described being forced to have anal and oral sex with Wise Spirit at their residence and in a car in a Walmart parking lot in Williston while their mom was at work.

    Wise Spirit was interviewed and made partial admissions. He said both Jane Does 1 and 2 touched his penis at different times.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.

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

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Woman Who Defrauded Hundreds of Victims in Advance-Fee Scheme Involving High-End Handbags and Other Luxury Goods Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Rashell Ortiz, 23, of Grove City, Ohio, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert to 20 months in prison, three years supervised release, restitution of $130,255 and a $600 special assessment for defrauding hundreds of victims in an advance-fee scheme involving the purported sale of high-end handbags and other luxury items.

    Ortiz was charged by indictment in January 2024 with six counts of wire fraud, and in December was convicted of all charges at trial.

    As proven at trial, from October 2019 to November 2021, Ortiz and her boyfriend, Orvil Cataquet Jr., 25, of Syracuse, New York, marketed items, predominantly luxury purses, through online sales platforms like Poshmark and Offer Up. Throughout the scheme, they posed as a young female who was selling the bags at reduced prices because she was going through a divorce and wanted to get rid of her ex-husband’s gifts. They offered interested buyers a discount to conduct the transaction through a third-party money transfer app such as Zelle, CashApp, Venmo, Google Pay, or PayPal.  Once they received the victims’ money, they failed to deliver the goods and eventually ceased contact. In all, Ortiz and Cataquet Jr. defrauded more than 300 victims, some of whom resided in the greater Philadelphia region out of approximately $130,225, which they used to fund their lifestyle of frequent food deliveries and video games.

    Cataquet Jr. pleaded guilty to wire fraud last year and was sentenced in October to 14 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $156,074 in restitution.

    This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Claiborne and Sarah Wolfe

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Charges Filed After Deadly Shooting of Israeli Diplomats in D.C.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, has been charged with federal and local murder offenses in connection with the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members outside the Jewish National Museum in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 2025.

                Rodriguez is charged in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with the murder of foreign officials, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He is also charged with two counts of first-degree murder under the D.C. criminal code.

                The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen, and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith.

                “This brutal, anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country or anywhere in civilization,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will follow the facts and secure the most severe possible punishment for the perpetrator of this heinous crime, which robbed two wonderful young people of a bright future together.”

                “Our community is reeling. Because of one person’s actions, two families are left to grieve for dreams that will never be realized,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Violence of any kind is unacceptable. Senseless acts that take innocent lives are intolerable. We will hold accountable anyone who inflicts harm on our families, our neighbors, the citizens of our nation, or the visitors to our great capital city. We are united in that purpose, and we hold strong against those whose reckless actions claim as victim any part of our community.”

                “This Civil Rights Division is aggressively pursuing every avenue to investigate this crime,” said Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon.” Let me be clear: hateful violence against Jewish Americans will be met with the full force of the Justice Department. We are expanding enforcement, increasing our outreach, and holding perpetrators accountable wherever they act.”

                “Make no mistake: This attack was targeted, antisemitic violence,” said Assistant Director in Charge Jensen. “The FBI will continue to pursue all leads and use all available resources to investigate this heinous murder.”

                “We continue to work closely with our federal partners and want to assure our community that the safety of all residents and visitors remains our top priority,” said Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith. “Out of an abundance of caution we are increasing our presence at religious institutions citywide.”

                According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Rodriguez allegedly opened fire on the victims as they were leaving an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee, which brought together Jewish professionals and members of the diplomatic community. Both victims were employed by the Israeli Embassy. One was an Israeli citizen and an official guest of the U.S. government.

                Surveillance footage reportedly shows Rodriguez walking past the victims before turning and firing multiple rounds. After the victims fell, he allegedly continued firing at close range, including as one attempted to crawl away. Investigators recovered a 9mm handgun and 21 spent shell casings at the scene.

                Rodriguez entered the Museum after he committed the murders. Witnesses and surveillance video reportedly confirmed his involvement. He had flown from Chicago to Washington the day prior with the firearm declared in his checked luggage.

                The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

                A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas City Woman Sentenced for COVID-19 Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for filing a false claim as part of a scheme to fraudulently receive approximately $62,811.75 in COVID-19 relief funds from the government.

    Robin Brooks, 55, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 15 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $62,811.75 in restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to Jackson County, Missouri.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 and designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  As a part of the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was created to provided forgivable loans to small businesses that were administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through corresponding financial institutions. The purpose of PPP was to provide support to small businesses and assist their payroll to their employees during the coronavirus pandemic.

    In her guilty plea, Brooks admitted that, in 2021, she two submitted fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration for the loans using fake businesses. In fact, Brooks’ business never actually existed and did not have any employees.  In a related scheme, Brooks submitted approximately $30,345 in false invoices to Jackson County, Missouri, to receive CARES Act Funds for a non-profit organization she created to provide food to people negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    Based on these false claims, the SBA issued payments totaling $32,466 to Brooks and Jackson County issued payments totaling $30,345. 

