Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The 40-year-old male who was reported missing yesterday in Hammonds Plains has been found safe.
The RCMP thanks Nova Scotians for assisting with missing persons files through social media shares and offering tips.
File #: 25-15475
–30–
Contact information
Strategic Communications and Media Relations
Nova Scotia RCMP
rcmpns-grcne@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Global press freedom organisations have condemned the killing of two journalists in Gaza this week, who died in separate targeted airstrikes by the Israeli armed forces.
And protesters in Aotearoa New Zealand dedicated their week 77 rally and march in the heart of Auckland to their memory, declaring “Journalism is not a crime”.
Hossam Shabat, a 23-year-old correspondent for the Al Jazeera Mubasher channel, was killed by an Israeli airstrike on his car in the eastern part of Beit Lahiya, media reports said.
Video, reportedly from minutes after the airstrike, shows people gathering around the shattered and smoking car and pulling a body out of the wreckage.
Mohammed Mansour, a correspondent for Palestine Today television was killed earlier on Monday, reportedly along with his wife and son, in an Israeli airstrike on his home in south Khan Younis.
One Palestinian woman read out a message from Shabat’s family: “He dreamed of becoming a journalist and to tell the world the truth.
“But war doesn’t wait for dreams. He was only 23, and when the war began he left classes to give a voice to those who had none.”
Global media condemnation
In the hours after the deaths, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Palestinian press freedom organisations released statements condemning the attacks.
“CPJ is appalled that we are once again seeing Palestinians weeping over the bodies of dead journalists in Gaza,” said Carlos Martínez de la Serna, CPJ’s programme director.
“This nightmare in Gaza has to end. The international community must act fast to ensure that journalists are kept safe and hold Israel to account for the deaths of Hossam Shabat and Mohammed Mansour.
“Journalists are civilians and it is illegal to attack them in a war zone.”
In a statement, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed it had targeted and killed Shabat and Mansour and labelled them as “terrorists” — without any evidence to back their claim.
The IDF also said that it had struck Hamas and Islamic Jihad resistance fighters in Khan Younis, where Mohammed Mansour was killed.
In October 2024, the IDF had accused Shabat and five other Palestinian journalists working for Al Jazeera in Gaza of being members of the militant arm of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Al Jazeera and Shabat denied Israel’s claims, with Shabat stating in an interview with the CPJ that “we are civilians … Our only crime is that we convey the image and the truth.”
In its statement condemning the deaths of Shabat and Mansour, the CPJ again called on Israel to “stop making unsubstantiated allegations to justify its killing and mistreatment of members of the press”.
The CPJ estimates that more than 170 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, making it the deadliest period for journalists since the organisation began gathering data in 1992.
However, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate says it believes the number is higher and, with the deaths of Shabat and Mansour, 208 journalists and other members of the press have been killed over the course of the conflict.
Under international law, journalists are protected civilians who must not be targeted by warring parties.
Israel has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in its genocide in the blockaded enclave since October 7, 2023.
The Israeli carnage has reduced most of the Gaza to ruins and displaced almost the entire 2.3 million population, while causing a massive shortage of basic necessities.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war on the enclave.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor
Depending on what you think of Donald Trump, his administration could fit either of the following two descriptions. Chaotic, vindictive and accident-prone, marked by mendacity, driven by impulse and bent on securing the will of the leader, rather than – as in the US constitution – the will of the people. Or it could be a government masterminded by a man playing 4D chess while all around him are playing chequers. A president whose deal-making skills and focus on outcomes ensure the security and prosperity of America and its allies.
If you base your assessment on the people Trump has chosen as his key national security advisers then, after the recent Signal chat group intelligence debacle, you’d almost certainly opt for chaotic and accident-prone, at the very least.
Looking around the Signal chatroom, who do we have? National security advisor Mike Waltz, Vice-President J.D. Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, defense secretary Pete Hegseth, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA director John Ratcliffe and a supporting cast of other senior Trump staffers. And, unwittingly, the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg.
Heads must roll, say Trump’s critics. But who from this hydra-headed beast should take the fall? Should it be Waltz, who invited Goldberg to the chat group? Or Hegseth, who posted operational details of a US attack, including the when, where and how, hours before it was due to take place? Should it be Vance, whose swipe at America’s freeloading European allies has caused considerable angst across the Atlantic?
Or perhaps one or another of Gabbard and Ratcliffe, who sat in front of the Senate select committee on intelligence on Tuesday and maintained that no classified material or “war plans” had been revealed to the group – sworn evidence now revealed to be unreliable at best?
Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.
At present it seems as if none of them are going to pay for their dangerous incompetence. Instead their ire is turned on Goldberg, who has variously been called a “sleazebag” by Trump himself, “loser” and the “bottom scum of journalists” by Waltz and a “deceitful and highly discredited, so-called journalist who’s made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again” by Hegseth.
Robert Dover of the University of Hull, whose research centres on intelligence and national security, believes this is a “national security blunder almost without parallel”. He points to the hypocrisy of people like Hegseth who savaged Hillary Clinton for using a private email server to conduct official business when she was secretary of state under Barack Obama.
Dover also notes the damage the episode will have done to America’s already shaky relations with its allies in Europe. Being disparaged by the vice-president as freeloaders and dismissed by the defense secretary as “pathetic”, he believes, will be “difficult to unsee”.
But credit where it’s due, it appears that US diplomacy may at least be bearing some – limited – fruit. At least, that is, if the two partial ceasefires recently negotiated between Russia and Ukraine actually materialise. That’s a fairly big if, of course. Despite a pledge by both sides that they could support a deal to avoid targeting each other’s energy infrastructure, there’s no sign yet of a cessation of attacks.
And there has been a degree of scepticism over the recently announced plan for a maritime ceasefire to allow the free passage of shipping on the Black Sea. Critics say this favours Russia far more than Ukraine. Over the course of the war, Ukraine has successfully driven Russia’s Black Sea fleet away from its base in Crimea, giving it the upper hand in the maritime war. But maritime strategy expert, Basil Germond, says the situation is more nuanced, and the deal represents considerable upside for Ukraine as well.
Read more:
Russia has most to gain from Black Sea ceasefire – but it’s marginal, and Ukraine benefits too
Setting aside America’s eventful recent forays into foreign relations, there’s a major domestic fix brewing which many US legal scholars believe could plunge the country into a constitutional crisis.
Anne Richardson Oakes, an expert in US constitutional law at Birmingham City University, anticipates a potential clash between between the executive and the judiciary which could threaten the separation of powers that lies at the heart of American democracy.
Oakes observes there are more than 130 legal challenges to Trump administration policies presently before the courts, some of which will end up in front of America’s highest legal authority, the Supreme Court, which is tasked with assessing the constitutionality of those policies. She warns that we’ve already seen evidence that Trump and his senior officials resent what they consider to be interference from the judiciary into the legitimate executive power of the elected president.
Will there be a stand-off where the Trump administration simply ignores the Supreme Court’s ruling? It’s happened before, says Oakes. In the mid-20th century, in Little Rock, Arkansas, when the governor used the state’s national guard to prevent the court-ordered desegregation of public schools. On that occasion the then president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, sent in federal troops to enforce the court’s ruling and a constitutional crisis was averted.
Read more:
US stands on the brink of a constitutional crisis as Donald Trump takes on America’s legal system
But what if it’s the serving president who chooses to ignore a Supreme Court ruling? This was the case in the 1830s when greedy cotton farmers in Georgia were bent on forcing the Native American peoples off their lands. The Cherokee actually took the state of Georgia to the Supreme Court, which ruled that as a “dependent nation” within the United States they were entitled to the protection of the federal government and that the state of Georgia had no right to order their removal.
As historian Sean Lang of Anglia Ruskin University recounts, Georgia ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling and sent in troops to expel the Cherokee who were then forced to move to new lands in a journey known as the “Train of Tears”. Lang writes that then US president, Andrew Jackson, a populist advocate of states’ rights and former “Indian fighter”, ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling, “sneering that [Chief Justice John] Marshall had no means of enforcing it”.
Lang concludes: “It’s a history lesson Greenlanders, Mexicans and Canadians – and indeed many Americans who may fall foul of this administration and seek recourse to the law – would do well to study.”
Read more:
Trump’s America is facing an Andrew Jackson moment – and it’s bad news for the constitution
The Trump administration’s antipathy towards judges who have opposed its policies have extended towards those law firms who have in some way crossed the US president. But the legal system is not the only sector to feel the chilling effect of Trump’s displeasure, writes Dafydd Townley.
