The RCMP’s Provincial Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit has charged a Middleton man for child pornography offences after a search of his home in late February.
On February 27, the RCMP’s ICE Unit, assisted by Annapolis District RCMP, Kings District RCMP and RCMP Digital Forensic Services, executed a search warrant at a residence on Main St. in Middleton, seizing several electronic devices, including smartphones, computers and a hard drive.
On May 1, after a forensic examination and analysis of the seized devices, the RCMP ICE Unit, with assistance from the RCMP Interview Assistance Team, safely arrested Devin Doucette, 32, and charged him with Possession of Child Pornography and Failure to Comply with Prohibition Order.
Doucette appeared in Digby Provincial Court on May 1. He was released by the court on conditions and will reappear in Digby Provincial Court on June 9.
This investigation was part of Project Steel, a collaborative effort by law enforcement partners across Canada to target online child sexual exploitation offenders.
In Nova Scotia, it’s mandatory for citizens to report suspected child pornography; anyone who comes across child pornography material or recordings must report it to the police. Failure to report could result in penalties similar to those for failure to report child abuse under the Child and Family Services Act. Be a voice for children who are victims of sexual exploitation by reporting suspected offences to your local police or to Canada’s national tip line: www.cybertip.ca.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Authorities Made Arrests as Part of Coordinated Effort to Restore Order and Uphold Immigration Laws.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Ed Martin Jr. joined with other federal law enforcement leaders to announce today that as a result of a joint federal law enforcement initiative, authorities arrested 189 individuals following a joint federal immigration-related enforcement operation in the District of Columbia over the past week.
As part of the operation, authorities apprehended 189 illegal aliens during an enhanced targeted immigration enforcement operation focusing on egregious criminal alien offenders operating in and around Washington, D.C., May 6–9.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and this administration’s focus on law and order, these arrests represent a major step forward in making Washington, D.C., safer for legal citizens and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “These arrests make clear that violating our nation’s immigration laws will not be ignored.”
“The District of Columbia is exponentially safer today because of countless hours of investigative work and dedication to duty displayed by ICE Washington, D.C., and our law enforcement partners,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C., Field Office Director Russell Hott. “Working with our partner agencies, ICE officers and agents arrested 189 illegal aliens and removed them from the streets of our Nation’s Capital. Throughout this enhanced enforcement operation, we targeted the most dangerous alien offenders in some of the most crime-infested neighborhoods in the city of Washington, D.C. Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid. I commend the efforts of everyone involved, as all were truly committed to the success of this operation. ICE Washington, D.C., remains dedicated to our mission of prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing criminal offenders from our Nation’s Capital and surrounding communities.”
Among those arrested during the enhanced targeted operation include the following:
• A 47-year-old illegally present Guatemalan alien whose criminal history includes drug possession, illegal reentry, aggravated assault, trespassing, disorderly conduct, and sexual assault. His current criminal charges include unlawful reentry of a previously deported alien, disorderly conduct, lewd acts, possession of a controlled substance, sex abuse, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possessing an open container. Additionally, he has numerous gang-affiliated tattoos on his arms, legs, and chest.
• A 25-year-old illegally present Guatemalan alien whose criminal history includes threat to kidnap, attempted possession of a prohibited weapon, threats to bodily harm, and simple assault. He is currently charged with alien present without admission or parole.
• A 30-year-old illegally present Salvadoran alien whose criminal history includes simple assault, driving while intoxicated, brandishing a machete, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He is currently charged with alien present without admission or parole.
• A 36-year-old illegally present Mexican alien whose criminal history includes misdemeanor larceny, misdemeanor indecent exposure, possession of an open container, simple assault, theft, unlawful entry, and possession of a prohibited weapon (knife). He is currently charged with alien present without admission or parole.
This law enforcement activity is part of President Donald Trump’s Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Executive Order. The Executive Order directs a coordinated federal effort to reduce crime, enhance public safety, and restore pride in the nation’s capital through targeted enforcement, improved policing, and strategic partnerships. It also calls for the beautification of public spaces, stricter enforcement of quality-of-life laws, and the removal of graffiti and encampments on federal lands to ensure D.C. remains clean, secure, and reflective of America’s strength and heritage.
Participating agencies include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Virginia Department of Corrections; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Marshals Service; and U.S. State Department Diplomatic Security Service.
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.
All charges are merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
BEAUMONT, Texas – Two Beaumont men have been sentenced to federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Johnaton Rechard Hite, 22, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 13, 2025. Cody Lane Wilson, 28, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on May 13th.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2024, local law enforcement officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Kidd Grocery Store, located at 8608 Kidd Road, in Beaumont. Upon arrival, the store clerk reported that a man entered the store armed with an AR-15 style rifle and threatened to shoot him if he did not open the safe. The subject took approximately $1,340 in cash and fled the store. Deputies reviewed surveillance footage of the robbery and observed the robber was a black male wearing a woman’s brown or black wig, a white hoodie jacket, dark pants, sunglasses, one white shoe and one black shoe.
While responding to the robbery call, deputies observed a 2004 Honda Accord leaving the grocery store and conducted a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Wilson. Wilson was detained and gave consent to search his vehicle where deputies located wigs, one black shoe, and one white shoe. Wilson told deputies that he and Hite planned to rob the grocery store with Wilson as the getaway driver while Hite robbed the store. However, Wilson got scared and fled the scene leaving Hite behind.
While deputies were conducting their investigation with Wilson, dispatch received another call from a concerned citizen near the grocery store reporting someone was knocking on their door. Deputies responded to the location and located Hite hiding on the porch of the caller’s residence. Next to where Hite was hiding, deputies found $1,340 in cash.
This case was sentenced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Quinn.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur woman has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing fentanyl for distribution in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Kailynn Ina Hardy, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 13, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in August 2023, law enforcement began investigating Hardy for suspicion of drug trafficking in Jefferson County. During the investigation, officers were able to obtain fentanyl-laced pills which Hardy had distributed. Hardy admitted to being involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving at least 400 grams of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Beaumont Police Department; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; Port Neches Police Department; FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Port Arthur Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan C. Lee and Matt Quinn.
A Melvindale man – and former member of the Michigan Army National Guard – was arrested today after he attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass-shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization.
Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, is charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device.
“This defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost. We will not hesitate to bring the full force of the Department to find and prosecute those who seek to harm our men and women in the military and to protect all Americans.”
“ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism.”
“The defendant allegedly tried to carry out an attack on a military facility in support of ISIS, which was disrupted thanks to the good work of the FBI and our partners,” said Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “The FBI is steadfast in our commitment to detect and stop terrorist plans aimed at the American homeland or at U.S. interests overseas.”
“The arrest of this former soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. “I commend the tireless work of our special agents and FBI partners who worked together to investigate and apprehend this individual. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to prevent similar incidents in the future. We urge all soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to their chain of command, as the safety and security of our Army and our nation depends on our collective efforts to prevent insider threats.”
According to the complaint, Said informed two undercover law enforcement officers of a plan he had devised and formulated to conduct a mass-shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. In April 2025, the two undercover officers indicated they intended to carry out Said’s plan at the direction of ISIS. In response, Said provided material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.
On May 13 – the scheduled day of the attack – Said was arrested after he traveled to an area near TACOM and launched his drone in support of the attack plan. He will make his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of Michigan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will be asking the court to hold Said in pretrial detention because of his danger to the community and the risk that he will flee.
Based on the charges in the complaint, Said faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Salzenstein for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorneys John Cella and Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
A new study found that people living in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands reported worse overall physical health than those living in the states.
This research, led by Anna-Michelle McSorley, assistant professor of allied health sciences at UConn Waterbury, was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
McSorley and her co-author were able to conduct this study because, unlike many federal data collection systems, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) includes data from three U.S. territories – Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
“That is something that is pretty unique,” McSorley says. “That was the motivation for this paper. I found a data system in which [these populations are] represented, and I have the opportunity to tell a story about some key health-related quality of life indicators for those particular regions of the United States.”
In a previous paper, McSorley and co-authors found that territories are often not included in federal data systems for several reasons. In some instances, a state or territory must apply to the federal government for funding to conduct the work at the local level. The work must align with the methodological standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, territories are not always eligible for these grants, and even when they are, it is not always clear if they can apply.