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by United States Secret Service.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Charged with Illegal Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Illegal Possession of a Firearm.

    Jose Montero-Barradas, 34, was charged in a one-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo.

    Today’s indictment charges that Montero-Barradas, a citizen of Mexico, knew he was present in the United States illegally and unlawfully, when he knowingly possessed two firearms on March 23, 2025.  According to an affidavit previously filed in support of a federal criminal complaint against Montero-Barradas, members of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department were dispatched to a residential area in Kansas City following a report of shots fired.  Officers arriving on the scene observed Montero-Barradas walking into a residence with two firearms, which were later recovered. Witnesses stated Montero-Barradas and another male had been firing shots into the air and the ground, and provided a cell phone video showing, among other things, Montero-Barradas holding firearms.

    Under federal law it is illegal for an alien to possess a firearm or ammunition.

    The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.

    Operation Take Back America

    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).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Man Charged With Re-Entry Of Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ERIK ROBERTO MACHADO-MENCIA, a/k/a “ROBERTO MACHADO-MENCIA,” (“MACHADO-MENCIA”), age 36, a native of Honduras, was indicted on May 22, 2025, for re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.

    According to the indictment, MACHADO-MENCIA was found in the United States on May 15, 2025, having reentered the United States, without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on December 16, 2019.

    MACHADO-MENCIA faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    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).

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Final Defendant Pleads Guilty in Federal Pandemic Fraud Unemployment Benefits Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    ABINGDON, Va. – The final defendant charged in a 17-member conspiracy that defrauded the United States, committed program fraud and mail fraud in connection with a scheme involving the filing of fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.

    Jason Dale Worley, 47, of Meadowview, Virginia, pled guilty today to filing a fraudulent claim for pandemic unemployment benefits. He will be sentenced on August 29, 2025.

    Earlier this month, Crystal Shaw was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy. Shaw, one of the lead organizers of this conspiracy, was sentenced to the statutory maximum term of imprisonment. She was also ordered to pay $287,459 in restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission for her role in this conspiracy.

    Previously sentenced as part of the conspiracy were: Christopher Webb, 20 months; Russell Stiltner, 24 months; Jessica  Lester, 19 months; Cara Camille Bailey, 19 months; Justin Meadows, 18 months; Terrence Vilacha, 18 months; Joseph Hass, 27 months; Daniel Horton, 21 months; Brian Addair, 24 months; and Stephanie Amber Barton, Hayleigh McKenzie Wolfe, Clinton Michael Altizer, and Jeramy Blake Farmer were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day.

    Jonathan Webb, the individual charged with recruiting others to file fraudulent claims, mostly inmates at local jails, was sentenced to 48 months in prison and was ordered to pay $150,218 in restitution. Josef Brown, another incarcerated individual who recruited others to file fraudulent claims, was sentenced to 35 months in prison and was ordered to pay $119,660 in restitution.

    All defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission for the fraudulent claims.

    According to court documents, between March 2020 and September 2021, Josef Brown, Jonathan Webb, and Crystal Shaw developed a scheme to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment befits via the Virginia Employment Commission website. The scheme involved the collection of personal identification information (PII) of inmates housed at SWVRJA-Haysi and Abingdon, as well as personal friends and acquaintances of Brown, Webb, and Shaw. The conspirators used that information to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment benefits for incarcerated individuals and others who were ineligible for the benefits.

    In total, the defendants stole $341,205 in pandemic relief to which they were not entitled.

    As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General were charged with identifying major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. According to the United States Department of Labor, Virginia paid approximately $1.1 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, Syreeta Scott, Special Agent in Charge, Mid-Atlantic Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentences.

    Agencies that assisted with this investigation included the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority, the FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and the Virginia Employment Commission.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case for the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking in Eastern Panhandle

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

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Juan Manuel De La Rosa-Tejeda, also known as “Little Papi,” age 39, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for cocaine distribution.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, De La Rosa-Tejeda was one of the leaders of the drug trafficking conspiracy, selling large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Berkeley County and using a business in Hagerstown, Top 3 Sources Appliances, as a central hub for the drug sales. De La Rosa-Tejeda’s home was searched, and officers found $121,670. A search of Top 3 Sources yielded nearly nine kilograms of cocaine and more than one kilogram of heroin.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    The FBI; the U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative (agencies included are the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Ranson Police Department, Charles Town Police Department, and Martinsburg City Police Department); West Virginia State Police; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Hagerstown Police Department; the National Resources Police Department; FBI-New York Safe Streets Task Force; the New York Police Department; the New Jersey State Police; the Washington County (Maryland) Drug Task Force; the Maryland State Police; the  U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland;  and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania investigated.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Global Operation Targets Darknet Drug Trafficking

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

    The April 9 search and arrest of four subjects—led by the FBI’s Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team and carried out by FBI Los Angeles and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)—was part of a coordinated operation across four continents that has seized more than $200 million in currency and digital assets and over 1,500 kilograms of drugs, including fentanyl.