The world of higher education in the US is also apprehensive after the administration went after Columbia University, home to some of the most outspoken protest over US policies towards Israel and Gaza. Columbia has recently had to agree to allow the administration to “review” some of its academic programmes, starting with its Middle Eastern studies, after the administration threatened to cancel US$400 million (£310 million) of government contracts with the university.
The news media is also under heavy pressure. The administration has taken control of the White House press pool from the non-partisan White House Correspondents’ Association and has blackballed Associated Press for refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. We’ve also seen Trump himself bring lawsuits against media organisations he judges to have crossed him. And now the president has called for the defunding of America’s two biggest public broadcasters, NPR and PBL, for what he perceives as their liberal bias.
Townley, an expert in US politics at the University of Portsmouth is concerned that this all adds up to a deliberate attempt to cripple institutions which underwrite American democracy.
Read more:
Donald Trump’s ‘chilling effect’ on free speech and dissent is threatening US democracy
Trump’s leadership continues to be very polarising, writes Paul Whiteley, a political scientist and polling specialist at the University of Essex, who has spent years studying political trends in the US. Looking at the most recent numbers, Whiteley finds that while Trump’s approval ratings are fairly steady at 48% approval and 49% disapproval, when you dig down you find that only 6% of registered Democrats approve of his performance, while 93% disapprove. For registered Republicans it’s almost exactly the opposite.
Whiteley takes his analysis further, looking at measures such as consumer sentiment, which has fallen sharply since January, with talk of tariffs and the return of inflation affecting people’s confidence in the economy. He points out there tends to be a fairly strong historical correlation between confidence in the economy and popular approval of a president’s performance.
Read more:
Three graphs that show what’s happening with Donald Trump’s popularity
Another factor which will surely affect people’s confidence in the government are the job losses flowing from Elon Musk’s work as “efficiency tsar”. Thomas Gift, the director of the Centre on US Politics at University College London, believes that federal job losses as a result of Musk’s cuts are spread indiscriminately among Democrat and Republican states. As a result there may be some Republican voters who are experiencing what he calls “buyer’s remorse”.
At the same time, rising inflation is flowing into the cost of living, something many people voted for Trump to punish the Democrats for. As Gift points out, both parties are experiencing a dip in support at present as people reject politics for having a generally negative effect on their lives. But from now, it’ll be the Republicans who will feel the sting of popular disapproval more keenly.
Read more:
Trump’s job cuts are causing Republican angst as all parties face backlash
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– ref. Signal-gate: a national security blunder ‘almost without parallel’ – https://theconversation.com/signal-gate-a-national-security-blunder-almost-without-parallel-253245
Source: Tasmania Police
Issued: 27 Mar 2025
Townsville Town Common Conservation Park, Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park and Bowling Green Bay National Park are temporarily closed due to heavy rainfall and ongoing weather conditions in the area.
The closure includes all visitor facilities, camping areas, walking tracks, mountain bike tracks and vehicle access areas.
These measures have been enforced to ensure the safety of visitors and to allow the park to recover from the adverse effects of the recent severe weather.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is currently not accepting new camping bookings in affected recreation areas, with refunds available for those who have already booked.
We encourage members of the public and those leaving camping areas to drive safely and follow the instructions of QPWS rangers and emergency services.
Visitors and campers are being urged to check Park Alerts for up-to-date information on protected area closures.
Campers wishing to cancel their bookings can request a camping credit or refund by visiting qld.gov.au/Camping.
QPWS will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates when the protected areas are safe to reopen.
For up-to-date weather information see the Bureau of Meteorology.
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
Detectives are appealing to the public for help to identify a group of people who engaged in violent disorder in Elm Park.
On the evening of Saturday, 22 March there was an incident of violent disorder after a large group attended a private event at Elm Park primary school, some armed with weapons, and assaulted and robbed members of the public.
This incident is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Service, with the assistance of the British Transport Police.
At this time, 12 people have been arrested, aged between 12 and 17, in connection to this incident for various offences including possession of an offensive weapon and assault on an emergency services worker. There have been no charges at this time.
We are now making an appeal to anyone with information as to the identities of any other people involved in this incident to come forward.
The violence seen on Saturday evening has no place in our society and it will not be tolerated. We will work with our colleagues from the British Transport Police, our partners in Havering, Redbridge and Barking & Dagenham councils as well as the local community to ensure those responsible are held to account for their actions.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Darren M. Wood, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Wednesday, March 26, to 5 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 20, 2024, Wood pleaded guilty to one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On Sept. 15, 2023, officers from the Belton, Mo. Police Department were dispatched on a suspicious activity call for someone sleeping in a vehicle. Wood exited the vehicle when officers began approaching the vehicle.
Officers observed a Glock 19, 9mm pistol in the front driver’s seat. The firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber and a fully loaded 15-round magazine. Officers searched Wood and located over $3,000 cash. Officers searched the vehicle and located 285 blue tablets labeled “M30” which contained fentanyl, 20 alprazolam tablets, 4 clonazepam tablets, and 2 bottles containing liquid promethazine.
Wood also possessed a black AR-15 style rifle with a loaded magazine and no serial number, which officers located in the vehicle’s trunk.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings It was investigated by the Belton, Mo. Police Department, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
WASHINGTON – Ikea Gartrell, 35, of Washington D.C., has been indicted on federal gun charges in the latest case to be federally adopted as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Gartrell was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, following her March 1st arrest in Southeast D.C.
According to court documents, on March 1, 2025, at approximately 4:49 p.m., Metropolitan Police Department personnel conducted a traffic stop in the 900 block of Barnaby Street SE, Washington, D.C. Officers then made contact with the driver, later identified as Ikea Gartrell, who was allegedly found to be operating without a valid license.
During the stop, it is alleged that an open container of alcohol was observed, prompting officers to ask all occupants to exit the vehicle. A subsequent investigation led to the discovery of a loaded, unregistered firearm on Gartrell’s person. Gartrell was placed under arrest for Carrying a Pistol Without a License (CPWL) and no permit.
Records indicated Gartrell had a prior felony conviction.
The investigation is ongoing.
The ATF and MPD are investigating this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
This case is part of Make DC Safe Again, a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
##
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
China’s cyberspace regulator on Friday revealed a set of draft revisions to the Cybersecurity Law to solicit public opinion.
The draft revisions were formulated to ensure the alignment and coordination of the law with other related laws and improve the legal liability system, according to the Cyberspace Administration of China.
The draft is set to further protect the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organizations in cyberspace and safeguard national security and public interests.
The main revisions include legal responsibilities concerning network operation security, cyberspace information security, and personal information and important data security.
The draft added provisions about legal liability for the sale or provision of critical network equipment and cybersecurity products that have not undergone security certification or testing, or that have failed to meet security certification or testing requirements.
It also clarified the handling and penalizing of critical information infrastructure operators who use network products or services that have not undergone security reviews or have failed such reviews.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
WASHINGTON – One week ago today – after nearly a decade of work by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to bring closure for the Root family – Sarah Root’s killer, an illegal immigrant who escaped due to a loophole in the law, was delivered into U.S. custody to face justice.
Since Sarah Root was killed in 2016, Ernst has been advocating to bring her killer to justice alongside Sarah’s parents, Michelle and Scott Root. This year, President Trump made Ernst’s Sarah’s Law the law of the land to help ensure this never happens to another family.
Watch Senator Ernst and Michelle Root’s full interview with KCCI here.
“‘I was in disbelief. I had come to the fact that I would probably not see justice in my lifetime for my daughter’… [Michelle] Root credits Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. ‘Senator Ernst has become like family to us.’ Earlier this year, Congress passed the Laken Riley Act, which includes Sarah’s Law. Ernst says it requires authorities to detain any undocumented immigrant who commits a crime resulting in death or serious injury. With Sarah’s Law in place and Mejia awaiting trial. Root says she’s closer to finding closure. ‘Those two things were what we had been fighting for the last nine years. We will never get closure until we meet Sarah again, of course, but it closes that chapter.’”
KCSI | Ernst Remembers Root Family as Sarah Root’s Killer is Now in U.S. Custody
“I know there are a ton of people to thank about this, but I need to because we’re with Senator Ernst and as you said, she has brought from the beginning to get Sarah’s Law passed. I could not have asked for a better person by our side fighting with us and for us… Even when I wanted to quit, she kept going.”
