NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Iranian Company and Two Iranian Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and for Scheme to Procure U.S. Technology for Iranian Attack Drones

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Concurrent Action with Department of the Treasury Targets Illicit Iranian Weapons Procurement Network

    A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Hossein Akbari, 63, and Reza Amidi, 62, both of Iran, and an Iranian company, Rah Roshd Company (Rah Roshd), with conspiring to procure U.S. parts for Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, also known as drones), conspiring to provide material support to the IRGC – a designated foreign terrorist organization – and conspiring to commit money laundering.

    Akbari is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rah Roshd. Amidi is the company’s commercial manager and was previously the commercial manager of Qods Aviation Industries (QAI), an Iranian state-owned aerospace company. They are both citizens of Iran and remain at large.

    “Today’s charges lay bare how U.S.-made technology ended up in the hands of the Iranian military to build attack drones,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will continue to put maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. We will relentlessly dismantle illicit supply chains funneling American technology into the hands of Iran’s military and terrorist organizations and pursue those complicit in operations that threaten our country.”

    “As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to obtain U.S.-origin parts needed to manufacture drones for military use in Iran and send those parts to Iran in violation of export control laws,” said U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “The charges filed today demonstrate the commitment by my office and our law enforcement partners to dismantle illicit supply chains and prosecute those who unlawfully procure U.S. technology in support of a foreign terrorist organization. The IRGC and QAI have been core players in the Iranian military regime’s production of drones, which threaten the lives of civilians, U.S. personnel and our country’s allies. These charges should serve as a warning to those who violate U.S. export control laws and who unlawfully seek to aid Iran’s drone program.”

    “The allegations in this case demonstrate the lengths Iranian companies take to evade U.S. sanctions, victimize U.S. businesses, and support the IRGC’s production of drones,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI and our partners will use all authorities to stop those who seek to evade sanctions and engage in money laundering schemes that support terrorist activities and threaten the lives and interests of Americans and our allies.”

    According to court documents, Akbari and Amidi operate Rah Roshd which procures and supplies advanced electronic, electro-optical and security systems to the Government of Iran and designs, builds, and manufactures ground support systems for UAVs. Rah Roshd’s clients include the IRGC and several Iranian state-owned aerospace companies and drone manufacturers, including QAI, Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center (SAIRC) and Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG).

    Between January 2020 and the present, Amidi and Akbari used Rah Roshd in furtherance of a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions and procure U.S.-origin parts for use in Iranian-manufactured UAVs, including the Mohajer-6 UAV. At least one of those parts was manufactured by a Brooklyn, New York-based company (Company-1). In September 2022, the Ukranian Air Force shot down an Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone used by the Russian military in Ukraine. The drone recovered by the Ukrainian Air Force contained parts made by several U.S. companies, including Company-1)

    To facilitate their scheme, Amidi and Akbari falsely purported to represent companies other than Rah Roshd, including a company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Company-2) and a company based in Belgium (Company-3). The defendants used a “spoofed” email address, containing a misspelled version of Company-2’s name, to communicate regarding the procurement of parts, including parts manufactured by U.S. companies. The defendants also used various “front” or “shell” companies to pay for UAV parts and to obfuscate the true end destination and the true identities of the sanctioned end users, including QAI and the IRGC, which were acquiring U.S.-made parts through Rah Roshd. Amidi and Akbari also used aliases to obfuscate their true identities in furtherance of the scheme.

    Additionally, the defendants conspired to provide material support to the IRGC by providing goods and services, including constructing military shelters, providing cameras and drone field hangers and conspiring to procure drone parts as well as parts to operate drones, including servo motors, pneumatic masts, and engines, for the benefit of the IRGC’s military campaign. The investigation uncovered correspondence from the IRGC, signed by the head of the UAV Command for the IRGC’s Aerospace Force, thanking Rah Roshd for its work on behalf of the IRGC and praising Rah Roshd’s achievements in designing and manufacturing “servo motors” for defense equipment. The letter also included a quote from the Supreme Leader of Iran regarding the importance of self-sufficiency and domestic production to strengthen Iran’s economy and “disappoint the enemies of the Islamic Republic.”  The letter also noted continued efforts of Rah Roshd “in strengthening the defensive capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Both Amidi and Akbari possessed documents indicating that they had purchased servo motors for delivery to Iran, including a servo motor contained in the Mohajer-6 drone. Akbari also emailed supplier companies located in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and noted that he was purchasing parts for drones to be shipped to Iran.

    Finally, Amidi and Akbari conspired to commit money laundering. They used at least three shell companies, which were all based in the UAE, to pay a PRC-based company that sent invoices to Rah Roshd for the sale of motors. Those payments were processed through U.S.-based correspondent bank accounts. The defendants also used two of these shell companies to pay a separate PRC-based company for the sale of pneumatic masts, which are a component of the operation of the Mohajer-6 drone.

    Concurrent with today’s criminal complaint, the Department of Treasury announced sanctions targeting a network of six entities and two individuals based in Iran, the UAE, and the PRC responsible for the procurement of UAV components on behalf of QAI — a leading manufacturer for Iran’s UAV program. According to the Treasury, this network has also facilitated procurement for other entities in Iran’s military-industrial complex, including Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) and SBIG. Today’s action marks the second round of sanctions targeting Iranian weapons proliferators since the President issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 on Feb. 4, ordering a campaign of maximum pressure on Iran.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nina C. Gupta and Lindsey R. Oken for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Rebecca Roth, Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

    Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A ban on price gouging and new powers to break up supermarkets are on the table this election. Would either work?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Barbora Jedlickova, Senior Lecturer, School of Law, The University of Queensland

    wisely/Shutterstock

    With the federal election campaign now underway, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised that if re-elected, Labor would seek to make price gouging illegal in the supermarket sector.

    A new taskforce would be set up to examine the best way to do so, drawing on the experience of other countries. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) would then enforce the new “excessive pricing regime”.

    Labor’s proposal comes despite the fact the final report from the ACCC’s supermarkets inquiry didn’t make any explicit accusation of price gouging.

    Meanwhile, the Coalition and Greens still want new divestiture powers to break up the supermarkets, a course of action also not recommended by the ACCC’s report.



    Read more:
    Policy tracker: how will Labor, the Coalition, the Greens and the independents make Australia better?

    Price gouging

    Price gouging, also referred to as “excessive pricing”, isn’t illegal in Australia. As long as prices are set independently by an individual business – and not in collusion with supposed competitors – they can be set as high or low as desired.

    However, the Australian Competition and Consumer Act does allow the ACCC to monitor and regulate the price of some “notified” goods or services – with approval from the relevant federal minister.

    One current example are postal services. The ACCC assesses proposed price increases, and can make an objection.

    Price gouging isn’t illegal in Australia.
    doublelee/Shutterstock

    The legal situation on price gouging differs around the world.

    The European Union, for example, prohibits abuse of a dominant market position by “directly or indirectly imposing unfair purchase or selling prices”.

    It can be difficult to define an “unfair price”. Typically, it’s an excessive, monopolistic price higher than what would be set in a competitive market.

    A landmark EU judgement defines an excessive price as one with “no reasonable relation to the economic value of the product supplied”.

