NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Cristian Ceja, 28, of Turlock, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge John A. Mendez to 15 years and eight months in prison for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, between Aug. 27, 2023, and Jan. 3, 2024, Ceja transported a minor victim from the Eastern District of California to Idaho with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Ceja met the minor victim when Ceja was working as a delivery driver and delivered food to the minor’s house. Ceja thereafter used the minor victim’s phone number to track her down on social media and communicate with her. Ceja began a lengthy sexual relationship with the minor victim who, at that time, was 15. During the course of their sexual relationship, Ceja would sneak into the minor victim’s bedroom to have sex with her without being detected by her parents. On at least two occasions, Ceja video recorded himself engaging in sexual contact with the minor victim. Ceja kept used condoms and used feminine hygiene products in his storage unit as souvenirs of his relationship with the minor victim.

    On Aug. 26, 2023, the minor victim’s mother contacted law enforcement because she found provocative photographs of the minor victim in her bedroom and was concerned her daughter was having a sexual relationship with an adult. In the early morning hours of Aug. 27, 2023, Ceja took the minor victim and fled to avoid detection and to continue the sexual relationship. While on the run, Ceja attempted to evade detection by placing stolen license plates on his vehicle, obliterating the VIN from his vehicle’s dashboard, spray painting the vehicle a different color, and adopting a false name. In order to avoid detection, Ceja discarded his cellphone while in flight and used a “burner” phone.

    Ceja first took the minor victim to Nevada where they lived in his vehicle for approximately one week. Ceja then took the minor victim to a rural part of Idaho where they lived for several months in a small camper trailer without running water or heat. Law enforcement found the minor victim after she contacted a family member via social media to let her family know that she wanted to come home but could not leave on her own. On Jan. 3, 2024, law enforcement officers arrived at the camper trailer, rescued the minor victim, and arrested Ceja

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny prosecuted the case.

    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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National Indicted for Illegally Reentering the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national convicted for drug trafficking and deported has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island for illegally reentering the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Kelvin Roberto Feliz, 54, who has been detained at the Adult Correctional Institution in an unrelated matter since June 2024, was ordered deported from the United States in September 2014, following a conviction for trafficking heroin. He was removed from the United States on July 7, 2015.

    A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, FBI investigation reveals illegal alien from Guatemala fraudulently sponsored unaccompanied alien children

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — An illegal alien from Guatemala was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of New Jersey for allegedly submitting sponsorship applications with false statements to the U.S. government to gain custody of two unaccompanied alien children after they entered the United States illegally, following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FBI investigation.

    “Attempting to exploit the sponsorship system to gain custody of unaccompanied alien children puts those minors at serious risk,” said ICE acting Director Todd Lyons. “ICE works alongside our law enforcement partners to prevent trafficking and exploitation by individuals falsely claiming to be family. ICE remains firmly committed to detecting deception, upholding the integrity of the immigration process, and, above all, protecting these at-risk children.”

    According to the criminal complaint, Luciano Tinuar Quino, also known as “Luciano Tinuar Guino,” 57, who illegally entered the United States in 2016 and previously resided in the area of Orange, New Jersey, submitted multiple applications to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement under penalties of perjury to sponsor and obtain custody of two UACs.

    “Protecting children means holding individuals accountable when they use deception to exploit our systems. ORR acted swiftly to identify the fraud and share with our law enforcement counterparts who located the children and ensured justice was served,” said ORR acting Director Angie M. Salazar.

    As alleged in the complaint, after a 15-year-old Guatemalan male (UAC-1) illegally entered the United States in April 2022, Tinuar Quino submitted applications to sponsor this UAC that falsely: (1) claimed to be his father; (2) claimed his own name was “A.S.T.” as listed on a Guatemala national identification card he submitted; and (3) provided his date of birth. To prove his relationship with UAC-1, Tinuar Quino submitted a photoshopped image, which he asserted was a photo of himself with UAC-1’s mother. As a result, the boy was transported from Texas to New Jersey to live with Tinuar Quino.

    “The prior administration’s border policies created chaos and allowed bad actors to prey upon the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will always seek strong legal penalties to protect children from those who would do them harm.”

    “This prosecution is an example of my office’s dedication to keeping children safe,” said U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District New Jersey. “We will continue to bring to justice those who take advantage of our country’s Unaccompanied Alien Children program and threaten the safety of our community.”

    “This was a clear attempt from an individual unlawfully in the United States seeking to undermine our laws and target children, and the FBI will not tolerate it,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We remain laser-focused on ensuring people who come into the United States intending to wreak havoc and intentionally violate our rule of law will face serious consequences.”

    Tinuar Quino is also charged with submitting false information in an attempt to obtain custody of another UAC. Specifically, the complaint charges that in June 2022, Tinuar Quino submitted an application to sponsor a 17-year-old Guatemalan male (UAC-2) who had entered the United States illegally. As alleged, Tinuar Quino falsely: (1) claimed to be UAC-2’s father; (2) stated that his name was “J.R.M.” as listed on a Guatemala national identification card he submitted; and (3) provided his date of birth. ORR did not approve this application.   

    Tinuar Quino is charged with two counts of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    These charges are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    The ICE Homeland Security Investigations and FBI Newark field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from the FBI’s Legal Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C. and ORR have provided valuable assistance.

    Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of HRSP, JTFA Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman of the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods.

    As a federal criminal investigatory agency, ICE HSI’s role is to take swift action to investigate any criminal activity for which HSI has jurisdiction related to UAC. This includes investigating the exploitive smuggling networks that bring UAC to the United States as well as any criminals who may exploit these at-risk youths here in the United States.

    Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 866-DHS-2-ICE. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, SLCPD investigation sends woman to prison for 25 years for producing child exploitation material involving toddler

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    ST. LOUIS — U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Tuesday sentenced a woman from St. Louis County, Missouri to 25 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material involving a two-year-old, following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, St. Louis County Police Department investigation.

    Judge Sippel also ordered Raven Ainesis Pointer, 27, to pay $15,000 in restitution. After her release from prison, Pointer will be on supervised release for life.

    Pointer pleaded guilty in October in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography. Pointer admitted coercing the victim in 2022 into engaging in sexual conduct and using her phone to produce videos containing child sexual abuse material.

    On six occasions, Pointer recorded the sexual abuse of the toddler and shared it with others for their “perverse sexual” entertainment, a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Becker says. In jail, Pointer continued to try and contact the child and berated the child’s father for seeking restitution, the memo says.

    “The production and sharing of child sexual abuse material is an appalling betrayal of human decency. This defendant targeted an innocent toddler – someone who should have been protected, not exploited – and did so for her own twisted purposes and the gratification of others who feed on this sickness. Crimes like this are not only horrific, but they are also unforgivable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “We will use every tool we have to find predators like this, to stop them, and make sure they spend as many years as possible behind bars. There is zero tolerance for those who harm children.”

    The investigation began in August of 2023 in Montgomery, Alabama, where ICE HSI special agents learned that a man who had been distributing child sexual abuse material had received videos involving a two-year-old victim from Pointer. Investigators then tracked down Pointer in St. Louis. 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 Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.

    If you suspect a child may be a victim of online CSEA, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline™. If you believe a child has been abducted or is in immediate danger, contact local law enforcement and the NCMEC Tipline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

    Know2Protect is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. K2P’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults, and policymakers to prevent, combat, and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit our YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on the DHS main channel. Additional resources are available at know2protect.gov and @Know2Protect on Instagram, Facebook and X.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Illegal alien sentenced for prohibited person in possession of a firearm, following ICE, local law enforcement partner investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LINCOLN, Neb. — Michael Alexander Ayala-Ramirez, 20, an illegal alien from El Salvador, was sentenced on May 8, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of prohibited person in possession or a firearm or firearms, following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, local law enforcement investigation.

    U.S. District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Ayala-Ramirez to a total of 70 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ayala-Ramirez’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release and will face removal from the United States.

    “This case is a stark reminder of why strong collaboration between federal and local law enforcement is non-negotiable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “A convicted felon and illegal alien in possession of firearms isn’t just breaking the law — he’s a direct threat to the people of Lincoln. When dangerous individuals enter and remain in this country illegally, they put all of us at risk. HSI will “aggressively” investigate, dismantle, and bring to justice anyone who endangers American lives.”

    On July 4, 2024, a pickup truck was reported stolen from the Denver International Airport. On July 6, 2024, an Ogallala police officer observed the stolen truck and attempted to contact it. The stolen truck had three occupants, Michael Ayala-Ramirez, codefendant Pablo Escobar-Alas, and codefendant Selvin Escobar-Rivera. The driver of the vehicle, Ayala-Ramirez, attempted to flee from law enforcement, which lead to a high-speed chase through multiple counties and involved multiple law enforcement agencies. Stop sticks were successfully deployed near the Deuel and Keith County line and the truck ended up in a ditch near a farmyard in Deuel County.

    Ayala-Ramirez and Escobar-Alas were the driver and front seat passenger. They got out of the vehicle carrying bags and attempted to hide under another vehicle in the farmyard momentarily. The bags were later found to contain a Smith & Wesson pistol that was reported stolen, a Sig Sauer pistol, a Glock pistol, and a Del Ton DTI-15 rifle. Ayala-Ramirez and Escobar-Alas then stole a pickup truck from the farmyard, which lead to another high-speed chase. They were arrested after stop sticks were successfully deployed once again.