Watch Senator Ernst’s full interview here.
“This has been nine years in the making. It was nine years ago, at the end of January, on her college graduation day, that young Sarah Root was killed by an illegal immigrant… Thanks to the Trump administration, thank you to Secretary Noem and Secretary Rubio. We were able to locate this illegal migrant who had killed Sarah Root, and they were able to bring him back to face justice. So it means a lot to me, but especially means a lot to her parents, Michelle Root and Scott Root of Council Bluffs, Iowa.”
Watch Senator Ernst’s full Newsmax interview here.
“President Donald Trump wanted to do something about it. He never forgot about Sarah Root. And finally, now this man is going through the U.S. judicial system, and he will be held to account for the killing of sweet Sarah Root, who was only 21 years old when she was killed nine years ago.”
Print Coverage of Ernst’s Advocacy:
Council Bluffs Nonpareil | Sarah Root’s alleged killer extradited from Honduras to Omaha
“In a Friday evening press call, Sen. Joni Ernst announced she had just left Eppley Airfield in Omaha, where Eswin Mejia was taken into U.S. custody. He is being held in the Douglas County Jail in Nebraska as he awaits trial in Root’s death.”
“Ernst called the case a long-fought battle that has spanned nearly a decade, praising the Trump administration for acting to ‘prevent this from happening to someone else’s daughter’ while rebuking the Biden administration for removing Mejia from ICE’s Most Wanted list.”
KWQC | Alleged killer of Iowan Sarah Root extradited from Honduras
“Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst from Iowa, who worked for nine years to pass Sarah’s Law, praised President Donald Trump for extraditing Mejia.”
Omaha World Herald | Honduran man accused in fatal 2016 crash extradited to Omaha, held on $100 million bail
“[Ernst is] incredibly thankful for President Trump’s strong action, his hardworking administration and steadfast partnership to right this wrong on behalf of Iowa families.”
Radio Iowa | Honduran charged with 2016 murder of Iowan extradited to Omaha
“The first bill Trump signed into law this year includes what’s called ‘Sarah’s Law.’ It requires authorities to detain any illegal immigrant who is accused of murdering or seriously injuring someone in the U.S. Ernst and other members of Iowa’s congressional delegation had sponsored the legislation for the past eight years.”
KCRG| Senator Ernst applauds Trump admin following the extradition of Sarah Root’s murderer
“Since this incident, Senator Ernst has been actively fighting for justice for the Root family. ‘For over nine years, I have called for justice on behalf of Sarah Root, and today President Trump and his administration are delivering. Sarah should still be alive today, and for too long Michelle, Scott, and the rest of her loved ones have been forced to live with the fact that her killer was running free.’”
KETV| Man accused in Omaha motor vehicle homicide that earned national attention to be extradited to United States
“After years of trying to get the bill passed in both chambers of Congress, ‘Sarah’s Law’ was signed by Speaker Mike Johnson and made its way to President Donald Trump’s desk. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst spearheaded the effort.”
Breitbart | Trump Administration Secures Extradition of Illegal Alien Accused of Killing 21-Year-Old Sarah Root
“Ernst has worked for years on Root’s case, including working with the Trump administration on Mejia’s extradition. In January, Trump signed Sarah’s Law, authored by Ernst, into federal law which will require illegal aliens who commit violent crimes to remain detained in police custody.”
KIOW| Ernst on the Apprehension of Eswin Mejia
“Senator Joni Ernst has continually fought for the apprehension and extradition of Mejia to the United States. She was at the airport when Mejia landed on U. S. soil and was taken into custody.”
WOWT | $100 million bond set for man charged in 2016 Omaha street racing crash that killed Sarah Root
“The fact that Mejia was able to bond out and subsequently flee the U.S. led Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to create ‘Sarah’s Law,’ named after Root, which requires illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes against Americans to be detained regardless of bail status.”
KFJB | ESWIN MEJIA TO STAND TRIAL NEARLY A DECADE AFTER THE KILLING OF SARAH ROOTS
“Trump met with Root’s mother and her father, Scott Root, in mid-2016 and Trump talked about their daughter’s death on the campaign trail. The first bill Trump signed into law this year includes what’s called ‘Sarah’s Law.’ It requires authorities to detain any illegal immigrant who is accused of murdering or seriously injuring someone in the U.S. Ernst and other members of Iowa’s congressional delegation had sponsored the legislation for the past eight years.”
TV Coverage of Ernst’s Advocacy:
Watch KETV’s coverage here.
“Senator Joni Ernst has been a champion for Sarah and her family, and her efforts and leadership were crucial in Mejia’s extradition.”
“The story gained national attention after Congress passed Sarah’s Law. It requires police to detain an undocumented immigrant who commits a crime resulting in death or injury.”
Watch KCCI’s coverage here.
“He is now in jail in Omaha…finally, Edwin Mejia will face long overdue consequence after breaking our laws and taking an innocent life.”
Watch KCRG’s coverage here.
“U.S. Senator Joni Ernst worked for nine years to pass Sarah’s Law. That was an amendment to the Laken Riley Act…Ernst released a statement thanking the Trump administration for the work to extradite Mejia.”
Watch KTIV’s coverage here.
“The case inspired lawmakers to craft Sarah’s Law, which was recently signed into law by President Trump as part of the Laken Riley Act. Tonight, one of the lawmakers who led that legislation, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, celebrated the news that Mejia will finally stand trial.”
Watch KWQC’s coverage here.
“Sarah’s family helped pass a law in her honor, requiring immigrants to be detained if they’re involved with the death or serious injury of another person.”
“Iowa Senator Joni Ernst has demanded justice for Root’s death since she died in 2016. Today, she celebrated a milestone moment in her quest for justice, saying, ‘finally, Edwin Mejia will face the long overdue consequences after breaking our laws and taking an innocent life. I’m incredibly thankful for President Trump’s strong action, his hardworking administration and steadfast partnership to right this wrong on behalf of Iowa families.’”
Watch One America News’ coverage here.
“Iowa Senator Joni Ernst became a leading voice in the fight for justice for Root as the family came from Iowa.”
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – Four Pomona gang members and Mexican Mafia associates were found guilty by a jury today of a series of racketeering-related crimes, including the murder of a federal inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in downtown Los Angeles in June 2020.
At the conclusion of a 20-day trial, the following defendants – all of Pomona – were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, one count of violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder, and one count of first-degree murder within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States:
The jury also found Lerma and Valencia Gonzalez guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (methamphetamine and heroin) at MDC and in the Pomona area. Finally, the jury found Gonzalez and Valencia Gonzalez guilty each of one count of being felons in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Sanchez was found not guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
All the defendants have been in federal custody since 2018.
“These defendants were key players in a criminal enterprise that committed murder, assault, and drug trafficking,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Today’s verdict will take these offenders off our streets and make our community safer.”
“This case makes it clear that gang violence by Mexican Mafia members and associates has not only been directed from the streets, but also from prisons in California,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “This lengthy investigation exemplifies the commitment by agencies at the federal, state and local level who’ve collaborated for several years on a task force to arrive at justice in this case.”
According to evidence presented at trial, from February 2012 to June 2020, Lerma – a full member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang – controlled and extorted drug proceeds from Latino street gangs in and around Pomona, as well as from incarcerated Latinos in Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County. Members of Lerma’s criminal enterprise also engaged in robberies, identity theft and fraud, drug trafficking, and other acts of violence.
In June 2020, Carlos Gonzalez, Valencia Gonzalez, and Sanchez – at Lerma’s direction – entered the cell at MDC Los Angeles and killed a victim – identified in court documents as “S.B.” The defendants murdered S.B. in retaliation for S.B. failing to pay drug debts deemed owed to Lerma’s cell of the Mexican Mafia prison gang.
United States District Judge George H. Wu will schedule sentencing hearings in the coming months, at which time each defendant will face a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison.
Federal prosecutors so far have secured 16 convictions in this case, including that of Cheryl Perez-Castaneda, 62, of Pomona, who is serving a 12-year prison sentence for using her power on the street as a “señora” – a high-level female associate of Lerma’s – to solicit a murder and for participating in a carjacking attempt that resulted in the July 2013 shooting of M.A.
Kelly Deshannon, 43, of La Verne, is serving a prison sentence of more than seven years for serving as a “secretary” to Lerma and for facilitating the July 2013 armed robbery of M.A. and for extortion and distributing narcotics.