    Despite this ban, enforcement cases are somewhat rare. The European Commission has been more focused on tackling “exclusionary conduct” in recent decades.

    This is when a competitor with significant market power uses restrictive means to directly hurt its competitors and exclude them (and future competitors) from competing in the relevant market.

    An example is predatory pricing, where a company sets prices unrealistically low to drive out competitors – then becoming able to set them as high as they would like.

    What about divestiture?

    Both the Coalition and Greens have pledged to create new “divestiture” powers to break up supermarkets if they were found to be abusing their market power.

    In competition law, divestiture is when a commercial entity is ordered to sell a portion of its assets or its business to a third party, to improve competition in the affected market.

    Australian law has divestiture powers to address anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions. But currently, there aren’t powers to break up businesses for misuse of market power.

    It’s a different picture in the United States, where the government has had powers to break up businesses in the context of “monopolisation” for more than a century.

    The risks of splitting up

    Divestiture powers were not recommended in the ACCC’s final report. That may be linked to market structure here.

    The Australian grocery retail market is highly concentrated. The majority of retail sales are shared among only a few supermarket chains, primarily Woolworths (38%) and Coles (29%).

    However, the combined share of these two retail giants has declined over the past 14 years, from 80% to 67%. Meanwhile, Aldi’s market share has grown to 9%, showing these two retailers face some competition.

    This suggests divestiture may be a misguided approach. There are specific risks that come with divestiture remedies.

    For instance, who would purchase the assets under a specific divestiture order? When considering the structure of the current grocery retail market, there is a high risk it would be another powerful retailer interested in purchasing its competitor’s assets. This would defeat the purpose entirely.

    Other measures already in motion

    Any ban on price gouging or new divestiture powers should be implemented with caution and used as a temporary tool. Directly interfering with free markets comes with risks.

    Other actions are already underway to boost competition in the sector and improve supermarkets’ dealings with suppliers.

    The federal government has previously announced incentives for the states to “cut planning and zoning red tape”, with the aim of making it easier for smaller supermarkets to enter the market and compete.

    And from April, the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct will be made mandatory and enforceable, in line with a key recommendation of the independent Emerson review.

    The Food and Grocery Code of Conduct for dealing with suppliers is now mandatory.
    Nita Corfe/Shutterstock

    Certain restrictive and unfair practices in dealing with suppliers will be directly prohibited and enforced.

    The new code gives the ACCC a range of useful tools to enforce against a breach by a powerful supermarket chain.

    These include:

    • a confidential channel for whistleblowing suppliers
    • effective dispute resolution to address lengthy and costly litigation
    • heavy penalties – as high as A$10 million or 10% of annual turnover – for serious breaches of the code.

    Rather than bring in measures that have not been independently recommended – like a price gouging ban or divestiture powers – it would be worth first seeing how these new enforceable rules work to deliver a better deal for supermarket customers.

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

    – ref. A ban on price gouging and new powers to break up supermarkets are on the table this election. Would either work? – https://theconversation.com/a-ban-on-price-gouging-and-new-powers-to-break-up-supermarkets-are-on-the-table-this-election-would-either-work-253429

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms After Being Intercepted with Guns on Reinhardt University Campus

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Joshua Timothy Rex has pleaded guilty to possession of two firearms by a convicted felon after law enforcement officers intercepted him on his way to confront a student on the campus of Reinhardt University.

    “Rex is a repeat violent offender who placed the citizens of Cherokee County and the Reinhardt University community at serious risk by bringing guns to campus in anticipation of an encounter with a student,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr.  “We are relieved that local law enforcement intervened before Rex harmed anyone, and we are grateful for the collaborative efforts of our federal and local law enforcement partners who aided this successful prosecution.”

    “Rex posed a serious threat to the public,” said Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons.  “Identifying and apprehending Rex shows that ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to utilize all resources to protect the community.” 

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, Jr., the charges and other information presented in court: Joshua Rex is prohibited by law from possessing firearms due to his record of prior felony drug convictions and a prior conviction of domestic violence.  But in spite of his previous criminal history, on July 20, 2024, he drove to the campus of Reinhardt University armed with two fully loaded firearms and extra magazines of ammunition.  Law enforcement was alerted to Rex’s apparent violent intentions when they received a 911 call stating that Rex was en route to the school to confront and potentially harm a student.

    Officers of the Cherokee County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Reinhardt University Department of Public Safety prevented a potentially life-threatening incident when they intercepted Rex just as he entered the campus and arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol and bringing firearms to the campus.  Rex later admitted to federal agents that he had armed himself in anticipation of an encounter with a Reinhardt University student.

    Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before Senior United States District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. 

    This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with valuable assistance provided by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Reinhardt University Department of Public Safety.

    Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wylly is prosecuting the case.

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

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wayne County man arrested on child pornography charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Joseph Hudson, III, 26, of Williamson, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the receipt and possession of child pornography following a previous conviction for the sexual abuse of a minor. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that on March 14, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from Microsoft, that an individual had uploaded nine files of suspected child pornography to a Microsoft platform. NCMEC contacted the New York State Police, who traced the upload to Hudson, a registered sex offender. He was previously convicted in New York State Court of Sexual Abuse in the First for engaging in sexual contact with a child less than 11 years old. A search warrant was executed at Hudson’s residence, during which police seized his computer. A forensic examination recovered approximately 198 images and 112 videos of child pornography depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors. Some of the images included violence against children.       

    Hudson made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was held pending a detention hearing.

    The criminal complaint is the result of of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.    

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.   

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two charged in smuggling deaths of woman and child during recent flooding event

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – An illegal alien residing in McAllen and a local resident are now in custody for alien smuggling resulting in two deaths, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Authorities have now arrested Vicente Garcia Jr., 18, Roma. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker at 9 a.m. April 2. Mexican national Jose Alexis Baeza-Combaluzier, 26, was already in custody and made his initial appearance March 31.  

    The criminal complaint alleges that on March 28, law enforcement observed a suspected alien smuggling event in McAllen. Garcia was allegedly transporting one illegal alien and was to transfer them to Baeza-Combaluzier. Baeza-Combaluzier had four other illegal aliens in his vehicle and then departed the area with the passengers but eventually came to a stop due to a flooded road, according to the charges.  

    The complaint alleges authorities attempted to make an approach, but Baeza-Combaluzier accelerated and drove through a flooded area. Approximately half a mile later, he allegedly drove the vehicle into a canal.

    Law enforcement immediately jumped into the canal and began rescue operations, but two drowned, including a 14-year-old child, according to the charges.

    If convicted, Baeza-Combaluzier and Garcia could up life in prison or the possibility of a death sentence as well as a $250,000 maximum fine. 

    Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Weslaco Fire Department and sheriff’s offices in Hidalgo and Starr Counties. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case.

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

    A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Supporting Survivors and Holding Abusers Accountable

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today recognized April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in New York, issuing a statewide proclamation. This comes as the Governor made combatting sexual violence a top priority in her FY26 Budget, pushing to double funding for rape crisis programs and proposing a mandate that all hospitals provide access to trained sexual assault forensic medical examiners for victims and survivors. The Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) is also launching new initiatives to raise awareness about technology facilitated abuse and assault. This builds on Governor Hochul’s ongoing efforts to protect kids online and increase online safety for all New Yorkers, including through her Budget proposals to outlaw AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material and require AI Companion companies to implement safety features to protect against self-harm.

