NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Atlanta Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Crack Cocaine, Fentanyl, and Heroin

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FLORENCE, S.C. — Demetrius Stepp, 45, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to three counts of distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that on three occasions in April and May 2022, a confidential informant working with Myrtle Beach Police Department purchased narcotics from Stepp. On each occasion, Stepp claimed to sell the confidential informant quantities of heroin and crack cocaine. Lab testing later revealed that the substances sold by Stepp were not crack cocaine and heroin, but crack cocaine and fentanyl. Additional investigation showed that for years, Stepp had been involved in trafficking crack cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin throughout Horry County, often making multiple drug sales per day. 

    United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Stepp to 70 months imprisonment, to be followed by a six-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Flynn and Matthew Ellis are prosecuting the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Florida Men Plead Guilty to Crimes Related to a Scheme to Prepare False Tax Returns for Clients

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Two Florida men pleaded guilty last week just before jury selection began for their June 2 trial. The two pled before Magistrate Judge David Baker to tax crimes related to a scheme to prepare false tax returns for clients. Specifically, Franklin Carter Jr., of Sanford, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and not filing tax returns, and Jonathan Carrillo, of St. Cloud pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2016 to 2020 Carter and Carrillo owned and operated Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT), a return preparation business with a dozen offices throughout Florida. Carter, Carrillo and their co-conspirators fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricating deductions on their returns. They also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns.

    In 2021, Carter, Carrillo and the co-conspirators started another tax return preparation business. The new business, Taxmates, operated out of the same offices that NAT had previously used. As with NAT, Carter, Carrillo and the others used Taxmates to prepare false tax returns for clients. Many of those returns included false deductions. As before, Carter, Carrillo and their co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients.

    In addition, Carter did not file personal tax returns for 2019 through 2021, despite being legally required to do so.

    In total, both men caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $12 million.

    Several of their co-conspirators have pleaded guilty. Diandre Mentor, Abryle de la Cruz and Emmanuel Almonor pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States as part of the same scheme. Adon Hemley pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and helping others file false returns. Isaiah Hayes pleaded guilty to helping others file false returns.

    Carter and Carrillo will be sentenced at a later date. Both face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Carter faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison for each failure to file a tax return charge and Carillo faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison for each charge of assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. Both men also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Interim U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Requires Keysight to Divest Assets to Proceed with Spirent Acquisition

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Justice Department Requires Keysight to Divest Assets to Proceed with Spirent Acquisition

    The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Keysight Technologies Inc. (Keysight) to divest Spirent Communications plc.’s (Spirent) high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to resolve antitrust concerns arising from their proposed $1.5 billion merger.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Files Federal Charges Against Alleged Perpetrator of Anti-Semitic Terror Attack in Colorado

    Source: US State of California

    WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has filed federal charges against illegal alien Mohammed Sabry Soliman, the alleged perpetrator of yesterday’s anti-Semitic terrorist attack in Colorado.

    Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement:

    “The Department of Justice has swiftly charged the illegal alien perpetrator of this heinous attack with a federal hate crime and will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our prayers are with the victims and our Jewish community across the world.

    This vile anti-Semitic violence comes just weeks after the horrific murder of two young Jewish Americans in Washington DC. We will never tolerate this kind of hatred. We refuse to accept a world in which Jewish Americans are targeted for who they are and what they believe.”

    Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon released the following statement:

    “No American should experience violence motivated by hatred based on their faith or national origin, and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice will act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice. There can be zero tolerance for such acts in our great nation.”

    Background:

    -Soliman is being charged with a federal hate crime in addition to facing state charges for attempted murder in Colorado.

    -Read the federal complaint HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Requires Keysight to Divest Assets to Proceed with Spirent Acquisition

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Proposed Settlement Requires a Substantial Divestiture Package That Will Preserve Competition for Specialized Communications Test and Measurement Equipment

    The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Keysight Technologies Inc. (Keysight) to divest Spirent Communications plc.’s (Spirent) high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to resolve antitrust concerns arising from their proposed $1.5 billion merger.

    The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.

    “This structural solution preserves competition for key testing equipment used to ensure that data moves quickly and securely across the world. The proposed divestiture to Viavi, an established and innovative test and measurement company, ensures that American consumers and businesses will continue to benefit from competition that promotes innovation, and which allows American companies to maintain global leadership,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Antitrust Division. “This consent decree proceeding secures enforceable commitments from the merging parties, provides transparency into the Antitrust Division’s efforts to resolve merger investigations, and gives the public an opportunity to comment as provided by statute.”

    According to the complaint, Keysight and Spirent dominate the markets in the United States for high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulators. High-tech companies – including chipset manufacturers, cloud computing providers, mobile network operators, government labs, and large enterprises – rely on the Defendants’ products to validate that their networks and network equipment are functional, secure, and integrating the latest technology. The parties together account for 85% of the market for high-speed ethernet testing, more than 60% of the market for network security testing, and more than 50% of the market for RF channel emulators. Keysight and Spirent are each other’s closest competitors in these markets and compete head-to-head to develop and sell this crucial test equipment. Without the proposed divestiture, Keysight’s acquisition of Spirent would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation to the detriment of customers and American consumers.

    The proposed settlement requires Keysight to divest Spirent’s high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to Viavi, including all tangible and intangible assets necessary to produce and sell these products. Together, these three business lines account for about 40% of Spirent’s total revenues. Viavi is expected to hire certain key Spirent employees that today support the divested business lines.

    Keysight is an American company incorporated in Delaware with its principal office in Santa Rosa, California. Keysight offers design, emulation, and test solutions across a range of industries, including commercial communications; aerospace, defense, and government; and electronic industrial. In 2024, Keysight had global revenue of approximately $4.97 billion.   

    Spirent is a global company incorporated in the United Kingdom with its principal office in Crawley, England. Spirent offers automated test and assurance solutions for networks, cybersecurity, and satellite positioning. In 2024, Spirent had global revenue of approximately $460.2 million.

    As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Jared Hughes, Assistant Chief, Media, Entertainment, and Communications Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Suite 7000, Washington, D.C. 20530 or via email at ATR.MEC.Information@usdoj.gov. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Highway 101 — Update: Kings District RCMP charges man with multiple offences following fatal collision

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Kings District RCMP has charged a man with a total of ten offences following an investigation into a fatal collision that occurred in October 2024, RCMP investigates two fatal collisions on Highway 101 | Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

    On October 12 at approximately 8:26 a.m., Kings District RCMP, fire, and EHS responded to a five-vehicle collision on Highway 101 in Wolfville. Two occupants of a black GMC Acadia, a 62-year-old woman and a child, both of East Kingston, were located deceased at the scene. A third occupant of that same vehicle, a 40-year-old woman, was transported via EHS LifeFlight with life threatening injuries.

    On May 16, Kings District RCMP safely arrested Jeffery Doyle, 52, of Kentville. He is charged with Criminal Negligence Causing Death (two counts), Criminal Negligence Causing Bodily Harm (three counts), and Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance (five counts).

    Doyle was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in Kentville Provincial Court on July 9 at 9:30 a.m.

    An RCMP collision reconstructionist and RCMP Forensic Identification Services (FIS) supported the investigation that led to these charges.

    Our thoughts continue to be with the victims’ loved ones.

    File #: 2024-1507179

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mexico’s cartels use violence against women as a means of social control

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adriana Marin, Lecturer in International Relations, Coventry University

    Mexico’s drug cartels are often described as powerful rivals to the state, with their influence measured in weapons, money and murdered officials. But this framing misses a fundamental truth. Organised crime in Mexico is also a system of gendered governance – one that disciplines, controls and sometimes eliminates women to consolidate power.

    The term “narco-femicide” captures this brutal dynamic. Narco-femicide refers not simply to the killing of women, but to the strategic use of gendered violence by criminal organisations to enforce social norms, maintain control and assert dominance in the absence – or even with the complicity – of the state.