    In Operation RapTor, participating law enforcement agencies in the U.S., Europe, South America, and Asia arrested 270 darknet vendors, buyers, and administrators. (The darknet is a portion of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines and is only accessible through specialized software.) The results of the operation were announced today. 

    More than 144 kilograms (approximately 317 pounds) of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics were seized in this year’s operation, which included arrests in Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. Just one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people, according to the DEA. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says synthetic opioids like fentanyl are the primary driver of overdose deaths in the U.S. 

    The FBI, which established JCODE in 2018 to target drug trafficking—particularly of fentanyl and other opioids—on the darknet, has coordinated global law enforcement operations like RapTor every year since the initiative’s inception.

    “By cowardly hiding online, these traffickers have wreaked havoc across our country and directly fueled the fentanyl crisis and gun violence impacting our American communities and neighborhoods,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “But the ease and accessibility of their crimes ends today.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: On Newsmax, Cornyn Condemns Antisemitism, Discusses Murder of Israeli Embassy Staff

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – Today on Newsmax’s American Agenda, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed last night’s horrific murder of two staffers working for Israel’s embassy in D.C. that prompted Sen. Cornyn to call on the Department of Justice to investigate the details surrounding the suspect and the radical groups he was associated with. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.
    “Antisemitism is on the rise and needs to be condemned.”
    “Violence has no place in this country.”
    “There’s been a course correction since the election of President Trump.”
    “A lot of the woke programs and policies of universities across this country were a big surprise to a lot of people – the blatant antisemitism in particular, the targeting of Jewish students. This is unacceptable.”
    “We have a new sheriff in town. We have a new Attorney General, a new FBI Director that can aggressively do investigations and prosecute individuals who violate the rights of our Jewish citizens, and I think that will go a long way to correcting the direction that we have been on for the last four years.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nineteen Members of a Drug Trafficking Ring Indicted in Cleveland

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio has returned a 29-count indictment against 19 members and associates of a Cleveland drug trafficking ring. Those charged are Derek Brantley, 41, Cleveland Heights; Juan Johnny Colon, 42, Cleveland; Luis Joel Rondon, 44, Cleveland; Sydney Anthony, 25, Parma Heights; Ryan Bell, 39, Brunswick; Mark Byrd, 44, Cleveland; Nicholas Calvert, 37, Avon Lake; Jocelyn Dolan, 22, Newton Falls; Antonio Greenlee, 37, Cleveland; Andre Jenkins, 43, Cleveland; Melanie Crespo, 32, Elyria; Jordan Marsh, 27, Cleveland; Nicholas Malusky, 38, Parma; Sean Masters, 54, Fort Pierce, Florida; Brandon Payne, 32, Cleveland; Lee Pomales, 38, Cleveland; Mason Pulvino, 28, North Ridgeville; Martha Rios, 68, Cleveland; and Kalem Watts, 45, Cleveland.

    Federal and local law enforcement agents and officers made the apprehensions in a series of coordinated arrests.

    According to court documents, from October 2023 to December 2024, the defendants charged were alleged to have trafficked various controlled substances but were mostly dealing cocaine. Although based in Cleveland, the ring operated throughout Northeast Ohio and as far away as Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Their operations also included attempts to infiltrate the Ohio prison system.

    Throughout the investigation, authorities seized thousands of dollars in cash and a number of illegal drugs that included cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Several illegally possessed firearms were also confiscated throughout the investigation.

    During the investigation, several locations in Cleveland were found to be used as stash houses to store and package cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as store firearms.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

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

    The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF), and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Border Patrol, along with task force officers from numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Division of Police. Prosecutions are led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division.

    Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Corts for the Northern District of Ohio is leading the prosecution in this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Durant Resident Sentenced to 32 Years for Second Degree Murder

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kyle Hunter Laws Duffner, age 27, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 384 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Durant Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On December 4, 2024, Duffner pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing a child with malice aforethought.  According to investigators, on June 27, 2021, law enforcement responded to a 911 call of a non-responsive infant.  The child was life-flighted for care but succumbed to injuries shortly after transfer.  During treatment, medical professionals discovered signs of acute rib fractures, older rib fractures in various stages of healing, and a possible head injury.  A post-mortem examination revealed a skull fracture symptomatic of blunt force impact in the early stages of healing, multiple contusions to the forehead, jaw, and chest, and rib fractures consistent with at least three events of blunt force trauma.

    The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Duffner will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Botnet Dismantled in International Operation, Russian and Kazakhstani Administrators Indicted

    Source: US FBI

    TULSA, Okla. – A domain seizure warrant was unsealed, along with an indictment charging four foreign national hackers with conspiracy and other computer crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

    Russian nationals, Alexey Viktorovich Chertkov, 37, Kirill Vladimirovich Morozov, 41, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Shishkin, 36, and Dmitriy Rubtsov, 38, a Kazakhstani national, were charged with Conspiracy and Damage to Protected Computers for conspiring with others to maintain, operate, and profit from botnet services known as Anyproxy and 5socks.