    “Sexual violence is an issue that affects countless individuals and families across the State, and my Administration is dedicated to strengthening resources for survivors and expanding protections to keep New Yorkers safe,” Governor Hochul said. “By recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting survivors, holding perpetrators accountable, and preventing future harm, while ensuring that every New Yorker has access to the care and justice they deserve.”

    In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, state landmarks will be illuminated in teal tonight, Tuesday, April 1, and again on Wednesday, April 30, for NYS Denim Day. The New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) also announced several new initiatives to help raise awareness, including the launch of an online Spot the Deepfake quiz, the launch of New York’s “Power DownSpeak Up” campaign, and the New York State Denim Day Exhibit to be held at the Empire State Plaza Concourse. Additionally, OPDV announced weekly “Sexual Violence 101” awareness trainings, which are open to the public.

    OPDV Executive Director Kelli Nichols Owens said, “Many cases of sexual, domestic, and other gender-based violence, now involve some form of technology facilitated abuse or attacks. Over the last two years we have been working to engage New Yorkers in the conversations around these personal safety issues and remain committed to supporting victims and survivors in survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive ways. We thank you, Governor Hochul, for your dedication to improving the lives of those affected by sexual assault, be it through education, direct services and support, prevention, or response.”

    OPDV’s Spot the Deepfake quiz is an online quiz designed to educate New Yorkers on how to spot AI-generated fake images. OPDV’s Spot the Deepfake quiz allows participants to examine pictures to determine if they are real or deepfake images. Individuals who take this quiz will receive a score at the end, as well as important information on how to differentiate AI-generated images from real ones.

    In March, OPDV launched the Statewide “Power Down, Speak Up” campaign, working to raise awareness and help protect New Yorkers from technology facilitated abuse, including sextortion, deepfakes, unauthorized location tracking, and online harassment. Join OPDV in powering down technology threats and speaking up for yourself by sharing Power Down, Speak Up posts on your social media.

    Finally, as part of an international movement to raise awareness about sexual assault, the New York State Denim Day Exhibit will be held April 28-April 30 at the Empire State Plaza Concourse. This exhibit is hosted by OPDV, in partnership with the NYS Office of General Services. The Denim Day movement started more than 25 years ago, after the Italian Supreme Court ruled that because a victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped the person who raped her remove them, implying consent. Following the ruling, women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans to work in solidarity with the victim.

    Protecting People Online
    As part of her ongoing leadership and commitment to protecting people and especially children online, this year Governor Hochul proposed updating the penal law to treat AI-generated child sexual abuse material as child pornography. Existing laws address traditional child pornography, but the emergence of easily accessible “undressing” apps and the misuse of generative AI highlight the need to strengthen and modernize these laws. Governor Hochul has also proposed legislation to require AI companionship companies to implement safety features to protect against self-harm and to remind users they are interacting with machines rather than humans. These steps aim to reduce risks and ensure safer interactions with AI companions, which are part of a rapidly developing and largely unregulated market where chatbots are designed to simulate human connection, remember personal details, and adapt their personality to user preferences to establish long-term relationships.

    Ensuring Child Victims of Crime Are Maximally Supported
    A child becoming the victim of a crime is every parent’s worst nightmare, especially when the crime is violent in nature. When that does happen, families must walk the difficult line of supporting the pursuit of justice while also protecting their young loved one from having to re-experience and relive the crime and trauma. Child Advocacy Centers provide a child-friendly, safe, supportive environment for child victims of abuse or neglect and crime. Children and their loved ones have access to victim advocacy, mental health support and specialized medical exams from a multi-disciplinary team of professionals. This year, Governor Hochul will double funding to the Child Advocacy Centers to ensure that as children receive services and support, they have one single advocate who works with them and their family through the entire process. This will ensure young victims of crime and their families are prepared and supported by the same trusted adult at every step in the process.

    State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Sadly, too many individuals are coping with trauma because they have experienced sexual, domestic, and other gender-based violence. We must continue to have open and honest conversations and provide survivors with support and resources with empathy and compassion. I thank Governor Hochul for her unwavering commitment to giving survivors of domestic and sexual violence access to resources of healing and informing New Yorkers through education, prevention strategies, and response.”

    Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said, “In the United States, a sexual assault occurs, on average, every 68 seconds. The implications of this type of violence are felt physically, psychologically, emotionally, developmentally and financially, and underscore the substantial need to implement efficacious and assessable supports and safeguards. OCFS is proud to join Governor Hochul and the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence in reinforcing New York State’s commitment to combatting sexual violence. OCFS is committed to prevention and support to survivors, through services at Child Advocacy Centers, which offer resources to children who have experienced assault; the Safe Harbour New York program and the EMPOWER program for youth who have been sexually trafficked; and working closely with local rape crisis programs, where appropriate, to support adults experiencing domestic violence. We will continue to message that survivors of sexual violence are never at fault and that New York State government will lend its resources to assisting survivors in their healing journey.”

    Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “We are grateful to Governor Hochul for making combatting sexual violence a top priority in her FY2026 Executive Budget and to all of our state and local partners for helping to raise awareness about sexual assault and honor survivors for their resiliency and strength. We are also grateful to OPDV for their dedication to supporting victims and survivors and for raising awareness about sexual assault through education and ongoing trainings.”

    Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson said, “Sexual assault survivors deserve to have all of the resources and support they need to help them heal. OVS is proud of the work we have done to improve tracking of forensic exam kits, covering medical costs and counseling for survivors, and raising funding caps and eliminating red tape for reimbursements of costs incurred as a result of crime. We thank Governor Hochul, who has consistently shown leadership and support for survivors, as well as OPDV, which provides critical resources and support.”

    New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Survivors deserve support and compassion when they seek help from law enforcement. DCJS funds and supports police agencies, district attorneys’ offices, and service providers that engage with victims and survivors throughout the state, and work to ensure their rights should they wish to involve the justice system. We are proud to stand with Governor Hochul and our state and local partners to shine a light on sexual assault and provide the resources that survivors need to recover and heal.”

    Division of Criminal Justice Services
    New York State’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline provides free, confidential support 24/7 and is available in most languages: 800-942-6906 (call), 844-997-2121 (text) or @ opdv.ny.gov (chat).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley in Introducing Legislation to Stop Abuses of Federal Injunctions Against President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and 20 of their Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the Judicial Relief Clarification Act of 2025 (JRCA). This legislation would end the practice of universal injunctions – which have been abused to prevent executive actions by President Donald Trump – in addition to clarifying the constitutional role of the judicial branch.
    The legislation would also limit the ability of lower courts to block legitimate executive action by issuing orders to nonparties to the lawsuit. In addition, JRCA would also make temporary restraining orders against the government immediately appealable, ensuring that prudence carries more weight than rash decisions handed down in the heat of a political moment.
    “Radical District Court Judges across the country are using, and in many cases abusing, universal injunctions to slam the brakes on President Trump’s America First Agenda – even though the American people overwhelmingly voted in support of it in November,” said Senator Marshall. “These injunctions are disruptive of the normal legal process and overstep judicial authority. It’s time to rein them in.”
    “For a number of years, but particularly in the last few months, we’ve increasingly seen sweeping orders from individual district judges that dictate national policy. Our Founders saw an important role for the judiciary, but the Constitution limits judges to exercising power over ‘cases’ or ‘controversies.’ Judges are not policymakers and allowing them to assume this role is very dangerous,” send Senator Grassley. “The Judicial Relief Clarification Act clarifies the scope of judicial power and resolves illegitimate judicial infringement upon the executive branch. It’s a commonsense bill that’s needed to provide long-term constitutional clarity and curb district courts’ growing tendency to overstep by issuing sweeping, nationwide orders.”
    The legislation is cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisianna), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Ashley Moody (R-Florida), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama).
    Click HERE to read the full bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican national caught transporting child sexual abuse material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican national has been indicted for transportation and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Already in custody following the filing of a criminal complaint, Raul Velasco-Leon is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos in the near future.