    According to a study by Lantia Intelligence, a Mexico-based data intelligence firm, organised crime was responsible for 60% of femicides in Mexico in 2020. That year, 1,891 women were violently murdered by drug cartels – an increase of nearly 40% compared to 2018.

    These murders are not private tragedies, nor are they collateral damage. They are political acts, central to how criminal sovereignty in Mexico is exercised and reproduced.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Mexico has one of the highest rates of femicide in Latin America. According to Amnesty International, approximately ten women were murdered there every day throughout 2020. In cities such as the border town of Ciudad Juárez, which was once labelled the “femicide capital of the world”, these deaths are marked by sexual violence, mutilation and public display.

    The causes of femicide in Mexico do vary. But a significant proportion of these murders occur in regions such as Jalisco, Guerrero and Chihuahua, where there is a strong cartel presence. The correlation is no coincidence.

    As the Atlantic Council, an international affairs thinktank, observed in 2024: “in areas [of Mexico] controlled by drug cartels, violence against women intensifies”. It added that families often won’t report abuse or rape “out of fear of retribution”.

    The same article said that cartels turn attacks on women into “a tool of intimidation and a display of dominance”, warning the community not to defy them. The impunity of cartel violence, and examples of brutal public punishment, enforce an unwritten code that women must “know their place”.

    Femicide in cartel-run areas follows a distinct pattern. Women are punished for being too visible, independent or defiant of the patriarchal order imposed by criminal groups. The victims include journalists, business owners and others who pose no military threat but represent a challenge to social control by in some way defying the cartels.

    A member of Mexico’s national guard at the site of a cartel shooting in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, on February 16.
    Roberto Ricci Arballo / Shutterstock

    One prominent example is Marisol Macías, a journalist who was killed in 2011 in the border city of Nuevo Laredo after denouncing local gangs on the internet. She was decapitated and a handwritten sign was left beside her body saying she was killed in retaliation for her social media posts.

    More recently, in July 2024, Minerva Pérez Castro, the president of an advocacy group for Mexico’s fishing industry, was shot dead hours after making public comments about the presence of illegal fishing in the state of Baja California. Organised crime groups have long participated in illegal fishing in northern Mexico.

    Even when women are involved in organised crime, their roles remain precarious. They are valued only insofar as they serve the cartels’ interests, and are easily disposed of if they become liabilities.

    A 2016 report by Amnesty International found that gangs routinely recruit vulnerable young women to do “the lowest and most dangerous tasks”, such as smuggling drugs or acting as lookout, precisely because they are “considered expendable if arrested”.

    Where is the state?

    What makes narco-femicide in Mexico so devastating is not just the violence itself, but the vacuum when it comes to accountability – or worse – the actual collusion of the state. In many regions of Mexico, law enforcement is unwilling or unable to investigate femicides.

    Disappearances go unrecorded and families face indifference or hostility when demanding answers. In fact, according to Amnesty International, more than 90% of femicides in Mexico go unpunished. This impunity is a structural failure.

    The boundary between criminal and state power is blurred in regions where there is a strong cartel presence. Police, politicians and criminal groups often operate in overlapping networks, leaving little space for genuine accountability.

    Meanwhile, Mexico’s security strategy has been heavily shaped by the US-funded Mérida Initiative. Signed in 2007, the initiative deepened security assistance from the US to Mexico to fight organised crime.

    The Mérida Initiative officially ended in 2021, but Mexico’s strategy remains focused on military operations against crime groups and the arrest of cartel kingpins. This has diverted attention from much-needed reforms in local policing and justice, perpetuating impunity and weakening trust in institutions.

    By failing to protect women, the state effectively legitimises the cartels’ patriarchal rule. As a result, many Mexican women are living under a shadow legal system enforced by cartel violence, one where stepping outside the lines can carry deadly consequences.

    Women march in Mexico City in 2022 in protest against soaring levels of gender-based violence.
    artcgix / Shutterstock

    Narco-femicide demands a response that moves beyond militarised crackdowns and technocratic reforms. Mexico needs policies that prioritise community-based justice, survivor-led advocacy and gender-sensitive policing. The experiences of women and frontline defenders need to be central in both research and public the debate.

    The problem also needs to be named for what it is. Narco-femicide is not a private horror or a cultural anomaly. It is political violence that is perpetrated systematically and strategically.

    If organised crime governs through the control and erasure of women, then any meaningful resistance must begin by making that violence visible. Cartels and the state must both be held accountable, and these deaths must not be treated as inevitable.

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

    – ref. Mexico’s cartels use violence against women as a means of social control – https://theconversation.com/mexicos-cartels-use-violence-against-women-as-a-means-of-social-control-257915

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • NCERT intensifies crackdown on pirated textbook racket, seizes over 5 lakh copies nationwide

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), in collaboration with police authorities, has escalated its efforts to combat the illegal manufacture, distribution, and sale of pirated NCERT textbooks, a serious offense under the Copyright Act, 1957. Over the past 14 months, NCERT has seized more than 5 lakh pirated textbooks, along with printing paper and machinery valued at over ₹20 crore, while filing 29 FIRs against printers, warehouse owners, and retailers engaged in the illicit trade.

    In a recent operation, NCERT, working with the Uttar Pradesh Police, conducted a raid on a warehouse in Muzaffarnagar, confiscating over 1.5 lakh pirated NCERT textbooks worth more than ₹2 crore. The raid also resulted in the seizure of one truck, two cars loaded with pirated books, and numerous printing plates, with eight individuals arrested on the spot. In a follow-up action, authorities raided a printing press in Samalkha, Haryana, seizing additional pirated textbooks, printing plates, and machinery. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the masterminds behind this piracy racket.

    Pirated textbooks not only cause significant revenue losses to NCERT and the government but also pose health risks to students due to the use of substandard paper and ink. To address this issue, NCERT has enhanced the quality of paper and printing for its textbooks, ensured timely printing and sufficient market availability, and made textbooks accessible on major e-commerce platforms at the maximum retail price without delivery charges. Additionally, NCERT has taken action against a paper mill in Kashipur producing illegal NCERT watermarked paper. To further strengthen its anti-piracy measures, NCERT has introduced a technology-based solution developed by IIT Kanpur, piloted on 10 lakh copies of one textbook title, with plans to expand this to all titles in the next academic year, replacing the outdated watermarked paper system that pirates have easily replicated.

  • MIL-OSI Security: Controller Of Law Enforcement Union Pleads Guilty To Filing False Tax Return

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (“IRS-CI”), announced today that DENNIS OSTERMANN, a former Sergeant with the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), pled guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false and fraudulent U.S. income tax return.  OSTERMANN pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate District Judge Ona T. Wang.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield. 

    “At the direction of a senior union official, Ostermann reported payments as ‘legal fees’ when they were not,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “We all share the responsibility for reporting income and expenses accurately on our tax returns, and no rank or position exempts any person or organization from these obligations.”

    IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. said: “Ostermann misrepresented the movement of funds, lied on his taxes and betrayed the confidence of union members.  He violated the trust of his position as controller for a law enforcement union and as a return preparer.  With today’s guilty plea, Ostermann is now taking responsibility for his criminal acts, and he will now face the consequences.”

    According to the allegations contained in the Information and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:

    OSTERMANN served as Controller of a union that represents all current and former sergeants of the NYPD (the “Union”).  OSTERMANN also served as a partner of HB Consultants Inc. (“HBC”).

    In 2018 and 2019, OSTERMANN paid $150,000 from HBC’s bank account to a third party on behalf of the former President of the Union.  OSTERMANN then prepared HBC’s U.S. income tax returns, and falsely reported that the $150,000 payment was for legal fees.  This false information not only disguised that OSTERMANN had used HBC-funds to make payments on behalf of the former President of the Union, but also fraudulently reduced the tax liability of HBC and its partners, including OSTERMANN.