    Escobar-Rivera was in the backseat of the first stolen truck and he fled on foot after the initial stop. He was later arrested, and a second Smith & Wesson pistol was found on the floorboard of the backseat where he had been sitting. This pistol was also reported stolen.

    All three of the defendants have previously been deported and have no legal basis to return to the United States.

    Pablo Escobar-Alas and Selvin Escobar-Rivera’s cases are still active and pending.

    This case was investigated by ICE HSI, Nebraska State Patrol, Deuel County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department, and the Denver Police Department.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hageman Joins Wyoming Law Enforcement Officers to Honor Officer Nevada Krinkee of Sheridan

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman

    Washington, D.C. – This week Congresswoman Hageman joined Law Enforcement Officers from across Wyoming in the nation’s capital to honor the life of Seargent Nevada Krinkee from Sheridan, WY. 

    “I am humbled to take a moment to recognize Seargent Nevada Krinkee. His death shook our state and law enforcement community to the core and left his family without a father and a husband. Seargent Krinkee is an example of someone who selflessly served his country, both in the U.S. Army and as a Sheridan police officer. His life will be remembered in Wyoming for generations.” Hageman stated, “He was a man of honor and integrity and serves as an example to all of us of living a life for the betterment of others. This week was a particularly special opportunity to join with some of Seargent Krinkee’s colleagues and to ensure his name is ever etched in our hearts and on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. I encourage all of Wyoming to take a moment to visit the memorial when you have the opportunity and, when you do, to pray for the perseverance and peace of mind for his wife and young daughter.”  

    National Police Week is a collaborative effort of many organizations dedicated to honoring America’s law enforcement community and is taking place May 11-17th, 2025.

    Pictured above: The Wyoming Delegation with the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police Executive Board.  

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado man indicted for drug trafficking and firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Colorado man for drug trafficking and illegal firearms. 

    According to court documents, Russell Scott IV, 37, of Denver was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

    OTHER INDICTMENTS

    Chase Boyd, 39, of Wichita was indicted on two counts of possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case.

    Jose Galan-Andrade, 39, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

    Jose Louis Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 35, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

    Darius Isaiah Jackson, 25, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

    Greggory K. O’Neal, 41, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Park City Kansas Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting the case.

    Guadalupe Rios-Edeza, 29, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.

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

  • MIL-OSI Security: Somerset Man Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON N.J. – A Somerset man was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Elliott Souder, 51, was charged by complaint and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court on May 6, 2025.

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

    From at least September 20, 2021 through November 16, 2021, Souder, via his home computer, connected to an Internet-based peer-to-peer network and requested three videos depicting child sexual abuse. When members of law enforcement executed a search warrant at Souder’s Somerset residence in March 2022, they found over 1,000 images and videos of child pornography on Souder’s computer’s hard drive, including two of the aforementioned videos previously requested over the peer-to-peer network. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent children, toddlers and infants, and sadomasochism on children.

    The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, specifically the Violent Crimes Against Children Unit, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation. This investigation was conducted under FBI’s Operation Restore Justice. 

    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 Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the Criminal Division in Trenton.

    The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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    Defense counsel: Steven D. Altman, Esq., New Brunswick, NJ

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Macon Mafia Member Sent Back to Prison for Illegally Possessing AR-Style Rifle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant at Fatal 2024 Gang-Related Shooting in Macon; Deputies Seized Machinegun

    MACON, Ga. – A convicted felon and confirmed member of the Macon Mafia criminal organization who was serving supervised release for a prior federal conviction in West Virginia when a gang-related fatal shooting occurred at a Macon gas station in 2024 was sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

    Nekoase Antwan Vinson, 41, of Macon, was sentenced to serve a total of 107 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on May 12. Vinson previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Feb. 20 in Case No. 5:24-CR-64-001 (sentence of 71 months imprisonment). In addition, Vinson’s supervised release was revoked in Case No. 3:09-CR-99-002 from the Southern District of West Virgina, for which he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (sentence of 36 months imprisonment). There is no parole in the federal system.

    “A man lost his life as a result of a gang-related shooting where convicted felons illegally possessed rapid-fire guns capable of killing many people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office will use every federal resource available to lawfully hold repeat felons accountable for illegally arming themselves and endangering our community.”

    “This case is a tragic example of the mayhem that results when criminal gang members with illegally possessed firearms try to settle scores in public,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “We can be grateful that for almost nine years Nekoase Vinson will not be able to spew violence which might harm law abiding citizens.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Vinson and Joshua Teone Curry were present at the Marathon gas station on Napier Avenue in Macon on July 20, 2024, when gang-related violence broke out. Video surveillance showed Curry exchanged fire with unknown individuals using a fully automatic pistol, and Vinson brandished an AR-style rifle. Vinson and Curry left together in Vinson’s black Cadillac Escalade. Vinson wore a large “M4L” (Mafia 4 Life) medallion. That night, RaQuavian Smith, an associate of Vinson and Curry’s who was present at the Marathon, died from gunshot wounds sustained in the violence.

    Both firearms seen on video were seized by law enforcement, together with an additional pistol, on August 23, 2024. On August 23, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Roy Street at a location controlled by Vinson and Curry, taking both men into custody. Law enforcement found two firearms beneath a mattress: a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine containing 21 rounds of ammunition and a switch plus a Sig Sauer, Model P320, .45 caliber pistol with a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition. Officers recovered various Macon Mafia memorabilia, including t-shirts and hats. Hanging around Vinson’s neck was the M4L chain and medallion he wore during the July 20, 2024, shooting. Inside Curry’s vehicle, officers found a Del-Ton, Model DTI-15, AR-style caliber rifle.

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

    The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.

    Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Forfeits $736,040 Associated with DoorDash Scam

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Paul J. Ferencek, State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has forfeited $736,040 associated with a DoorDash scam.

    As alleged in the forfeiture complaint, on January 5, 2023, Stamford Police responded to a Stamford apartment for a domestic violence incident.  David Smith was taken into custody and a victim was transported to the hospital.  Later that day, investigators searching the apartment for a firearm found a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, and also found multiple safes containing a total of $736,040 in cash, and 118 credit and debit cards, almost all of which were in the names of other individuals.  The investigation revealed that Smith was operating a scam in which he used multiple phones to place DoorDash orders for delivery.  After the order was picked up, he would contact the drivers using a spoofed number and, using social engineering, convince the drivers to hand over their DoorDash account information.  Using this information, Smith would steal the victim’s delivery money that had been pooled in their account.  The cash that was seized and forfeited represents the proceeds from this scheme.

    Smith, who was being prosecuted by the State of Connecticut, was murdered in New York on January 6, 2025.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint against the seized money and, on April 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court granted the government’s motion for a Decree of Forfeiture.

    Generally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office first forfeits the money, then returns it to the crime victims, so that the crime victims have clear title to the property without risk of further litigation.

    If you believe that you were a victim of this scheme, please visit this web page or this FBI New Haven Facebook post.  There, victims of this particular scheme will find the instructions to make a petition for remission.  Should the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering Asset Recovery Unit approve your petition for remission, you may recoup some or all of your losses.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts a Former Armed-Robber of Possessing a Firearm while on Supervised Release

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Raleigh man on Tuesday on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon.  Cawajalin Kavin McNeil, age 30, will face up to 15 years of imprisonment when sentenced later this year.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in the early morning hours of March 16, 2024, while heading home from work, an eyewitness saw McNeil in a confrontation with a young woman. When the eyewitness attempted to intervene, McNeil pointed a 9mm pistol at him.  He then backed away to his vehicle where he called 911 to report the incident near North Carolina State University.  The eyewitness described the black car the defendant got into, gave a nearly complete license plate number, and a physical description of McNeil.

    When Officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded, they found McNeil seated in a black vehicle matching the description of the car from the eyewitness. That vehicle’s license plate was nearly an exact match of the one given to 911 and McNeil himself matched the description of the individual who had pointed the gun at the eyewitness. A search of the vehicle found a 9mm pistol wedged between the front passenger seat and the center console. The gun was similar to the gun pointed at the 911 caller. McNeil was then arrested for not having a conceal-carry permit.

    During processing at the Wake County Detention Center, officers located a razor blade in McNeil’s shoe and felt an unusual object near the defendant’s groin. A subsequent search uncovered a second 9mm pistol hidden in McNeil’s underwear. It was later determined that McNeil was a convicted felon who had previously plead guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence. McNeil had been sentenced to 180 months in prison, had been released in November 2023, and was on supervised release when this incident occurred.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the verdict. The RPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-cr-00271.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: East Point, Georgia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for CARES Act Unemployment Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MONTGOMERY, AL – On May 13, 2025, a federal judge sentenced Brandon Cody Carter, 36, of East Point, Georgia, to 78 months in prison for his role in a scheme to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims under the expanded Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst, of the Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Following his six-and-a-half-year term of imprisonment, Carter will serve three years on supervised release. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.

    Beginning in March 2020, the CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act expanded access to unemployment insurance programs to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Alabama, eligible individuals could receive enhanced benefits through the Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL).