McSorley identified significant disparities in the percentage of people living in the territories who reported having fair/poor general health compared to the states. In the states, this percentage is 16.1%, compared to 17.7% in Guam, 18.6% in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 27.8% in Puerto Rico.
“From the data that I saw, it was pretty remarkable to note that Puerto Rico had the most disparities when compared to the 50 states,” McSorley says.
In the case of mental health, however, both the territories and the states had similar levels of people reporting poor outcomes.
In Puerto Rico this was 12.8%, 12.4% in Guam, 11.7% in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 14.9% in the states.
“There actually wasn’t this stark disparity,” McSorley says. “There were quite poor mental health outcomes when looking at all three territories as compared to the United States, which was also pretty alarming, and it indicates that there’s a need to really increase attention to mental health at a population level for the United States overall.”
Given these findings, McSorley says she plans to expand upon the work she has been a part of surrounding the 988 mental health crisis hotline in the states to the territories.
“Finding that the pattern of poor mental health is high for each of the jurisdictions that I looked at, it provides further evidence for the need to dig into that area.”
McSorley has been working on issues of data equity as they relate to U.S. territories for years. Her work, including this paper, aims to increase the inclusion of the territories in federal data collection systems.
“This is a baseline-level attempt to insert these data into the literature because they’re often missing,” McSorley says. “If the data are not there, we don’t have the ability to tell the story about what the population health characteristics look like at baseline.”
McSorley, a member of the Data Capacity Subgroup for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, will disseminate these findings to territorial health officials and intends to continue contributing to reports that promote territorial data equity. She says that this kind of work is even more important now as federal databases are being taken down under the current administration. BRFSS has not been removed at this point to the best of her knowledge.
“It’s really important to be able to add this to the literature at this time to describe some of the findings that are present within systems that traditionally have been publicly available, and we’re not certain for how much longer they might be,” McSorley says.
This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision areas focused on Enhancing Health and Promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice.This research was conducted at UConn Waterbury, where there is a growing emphasis on health research.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
Foreign Secretary speech in Lviv on the Special Tribunal
David Lammy outlines UK support for the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine during a visit to Lviv, Ukraine.
It is a fitting time and place for this discussion.
It is remarkable that eighty years ago, Allied governments were dealing with detained Nazis, and thinking about accountability for the atrocities.
Some considered simple revenge. But others favoured a different approach.
Holding those criminals accountable under international law.
Drawing in part on work by two great sons of this great city, Rafael Lemkin Sir Hersch Lauterpacht.
The resulting Nuremberg trials were a milestone in building a global order rooted in the rule of law and human rights.
Today, the pursuit of such a global order again seems a tall order.
Russia is waging a war of aggression, with mounting evidence that Russian soldiers are committing atrocities we would have hoped to consign to history – attacks which rain down on civilians, the deportation of children, torture and sexual abuse of civilians and prisoners of war.
Russian leaders show not the slightest concern for the lives of individuals or the laws of war.
But we need to remember figures like Lemkin were not naïve idealists. Indeed, Sir Hersch wrote about anchoring his philosophy of international law in the ‘realities of international life’.
Precisely our task today.
We have it in our hands to hold those responsible for the invasion of Ukraine to account. The UK is proud to have supported the idea of a Special Tribunal since the outset.
A Tribunal is an essential part of the armoury of justice, alongside the efforts of Ukrainian authorities to bring prosecutions inside Ukraine, and the work of the ICC.
As the country where Sir Hersch made his home, we are proud to support the Lviv Joint Statement and endorse the legal foundations for this Tribunal.
It will take time for a Tribunal to become operational. We support using the framework of the Council of Europe. But also believe we must expand the Core Group to more partners from beyond Europe.
The whole world is outraged at Russian crimes. The whole world should now come together to hold Russia to account. We must rally all countries in support of justice.
Our friends in Ukraine are staying true to the legacy of VE Day.
Today, on his last day of work, RCMP NL congratulates Superintendent (Supt.) David Cook on his well-deserved retirement! With more than 43 years of service, Supt. Cook is one of the longest-serving RCMP officers to retire in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Supt. Cook has had an amazing career with the RCMP and spent much of his service in various policing roles in Alberta. Born and raised in Ottawa, he began his career in 1982 as a Constable in Westlock, Alberta. After serving in a number of locations across the province, he left Alberta as a Staff Sergeant in 2011. He then transferred to Ottawa where he was in charge of the Emergency Management Unit.
In 2014, he was commissioned to the rank of Inspector and served in Regina Saskatchewan. He was responsible for the National Law Enforcement Training Program at Depot, the RCMP’s Training Academy.
In 2017, Supt. Cook was promoted to his current rank. He was transferred to Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador and since then, he has worked as the District Policing Officer for Western Newfoundland and Labrador.
Over the course of 43 years, Supt. Cook has likely seen and heard it all, and we are sure his experiences would make for some interesting stories. He says he’ll remember his time with the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador fondly.
“What I enjoyed most are the people and how friendly and welcoming I’ve found Newfoundland and Labrador. My wife Beth and I have been fortunate to make great friendships here and plan to stay where we are,” says Supt. Cook. “At work, I’m proud of all our employees and know the commitment and dedication that they bring to serving our communities. I’ll miss seeing that in action but know that it will continue every day.”
RCMP NL wishes Supt. Cook a retirement full of health and happiness. Thank you for your service, Sir!
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Ezell (Mississippi 4th District)
Last night, during National Police Week, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by Sheriffs Mike Ezell (MS-04) and Troy Nehls (TX-22) recognizing the essential role that local law enforcement officers play in protecting communities, enforcing the law, and maintaining public safety across the United States by a vote of 411-1.
“As a former sheriff, I know firsthand the courage, professionalism, and selflessness that our law enforcement officers bring to the job every single day,”Ezell said.“These men and women are the backbone of public safety in our communities. They run toward danger, not away from it—and they do it to protect people they may never meet. During Police Week, especially, I’m proud the House has come together to honor their service and show our unwavering support.”
“As a former law enforcement officer and Texas Sheriff, I know firsthand the sacrifices our men and women in blue make every single day to keep our communities safe,”Nehls said.“All too often, their hard work and dedication to protecting and serving our communities go unnoticed. I’m proud the House passed this resolution to honor our nation’s law enforcement officers and to show our unwavering support for their selfless service to our communities.”
The resolution expresses strong support for local law enforcement agencies and officers, emphasizing:
The bravery shown by officers in the face of danger;
The professionalism required to enforce the law with fairness and integrity;
The personal sacrifice officers and their families make to keep others safe.
The resolution also encourages Americans to take time during National Police Week to reflect on the service and sacrifice of law enforcement personnel—including those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
Washington, D.C. – 5/14/25… This week, Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Mike Flood (NE-01), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Sarah McBride (DE-At large), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13) introduced the Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act.
The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act provides additional pathways for Americans to become an accredited investor by allowing individuals seeking the status to take an examination, which will be established by the Securities and Exchange Commission and administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
“The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act is about opening up high-growth investment opportunities to more Americans. By expanding the definition of ‘accredited investor’ to include those who pass an SEC and FINRA certification, we’re modernizing outdated rules and ensuring that qualified individuals, not just the wealthiest, can participate in these valuable markets,” said Congressman Lawler.
“It is my firm belief that greater access to our capital markets should be accessible due to merit and knowledge, not just wealth. The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act creates a new pathway for investors to gain accredited investor status by passing a thorough investment exam administered by FINRA. Thank you to my colleagues for joining this effort, and I look forward to bringing this before the full committee,” said Congressman Flood.
“Louisiana families understand that wealth-building shouldn’t be restricted by arbitrary income thresholds. I’ve met countless constituents with the skills to evaluate sophisticated investments who simply don’t meet outdated wealth requirements. This common-sense reform creates credential-based entry points to private markets, maintaining essential safeguards while expanding access based on merit rather than means. By enabling qualified investors of all backgrounds to participate, we strengthen both public and private capital formation, building a more inclusive economy that reflects our values of opportunity and fairness,” said Congressman Fields.
“Everyone deserves a fair shot at opportunity. The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act is a commonsense, bipartisan step toward financial inclusion. By expanding the pool of accredited investors, we’re cutting through unnecessary red tape and opening the doors of our capital markets to a broader, more diverse group of Americans. That means greater access to capital for women, veterans, and communities of color — and more innovation, small business growth, and a stronger economy for everyone. I’m grateful to my colleague, Representative Flood, for his partnership,” said Congresswoman McBride.