    *               *                *

    OSTERMANN, 68, of East Rockaway, New York, pled guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false and fraudulent U.S. income tax return, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.  OSTERMANN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Schofield on August 29, 2025.

    The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. 

    Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the IRS-CI and Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

    The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Rothman is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justin R. Simmons Appointed as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed Justin R. Simmons as Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546, which provides that “the Attorney General may appoint a United States Attorney for the district in which the office of United States Attorney is vacant.” This appointment took effect on May 30, 2025.

    “I want to thank President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for placing their trust in me to lead the incredible AUSAs and support staff we have working here in the Western District,” said Simmons. “I am humbled and honored to serve in this role.”

    Simmons joined the Western District of Texas as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in December 2020 and has prosecuted a wide variety of cases, including cases involving trans-national criminal organizations, human trafficking, gun crimes, white-collar crimes, and immigration offenses.

    Simmons also served as the SAR Coordinator for the district, a role in which he was tasked with leading a group of federal, state and local law enforcement agents and officers in reviewing and evaluating SARs filed by various financial institutions. Simmons also served as the Elder Justice Coordinator, giving presentations to various groups in the San Antonio area regarding the many criminal schemes perpetrated on the elderly. Additionally, he served on the leadership team for the South Texas Officers and Prosecutors Human Trafficking Task Force, giving various presentations to law enforcement personnel regarding financial investigations in the human trafficking context.

    “The Western District of Texas has for many years been on the front lines of the fight against the narco-terrorists that have enriched themselves to the detriment of the United States,” said Simmons. “In keeping with the President’s priorities, we will continue to push back against their efforts by aggressively enforcing the laws of the United States. We will also continue to root out and bring to light those who would enrich themselves by perpetrating fraud on the government or individual citizens. Additionally, our civil litigators will continue with their important work representing the interests of the United States in our federal courts. Hand in hand with our law enforcement partners, we will do our part to make the Western District a place where the American people cannot just survive but thrive. I look forward to leading in this effort.”

    Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s office, Simmons was a commercial litigator at the law firm of Scheef & Stone in Frisco, Texas, and, before that, he was an Assistant District Attorney in Collin County, Texas.

    Simmons received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Samford University in 2004, and his Juris Doctorate from Texas A&M in 2016.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Salt River Man Sentenced to Life Plus 10 Years in Prison

    Source: US FBI

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Clifton Nez Hamalowa, 47, of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, was sentenced on May 27, 2025, by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to life plus 10 years in prison.

    On August 29, 2020, Hamalowa shot the victim in the head multiple times in front of the victim’s young child while on reservation land belonging to the Gila River Indian Community. After killing the victim, Hamalowa and his siblings attempted to conceal his crimes by disposing of the victim’s car and dumping the victim’s body in a remote area of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian reservation. Hamalowa and his sister also intimidated witnesses to prevent them from reporting.

    Following a seven-day trial, a federal jury found Hamalowa guilty of First-Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Discharging a Firearm During, in Relation to, and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence.

    Hamalowa’s brother, Thomas Leon Hamalowa, pleaded guilty to Accessory-After-the-Fact to Murder and was sentenced to 108 months in prison on October 23, 2023. Hamalowa’s sister, Devonne Beth Hamalowa, pleaded guilty to Accessory-After-the-Fact to Murder and was sentenced to 84 months in prison on April 1, 2024.

    The FBI and Gila River Police Department jointly conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer E. LaGrange and Travis L. Wheeler, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-22-00751-PHX-JJT
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-084_Hamalowa

    # # #

    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: Spree of Bank Robberies in Maryland and D.C. Sends Previously Convicted Felon Back to Federal Prison for 63 Months

    Source: US FBI

    WASHINGTON – Jonathon Brown-Murphy, 44, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 63 months in federal prison for committing a spree of bank robberies— both attempted and successful—on May 23 and May 25, 2022, in Maryland and Washington, DC.

               The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

               Brown-Murphy pleaded guilty on July 12, 2023, to an Information charging him with three counts of bank robbery. In addition to the 63-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon ordered Brown-Murphy to serve three years of supervised release. 

                According to court documents, Brown-Murphy robbed or attempted to rob six banks over two days in Maryland and Washington, DC.  Brown-Murphy covered his face in each robbery and wore different clothing to avoid detection. After one attempt to rob a bank failed, he quickly traveled to his next target—hitting five banks on a single day in the span of about two hours. 

                On the morning of May 23, 2022, after unsuccessful attempts to rob two other banks, Brown-Murphy entered a Truist bank in Temple Hills, Maryland at 11:08 a.m. He approached a teller and passed her a note, stating “Give me the money or I will kill you.” The teller did not give him any money and Brown-Murphy left.  

                About 12:04 p.m. on May 23, 2022—shortly after another failed attempt elsewhere—Brown-Murphy entered a branch of Capital One bank on Alabama Avenue, SE. Brown-Murphy walked up to a teller and passed her a note, which stated “Give Me The Money Don’t Get Killed !!” The teller told police that she then saw Brown-Murphy nod and lift up his shirt as though he had a gun. Fearing for her life, the teller gave him cash from her register.

                Two days later, on May 25, 2022, at 11:04 a.m., Brown-Murphy entered a Wells Fargo bank in District Heights, Maryland. He passed a teller a note, which stated “GIVE ME THE MONEY!!! DON’T GET KILLED!!!.” A fellow bank employee saw the note and pressed an alarm. Brown-Murphy fled without receiving anything.

                As he left the Wells Fargo, a witness saw Brown-Murphy get into a black Cadillac and alerted the Prince George’s County Police officers then arriving on scene. Police attempted a traffic stop, but Brown-Murphy led them on a chase to nearby Suitland, Maryland. Brown-Murphy bailed out from his vehicle. When police arrested him after a foot pursuit, Brown-Murphy was wearing the black hat and glasses he had worn during the robberies, and police found in his car other clothing that he had worn as well.

                Brown-Murphy was arrested on federal charges on August 29, 2022, and has been held in custody since. He has two previous convictions for bank robbery and robbery.

                This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force with valuable assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It was indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey. 

    22cr227

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Files Federal Charges Against Alleged Perpetrator of Anti-Semitic Terror Attack in Colorado

    Source: United States Attorneys General 3

    WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has filed federal charges against illegal alien Mohammed Sabry Soliman, the alleged perpetrator of yesterday’s anti-Semitic terrorist attack in Colorado.

    Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement:

    “The Department of Justice has swiftly charged the illegal alien perpetrator of this heinous attack with a federal hate crime and will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our prayers are with the victims and our Jewish community across the world.

    This vile anti-Semitic violence comes just weeks after the horrific murder of two young Jewish Americans in Washington DC. We will never tolerate this kind of hatred. We refuse to accept a world in which Jewish Americans are targeted for who they are and what they believe.”

    Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon released the following statement:

    “No American should experience violence motivated by hatred based on their faith or national origin, and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice will act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice. There can be zero tolerance for such acts in our great nation.”

    Background:

    -Soliman is being charged with a federal hate crime in addition to facing state charges for attempted murder in Colorado.

    -Read the federal complaint HERE. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Physician at VA Medical Center Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Child Pornography Offenses

    Source: US FBI

    BOSTON – A physician employed at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Bedford, Mass. has been indicted by a federal grand jury for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    Sven Knudsen Ljaamo, 70, was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The defendant was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on April 23, 2025.on April 23, 2025 He was subsequently released on conditions following a detention hearing.