    The Indictment alleges that a botnet was created by infecting older-model wireless internet routers worldwide, including in the United States, using malware without their owners’ knowledge. The installed malware allowed the routers to be reconfigured, granting unauthorized access to third parties and making the routers available for sale as proxy servers on the Anyproxy.net and 5socks.net websites. Both website domains were managed by a company headquartered in Virginia and hosted on computer servers worldwide.

    Additional court documents reveal that the 5socks.net website advertised more than 7,000 proxies for sale worldwide, including in the United States. Users paid a monthly subscription fee, ranging from $9.95 to $110 per month. The website’s slogan, “Working since 2004!”, indicates that the service has been available for more than 20 years. The defendants are believed to have amassed more than $46 million from selling access to the infected routers that were part of the Anyproxy botnet.

    Chertkov and Rubtsov are additionally charged with False Registration of a Domain Name. They allegedly falsely identified themselves when they registered and used the domains Anyproxy.net and 5socks.net during the commission of these 
    felony crimes.

    During the investigation, the FBI’s Oklahoma City Cyber Task Force discovered that business and residential routers in Oklahoma had malware installed without the users’ knowledge.

    Pursuant to a seizure warrant in the Eastern District of Virginia and in conjunction with the unsealing of the Indictment in the Northern District of Oklahoma, the FBI seized the Anyproxy.net and 5socks.net domain names. The botnet overseas was also seized and disabled by foreign law enforcement partners. 

    The FBI Oklahoma City Cyber Task Force is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Christopher J. Nassar, with the Northern District of Oklahoma, are prosecuting the case, along with Ryan K.J. Dickey and Jane Lee, Senior Counsel from the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

    The Justice Department collaborated closely with investigators and prosecutors from multiple jurisdictions in this investigation, including the Eastern District of Virginia, the Dutch National Police – Amsterdam Region, the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service (Openbaar Ministerie), and the Royal Thai Police. Black Lotus Labs of Lumen Technologies, Inc., provided significant assistance and worked closely with investigators.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-Led Nationwide Crackdown, Including Two in the Northern District of Oklahoma

    Source: US FBI

    TULSA, Okla. – The Department of Justice announces the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

    “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

    “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

    “Over a five-day period in April, the Justice Department charged and the FBI arrested more than 200 offenders of child sexual abuse crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The success of this operation would not be possible without the collaborative effort of law enforcement across the United States.”

    FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater stated, “Operation Restore Justice is not just about upholding the rule of law – it’s about standing up as a society for the safety of children and showing predators that we will not allow them to rob kids of their innocence.  The FBI is proud to collaborate with our law enforcement partners every single day to ensure anyone involved in criminal behavior against a child is brought to justice.”

    Two individuals in the Northern District of Oklahoma were arrested and indicted last week, during Operation Restore Justice.

    • Jonathan Gross, 36, of Mounds, was arrested and indicted for Possession of Child Pornography; and
    • Kaleb Smith, 23, of Bartlesville and a member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, was arrested and indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country

    Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

    In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

    This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

    The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

    The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

    Other online resources:
    Violent Crimes Against Children
    How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

    Jonathan Gross’s case is being investigated by the FBI-Oklahoma City field office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert. Kaleb Smith’s case is being investigated by the FBI-Oklahoma City field office with the assistance of the Bartlesville Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan Sentenced for Heroin and Methamphetamine Distribution

    Source: US FBI

    FRESNO, Calif. — Donis Ariel Maldonado, 29, aka Donis Maldonado Reyes, aka “Danny,” a Guatemalan national residing in El Monte, was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Maldonado conspired with others to distribute 22 pounds of black tar heroin and 88 pounds of methamphetamine sourced from Mexico. On June 23, 2019, Maldonado retrieved the drugs from San Diego and transported them to El Monte. The next day, Maldonado delivered the drugs to an informant, who was acting at the direction of law enforcement, at a convenience store in El Monte. The drugs were valued at $300,000.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative (HIDTA), which consists of personnel from the California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-Led Nationwide Crackdown, Including Three in the District of Oregon

    Source: US FBI

    PORTLAND, Ore.—Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

    “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims—especially child victims—and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

    “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to be a part of Operation Restore Justice and seek justice for children who have been exploited or abused. A common thread in these cases and many others is that online predators will use any platform on the internet to contact unsuspecting children. These predators often pose as children themselves to trick their would-be victims,” said William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    “The FBI has zero tolerance for criminal actors who target the most vulnerable in our community—our children,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Olson. “While we count Operation Restore Justice as a success, our work continues. We will use every resource available to us to pursue those who prey on children, as well as to help victims of abuse access tools to help them heal.”