“As someone who came from deep poverty, I know firsthand that the financial system isn’t set up for those without means to succeed. One of my top priorities in Congress is facilitating economic development in communities across Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. By allowing more Americans to become accredited investors, we can allow each American to have a better shot at chasing their American Dream of a better life for themselves and their family. I am pleased to support Congressman Flood’s bipartisan bill again this Congress, and I look forward to seeing this critical legislation passed into law,” said Congressman Thanedar.
Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.
A Las Vegas man who pleaded guilty to threatening a U.S. Senator from Nevada and threatening family members of two United States Senators was sentenced today to over three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
“The threats against these U.S. Senators and their families were vile, dehumanizing, and shameful,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the National Security Division. “Today’s sentence reflects the Department’s firm resolve to holding accountable those who seek to intimidate and harm our public officials. Such threats of violence have no place in our country.”
“With today’s sentencing, the defendant will pay the price for making threats of violence,” said Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “It is unacceptable to threaten public officials or anyone else, and the FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable anyone who engages in such illegal activity.”
According to court documents, from Oct. 11 to 25, 2023, John Anthony Miller left numerous threatening voicemails at the offices of two U.S. Senators. Miller threatened to assault and murder a U.S. Senator with intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with U.S. Senator while engaged in the performance of official duties, and with intent to retaliate against the U.S. Senator on account of the performance of official duties.
The following week, on Oct. 24 and Oct. 25, Miller threatened to assault and murder a member of the immediate family of two U.S. Senators, with intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with the U.S. Senators while engaged in the performance of official duties, and with intent to retaliate against the U.S. Senators on account of the performance of official duties.
Miller pleaded guilty to one-count of threatening a federal official and two-counts of influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threatening a family member. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey presided over the sentencing hearing.
The FBI Las Vegas Field Office investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Capitol Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Operskalski and Daniel Schiess for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
A Las Vegas man who pleaded guilty to threatening a U.S. Senator from Nevada and threatening family members of two United States Senators was sentenced today to over three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
“The threats against these U.S. Senators and their families were vile, dehumanizing, and shameful,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the National Security Division. “Today’s sentence reflects the Department’s firm resolve to holding accountable those who seek to intimidate and harm our public officials. Such threats of violence have no place in our country.”
“With today’s sentencing, the defendant will pay the price for making threats of violence,” said Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “It is unacceptable to threaten public officials or anyone else, and the FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable anyone who engages in such illegal activity.”
According to court documents, from Oct. 11 to 25, 2023, John Anthony Miller left numerous threatening voicemails at the offices of two U.S. Senators. Miller threatened to assault and murder a U.S. Senator with intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with U.S. Senator while engaged in the performance of official duties, and with intent to retaliate against the U.S. Senator on account of the performance of official duties.
The following week, on Oct. 24 and Oct. 25, Miller threatened to assault and murder a member of the immediate family of two U.S. Senators, with intent to impede, intimidate, and interfere with the U.S. Senators while engaged in the performance of official duties, and with intent to retaliate against the U.S. Senators on account of the performance of official duties.
Miller pleaded guilty to one-count of threatening a federal official and two-counts of influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threatening a family member. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey presided over the sentencing hearing.
The FBI Las Vegas Field Office investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Capitol Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Operskalski and Daniel Schiess for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
Defendant destroyed an American flag by setting it on fire in front of Union Station in the District as a crowd surrounded him chanting, “Burn that sh–.”
WASHINGTON – Michael Snow Jr., 25, of Durham, North Carolina, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to four months of probation, 40 hours of community service, and ordered to pay $525 in restitution for destruction of federal property. On July 24, 2024, Snow destroyed an American flag, which was property of the U.S. government, by setting it on fire in front of Union Station in the District as a crowd surrounded him chanting, “Burn that sh–.”
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Acting Special Agent in Charge Courtland Rae of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police (USPP).
Snow pleaded guilty on Feb. 11 to destruction of government property (less than $1,000).
According to court documents, on July 24, 2024, an organization was granted a permit to demonstrate in the area of Columbus Circle, located at Massachusetts Avenue. and E St. NE, directly in front of Union Station. From about 3 p.m. until 5 p.m., demonstrators gathered in Columbus Circle. They pulled down flags affixed to the flagpoles, burned the flags and other objects, sprayed graffiti on multiple statues and structures, and interfered with law enforcement trying to place the vandals under arrest.
The flags, the statues and structures in Columbus Circle, are all property of the federal government. The National Park Service estimated the total cost to clean up and repair the site at $11,282.23.
Open-source and surveillance video captured images of two individuals lowering an American flag affixed to the eastern flagpole in Columbus Circle. The flag fell to the ground still attached to its halyard. A man later identified as Snow grabbed the flag and carried it into the crowd of protesters.
He threw the flag onto the ground, produced a lighter, and attempted to set the flag ablaze. Unsuccessful, he yelled: I need a better lighter! The crowd surrounding the man chanted, Burn that sh–!
Someone handed Snow a bottle of charcoal lighter fluid. Snow doused the flag with the fluid, then, along with an unidentified individual from the crowd, used lighters to torch it.
On July 25, 2024, a user on the social media platform X posted pictures of the incident. As a result, law enforcement located a driver’s license photograph of Snow.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the USPP’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit, with assistance from the FBI Charlotte Field Office, Raleigh Resident Agency. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin and Brendan Horan.
Screen shot from a closed-circuit camera shows Snow (circled in yellow) as he grabbed the fallen American flag from the halyard.
Screenshot from open-source video shows Snow (circled in yellow) and another individual (circled in blue) lighting the flag on fire.
Screenshot from open-source footage depicts Snow (circled in yellow) on the flag pedestal while the other individual (circled in blue) parades around the burning American flag.
Las Vegas, Nevada, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alternative Ballistics Corporation, an innovative safety technology company, is pleased to announce its engagement with V2 Global, a distinguished advisory consulting firm specializing in risk mitigation, business intelligence, public safety advisory, and security solutions.
This partnership represents a pivotal advancement in Alternative Ballistics’ mission to broaden the reach and impact of its innovative, life-saving technology. As part of the collaboration, Don De Lucca—Partner at V2 Global and a former Chief of Police with more than 30 years of leadership in law enforcement and public safety—will work closely with the Alternative Ballistics team to help guide strategic growth and implementation.
“We’re excited to partner with V2 Global and to welcome Don De Lucca’s leadership and expertise,” said Steve Luna, CEO of Alternative Ballistics. “His extensive experience in policing and public safety will be invaluable as we continue to scale our efforts and bring life-saving technologies to agencies both in the U.S. and abroad.”
De Lucca also shared his enthusiasm for the partnership: “Alternative Ballistics has created a groundbreaking tool that enhances both officer and public safety. I’m honored to support their mission and help further the adoption of more responsible and effective force alternatives in modern policing.”
This collaboration marks a key milestone in Alternative Ballistics’ commitment to advancing innovative, less-lethal solutions that bridge the crucial gap between preserving life and protecting officers.
About Alternative Ballistics Corp.
Alternative Ballistics Corporation (“ABC”) produces an innovative less-lethal product known as The Alternative® which features patented bullet capture technology. The product is used by law enforcement as a de-escalation tool in critical incidents when encountering a non-compliant subject in crisis, in possession of a weapon other than a firearm, who presents a threat to themselves, to officers, or to bystanders. A lightweight, easy-to-carry docking unit, The Alternative® efficiently attaches to a service weapon to convert a fired bullet into a kinetic impact round that, when deployed from a safe distance, travels downrange with non-penetrating energy, and temporarily incapacitates an individual with low risk of critical injury or death. Once deployed, the service weapon reverts to standard use. The Alternative® may also be available in the future in the commercial market as a self-defense tool for the purpose of protecting life and property. It is the only less-lethal product in either the law enforcement or commercial market that works with a service weapon or semi-automatic handgun for seamless protective cover and doesn’t require transition to a separate device, allowing the user to keep eyes and weapon on the threat at all times.