    According to court documents and Carter’s plea agreement, between March and September 2020, he conspired with others to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to ADOL. In doing so, Carter falsely claimed Alabama residency and used multiple aliases, submitting fictitious names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, and other fraudulent information. As a result of these false representations, ADOL issued substantial payments to Carter through unemployment insurance debit cards and direct deposits.

    On January 23, 2025, Carter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. During the plea hearing, he admitted his actions led ADOL to disburse $818,304 in fraudulent claims. A restitution amount will be determined at a later date.

    “This sentence reflects the seriousness of defrauding programs intended to help those truly in need during a national crisis,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Brandon Carter exploited a system designed to provide relief to families facing unprecedented hardship. Our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to uncover and prosecute pandemic-related fraud wherever it occurs.”

    “Brandon Carter defrauded the Alabama Department of Labor by filing numerous false claims for unemployment insurance benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself by diverting taxpayer funds from a program that was intended to assist unemployed American workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Special Agent in Charge Broadhurst. “We will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our other law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of these critical benefit programs.”

    The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Alabama Department of Labor, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, Alabama Department of Transportation, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil prosecuted.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: National Police Week Honors the Service and Sacrifice of Law Enforcement

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: In honor of National Police Week 2025, observed this year from May 11 to May 17, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement.

    “On Tuesday of this week I was privileged to attend the annual observance at the Maine Law Enforcement Officers Memorial,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Craig M. Wolff. “The names of two additional officers were added to the wall, bringing to 90 the number of officers whose names are etched on the wall to honor their sacrifice protecting the people of Maine. The service was a poignant reminder of the risks that law enforcement officers willingly embrace each day.”

    According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 147 federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2024. The number of law enforcement professionals nationwide who died in the line of duty in 2024 increased 25% compared to 2023, according to preliminary data provided by the NLEOMF. The names of 345 fallen officers were added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., including the officers who were killed in 2024.

    In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant attempted to receive one kilogram of cocaine in package mailed from Puerto Rico

    BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy.

    Hector Torres, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 26, 2025. Torres was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023.

    In or about June 2022, a package sent from Puerto Rico to Worcester found to contain approximately 6.5 kilograms of cocaine was intercepted. On June 21, 2022, law enforcement executed a controlled delivery of the package. While accepting the delivered package, Torres apologized for not being there earlier, took the package, and set it on the ground in order to sign for delivery. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Torres, he fled on foot and was subsequently apprehended.

    The charges of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and conspiracy to do the same each provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. 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; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Honors Fallen Law Enforcement During National Police Week

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

    On Tuesday, May 13, a candlelight vigil on the National Mall, organized by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, included a roll-call of officers who died on the job in 2024. The organization’s memorial—a short distance from the U.S. Capitol—features two curving, 304-foot marble walls engraved with the names of more than 22,600 officers who have died while performing their duty since 1791.

    Police Week regularly draws 25,000 to 40,000 visitors to the nation’s capital. The observance comprises several events—including some that occur before Police Week officially starts.

    These collective events include the Blue Mass at St. Patrick Catholic Church; a Police K-9 Memorial Service at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial; a 5K fundraising run; the arrival of the Police Unity Tour, where more than 2,000 bicycle riders simultaneously arrive in Washington, D.C.; the annual candlelight vigil; and the National Peace Officers Memorial Service on May 15 at the U.S. Capitol.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Peter Sullivan murder conviction quashed after 38 years in jail – it would be a mistake to see his case as a bizarre, one-off

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Brian Thornton, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, University of Winchester

    Peter Sullivan has had his conviction for the murder of Diane Sindall quashed. He is not the Beast of Birkenhead. He is an innocent man who got ensnared in a malfunctioning system that then took 38 years to admit its mistake.

    He was wrongly convicted in 1987 for the brutal attack on the part-time pub worker. The 21-year-old was beaten to death and sexually assaulted as she walked home after a shift in Bebington, Merseyside.

    Sullivan is now 68 and has lost the best years of his life. Remarkably, in a statement read by his lawyer after his conviction was overturned he said he was “not angry, not bitter”. He said he had experienced horrors but would not dwell on them: “I’ve got to make the most of what is left of the existence I am granted in this world.”

    Given he’s the victim of the longest miscarriage of justice experienced by a living inmate in the UK, no one would begrudge Sullivan that.

    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.

    But it would be a mistake to see his case as a bizarre, one-off. In March I wrote in detail about how the English criminal justice system continually betrays victims of injustice – from cases like the Birmingham six and the Guildford four to the hundreds of victims of the Post Office scandal.

    There are also immediate parallels to be made with two other miscarriage of justice cases – Victor Nealon and Andrew Malkinson.



    Read more:
    Convicting the innocent: how a rotten system ensures miscarriages of justice will continue

    The Sullivan, Malkinson, Nealon cases were all exposed as miscarriages of justice thanks to new DNA evidence, but only after a reluctant and incurious appeal system was dragged kicking and screaming into agreeing to new forensic testing.

    Malkinson was wrongly convicted of rape and spent 17 years in prison. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) twice rejected his submissions that he was innocent, and he was only cleared when his own lawyers tracked down DNA evidence that proved his innocence.

    Nealon who was wrongfully convicted of attempted rape spent an additional ten years in prison because the CCRC refused to carry out DNA tests that would have proved his innocence. He applied to the CCRC twice but was rejected both times.

    In the Sullivan case, the CCRC feels it deserves credit for ordering the retesting that led to his exoneration, and it does. But it’s worth noting that he applied to the CCRC in 2021 and it took until now for him to be freed.

    No compensation

    Justice delayed is justice denied and all three men spent unnecessary years of their lives behind bars thanks to a sluggish and often inept appeals system.

    It took decades, but Sullivan is now a free man. He leaves prison with £89 in his pocket, and that’s it. There will be no automatic compensation, no system that eases him back into ordinary life.

    When Victor Nealon was released after 17 years in prison, he would have been homeless if it were not for the kindness of a journalist who allowed him to sleep on his couch. Nealon has never received compensation. After multiple rejections he and Sam Hallam, another miscarriage of justice victim who was accused of murder, took their claims for compensation all the way to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). They lost.

    The judges at the ECHR concluded that it was virtually impossible for victims of miscarriage of justice to receive compensation in the UK, noting that 93% of people who applied for compensation were rejected. The two men have never seen a penny of compensation.

    But it appears that Malkinson may be one of the lucky 7% who do. It has been reported that the Ministry of Justice is to pay him “a significant sum” and no one in their right mind would object to Malkinson receiving compensation. He is an innocent man who spent 17 wasted years in prison.

    Hallam, Nealon and so many more are also innocent but have been refused compensation. Why?

    It is difficult to come to any other conclusion than Malkinson is being compensated because of the media coverage his case attracted. Malkinson is a very impressive person – erudite, thoughtful and reasonable – someone capable of guest editing the Today programme. His case, along with his criticisms, threw the CCRC into crisis and led to the resignation of its chair. But not everyone can be Andrew Malkinson, and they shouldn’t have to be.

    Sullivan is a very different person. “He’s a very quiet, private man,” his lawyer told the BBC. He has so far shunned the media and it’s clear that he will not have the same high profile as Malkinson. His story will fade as the news agenda moves on and there will be a danger that the lessons from this case will be ignored or forgotten.

    For example, Sullivan’s case is a reminder that there are still people in prison who were jailed based on false confessions, and these cases should be reviewed urgently.

    And the project announced by the CCRC to identify cases where new forensic testing could provide fresh evidence needs to happen urgently. As Chris Henley KC, the lawyer who led a review into the CCRC’s handling of the Malkinson case, said, more miscarriages of justice cases are “inevitable” and so it is better to identify them as quickly as possible. No need for more innocent people to languish unnecessarily in prison.

    Ultimately, the main lesson for the criminal justice system to learn is humility.
    If a plane crashes, accident investigators will painstakingly piece the wreckage back together to identify what went wrong. If there is an infectious outbreak, medical experts will urgently seek out the source. They do this so that they can find out what went wrong and avoid future tragedies.

    But somehow the criminal justice system appears to feel it is above this approach, despite the fact that Peter Sullivan was failed by the police, by the legal system, courts and the Court of Appeal. As Henley said: “I think that there is a fundamental problem in relation to our appeal system generally, that it just won’t face up to the fact that mistakes can be made. It stubbornly wants to stick to the original flawed conviction.”

    But first and foremost, Peter Sullivan must receive the compensation he deserves. He was wronged and the state should swiftly and fairly do what it can to make that right.

    Brian Thornton 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. Peter Sullivan murder conviction quashed after 38 years in jail – it would be a mistake to see his case as a bizarre, one-off – https://theconversation.com/peter-sullivan-murder-conviction-quashed-after-38-years-in-jail-it-would-be-a-mistake-to-see-his-case-as-a-bizarre-one-off-256723

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Quest for Public Debt Transparency in EMDEs

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    Keynote Speech by IMF Financial Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department
    IMF Conference: Public Debt Transparency—Aligning the Law with Good Practices

    May 14, 2025

    Opening – Scope of the Speech

    Good afternoon, everyone. It is a privilege to be here with you. Behind many sovereign debt crises there is often a simple, but difficult truth: the full picture of public debt and contingent liabilities which migrated to sovereign balance sheets was not visible to the public until it was too late. Transparency, therefore, is not just ideal—it is essential.