    According to the charging documents, law enforcement received a CyberTip reporting that over 100 files of suspected CSAM files had allegedly been uploaded to Ljaamo’s Google account. When Ljaamo spoke to investigators, he allegedly admitted to viewing, downloading and saving pornographic material involving female minors. It is further alleged that several CSAM files, along with tens of thousands of pornography files, were found during a review of Ljaamo’s devices, including on a cell phone Ljaamo kept in his office at the VA Medical Center.

    The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Billerica, Lowell and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

    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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Teenagers sentenced for manslaughter after firework caused fatal fire

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two teenagers have been jailed for the manslaughter of a pensioner who died after a firework was thrown into his property and caused a fatal fire.

    Robert Price, 76, sadly died as a result of the injuries he sustained during the fire at his home in Oval Road North, Dagenham on Saturday, 27 July 2024.

    Nathan Otitodilchukwu, 18 (31.01.07), of Crow Lane, Romford and a 16-year-old boy from Dagenham appeared at the Old Bailey on Monday, 2 June. Nathan was sentenced to six years, the teenager received two years and eight months.

    Both were convicted at the same court on Tuesday, 11 February when their manslaughter pleas were accepted by the prosecution.

    On the night of the incident, the 16-year-old threw a lit firework through a gap in a boarded-up window at the victim’s house. The incident was captured on both CCTV and doorbell footage, and showed Otitodilchukwu clearly “egging” his friend on.

    Through their enquiries, detectives were able to establish that the defendants had met up earlier in the day and spent time in the local area, which included setting off fireworks in a park. They then took a bus to the vicinity of the victim’s home, walking past several times. At one point Otitodilchukwu approached the property, firework in hand, but was put off when the victim came to the door, and ran off. But a short time later the defendants returned, and the 16-year-old climbed onto a gas meter outside the address, lit a firework and threw it into the address. A loud bang was heard as well as the laughter of the defendants as they ran from the scene.

    Following the incident, officers attended along with London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. After firefighters forced entry to the property, Robert’s body was found and he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem examination gave cause of death as inhalation of fire fumes and burns.

    An investigation was launched and within two days of the incident officers arrested Otitodilchukwu at his home. There officers found clothing matching that seen on CCTV footage from the scene. Two days later the 16-year-old was also arrested after enquiries into Otitodilchukwu identified his involvement.

    Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke, from Specialist Crime North, said: “This is a deeply tragic case, which saw a man lose his life in his own home after a completely mindless and reckless act had devastating consequences. The young defendants will now have to face the consequences of their actions by spending time in prison. I hope Robert’s family can take some solace in this outcome and am pleased the defendants spared them the ordeal of a trial. I would like to thank the London Fire Brigade for their initial response and the fire investigation which followed.”

    Robert’s family said: We are grateful to the CPS, police and social services for the work and support they have given us during this difficult time. We would ask that our privacy be respected to allow us to grieve in peace.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attack on Pearl Street: Eight Victims Identified

    Source: US FBI

    On June 1 at 1:26 p.m., Boulder Police were called to the outdoor Pearl Street Mall for a report of an attack on a group of individuals. 

    The individuals were walking in a regularly scheduled, weekly peaceful event.

    Officers rushed to the scene at 1325 Pearl St. and arrested the suspect at 1:32 p.m. The suspect has been identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, of El Paso County. He was taken to the hospital to be medically evaluated before being booked in the Boulder County Jail on multiple charges.

    Witnesses reported that the suspect used a makeshift flame thrower and threw an incendiary device into the crowd. The suspect was also heard to yell “Free Palestine” during the attack.

    After receiving updated information, law enforcement officials have now identified eight victims: Four women and four men ages 52 to 88 were taken to Denver metro hospitals.

    The Boulder Police Department notified the FBI and requested their assistance within minutes of the attack and are grateful for our partnership and their assistance.

    The FBI is investigating the attack as a targeted act of terrorism and is working with the Boulder Police Department to process the crime scene, interview witnesses, and gather evidence.

    Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Anyone with digital media—videos, social media posts, digital recordings—is asked to upload that at fbi.gov/boulderattack.

    “Our strength as a society comes from our shared values, and our commitment to protecting one another. Any attempt to divide us through fear or harm has no place in Boulder, Colorado, or anywhere in our nation,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “We stand in full solidarity with those targeted. And we will continue to ensure that justice is pursued swiftly, support is provided to victims and their communities, and preventative action is taken to protect everyone’s safety.”

    “Boulder is not immune to tragedy sadly and I know a lot of people are scared right now and questioning how this happened and why. Boulder has recovered before from acts of violence before and we will again recover. I urge this community to come together. Now is not the time to be divisive,” Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said. “When this call came out today, our officers rushed to the scene as quickly as they could to protect our community and arrest the suspect and I’m very proud of their response. I also greatly appreciate all of our law enforcement and community partners who responded to help as well. I want to assure our Boulder community that we will have increased presence at many events and locations throughout the city to ensure safety.”

    If you missed the news conference earlier, you can watch the full replay on the City of Boulder YouTube channel. 

    As in every criminal case, the suspect is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congress.gov New, Tip, and Top – June 2025

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    Our last Congress.gov release announced that beta House Roll Call Votes endpoints are now available from the Congress.gov API. With this release, Congressional Research Service products are now further integrated into Congress.gov with a browse page that allows you to view recently published products, the most-viewed products, and more. In addition, you will find that Congressional Research Service products and Law Library of Congress reports are now accessible from the Congress.gov Browse Page under the “Library of Congress Documents” heading. Finally, when you choose to download your search results within the legislation collection, the options screen will allow you to select policy area subjects and legislative subject terms to be included in the download.

    Congressional Research Service Products and Law Library of Congress reports are now available on the Congress.gov browse page.

    Enhancements

    Enhancement – Library of Congress Documents – Browse

    Enhancement – Legislation – Download Results

    Congress.gov Tip

    To stay up to date with upcoming House and Senate committee meetings and hearings, you can visit the Weekly Committee Schedule page and click “get weekly alerts” at the top of the screen. After signing up for a free Congress.gov account, you will receive an email each Monday with the projected schedule for the coming week.

    Most-Viewed Bills

    The most-viewed bills for the week of May 25, 2025, are below.

    1. H.R.1 [119th] One Big Beautiful Bill Act
    2. S.1046 [119th] No Tax On Overtime Act of 2025
    3. S.129 [119th] No Tax on Tips Act
    4. H.R.561 [119th] Overtime Pay Tax Relief Act of 2025
    5. H.Con.Res.14 [119th] Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034.
    6. H.R.10127 [118th] Restoring Trade Fairness Act
    7. S.146 [119th] TAKE IT DOWN Act
    8. H.R.404 [119th] Hearing Protection Act
    9. H.R.482 [119th] No Tax on Tips Act
    10. H.R.22 [119th] SAVE Act


    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two People Sentenced for Stealing Nearly $300,000 in COVID-19 Relief Money

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    Click Here to View the Original U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Press Release

    Acting United States Attorney Richard R Barker announced that David Kurt Schneider, of Kennewick, Washington and Kelly Jo Driver, of South Carolina, were sentenced after pleading guilty to COVID-19 relief fraud. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Schneider to 12 months in prison and Driver to 5 years of probation. Chief Judge Bastian also ordered restitution of $121,762.

    Co-defendant, Leif Gerald Larsen, of Pasco, Washington, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and will be sentenced July 30, 2025, in Yakima.

    On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.  The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses.  One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), provided government-backed funding to small businesses which could be forgiven so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other eligible expenses.  Another program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic.  The PPP and EIDL programs have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.

    According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Schneider, Driver, and Larsen submitted funding applications in the name of Larsen Firearms, owned by Larsen, and Solar Mobility LLC, RealNZ Water LLC, and Tempest Tactical Solutions, LLC, all owned by Schneider. Driver created fraudulent payroll and tax forms that were submitted in support of the applications, and that, for her part in the scheme, Driver received 10% of the funds disbursed by the SBA and participating lenders.