The FBI’s San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets Task Force (SGVSSTF), which is comprised of agents and officers with the FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Pomona Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, investigated this matter in conjunction with the FBI’s Los Angeles Metropolitan Violent Crime Task Force. The Pomona Police Department is the sponsoring agency of the SGVSSTF and has been the headquarters for the task force since its inception in 2008.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle W. Kahan and Jason A. Gorn of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Kellye M. Ng of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Missouri who sustained economic losses caused by the drought beginning Nov. 1, 2024.
The disaster declaration covers the counties of Barry, Bates, Benton, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cass, Cedar, Christian, Cole, Cooper, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Gasconade, Greene, Henry, Hickory, Jasper, Johnson, Laclede, Lawrence, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Newton, Osage, Pettis, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, St. Clair, Stone, Vernon, Webster and Wright in Missouri, as well as Linn and Miami counties in Kansas.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months after the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than Nov. 25.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Source: US State of New York
arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on WNYW-TV’s “Politics Unusual.”
AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.
A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:
Morgan McKay, WNYW-TV: We are just days away from when the New York State Budget is due, but negotiations hit their first major roadblock on Thursday. Most lawmakers went home for the weekend and won’t be back in Albany until Tuesday. But not everyone went home and negotiations are continuing up in Albany, which is why my first guest, Governor Kathy Hochul, is joining us remotely today from Albany.
Governor, thank you so much for being here. I knew you’d wanted to be here in person but thank you for finding the time for this interview.
Governor Hochul: Thanks, Morgan, and congratulations on your new show. I think it’s going to provide an important public service so you can help them dissect the issues of the day, so thank you.
Morgan McKay, WNYW-TV: Thank you so much, Governor. So, for our viewers, how Budget negotiations work: The Governor, Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker, you’re all locked in a room for the most part, negotiating, hashing out that Budget. And it used to be called three men in a room, but now it’s two women and one man in a room. So the big question, will there be a Budget by April 1, or are you guys going to need to pass a Budget extender?
Governor Hochul: Morgan, at this point, we’re still in deep conversations. There is a rhythm. You’re a real veteran of Albany, you know that it starts out with a flurry. We have a lot of intense meetings with leaders. We have a chance to share our top priorities, as I have done.
We know public safety is number one. Getting these discovery law changes so cases aren’t thrown out is an important part of my agenda. Also, making sure that we deal with people who have severe mental illness, who can’t take care of themselves, who are on the streets of New York or in the subway. And also my affordability agenda and cell phones.
So I have a chance early on to present my vision, and then the legislators have to take it back to their conferences. So when there’s a lull, which is very much part of the rhythm, it’s usually because they have to go back and maybe fine-tune some language or they have to talk to their conferences. So this is not unusual. This is my fourth Budget and we may or may not make April 1.
But the truth is, I’ve been successful in achieving the goals I set out to do, and that’s what I’m focusing on right now, delivering for the people of this great state.
Morgan McKay, WNYW-TV: Exactly. And one of these sayings up in Albany is, a deal has to come together and fall apart at least three times before you guys make a final Budget deal.
But I’m hearing that one of the sticking points in this Budget is that involuntary removal language. Now, where do you guys stand exactly on this issue and getting those struggling with mental illness off the streets and into long-term care? I’m hearing some of the concerns are that they’re going to be back out onto the streets. How do you stop that revolving door?
Governor Hochul: Well, that’s what’s happening right now, Morgan. They are being — sometimes off the streets because they’re in the throes of a severe mental health crisis. They could do harm to other people or themselves. But we’re also saying, in a case where someone clearly cannot take care of themselves, they’re not being fed properly, their clothes are not clean and they’re just unfortunately sliding into this place which is really inhumane.
And when we see that, it is heartbreaking. These are God’s children as well. They deserve better than that. And if they don’t have the mental capacity to make decisions, then we have a moral responsibility to get them help.
What that means is go to a hospital, be seen by two psychiatric experts and make a decision, should they be confined to the hospital. Not a jail. Not a jail. We’re talking about confined to a hospital in a nurturing, supportive environment and getting them on a path to recovery. And why that is so complicated, I’m not sure, because it’s common sense. It recognizes the dignity of every human life, but also takes away the anxiety that people have when they see these individuals because there have been cases where there have been violent acts and it’s unsettling for people on the subway in the streets.
So we’re trying to get to language that is in place in 43 other states. So I don’t know why this is so challenging, but I’m very committed to getting this done.
Morgan McKay, WNYW-TV: Now, Governor, earlier this year, you proposed guardrails on Mayor Eric Adams after there were allegations that he was cooperating with the federal government to get his criminal charges dropped. Do you think those guardrails will be in the budget?
Governor Hochul: No. They have to go to the City Council first. We knew there was a process that said they have to make the changes and ask for a home rule change from the Legislature.
So again, I was creating options for people in the city who were very concerned about that dynamic that was unfolding; is there undue pressure on the Mayor or not? I thought that we put in some guardrails related to legal decisions and investigations and the budget. Just some ways that we can keep an eye on the situation and give people that sense of confidence, which I thought would be helpful to the Mayor and the city getting stabilized. And if the City Council doesn’t want to do it, then they must be fine with the status quo. I was just reaching out a hand to help out and it’s up to the people in the City Council to decide whether to send it to the Legislature.
Morgan McKay, WNYW-TV: Yeah, and Adams just recently appointed as First Deputy Mayor, Randy Mastro. He was leading a lawsuit against New York with New Jersey against congestion pricing, and he did back away from representing New Jersey in his lawsuits after he became First Deputy Mayor, but he is still representing Madison Square Garden and James Dolan, what’s your take on this?
Governor Hochul: Well, I’ll tell you, we won rather handily against him in the congestion pricing lawsuit because they had nothing to stand on. And they actually ended up in a worse place than we were willing to do for them. So I’ll just put that as the aside.
We are going to continue fighting for congestion pricing because it is working and many naysayers and people who said, “Never, never, never,” are saying, “Eh, it’s actually working.”
It’s up to the Mayor who he selects to have around him. I hope he’ll pick people that inspire confidence. But again, my job is to work with the Mayor because I also represent 8.3 million New York City residents.
Morgan McKay, WNYW-TV: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy this week has been threatening to cut off federal funding to the MTA if there’s not some sort of subway safety plan.
In fact he said, and we’re going to play this sound by, I know you can’t see it Governor, but we’re going to play it here. And then we’re going to give you a chance to respond. Go ahead.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy: If you want people to take the train, take transit, then make it safe. Make it clean, make it beautiful, make it wonderful.
Morgan McKay, WNYW-TV: Now they’re saying that if the State doesn’t give them a subway safety plan that they’re going to cut this funding. What’s your response?
Governor Hochul: We have given them a subway safety plan. Something I unveiled three years ago. Which as you can see with the crime rates being 50 percent lower than they were back when Rudy Giuliani was the Mayor, “Mr. Tough on Crime,” 50 percent lower than that time, 25 percent lower than last year.
I’m never going to be satisfied with the rate of subway crimes on the subway in our city. No one is ever satisfied as long as there’s even one. But you cannot argue with the fact that my cops plan, I’m funding — State is paying for overtime for police officers, two on every train starting at nine o’clock at night. That has calmed the situation down dramatically. I wanted to make that investment. That’s important. We now have cameras on every single train. I focused on this intently and got it done. We’re also putting up barriers in the subways so people are nervous about being pushed into the tracks. We’ve had some horrific cases.
They will feel safer behind these barriers as well as continue to collect fares. Fair evasion is down 25 percent, but I’m not done. So I’m happy to work with the Secretary and show him what we’re doing and if he has other ideas on how to do that, we’ll be happy to take assistance from the federal government because they have a vested interest in the success of our subway system as well, because as goes New York City’s economy, so goes the nation.
And I’ll work with him. He can call it anything he wants, but I know that people in the city rely on the subway and it is safer. It’s not where we want it to go yet, but it is safer than it was. But also he says people won’t take the subway. It’s up 10 percent since January, so people are taking the subway.
Morgan McKay, WNYW-TV: Thank you so much, Governor, and we have one last question for you here. We reached out to our TikTok viewers and asked them if they wanted to ask you a question, which we’re going to put up here. And this is from Joey Lorenza – with opening day being yesterday, who is the Governor rooting for this baseball season?
Governor Hochul: All right, here’s how I have to do this. I was raised as a Yankee fan, okay? In Western New York, the closest team of the Toronto Blue Jays, clearly we’re not going for a Canadian team. So there’s a lot of love for the Yankees. I watched them closely when I was in college. I knew all the players, watched them intensely, but I’m also from Buffalo and I have this affinity for the underdog, which the Mets historically had been.