    This Conference demonstrates the Fund’s shared commitment to turning transparency from a goal into a reality in our member countries. I want to thank our IMF Legal Department for this timely initiative and inviting me to speak today.

    I would like to address the importance of transparency from the vantage point of the markets and the sovereign borrowers—specifically, the debt managers. I’ll first address why transparency matters, and why now more than ever. I’ll then delve into where countries stand today, the obstacles we face, and some possible solutions. I’ll give you a brief tour of how the Fund works to improve transparency in our three core activities of surveillance, lending, and capacity development—and finally, offer some thoughts on the path forward.

    The Difficult Backdrop Calls for Greater Transparency

    As you have already heard from our IMF Managing Director this morning, ensuring public debt transparency remains critical to monitor debt vulnerabilities, at a time of historically high public debt in emerging market (EM) and developing economies.

    The current global environment presents challenges for many countries to access capital markets. EMs are already facing the highest real financing costs in a decade and will have to continue issuing government debt, including meeting new fiscal spending needs. Small middle-income countries and frontier economies face a more difficult situation. Several frontier economies would find it difficult to issue a Eurobond at current levels. Meeting external financing needs will be challenging for many frontier borrowers if official development assistance is reduced. Domestic market funding may not be sufficient to substitute for external borrowing. So, the stakes are high.

    Why Transparency Matters

    Transparency is foundational—in periods of both calm and stress.

    In normal times, it builds credibility and fosters trust. It helps countries reduce borrowing costs and reinforces accountability to a country’s citizens. Transparent debt management operations, backed by clear strategies, predictable borrowing plans, and regular reporting pays off in improved market confidence and lower credit risk. Transparency also pays off by providing better access to sovereign debt markets.

    Even under sovereign stress, transparency acts as a stabilizing force. Opacity might offer short-term breathing space, but it raises long-term borrowing costs. “Debt surprises” damage trust, increase the cost of borrowing and increase the severity of crises. Conversely, sovereigns that disclose the full picture early—and align this with credible fiscal plans—can stabilize expectations. And at the extreme, for countries facing default, when public debt becomes too high and the government cannot borrow at sustainable terms, transparency also has a role to play in negotiations with creditors by enabling a faster resolution of debt problems during debt restructuring

    To ensure adequate public debt transparency, stakeholders should be able to count on the availability of timely, accurate, and comprehensive information on public debt stock and flows. You can think of this as the outcome of a country’s debt management. But from the perspective of Fund work, the concept of public debt management transparency is broader—it also encompasses the availability of key procedures and policies on public debt and of sound legal frameworks to support them. This should cover both the central and the general government.

    The Current State of Public Debt Transparency in EMDEs

    Evaluated against these metrics, sovereigns in advanced economies generally abide to high standards of debt transparency. Advanced economies typically finance themselves in markets, which impose market discipline. The process for sharing information on their borrowings is well established and institutionalized, and as a result, data on public debt is readily accessible. Some emerging markets are as transparent as advanced economies on their general government debt. However, governments in many emerging markets and developing economies rely significantly on external loans as well as on non-marketable domestic debt which can make their debt less transparent.

    Many factors explain the opaqueness of government borrowings in emerging markets and developing economies. These include lenders’ preferences, persistently large borrowing needs, low accountability, aversion to transparency, shallow bond markets, and lack of capacity. While inadequate public debt transparency is often the result of an interplay between several factors, analyzing them separately allows identifying potential solutions that are most urgently needed. Allow me to highlight a few key factors and what can be done to address them.

    First, lender preferences. Some resource-exporting countries use collateralized debt structures at the behest of creditors, involving special purpose vehicles that conceal the nature and seniority of these debt structures. Importantly, collateralized debt is often undertaken with confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements that impede reporting and disclosure.

    Solutions to address this type of opacity require establishing a legal and policy framework that discourages such borrowing structures. Legal frameworks can also help tackle this problem by limiting the scope of confidentiality agreements the executive can enter into and mandating a minimum level of disclosure regarding the financial terms of these debt liabilities.

    Second, the reticence of sovereign borrowers to disclose their borrowings. This can be an intentional under-reporting of public debt liabilities. However, it is often more subtle: some sovereigns rely on financing by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) or other entities that are effectively backed by the government, but whose debt liabilities are kept off-budget.

    Finding solutions to this problem is a difficult challenge. The solution is stronger governance, supported by stronger legal frameworks around the entire public financial management ecosystem. Such frameworks would warrant disclosure of all public debt liabilities and new borrowings, including by SOEs, and extra-budgetary entities supplemented with full fiscal transparency of the government and the SOEs balance sheets.

    Third, there can be gaps in the framework for public debt transparency. Such gaps mostly reflect shortcomings in the governance, reporting, and the institutional and policy framework of public debt. In many countries, this is a function of fragmented debt management responsibilities even within the central government. Inadequate transparency in such countries does not imply a lack of willingness by the sovereign to disclose its debt liabilities, but rather a deficiency in its ability to be adequately transparent. We see many such cases in our work.

    Addressing these gaps requires a broad-based approach, starting from the legal and governance framework, and weaving through institutional arrangements and the policy framework for public debt management. We have seen some countries make tangible progress that we have supported with capacity development, although more needs to be done across our membership.

    Leveraging Marketable Debt for Transparency and Sound Financing

    While much of the global discussion related to transparency has focused on external debt. I will take this opportunity to speak about debt issued in the local market and how greater reliance on marketable debt could drive better transparency and sound financing. Domestic debt transparency is an overlooked issue in the debt discussions on low-income countries (LICs).

    Large emerging markets typically have well-developed domestic government securities markets characterized by strong transparency practices. As in advanced economies, the cost of borrowing in large EMs reflect market forces. In the last decade or so, sovereigns from smaller emerging markets and LICs have relied more heavily on domestic debt. However, in these countries, transparency practices in domestic debt markets are often weak. And since in some cases the development of local debt markets is still evolving, many borrowers rely on non-marketable debt to fill part of their domestic financing needs. Non-marketable borrowing tends to be more insulated from price signals and inherently less transparent.

    There is a solution: accepting market prices. Transparency is a prerequisite for markets to operate well. Transparency on primary market issuances is crucial for price discovery and predictability for investors. And transparency in secondary market pricing and transactions is important for market liquidity. Such steps could create a self-reinforcing dynamic to improve transparency.    

    IMF Work on Debt Transparency

    Against this background, let me now give you a brief account of what we do in the Fund to promote debt transparency by sovereign borrowers. These efforts span the three key areas of Fund activity: bilateral surveillance, lending, and capacity development.

    Within bilateral surveillance, the IMF last year decided to expand the scope of mandatory reporting on debt by member countries. Members will be required to report on general government debt stock from this year (2025) and to report its detailed composition from 2027.

    In the context of our lending programs, the IMF Debt Limits Policy has raised the bar on debt disclosure. Where countries have critical debt data disclosure gaps, these should be addressed upfront in IMF-supported programs. And every IMF program staff report is now required to provide granular information on debt holders and debt service by creditor for a period of three years as well as information on the stock of collateralized debt.

    Our work on Capacity Development (CD), supports efforts to enhance transparency by sovereign borrowers. Over the years, debt transparency has increasingly been mainstreamed across many areas including support on public debt management, fiscal transparency assessments, debt sustainability assessments, the domestic legal framework on public debt management, and statistical dissemination of public debt. Further, debt transparency has now been added as an explicit outcome in our Results-based Management framework, which we use to monitor the effectiveness of our CD delivery.

    The Fund has stepped up its CD work on public debt reporting and monitoring, publication of medium-term debt management strategies and annual borrowing plans, and fiscal risk assessments—all of which will contribute to enhance transparency by our member countries. For this purpose, staff from different departments—including staff from MCM, as well as the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs, Statistics and Legal Departments—work closely with officials across our membership from the Ministries of Finance, Debt Management Offices, Central Banks, and Audit Institutions.

    Our policy and analytical work—including papers like Making Public Debt Public, and those on Sovereign Investor Relations and Legal Foundations of Public Debt Transparency—shape global thinking and inform Fund policy. At the same time, our longstanding guidance—like the IMF-World Bank Guidelines on Public Debt Management and the Fund’s Fiscal Transparency Codeas well as statistical standards—continues to provide an anchor for sound debt transparency practices across our membership.

    Conclusion

    As you carry forward your discussion today and tomorrow on the legal reforms needed to promote transparency of sovereign debt, I would like to leave you with four key messages.

    First, public debt transparency helps a sovereign, both in good and bad times.

    Second, enhancing debt transparency is all the more critical under the current global environment.

    Third, debt transparency must be designed and not assumed as a default setting.

    Fourth, it must be embedded in law, institutions, and incentives—across the full spectrum of public borrowing.

    To achieve this, countries should develop a strong governance mechanism on public debt supported by robust legal and institutional frameworks. Such frameworks should not only cover central government debt but also extend across the general government and state-owned enterprises. The goal is clear. However, we must acknowledge that this would be a big ask and long-term project, especially given the capacity constraints in many emerging and developing economies.