    In total, Schneider, Driver, and Larsen fraudulently obtained at least $292,000 in CARES Act funding through the PPP and EIDL programs and submitted fraudulent applications seeking at least an additional $560,000 in CARES Act funding that were ultimately not approved.

    “Pandemic relief programs were created to support workers, small businesses, and communities struggling through an unprecedented crisis – not to enrich fraudsters,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker. “By stealing nearly $300,000 intended for legitimate businesses, these defendants diverted critical resources at a time when many businesses were fighting to survive. The SBA, FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to hold accountable those who exploit government aid for personal gain.”

    “Those who exploited SBA’s pandemic relief programs for personal gain will be held accountable,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Tim Larson. “SBA OIG continues to prioritize fraud investigations involving pandemic-era programs, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer funds and uphold the integrity of federal relief efforts.”

    This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by FBI and SBA OIG.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy J. Kelley and Frieda K. Zimmerman.  

    4:24-cr-06004-SAB

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Spokane Dermatologist Agrees to Pay $1.4 Million to Resolve Claims of Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 Funds

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    Click Here to View the Original U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Press Release

    The United States Attorney’s Office announced William Philip Werschler, age 66, of Spokane, Washington, along with his businesses Spokane Dermatology Clinic, Premier Clinical Research L.L.C., and 3rd and Sherman Plaza L.L.C., have agreed to pay $1,400,000 to resolve claims under the False Claims Act related to alleged mis-spending of funds intended to benefit struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic.  EIDL funds were to be used solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury to a business caused by the COVID-19 disaster, such as paying payroll, health insurance premiums, rent, utilities, and fixed debt payments.  EIDL funds were not to be used for personal purposes or to obtain real property or to refinance indebtedness which was incurred prior to the disaster event is a prohibited use of EIDL funding.

    According to the settlement agreement, beginning no later than April 2020 and continuing until at least July 2022, Werschler applied for EIDL loans for his businesses: Spokane Dermatology Clinic, Premier Clinical Research, and 3rd and Sherman Plaza L.L.C.

    Shortly after receiving EIDL funds, Werschler made personal purchases of a 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 and a 1997 Porsche Carrera for a total of $252,375.00.  Werschler also used $553,143 to purchase two properties across from his Spokane Dermatology Clinic.  The purchase of personal automobiles and real property are both contrary to the proper use of EIDL funds.  The global resolution entered into by Werschler and his companies also resolved related criminal charges.

    This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations, the FBI, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.

    The settlement agreement can be viewed at the link below.

    settlement_agreement.pdf

    Related programs: COVID EIDL, Pandemic Oversight

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, federal partners arrest nearly 1,500 illegal aliens in Massachusetts during immigration enforcement operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement partners apprehended almost 1,500 illegal aliens during a monthlong enforcement operation focusing on transnational organized crime, gangs and egregious illegal alien offenders throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. During the enhanced operation, named Operation Patriot, officers from ICE Boston partnered with the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the ATF, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Coast Guard to arrest 1,461 illegal alien offenders throughout the month of May.

    “The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a safer place today thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners. Working together, we were able to arrest almost 1,500 illegal aliens throughout the Commonwealth, most of whom had significant criminality in the United States or abroad,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested was breaking our immigration laws, but most of these individuals had significant criminality. They are criminal offenders who victimized innocent people and traumatized entire communities — murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators and members of violent transnational criminal gangs. Some were convicted of violent crimes in the United States, and others were wanted for criminality in their native countries. All made the mistake of attempting to subvert justice by hiding out in Massachusetts.”

    More than half the 1,461 arrested had significant criminal convictions or charges. Seven-hundred and ninety of the alien offenders were charged with or convicted of crimes in the United States or abroad.

    “We are working diligently alongside our fellow law enforcement partners to make our communities safer through the arrest and ultimate removal of nearly 1,500 individuals who flouted the laws of our nation when they chose to remain here without legal status. Among those arrested include truly alarming criminals: murderers wanted in their home countries, child predators, and drug traffickers,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “Public safety and national security remain our number one priority, and we will continue to work every day with our partners toward this goal.”

    Throughout the duration of Operation Patriot, ICE and its federal law enforcement partners targeted egregious criminal alien offenders, including transnational criminal organizations known to operate in and around Boston and throughout Massachusetts. These organizations include the notorious MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Trinitarios and 18th Street gangs.

    “This was a massive, multiagency immigration enforcement operation aimed at keeping our region safe from habitual lawbreakers who have flouted our country’s immigration laws and, in many cases, committed violent crimes that have endangered our families, friends, and neighbors for far too long,” said FBI Boston acting Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Milka. “Together, with our partners, we have identified and removed hundreds of illegal alien offenders from the Commonwealth, including murderers, gang members, child predators and a possible associate of a suspected terrorist, and our work is not done.”

    ICE and its federal law enforcement partners prosecuted numerous targets who had foreign arrest warrants and Interpol Red Notices, apprehending criminal alien offenders wanted by authorities in several foreign countries.

    “Over the past month, CBP has worked diligently alongside our federal law enforcement partners to apprehended criminal aliens illegally present in our country,” said Jennifer De La O, director of field operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Boston. “CBP is unwavering in our commitment to protect the American people and make our country safer. We will continue to ensure that all criminal aliens that violate our laws are taken into custody and removed.”

    ICE and its federal law enforcement partners made many of the apprehensions after local jurisdictions refused to honor immigration detainer requests to turn over the offenders and instead chose to release them from custody, forcing officers and agents to make at-large arrests in Massachusetts communities.

    “DEA is proud to be actively supporting our federal law enforcement partners in these concentrated enforcement operations to remove violent criminal aliens from our communities,” said DEA New England acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau. “We continue to prioritize our drug investigations on those involving violent illegal criminals, particularly those identified as members of designated foreign terrorist organizations. DEA’s mission remains the same: Seize deadly and dangerous drugs before they reach our communities, and bring to justice those criminals responsible for drug manufacturing and distribution.”

    Among the alien offenders apprehended during Operation Patriot, 277 had been previously ordered removed from the United States by a Justice Department immigration judge. However, they refused to comply with the removal order and remained in the country illegally.

    “ATF has worked alongside all of our federal law enforcement partners to assist ICE throughout New England during this enforcement initiative,” said ATF Boston Special Agent in Charge James Ferguson. “We will continue to do so in the coming weeks and months as a part of our mission to keep our communities safe.”  

    During the operation, ICE employed expanded immigration enforcement tactics, which included simultaneous operations on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, where they arrested around 40 illegal aliens, including at least one child sex predator and a member of a violent transnational gang. The U.S. Coast Guard assisted ICE with the safe transport of the aliens from the islands.

    “The Diplomatic Security Service is proud to work with our federal law enforcement partners in support of major enforcement operations like this which undoubtedly make our communities safer and strengthens our national security,” said DSS Boston Special Agent in Charge Matthew O’Brien. “DSS remains an integral law enforcement partner providing daily support to reduce illegal immigration and root out those who endeavor to exploit the U.S. travel system.”

    Among those arrested during Operation Patriot include:

    • An illegally present 55-year-old Salvadoran national with an active Interpol Red Notice for aggravated homicide, robbery, aggravated kidnap and theft in El Salvador. ICE officers arrested him in Lynn.

    • An illegally present 32-year-old Guatemalan national and registered sex offender who is pending criminal charges in Boston for five counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over and trafficking a person for sexual servitude. He was also arrested in Roxbury for aggravated rape of child with a 10-year age gap and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over. ICE lodged two detainers that local jurisdictions refused to honor.

    • An illegally present 37-year-old Honduran national whose most recent arrest in Fall River was for rape, indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, witness intimidation, and kidnapping of a minor by relative. He has other arrests in Massachusetts for lewd and lascivious conduct and sexual conduct for fee. He also has several convictions in Massachusetts for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, he has been convicted for operating under the influence of alcohol and operating while intoxicated in Iowa, where he served a year prison.