So I love when an underdog that’s trying to — really scrappy and trying hard. So I say, I want to see the Mets do it because the Yankees got really far last year and I’d like to see the Mets go that far this year. So there you have it. It’ll get me in trouble with half the population, but I will always be willing to take a position on something that’s as important as baseball.
Morgan McKay, WNYW-TV: Thank you again so much, Governor, for taking the time. I also have my split allegiance between the two teams. Thank you for being here, even if it is virtually. I really appreciate it.
Governor Hochul: Alright, thanks Morgan. Good luck with the show.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Committee on Education & Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), and Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) in leading 236 Senate and House colleagues in a letter to President Donald Trump in response to his unprecedented and unlawful dismissal of Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels.
“We write to express our outrage at your unprecedented dismissal of Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels of the bipartisan U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” the Members wrote. “This unlawful abuse of presidential power undermines the EEOC’s historic independence, harms U.S. workers, and unduly politicizes the Commission’s work. It also impedes the Commission’s ability to fully carry out its critical mission on behalf of the American people. We urge you to swiftly reinstate Commissioners Burrows and Samuels.”
The EEOC was established in 1964 with strong bipartisan support to serve as an independent, multi-member body tasked with preventing and addressing employment discrimination. It is the primary federal law enforcement agency responsible for ensuring that workers are protected against discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, and genetic information. Workers rely on the EEOC to be a fair and independent body—not one subject to the shifting political whims of the executive branch.
Both Commissioner Burrows and Commissioner Samuels had been confirmed by bipartisan votes of the Senate prior to the start of their terms, with Commissioner Burrows’ term not set to expire until July 2028 and Commissioner Samuels term not set to expire until July 2026.
The Members highlighted the massive return on investment the EEOC delivers for the American people, writing: “From 2014-2024, the EEOC recovered $5.6 billion for workers who were discriminated against under these laws, significantly more than the agency’s appropriations during that time period. For FY 2024, the EEOC secured a record $700 million for workers who experienced discrimination. The EEOC’s role in enforcing these protections is essential to ensuring that all workers have a fair chance to obtain employment, provide for their families, and contribute to our economy.”
The Members made clear the illegal firing by President Trump is an intrusion into Congress’ constitutional authority, stating, “The Administration’s firing of Commissioner Burrows and Commissioner Samuels is unprecedented and an intrusion into Congress’ Article I constitutional authority. The appointment of EEOC Commissioners is governed by statute and is designed to ensure the agency’s independence from the executive. The President appoints Commissioners and the Senate confirms them. That is the beginning and end of the executive’s role in determining who can sit on the Commission and for how long. The law not only expressly requires the Commission to be bipartisan, but it also sets out five-year terms, a design that ensures that Commissioners’ terms run between presidential terms, another purposeful action by Congress to ensure the Commission’s independence.”
“Longstanding Supreme Court precedent also confirms that multi-member independent commissions such as the EEOC enjoy protection from ‘coercive influence’ of the executive. In Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, 295 U.S. 602 (1935), the Supreme Court made clear that members of independent commissions like the EEOC cannot be removed at will by the President. Prior Presidents have agreed; no Commissioner of the EEOC has ever been removed prior to the expiration of their term in the Commission’s 60-year history.”
“Workers deserve to earn a living free from discrimination and feel confident that when they are harmed, they can count on an independent EEOC, not a politicized body, to protect their rights,” the Members concluded. “We urge you to reinstate Commissioner Burrows and Commissioner Samuels, and we look forward to your urgent response.”
The full letter can be read HERE and the list of signatories is HERE.
The letter is endorsed by: A Better Balance, American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Employment Law Project, National Partnership for Women & Families, and the National Women’s Law Center.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:
“Since its establishment 60 years ago as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOC has protected the rights of workers to earn a living free from discrimination. President Trump’s illegal and unprecedented dismissal of Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels critically impairs the EEOC’s ability to ensure that individuals aren’t denied jobs and opportunities because of who they are. We condemn the administration’s flagrant politicization of an independent, nonpartisan civil rights agency and join members of Congress calling for the reinstatement of the commissioners without delay,” said Mike Zamore, National Director of Policy and Government Affairs of the American Civil Liberties Union.
“People rely on the EEOC to be an independent, fair body that will protect their right to be free from discrimination in their workplace,” said Gaylynn Burroughs, Vice President for Education and Workplace Justice at the National Women’s Law Center. “President Trump’s removal of EEOC Commissioners Burrows and Samuels is just another extension of his authoritarian power grab that will ultimately harm workers. His actions are a clear abuse of power intended to bend the Commission to his will, but the Commission works for all working people, not for President Trump. The EEOC was born out of the civil rights movement to help ensure equal employment opportunity for all workers. We will continue to fight to preserve the integrity of the Commission, for equal opportunity, and for the right of all workers to be free from discrimination.”
“We condemn the administration’s unlawful attempt to fire sitting EEOC commissioners. This reckless decision is already having devastating consequences for workers waiting for the agency to take legal action against employers engaged in discrimination and severe ramifications for the agency’s ability to function effectively and enforce labor and civil rights protections,” said Jocelyn C. Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “Workers who are depending on the EEOC to do its job should not have to endure discrimination because of political stunts intended to undermine civil rights enforcement. By making it virtually impossible for the Commission to take important actions, because it lacks a quorum, the administration is effectively circumventing robust enforcement of statutory anti-discrimination protections that workers depend on every day. President Trump must reinstate the commissioners he fired to rectify this situation. We commend Congressman Jerry Nadler and Senator Patty Murray, and all the members of Congress who join us in this fight, for standing up to safeguard the rights and the freedoms of all workers so that they are treated fairly in workplaces that are free of discrimination.”
“The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s role in ensuring equitable workplaces and enforcing our nation’s laws against discrimination is vital. It is an outrage that the Trump Administration has gutted the agency by illegally firing key EEOC Commissioners who have tirelessly championed robust enforcement of important workplace laws like the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title VII of the Civil Right Act. This is an overstep of the President’s authority that will hamstring the agency’s ability to carry out its mission. We thank Congressman Nadler, Senator Murray, Ranking Member Scott, Congresswoman Stansbury, and Congresswoman Leger Fernández for their leadership in defending the EEOC,” said Inimai Chettiar, President of A Better Balance.
“President Trump’s removal of Commissioners Burrows and Samuels was an outrageous attack on civil rights and the rule of law – one of many actions taken by the president in pursuit of his goal to further entrench inequality and occupational segregation. The EEOC’s independence and bipartisan structure was established by Congress in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and is essential to its mission to promote equal opportunity in the workplace. This lawlessness and disregard for our Constitution cannot stand,” said Josh Boxerman, Government Affairs Manager, National Employment Law Project.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
March 28, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) sent a letter to the Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Dan Bongino, raising serious concerns over his ability to lead the Bureau with FBI Director Kash Patel. Deputy Director Bongino is a former conservative political commentator, podcast host, and conspiracy theorist peddler. The position of the FBI Deputy Director is not Senate-confirmed.
The Senators wrote, “As the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) finalizes its new leadership structure, we are deeply concerned that Director Kash Patel’s senior leadership team is unprepared forthe challenges of managing our nation’s premier law enforcement agency and its approximately 38,000 public servants.”
“As the newly appointed Deputy Director, your past public statements—which include inflammatory remarks and unsubstantiated accusations against the FBI, including calling for the Bureau’s disbandment—raise concerns about your ability to impartially lead the Bureau and credibly command the respect of its workforce. Your record, on the other hand, does not reflect the expertise required to manage the FBI’s complex and expansive operations,” the Senators continued.
In the letter, the Senators ask for clarification regarding Deputy Director Bongino’s past controversial comments including when he said on his podcast, “The only thing that is going to stop the FBI from doing what they’re doing now, which is become full-time activists and bouncers, in many cases, thugs for the Democrat [sic] party, is imposing real material losses on them (emphasis added). Fire everyone involved in this stuff. Everyone—no excuses. Disband the entity.”