    A well-sequenced approach to upgrade the transparency framework will be crucial. For many countries, starting with central government debt and expanding outward in a phased, realistic way could be the right approach. Enhancing transparency on general government debt and the wider public sector would be the next priority.

    The Fund remains a committed partner in this journey—helping countries move from fragmented systems and hidden risks to integrated frameworks and informed policy choices.

    Thank you—and I wish you a productive remainder of the conference.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER:

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/05/14/sp051425-the-quest-for-public-debt-transparency-in-emdes

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Connecticut Delegation, Colleagues File Amicus Brief Slamming Trump’s Lawless Attempts To Dismantle The CFPB

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    May 14, 2025

    HARTFORD—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives John B. Larson (D-Conn.-01), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04), and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) joined their colleagues in filing an amicus brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in a lawsuit brought forth after President Trump illegally fired staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The brief condemns mass firings at the CFPB, reiterates that Congress created the CFPB to combat the abuses that caused the devastating 2008 financial crisis, and highlights that the president does not have the power to abolish it.
    “Congress has been creating, restructuring, and eliminating executive offices, departments, and agencies since the Founding.  At the same time, because power over the basic structure of the federal government is Congress’s alone, the executive branch cannot unilaterally establish or abolish an executive agency,” the lawmakers wrote.
    They continued: “The Administration’s actions, if allowed to occur, would not just be unconstitutional—they would also be disastrous.  As the Supreme Court has explained, eliminating the CFPB would ‘trigger a major regulatory disruption and would leave appreciable damage to Congress’s work in the consumer-finance arena.’”
    The amicus brief was led by U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA-35) and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Former lawmakers Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Barney Frank (D-MA) also signed onto the amicus brief.
    U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also signed the brief, along with former lawmakers Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.).
    Since its inception, over 80,000 Connecticut residents have received more than $45 million from CFPB’s Civil Penalty Fund, which is used to help compensate harmed victims who would not otherwise receive compensation from the defendant in the case. Last year, Connecticut consumers also received compensation from the CFPB’s lawsuits against Think Finance for deceiving consumers into repaying loans they did not owe, and Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com for subjecting consumers to illegal advance fees and deceptive advertising.
    The full amicus brief is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why are Turkey and the PKK turning to peace – and can it last?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Pinar Dinc, Associate Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science and Researcher, Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University

    Negotiations to end more than 40 years of conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) have taken on a concrete dimension. On May 12, two months after the PKK’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, wrote a letter in which he called on the group to lay down its arms, it has announced it will disband.

    The PKK, which has been fighting for greater Kurdish rights and autonomy, has outlined several conditions it views as essential for it to dissolve. It insists that Öcalan lead and direct the peace process, that the right to democratic politics in Turkey is recognised, and that the group is given solid legal guarantees.

    On the one hand, there seems to be great longing for peace between Turkey and the PKK. This has been evidenced by the positive reactions to the PKK’s statement both nationally and internationally.

    Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said the PKK’s disengagement with terror had opened “the doors of a new era in every area, namely strengthening politics and democratic capacity”.

    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.

    However, there is also scepticism. Turkey views the peace process very differently from the Kurds, referring to it as part of the government’s “terror-free Turkey” initiative. The Kurdish movement has instead adopted the title of Öcalan’s February letter, “Call for Peace and Democratic Society”.

    Many also see Erdoğan’s willingness to resolve the Kurdish issue as a political maneuver by the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP). Positioning itself as the party that ended decades of “terror” at the hands of the PKK would allow the AKP to consolidate its hold on power.

    But, notwithstanding this, there are clear reasons for both the Turkish state and the PKK to come to the negotiating table now. One of the leading reasons is the changing geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East.

    In late 2024, Bashar al-Assad’s regime was toppled in Syria and the country was subsequently taken over by Islamist militants. Iran’s influence has also been weakened following the collapse of parts of its regional proxy network, notably Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and, most recently, the Houthis in Yemen.

    Israel, meanwhile, is continuing its war in Gaza. And it has intensified its military operations in Syria, particularly near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, alongside open expressions of support for Syria’s Druze religous communities.

    At the same time, Donald Trump has returned to the White House and reopened the door to dialogue with Iran over its nuclear programme. The region’s politics are being reshaped, and leaders across the Middle East are repositioning themselves accordingly.

    For the PKK and its broader political base, a peace process with Turkey offers a pathway to equal citizenship, democratic participation and long-term legitimacy for Kurds in the Middle East after nearly a century of struggle.

    This was signalled by the Kurdish National Conference in April 2025. The conference, which was attended by different Kurdish parties and organisations, highlighted the importance of strategic coordination among Kurds in the region.

    For Turkey, peace with the PKK now would further reduce a weakened Iran’s ability to project power westward. Some groups suspected of being affiliated with the PKK, such as the Sinjar Resistance Units in northern Iraq, have been indirectly supported by Iran.

    Turkey’s handling of the PKK conflict and the broader Kurdish issue has also often complicated its engagement with the west. For example, human rights groups have accused Turkey of allowing the Syrian National Army (a coalition of armed groups in northern Syria) to act with impunity against Kurdish civilians in areas outside its control.

    This has created friction in Turkey’s diplomatic outreach to the US and Europe. By addressing the longstanding Kurdish issue, Ankara could lay the groundwork for more stable relations with the west. These relations are particularly important now as Turkey is looking to take an increasingly key role in European security.

    It is serving as a mediator in negotiations to end the Ukraine war. And Erdoğan has even offered to host direct talks between the Ukrainian president, Volodymr Zelensky, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Istanbul.

    Bumpy road ahead

    The PKK’s dissolution will not guarantee peace in Turkey. The Kurdish people expect equal citizenship and the end the government’s practice of removing elected mayors and replacing them with state-appointed trustees.

    They also demand the release of political prisoners and reforms to Turkey’s anti-terrorism laws, which critics say are frequently used to suppress dissent. These issues will be discussed in parliament over the coming days, with talks on a new constitution expected to take place in the autumn.

    The negotiations will not be simple. The Kurds have been persistently labelled as rebels, traitors and terrorists since the beginning of the Turkish republic in 1923. It will not be easy to change entrenched opinions overnight.

    Özgür Özel, the leader of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s party (CHP), has emphasised the importance of resolving the Kurdish issue peacefully and democratically. But it is not clear whether his views reflect those of his supporter base and Turkish society more broadly.

    Turkey must be further democratised to give the peace process a greater chance of success. The nation’s vibrant civil society currently operates under intense pressure from the state. Giving it more of a voice will help bring Turkey’s deeply divided society together.

    It is always difficult – if not impossible – to make predictions about the future when it comes to Middle Eastern politics. However, a new balance is being established in the Middle East, and in this new balance very different players have to sit at the same table.

    Pinar Dinc is the principal investigator of the ECO-Syria project, which receives funding from the Strategic Research Area: The Middle East in the Contemporary World (MECW) at the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University, Sweden.

    – ref. Why are Turkey and the PKK turning to peace – and can it last? – https://theconversation.com/why-are-turkey-and-the-pkk-turning-to-peace-and-can-it-last-256527

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Joins Push Urging the Trump Administration to Drop its Anti-Voter Policies that will Disenfranchise Tribal Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and 10 of her Senate colleagues in sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts of President Trump’s anti-voter “election integrity” executive order and the SAVE Act on Native American voting rights.

    “Enactment of new voter registration policies under the Executive Order and the SAVE Act would lead to mass disenfranchisement of eligible Native voters and further depress the Native vote,” wrote the Senators. “Tribal IDs generally lack place of birth information required by the legislation, and the vast majority of these IDs lack the specific U.S. citizenship documentation required by the Executive Order. And the SAVE Act’s in-person requirement would exacerbate existing barriers, such as requiring IDs that list residential mailing addresses, by forcing many Native voters to travel great distances, including costly flights or multi-hour drives, to reach their local elections office or polling place.”

    “As Secretary of the Interior, you have a special moral and legal responsibility to uphold our nation’s trust and treaty obligations,” continued the Senators. “If implemented, the sweeping federal mandates included in the Executive Order and the SAVE Act would disenfranchise eligible Native voters who are following state laws. We encourage your active engagement with the White House and the Department of Justice to ensure that Native communities are able to exercise the franchise fully and have their voices heard at the ballot box.”

    Tribal IDs are currently an acceptable form of documentation to register to vote in nearly every state, but the SAVE Act and Trump executive order require that an ID must show place of birth and citizenship, which the majority of Tribal IDs lack, adding another barrier to the ballot box for many Native American communities. The Senators underscored that if enacted, these provisions would force Tribal voters who live in rural and remote locations to travel significant distances to prove their citizenship in order to register to vote.

    The Senators also emphasized the disproportionate impact the vote-by-mail restrictions would have on Native communities, which often rely more on mail-in voting because of a lack of infrastructure and transportation access. Trump’s executive order penalizes states that accept absentee or mail-in ballots received after Election Day, harming Native voters in states like Nevada, Alaska, North Dakota, Oregon, and California that process ballots as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.

    Only 66 percent of Native Americans eligible to participate in elections are currently registered to vote, leaving more than 1 million eligible voting-age Native Americans unregistered. Creating further obstacles to register to vote would likely reduce these numbers even further.