    Three individuals were arrested and charged with federal child exploitation crimes in the District of Oregon as part of Operation Restore Justice.

    Robert Andrew Arias, 54, of Salem, Oregon, has been charged by indictment with distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography. He was arrested on April 28, 2025, at his residence in Salem and made his first appearance in federal court the same day. A jury trial is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2025.

    Berret J. Brown, 40, of Vida, Oregon, has been charged by indictment with enticing minors, receiving child pornography, using a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and transferring obscene matter to a minor. Between July and August 2024, Brown is alleged to have used Snapchat to entice multiple children into producing and sending him sexually explicit videos. Brown is also alleged to have used Roblox, a children’s online video game platform, to connect with minors. On April 30, 2025, Brown made his first appearance in federal court and was ordered detained pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on August 5, 2025.

    Michael Joseph Cambalik, 35, of Beaverton, Oregon, has been charged by complaint with sexually exploiting a minor, receiving child pornography and coercing and enticing a minor. In December 2024, Cambalik, posing as a female minor, is alleged to have used Call of Duty, an internet-connected video game, to meet and coerce a then-nine-year-old child to produce and send him sexually explicit photos and videos. On April 30, 2025, Cambalik made his first appearance in federal court and was ordered detained pending his arraignment on May 29, 2025.

    Those arrested nationwide are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

    In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents at an online safety presentation broadcast from Albany, N.Y.

    This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims and raising awareness through community education.

    The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.

    The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

    Other online resources:

    Electronic Press Kit

    Violent Crimes Against Children

    How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 18-Year-Old Philadelphia Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography, Including Videos He Recorded While Sexually Abusing Two Young Children

    Source: US FBI

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Isaiah Smith, 18, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with one count of possession of child pornography.

    The indictment alleges that Smith possessed visual depictions of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. As detailed in court filings, these visual depictions included videos that the defendant recorded as he sexually abused two different child victims, a six-year-old girl, and a nonverbal three-year-old boy, on multiple occasions, over more than a year. The child sexual abuse material was discovered after a friend of the defendant walked in on Smith orally raping one of the child victims.

    If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of five years up to lifetime supervised release, mandatory financial penalties, and mandatory registration as a sex offender under SORNA and Megan’s Law.

    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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 projectsafechildhood.gov.

    The case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Philadelphia Recognizes National Senior Fraud Awareness Day

    Source: US FBI

    National Senior Fraud Awareness Day is May 15, and FBI Philadelphia wants to remind families, friends, and caregivers, of the fraud schemes that target older Americans.

    In April, the FBI released the annual Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Elder Fraud report. This annual publication provides statistics about incidents of elder fraud—or fraud that explicitly targets older Americans’ money or cryptocurrency—that are reported to IC3. The goal of this report is to inform the public of the scams impacting the country and prevent future and repeat incidents.

    In 2024, those over the age of 60 filed over 147,000 complaints to the IC3, with over $4.8 billion in reported losses, a 43% increase in losses from 2023. Across the nation, phishing and spoofing schemes were the most reported scams impacting older Americans, with over 23,000 complaints. Investment fraud resulted in the most reported victim losses, with about $1.8 billion in losses.

    “Criminals continue to launch calculated and deliberate attacks against a uniquely vulnerable population, our senior citizens. Threat actors systematically prey on their savings, their identity, and their sense of security,” said FBI Philadelphia Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicole Sinegar. “National Senior Fraud Awareness Day is a critical reminder of the growing threat that financial scams and frauds pose to our older citizens. We urge families, friends, and caregivers to have an open and continuous dialogue about the scams threatening older Americans and empower them to report suspected schemes to law enforcement.”

    Ways to protect yourself include:

    • Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator.
    • Search online for the contact information (name, email, phone number, addresses) and the proposed offer. Other people have likely posted information online about individuals and businesses trying to run scams.
    • Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action. Call the police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one.
    • Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers.
    • Never give or send any personally identifiable information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses.
    • Make sure all computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections are up to date. Use reputable anti-virus software and firewalls.
    • Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you don’t know, and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you.

    If you or someone you know may have been a victim of elder fraud, contact FBI Philadelphia at (215) 418-4000, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. If the suspected fraud was Internet-facilitated, you can also file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

    To find additional elder fraud resources, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado City Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Role in Child Sexual Abuse Ring

    Source: US FBI

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Torrance Bistline, 36, of Colorado City, Arizona, was sentenced on April 28, 2025, by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 35 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. On October 2, 2024, Bistline was convicted by a jury of one count of Using a Means of Interstate Commerce to Persuade or Coerce a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity; two counts of Destruction of Records in an Official Proceeding; one count of Conspiracy to Commit Destruction of Records in an Official Proceeding; one count of Tampering with an Official Proceeding; and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Tampering with an Official Proceeding.