    On March 12, authorities encountered Velasco-Leon at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge as he was returning to Mexico, according to the charges. They searched his belongings and allegedly found what appeared to be a piece of youth-sized clothing with the words “Girl Power” tucked inside a jean pocket.

    The charges allege law enforcement also found multiple electronic devices, including 10 USB flash drives. On one of those, were five files containing child sexual abuse material.

    If convicted, Velasco-Leon faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Collins Resident Charged in Connection With Incident at Tesla Service Center in Loveland

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Cooper Jo Frederick, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of Malicious Destruction and Attempted Destruction of Property by Fire, and one count of Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device.  The indictment was brought in connection with a fire at a Tesla Service Center in Loveland, CO, which investigators determined had been caused by an incendiary device.  Frederick was arrested Friday, March 27, 2025, in Frisco, Texas.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The investigation is being handled by the Denver Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Loveland Police Department, with assistance from the Dallas Field Office of the ATF, the FBI Dallas Field Office, and the Frisco, Texas Police Department.  The prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).

    Case Number:  25-cr-00105-NYW

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hinson, Cotton Introduce the RIFLE Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-01)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Repealing Illegal Freedom and Liberty Excises (RIFLE) Act. Under current law, there is a $200 tax on the transfer and purchase of firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act. This legislation would remove the existing $200 tax on firearms sold to law-abiding gun owners. 

    “The Second Amendment is a Constitutional right that is not to be infringed. Law-abiding gun owners should not be forced to pay an unconstitutional firearm tax. This bill will remove unnecessary financial barriers on lawful gun owners from the antiquated 1934 National Firearms Act and protect the Second Amendment rights of Iowans and Americans.” – Congresswoman Ashley Hinson

    “Law-abiding Americans who exercise their Second Amendment rights should not be subject to unnecessary taxes and restrictions preventing them from doing so. Passed into law in 1934, the National Firearms Act needs to be amended. Our legislation will remove the red tape that places an undue financial burden on would-be gun owners.” – Senator Tom Cotton

    “The National Rifle Association applauds Representative Hinson’s leadership on the Second Amendment and her reintroduction of the RIFLE Act. This $200 punitive tax has only ever served as a financial barrier for law-abiding Americans to exercise their Second Amendment rights.” – John Commerford, Executive Director of NRA-ILA

    “The tax stamp requirement for firearms and suppressors listed as controlled items under the National Firearms Act was intended to suppress Americans’ desire to fully-exercise their Second Amendment rights. It was – and is – a ‘sin tax. However, there is no sin in exercising a Constitutionally-protected right. We appreciate the leadership of Representative Hinson and Senator Cotton to eliminate this tax that only serves as a barrier to law-abiding citizens keeping and bearing arms.” – Lawrence G. Keane, National Shooting Sports Foundation Senior Vice President and General Counsel

    Congresswoman Hinson introduced this bill alongside 27 original co-sponsors: Representatives Richard Hudson (NC-09), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), John Moolenaar (MI-02), Mark Amodei (NV-02), Scott Franklin (FL-18), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Michael Rulli (OH-06), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Mike Collins (GA-10), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), John McGuire (VA-05), Andy Harris (MD-01), Andy Barr (KY-06), Bob Onder (MO-03), Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Troy Downing (MT-02), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Julia Letlow (LA-05), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Tim Walberg (MI-05), Jodey Arrington (TX-19), Adrian Smith (NE-03), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01).

    Background:

    • Under current law, there is a $200 tax on the transfer and purchase of firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA).
      • According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the $200 transfer tax was intended to “to curtail, if not prohibit, transactions” of firearms.
      • The federal government intentionally placed a financial barrier on the Second Amendment, discriminating against individuals based on their income.
    • The RIFLE Act would remove this infringing tax on firearms governed under the NFA, including short-barreled rifles and silencers.
      • This legislation would also ensure that pistols with stabilizing braces would not be subject to the $200 transfer tax.
      • This legislation does not modify any current background check provisions; it solely removes the federally-mandated financial burden on law-abiding gun owners.

    The bill was first covered by Breitbart News here. Full bill text can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DRI Relays Inc. to Pay $15.7M to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving the Sale of Non-Military Grade Parts to Department of Defense

    Source: US State of California

    DRI Relays Inc. (DRI), a subsidiary of TE Connectivity Corporation (TEC), has agreed to pay $15.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by supplying military parts that did not meet military specifications, the Justice Department announced today.

    TEC acquired DRI in October 2020. DRI manufactures electrical relays and sockets for numerous military platforms and has manufacturing locations in Long Island, New York, and Bangalore, India. In January 2011, TEC disclosed to the Department of Defense that DRI had not conducted certain required tests on MIL-PRF-83536 relays and MIL-DTL-12883 sockets, and cooperated with the government’s investigation. The United States subsequently alleged that between 2015 and 2021, under various Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and subcontracts, DRI invoiced for military grade electrical relays and sockets when it knew those parts had not met the testing requirements to be deemed military grade.  

    “It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our military that contractors comply with applicable military specifications,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly supply equipment to the U.S. military that fails to meet their contract obligations.”

    “Maintaining the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense supply chain is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “The DoD expects its suppliers to adhere to contract specifications and perform required testing on products sold to the U.S. military. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of contractors failing to meet testing protocols and disclose product deficiencies.”

    “This settlement demonstrates the resolve of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID) and our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of the equipment and materiel procured or used by the United States Army,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army CID Fraud Field Office. “Failures to adhere to established standards when providing military parts can place our Soldiers at significant risk and adversely impact the Army’s warfighting capabilities.”

    This matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section. DCIS, Army CID, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency assisted in this investigation.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Buffalo, New York Man Charged with Transporting a Minor Victim Across State Lines with Intent to Engage in Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on January 22, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ian Blochwitz, 33, of Buffalo, New York, with transporting a minor victim from Vermont to New York with intent to engage in sexual activity for which Blochwitz could be charged with a criminal offense in New York.

    Blochwitz entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on March 20, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. United States Magistrate Judge Jerome Niedermeier held a detention hearing on March 26, 2025, and ordered that Blochwitz be detained during the pendency of this matter.