    Senator Cortez Masto has long been a champion for Tribal communities. Last year, the Senate passed both her legislation to make it easier for Indian Health Services to recruit and retain doctors and her legislation to strengthen Tribal public safety. She repeatedly called on the Biden administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Virginia, Maryland Senators Urge House to Pass D.C. Budget Fix

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD) urged House Republican leadership to take up and pass the bipartisan legislation, passed previously by the Senate, to allow the District of Columbia to use its own local funding. Today marks two months since that bill, authored by Sen. Van Hollen and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) – and cosponsored by Sens. Warner, Kaine, and Alsobrooks – passed the Senate unanimously.

    “It’s been two months since the Senate passed, with bipartisan support, a simple fix that allows the District of Columbia the ability make its own funding decisions, yet the House still refuses to act. Each day that this legislation stalls, we are leaving D.C. in the lurch, threatening the District’s schools, public safety, and emergency response operations. It’s well past time for the House to act,” Sen. Warner said.

    “Republican House leadership’s decision to stall a bipartisan bill—which even President Trump supports—to allow D.C. to spend its own money is ridiculous and wrong,” said Sen. Kaine. “Law enforcement officers’ salaries and the quality of D.C.’s public schools and transportation have hung in the balance for months because of the House’s failure to act. It’s time for Speaker Johnson to do his job, and bring this bill up for a vote like he promised.”

    “The District of Columbia should be able to spend its own revenue without Congress getting in the way. Yet by freezing over $1 billion of D.C.’s own funds through their sham funding bill in March, House Republicans are holding the District hostage – threatening the operations of local law enforcement, fire departments, schools, and more. This is all pain for D.C. residents, and no gain for federal taxpayers who aren’t saving a single cent as a result of this pointless provision. Two months ago today, the Senate unanimously passed the bill Senator Collins and I authored to fix this issue, and President Trump has urged the House to do the same. It’s time for Speaker Johnson to let this bill move forward and release D.C.’s funds,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

    “I worked with my fellow DMV Senators to pass a bipartisan solution to the $1.1 billion budget cuts in the disastrous CR. It has been waiting on the House’s vote for two months. At a time when our neighbor D.C. is experiencing economic hardship and hundreds of civil servants, many of whom are Marylanders, are losing their jobs in the district, we need to make sure this budget fix gets passed,” said Sen. Alsobrooks.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Unanimously Passes Cassidy, Grassley Resolution Recognizing National Police Week

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and 79 senators applaudedthe Senate’s unanimous passage of their resolution designating May 12 through 17 as National Police Week to reiterate the Senate’s unwavering support for law enforcement officers across the United States. 
    “As hostility toward police officers grows, threats to their safety increase. We must support those who risk their lives daily to protect our communities,” said Dr. Cassidy.
    “Law enforcement officers in Iowa and across the nation work tirelessly to protect and serve our communities. This week, and every week, we should give our thanks to the brave men and women in blue, who have sacrificed so much to ensure our safety,” said Senator Grassley. “As always, I’m proud to back the blue and will continue my efforts in Congress to protect and support our courageous officers.” 
    Cassidy and Grassley were joined by U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Ashley Moody (R-FL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Kennedy (R-LA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Tim Scott (R-SC), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jim Risch (R-ID), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rand Paul (R-KY), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Katie Britt (R-AL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Rick Scott (R-FL), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jim Banks (R-IN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ted Budd (R-NC), Gary Peters (D-MI), Thomas Tillis (R-NC), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Warner (D-VA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Margaret Hassan (D-NH), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Thune (R-SD), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jon Husted (R-OH), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Todd Young (R-IN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and John Boozman (R-AR) in introducing the resolution.
    Background
    Every year, for more than six decades, Congress has passed a resolution in honor of law enforcement officers. During National Police Week, Americans pay special tribute to the service and sacrifice of courageous officers and their families, especially our nation’s fallen heroes. Cassidy is a consistent supporter of law enforcement. This month, he introduced legislation recognizing law enforcement officers for their diligence in protecting and serving our communities and calling for increased health and safety measures for law enforcement professionals.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — Four drivers arrested by RCMP NL for impaired driving offences this past weekend

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Over this past weekend, RCMP NL arrested four individuals for impaired driving offences. Drivers were stopped in Harbour Grace, Roddickton, Marystown and Philips Head.

    Shortly before 10:00 p.m. on Friday, May 9, 2025, Harbour Grace RCMP responded to the report of a suspected impaired driver. The described vehicle was located and stopped on Water Street in Harbour Grace. The driver, a 67-year-old woman, showed signs of alcohol impairment and was arrested. Back at the detachment, the woman refused to provided breath samples. She now faces charges of impaired operation and refusing to provide a breath sample.

    Approximately 40 minutes later, Roddickton RCMP stopped a vehicle in front of the detachment on Cloud Drive in Roddickton. The driver, a 56-year-old man, showed signs of drug impairment. The man performed poorly on roadside field sobriety tests and was arrested for drug impaired driving. He was transported to White Bay Central Health Centre in Roddickton where a blood sample was obtained. Police await the results of the testing to determine if charges of drug impaired driving are appropriate.

    Shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 11, Burin Peninsula RCMP stopped a vehicle on Columbia Drive in Marystown. The vehicle was uninsured and had expired registration. The driver, 44-year-old man, showed signs of alcohol impairment and failed a roadside breath test. He was arrested and was transported to the detachment where he provided further breath samples that were above the legal limit. He faces charges of impaired operation and was ticketed under the Highway Traffic Act for operating a vehicle without insurance and registration.

    Later that day, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP responded to the report of a suspected impaired driver. The described vehicle was located and stopped on Route 352 in Philips Head. The driver, a 51-year-old man, failed a roadside breath test and was arrested. At the detachment, the man provided further breath samples that were more than twice the legal limit. He faces charges of impaired operation.

    All drivers were released from custody and those who are set to face charges are scheduled to appear in court at later dates. Licence suspensions and vehicle seizures occurred where appropriate.

    This week, during Canada Road Safety Week, RCMP NL remain focussed on road safety, including the enforcement of those who choose to drive while impaired. If you suspect a driver is impaired, please contact your local detachment or 911 to make a report.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, McClain, Delaney, Moylan Introduce Legislation to Expand Leave Benefits for Military Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    May 12, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Veterans’ Affairs Committees (SVAC)—and U.S. Representatives April McClain Delaney (D-MD-06) and James Moylan (R-GU-AL) introduced legislation to modernize the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in order to help ensure that military caregiver benefits are available to more people who selflessly care for their servicemember or Veteran family member in medical need. The Making it Likely for Families of the Military to Live with Leave Access (MIL FMLA) Act would expand FMLA leave benefits for military family members who aren’t currently covered under the FMLA.
    “It’s long overdue that Congress expands leave benefits for the selfless Americans who care for their servicemember or Veteran loved ones—who often have complex and unique medical needs as a result of their service,” said Senator Duckworth. “No servicemember should ever have to worry whether they and their loved ones will have the benefits needed to care for them after their service—it hurts our military readiness and recruiting. Supporting caregivers isn’t just about doing something humanitarian. It’s about the safety and security of our nation.”
    “Over 14 million Americans care for injured servicemembers and veterans, yet current law leaves too many behind,” said Congresswoman McClain Delaney. “The bipartisan MIL FMLA Act, which I’m proud to lead with Congressman Moylan, ensures all military caregivers—including domestic partners and extended family—can access the leave they deserve, without arbitrary restrictions. This bill is a step toward truly honoring the service and sacrifice of those who care for our nation’s heroes.”
    “I am proud to co-lead the bipartisan MIL FMLA Act with Rep. McClain Delaney, which will address inequities that our veterans, servicemembers, and their families face every day,” said Congressman Moylan. “As the representative of the district with the highest level of enlistments per capita, and as a veteran myself, this bill addresses the countless underlying issues that affect our ability and willingness to serve. I look forward to working with Rep. McClain Delaney to deliver for those in our country who have served and currently serve our country.”
    The MIL FMLA Act would address the gaps in FMLA that have left many military caregivers without adequate leave access by:
    Adding reserve components and domestic deployments as covered active duty for family members;
    Eliminating the requirement that military caregiver protections only apply to Veterans who served within the last five years;
    Allowing military caregivers to utilize special military caregiver FMLA leave more than once;
    Expanding military caregiver provisions to cover domestic partners and other close family members like aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, grandparents, grandchildren and other loved ones; and
    Creating a new form of leave, specifically for Veterans who need extended time to address serious injuries or illnesses related to their service.
    Along with Duckworth, the legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
    Along with McClain Delaney and Moylan, the legislation is cosponsored in the House by U.S. Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), André Carson (D-IN-07), Troy Carter (D-LA-02), Gil Cisneros (D-CA-31), Cleo Fields (D-LA-06), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Sam Liccardo (D-CA-16), Sarah McBride (D-DE-AL), Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), Johnny Olszewksi (D-MD-02), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13) and Rasihda Tlaib (D-MI-12).
    The legislation is endorsed by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, National Military Family Association, American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, Center for American Progress (CAP), Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), Caregiver Action Network, National Partnership for Women & Families, VoteVets, Caring Across Generations, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), MomsRising, Family Values @ Work, Common Defense, A Better Balance, Truman National Security Project, Secure Families Initiative and Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) of NEPA.
    “The Making It Likely for Families of the Military to Live with Leave Access Act is a crucial step forward in helping those who make countless sacrifices for their country,” said Molly Weston Williamson, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. “Service members, veterans, and their loved ones deserve the time they need to respond to the effects of service. No one should have to risk their job in order to ensure they or their family can get the care they need or to address the impacts of deployment.”
    Full text of the legislation is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
    Duckworth has long been a leader in pushing for better benefits and support for members of the armed and uniformed services and their family members. In April, she introduced legislation that would help expand leave benefits for the millions of devoted health professionals serving in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps. Last year, she helped secure $2.9 billion to support family caregivers of disabled Veterans and $2.4 billion to expand benefits and services for military and Veteran caregivers to include health care and mental health services, among other things. Last month, she renewed her push to ensure IVF treatment costs are covered on servicemembers’ and military families’ health care plans. Last December, Duckworth helped pass the bipartisan Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that gave servicemembers a pay raise and included a Duckworth-led provision to improve access to high-quality medical care for servicemembers and their families in the Indo-Pacific region, among other wins for military families.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests Afghani national convicted of assault in Maryland