    Bistline’s charges were related to his participation in a years-long child sexual abuse conspiracy that spanned several states and victimized at least ten children. Bistline committed his crimes with others, including co-defendant Samuel Rappylee Bateman, the self-proclaimed leader of a religious sect based in Colorado City. In 2020 and 2021, some of Bateman’s followers gave Bateman their minor daughters and wards as child “brides” to sexually abuse. Bateman and ten of his other followers previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy and were not part of the trial against Bistline.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bistline sexually abused one of Bateman’s child “brides” during a group sexual activity. He later tried to hide and destroy evidence to interfere with the investigation. Bistline also provided financial support, including luxury vehicles, to the child sex abuse ring.

    The Phoenix Field Office of the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work rescuing and protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, the Colorado City Police Department, the Iron County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the St. George Resident Agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter.

    CASE NUMBER:           22-CR-8092-010-PCT-SMB
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-065_Bistline

    # # #

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation Enforce and Remove

    Source: US FBI

    Joint Operation Involving Federal and Local Law Enforcement Results In More Than 450 Arrests of Illegal Immigrants and Suspected Drug Criminals Across Arkansas

          LITTLE ROCK—The largest collaborative police effort to enforce federal immigration laws in Arkansas’s history resulted in the arrest of 219 illegal immigrants over the past three weeks. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Clay Fowlkes, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced the culmination of “Operation Enforce and Remove,” an arrest operation across the state that involved all federal law enforcement agencies operating in Arkansas, as well the Arkansas State Police and all 19 Arkansas Judicial Drug Task Forces, who coordinated and organized the overall operation. In addition to assisting with immigration enforcement, these task forces also arrested 253 individuals suspected of committing drug crimes and seized nearly 15,000 pounds of illegal drugs worth millions of dollars and 43 guns.

          Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents collaborated with the Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Drug Task Forces and Arkansas State Police, to arrest 219 illegal immigrants during the three weeks of this enforcement operation, which began February 5. In total, since January 21, when President Donald Trump issued executive orders designed to prioritize the enforcement of immigration laws, 375 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Arkansas.

          “On January 21, the Department of Justice issued a memo to all Department components, to include all U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the DEA, FBI, ATF, and U.S. Marshals, instructing each agency to partner with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to focus our resources and attention to immigration-related investigations and prosecutions at the federal, state, and local level,” U.S. Attorney Ross said.

          “The memo outlined policy changes in response to the President’s day one Executive Orders and provided guidance critical to the Department’s mission to combat three of the most serious threats facing the American people: First, cartels and other transnational criminal organizations which have created unsafe borders and huge flows of illegal immigration in violation of U.S. law. Second, brutal and intolerable violent crime by members of these organizations and illegal aliens. Third, the fentanyl crisis and opioid epidemic that are poisoning our communities and have inflicted an unprecedented toll of addiction, suffering, and death.

          “Because the Justice Department must and will work to eradicate these threats, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Arkansas along with each of our federal law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize working with ICE to aggressively enforce the immigration and drug-and-violent crime laws enacted by Congress. When these efforts are combined with our partnerships with our outstanding state and local law enforcement officials, we are confident that this first operation will lead to additional successful operations in the days ahead.”

          “Our commitment to safeguarding communities in western Arkansas remains steadfast as we implement increased immigration enforcement efforts,” U.S. Attorney Fowlkes said. “We are dedicated to upholding the law and ensuring public safety while maintaining the highest standards of law enforcement and prosecution. Through collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners, we will address the challenges of illegal immigration and protect our communities from criminals who seek to illegally enter the United States and subject our communities to their criminal activities and associated violence.”

          In preparation for “Operation Enforce and Remove,” ICE, working with other federal and local partners, developed intelligence related to the locations of known illegal immigrants. The individuals these agents sought to arrest and remove had previous encounters with law enforcement, and therefore had known addresses in various databases. Some offenders were previously convicted of crimes, while others had some type of prior contact with law enforcement. All were in the country illegally and will be deported. Of the 219 arrests of illegal immigrants during the enforcement operation, 127 individuals were processed through the ICE Enforcement and Removal office in Little Rock, 57 were processed through the Fayetteville office, 23 through the Fort Smith office, and 17 individuals through the Texarkana office.

          The illegal immigrants located in Arkansas came from 23 different countries. The crimes some of these individuals were previously convicted of include: battery, aggravated assault, robbery, drug possession and distribution, domestic violence, sexual assault, illegal firearm possession, running an illegal casino, forgery, hit-and-run, indecent exposure, and sexual assault against a minor.

          “We will continue to use every tool and resource available to identify, locate and apprehend those criminal aliens that threaten public safety,” said Larry Adams, ICE Assistant Field Office Director. “Our enforcement efforts are unwavering and our dedication to protecting our communities remains stronger than ever.”