About V2 Global
V2 Global is a risk mitigation and relationship management consulting firm delivering Business Intelligence, Crisis Management & Strategic Advisory Services, Public Safety Advisory and Security Solutions. V2 specializes in identifying, remediating and monitoring risk across your enterprise. Clients are C-Suite executives, law firms and their clients, general counsels and high-profile individuals. V2 Global’s success is based on the ability to rapidly assemble a team anywhere on the globe to identify, resolve and mitigate business issues. Additional information can be found at their website https://www.v2-global.com/about-v2.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains forward-looking statements. In addition, from time to time, we or our representatives may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the information currently available to us. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including: our ability to advance the direction of the Company; our ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; and the competitive environment of our business. These and other factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement.
WARSAW, Ind., May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lakeland Financial Corporation (Nasdaq Global Select/LKFN) and Lake City Bank announced today that Dan Starr and Mindy Creighton Truex have been appointed to their respective Boards of Directors.
“Our boards represent the foundational building blocks of stable corporate governance, leadership and engagement in our Indiana communities and provide balanced and thoughtful feedback to our leadership team. The addition of Dan and Mindy brings two proven business and community leaders to the table,” said David M. Findlay, Chairman and CEO. “Our boards are an extension of the bank in our Indiana markets and are active partners in the focus to drive long-term shareholder value. Both Dan and Mindy share a strong commitment to building long-term relationships within their industries and communities, which fits perfectly with Lake City Bank’s community banking philosophy.”
Starr is CEO of Do it Best Corp., a Fort Wayne-based member-owned hardware, lumber and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry with thousands of member-owned locations across the United States and in more than 60 countries. He has been with Do it Best Corp. for two decades and held several leadership roles prior to becoming President and CEO in 2016. Before joining Do it Best Corp., Starr was a partner with Barnes & Thornburg LLP and served as the firm’s Business, Tax & Real Estate departmental administrator in Fort Wayne.
“Lake City Bank plays a vital role in many communities across our state and joining the board is an exciting opportunity,” said Starr. “I look forward to contributing to the continued growth and momentum of the bank.”
Starr has a juris doctor degree magna cum laude from the Indiana University School of Law. He has served in numerous board leadership roles within the greater Fort Wayne community, including the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center, St. Francis Family Business Center and Fort Wayne Ballet. He currently serves as chairman of the Parkview Health Board of Directors, as well as on the Manchester University Board of Trustees Outreach Committee and the Do it Best Foundation.
Mindy Creighton Truex is President of Creighton Brothers Farms LLC, a Warsaw-based family-owned farm founded in 1925. With extensive experience in the agricultural sector, she has been instrumental in developing innovative initiatives with Creighton Brothers Farms, including educational and farm-to-table experiences. She has served in leadership roles with national and local agricultural advocacy organizations, including the American Egg Board, United Egg Producers, Indiana State Poultry Association and Purdue University Animal Science Department Dean’s Advisory Committee.
“As a sixth generation Kosciusko County farmer, I’m honored to join the Lake City Bank and Lakeland Financial Corporation boards,” said Creighton Truex. “Lake City Bank has been a part of the fabric of our community since 1872 and I’m excited to help the bank continue to grow.”
Creighton Truex has a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness management from Purdue University. She has served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations that impact her local community, including the Kosciusko County Visitor’s Bureau, Kosciusko County Community Foundation, Kosciusko County Leadership Academy, Purdue University’s Kosciusko County Agricultural Extension, Kosciusko County Farm Bureau, and United Way of Kosciusko County.
Lakeland Financial Corporation (Nasdaq Global Select/LKFN) is a $6.9 billion bank holding company headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana. Lake City Bank, its single bank subsidiary, was founded in 1872 and serves Central and Northern Indiana communities with 54 branch offices and a robust digital banking platform. Lake City Bank’s community banking model prioritizes building in‐market long‐term customer relationships while delivering technology‐forward solutions for retail and commercial clients. For more information visit www.lakecitybank.com.
Contact Luke Weick Marketing Manager 574 267-9198, x47279 office 260 431-7061 mobile luke.weick@lakecitybank.com
The more than 2 million people who attended Lady Gaga’s free concert on Copacabana Beach on May 3, 2025, had no idea of a plot that, if successful, would have turned the event into a tragedy fueled by hate. Just hours before a sea of admirers waved fans in sync with the singer during the event, the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police thwarted a planned attack involving Molotov cocktails and improvised bombs – and targeting the American singer’s LGBTQ following.
Two people have since been arrested over the plot, which was organized by users of digital platforms such as Discord. The intent, authorities say, was radicalizing and recruiting teenagers to carry out the planned attack.
Those responsible hoped to entice these young people into actions that would gain online notoriety.
Although authorities were able to prevent the attack, the incident stands as a stark warning about the growth of hate networks among youth − and how platforms fuel the radicalization of teenagers, especially boys and young men.
As experts in the anthropology of technologyand information science, we see something deeply generational about this phenomenon. The recent Netflix series “Adolescence” broke viewership records by portraying an environment in which young people live in hyperconnected online spheres, absent of state oversight and parental supervision. In these spheres, bullying toxic masculinity permeates, and violence – often targeted at women and sexual minorities – is normalized.
The show was set in the U.K., but it holds up a mirror to the world. Data from polling company Gallup reveals a growing ideological divide between young men and women in Gen Z across the globe. Too often, that divide, in which young men and boys are turning against progressive values, is being expressed through actions associated with the “manosphere,” such as misogyny and incel behavior.
This polarization is emerging just as online platforms such as Discord, TikTok and Reddit have become formative spaces of identity.
Instead of promoting diversity, however, many of these platforms have been used as machines for producing and spreading hate. The 2021 study Mapping Discord’s Darkside, published in the journal New Media & Society, shows that despite marketing efforts to distance itself from the far right, Discord hosts thousands of servers associated with neo-Nazi, misogynistic, racist, transphobic and conspiratorial discourse. Researchers identified 2,741 such servers − with more than 850,000 active members.
These networks end up functioning as recruitment hubs, where young people − especially boys − are lured in by edgy memes, promises of belonging and identity games based on excluding others. Discord’s structure, which prioritizes privacy and decentralization, has become fertile ground for the emergence of what scholar Adrienne Massanari calls “toxic technocultures.”
Services such as Disboard − an informal search engine for Discord servers − are used to recruit teens into communities that glorify Nazism, encourage hatred toward women and people from the LGBTQ+ community, and even offer “services” for coordinated attacks on other servers. And this appears to be the case in the thwarted attack on the Lady Gaga concert.
Presenting a challenge
A significant factor in the success of these radicalizing environments is gamification − the use of gamelike elements such as challenges, rewards and leaderboards in nongame contexts. When applied to social networks and extremist forums, gamification turns engagement into competition and hate speech into a playful challenge.
This practice makes the entrance into extremism more palatable for young, impressionable people by masking violence behind seemingly harmless mechanics. As noted in the European Commission’s 2021 report Gamification and Online Hate Speech, gamification has become a powerful tool for normalizing and spreading hate, particularly among young people seeking recognition and belonging.
This process, known as “bottom-up gamification,” occurs when users create the rules, symbolic rewards and challenges. For example, by turning hate speech into “challenges” that involve humiliating women or people from the LGBTQ+ community online, the dehumanization of targets is presented in playful, viral ways.
Turning hate into entertainment
The investigation into the foiled attack on Lady Gaga’s Copacabana concert revealed exactly this mechanism: The attack was treated as a “collective challenge,” with youths recruited to build Molotov cocktails and explosive backpacks in order to gain notoriety on social media.
The logic of gamification also creates a structure of “achievement” and “scoring” that fosters competition and reinforces radical ideology. As shown in the 2022 study by criminologists Suraj Lakhani and Susann Wiedlitzka, attacks such as the 2019 mosque attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which 51 people were killed, were planned and executed with strong inspiration from gaming, including live broadcasts similar to “Let’s Play” sessions, in which people offer live commentary during walk-throughs of games, typically first-person shooting games, and viewer comments that treat the number of deaths as a “score.”
This aestheticization of violence serves as a bonding element among young men in digital spaces, especially those who already feel marginalized or frustrated and who find in these games of hate a sense of belonging and affirmation. In this way, gamification transforms hate into entertainment, strengthening ties in toxic communities and making it harder to recognize the behavior as extremism.