    • An illegally present 22-year-old Colombian national charged with breaking and entering building during the daytime for a felony, kidnapping, aggravated rape, and indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over. Local authorities released him back into the community despite an ICE immigration detainer being in place.

    • An illegally present 39-year-old Honduran national who has convictions in Lynn for obscene material to a minor, enticing a child under 16 and attempt to commit crime. Additionally, he has convictions in Stoughton for larceny and larceny from a person over 60 and disabled.

    • An illegally present 45-year-old Guatemalan national who has a 2020 conviction for murder in Boston, for which he received a life sentence.

    • An illegally present 29-year-old Brazilian national charged in Edgartown with aggravated rape of a child by force, possession of child pornography and dissemination of obscene material. He has and additional arrest in Edgartown for assault and battery (family) and kidnapping.

    • An illegally present 48-year-old Salvadoran national whose criminal history includes charges of aggravated rape of child by force, indecent assault and battery on a person under 14, and open and gross lewdness.

    • An illegally present Ecuadoran national who has a 2018 conviction for soliciting to commit murder. He was sentenced to a year in prison and released back into the community despite the presence of an ICE immigration detainer. ICE officers arrested him in Brockton.

    • An illegally present a Colombian national who was convicted in his native country for trafficking/manufacturing/carrying narcotics. Colombian authorities are currently seeking his custody to serve his sentence of 14 years in prison.

    • An illegally present 40-year-old Guatemalan national charged with assault and battery dangerous weapon (a hammer), threatening to commit crime, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a vehicle), assault and battery on a family member, strangulation/suffocation and intimidation of witness. ICE officers arrested him in Lynn.

    • An illegally present 69-year-old registered sex offender and citizen of Uruguay convicted of indecent assault and battery on a 7-year-old girl.

    • An illegally present 32-year-old citizen of Brazil who has an active Interpol Red Notice from Brazil for drug trafficking and drug trafficking association. In an effort to avoid apprehension in his native country, he fled on a motorcycle from Brazilian military police and threw a brick of cocaine at them.

    • An illegally present 24-year-old citizen of Brazil who has an active Interpol Red Notice out of Brazil, where he is wanted for murder.

    All aliens detained during Operation Patriot will remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of their removal proceedings or their deportation from the United States.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROBoston and @HSINewEngland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pubnico — RCMP investigates fatal crash in Pubnico

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Yarmouth Rural RCMP is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Pubnico.

    On May 30, shortly after midnight, RCMP officers, fire services, and EHS, responded to a report of a single vehicle crash on Hwy. 335 near Cross Rd. RCMP officers learned that a GMC Sierra was travelling on the road when it left the roadway and came to rest in the ditch.

    The driver, an 18-year-old man from West Pubnico, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

    The passenger, a 21-year-old man from Lower West Pubnico, suffered serious injuries and was transported to hospital by EHS.

    A collision reconstructionist attended the scene and the investigation is ongoing.

    The highway was closed for several hours but has since reopened.

    Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones at this difficult time.

    File #: 2025-740962

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jay Clayton Announces Selection Of Sean Buckley As Deputy U.S. Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the selection of Sean Buckley as Deputy U.S. Attorney. 

    Mr. Buckley joins the Office from Kobre & Kim, where he has served since 2018 and handled a wide variety of securities and other criminal and regulatory matters for companies and individuals.  Mr. Buckley previously served as a prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice for nearly a decade, where he was most recently the Co-Chief of the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. In that role, he oversaw complex international investigations involving terrorism financing, economic espionage, sanctions violations, and anti-money laundering matters across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

    From 2009 to 2018, Mr. Buckley served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, handling a wide range of national security and international criminal matters.

    Prior to joining the government, Mr. Buckley practiced at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP from 2003 to 2009.  Mr. Buckley received his A.B. from Princeton University, an M.A. from the University of Virginia Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.  He has been recognized with several honors, including the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award and the Assistant Attorney General’s Exceptional Service Award.

    “We are excited to welcome Sean Buckley back to the Office as the Deputy United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Sean demonstrated exceptional leadership and case-making skills during his prior service in the Office. He is deeply respected by the New York Bar and embodies the commitment to professionalism and the safety of the people of New York that runs through our Office. We are fortunate to once again benefit from Sean’s tremendous intellect and strategic thinking.  With the combination  of Sean,  Amanda Houle, and Jeff Oestricher, I am confident that the Office could not have a more formidable and effective leadership team.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Pierce Jury Convicts a Louisiana Registered Sex Offender of Various Internet Sex Crimes Involving a Martin County Minor

    Source: US FBI

    MIAMI – On May 20, a federal jury sitting in Fort Pierce, Florida convicted Nicolas James Palmisano, 45, of Destrehan, Louisiana, for attempted enticement of a minor, attempted production of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of a minor, receipt of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of a minor, transfer of obscene material to a minor, and offense by a registered sex offender.

    According to court records and evidence introduced during trial, in 2019, Palmisano was convicted in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana for sexual offenses involving a juvenile. Upon the completion of his four-year prison sentence, Palmisano registered as a sex offender with the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office in the town in which he resided.

    In May 2024, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) learned that a minor had images of sexually explicit activity on her cellular phone. An MCSO computer forensic examiner recovered messages, images, and recordings from the minor’s cellular phone that were sent from Palmisano’s cellular number. Despite acknowledging that the minor was 15 years old, Palmisano wrote thousands of sexually explicit messages and sent multiple sexually explicit images, as well as audio and video recordings, of himself between February 22 and May 6, 2024. Palmisano also solicited, and obtained, sexually explicit images from the minor.

    In August 2024, members of the FBI and MCSO arrested Palmisano at the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, after he arrived for his annual Sexual Offender Registration review and update. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Palmisano’s residence and recovered his cellular phone, which was found to contain the sexually explicit material that Palmisano and the minor exchanged.

    A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 25, before U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez. Palmisano faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years up to life in prison, and up to a lifetime of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami, and Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek made the announcement. 

    FBI Fort Pierce investigated the case, with assistance from MCSO, FBI New Orleans, and St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office. 

    Fort Pierce Branch Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Kahn Obenauf are prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-14044.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Nonprofit Executive Admits $2.3 Million-Dollar Student Meal Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    ST. LOUIS – The owner of a nonprofit on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in funds intended to feed low-income Missouri children, both before and during the coronavirus pandemic.

    Cymone McClellan, 32, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She admitted that she and Terra Davis, 43, submitted $2.3 million worth of false and fraudulent meal reimbursement claims to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services from about January 2019 to June 2022, on behalf of their nonprofit, Sister of Lavender Rose (S.O.L.R.). Davis was McClellan’s second-in-command at S.O.L.R.

    McClellan and Davis submitted false reimbursement claims for a total of 860,876 meals that they purportedly supplied to Missouri children. But McClellan actually only purchased enough food and milk to serve fewer than a quarter of those meals, her plea agreement says.

    McClellan provided bogus sign-in sheets to DHSS falsely claiming to have taken the attendance of meal recipients at certain food distribution locations. S.O.L.R. submitted management plans to DHSS falsely asserting that state meal reimbursement dollars were spent only in connection with the provision of meals to low-income children, and that the nonprofit did not use meal money to make purchases over $5,000. McClellan’s management plans also falsely claimed that all checks were signed by her finance director, who was not a signor on S.O.L.R.’s account.

    McClellan admitted spending $60,000 of the money that was to be used for feeding children for the down payment on a house in Collinsville, Illinois. She spent another $86,172 on a house in Florissant, Missouri, and almost $135,000 more to buy five vehicles: a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, a 2012 Chevrolet Express G3500 van, a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Metris van, a 2012 Ford E350 box truck and a 2018 Lexus RX SUV.