On November 14, 2024, Deputy Director Bongino described the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and the placement of pipe bombs outside of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters as an “inside job” and said, “There is a massive cover-up, because the person who planted those pipe bombs—they don’t want you to know who it was, because it’s either a connected anti-Trump insider, or this was an inside job. Those bombs were planted there. This was a setup. I have zero doubt… And whoever goes into FBI… you better get an answer… about why.” He continued to say, “It is clear, this all adds up to they know who this person is. They just don’t want you to know who this it is. Later in the podcast, Bongino went on to say that “the FBI knew the entire time the identity of this person and then tried to unknow it, because it was an insider and an inside attack and a plot to, you know, stop Republicans from questioning the election results.”
The Senators continued, “Your claim that the FBI is responsible for a cover-up is an extremely serious allegation that you have an obligation either to substantiate or repudiate. Now that you have access to the information you have long claimed that the FBI possesses, can you answer who was responsible for the pipe bombs on January 6, 2021 and provide evidence proving their identity to the public and Congress? If no, will you apologize to the men and women of the FBI for spreading this dangerous and irresponsible lie?”
The Senators asked for clarification of these statements by April 11, 2025.
The full text of the letter can be found here and below:
Dear Deputy Director Bongino:
As the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) finalizes its new leadership structure, we are deeply concerned that Director Kash Patel’s senior leadership team is unprepared for the challenges of managing our nation’s premier law enforcement agency and its approximately 38,000 public servants. As the newly appointed Deputy Director, your past public statements—which include inflammatory remarks and unsubstantiated accusations against the FBI, including calling for the Bureau’s disbandment—raise concerns about your ability to impartially lead the Bureau and credibly command the respect of its workforce. The Deputy Director oversees all FBI domestic and international investigative and intelligence activities and has historically been a career agent with extensive experience in the Bureau. Your record, on the other hand, does not reflect the expertise required to manage the FBI’s complex and expansive operations. To help address these concerns, we ask that you answer the following questions by April 11, 2025:
There is a massive cover-up, because the person who planted those pipe bombs—they don’t want you to know who it was, because it’s either a connected anti-Trump insider, or this was an inside job. Those bombs were planted there. This was a setup. I have zero doubt…. And whoever goes into FBI… you better get an answer… about why.
Now that you are inside the FBI, have you seen evidence to prove your implausible and outrageous allegation that the January 6 attack was an “inside job”? If yes, when do you plan to provide that evidence to the public and Congress? If no, will you apologize to the American people for perpetuating this baseless conspiracy theory?
It is clear, this all adds up to they know who this person is. They just don’t want you to know who this it is. Later in the podcast, you went on to say that “the FBI knew the entire time the identity of this person and then tried to unknow it, because it was an insider and an inside attack and a plot to, you know, stop Republicans from questioning the election results.
You then claimed that “they did conduct an investigation, a legitimate one, for probably a couple of weeks because a friend of mine, who’s a federal agent, was involved in it. And they told him, once they started to hone in on who it was, to stand down.” We are disappointed that the pipe bomb case remains unsolved, given the significant danger this threat presented to the public, staff, and elected officials at the RNC and DNC on January 6, 2021. Your claim that the FBI is responsible for a cover-up is an extremely serious allegation that you have an obligation either to substantiate or repudiate. Now that you have access to the information you have long claimed that the FBI possesses, can you answer who was responsible for the pipe bombs on January 6, 2021 and provide evidence proving their identity to the public and Congress? If no, will you apologize to the men and women of the FBI for spreading this dangerous and irresponsible lie?
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
-30-
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging James Malcolm Davis (45, Middleburg) with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. If convicted, Davis faces a minimum term of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison for the drug offense and up to 15 years’ imprisonment for the firearm offense. The indictment also notifies Davis that the United States intends to forfeit multiple firearms, ammunition, and magazines traceable to the firearm offense. Davis was arrested on March 25, 2025, and ordered detained. His trial is set for May 2025.
According to the indictment and court proceedings, on October 31, 2024, Davis possessed with the intent to distribute over 5 grams of methamphetamine that was found in his car. On that same date, it was also determined that Davis possessed multiple firearms at his residence. At the time of the offenses, Davis had four prior state felony convictions, including aggravated assault, felony battery or domestic, and possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon (2010, 2022). As a convicted felon, Davis is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that streamlines efforts and resources from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SAN DIEGO – John Washburn, general manager of San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings in El Cajon, and three employees, made their first appearances in federal court today to face immigration charges stemming from a search warrant that was served by federal agents at the property yesterday.
Washburn, along with employees Gilver Martinez-Juanta, Miguel Angel Leal-Sanchez and Fernando Casas-Gamboa, were arrested yesterday. Washburn was charged with Conspiracy to Harbor Aliens; the employees were charged with using false documents to work in the United States.
According to the complaint, Washburn employed undocumented workers and allowed them to live in the company’s warehouse. The three charged employees allegedly provided a false attestation regarding their immigration status to secure employment at the business.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major set bond for Washburn at $5,000 and ordered him and the other defendants to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 8, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
The Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego Office is investigating these cases with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; United States Border Patrol; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; Drug Enforcement Administration, San Diego Field Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry F.B. Beshar and Michael A. Deshong.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 25mj1458-BLM
John Washburn Age: 57
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Harbor Aliens, in violation of Title 8, U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) and (v)(I); Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison; $250,000 fine.
Case Number 25mj1459-BLM
Gilver Martinez-Juanta Age: 39
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Attestation (Felony), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1546(b)(3); Maximum Penalty: 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine.
Case Number 25mj1460-BLM
Miguel Angel Leal-Sanchez Age:39
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Attestation (Felony), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1546(b)(3); Maximum Penalty: 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine.
Case Number 25mj1461-BLM
Fernando Casas-Gamboa Age: 21
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Attestation (Felony), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1546(b)(3); Maximum Penalty: 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General
General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General
Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Bureau Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm,s and Explosives
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This investigation 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).
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for illegally re-entering the United States after they were previously deported.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry
According to an indictment returned this week, Jesus Enriquez-Vasquez, 32, who was previously removed from the United States on January 24, 2019, was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States. On March 3, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States.
Guatemalan National Charged in Indictment
In addition, Victor Hugo Vasquez Perez, 31, a citizen of Guatemala residing in Independence, Mo., was found illegally present in the United States and charged with possession of a fraudulent immigration document, possession of identification documents unlawfully produced, and improper entry.
Honduran National Charged in Indictment
In addition, Noe Alberto Hernandez-Perez, 31, a citizen of Honduras residing in Kansas City, Mo., was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien and resisting and impeding an officer.
According to the indictment, Hernandez-Perez was previously removed from the United States on June 12, 2015. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States. On March 16, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States.
The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
These cases were investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are 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.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
An armed serial robber and convicted felon was found guilty by a jury on March 26, 2025, of robbing five cash loan businesses across the Fort Worth metroplex in May 2024, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Charles Lenard Brownlee, 37, was charged via criminal complaint in July 2024 and indicted in August 2024. After two-and-a-half days of trial, a jury convicted him of one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Hobbs Act Interference with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm during a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to evidence presented at trial, between May 9 and May 21, 2024, Brownlee robbed at gunpoint five Cash Store businesses in Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine. Trying to conceal his identity, Brownlee covered his face with a medical mask and wore different baseball caps and outfits for the robberies.
Reviewing hours of surveillance footage from nearby businesses and other camera systems, detectives from the Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine police departments ascertained that Brownlee used the same vehicle—a black Hyundai Santa Fe equipped with a blue fuzzy steering-wheel cover—to drive to and from each of the five robberies.
At trial, the jury heard from an eyewitness who observed the robber drop a Black & Mild cigarillo as he was running from one of the robberies and thereafter enter the backseat of a black SUV that had a blue fuzzy covering on its steering wheel. Law enforcement collected that cigarillo for DNA testing, and the DNA test results were consistent with Brownlee being the robber from that incident.
The jury also heard testimony from a member of the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team who testified that the cellular phones tied to Brownlee placed him at or near each Cash Store location when it was robbed.
For two of the robberies, Brownlee enlisted the help of his girlfriend and co-conspirator, who testified that she and Brownlee conspired to rob the Fort Worth and Euless Cash Stores—driving there together in the black Hyundai SUV and with her serving as Brownlee’s getaway driver. She also testified that after committing these “licks” (robberies), Brownlee planned to target jewelry stores and ultimately obtained a Mini Draco-style firearm to do so, since that gun had more “muscle.”