Turning a generation off hate
Society is, we believe, facing a dual challenge: the need for moderation of platforms and for support for measures preventing men and boys from being drawn into toxic digital spaces.
The gender divide within Gen Z is no small matter, too. It reflects, in broad terms, a rift between a generation of young women who, empowered by #MeToo and other feminist movements, have embraced progressive causes, and a generation of men who, threatened by their perceived diminished power in this new environment, are being co-opted by far-right and misogynistic discourse in digital spaces.
This gap has real consequences in personal relationships, in schools and for democracy at large. But it also reveals something that we believe must be stated clearly: Platform regulation is not just a technical issue. The future of a generation cannot be built on algorithms that reward hate and radicalization.
This article is a translated and adapted version of a story that was originally published by The Conversation Brazil on May 8, 2025.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
If the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, meet in Istanbul on May 15, territory – and who controls it – will be high on their agenda.
Putin offered to start direct talks between Russia and Ukraine at a press conference on May 11. Donald Trump pushed Zelensky to accept this offer in a social media post, saying that “Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY.”
The Ukrainian president, still buoyed by a meeting with the British, French, German and Polish leaders that called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, agreed shortly afterwards.
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These 2022 negotiations focused on Ukraine becoming a permanently neutral state and on which nations would provide security guarantees for any deal. They also relegated discussions over Crimea to separate negotiations with a ten-to-15-year timeframe.
Russia uses the phrase “the current situation on the ground” as thinly disguised code for territorial questions that have become more contentious over the past three years. This relates to Russian gains on the battlefield and the illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions in September 2022 (in addition to Crimea, which Russia also illegally annexed in 2014).
Russia’s position, as articulated recently by the country’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, is that “the international recognition of Crimea, Sevastopol, the DPR, the LPR, the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as part of Russia is … imperative”.
This is clearly a non-starter for Ukraine, as repeatedly stated by Zelensky. There could, however, be some flexibility on accepting that some parts of sovereign Ukrainian territory are under temporary Russian control. This has been suggested by both Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, and Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko.
Institute for the Study of War.
Black Sea’s strategic value
The territories that Russia currently occupies, and claims, in Ukraine have varying strategic, economic and symbolic value for Moscow and Kyiv. The areas with the greatest strategic value include Crimea and the territories on the shores of the Azov Sea, which provide Russia with a land corridor to Crimea.
The international recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, as apparently suggested under the terms of an agreement hashed out by Putin and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, could expand the areas of the Black Sea that Russia can claim to legally control.
This could then be used by the Kremlin as a launchpad for renewed attacks on Ukraine and to threaten Nato’s eastern maritime flank in Romania and Bulgaria. Any permanent recognition of Russia’s control of these territories is, therefore, unacceptable to Ukraine and its European partners.
Donetsk and Luhansk are of lower strategic value, compared with Crimea and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. However, they do have economic value because of the substantial resources located there. These include some of the mineral and other resources that were the subject of a separate deal which the US and Ukraine concluded on April 30.
They also include Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia and a large labour force among their estimated population of between 4.5 million to 5.5 million people who will be critical to Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.
Beyond the strategic and economic value of the illegally occupied territories, the symbolism that both sides attach to their control is the most significant obstacle to any deal, given how irreconcilable Moscow’s and Kyiv’s positions are. For both sides, control of these territories, or loss thereof, is what defines victory or defeat in the war.
Putin may be able to claim that some territorial gains in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022 are a victory for Russia. But even for him any compromise that would see Russia give up territory that it has conquered – often at exceptionally high cost – would be a risky gamble for the stability of his regime.
Anything less than the complete restoration of the country’s territorial integrity in its 1991 borders would imply recognition of defeat in the war for Ukraine. This would critically threaten the stability of the Zelensky government, whose political programme rests on exactly the premise of a return to the 1991 borders.
Long-term consequences
As a result, the Ukrainian leadership has become hostage to its own information strategy, which has placed the “return of all territories” at the top of the criteria for victory. This is a goal widely shared among Ukrainians, according to a poll conducted by the Razumkov Center in March 2025. But it will be hard to achieve.
Apart from the potential domestic fall-out from any territorial compromises that Ukraine may be forced to make, there is another reason why the territorial question has become so intractable.
Beyond any strategic, economic and symbolic value that the occupied Ukrainian territories hold from the Kremlin’s perspective, control over territory has always been an instrument for Russia to pursue its broader geopolitical agenda of exercising influence over its neighbours – from Moldova, to Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine.
It is also important to remember that Russia’s territorial claims in Ukraine have gradually expanded since 2014. Until September 2022, when it annexed the other four regions, Russia laid claim to Crimea only.
There is no guarantee that any territorial concession from Kyiv now would put a permanent end to Moscow’s territorial expansionism. It is therefore worrying that Trump envoy Witkoff, in an interview with the Breitbart news website, reiterated the US view that the two sides need to find compromises on who controls which territories.
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine was not a war over territory as such, but was part of Moscow’s agenda to restore the sphere of influence that it lost at the end of the cold war. This agenda is far from finished.
The strategy of both Moscow and Washington to focus on territorial consequences may lead to a ceasefire. But it will not address the fundamental issue of how to deal with a vengeful and revisionist autocracy on Europe’s doorsteps.
Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.
Tetyana Malyarenko 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.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iPower Inc. (Nasdaq: IPW) (“iPower” or the “Company”), a tech and data-driven ecommerce services provider and online retailer, today announced the launch of a new strategic initiative under its SuperSuite supply chain platform aimed at advancing domestic manufacturing and assembly capabilities in the United States.
SuperSuite’s “Made In USA” module is designed to facilitate the establishment and expansion of domestic manufacturing lines by offering comprehensive support in areas such as legal and regulatory compliance, facility sourcing and setup, local management and labor sourcing, funding opportunities, and access to both online and offline sales channels. By providing these critical resources, iPower seeks to bridge the gap for manufacturers and supply chain partners who are considering domestic production but may lack the infrastructure or guidance to do so effectively.
This initiative serves as a cornerstone of SuperSuite’s broader supply chain solution and aligns with the increasing global focus on reshoring as a critical lever for supply chain resilience. As manufacturers seek to diversify operations, reduce dependency on international logistics, and respond to shifting geopolitical dynamics, the “Made In USA” module provides a much-needed platform to bring advanced manufacturing skills and capabilities to U.S. soil.
“Our mission with the ‘Made In USA’ platform is to not only strengthen our own supply chain capabilities but to also empower our partners and contribute to the resurgence of American manufacturing,” said Lawrence Tan, CEO of iPower. “This extension of SuperSuite will provide companies with the essential tools and resources to successfully transition or expand their operations into the United States, creating new opportunities for economic growth and job creation. By investing in domestic manufacturing capabilities, iPower is reinforcing its commitment to building a more resilient and diversified supply chain network while supporting the creation of high-quality, American-made products.”
As the first of several planned collaborations under the “Made In USA” platform, iPower is actively engaging with a sales partner that has an existing sales team, established customer base, and a manufacturing partner to establish a comprehensive domestic production line. This partnership will leverage iPower’s robust support infrastructure, aiming to integrate manufacturing expertise from international partners while utilizing iPower’s established sales and fulfillment network to scale production efficiently. This deal represents the initial step in a series of strategic initiatives aimed at attracting manufacturers and supply chain partners to the United States.
About iPower Inc.
iPower Inc. is a tech and data-driven online retailer, as well as a provider of value-added ecommerce services for third-party products and brands. iPower’s capabilities include a full spectrum of online channels, robust fulfillment capacity, a nationwide network of warehouses, competitive last mile delivery partners and a differentiated business intelligence platform. iPower believes that these capabilities will enable it to efficiently move a diverse catalog of SKUs from its supply chain partners to end consumers every day, providing the best value to customers in the U.S. and other countries. For more information, please visit iPower’s website at www.meetipower.com.
Investor Relations Contact
Sean Mansouri, CFA or Aaron D’Souza Elevate IR (720) 330-2829 IPW@elevate-ir.com
High-performance computing, or HPC for short, might sound like something only scientists use in secret labs, but it’s actually one of the most important technologies in the world today. From predicting the weather to finding new medicines and even training artificial intelligence, high-performance computing systems help solve problems that are too hard or too big for regular computers.