    According to court records, Blochwitz met his twelve-year-old victim on an anonymous chat platform. In February 2023, Blochwitz drove a rental car from Buffalo, New York, to Vermont to meet the minor victim. He then took the minor victim to a short-term rental location in Whitehall, New York, where he engaged in sexual activity with the minor victim. He then drove the minor victim back to Vermont before returning to Buffalo.

    The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Blochwitz is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Blochwitz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years of imprisonment and up to a lifetime of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations.

    The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Joshua L. Banker. Blochwitz is represented by Attorney Robert Singer, of Williamsville, New York.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Red Bluff Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

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

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Austreberto Santamaria-Valencia, 29, of Red Bluff, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to four years and three months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, on Feb. 6, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a suspected overdose by a motel guest in Red Bluff. When officers entered the room, they found Santamaria-Valencia sitting in a chair, unconscious but breathing. On the bed near him, officers saw multiple plastic bags containing what appeared to be blue pills, of the type sold as counterfeit oxycodone pills, but which often contain fentanyl. Officers were able to wake Santamaria-Valencia. In response to their questions, Santamaria-Valencia indicated that he had taken fentanyl. Medical personnel tended to Santamaria-Valencia and confirmed he was not in danger of overdosing. A records check indicated that Santamaria-Valencia had a warrant out for his arrest, and officers arrested him at that time.

    Officers searched Santamaria-Valencia’s room and car and seized approximately 1,000 counterfeit M-30 oxycodone pills, a loaded Taurus G3C 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, two bottles containing a total of 170 Farmapram (alprazolam-Xanax) pills, five packets of suboxone strips, 90 grams of marijuana, approximately $7,000 in cash, and other items commonly used in street sales of narcotics.

    This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Red Bluff Police Department, and the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly prosecuted the case.

    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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Man Admits Possession of Drugs, Machine Gun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted being caught with a fully automatic pistol, fentanyl and cocaine base after a police chase.

    Mario Mitchell, 22, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

    On Oct. 16, 2023, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted a silver Nissan Sentra violate the stop sign at Euclid Avenue and East Lee Avenue in the Penrose neighborhood of St. Louis. Mitchell sped off when officers activated their lights and siren. After officers used spike strips to disable the Sentra, Mitchell got out and ran, discarding a Glock 10mm fully automatic pistol with an extended magazine. When officers caught and arrested Mitchell, he had a bag holding 40 multi-colored capsules containing fentanyl and a bag with several off-white chunks of cocaine base totaling 2.97 grams, he admitted as part of his plea agreement. The pistol was equipped with a conversion device, or “switch,” making it a machine gun under federal law.

    Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10. Each charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.

    The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan national guilty of federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BEAUMONT, Texas – A Guatemalan national, illegally in Port Arthur, has pleaded guilty to immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Wilmer Armando Xitumul-Godinez, 24, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry by a previously deported alien before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on March 31, 2025.

    According to court documents, Xitumul-Godinez was arrested in October 2024 after having been deported by immigration officials in September of 2024.

    Xitumul-Godinez faces up to two years in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

    This case is being investigated 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 is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Port Arthur Police Department and being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman with the cooperation of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DRI Relays Inc. to Pay $15.7M to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving the Sale of Non-Military Grade Parts to Department of Defense

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    DRI Relays Inc. (DRI), a subsidiary of TE Connectivity Corporation (TEC), has agreed to pay $15.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by supplying military parts that did not meet military specifications, the Justice Department announced today.

    TEC acquired DRI in October 2020. DRI manufactures electrical relays and sockets for numerous military platforms and has manufacturing locations in Long Island, New York, and Bangalore, India. In January 2011, TEC disclosed to the Department of Defense that DRI had not conducted certain required tests on MIL-PRF-83536 relays and MIL-DTL-12883 sockets, and cooperated with the government’s investigation. The United States subsequently alleged that between 2015 and 2021, under various Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and subcontracts, DRI invoiced for military grade electrical relays and sockets when it knew those parts had not met the testing requirements to be deemed military grade.  

    “It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our military that contractors comply with applicable military specifications,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly supply equipment to the U.S. military that fails to meet their contract obligations.”

    “Maintaining the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense supply chain is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “The DoD expects its suppliers to adhere to contract specifications and perform required testing on products sold to the U.S. military. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of contractors failing to meet testing protocols and disclose product deficiencies.”

    “This settlement demonstrates the resolve of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID) and our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of the equipment and materiel procured or used by the United States Army,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army CID Fraud Field Office. “Failures to adhere to established standards when providing military parts can place our Soldiers at significant risk and adversely impact the Army’s warfighting capabilities.”

    This matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section. DCIS, Army CID, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency assisted in this investigation.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Port aux Basques — Chanel-Port aux Basques RCMP arrests driver for impaired operation at Marine Atlantic Ferry Terminal

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Following the report of a suspected impaired driver at the Marine Atlantic Ferry Terminal in Port aux Basques on March 28, 2025, a 41-year-old man from Nova Scotia was arrested by Chanel-Port aux Basques RCMP.

    Shortly before 10:00 p.m. on Friday, RCMP received the report of a suspected impaired driver who was in the line-up to board the ferry at the Marine Atlantic Ferry Terminal. Police attended the area, located the described vehicle and spoke to the driver who failed a roadside breath test. The man was arrested for impaired operation, was transported to the detachment and provided further breath samples that were above the legal limit. He was released from custody and is set to appear in court at a later date to answer to charges of impaired operation.

    The vehicle was seized and impounded and the man’s licence was suspended.

    RCMP NL thanks those who report suspected impaired drivers and continues to fulfill its mandate to protect public safety, enforce the law, and ensure the delivery of priority policing services in Newfoundland and Labrador.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Caldwell County, Kentucky Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Bowling Green, KY – A Caldwell County, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison for multiple child pornography charges.  

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.

    According to court documents, William Guill, 50, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor. Guill recorded himself engaged in sexual acts with two minor girls and used an online social media application to distribute child sexual abuse material and send nude images of himself to one of the minors.  

    Guill was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to victims.

    There is no parole in the federal system.   

    This case was investigated by HSI and KSP.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case.

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

    ###   

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former southern Illinois police chief pleads guilty to corruption charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A former Wayne City police chief appeared in federal court Monday and admitted to selling forfeited items confiscated by the department for his personal benefit.

    Anson Fenton, 46, of Belle Rive, pleaded guilty to one count of misapplication of property from federally funded programs and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office strongly supports our police, but we must take decisive action when things like this happen,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “By taking unauthorized possession of forfeited property for his personal benefit, the defendant used his position of trust as police chief to deceive the community he was sworn to protect.”

    Asset forfeiture is a legal process to confiscate the means or proceeds of a crime and can apply to money, vehicles, real estate and more. Wayne City stores forfeited items at the Wayne City Police Department until city officials pass an ordinance to authorize the sale of the property.

    As police chief, Fenton was responsible for safeguarding, documenting and preserving property within the care, custody and control of the Wayne City Police Department.

    “No one is above the law, especially those charged with upholding the law, and the Illinois State Police will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement at all levels to protect the public’s trust,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.

    According to court documents, Fenton sold two motorcycles, a 2017 Harley-Davidson and a 2000 Harley-Davidson, valued at more than $5,000 and kept the proceeds without authorization from the Wayne City Board of Trustees.