          At the same time that ICE was engaged in immigration operations, Drug Task Force officers were conducting numerous drug investigations that involved highway interdiction, controlled purchases of narcotics, the execution of search warrants, and other methods aimed at arresting individuals known to be involved in drug trafficking. In addition to the 253 drug-related arrests and 43 guns seized, officers across the state seized the following drugs: 225 pounds of methamphetamine, 65 pounds of cocaine, 14,542 pounds of marijuana, and 2,681 fentanyl pills and 90 grams of fentanyl powder. The street value of these drugs, broken down to a user level, is potentially hundreds of millions of dollars. These individuals will be prosecuted at either the state or federal level, depending on the particular case.

          The 472 arrests announced today are the culmination of the first, but not last, collaborative federal and state law enforcement effort designed to carry out the Department of Justice’s mission, and help keep all Arkansans safe.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

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

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Winslow Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Biological Weapon

    Source: US FBI

    FAYETTEVILLE – A Winslow, Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison without the possibility of parole for Possession of a Biological Agent.  The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.

    According to court documents, in January 2024, a concerned citizen made an anonymous tip to the Washington County Sherriff’s office that Jason Kale Clampit, age 44, was manufacturing and may have poisoned one of his family members with ricin. Thereafter, an investigation revealed that Clampit had, in fact, produced ricin at his residence in Winslow, Arkansas, for the stated purpose of setting traps for trespassers. The investigation likewise revealed that during the manufacturing process, Clampit inadvertently exposed himself to ricin, which made him extremely ill. On January 24, 2025, a federal search warrant was executed by both the Bentonville Bomb Squad and an FBI Bioweapon Specialist team, which resulted in the confiscation of several items associated with processing ricin, and suspected ricin byproducts. On that same day, Clampit was taken into custody. While in jail, he made statements on a monitored phone call in which he directed others to dispose of liquid ricin contained in a jar that was secreted in a camper on his property. After listening to the monitored call, FBI agents responded quickly, contacted the individual Clampit directed, and located, in a trash can, a jar containing processed ricin.

    Clampit was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in March 2024. He entered a plea of guilty in October 2024.

    U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Bentonville Police Department, and the Arkansas Department of Corrections Division of Community Correction (probation and parole) all investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Twenty-Seven Members of Little Rock Drug Trafficking Organization in Custody Following Arrest Operation

    Source: US FBI

    More than $100,000 and 19 guns also seized during investigation.

          LITTLE ROCK—Twenty-seven defendants accused of distributing large amounts of fentanyl, as well as methamphetamine and cocaine, in central Arkansas are in custody after federal and state authorities made a series of arrests in Pulaski County this morning as part of an ongoing drug-trafficking investigation. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Warner Benson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Little Rock Field Office, announced today’s arrests.

          According to a federal superseding indictment that was unsealed today following the arrests, the large-scale drug organization in central Arkansas is headed by Eric Dillard, 44, and Jimmie McDaniels, 49, both of Little Rock. A team of law enforcement agencies in the area coordinated to arrest 27 of the 29 defendants listed in the indictment this morning. Dillard was already in federal custody based on a federal indictment filed against him on September 11, 2024.

          The superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on March 4, 2025. The defendants were charged with a series of drug and gun crimes, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine,  felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. A financial investigation also led to money laundering charges, including conspiracy, against six defendants.

          “The lethality of fentanyl requires our continued resolve to prioritize these types of investigations,” Ross said. “We will also keep our focus on other deadly drugs such as methamphetamine, which remains the most abused drug in our state, and cocaine, both of which were involved this case.”

          The arrests stem from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, or OCDETF, investigation that began in September 2023. Most the defendants listed in the indictment are from Little Rock and surrounding towns. The investigation, which was headed by the DEA, involved numerous controlled purchases of fentanyl from members of the conspiracy, as well as the seizure of 19 firearms and approximately a pound of fentanyl. According to information learned throughout the investigation, it is believed this organization has trafficked hundreds of pounds of fentanyl to people in Arkansas.

          Additionally, during the investigation law enforcement agents intercepted numerous phone calls in which the conspiracy members discussed trafficking fentanyl and layering profits through various channels to disguise the source of the proceeds. Throughout the investigation more than $100,000 in illegal proceeds was seized by law enforcement.

          “This morning’s arrest operation represents a significant blow to a criminal network that was flooding our communities with deadly fentanyl,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Warner Benson. “Along with our federal, state, and local partners, we are committed to dismantling these organizations and protecting the citizens of Central Arkansas from the devastating consequences of drug trafficking.”

          This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

          Those arrested today will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Jerome T. Kearney on Thursday. Today’s arrests are the result of a joint investigation between the DEA Little Rock District Office; DEA New Orleans Field Division, DEA Houston, FBI, U.S. Marshal Service, North Little Rock Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Sherwood Police Department, Cabot Police Department, Arkansas Community Corrections, Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Postal Service; and the Arkansas National Guard Counter Drug Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Eldridge.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

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

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Personnel Assist in Hurricane Helene Response

    Source: US FBI

    Special Agents Durant and O’Hare relied heavily on the Mobile Biometrics Application (MBA) and Special Processing Center (SPC) teams to expedite the identification of victims. These specialized units, operating out of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division in West Virginia, provided agents in the field with real-time support, often pulling fingerprints and running them through reference files within minutes. In some cases, results were returned in as little as 15 to 20 minutes, streamlining the identification process during critical moments.