This technology has helped make huge discoveries in science and engineering over the past 40 years. But now, high-performance computing is at a turning point, and the choices the government, researchers and the technology industry make today could affect the future of innovation, national security and global leadership.
High-performance computing systems are basically superpowerful computers made up of thousands or even millions of processors working together at the same time. They also use advanced memory and storage systems to move and save huge amounts of data quickly.
With all this power, high-performance computing systems can run extremely detailed simulations and calculations. For example, they can simulate how a new drug interacts with the human body, or how a hurricane might move across the ocean. They’re also used in fields such as automotive design, energy production and space exploration.
Lately, high-performance computing has become even more important because of artificial intelligence. AI models, especially the ones used for things such as voice recognition and self-driving cars, require enormous amounts of computing power to train. High-performance computing systems are well suited for this job. As a result, AI and high-performance computing are now working closely together, pushing each other forward.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s supercomputer El Capitan is currently the world’s fastest.
I’m a computer scientist with a long career working in high-performance computing. I’ve observed that high-performance computing systems are under more pressure than ever, with higher demands on the systems for speed, data and energy. At the same time, I see that high-performance computing faces some serious technical problems.
Technical challenges
One big challenge for high-performance computing is the gap between how fast processors are and how well memory systems can keep up with the processors’ output. Imagine having a superfast car but being stuck in traffic – it doesn’t help to have speed if the road can’t handle it. In the same way, high-performance computing processors often have to wait around because memory systems can’t send data quickly enough. This makes the whole system less efficient.
Another problem is energy use. Today’s supercomputers use a huge amount of electricity, sometimes as much as a small town. That’s expensive and not very good for the environment. In the past, as computer parts got smaller, they also used less power. But that trend, called Dennard scaling, stopped in the mid-2000s. Now, making computers more powerful usually means they use more energy too. To fix this, researchers are looking for new ways to design both the hardware and the software of high-performance computing systems.
There’s also a problem with the kinds of chips being made. The chip industry is mainly focused on AI, which works fine with lower-precision math like 16-bit or 8-bit numbers. But many scientific applications still need 64-bit precision to be accurate. The greater the bit count, the more digits to the right of the decimal point a chip can process, hence the greater precision. If chip companies stop making the parts that scientists need, then it could become harder to do important research.
This report discusses how trends in semiconductor manufacturing and commercial priorities may diverge from the needs of the scientific computing community, and how a lack of tailored hardware could hinder progress in research.
One solution might be to build custom chips for high-performance computing, but that’s expensive and complicated. Still, researchers are exploring new designs, including chiplets – small chips that can be combined like Lego bricks – to make high-precision processors more affordable.
A global race
Globally, many countries are investing heavily in high-performance computing. Europe has the EuroHPC program, which is building supercomputers in places such as Finland and Italy. Their goal is to reduce dependence on foreign technology and take the lead in areas such as climate modeling and personalized medicine. Japan built the Fugaku supercomputer, which supports both academic research and industrial work. China has also made major advances, using homegrown technology to build some of the world’s fastest computers. All of these countries’ governments understand that high-performance computing is key to their national security, economic strength and scientific leadership.
The U.S.-China supercomputer rivalry explained.
The United States, which has been a leader in high-performance computing for decades, recently completed the Department of Energy’s Exascale Computing Project. This project created computers that can perform a billion billion operations per second. That’s an incredible achievement. But even with that success, the U.S. still doesn’t have a clear, long-term plan for what comes next. Other countries are moving quickly, and without a national strategy, the U.S. risks falling behind.
I believe that a U.S. national strategy should include funding new machines and training for people to use them. It would also include partnerships with universities, national labs and private companies. Most importantly, the plan would focus not just on hardware but also on the software and algorithms that make high-performance computing useful.
Hopeful signs
One exciting area for the future is quantum computing. This is a completely new way of doing computation based on the laws of physics at the atomic level. Quantum computers could someday solve problems that are impossible for regular computers. But they are still in the early stages and are likely to complement rather than replace traditional high-performance computing systems. That’s why it’s important to keep investing in both kinds of computing.
The good news is that some steps have already been taken. The CHIPS and Science Act, passed in 2022, provides funding to expand chip manufacturing in the U.S. It also created an office to help turn scientific research into real-world products. The task force Vision for American Science and Technology, launched on Feb. 25, 2025, and led by American Association for the Advancement of Science CEO Sudip Parikh, aims to marshal nonprofits, academia and industry to help guide the government’s decisions. Private companies are also spending billions of dollars on data centers and AI infrastructure.
All of these are positive signs, but they don’t fully solve the problem of how to support high-performance computing in the long run. In addition to short-term funding and infrastructure investments, this means:
Long-term federal investment in high-performance computing R&D, including advanced hardware, software and energy-efficient architectures.
Procurement and deployment of leadership-class computing systems at national labs and universities.
Workforce development, including training in parallel programming, numerical methods and AI-HPC integration.
Hardware road map alignment, ensuring commercial chip development remains compatible with the needs of scientific and engineering applications.
Sustainable funding models that prevent boom-and-bust cycles tied to one-off milestones or geopolitical urgency.
Public-private collaboration to bridge gaps between academic research, industry innovation and national security needs.
High-performance computing is more than just fast computers. It’s the foundation of scientific discovery, economic growth and national security. With other countries pushing forward, the U.S. is under pressure to come up with a clear, coordinated plan. That means investing in new hardware, developing smarter software, training a skilled workforce and building partnerships between government, industry and academia. If the U.S. does that, the country can make sure high-performance computing continues to power innovation for decades to come.
Jack Dongarra receives funding from the NSF and the DOE.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) — China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, along with four other government departments, has called on food delivery companies to address pressing issues related to growing competition in the sector.
In a meeting with representatives of companies such as JD.com, Meituan and Ele.me, officials from the above-mentioned departments required them to strictly comply with the E-Commerce Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China.
The said companies shall fulfill their social responsibilities, strengthen internal management, conduct legal business activities and compete fairly in order to promote the creation of a favorable market environment.
The meeting emphasized the need to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, platform operators and couriers to ensure the healthy development of the platform economy.
As of December 2024, the number of users of online food ordering and delivery platforms in China reached 592 million, accounting for 53.4 percent of the total internet users, according to data from the China Internet Information Center. Industry data also shows that there are now more than 10 million food delivery workers across the country. -0-
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Oral statement to Parliament
Gaza: Minister for the Middle East statement, 14 May 2025
Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer made a statement to the House of Commons on Gaza.
Mr Speaker,
Yesterday, alongside partners, the UK convened a meeting of the UN Security Council in response to the intolerable civilian suffering and humanitarian need in Gaza.
As I told this House yesterday, Israel’s denial of aid is appalling.
Tonnes of food are currently sitting rotting at the Gaza/Israel border, blocked from reaching people who are starving.
Israeli Ministers have said Israel’s decision to block this aid is a “pressure lever”.
This is cruel and it is indefensible.
Overnight yet more Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes.
This must end.
The message yesterday was clear.
The world wants Israel to stop and change course immediately.
With our allies we are telling the Government of Israel: lift the block on aid entering Gaza now. Enable the UN and all humanitarians to save lives, now. We need an immediate ceasefire, now.
Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool or military tactic. And the UK will not support any aid mechanism that seeks to deliver political or military objectives or puts vulnerable civilians at risk.
The International Court of Justice case on genocide is ongoing.
Mr Speaker,
We support the ICJ. We support its independence.
The ICJ issued a set of provisional measures in this case and we support those measures.
Israel has an obligation to implement them.
It is the UK government’s long-standing position that any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent court, and not for governments or non-judicial bodies.
The UK is fully committed to upholding our responsibilities under domestic and international law.
And we have at all times acted in a manner consistent with our legal obligations, including under the Genocide Convention.
The devastation from this conflict must end.
Our complete focus is on lifting Israeli restrictions on aid,
On freeing the hostages held by Hamas,
On protecting civilians,
And on restoring the ceasefire.
We will work urgently with our allies and partners on further pressure to make Israel change course.
HOUSTON – The final man charged in a large-scale conspiracy to commit wire fraud in relation to the sale of hundreds of thousands of fraudulent Texas paper license plates has pleaded guilty, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Emmanuel Padilla Reyes, 35, was a fugitive until authorities apprehended him in September 2024.