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BALTIMORE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 27-year-old Afghani national Javid Ahmadi May 13 in Elkridge, Maryland. Ahmadi has been convicted of second-degree assault.

    “The arrest of this criminal alien offender, who has been convicted of assault here in Maryland, highlights the ongoing threat posed by individuals who violate our immigration laws and engage in serious criminal activity after entering the United States illegally,” said ICE Baltimore acting Field Office Director Nikita Baker. “ICE Baltimore will continue to prioritize the arrest and removal of criminal aliens who endanger the safety and well-being of our Maryland communities.”

    The U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Ahmadi near San Ysidro, California, Oct. 10, 2023, and served him a notice to appear. On the same date, Border Patrol released him on an order of recognizance.

    On June 19, 2024, the Anne Arundel County Police Department arrested and charged Ahmadi for second-degree assault, a fourth-degree sex offense and indecent exposure. The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County in Annapolis convicted Ahmadi for the offense of second-degree assault April 9 and sentenced him to 11 months and 29 days of confinement, but ultimately suspended his entire sentence.

    Ahmadi will remain in ICE custody.

    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 @EROBaltimore.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sinaloa cartel leaders charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism and drug trafficking in ICE, FBI investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN DIEGO – An indictment unsealed May 13 is the first in the nation to charge alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel with narco-terrorism and material support of terrorism in connection with trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin into the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI are investigating this case.

    “These charges highlight the unwavering efforts of transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel to flood our communities with deadly drugs,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. “HSI and our law enforcement partners will not allow cartel-driven drug trafficking to threaten the safety and stability of our neighborhoods. We are all lasered focused on a unified effort to dismantling these networks and their factions in bringing those responsible to justice.”

    Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, are charged with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering as key leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a powerful and violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that is believed to be the world’s largest known fentanyl production network. Five other BLO leaders are charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. The indictment is a direct result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14157 which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the Secretary of State’s subsequent designation of the same on February 20, 2025.

    “The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex, dangerous terrorist organization and dismantling them demands a novel, powerful legal response,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over — we will seek life in prison for these terrorists.”

    “Operation Take Back America initiatives reflect the reality that narco-terrorists operate as a cancer within a state,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “They metastasize violence, corruption and fear. If left unchecked, their growth would lead to the death of law and order. This indictment is what justice looks like when the full measure of the Department of Justice along with its law enforcement partners is brought to bear against the Sinaloa Cartel.”

    “BLO, under the leadership of Inzunza Noriega, is allegedly responsible for some of the largest-ever drug seizures of fentanyl and cocaine destined for the United States,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “Their drugs not only destroy lives and communities, but also threaten our national security. The law enforcement efforts against the Noriegas reaffirms our commitment to dismantling and disrupting this very dangerous narco-terrorist group and combating narco-trafficking.”

    According to court documents, since its inception the Beltran Leyva faction has been considered one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations to operate in Mexico, engaging in shootouts, murders, kidnappings, torture and violent collection of drug debts to sustain its operations. The Beltran Leyva faction controls numerous territories and plazas throughout Mexico – including Tijuana – and operates with violent impunity, trafficking in deadly drugs, threatening communities, and targeting key officials, all while making millions of dollars from their criminal activities.

    Pedro Inzunza Noriega works closely with his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, to produce and aggressively traffic fentanyl to the United States, the government has alleged. Court documents indicate that together the father and son lead one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world. Over the past several years, they have trafficked tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl into the United States. On December 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement raided multiple locations in Sinaloa that are controlled and managed by the father and son and seized 1,500 kilograms (more than 1.65 tons) of fentanyl – the largest seizure of fentanyl in the world.

    These indictments follow a notable tradition in the Southern District of California for targeting leadership and operations of powerful Mexican cartels – from the dismantling of the Arellano Felix Cartel to major strikes against today’s most dangerous, powerful and violent cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel and now the Beltran Leyva Organization. It is the first indictment from the newly formed Narco-Terrorism Unit which was established upon the swearing in of U.S. Attorney Gordon on April 11, 2025.

    The indictment of Pedro Inzunza Noriega reflects the Southern District of California’s pursuit of the Sinaloa Cartel. Federal drug trafficking indictments are pending against all alleged leaders of its Beltran Leyva faction, including:

    • Fausto Isidro Meza Flores aka “Chapo Isidro,” case number: 19-CR-1272 in the Southern District of California and 12-116BAH in the District of Columbia
    • Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe aka “El Musico,” case number 19-CR-3736 in the Southern District of California; 09-CR-00672 in the Northern District of Illinois; 15-CR-00195 in the District of Columbia, and
    • Pedro Inzunza Noriega aka “Sagitario,” case number 25cr1505.

    The Southern District of California also has indictments pending against other leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, including:

    • Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar aka “El Chapito,” case number 14-cr-00658 in the Southern District of California and 09-CR-383 in the Northern District of Illinois
    • Ismael Zambada Sicairos aka “Mayito Flaco,” case number: 14-cr-00658 in the Southern District of California; and
    • Jose Gil Caro Quintero aka “El Chino,” case number 22-cr-00036 in the District of Columbia

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton.

    Defendants for Case Number 25cr1505

    Name Age Location
    Pedro Inzunza Noriega | aka “Sagitario,” aka “120,” aka “El De La Silla” 62 Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
    Pedro Inzunza Coronel | aka “Pichon,” Aka “Pajaro”, aka “Bird” 33 Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
    David Alejandro Heredia Velazquez | aka “Tano,” aka “Mr. Jordan” 50 Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
    Oscar Rene Gonzalez Menendez | aka “Rubio” 45 Guatemala City, Guatemala
    Elias Alberto Quiros Benavides 53 San Jose, Costa Rica
    Daniel Eduardo Bojorquez | aka “Chopper” 47 Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
    Javier Alonso Vazquez Sanchez | aka “Tito”, aka “Drilo” 31 Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

    Summary of Charges

    • Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 960a and 841 – Narco-Terrorism
      Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years in prison; $20 million fine
    • Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 2339B – Providing Material Support to Terrorism
      Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
    • Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 848(a) -Continuing Criminal Enterprise
      Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years; $10 million fine
    • Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 959, 960, and 963 – International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
      Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
    • Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
      Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years in prison; $10 million fine
    • Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960 and 963 – Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances
      Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
    • Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
      Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a fine of the greater of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved

    The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

    This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Honors Nebraska Law Enforcement During National Police Week

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Senate passes Fischer cosponsored resolution honoring fallen Ceresco Police Officer Ross Bartlett

    Today, after the U.S. Senate passed a resolution recognizing National Police Week, which included honoring fallen Ceresco Police Officer Ross Bartlett, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement:

    “Nebraska’s police officers risk their lives every day to make the ‘Good Life’ we all cherish a safer place to live, work, and raise a family. During National Police Week, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the men and women in blue who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe,” said Fischer.

    Fischer continued, “Last year, Nebraskans mourned the loss of one of our own, Police Officer Ross Bartlett. I am proud to cosponsor this Senate passed resolution honoring his courage and selflessness. We are forever grateful for his service and sacrifice.”

    Fischer’s Work with Law Enforcement:

    Last year, Fischer’s Recruit and Retain Act, which provides law enforcement across the country with resources to combat staffing shortages, was signed into law.

    This Congress, Fischer joined her colleagues in introducing the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Reauthorization Act, to reauthorize the nationwide law enforcement program that uses evidence-based and data-driven approaches to reduce violent crime. 

    Additionally, Fischer cosponsored the Protect and Serve Act, which would give federal prosecutors more tools to go after those who deliberately target law enforcement officers by creating a federal crime to knowingly cause, or attempt to cause, bodily injury to a law enforcement officer. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Honors Law Enforcement Officers for National Police Week

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) honored Utah’s law enforcement officers this week supporting two resolutions recognizing their service and the observance of National Police Week.
    “The courageous men and women of law enforcement put their lives on the line every day to protect our families and our communities,” said Senator Mike Lee. “In the face of outrageous attacks against these American heroes, we salute them, we thank them, and we pray for them.”
     