    The MBA team, in particular, played a vital role by swiftly processing prints, actively monitoring quality control, and troubleshooting more difficult cases. When automated systems didn’t yield a match, the SPC team took over, applying manual processes to assist with identification. This seamless coordination between field agents and the FBI’s lab-based experts highlights the Bureau’s ability to deploy advanced technology in disaster zones, ensuring that victims’ families receive answers as quickly as possible.

    While working to bring closure to grieving families, the agents have also felt the storm’s personal impact. O’Hare’s daughter and grandchildren evacuated from North Carolina to stay with her in Upper East Tennessee after being displaced by power loss. “I joined the FBI to help people,” O’Hare said. “In situations like this, that’s why I am doing my very small part to try to provide some closure for the families of the victims.”

    As the FBI and its partners work to support communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, the Bureau issued a warning about scammers looking to exploit survivors and mislead charitable donors. Learn to spot the red flags of disaster fraud at fbi.gov/DisasterFraud.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: East Hartford Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Cocaine

    Source: US FBI

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON SPENCE, also known as “Spun,” 37, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 56 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and cocaine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 5, 2019, Spence was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 24 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.  He was released from federal prison in February 2020.  On December 7, 2020, Hartford Police surveillance cameras captured Spence and another individual engaged in a dispute.  Spence pulled out a firearm, shot the individual in the leg, and then stole the victim’s vehicle.  On May 28, 2021, Spence was sentenced to an additional 24 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release.

    In March and April 2024, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force made controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Spence.  Spence was arrested on April 3, 2024.  On that date, a court-authorized search of his residence and vehicles revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and marijuana.

    On January 28, 2025, Spence pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine and fentanyl.  He has been detained since his arrest.

    This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Violent Carjacking, Drug Trafficking

    Source: US FBI

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS CRUZ, also known as “Goldo,” 27, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 97 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in both a violent carjacking and a Waterbury-based narcotics trafficking ring.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of June 18, 2023, two all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) were stolen from a Waterbury residence.  After the theft, Cruz posted on Facebook offering $5,000 to anyone providing information about the location of the stolen vehicles.  Cruz and others then mistakenly identified an individual (“Victim 1”), who they incorrectly believed was involved in the theft.  Later that night, Victim 1’s friend, (“Victim 2”), picked up Victim 1 from work and drove him home.  As they arrived at Victim 1’s residence, three vehicles followed them and surrounded the victims.  Cruz and his associates, one of whom carried an assault-style rifle, exited the vehicles and approached the victims.  Cruz and his associates demanded the return of the stolen ATVs, threatened to kill the victims, and physically assaulted them.  Cruz, who was recovering from a leg injury, used a crutch to repeatedly strike one of the victims.

    Cruz and his associates then stole Victim 2’s vehicle, which was owned by Victim 2’s relative, and other items and cash belonging to the victims.

    Also in 2023, Cruz was one of 17 individuals charged with federal offenses as a result of an investigation into two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury.  One organization operated in the area of William Street and the other operated in the area of Maple Avenue.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers.  The organizations shared sources of supply and worked together to further their operations.

    During the investigation, Cruz, who was involved in the William Street organization, was intercepted multiple times over a wiretap discussing the distribution of narcotics.  Cruz distributed cocaine, and also stored narcotics for the organization at various hotels.

    Cruz and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023.  In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials (“caps”) of crack, approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more than $39,000 in cash.

    On September 10, 2024, Cruz pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

    Cruz has been detained since his arrest.

    These investigations were led by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force, and the Waterbury Police Department.  The carjacking case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and David T. Huang, and the narcotics trafficking case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CJIS Division Observes a Milestone

    Source: US FBI

    And there was a way. In February 1992, in a memo proposing the creation of a Criminal Justice Information Services Division, a Bureau executive wrote: “The FBI has an opportunity to significantly improve the level of information services provided to the criminal justice community. An all-inclusive CJIS will ensure the needs of our users are met and exceeded well into the 21st century, and the technology advancements gained through the creation of CJIS will ensure that the FBI remains in the forefront of criminal justice information systems worldwide.”

    The establishment of this new office—which was, in effect, a one-stop shop for criminal justice information—was quickly approved by the FBI Director.

    The CJIS Division initially included the fingerprint identification services from the Identification Division, the UCR Program from the Information Management Division, and the NCIC program from the Technical Services Division. Over the past 25 years, CJIS has successfully overseen the creation of additional criminal justice services to assist our partners. For example:

    MIL Security OSI –