Reyes and co-conspirators used the internet, email and iMessage to sell fraudulent state-issued buyer tags and deliver them to buyers nationwide. As part of his plea, Reyes admitted to using at least two aliases, including another person’s name and Social Security number, to get used car dealer licenses. He used them in a scheme to fraudulently issue and sell at least 550,000 Texas temporary buyer tags without selling any vehicles.
The illegal tags pose a danger to the public and law enforcement as buyers use them to avoid registration, safety inspections and liability insurance. They can also be used to conceal identities from law enforcement. The investigation revealed fake vehicle tags gave criminals the means to create ghost cars that were invisible to law enforcement and used to commit crimes ranging from driving with no insurance to committing robberies and drive-by shootings.
In Texas, used car dealers must obtain an independent General Distinguishing Number (GDN) license via the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles’ online eLicensing portal to legally buy, sell or exchange vehicles. Licensed dealers can access the secure eTag portal to create temporary buyer tags and may add other users to their account. At the time of the original indictment in the case, there were no restrictions on the data entered into the portal.
Reyes provided false information, such as fake identities, drivers licenses, lease agreements and business signs, in an online application portal to obtain GDN licenses for two fictitious dealerships “King’s Ranch Autoland” and “Texas Motor Company.” Reyes and his co-conspirators then advertised Texas buyer tags for sale on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks will impose sentencing July 23. At that time, Reyes faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Co-defendants Leidy Areli Hernandez Lopez, 44, Octavian Ocasio, 53, and Daniel Christine-Tani, 36, were also charged and convicted in the scheme and were sentenced to prison. Lopez, also in the United States illegally, failed to report to prison. A federal grand jury returned an indictment Feb. 20 charging her with failure to surrender. Lopez is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for her arrest. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Travis County Constable Office – Precinct 3, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and New York Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman are prosecuting the case.
Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Leland James Vijarro, age 26, of Toppenish, Washington, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington to assault and firearm charges for shooting at federal officers.
Based on court documents and information presented at the change-of-plea hearing, at around 9 p.m. on February 10, 2024, law enforcement in Toppenish, Washington, responded to reports that two vehicles were chasing one another. According to these reports, the vehicles’ occupants were firing gunshots at one another
When officers responded to the scene and stopped one of the vehicles involved, Vijarro, who was a passenger in the vehicle, got out and ran from the scene, armed with a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition. Vijarro then fled into a nearby home in attempt to hide from law enforcement. At this point, law enforcement set up a permitter around the home where Vijarro was apparently hiding.
Just before 11p.m., Vijarro walked into the backyard of the home and fired three shots at law enforcement. Vijarro then stood on top a pallet in the backyard, took up a shooting stance while aiming at law enforcement, and fired two more shots. Two Yakima County Sheriff’s Office vehicles were hit by bullets fired by Vijarro.
Vijarro eventually surrendered to law enforcement after breaking into a home next door and barricading himself inside. These events, including the shots fired at law enforcement, occurred on the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation. Mr. Vijarro is not an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation.
At the change-of-plea hearing, Vijarro admitted that he intentionally fired at law enforcement officers, who had set up a perimeter around the home he had barricaded himself in.
“Firing at law enforcement officers is an intolerable act of violence that puts lives at risk and undermines public safety,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rich Barker. Mr. Vijarro’s reckless and dangerous actions could have resulted in tragedy. I commend the officers involved for their professionalism and restraint. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working closely with our federal, state, local, and Tribal partners to hold violent offenders accountable and protect our communities.”
“During Police Week, we are especially reminded of how law enforcement place themselves daily in harm’s way to protect us. FBI Seattle and our partners are committed to combatting violent crime to keep our communities safe, including on tribal lands,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “From the vehicle chase to the hiding in houses, so many parts of this scenario were dangerous and could have resulted in far worse results than the damaged sheriff’s office vehicles. We are thankful no one was injured by Mr. Vijarro’s actions.”
United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke accepted Vijarro’s plea and set sentencing for August 11, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bree R. Black Horse.
GREAT FALLS – A Browning man who admitted to driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol when he crashed into another vehicle killing the driver was sentenced today to 16 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Chasen James Kipp, 25, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to involuntary manslaughter.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on October 21, 2023, Kipp was driving his 2022 Dodge Charger near the Cut Bank airport when he crossed the center lane of traffic, collided with a sedan, and killed the driver, Jane Doe.
When law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, they saw Kipp trying to flee. An officer described Kipp staggering and could smell alcohol on him. The officers detained Kipp, who said he had consumed two mixed drinks at the Pioneer Bar in Cut Bank and was returning to his home in Birch Creek. Kipp was arrested and consented to a blood draw, where he told the medical provider he was too drunk to remember the crash and he “came to” when the airbags deployed. He estimated he was driving 60 mph at the time of the crash.
Paramedics pronounced Jane Doe dead at the scene. She died from blunt force trauma sustained from the crash. The Montana Highway Patrol conducted the crash investigation and determined Kipp was going 82 mph in a 65-mph zone when he crossed the center line and struck Doe’s vehicle. The toxicology report showed his blood alcohol content was .114 and he had cocaine in his system.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, the Cut Bank Police Department, the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montana Highway Patrol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
GREAT FALLS – A Wolf Point man accused of assaulting two individuals on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Philip Ray Azure, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon related to two separate incidents. Azure faces a term of imprisonment of ten years, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for September 24, 2025. Azure was detained pending further proceedings.
The first incident occurred on March 16, 2023, when Azure went to John Doe’s residence in Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Azure and John Doe were friends and were drinking alcohol together. Azure became intoxicated and was asked to leave for being too loud. A family member of Doe’s, who also lives in the home, started to walk Azure out. As he was leaving, he struck the family member. John Doe confronted Azure about hitting his family member. Azure pulled out a knife and stabbed Doe in the chest and then turned and walked away without saying anything.
Doe was rushed to the hospital for treatment of his serious injuries. The stab wound pierced his lung, causing a partial collapse that caused blood, gas, and air to build in the space between his lungs and rib cage. Doe was airlifted to Billings for surgery. After surgery to repair his lung, Doe spent a week in the hospital before being discharged.
The second incident happened on January 27, 2024. Azure and several friends, including two co-defendants, and the victim, John Doe 2, were in a yard in Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, playing a game of “slap-boxing.” The fighting escalated and eventually the group separated. Azure and his co-defendants returned home, and John Doe 2 arrived a short time later asking for his phone. Azure and his co-defendants exited the home and confronted Doe 2 in the driveway.
Several people witnessed the assault. One witness described seeing Azure and his co-defendants hitting John Doe 2 and saw someone using a bat and someone else using a hammer. A second witness saw Azure and his two co-defendants approach Doe 2 while he backed away and said all three “jumped” Doe 2. That witness saw Azure use a bat during the assault.
Doe 2 died at the scene before law enforcement arrived. According to an autopsy, he died from blunt and sharp force injuries to the head and chest, including a stab wound to the chest that perforated Doe 2’s sternum, heart, and esophagus.
Azure was arrested the day after the second assault. He initially claimed he wasn’t there when Doe 2 was assaulted. He later admitted he was involved but didn’t remember the details because he was intoxicated. He claimed Doe 2 had a big knife and he ultimately hit Doe 2 with a bat to stop him from using the knife. None of the other witnesses reported seeing Doe 2 with a knife.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, and Wolf Point Police Department conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
First illegal fishing case in Southern District of Texas with potential prison time
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A Brownsville grand jury has indicted a crew of four men from Matamoros, Mexico, for unlawfully transporting fish taken from the Gulf of America, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Previously arrested upon the filing of a criminal complaint, Miguel Angel Ramirez-Vidal, 32, Jesus David Luna-Marquez, 20, Jesus Roberto Morales-Amador, 27, and Jose Daniel Santiago-Mendoza, 22, are expected appear for their arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Betancourt May 22 at 1:45 p.m.
On April 17, the crew of four allegedly attempted to transport and export roughly 315 kilograms of red snapper illegally taken from U.S. waters. The charges allege they intended to sell the fish in Mexico.
The criminal complaint alleges authorities observed the crew’s panga-style fishing vessel in the Gulf of America, seven miles north of the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary line and 21 miles east of South Padre Island (SPI).