    He also traded one 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle for a 1991 Ford Mustang for his personal benefit. He admitted to driving the Suzuki over state lines to complete the sale from Wayne City to Alexandria, Virginia.

    For the charges, Fenton could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 per count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on July 30 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.

    Wayne City is a village in Wayne County in the Southern District of Illinois.

    The Illinois State Police is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Woman Convicted of Embezzling from Car Dealership

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that SEHRELINA TARDO (“TARDO”), age 36, from Tallahassee, Florida, pled guilty on March 26, 2025 to wire fraud, in connection with an embezzlement scheme.

    According to court documents, from November of 2018 through May of 2023, TARDO was a senior accountant at a car dealership in New Orleans, where she embezzled customer cash down payments and deposits, taking the funds for herself.  TARDO hid her theft by creating fake journal entries of customer transactions on her employer’s books and records.  Under the terms of the plea agreement, TARDO agreed to pay restitution of $535,750.77 to her former employer.

    The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for June 25, 2025.

    At sentencing, TARDO faces up to twenty years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator and member of the Financial Crimes Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: First Bank Announces First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAMILTON, N.J., April 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Bank (Nasdaq Global Market: FRBA) invites participation in a conference call to discuss the Company’s financial and operating performance during its first quarter ending on March 31, 2025.

    Event: Earnings Conference Call – First Quarter 2025
       
    When: Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time
       
    Access: Conference Call Dial-In:             (800) 715-9871  (toll free)
       
      Conference Call Access Code:  3909613
       

    Patrick L. Ryan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew L. Hibshman, Chief Financial Officer, Peter J. Cahill, Chief Lending Officer, and Darleen Gillespie, Chief Retail Banking Officer will provide an overview of first quarter 2025 results. The management presentation typically lasts approximately fifteen to thirty minutes, followed by investor questions and discussion. The Company’s first quarter results will be released after the market closes on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 and will also be available in the “Investor Relations” section of the Company’s website. Conference replay information is also available on the Company’s website, www.firstbanknj.com.

    About First Bank
    First Bank is a New Jersey state-chartered bank with 26 full-service branches in Cinnaminson, Delanco, Denville, Ewing, Fairfield, Flemington, Hamilton, Lawrence, Monroe, Pennington, Randolph, Somerset, Trenton, Williamstown, and Morristown, New Jersey, Doylestown, Trevose, Warminster, West Chester, Paoli, Malvern, Coventry, Devon, Lionville, Media, Pennsylvania, and Palm Beach, Florida. With $3.78 billion in assets as of December 31, 2024, First Bank offers a traditional range of deposit and loan products to individuals and businesses mainly throughout the New York City to Philadelphia corridor. First Bank’s common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market exchange under the symbol “FRBA”.

    Contact
    Andrew L. Hibshman, Executive Vice President and CFO
    (609) 643-0058, andrew.hibshman@firstbanknj.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Multi-Million Dollar Money Laundering Conspiracy Leader Pleads Guilty

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Adanegbe Gift Osenmwenkhae (Gift), 39, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pled guilty to serving as manager and supervisor of a large, multi-member, money laundering conspiracy. The group laundered more than $20 million in fraudulent proceeds.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge George Golliday, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General (EPA-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Ken DeChellis, Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service – Cyber Field Office (DCIS).

    According to the plea agreement, beginning in 2021, and continuing into February 2024, Gift conspired with Yahya Sowe, aka “Cash,” Gedeon Agbeyome, Victor Killen, Areal Harris, Bright Boateng, Faizou Gnora, Emily Gil Arias, Fatoumata Boiro, Lawrence Ogunsanwo, Lakeisha Parker, Martin Ogisi, Blondel Ndjouandjouaka, Kevin Colon, Lorena Perez Herrera, and others to launder proceeds of a large-scale wire fraud. The co-conspirators engaged in various financial transactions to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the wire-fraud proceeds, while carrying out the wire-fraud schemes. 

    Gift supervised and exercised significant managerial control over the money laundering conspiracy and facilitated the laundering of more than $20 million in stolen proceeds from at least 15 different victims.  Victims included government agencies, organizations, and companies, including an environmental trust, urban redevelopment program, medical center, transportation and logistics company, school district, college, and county government, among others.  

    According to the plea agreement, Gift used and controlled several different encrypted electronic communication accounts to supervise and manage the money laundering conspiracy. As supervisor, Gift directed and worked with members of the conspiracy to create limited liability companies to serve as shell entities; open bank accounts and/or cause bank accounts to be opened in the name of their shell entity; and receive and launder fraud proceeds. Additionally, Gift helped coordinate the flow of fraudulent proceeds through various bank accounts and determine how to split funds between each member of the conspiracy as payment for their role in the conspiracy.

    Gift is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox has scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2025, at 10 a.m.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI led Document and Benefit Fraud/Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force, IRS-CI, EPA-OIG, and DCIS for their work in the investigation and recognized the Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County Police Departments for their assistance.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Bijon A. Mostoufi, and Jared M. Beim, who are prosecuting the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for her assistance.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Law Enforcement Arrests Man for Making Death Threats Toward Federal Official and MPD Officer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Robert Andrew Cooper, 68, of Washington D.C., was arrested today and charged in a two-count federal indictment with repeatedly making threatening phone calls, in December 2024, during which he allegedly said he intended to kill a federal official and an officer of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Cooper is charged with two counts of interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure. He will make an initial appearance at 1:30 p.m. today.

                The case is being investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Horan.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: BMA reflects on progress made since its establishment 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    BMA reflects on progress made since its establishment 

    While challenges remain, progress has been made in strengthening South Africa’s border management systems, Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Dr Michael Masiapato, said on Tuesday.

    “Beside the administrative successes relating to the establishment of the new organisation, there are operational successes, worth mentioning,” he said.

    Some of the successes since the authority’s establishment in April 2023, include intercepting stolen vehicles. The authority also successfully managed the movement of heads of state and government technocrats from all over the world as well as a higher number of journalists for the BRICS Summit that the country hosted in August 2023. 

    “We were able to apprehend or arrest over 468 000 individuals who were attempting to enter the country illegally since 1 April 2023,” he said, adding that 2 344 wanted criminals were also arrested. 

    Additionally, over 262 explosives used in the explosion of rocks during illegal mining operations and the blowing up of cash-in-transit vehicles were also confiscated.

    “The establishment of the BMA sought to create a single authority to effect border law enforcement with a single command and control. Contrary to what some people consider to be the functions of the Border Management Authority, our function is not just about stamping passports at the ports of entry,” Masiapato said.

    The Commissioner was speaking at the High-Level Colloquium on Migration, in Pretoria.

    He said the BMA exists to secure South Africa’s borders and concurrently facilitate legitimate movement of people and goods in all ports of entry and border law enforcement areas. The BMA Act provides for the BMA to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in executing its border law enforcement functions in the Ports of Entry and the Border Law Enforcement areas.

    “The Border Management Authority plays a crucial role in facilitating the smooth movement of people, goods, and services across borders while ensuring the safety and security of the country,” he said.

    The authority also works to prevent the introduction of invasive species, pests and diseases that can harm the environment and ecosystem.

    “We also ensure that all imports and exports comply with environmental regulations, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The BMA also monitors the movement of hazardous waste across borders to prevent illegal dumping and ensure compliance with international regulations.