    As part of her plea, McClellan has agreed to forfeit the vehicles and houses. At her sentencing, now set for August 26, she will be ordered to repay the rest of the money.

    Davis pleaded guilty in December to the same wire fraud conspiracy charge. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.  

    Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Drug Trafficker Connected to Nine Murders Sentenced to Two Life Sentences

    Source: US FBI

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a St. Louis cocaine trafficker responsible for nine murders to two consecutive life sentences in prison, plus five more years. Judge Autrey also ordered Anthony “TT” Jordan to pay restitution of $67,405.

    Jordan, 38, was convicted by a jury in February of one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and nine counts of use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime resulting in death.

    Evidence and testimony at that trial showed that Jordan led a major cocaine trafficking ring. “Building up his drug empire, Jordan maintained his status by enforcing a lethal code against those who snitched, those who stole, and those who targeted his associates,” a sentencing memorandum says. After a Jordan associate was murdered, Jordan later targeted a St. Louis gang he held responsible for the murder. He then targeted gang members and their families with the help of others. 

    According to evidence and testimony, Jordan was responsible for multiple non-fatal shootings and the murders of nine people:

    • The April 19, 2008, murders of Al Walters, Linnie Jackson and Keith Burks.
    • The Feb. 3, 2010, murders of Marquis Jones and Keairrah Johnson.
    • The June 25, 2013, murder of Anthony “Blinky” Clark.
    • The Dec. 29, 2013, murders of Robert “Parker G” Parker and Clara Walker.
    • The Jan. 21, 2014, murder of Michail “Yellow Mack” Gridiron.

    Jordan’s associate, Michael Brooks, fatally shot Montez “Tez” Woods on May 20, 2012, because Jordan believed he stole cocaine, according to evidence and testimony. When Brooks was killed in retaliation for the murder of Woods, that sparked another round of retaliatory murders by Jordan.

    Jordan’s phone was later seized and found to contain images of some of the victims he murdered, including Mr. Clark and Mr. Gridiron. Twenty firearms were also seized from vehicles and residences connected to Jordan.

    “Today’s sentencing of Anthony Jordan wraps up the last and most violent of the 34 defendants responsible for large-scale drug trafficking directly sourced from Mexican cartels,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Dismantling an entire criminal enterprise is what the FBI does best. Together with our law enforcement partners, this is how we are making the greatest impact in protecting our community.”

    “Anthony Jordan’s reign of terror has come to an end,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said.  “Our hope is that today’s sentencing serves as a reminder that the DEA and our law enforcement partners will go to great lengths to remove criminals who bring violence and push harmful drugs into our communities.  The life sentence of Anthony Jordan handed down today is the culmination of the dismantling of a violent drug trafficking network that no longer possesses the ability to wreak havoc in the St. Louis area.” 

    Jordan’s cocaine was supplied by Adrian Lemons, who obtained cocaine in bulk from representatives of a Mexican cartel. Lemons, now 47, of St. Louis, is serving a 20-year prison sentence. Lemons, Jordan and 32 others were indicted as part of a long-running investigation by the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Granger and Donald Boyce prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tama Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    Jacob Samuel Yang, age 36, from Tama, Iowa, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids to distributing child pornography and possessing child pornography.

    In a plea agreement, Yang admitted that in March 2024, he sent child pornography to other people.  He stored child pornography on his cellular phone and computer.  The child pornography included a depiction of an infant or toddler.  

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

    Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Yang remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Yang faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $62,200 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, the Tama Police Department, and the Marshalltown Police Department.  

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

    The case file number is 25-CR-24.  

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • Malaysians commend India’s resolute response to terrorism

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    An all-party Parliamentary delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Monday held an engaging discussion with leading Malaysian think tanks and academia including Asia Europe Institute, Economic Club of Kuala Lumpur, Institute of Strategic and International Studies, and academia briefing them on the heinous April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam and outlining Operation Sindoor – India’s precise, measured, responsible, and non-escalatory response.

    The delegation elaborated on India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and emphasised that it will no longer make a distinction between terrorists and the States that support them.

    The discussion began with a think tank delegate describing the nine-member delegation as ‘Navaratnas’ from India while commending the ‘all party’ nature of the delegation. The deliberations focussed on India’s ‘new normal’ and new security doctrine in fight against cross-border terrorism and also ways to enhance international cooperation in a collective fight against terrorism in all its forms.

    The delegates also met senior representatives of Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) led by President Tan Sri Dato Sri SA Vigneswaran and Deputy President YB Datuk Seri M Saravanan, highlighting India’s unwavering stand against terrorism, as demonstrated during Operation Sindoor.

    The delegation conveyed India’s ‘new normal’ of responding firmly against any act of terror on Indian soil. MIC expressed solidarity with India’s position on the fight against cross-border terrorism.

    Earlier in the day, the delegation met with representatives from Democratic Action Party led by YB M. Kulasegaran, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) of Malaysia conveying India’s perspectives and national resolve against terrorism. The discussions centered on India’s resolute response to terrorism under Operation Sindoor. There was also emphasis on India’s zero tolerance to terrorism, and the view that “Water and blood cannot flow together”.

    They also interacted with YB M Kulasegaran, Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional reform) during the meeting with representatives.

    Additionally, they held constructive talks with the representatives of Parti Keadilan Rakyat led by YB Sim Tze Tzin in Malaysia. India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism was outlined, reaffirming our national unity against cross-border threats. The party representatives appreciated the detailed explanation provided by the delegation and engaged in a constructive discussion on the way forward and the responsibilities each nation has in fighting the menace of terrorism.

    “As part of our diplomatic engagements in Malaysia, our All-Party Parliamentary Delegation held meaningful discussions with leaders of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) — the party of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim — and the Democratic Action Party (DAP), both key members of the ruling coalition. We conveyed India’s unwavering stance on cross-border terrorism, briefed them on the Pahalgam attack, and outlined our calibrated response under Operation Sindoor,” Jha said in a post on X.

    “The dialogue reflected shared democratic values and a strong commitment to peace, prosperity, and global security. We deeply appreciate the solidarity expressed by leaders from both parties, including YB Tuan M. Kulasegaran, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, and YB Saraswathy Kandasami, Deputy Minister of Unity, who reaffirmed that terrorism in any form is unacceptable and expressed Malaysia’s support for India’s principled stand against cross-border terrorism,” the post added.

    The delegation led by Jha also includes BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Hemang Joshi, and Pradan Baruah, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member John Barittas, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, and Former Indian Ambassador to France, Mohan Kumar.

    After concluding visits to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia, the delegation is in Malaysia for the last leg of the tour to highlight the significance of Operation Sindoor and India’s continued fight against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI USA: ENG INTRODUCES COMPREHENSIVE LEGISLATION TO END PERIOD POVERTY AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Grace Meng (6th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) announced that she reintroduced her Menstrual Equity for All Act, a bold, whole-of-government approach to eradicating period poverty and improving access to menstrual products.

    Menstruation is a natural part of life for roughly half of the world’s population at one point or another. Yet, today, millions of people in the United States continue to experience period poverty. In fact, one in three American adults who menstruate report struggling to afford menstrual products, and one-third have missed school or work because they could not access these products. An estimated 86% of people who menstruate use tampons, up to 72% use pads, and 75% use panty liners. Most of them use these products on a monthly basis. It is estimated that an individual will spend over $6,000 on menstrual products in their lifetime. 

    “Period products are essential for millions of people who menstruate,” said Congresswoman Meng. “Access to these products is not only a health care right, but also a human right. It is unacceptable that they are still out of reach for more than half the population. This legislation takes critical steps toward ending period poverty by expanding access to menstrual products for individuals across a range of populations, such as in schools and universities, workplaces, and correctional and detention facilities, and through existing federal programs like the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Social Services Block Grants. Without it, women, girls, and menstruators will continue to miss out on educational and career opportunities simply because they cannot afford period products. We must keep fighting for them.”