The crew was allegedly fishing with approximately four kilometers of heavy nylon fishing line and 1,200 fishing hooks. The complaint further alleges they were in an unmarked and unregistered vessel which was not flying the flag of any nation and operating without running lights. The charges allege none of the crew had a permit to fish in U.S. waters nor had a quota for red snapper in violation of federal law.
If convicted, they face up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, Coast Guard Investigative Services, Coast Guard Station SPI, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Texas Parks and Wildlife and South Padre Island Police Department conducted the joint investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hagen is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Kodiak fisherman was sentenced today to one year in prison and will serve two years on supervised release for leading a plan to illegally transport crab from Alaska to Washington on two crab catcher vessels, in violation of the Lacey Act.
In February and March 2024, Corey Potter, 64, owned and operated two crab catcher vessels and harvested Tanner and golden king crab in the waters of Southeast Alaska on those vessels. The vessels were captained and operated by co-defendants, Kyle Potter, 30, and Justin Welch, 34. Corey Potter directed Kyle Potter and Welch to transport their harvest of live crab to Seattle, where they intended to sell it for a higher price than they would receive in Alaska. Before leaving Alaska, neither vessel landed their harvest at a port nor reported the harvest on a fish ticket, which all three defendants knew was a requirement under state law.
At the time, one vessel had over 4,200 pounds of live Tanner crab aboard, while the other had over 2,900 pounds of live golden king crab aboard. A portion of the Tanner crab was infected with Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS), a parasitic disease that is fatal to crustaceans. Several crab fishermen reached out to Corey and Kyle Potter expressing concern for the impact transporting crab out of state could have on the industry because of BCS. Despite the concerns, Corey Potter moved forward with his plan to transport the catch knowing some of the crabs were infected with BCS.
Following the multi-day trip from Alaska, roughly 42% of the king crab died and was unmarketable. Since the other vessel had BCS contaminated crabs, the entire catch of Tanner crab was transferred to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to dispose of in a landfill.
In March 2024, law enforcement served a search warrant on Welch and one of the fishing vessels. Welch informed Corey and Kyle Potter of the search and both defendants deleted text messages detailing the plans to sell the crab for better prices and the risk of BCS before their phones were seized by law enforcement.
On Feb. 7, 2025, Corey Potter pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the Lacey Act, which are felony convictions. During sentencing, the Court also ordered Corey Potter to a worldwide commercial fishing ban throughout the duration of his supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the Court emphasized the defendant’s leadership role in the offense and the harm he caused by failing to make accurate and timely reports to regulators.
“Crabbing is a vital component of Alaska’s fishing industry. Mr. Potter blatantly disregarded state and federal fishing laws and ignored the concerns of other fisherman when he directed his two captains to execute the illegal transport, resulting in the reckless loss of over 5,000 pounds of crab,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “The laws protecting this industry help ensure Alaska’s fisheries are sustainable for years to come. My office will continue to work with state and federal law enforcement partners to prosecute federal criminal violations that jeopardize Alaska’s fisheries.”
“Alaska’s fisheries are a global model of sustainable, data-driven management, made possible by the dedication of honest fishermen, strong regulatory oversight, and a commitment to upholding fairness across the industry,” said Benjamin Cheeseman, Assistant Director, NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, North Pacific Division. “This sentencing serves as a clear reminder that there are serious consequences for those who break the rules. We remain committed to holding violators accountable and safeguarding Alaska’s fisheries for future generations.”
The co-defendants in this case received the following sentences:
Kyle Potter pleaded guilty and was sentenced on July 10, 2024, to five years’ probation, which includes a five-year worldwide commercial fishing ban during the term of supervised release, and a $20,000 fine.
Welch pleaded guilty and was sentenced on June 25, 2024, to three years’ probation and a $10,000 fine.
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey prosecuted the case.
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Kelly, age 82, of Rome, New York, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to receive and distribute child pornography and to distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography announced United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
As part of his guilty plea, Kelly admitted that in August of 2022, he began conspiring with his co-defendant, Richard Hockersmith, to exchange child pornography. Kelly further admitted that he and his co-defendant exchanged child pornography by mailing an SD card containing the child pornography back and forth. Kelly also admitted that during a search of his residence on February 23, 2024, he still possessed images and videos of child pornography on the same laptop computer he had used to access the SD card he had exchanged with his co-defendant. Hockersmith previously pled guilty on December 10, 2024, to possessing and conspiring to receive and distribute child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated, “We will find and prosecute those who distribute child pornography in the Northern District of New York, whether by mail, computer or otherwise. Justice has been served, but our work continues. Every child deserves to grow up safe, and we will never stop fighting for their protections. This predator will never harm another child again. Let this be a message: we will find you, we will expose you, and we will bring you to justice – no mercy, no hiding, no exceptions.”
At sentencing, which is currently scheduled for September 10, 2025, in Albany, New York before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Kelly faces a term of imprisonment of at least 5 years and up to 20 years, a supervised release term of between 5 years and life, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Kelly will also be required to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses and will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The case is being investigated by HSI with assistance from the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Isiah Ti-Quan Clements, aka “Zay,” age 38, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to marijuana trafficking and money laundering.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf; and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “This prosecution of a sophisticated marijuana trafficking and money laundering organization was made possible by the close collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies on both coasts. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law and we continue to investigate and prosecute the criminal organizations profiting mightily from its illicit distribution.”
Clements admitted to being a member of a marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) trafficking organization that cultivated marijuana on a commercial scale in Fresno, California, and shipped thousands of kilograms of marijuana and THC from Fresno to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region of New York. Clements also admitted to laundering marijuana and THC proceeds for the organization.
Clements admitted to receiving packages of marijuana shipped by Dwight A. Singletary, II, aka “Nutt” and “Mike Jones,” and McKenzie Merrialice Coles, aka “Kenzie,” from a shipping store in Fresno, Fast Pack & Ship, at his home and a restaurant in Troy. Clements also arranged shipments of marijuana to his sister, LaFay Pearson, aka “Lala,” at her apartment in Troy, and coordinated the receipt of shipments of marijuana by his aunt, Consanga Harris, aka “Sondy,” at her home in Troy. After the packages of marijuana were delivered to the defendant, Harris, and Pearson, they were picked up by or dropped off to David Singletary, aka “DB.”
Clements was notified of the shipments of marijuana by Coles and Dwight Singletary and was paid between $300 and $400 for each package of marijuana received. Between June 2018 and May 2022, the defendant received and coordinated the receipt of approximately 1,102 kilograms (2,429 pounds) of marijuana.
Clements also laundered marijuana and THC proceeds for the organization, including by exchanging $110,200 in cash drug proceeds consisting of small bills for large bills at a bank and credit union in the Capital Region; purchasing over $127,000 in cashier’s checks with cash drug proceeds; flying from the Capital Region to Fresno with suitcases full of cash drug proceeds; depositing cash drug proceeds into business and other accounts held by Coles and Dwight Singletary; sending over $20,000 in money transfers purchased with cash drug proceeds from the Capital Region to Fresno and Modesto, California; and paying contractors working on properties in the Capital Region owned by Dwight Singletary and his company, DAS Empire, Inc., with cash drug proceeds.
Clements faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison on the two counts to which he pled guilty, conspiring to distribute marijuana and conspiring to commit money laundering; fines of up to $10.25 million; and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Clements was charged in an indictment with Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, Coles, Pearson, Harris, and 18 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses, and other crimes. Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, and Coles have pled not guilty and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations as to them.
The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Islanders are invited to come along to a free cycling event this Saturday at Les Quennevais Cycle Track, 11am to 4pm.
A range of activities will be on offer for all ages and abilities, whether a regular cycle commuter or learning to ride for the first time:
Try-a-bike: test ride cycles including adapted cycles, cargo cycles, e-bikes and pedal bikes with Powerhouse, Bicycle Workshop and Cycle Without Limits
Learn to ride: join a session with Jersey Sport, open to all ages
Guided cycle rides: to Corbière or St Peter’s Village and return
Cycle clinic: get your cycle safety checked for free by a qualified mechanic
Talk to representatives: from Better Journeys Week and States of Jersey Police
Get a free heart health check: with the cardiology nursing team.
The event is being hosted by I&E’s Climate Change Engagement team with Jersey Sport and local cycle shops also taking part.
More information about the event, including timings of activities can be found on gov.je: Cycle Saturday.