    “We also inspect food and water imports to ensure they meet international health standards and regulations. We also monitor the movement of vectors, such as mosquitoes and ticks, to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases,” the Commissioner explained.

    He told those attending the colloquium that the authority is most known for its immigration function.

    “In this regard, the BMA inspects travel documents, such as passports and visas, to ensure they are authentic and valid. We also monitor the movement of people to ensure compliance with immigration regulations and laws,” he said.

    In the last 24 months, the BMA has screened millions of travellers for infectious and communicable diseases and “those we picked up with diseases have been referred to medical facilities for further medical attention.”

    Masiapato said despite the achievements, challenges exist.

    “Illegal migration, human trafficking and transnational organised crime continue to pose serious threats to our national security and public safety,” he said.

    In June 2013, Cabinet made the decision to establish a Border Management Agency under the guidance of the Department of Home Affairs.

    President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the Border Management Authority on 5 October 2023, in Musina, Limpopo. – SAnews.gov.za

    Edwin
    Tue, 04/01/2025 – 14:29

    299 views

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former mayor of Les Irois, Haiti convicted of visa fraud

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON – The former mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was convicted March 28 by a federal jury in Boston of illegally obtaining a permanent resident card, commonly referred to as a green card, by means of a false statement. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation found he concealed the fact that he ordered and carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.

    Jean Morose Viliena, 52, was convicted of three counts of visa fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for June 20, 2025. Viliena was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023.

    “Viliena knowingly lied to conceal his violent past, deceiving immigration authorities to come to the United States. The brave witnesses who came forward to testify in this case relayed their experiences of extreme violence and oppression committed by Viliena and his associates. Thanks to their testimony, his fraud has been uncovered, and he will now face consequences for his violence and deception,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge New England Michael J. Krol.

    “The political corruption and violence that the people of Haiti endured at the direction of Jean Morose Viliena, is appalling,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The United States is not where you come to hide from your crimes. Today’s conviction is proof that running away from your crimes and lying to federal officials will catch up to you. I applaud the courage of the witnesses who spoke up about the abuse they suffered as a result of Viliena.”

    “Today a jury found that Jean Morose Viliena lied his way into gaining entrance into the United States after committing unspeakable acts of violence in Haiti,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will not stand for human rights violators illegally entering and roaming the streets of our communities. Thank you to the brave victims and witnesses who helped our law enforcement partners and prosecutors begin to hold Viliena accountable for his crimes.”

    “The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the people in our communities. Emigrating to the United States is a privilege and if you conceal your criminal conduct to deceive your way into this country, you will ultimately be detected, held accountable and brought to justice,” said Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office.

    According to court documents, Viliena was the mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence.

    According to the indictment, as mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first occurred July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.

    The second incident occurred in or around April 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes and picks.

    On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena because of his association with the radio station. On the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms.

    On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the U.S. Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he applied for a visa to enter the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether they have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded that he had not. Viliena thereafter swore before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s visa application.

    On July 14, 2008, Viliena entered the United States and was later granted lawful permanent residence status and received a permanent resident card. Viliena used his permanent resident card on numerous occasions to enter the United States.

    The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

    The investigation was led by ICE HSI New England and CBP New England with the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Boston Field Office and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service Fraud Detection and National Security Division. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center. Valuable assistance was provided by the Malden Police Department.

    The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center is led by ICE and leverages the expertise of criminal investigators, attorneys, historians, intelligence analysts and federal partners to provide a whole of government approach to prevent the U.S. from becoming a safe haven for individuals who commit war crimes, genocide, torture and other human rights abuses around the globe. Currently, ICE has more than 180 active investigations into suspected human rights violators and is pursuing more than 1,945 leads and removals cases involving suspected human rights violators from 95 different countries. The center has issued more than 79,000 lookouts since 2003, for potential perpetrators of human rights abuses and stopped over 390 human rights violators and war crimes suspects from entering the U.S.

    Individuals can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE or (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Equity Fund reaches $1.5 million milestone

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The funding distributed to date has supported 2591 students from 1225 Canberra families.

    Just over one month into the 2024 school year and the ACT Government has provided more than $1.5 million to eligible Canberra parents and carers through its Future of Education Equity Fund.

    The funding distributed to date has supported 2591 students from 1225 Canberra families.

    The fund helps ACT students from eligible families access everyday essentials to assist with their education and wellbeing.

    This includes as book packs, uniforms and excursions, sport equipment and activities, tuition, and music lessons.

    It supports financially disadvantaged families with students who are enrolled in preschool through to Year 12 in any ACT school.

    Payments are:

    • $400 for preschool students
    • $500 for primary school students
    • $750 for high school and college students

    Having such items and services, that they otherwise might not have, helps students fully engage with their education.

    Last year the Fund supported 5000 students, with more than $2.9 million disbursed.

    Applications for the 2024 school year will remain open until 29 November 2024.

    Find information about the fund, and a link to apply online.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Meet the 2024 ACT Women’s Awards winners

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Winners Glenda Stevens, Joanne Farrell and Mijica Lus

    The recipients of the 2024 ACT Women’s Awards have been announced.

    The awards recognise women and gender diverse people who have made an outstanding contribution to the lives of women and girls in the ACT.

    Meet the 2024 ACT Women’s Awards winners:

    2024 ACT Woman of the Year: Joanne Farrell – Founder and Director, Build Like a Girl

    Joanne (Jo) Farrell is a champion for women in the building industry.

    In 2020, she founded Build Like a Girl, a not-for-profit program that supports women of all backgrounds and ages to work in trades. Since then, Jo has helped 33 women gain full-time employment. She regularly assists with programs, initiatives and services aimed at improving the participation rate of women in trades, which is currently just 2 per cent.

    “I’m really honoured to be nominated and recognised for the work,” Jo said.

    “I just turn up every day and try and do the work and promote the industry for other women to work in and try and change the negative cultural behaviour we have across the board.

    “For me it is a recognition of that work and hopefully other women feel encouraged to come and work in our industry with us.”

    Jo is not only the recipient of 2024 ACT Woman of the Year but was also named 2024 ACT Australian of the Year.

    2024 ACT Senior Woman of the Year: Glenda Stevens – CEO, Fearless Women

    Glenda is a community leader and expert in a range of social policy areas.

    Glenda started Fearless Women, a program that provides girls and young women in the ACT with a support service to help them find their voice. It offers short-term counselling, equips girls and women with the tools and resources they need, and offers longer term mentoring support.

    “It’s really exciting to see a young person who was frightened and stressed to be able to feel the exhilaration of achieving something,” Glenda said.

    “For her to feel that sense of achievement and satisfaction is really good for her growth, and it’s good for all of us because we’re receiving the benefits of a wonderful young person.”

    2024 ACT Young Woman of the Year: Mijica Lus – Founder, Aurosokwo Project

    For the last six years, Mijica Lus has volunteered her time and effort with various not-for-profits in the ACT in areas of education, media, health care and human services.

    Mijica leads the Aurosokwa Project, which supports multicultural communities through cross collaboration.

    “If it’s helping with food pantries, decreasing homelessness, supporting mental health initiatives and youth services as well, that’s what the project is about,” Mijica said.