Shortly after committing the May 21 Grapevine robbery, Brownlee was arrested, and—upon searching the vehicle he was in—law enforcement found a black leather bag that Brownlee used in the Hurst and Grapevine robberies, a blue hat that Brownlee wore during the Euless robbery, a disposable medical mask matching what he wore for all of the robberies, and two loaded firearms—a black Smith & Wesson handgun matching the make and model of the gun identified by one of the victim-witnesses and a Century Arms Mini Draco AK-style pistol. Law enforcement also seized the black Hyundai Santa Fe with the blue fuzzy steering wheel cover, which at the time was being driven by Brownlee’s sister.
Brownlee’s cell phone showed that he had conducted multiple online searches of and for Cash Stores during the time span of the robbery spree and that he ran searches for nearby jewelry stores and where to purchase a Mini Draco gun. The jury also saw videos and images from Brownlee’s and his co-conspirator’s phones showing them posing with piles of cash and Brownlee smoking a Black & Mild cigarillo like that observed to have been dropped by the perpetrator of the Euless robbery.
Brownlee now faces a statutory minimum of 35 years and up to life in federal prison. His sentencing date is set for July 11, 2025, before the Honorable Reed O’Connor, who also presided over this trial.
Brownlee’s co-conspirator pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery and faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison. She is set to be sentenced on April 8, 2025.
“A strong relationship with our local law enforcement partners is crucial to tackling violent crime,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The collaboration with multiple agencies from Tarrant County resulted in a successful guilty verdict and sends a message that we will not tolerate acts of violent crime in our communities.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Fort Worth Resident Agency, Grand Prairie Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Euless Police Department, Hurst Police Department, and Grapevine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric B. Chen and Levi Thomas prosecuted and tried the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gordon for the Northern District of Texas provided appellate support.
Source: US State of Missouri
MARCH 28, 2025
Jefferson City — Today, Governor Kehoe appointed a new Associate Circuit Judge to the 32ndJudicial Circuit.
Amy Trueblood, of Cape Girardeau, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Cape Girardeau County in the 32nd Judicial Circuit.
Mrs. Trueblood earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in environmental science and public policy and economics from Harvard University. She is licensed to practice law in Virginia, Illinois, and Missouri. Mrs. Trueblood currently serves as a judicial law clerk to Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh for the United States District Court in Cape Girardeau. In addition to her legal career, she is an active member of the Federalist Society, Harvard Club of St. Louis, and the Cape Girardeau County Bar Association. Mrs. Trueblood also served on the Cape Girardeau Public Library Board of Trustees, including terms as President and Vice President.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
MINNEAPOLIS – An Iowa woman has been indicted for abusive sexual contact with an inmate and making false statements to federal law enforcement about the interaction, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, Jessica Lynn Larson, 37, was employed as a nurse by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) assigned to the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Rochester, Minnesota. Larson entered into a romantic relationship with an incarcerated inmate, Victim A, at FMC Rochester. Over the course of their relationship, Larson exchanged sexually explicit letters with Victim A. On April 3, 2024, Larson and Victim A had a sexual encounter in a shower room. Shortly afterwards, other nursing staff reported Larson’s inappropriate relationship with Victim A, prompting a search Victim A’s cell, where they discovered hidden letters from Larson. Board of Prison (BOP) officials then found letters from Victim A inside Larson’s backpack. After being confronted about her relationship with Victim A, Larson submitted a BOP indicate report in which she falsely accused Victim A of sexual assault and claimed that he had threatened to hurt her children if she refused his sexual advances or reported his assault. Two months later, after being placed on administrative leave, Larson drove more than 600 miles from her home in Iowa to Cincinnati, Ohio, to mail a love letter to Victim A who had been transferred to another BOP facility.
“In Minnesota, we take sexual abuse—particularly when committed by those in positions of authority—very seriously,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Likewise, lying to the United States is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute defendants who commit these crimes.”
Larson will make her initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty on April 9, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General and the Bureau of Prisons.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal judge in Portland found a Tigard, Oregon man guilty Wednesday for shooting a United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier.
Kevin Eugene Irvine, 34, was convicted of one count each of attempted murder of a federal employee, aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Irvine raised an insanity defense in the bench trial held before a U.S. District Judge. The District Judge found that Irvine had failed to establish legal insanity and was guilty of all three counts in the indictment.
According to court documents, on December 24, 2022, while driving a white van through a Milwaukie, Oregon neighborhood, Irvine made eye contact with a letter carrier delivering mail on foot dressed in a USPS uniform. Irvine threw his arms in the air, which the letter carrier mistook as waving, and waved back.
A short time later, on an adjacent street, the letter carrier noticed the same van and again made eye contact with driver, later identified as Irvine, as he drove past. Irvine stopped the van several houses away, got out of the van with a rifle, knelt on the street and fired three rounds, striking the letter carrier once as the letter carrier ran for cover. After the shooting, Irvine picked up his shell casings and drove off.
On December 28, 2022, officers spotted the van in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where they stopped the vehicle and arrested Irvine. Later, investigators sought and obtained a search warrant for Irvine’s van and found three rifles, ammunition, spent shell casings, a knife, shooting targets and ballistic gear.
On February 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Irvine with aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, attempted murder of a federal employee, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Irvine faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for each count of attempted murder of a federal employee and aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, and a mandatory minimum of ten years of imprisonment with a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He will be sentenced on July 17, 2025.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Milwaukie Police Department and the Lake Oswego Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman and Eliza Carmen Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON – Quanisha Ramsuer, 31, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to three years in prison for obstruction of justice in connection with the investigation into the murder of Makiyah Wilson, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Robert Okun ordered three years of probation.
Ramsuer was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on September 3, 2024, for her role in connection with the July 16, 2018 murder. The evidence at trial showed that on July 16, 2018, five members of the Wellington Park crew, Mark Price, Antonio Murchison, Isaiah Murchison, Gregory Taylor, and Qujuan Thomas, who have all been convicted, drove to the Clay Terrace neighborhood armed with guns. The driver of the vehicle, Mark Price, briefly stopped to allow the other defendants to exit the vehicle. They opened fire on the Clay Terrace courtyard, firing more than 50 shots, indiscriminately. Makiyah Wilson, who was sitting on the front stoop of her home, was killed. Two other members of the Wellington Park crew – Quentin Michals and Darrise Jeffers – were also convicted of their role in assisting in planning the shooting and securing the firearms that were used and crew member Marquell Cobbs was convicted of conspiracy in connection with the incident.
Ramsuer, who witnessed the defendants preparing for the shooting, continuously refused to testify truthfully when asked the identity of the shooters. The evidence at trial showed that Ramseur lived in or hung out in the Wellington Park neighborhood most of her life and knew almost all of the defendants, one of whom she identified as her cousin. She was observed on video surveillance interacting with the defendants as they loaded into the vehicles to drive to Clay Terrace to commit the shooting. Ramsuer was also observed on video closely engaging with one of the defendants who orchestrated the attack, but who remained behind. Despite the obvious familiarity, Ramseur steadfastly refused to identify the individuals with whom she was interacting in the video, resulting in the charge of obstruction of justice.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Bach and Natalie Hynum.
The trial team was assisted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chrisellen Kolb and Nicholas Coleman, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Supervisory Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Clark, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Allen, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Maenylie Watson, Information Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce, Supervisory Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Information Technology Specialist Sigourney Jackson, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, and Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman. Critical assistance also was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Merikas and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rich Barker, John Timmer, and Melissa Jackson who played key roles in the investigation.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
A man who distributed fentanyl near a school pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
D’quon Morrow, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of at least 40 grams of fentanyl near a protected location.
In a plea agreement, Morrow admitted that between February 2024 and July 2024, in Cedar Rapids, he agreed with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In March 2024, he distributed 6.50 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl to another person. In April 2024, he sold a firearm to another person. At the time, Morrow had a felony conviction for eluding. In May 2024, he distributed 20.75 grams of fentanyl to another person. In June 2024, he distributed 48.60 grams of fentanyl to another person near Madison Elementary School in Cedar Rapids. In July 2024, law enforcement searched Morrow’s residence and recovered two firearms, ammunition, and over 1,000 fentanyl pills.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Morrow remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Morrow faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.
This case is also 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.
This case is also 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).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-4.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
A former Forest City man who possessed firearms as a drug user and made false statements during the purchase of firearms was sentenced to 45 months in Federal Prison.
Brian Lee Byers, age 39, from Forest City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2024, guilty plea to 4 counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user and 4 counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
Evidence showed Byers admitted that between July of 2019 and February of 2020, in Cero Gordo County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, Winnebago County, Iowa, Grundy County, Iowa and Hancock County, Iowa he possessed multiple firearms while using marijuana and methamphetamine. He admitted that on July 25, 2019, November 9, 2019, February 22, 2020, and February 24, 2020, he stated on federal forms he was not a drug user while he purchased multiple firearms
Byers was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Byers was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Byers is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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.
This case was investigated by the Mason City Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Fletcher and Jack Lammers.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-3018.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Dylan Halbur, 32, from Spencer, Iowa, pled guilty March 28, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 26, 2024, law enforcement searched a camper in Spencer, Iowa, where Halbur was known to reside and store items. Inside, law enforcement located 45 grams of pure methamphetamine, $2,900 in cash, marijuana, a digital scale and other indicia of drug use and distribution. Halbur admitted the methamphetamine was his and that he intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Halbur remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. The penalties for this offense are a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spencer Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4077.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man was charged in a federal indictment this week with aggravated identity theft and misuse of a social security number.
Romeo Perez-Bravo, 42, has been charged with using a stolen identity to obtain employment and state issued identification cards since 2009. The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General received a referral from the St. Joseph, Missouri Police Department that a man had been fraudulently living and working under a Minnesota man’s identity. SSA-OIG identified him as Perez-Bravo who had been living in St. Joseph and working for local area employers under that identity for several years. The victim reported the identity theft when he began to receive unpaid income tax bills from the IRS.
If convicted, Perez-Bravo faces a mandatory two-year prison sentence for identity theft and up to five years for misusing the social security number.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case was investigated by Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), ICE Homeland Security Investigations, St. Joseph, Missouri Police Department, and the Olivia, Minnesota Police Department.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – A Swedish national was extradited from Spain and was arraigned today on a 115-count federal indictment alleging he licensed the rights of the late Colombian narcoterrorist Pablo Escobar and defrauded investors by marketing and selling products – including flamethrowers and cellphones – that he never delivered.
Olaf Kyros Gustafsson, 31, a.k.a. “El Silencio,” arrived in Los Angeles this morning after Spanish authorities extradited him. Gustafsson is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, 41 counts of money laundering, 35 counts of international money laundering, and 25 counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.
Gustafsson was arrested in Spain in December 2023 and was arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Gustafsson pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. A May 20 trial date was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge scheduled an April 3 detention hearing. Gustafsson remains in federal custody.
According to the indictment, Gustafsson was the CEO of Escobar Inc., a corporation registered in Puerto Rico that held successor-in-interest rights to the persona and legacy of Pablo Escobar, the deceased Colombian narcoterrorist and head of the Medellín Cartel. Escobar Inc. used Pablo Escobar’s likeness and persona to market and sell purported consumer products to the public.
From July 2019 to November 2023, Gustafsson identified existing products in the marketplace that were being manufactured and sold to the public. He then used the Escobar persona to market and advertise similar and competing products purportedly being sold by Escobar Inc., advertising them at a price substantially lower than existing counterparts being sold by other companies.
Gustafsson then purportedly sold the products – including an Escobar Flamethrower, an Escobar Fold Phone, an Escobar Gold 11 Pro Phone, and Escobar Cash (marketed as a “physical cryptocurrency”) – to customers, receiving payments via PayPal, Stripe, Coinbase, among other payment processors.
Despite receiving customer payments, Gustafsson did not deliver the Escobar Inc. products to paying customers because the products did not exist.
In furtherance of the scheme, Gustafsson sent crudely made samples of the purported Escobar Inc. products to online technology reviewers and social media influencers to attempt to increase the public’s demand for them. For example, Gustafsson allegedly sent Samsung Galaxy Fold Phones wrapped in gold foil and disguised as Escobar Inc. phones to online technology reviewers to attempt to induce victims who watched the online reviews into buying the products that never would be delivered.
Also, rather than sending paying customers the actual products, Gustafsson mailed them a “Certificate of Ownership,” a book or other Escobar Inc. promotional materials so there was a record of mailing from the company to the customer. When a paying customer attempted to obtain a refund when the product was never delivered, Gustafsson fraudulently referred the payment processor to the proof of mailing for the Certificate of Ownership or other material as proof that the product itself was shipped and that the customer had received it so the refund requests would be denied.
Some of the victims include residents of Los Angeles, Gardena, and Commerce.
Gustafsson allegedly also caused bank accounts to be opened under his name and entities he controlled to be used as funnel accounts – bank accounts into which he deposited and withdrew proceeds derived from his criminal activities. The purpose was to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. The bank accounts were located in the United States, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General are investigating this matter, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Marshals Service, and the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Junius, 47, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 500 or more grams of cocaine intended for distribution. Junius pleaded guilty to this charge on December 19, 2024.
In late 2022, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a large cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking organization operating in Portage, Madison, and La Crosse. Intercepted phone communications in April 2023 led to the surveillance of a delivery of 4 kilograms of cocaine from Junius to other individuals. Further investigation led agents to a storage unit in Madison rented and regularly accessed by Junius in which police found almost 1½ kilograms of cocaine and $20,000 in U.S. currency.
In sentencing Junius, Judge Peterson expressed concern that despite Junius’s extensive criminal history, which included nine prior convictions for drug-related offenses, Junius again became involved in drug trafficking. Judge Peterson found that Junius played a significant role in the drug organization by storing drugs and cash, as well as by making deliveries. Judge Peterson further found that such large-scale trafficking encouraged criminal enterprises and violence in the community.
Junius’s co-defendant, Angel Flores, also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2025.
The charge against Junius was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Anderson and William M. Levins prosecuted this case.
The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.
Source: US Marshals Service
Spokane, WA – The U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) has arrested two fugitives and continues its search for Jose Beltran-Rodriguez, 20, the last remaining suspect in the March 21 drive-by shooting in Moses Lake, Washington, that killed a 14-year-old and injured four others.
Two Suspects in Custody
• On March 24, at the request of the U.S. Marshals, the Richland Police Department arrested a juvenile suspect at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland. The suspect, who had sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg, is charged with first-degree murder.
• On March 28 at 2:30 AM, the U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force – Oregon, arrested Matthew Valdez in coordination with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Community Violence Reduction Team (COVRT) and Washington County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Negotiations Team (TNT) in Beaverton, Oregon, without incident.
Last Fugitive Still at Large
Jose Beltran-Rodriguez remains a fugitive. He is wanted on an arrest warrant issued on March 25, charging him with: Murder in the First Degree, Five Counts of Assault in the First Degree, Drive-By Shooting, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Beltran-Rodriguez is a suspected member of the transnational criminal gang Norteños, involved in drug trafficking, violent assaults, robbery, homicide, money laundering, and unlawful firearm possession.
U. S. Marshal Craig Thayer stated that “This horrific murder with four additional assault victims has been, and will continue to be, a top priority for all law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice. With two arrests already made, efforts are now concentrated on the outstanding arrest warrant for Jose Beltran-Rodriguez.”
Beltran-Rodriguez is considered armed and dangerous, and the public is urged not to approach him and to call 911. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should immediately contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or send tips via the USMS Tips app.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Further details will be released as they become available.
The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The task force’s primary mission is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives. Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke (9th District of New York)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 28, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT:
e: jessica.myers@mail.house.gov
c: 202.913.0126
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s attack on federal unions:
“There is no room for debate – our president is a proud and unrepentant union buster. Through Donald Trump’s recent executive order, his administration has committed one of the most significant and severe attacks on the labor movement in America’s history. Tragically, it stands as only the latest assault against our civil servants who have been ceaselessly insulted, threatened, and harmed by the Trump Administration since the day it came to power. And let’s be clear: the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Health and Human Services, Justice, State and Veterans Affairs, USAID, and the EPA will each be immeasurably weakened by this order, significantly impacting the agency services millions of Americans rely on.
“Honest people recognize that collective bargaining is the best, most effective way for workers and employers to reach a fair and mutually beneficial labor agreement. That is why America’s federal workers deserve the right to collectively bargain their conditions of employment, and why, at his core, Donald Trump fears the strength and resilience of unions – because unions will always stand as one of the last lines of defense against his illegal war on the federal workforce.
“I have no doubt he and his administration will not rest, yield, or back down an inch until they have broken every law and every institution necessary to steal this necessary tool from federal workers and ensure their control over every element of our government is absolute. All of Congress should condemn Donald Trump’s overreach and defend the labor movement from his disgusting attempt to dismantle their power. I stand with our federal unions when I say: we’ll see this scab president in court.”
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