    Badges from each of Utah’s police departments are displayed in honor of National Police Week.
    Senator Lee cosponsored two pieces of legislation honoring the work of law enforcement officers. A resolution introduced Tuesday recognizes the sacrifices and impact made by police officers across the country – particularly those whose lives were lost in the line of duty – and calls for increased support for officers’ work and wellbeing. Another resolution passed unanimously on Tuesday with a large bipartisan coalition calling for the observance of National Police Week on May 11-17, 2025.
    Approximately 800,000 law enforcement officers in the United States – and over 5,000 in Utah – risk their lives every day to protect and serve their communities. Utah’s dedicated police departments have decreased the rates of violent crime, homicide, property crime, and vehicle theft at a faster pace than the national average since 2020. Yet while police forces have successfully brought crime rates down, increasing partisan hostility puts them in more danger than ever. Over the past 10 years, over 2,500 American law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty, with assaults peaking in 2023 as 79,000 officers suffered attacks by criminals. These resolutions reaffirm Congress’s commitment to support law enforcement officers in their service to Americans.
    Read the resolution in support of law enforcement here.
    Read the resolution on National Police Week here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Amit Shah lauds security forces for eliminating 31 Maoists

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In a major breakthrough in the country’s fight against Maoist insurgency, security forces have eliminated 31 Naxalites in what has been termed the biggest-ever anti-Naxal operation in India. The 21-day-long joint operation was carried out at Karreguttalu Hill (KGH), situated along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border—a region long considered a formidable stronghold of Naxal activity.
     
    Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the security forces for the historic success. In a post on X, he said the area once ruled by red terror now proudly hoists the Indian tricolour. He informed that KGH was previously the unified headquarters of major Naxal outfits including the PLGA Battalion 1, Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), Telangana State Committee (TSC), and the Central Regional Committee (CRC). It served as a critical center for Naxal training, strategy formulation, and arms production.
     
    The Home Minister highlighted that the operation, successfully concluded within 21 days, did not result in any casualties among the security personnel. He congratulated the CRPF, Special Task Force (STF), and District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel for their courage in carrying out the mission under challenging weather and terrain conditions. He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to root out Naxalism under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reiterated that India is on track to become Naxal-free by March 31, 2026.
     
    Senior officials, including CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh, Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam, and Additional Director General (Anti-Naxal Operations) also briefed the media in Bijapur on the operation’s details. According to officials, 31 uniformed Naxalites—including 16 women—were killed, and 35 weapons were recovered following 21 encounters during the course of the mission. So far, 28 of the deceased have been identified, and a total bounty of ₹1.72 crore had been announced for them.
     
    The operation, which took place between April 21 and May 11, was the result of detailed intelligence gathering and strategic planning. Inputs received from multiple agencies led to the formation of a multi-agency team tasked with collecting and analyzing technical and human intelligence. Based on this intelligence, security forces were able to detect Maoist hideouts, locate arms caches, and recover a large cache of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), BGL shells, and other materials. Officials stated that the use of real-time information helped prevent multiple IED-related casualties.
     
    Karreguttalu Hill, a vast and difficult terrain measuring around 60 kilometers in length and up to 20 kilometers in width, had become a refuge for 300–350 armed Maoist cadres, including members of the PLGA’s technical department and allied units. Over the past two and a half years, the Naxalites had entrenched themselves in the area, prompting a need for a large-scale and carefully executed security response.
     
    During the course of the operation, security forces destroyed 214 hideouts and bunkers and recovered 450 IEDs, 818 BGL shells, 899 bundles of codex wire, detonators, and nearly 12,000 kilograms of food supplies. Additionally, four Naxal technical units engaged in the production of weapons and explosives were dismantled. Authorities believe that several senior Naxal cadres may have been killed or seriously injured, though the difficult terrain has hindered full recovery of all bodies.
     
    Despite daytime temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius and treacherous terrain, the morale of the troops remained high. Eighteen personnel from the CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit, STF, and DRG sustained injuries, mostly due to IED blasts, but all are currently in stable condition and receiving treatment.
     
    The operation also reflects the broader success of the government’s ‘whole-of-government’ approach to combating Maoism, which combines robust security action with focused development initiatives in affected regions. Under the Home Ministry’s Joint Action Plan, new security camps have been established in strategic areas, and several central schemes are being implemented to bring development and governance to previously neglected regions.
     
    According to official data, 197 hardcore Naxalites have been neutralized in the first four months of 2025 alone. The number of most-affected districts has dropped from 35 in 2014 to just 6 in 2025. Naxal-related incidents have significantly declined from 1,080 in 2014 to 374 in 2024. Meanwhile, the number of security personnel killed annually in Maoist violence has decreased from 88 in 2014 to 19 in 2024. In the same period, the number of Naxalites killed in encounters has risen sharply, and the number of surrenders remains high, with 928 surrendering in 2024 and 718 so far in 2025.
     
    Infrastructure in affected areas has also seen considerable enhancement. Since 2019, over 320 security camps have been set up, along with 68 night-landing helipads. The number of fortified police stations has increased from 66 in 2014 to 555 by 2025.

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador Announces 12 Arrests in Statewide Crackdown on Child Exploitation

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador Announces 12 Arrests in Statewide Crackdown on Child Exploitation

    BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced the completion of Operation Unhinged, a statewide initiative led by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in April 2025. The operation resulted in 12 arrests for internet crimes against children, doubling the 6 arrests made last April. Additional arrests may follow pending forensic reviews of seized devices.
    Operation Unhinged involved the execution of 17 residential search warrants. Three cases were accepted for federal prosecution and the rest will be prosecuted in state court.
    “Because of the structural changes we’ve made within the Attorney General’s Office—along with the dedication of our investigators and strong partnerships with law enforcement across the state—the ICAC Task Force is achieving results like never before,” stated Attorney General Labrador. “We are identifying more offenders, rescuing more victims, and sending a clear message: anyone who targets children in Idaho online will be found, and our office will use every tool available to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
    The following individuals were arrested during Operation Unhinged: 

    Joseph Bingham, 25, Ada County 
    Alexander Buttle, 30, Ada County
    William Strength, 43, Bannock County 
    Zachary Gilbert, 39, Bannock County 
    Connor Robinson, 28, Bonneville County
    Luke Hughes, 38, Bonneville County
    Alfred Brown, 61, Canyon County  
    Hector Martinez- Cabrerra, 34, Jerome County
    Adam Tyler,34, Kootenai County
    Shandon Singer, 33, Kootenai County  
    Dustin Angele, 21, Kootenai County 
    Jake Baptista, 25, Madison County

    “We’re seeing incredible results with the number of arrests we are making across the state,” stated Nicholas Edwards, Chief Investigator in the Attorney General’s Office. “We are going to keep arresting those who commit these crimes, but we also need to focus on outreach, training, and education to protect Idaho’s children.”
    Operation Unhinged resulted in a spike in public presentations and education. The Task Force conducted 53 community outreach events with approximately 1,390 attendees. The Task Force also had an opportunity to showcase its newest weapon in the fight against online sexual exploitation: Badger the ESD K9.
    “It’s a privilege to serve as the first K9 officer in the Attorney General’s Office, and Badger has already proven himself an incredible asset to the Task Force,” stated Investigator Lauren Lane. “Badger is a triple threat: he helps us find electronic devices on search warrants, the public—especially kids—love seeing him at our presentations, and he supports the mental wellness of our officers and other staff who have to view terrible images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.”
    Badger attended 7 public presentations and helped investigators find electronic storage devices on 8 search warrants during April’s Operation Unhinged. 
    The Task Force also trained 106 law enforcement professionals in April and will continue to direct substantial resources to training law enforcement throughout the state.
    Operation Unhinged was Idaho’s contribution to the national Operation Safe Online Summer, a joint effort of all 61 ICAC Task Forces throughout the country to arrest those engaged in the online sexual exploitation of children.
    The operation was supported by a coalition of agencies, including the Idaho State Police, Boise Police Department, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Idaho Falls Police Department, Meridian Police Department, Post Falls Police Department, Pocatello Police Department, Nampa Police Department, Chubbuck Police Department, Rexburg Police Department, Bonners Ferry Police Department, Moscow Police Department, Fruitland Police Department, Spirit Lake Police Department, Homedale Police Department, Twin Falls Police Department, Sun Valley Police Department, Jerome Police Department, Wilder Police Department, Middleton Police Department, Rupert Police Department, Heyburn Police Department, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office, Benewah County Sheriff’s Office, Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office, Idaho Probation and Parole, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
    The Idaho ICAC Task Force urges the public to report suspected online exploitation to local law enforcement, the ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or www.cybertipline.com. For more information or to access resources, visit ICACIdaho.org.
    To learn more about ESD K9 Badger or to request a demonstration, visit the Idaho ICAC Task Force’s website: https://www.icacidaho.org/esd-k9-badger/. 
    About the Idaho ICAC Task Force: The Idaho ICAC Task Force, led by the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, is a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies dedicated to investigating and prosecuting internet crimes against children while promoting community education to prevent exploitation.
    The charges listed above are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    MIL OSI USA News –