    “I’m really excited to contribute to a city that has given me so much, and this is one way of showing my appreciation.”

    2024 ACT Woman of the Year – Special Commendation Award: Delfina Shakespear, football match official

    Delfina Shakespear is a National and State-level Football Match Official. She volunteers as a mentor, educator, and administrator, and provides strategic advice to Capital Football.

    She is committed to empowering the next generation of female referees.

    Delfina fearlessly speaks up against abuse and poor treatment faced by referees. She actively promotes cultural change through media engagement and initiatives like Reduce Abuse.

    “Seeing the girls and women that I’ve mentored succeed, strive for their goals and push through all the challenges is the most rewarding thing,” Delfina said.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Story Dogs return to Libraries ACT

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Year 7 student Sara is benefiting from reading sessions with Story Dog Lucky and his owner, Ron.

    Year 7 student Sara has never felt comfortable reading in front of her class.

    The Lanyon High School student would avoid it at all costs. That is, until her mother discovered the Story Dogs program at Libraries ACT.

    The program is ideal for reluctant readers or those facing reading challenges.

    It pairs a student with a trained dog and their volunteer owner, creating a relaxed, supportive environment for reading aloud.

    Sara attends Tuggeranong Library on Friday afternoons to read to Lucky, a 21-month-old golden retriever.

    ‘I like the experience and since I don’t generally like reading in front of other people, I like reading in front the dog,” Sara said.

    “It makes the experience a bit calmer. I am happy to keep doing this for a while.”

    After only two sessions, Sarah’s mum, Rae, has noticed a difference.

    “At school she always refused to talk in front of the class, but I have definitely seen a change,” Rae said.

    “She finds the dog listens. It doesn’t judge and it’s fun. She might now associate the dog with talking out loud and this has really helped for someone who refuses to stand up and read.”

    During her session, Lucky rests by Sara as she makes her way through a pile of story books.

    Though concentrating hard, she touches and pats him as she reads.

    Lucky’s owner, Ron, a retired public servant, listens but remains quiet.

    “It’s great doing this. Last week, we had a little girl come in who is dyslexic and she just sat there on the rug with Lucky and held onto him the whole time. She started off a bit hesitant but after a minute she was right. It really calmed both her and him. Lucky is new to this too, so they were both learning at the same time,” Ron said.

    “I used to coach football, so I know the satisfaction of being able to teach kids.”

    The Story Dogs program is available for children aged 7–12 at Tuggeranong, Dickson and Gungahlin libraries.

    Each child gets 20 minutes of one-on-one reading time with a Story Dog, under the watchful eye of a friendly volunteer like Ron.

    Students who feel anxious or stressed during learning activities can find the presence of a furry friend reassuring.

    Reading to a Story Dog can:

    • promote relaxation
    • lower blood pressure
    • eliminate fear of judgement
    • allow children to learn at their own pace.

    “It’s wonderful to see the progress and you get as much out of it yourself as for anyone else,” Ron said.

    Story Dogs sessions require bookings and are held during school terms at:

    • Gungahlin Library: Wednesdays, 4:00pm to 5:20pm
    • Dickson Library: Fridays, 4:00pm to 5:20pm
    • Tuggeranong Library: Fridays, 4:00pm to 5:20pm.

    Registrations open seven days in advance.

    Further resources

    Register your child for a Story Dog session

    Canberra dog-owners interested in volunteering with the program can contact Story Dogs.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 2024 ACT Women’s Awards almost here

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Finalist Mijica Lus is the Founder of the Aurosokwo Project.

    The 2024 ACT Women’s Awards will be announced on Thursday 7 March.

    The awards recognise those who have demonstrated an outstanding contribution to improving the status and lives of girls and women in the ACT.

    They celebrate the achievements of women who are excelling in their field and making a significant impact in helping girls and women achieve their full potential.

    The award categories are:

    • ACT Woman of the Year
    • Senior Woman of the Year (aged over 60 years)
    • ACT Young Woman of the Year (aged between 16 and 24 years).

    Congratulations to the 2024 ACT Women’s Awards’ finalists:

    • Dr Lubna Alam – Co-founder, ALO Enlightened Women
    • Joanne Farrell – Founder and Managing Director, Build Like a Girl
    • Mijica Lus – Founder, Aurosokwo Project
    • Philippa Moss – CEO, Meridian ACT
    • Delfina Shakespear – Football Match Official
    • Glenda Stevens – Founder, Fearless Women
    • Prof Dipti Talaulikar – Founder, Sakhi
    • Selina Walker – Ngunnawal Leader.

    Finalist Delfina Shakespear, an elite match official with Capital Football and Football Australia, thinks the annual awards are important.

    “It enables women to have a platform to talk about what they do, because as women sometimes we go about our business and don’t really talk about it more broadly,” she said.

    Fellow nominee Professor Dipti Talaulikar, a clinical haematologist and professor at the ANU, as well as being the Founder of Sakhi said: “I was very touched with the nomination when I first heard about it. But the journey, the support that the government and the ACT’s Women Office provides is just amazing. The things you get to learn, the other women you get to meet, to hear their stories is just absolutely amazing. So, if you know anyone who is doing good work in the community, please nominate them.”

    For more information on the ACT Women’s Awards and Honour Roll, visit ACT Woman of the Year and Honour Roll – ACT Government

    Dr Lubna Alam – Co-founder, ALO Enlightened Women

    Joanne Farrell – Founder and Managing Director, Build Like a Girl

    Philippa Moss – CEO, Meridian ACT

    Delfina Shakespear – Football Match Official

    Glenda Stevens – Founder, Fearless Women

    Prof Dipti Talaulikar – Founder, Sakhi

    Selina Walker – Ngunnawal Leader

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Head contractor appointed for southside hydrotherapy facility

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Construction is expected to be completed by May 2025.

    The new hydrotherapy pool in Canberra’s south is another step closer with Monarch Building Solutions appointed to lead its construction.

    The first sod has now been turned on the site following the recent development approval for the project.

    The construction phase is the next step and comes after extensive consultation and engagement with stakeholders to inform the design of the facility.

    Construction is expected to be completed by May 2025.

    “Monarch Building Solutions is honoured to play a role in enhancing healthcare infrastructure in Canberra,” Director of Monarch Building Solutions Marco Galeotti said.

    “Our team is excited and ready to dive straight into the construction of the new southside hydrotherapy pool and understand the importance of this facility to the local community.”

    Hydrotherapy offers a vital service for a wide range of Canberrans.

    It provides people with mobility issues access to an important form of recreation. It also supports people to better manage chronic pain caused by illnesses such as cancer, migraine, osteoarthritis and arthritis, and it offers the opportunity to help people recover from injury or surgery.

    The southside pool will complement the hydrotherapy pool opened at the University of Canberra Hospital in 2020.

    “Arthritis ACT welcomes the commencement of the building of this essential infrastructure. For people living with chronic pain conditions which includes all types of Arthritis, hydrotherapy is essential both to providing ongoing pain relief as well as a wonderful place to exercise, especially for those that get a lot of pain when exercising,” CEO of Arthritis ACT Rebecca Davey said.

    Find more information on the new pool on the Built for CBR website.

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    MIL OSI News –