    Specifically, Meng’s Menstrual Equity for All Act would:

    • Give states the option to use federal grant funds to provide students in elementary and secondary schools with free menstrual products;
    • Incentivize institutions of higher education to create pilot programs that provide free menstrual products to students;
    • Ensure incarcerated individuals and detainees in federal, state, and local facilities (including immigration detention centers), have access to free menstrual products;
    • Allow homeless assistance providers to use grant funds that cover shelter necessities (such as blankets and toothbrushes) to also use those funds to purchase menstrual products;
    • Require Medicaid to cover the cost of menstrual products;
    • Direct large employers (with 100 or more employees) to provide free menstrual products for their employees in the workplace;
    • Require all public federal buildings to provide free menstrual products in the restrooms;
    • Provide states and localities with funds through the Social Services Block Grant program to support free menstrual products programs;
    • Eliminate the federal sales tax on period products; and
    • Create a pilot program within the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to help families in need access menstrual products.

    “We know that period supplies are basic essentials that all people who menstruate require to participate in daily life – going to work, school, and engaging in everyday events,” said Joanne Goldblum, CEO of the Alliance for Period Supplies. “The Menstrual Equity for All Act ensures equitable access to period supplies so that millions of people can earn, learn, and thrive. We thank Congresswoman Meng for championing the Menstrual Equity for All Act and fully support the bill as it offers a comprehensive solution to a major public health issue. Its passage is long overdue.”

    “The fact of the matter is that nearly 1 in 4 students across the country are unable to afford period products and a quarter of students are unable to do their schoolwork due to a lack of access to these products,” said Michela Bedard, Executive Director of PERIOD. “The Menstrual Equity for All Act will improve student success in and out of the classroom through expanded menstrual health education and period product access.”

    “Women’s Voices for the Earth applauds Congresswoman Meng for her longstanding commitment and leadership on menstrual equity,” said Debra Erenberg, Co-Executive Director, Women’s Voices for the Earth. All people who menstruate need and deserve access to safe and healthy intimate care products. We look forward to working with the Congresswoman to pass this groundbreaking piece of commonsense legislation.”

    Meng originally introduced her Menstrual Equity for All Act in 2017. Since then, she has led numerous efforts to improve access to menstrual products and promote menstrual health. Earlier this month, she introduced a resolution to designate May as “National Menstrual Health Awareness Month.” The resolution recognizes the impact that the stigmatization of menstruation has on the lives of women, girls and people who menstruate.

    This legislation was introduced with 61 cosponsors. It is supported by the Alliance for Period Supplies, The Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products, Days for Girls, The Flow Initiative, Helping Women Period, ISSA – The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, Mass NOW, Mujeres and Menstruators United, National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Period Education Project, PERIOD., and Period Law.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mike Levin Announces Funding to Complete Plan Combatting Beach Erosion in Oceanside

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

    June 02, 2025

    Oceanside, CA – Today, Representative Mike Levin (CA-49) and the City of Oceanside announced $2.27 million in federal funding to complete the long-delayed Oceanside Special Shoreline Study, which addresses Oceanside’s eroding beaches. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will use the funding to complete a plan for a federal project mitigating beach erosion in Oceanside and to prepare the environmental documents required for the execution of the project.

    “I’ve been fighting to get more sand on Oceanside’s beaches since coming to Congress,” said Rep. Levin. “Frustratingly, Administrations of both parties have not got it done. This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s about the federal government taking responsibility and delivering a solution for the people of Oceanside. Now we’ve delivered the resources needed for the Army Corps to finish its plan and get more sand on the beaches. I’ll hold their feet to the fire to ensure this moves forward.”

    “Oceanside’s RE:BEACH project and the expected outcome of the Army Corps Shoreline Study are expected to complement each other,” said Jayme Timberlake, Oceanside’s Coastal Zone Administrator. “The Oceanside Mitigation Project would be expected to yield consistent sand to Oceanside’s coastline for the next 50 years, and the RE:BEACH Project is designed to specifically prolong these kinds of sand nourishment efforts. The RE:BEACH Project will help slow down or “speed bump” the transport of sand off the shore, possibly allowing for less frequent nourishment cycles. Additionally, a consistent sand nourishment project like is being proposed by the Army Corps would help reduce costs for other regional projects, making it more alluring to state funding agencies and participating coastal cities that will have to cost share.”

    Oceanside has been experiencing beach erosion since the construction of the Camp Pendleton Harbor in 1942. The federal government first acknowledged responsibility for these erosion challenges in 1953. The Water Resources Development Act of 2000 authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to complete a plan to mitigate the coastal erosion due to the construction of Camp Pendleton Harbor and to restore beach conditions. Congress required that plan be completed within 32 months. It remains uncompleted.

    When Rep. Levin entered office in 2019, the plan to mitigate erosion in Oceanside was stalled, and the Army Corps of Engineers had abandoned it. Rep. Levin passed legislative language into law in 2020 and 2024 requiring expedited completion of the plan. In 2022, Rep. Levin secured $1.8 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which the Army Corp of Engineers said would be enough funding to complete the plan. The Corps’ estimate was wrong, and the study was again not completed.

    With today’s funding announcement, the Army Corps says it can deliver a final plan next year.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bean Introduces LOOTER Act to Combat Crime During Natural Disasters

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Aaron Bean Florida (4th District)

    WASHINGTON—With the Atlantic Hurricane Season officially underway, U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) is taking decisive action to combat crime during natural disasters with the introduction of the Law On Offender Transgressions During Emergencies and Recovery (LOOTER) Act. This timely legislation aims to protect communities from criminals who exploit disaster-stricken areas by imposing federal criminal penalties for theft during declared natural disasters.

    Upon introduction, Congressman Bean said, “When disaster strikes, you should not have to choose between evacuating for your safety or safeguarding your property. This bill sends a clear message: We will not tolerate the exploitation of natural disaster victims. I’m proud to join Congressman Panetta in ensuring looters who prey on victims think twice before ever committing such heinous crimes.” 

    Congressman Bean was joined by Congressmen Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), and Troy Nehls (TX-22) in introducing this bill.

    “As a former prosecutor, I’ve seen firsthand how looting during emergencies only deepens the suffering of disaster victims,” said Rep. Panetta.  “The LOOTER Act would ensure that those who prey on communities during times of crisis face serious consequences under federal law.  Our bipartisan legislation is critical to better protecting disaster-stricken communities, supporting our local law enforcement partners, and sending a clear message that if you loot during a disaster, you will be held accountable.”

    “During natural disasters, our communities are vulnerable—not just to the forces of nature, but also to the few bad actors who seek to exploit tragedy for personal gain.  The LOOTER Act is about protecting our neighbors when they are at their weakest and holding criminals accountable,” said Rep. Suozzi.  “I support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation because it ensures that in times of crisis, law and order will still prevail.  We must send a clear message: If you steal from families during their darkest hour, you will be held responsible.”

    “Texas’s 22nd Congressional District is prone to natural disasters that have had serious effects on our communities and lives,” said Rep. Nehls.  “When Hurricane Harvey hit, I served as Sheriff of Fort Bend County, Texas, and know all too well how natural disasters leave people and their property vulnerable, especially to crime.  This bill ensures accountability for those who take advantage of disaster and ensures justice for those who might fall victim to these low-life crimes.  Thank you to Congressman Panetta for leading this important effort.”

    BACKGROUND 

    The LOOTER Act proposes amendments to Title 18 of the U.S. Code, establishing clear federal penalties for larceny offenses committed in federally declared disaster areas. Under the bill, petty larceny during a disaster would be punishable by up to one year in prison, while grand larceny would result in up to five years behind bars.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –