NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bondi Statement on Violent Attacks Against Tesla Property

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement this evening regarding a spate of recent attacks on Tesla property:

    “The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism. The Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind, including in cases that involve charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences. We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Resumed Hostilities, Blocked Aid Destroying Ceasefire Gains in Gaza, Security Council Hears

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    As Israel resumes airstrikes over Gaza and blocks entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip, the modest gains made during the ceasefire are being destroyed, Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the Security Council today.

    “Overnight, our worst fears materialized,” he added, noting unconfirmed reports of hundreds of people killed on 17 March.  Recalling his recent visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel in February, he said that — despite the devastation he saw — “my trip coincided with some of Gaza’s better days” because a ceasefire was in place and humanitarians were delivering hundreds of trucks every day.  “Not anymore,” he reported.

    Since 2 March, Israeli authorities have halted the entry of all lifesaving supplies, including food, medicine, fuel and cooking gas, for 2.1 million people.  Repeated requests to collect aid sitting at the Karem Shalom border crossing have also been systematically rejected, no further hostages have been released and Israel has cut power to southern Gaza’s desalination plant, limiting access to clean water for 600,000 people.

    Further, international staff of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) are no longer able to rotate into and out of Gaza due to recent Knesset legislation.  He also highlighted new registration rules for international non-governmental organizations, as well as a law under consideration to impose high taxes on donations from third States to Israeli humanitarian and human-rights groups.

    Also pointing to the urgent crisis in the West Bank, he said that 95 Palestinians have been killed, including 17 children, since the start of 2025.  Additionally, Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank have displaced 40,000 Palestinians, while hundreds of Israeli settlers have launched large-scale attacks on Palestinian villages.  Outlining three urgent asks, he called on the Council to enable the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial essentials into Gaza, renew the ceasefire and fund the humanitarian response.

    Palestine Says Death Returns to Gaza, Israel Says Hamas Responsible

    The Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, noting that this meeting was initially called to discuss Gaza’s humanitarian situation, added:  “Now we gather here after a series of deadly Israeli attacks that killed, last night alone, hundreds of Palestinians.”  Bombardment, death, devastation, fire and fear are yet again spreading throughout Gaza, he said.

    “Ceasefire works — it is the only thing that does,” he stressed, stating that it stopped the bloodshed, allowed the release of hostages and prisoners and enabled the delivery of humanitarian aid.  Unilateral, self-serving and irresponsible decisions cannot be used as excuses for breaking it.  “While the Trump Administration has prioritized the release of hostages, it is evident that [Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin] Netanyahu’s concern for his political survival far outweighs his concern for the survival of the hostages,” he added.

    The Arab Summit endorsed a clear vision and a solid plan for a different trajectory for Gaza and Palestine — “these efforts should be supported, not compromised and sabotaged”, he urged.  The international community must also support the Palestinian Government’s assumption of its responsibilities throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the deployment of a UN-mandated mission throughout the Territory, a permanent ceasefire and the two-State solution.  “This is a historical moment, where everyone must choose where they stand and what vision they want to see prevail,” he said.

    However, Israel’s representative stressed that “the return to fighting is a necessity”, reaffirming his country’s commitment to bring home its hostages and defeat Hamas.  Hamas has refused to release hostages and has repeatedly rejected all offers by the United States and mediating countries — even during Ramadan — he said, spotlighting the Israel Defense Forces’ precise attacks on Hamas targets.

    For months, Israel took unprecedented steps to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza, he asserted, adding that these efforts are “not speculation, not political rhetoric”; they are “documented, verifiable and confirmed by the organizations distributing and supplying the aid”.  The hostages still held in brutal captivity by Hamas should be paramount for those truly concerned about humanitarian crises, he said, adding:  “Any discussion of humanitarian suffering that does not begin with the hostage release is not an honest discussion.”

    “The slander that the people of Gaza are currently starving is quite simply untrue,” he continued, stating that “claims that electricity cut-off has plunged Gaza into humanitarian collapse are greatly exaggerated”. Rather, any suffering in Gaza is due to Hamas’ hijacking of aid for its violent ends.  Pointing to certain Council members’ efforts to malign Israel, he stressed:  “If this Council wishes to address suffering, then it must demand the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.”

    Some Council Members Also Point to Hamas

    Along similar lines, the representative of United States emphasized that the blame for resumed hostilities lies solely with Hamas, which has steadfastly refused “every proposal and deadline they’ve been presented”.  Hamas prefers to hold hostages captive and hide amongst the people of Gaza, she said, dismissing the allegation of indiscriminate attacks by the Israel Defense Forces.  Underlining the need to tackle Iran’s “malign influence and State sponsorship of terror”, she said that Middle Eastern countries have an “historic opportunity to reshape their region”.

    Echoing that, Panama’s delegate said that the suffering in Gaza is the direct consequence of Hamas’ extremist actions, “which unleashed this tragic spiral of violence”.  He, too, condemned Hamas’ current refusal to meet the commitments agreed upon and release additional hostages.

    France’s representative highlighted the international conference to be held in June, chaired by his country and Saudi Arabia, on the implementation of the two-State solution.  The reconstruction plan for Gaza put forward by the Arab League must exclude Hamas from Gaza’s governance, he said.  “The terrorist attacks committed by Hamas and other terrorist groups on 7 October 2023 constitute the worst anti-Semitic massacre since the Shoah”, and he therefore reaffirmed France’s solidarity with the Israeli people.

    Others Point to Israel’s Responsibility as Occupying Power

    Algerians understand the cruelty of occupation “because we endured it for over 130 years”, that country’s delegate recalled.  “This deliberate blockade, timed to coincide with the holy month of Ramadan, is a calculated effort to break the resilience of the Palestinian people,” he stressed.  Further, he observed that “the Israeli occupying Power is using water — yes, water — as a weapon of war.”  Once again, Palestinian blood has become a tool for the calculations of Israeli politicians, and he called on mediator countries to ensure compliance with the ceasefire.

    Blocking trucks, cutting off electricity, mistreating non-governmental organizations, preventing Muslims from accessing the Aqsa Mosque compound — “these are all tactics of the oppressor”, stated Pakistan’s representative.  The manner in which the Council and the international community respond to such atrocities will have a lasting impact on the nature of the world order.  He also pointed out that international humanitarian law prohibits targeting military targets in civilian facilities. 

    The Republic of Korea’s representative said that Hamas’ refusal to carry out its obligations does not justify blocking humanitarian aid or using it as a bargaining chip.  He cited Under-Secretary-General Fletcher’s remarks during a 12 March press briefing:  “I said to my colleague:  Why are the dogs so fat?  And he said:  Because the dogs are looking for corpses.”  Israel must immediately cease its offensive, he stressed, urging all parties to return to the negotiating table.

    The representative of Denmark, Council President for March, spoke in her national capacity to spotlight Israel’s obligation, as the occupying Power, to ensure that the civilian population does not lack food or other basic needs, including water.  Sierra Leone’s delegate also noted that Israel, as the occupying Power, has obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law.

    They, along with the representatives of the United Kingdom and China, were among the many speakers who underscored the need for an immediate ceasefire.  Somalia’s speaker, expressing concern that Israeli strikes in Gaza were taking place during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, also said that worshipers at the Aqsa Mosque compound must be able to freely and safely perform their religious rituals.  The Russian Federation’s delegate warned against delays, noting that many have died because of the Council’s earlier inability to decide on a ceasefire.

    Several speakers condemned Israel’s decision to halt humanitarian aid into Gaza.  “This decision is illegal,” emphasized Guyana’s representative, who also highlighted the impact on women — many have died from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth because of the restrictions.  She also noted the 13 March report of the independent international commission of inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which points to Israel’s systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023.

    Slovenia’s representative, noting that it is roughly one year since the International Court of Justice issued provisional measures relating to humanitarian aid, famine and starvation in the case brought forward by South Africa, said that it is unacceptable that “our conversations are still the same”. 

    Greece’s delegate added that UNRWA’s role is indispensable with millions in urgent need of primary health services, education and shelter.  “War has not left the next generation in Gaza untouched,” he said, noting that thousands of children died, were injured or separated from their families and internally displaced.  The unhindered and continuous flow of aid into all parts of Gaza should remain a priority, and he also voiced support for the Arab plan put forth by Egypt.

    Also speaking today was the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States, who urged implementation of the first phase of that plan, adopted during an Arab League meeting in Cairo and later endorsed by a ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).  He also urged the Council to activate international oversight mechanisms to guarantee the safe and sustainable delivery of aid and ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As the rescued astronauts return, space law is still in orbit over who’s responsible when missions go wrong

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Marie Brennan, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Waikato

    Getty Images

    Now back on Earth thanks to Space X’s Dragon capsule, astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will be breathing fresh air again after a gruelling nine months onboard the International Space Station.

    Stranded in June 2024 after their experimental Boeing Starliner spacecraft malfunctioned and was deemed too risky to carry passengers back to Earth, their stay was further extended last week when the recovery mission was postponed due to launchpad problems.

    A successful rescue mission will be a relief to NASA, which had the unprecedented task of figuring out how to get the astronauts home. But the crisis has also raised difficult questions about space missions and what happens if they don’t go to plan.

    This is complicated by civilians now going into space, including actor William Shatner and business tycoons Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson. Later this year, pop star Katy Perry and talk show host Gayle King will blast off on board Blue Origin’s NS-31 Mission.

    Corporations such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab and Virgin Galactic are increasingly at the forefront of the new space race, but they operate in a legal vacuum as well as an atmospheric one.

    With the law not keeping pace with this rapid rise in commercial space exploration and exploitation, just who has a duty to rescue so-called space tourists and astronauts is unclear. Urgent legal reform is needed.

    Privatisation of space

    International space law contains a special duty for countries to rescue astronauts, regardless of their nationality.

    According to the United Nations Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, all member countries of the treaty, not just the country that launched the mission, have a duty to take “all necessary steps” to assist spacecraft crew in distress.

    This includes missions still in space as well as spacecraft that crash land in another state’s territory or at sea. The state conducting the rescue mission must safely return the astronauts to Earth – and to the country they originally launched from.

    But it’s not clear whether private space companies will have a similar duty. Some experts worry space tourists may have no real legal protection.

    Space law dates from the 20th century, when the 1967 Outer Space Treaty was adopted. But the original space race involved superpowers, and the possibility of corporations one day crossing the “final frontier” wasn’t even considered.

    So, if space tourists become stranded like Williams and Wilmore have been, there’s a possibility – in law at least – they could be left to fend for themselves.

    NASA’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on their way to the launch craft of the ill-fated mission in June 2024.
    Getty Images

    Who is an ‘astronaut’?

    Space policy experts are now calling on the international community to adopt a broad interpretation of the term “astronaut” to ensure anyone has a right to be rescued regardless of their legal status.

    They’re also calling for new rules to determine who is responsible for rescuing private citizens if they get into trouble. Despite the several treaties and conventions regulating space activity, none address space tourism.

    Currently, space tourism involves lower atmosphere travel, but SpaceX’s Elon Musk has talked about sending tourists to Mars. However realistic that is, space law is struggling to keep up with such ambitions.

    With the rise of private space missions, there is now a strong argument for the companies involved being required to shoulder or share the associated costs and responsibilities.

    Described by the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs as “envoys of humankind”, astronauts undergo years of arduous training before taking part in space missions. They are acutely aware of the risks of space travel – but have embraced it.

    The same can’t be said for civilians. Space tourism is still in its early days, but the companies promoting it will need to act responsibly and sustainably. This means making their customers aware of the dangers and implementing rescue procedures and protocols.

    Without proper regulatory oversight, however, space tourism companies could require prospective customers to sign legal agreements waiving their right to rescue if they are in danger.

    The challenge for space law now is to find a workable compromise between human safety and corporate profit motives.

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

    – ref. As the rescued astronauts return, space law is still in orbit over who’s responsible when missions go wrong – https://theconversation.com/as-the-rescued-astronauts-return-space-law-is-still-in-orbit-over-whos-responsible-when-missions-go-wrong-252594

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Men Convicted and a Third Extradited from Guatemala to the United States for Involvement in 2022 Mass Casualty Alien Smuggling Event in San Antonio, TX

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Two men were convicted today by a federal jury for their roles in a 2022 mass casualty alien smuggling event in San Antonio, Texas that resulted in 53 deaths and 11 aliens injured. A third man allegedly involved in the same fatal smuggling incident was extradited from Guatemala to the United States to face justice in the case.

    “These convictions and extradition represent the Justice Department’s commitment to prosecuting the leaders, organizers, and key facilitators of alien smuggling networks that bring people illegally — at significant risk to life — into the United States,” said Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “It is a powerful example of the crucial work of Joint Task Force Alpha, which has been enhanced and empowered to go after cartels and transnational criminal organizations and to eliminate the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking.”

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Felipe Orduna-Torres, also known as Cholo, Chuequito, and Negro, 30, and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega, also known as El Don and Don Gon, 55, conspired with others as part of an alien smuggling organization that loaded approximately 66 aliens into a tractor trailer, which lacked functioning air conditioning, and drove the aliens north across the U.S.-Mexico border and on a Texas interstate. On June 27, 2022, as the temperature rose, some of the migrants inside the trailer lost consciousness, while others clawed at the walls, trying to escape. By the time the tractor-trailer reached San Antonio, according to the evidence presented at trial, 48 migrants had already died. Another five migrants died after being transported to local hospitals. Six children and a pregnant woman were among the deceased. The defendants conspired with others to facilitate the travel of the aliens from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras to the United States, charging the aliens and their families approximately $12,000 to $15,000 USD for the perilous journey.

    Orduna-Torres and Gonzalez-Ortega were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death, and one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy. For both counts resulting in death, they each face a maximum penalty of life in prison at their sentencing on June 27. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    In addition, extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Guatemalan law enforcement authorities resulted in the extradition of Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, 48, an alleged leader of a Guatemala-based alien smuggling organization, for his alleged role in the San Antonio mass casualty incident.

    “The extradition of Miranda-Orozco to U.S. custody is a major step in the takedown of a large and complex human smuggling organization he is alleged to be a part of,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Just as we’ve shown throughout the trial of Orduna-Torres and Gonzalez-Ortega, we will continue to prosecute this case aggressively — seeking justice for those who have perished, and holding accountable those who illegally value profit over human life.”

    “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) aggressively targets human smugglers, no matter where they operate or how far they think they can hide,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “These verdicts reflect the scope and depth of our human smuggling investigations. From country of origin to final destination, our special agents have worked tirelessly to track these criminals down and dismantle their entire smuggling network. One by one we are seeing the consequences of human smuggling as the justice system prevails.”

    According to court documents, Miranda-Orozco conspired with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of four aliens from Guatemala through Mexico, and ultimately, to the United States, charging the families approximately $12,000 to $15,000 USD for the deadly journey. In particular, Miranda-Orozco is alleged to be responsible for smuggling three migrants who perished in the tractor trailer.

    In August 2024, Miranda-Orozco, 48, was arrested in Guatemala pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. His arrest was part of a large-scale takedown during which Guatemalan law enforcement executed multiple search and arrest warrants across Guatemala. Miranda-Orozco was indicted under seal in the Western District of Texas (WDTX), and his indictment was unsealed after he was arrested. Miranda-Orozco made his initial appearance Monday in Federal District Court in San Antonio and was arraigned on the indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States resulting in death, three counts of aiding and abetting bringing an alien to the United States resulting in death, one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, and one count of aiding and abetting bringing an alien to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.

    The convictions and extradition are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 315 U.S. convictions; more than 260 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    HSI San Antonio led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI Guatemala’s invaluable team members, and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI received substantial assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel; U.S. Border Patrol; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the San Antonio Police Department; the San Antonio Fire Department; and the Palestine Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and extradition of Miranda-Orozco and, along with the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), provided crucial assistance in this matter.

    The case against Orduna-Torres and Gonzalez-Ortega is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears, and Amanda Brown for the Western District of Texas. The case against Miranda-Orozco is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s HRSP Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney/JTFA prosecutor Jose Luis Acosta for the Western District of Texas, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

    The Justice Department thanks its Guatemalan law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting Miranda-Orozco, and the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office and Anti-Human Smuggling Unit for making the extradition possible.

    The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indictment Charges Hartford Man with Drug Distribution and Firearm Possession Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging RAMON LUIS GUZMAN, 54, of Hartford, with drug possession and firearm possession offenses.

    The indictment was returned on March 13, 2025, and Guzman was arrested yesterday.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was ordered detained.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on September 27, 2024, a court-authorized search of Guzman’s residence on Haddam Street in Hartford revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl, phencyclidine (“PCP”), and cocaine; a Sig Sauer .40 caliber pistol; a Glock 9mm pistol affixed with a laser site; a Springfield Armory .45 caliber pistol; and three loaded firearm magazines.  Hartford Police arrested Guzman on state charges on that date.

    It is further alleged that Guzman’s criminal history includes state felony convictions in Connecticut for multiple drug offenses and a robbery offense.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    The indictment charges Guzman with one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and quantities of PCP and cocaine, an offense that a carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady Man Sentenced to Prison for Selling Fentanyl Pills

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Omar Wynn, age 32, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced to 60 months in prison today for distribution of a controlled substance.  United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.

    Wynn admitted to selling 1,500 fentanyl pills and 8.6 grams of cocaine base to another person.  The fentanyl pills were stamped “M30” to make them appear as if they were oxycodone.  At the time, Wynn was on state probation for two felony cocaine convictions.  United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered Wynn to serve 4 years of supervised release and forfeit the $3,000 profit he made.

    The DEA conducted the investigation with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal jury convicts Billings man of possessing a firearm following a felony conviction

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS — A federal jury today convicted a Billings man of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    After a two-day trial that began on March 17, the jury found the defendant, Joshua David Heafner, 40, guilty of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Heafner faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 18, 2025. Heafner was detained pending further proceedings.

    “Heafner, a convicted felon with prior convictions for assaulting a peace officer and robbery, continued to endanger the citizens of Billings by illegally possessing a gun, leaving the scene of an accident, and fleeing from police. I want to thank the law enforcement officers who investigated this case and the lawyers and staff in our office for their outstanding work during trial,” U.S. Attorney Alme said.

    The government alleged at trial and in court documents that on March 14, 2023, around 8:00 p.m., the Billings Police Department received a report of a hit and run at the intersection of North 31st Street and 6th Avenue North. Officers observed an unoccupied Volkswagen Passat in the middle of the intersection and witnesses described a man who resembled Heafner fleeing the scene on foot after the accident. Inside the car, officers saw a black pistol, some rounds of ammunition, and a methadone bottle with Heafner’s name on it. Heafner, who had outstanding arrest warrants at the time, was located near his residence, where he ran from the police before eventually being detained. Further investigation of the Passat revealed Heafner’s fingerprints in multiple locations on the driver’s side and on a cell phone found on the front driver’s side floorboard. Heafner was convicted of assault on a peace officer, robbery, and assault with a weapon, all felonies, in Billings in September 2013.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Billings Police Department and the ATF.

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

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Biddeford Man Sentenced to 1 ½ Years in Prison for Cocaine Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Gage Barton was on state probation & on bail for state charges for unlawful possession of cocaine

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.

    U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Gage Barton, 26, to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on December 10, 2024.

    According to court records, in September 2024, a Biddeford police officer responded to a call of a fight occurring at an apartment building. The officer encountered Barton walking away from the building. Barton was on probation for unlawful possession of cocaine and was also on bail conditions in the State of Maine District Court in York County. The officer searched Barton under his bail conditions. Barton was wearing a sling bag under his coat, and when the officer felt the bag, he discerned what he believed to be a weapon. When the officer looked inside the bag, he discovered a small digital scale and several clear plastic bags containing approximately 308 grams of cocaine.

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Men Convicted and a Third Extradited from Guatemala to the United States for Involvement in 2022 Mass Casualty Alien Smuggling Event in San Antonio, TX

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Two men were convicted today by a federal jury for their roles in a 2022 mass casualty alien smuggling event in San Antonio, Texas that resulted in 53 deaths and 11 aliens injured. A third man allegedly involved in the same fatal smuggling incident was extradited from Guatemala to the United States to face justice in the case.

    “These convictions and extradition represent the Justice Department’s commitment to prosecuting the leaders, organizers, and key facilitators of alien smuggling networks that bring people illegally — at significant risk to life — into the United States,” said Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “It is a powerful example of the crucial work of Joint Task Force Alpha, which has been enhanced and empowered to go after cartels and transnational criminal organizations and to eliminate the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking.”

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Felipe Orduna-Torres, also known as Cholo, Chuequito, and Negro, 30, and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega, also known as El Don and Don Gon, 55, conspired with others as part of an alien smuggling organization that loaded approximately 66 aliens into a tractor trailer, which lacked functioning air conditioning, and drove the aliens north across the U.S.-Mexico border and on a Texas interstate. On June 27, 2022, as the temperature rose, some of the migrants inside the trailer lost consciousness, while others clawed at the walls, trying to escape. By the time the tractor-trailer reached San Antonio, according to the evidence presented at trial, 48 migrants had already died. Another five migrants died after being transported to local hospitals. Six children and a pregnant woman were among the deceased. The defendants conspired with others to facilitate the travel of the aliens from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras to the United States, charging the aliens and their families approximately $12,000 to $15,000 USD for the perilous journey.

    Orduna-Torres and Gonzalez-Ortega were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death, and one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy. For both counts resulting in death, they each face a maximum penalty of life in prison at their sentencing on June 27. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    In addition, extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Guatemalan law enforcement authorities resulted in the extradition of Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, 48, an alleged leader of a Guatemala-based alien smuggling organization, for his alleged role in the San Antonio mass casualty incident.

    “The extradition of Miranda-Orozco to U.S. custody is a major step in the takedown of a large and complex human smuggling organization he is alleged to be a part of,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Just as we’ve shown throughout the trial of Orduna-Torres and Gonzalez-Ortega, we will continue to prosecute this case aggressively — seeking justice for those who have perished, and holding accountable those who illegally value profit over human life.”

    “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) aggressively targets human smugglers, no matter where they operate or how far they think they can hide,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “These verdicts reflect the scope and depth of our human smuggling investigations. From country of origin to final destination, our special agents have worked tirelessly to track these criminals down and dismantle their entire smuggling network. One by one we are seeing the consequences of human smuggling as the justice system prevails.”

    According to court documents, Miranda-Orozco conspired with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of four aliens from Guatemala through Mexico, and ultimately, to the United States, charging the families approximately $12,000 to $15,000 USD for the deadly journey. In particular, Miranda-Orozco is alleged to be responsible for smuggling three migrants who perished in the tractor trailer.

    In August 2024, Miranda-Orozco, 48, was arrested in Guatemala pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. His arrest was part of a large-scale takedown during which Guatemalan law enforcement executed multiple search and arrest warrants across Guatemala. Miranda-Orozco was indicted under seal in the Western District of Texas (WDTX), and his indictment was unsealed after he was arrested. Miranda-Orozco made his initial appearance Monday in Federal District Court in San Antonio and was arraigned on the indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States resulting in death, three counts of aiding and abetting bringing an alien to the United States resulting in death, one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, and one count of aiding and abetting bringing an alien to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.

    The convictions and extradition are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 315 U.S. convictions; more than 260 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    HSI San Antonio led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI Guatemala’s invaluable team members, and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI received substantial assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel; U.S. Border Patrol; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the San Antonio Police Department; the San Antonio Fire Department; and the Palestine Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and extradition of Miranda-Orozco and, along with the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), provided crucial assistance in this matter.

    The case against Orduna-Torres and Gonzalez-Ortega is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears, and Amanda Brown for the Western District of Texas. The case against Miranda-Orozco is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s HRSP Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney/JTFA prosecutor Jose Luis Acosta for the Western District of Texas, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

    The Justice Department thanks its Guatemalan law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting Miranda-Orozco, and the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office and Anti-Human Smuggling Unit for making the extradition possible.

    The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: GAZA: Children among highest casualties of Israeli airstrikes in return to widespread death and destruction – Save the Children

    Source: Save the Children

    GAZA, 18 MARCH 2025 – Israeli airstrikes across Gaza have reportedly killed at least 404 Palestinians, mostly children and women, and injured at least 562 more in a unilateral resumption of hostilities that has returned Palestinians across the Strip to an inescapable living nightmare, said Save the Children.
    Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, Khan Younis, Deir Al-Balah and Rafah governorates this morning wiped out entire families, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office.
    Israeli authorities have ordered people in some neighbourhoods of North Gaza and Khan Younis to relocate to shelters elsewhere in Khan Younis and Gaza City – governorates already hit by airstrikes today. This comes after the Government of Israel reimposed a total siege on the entry of aid and commercial supplies on 2 March. Supplies of life-saving goods that entered Gaza during the initial six-week pause in hostilities are again rapidly dwindling.
    Ahmad Alhendawi, Save the Children’s Regional Director, said:
    “Children and families in Gaza have barely caught their breath and are now being plunged back into a horrifically familiar world of harm that they cannot escape.
    “This latest slaughter was on starved, besieged, defenceless families. It follows more than a fortnight of total siege by the Government of Israel on entry of aid and goods, and repeated violations of the agreed pause in hostilities, international humanitarian law, and the Provisional Measures from the International Court of Justice demanding increased aid flows.
    “These airstrikes come as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain displaced, their homes destroyed and uninhabitable, with tents all that stand between them and explosive weapons designed for wide reach. Children are the most vulnerable to explosive weapons. Their lighter bodies are thrown further by the blasts and their bones are softer and bend more easily, with higher risk of secondary injuries and long-term deformities and disabilities. Their small bodies have less blood to lose – a death sentence when emergency services can’t safely operate and reach them.
    “Children who survive the onslaught will not be able to receive adequate medical care or even basic pain medication, following the Government of Israel’s restrictions on and denial of medical supplies and the fuel hospitals need to function. About 579 children have been medically evacuated since the start of February but more than 4,500 more children need to be. If the siege and airstrikes continue, that number will skyrocket.
    “This cannot be what world powers allow children to return to. When children are slaughtered en masse, humanity’s moral and legal foundations crumble. We have seen it for ourselves: the only way to ensure children and families are protected as international law requires is through a ceasefire. This time, it must be definitive – the constant threat of war cannot be left hanging over their heads.
    “Until then, even wars have laws, and those laws are clear. Civilians must be actively protected, with concrete steps taken to avoid and minimize civilian casualties. There is no military imperative that can justify atrocity crimes. And the international community must use all available means – exhaustively, not selectively – to ensure international law is upheld. Anything less is a global failure – not a mistake, not a regrettable dilemma, but a total dereliction of legal duty. Failure to act now risks the annihilation of children and their futures.” 

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: China: Authorities must ensure labour activist’s full freedom after unjust imprisonment – Amnesty International

    Source: Amnesty International

    Responding to today’s release of Chinese labour activist Wang Jianbing after he served a three-and-a-half-year sentence for “inciting subversion of state power”, Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks said:

    “Wang Jianbing, alongside his co-defendant, the #MeToo activist Sophia Huang Xueqin, was convicted in an unfair trial following extended pre-trial detention. His release today should mark the end of his unjust treatment and deprivation of liberty.

    “However, we remain concerned that, despite having completed his prison sentence, Wang may face continued unlawful restrictions on his freedoms and the risk of re-detention. Upon his release from jail this morning, Wang was not permitted to return to his residence in Guangzhou, but was escorted by police more than 2000km to his parents’ home in remote northwestern Gansu province.

    “Amnesty has for years documented instances of Chinese authorities targeting activists with surveillance and harassment even after they have been convicted in courts and served out their sentences. For example, in the months following her release from prison in May 2024, citizen journalist Zhang Zhan faced harassment from local police, and was ultimately re-detained on trumped up charges.

    “The Chinese authorities must ensure all arbitrary restrictions on Wang Jianbing are immediately lifted and guarantee the full enjoyment of his human rights, including to freedom of expression and association.”

    Background

    Labour activist Wang Jianbing was released today after completing a three-and-a-half-year sentence for “inciting subversion of state power”. The so-called evidence used to convict him included his role in co-organizing weekly gatherings with fellow activists, as well as his participation in an online course on non-violence and online posts on issues deemed “sensitive” by the Chinese government.

    His friend, the journalist and #MeToo advocate Sophia Huang Xueqin, was arrested alongside him; she is still serving her five-year prison sentence on the same charge.

    The pair were arrested in Guangzhou, in southern China, on 19 September 2021, and detained incommunicado for more than five months. In the weeks following their arrest, dozens of their friends were summoned by the police and had their homes searched and electronic devices confiscated.

    Guangzhou Intermediate Court sentenced Wang to three years and six months in prison and Huang to five years in prison for “inciting subversion of state power” on 14 June 2024. Both are subject to “deprivation of political liberties” following their release, for three and four years respectively.

    Both formally appealed to the Guangdong High Court, but their appeals were dismissed without proper notification or documentation.

    Both Huang and Wang have reportedly been subjected to ill-treatment in detention, leading to the serious deterioration of their health.

    Amnesty International understands that Wang’s health issues, which developed during his early solitary confinement and were exacerbated by fatigue from interrogations, have recently worsened. However, the detention centre has taken no action to help treat his condition and has denied Wang access to medicine that his family and friends have sent to him.

    The Chinese authorities systematically use the vague and overly broad provisions of its criminal laws, including on “inciting subversion of state power” and the more serious “subverting state power”, to prosecute lawyers, scholars, journalists, activists, NGO workers and others.

    Chinese law also states that individuals convicted of “endangering national security” “shall” be sentenced to deprivation of political rights as a “supplemental punishment”; as defined in China’s Criminal Law, this includes the deprivation of “rights of freedom of speech, or the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration” (Art. 54(2)). Last year, the UN Special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers wrote to the Chinese authorities raising concerns, inter alia, that this so-called supplemental punishment was not in line with international human rights standards.

    Amnesty International published a joint statement with other organizations in September 2023 on the second anniversary of Wang and Huang’s detention. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined in 2022 that Wang was being arbitrarily detained and has repeatedly called on China to repeal the crime of “inciting subversion” or bring it into line with international standards.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against Aircraft Used by Nicolás Maduro Moros in Violation of U.S. Sanctions and Export Control Laws

    Source: US State of California

    Note: View the forfeiture complaint.

    The United States today filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the Southern District of Florida against a Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, bearing tail number T7-ESPRT, which was smuggled from the United States under false pretenses and operated for the benefit of Nicolás Maduro Moros (Maduro) and his representatives in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (the Maduro Regime) in violation of U.S. sanctions and export control laws. The aircraft was seized last year in the Dominican Republic at the request of the United States.

    Today’s filing alleges that the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was purchased and maintained in violation of U.S. sanctions against Maduro and the Maduro Regime. According to the complaint, the aircraft is forfeitable based on violations of U.S. law, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and money laundering violations.

    Since 2014, the United States has imposed sanctions against targeted individuals, entities, and sectors in Venezuela to address the increasing political oppression and corruption in Venezuela by the Maduro Regime. On March 8, 2015, the President found that the situation in Venezuela constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and declared a national emergency pursuant to IEEPA to deal with that threat. See Executive Order (E.O.) 13692.

    In 2017, 2018, and 2019, President Trump took additional steps regarding the national emergency declared in E.O. 13692. On Aug. 5, 2019, the President issued E.O. 13884 “in light of the continued usurpation of power by Nicolás Maduro and persons affiliated with him, as well as human rights abuses, including arbitrary or unlawful arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens, interference with freedom of expression, including for members of the media, and ongoing attempts to undermine Interim President Juan Guaidó and the Venezuelan National Assembly’s exercise of legitimate authority in Venezuela.”

    E.O. 13884 prohibits the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order, including the Government of Venezuela and the Maduro Regime; the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person; and, any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in the order.

    The complaint alleges that on or about Jan. 23, 2023, a company purportedly based in the Caribbean island country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Foreign Company 1) entered into a contract to purchase the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft from a company in Florida for $13,250,000. The complaint further alleges that the individual in charge of purchasing the aircraft purportedly on behalf of Foreign Company 1 was a Venezuelan national (Foreign Principal 1), who concealed the fact that he was representing or associated with the Maduro Regime.

    The complaint further alleges that Foreign Company 1 merely acted as a nominee owner of the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft as it was formed shortly before the purchase, in June 2022, and was struck from the register of St. Vincent companies for failure to pay annual fees two years later, in May 2024.

    The complaint further alleges that funds used to purchase the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft were sent via multiple wire transfers from different countries, including Malaysia, using both U.S. dollars and euros, and that Foreign Company 1 used an email address with a “.ae” domain from the United Arab Emirates to correspond with the Florida-based seller even though Foreign Company 1’s representatives allegedly had Spanish names and some of the emails contained the phrase “Enviado desde mi iPhone,” or Spanish for “Sent from my iPhone.”

    The complaint further alleges that the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was flown from the United States to St. Vincent on or about April 3, 2023, and approximately five hours later, it departed for Caracas, Venezuela, piloted by two members of the Venezuelan Presidential Honor Guard, and accompanied by a second aircraft that operates out of a Venezuelan military base.

    The complaint further alleges that, since May 2023, the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft has flown to and from Venezuela at least 21 times and Maduro has been seen traveling with the aircraft on official visits to other countries, including for a December 2023 prisoner exchange with the United States.

    As alleged, in March 2024, the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was flown to the Dominican Republic for service and maintenance where Foreign Company 1 held itself out to be the owner, concealing from the Dominican-based jet maintenance company that the aircraft had been purchased and operated for benefit of the Maduro Regime.

    The complaint further alleges that on at least two occasions in May 2024, Foreign Principal 1, purportedly acting on behalf of Foreign Company 1, and other Venezuelan individuals, including military personnel, attempted to retrieve the Dassault Falcon aircraft from the Dominican Republic.

    Following the attempts by the Venezuelan individuals to retrieve the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, the U.S. government obtained a seizure warrant and requested that the Dominican Republic seize, detain, and transfer the Dassault Falcon aircraft. Pursuant to U.S. request, the aircraft was transported back to the United States on Sept. 2, 2024. That same day, the Maduro Regime issued a statement admitting the Dassault Falcon aircraft “has been used by” Maduro.

    A second Dassault Falcon aircraft identified by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as blocked property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural-gas company, and illegally serviced and maintained in violation of U.S. sanctions, also was seized in the Dominican Republic at the request of the United States government on Feb. 6, 2025.

    The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security Miami Field Office is investigating the case, along with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Santo Domingo.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Paster and Jorge Delgado for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the matter.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and HSI El Dorado Task Force Miami provided significant assistance in working with authorities in the Dominican Republic. The United States thanks the Dominican Republic for its assistance in this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Issues Legal Alert Reminding Local Jurisdictions to Streamline Permitting for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

    Source: US State of California

    Tuesday, March 18, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a legal alert reminding local California jurisdictions (localities) of the requirements under State law to streamline and expedite the permitting of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. In 2015, the California Legislature adopted Assembly Bill (AB) 1236 (Chiu) (codified at Government Code section 65850.7) followed by AB 970 (McCarty) (codified at Government Code section 65850.71) in 2021, which created a state-mandated local program to streamline permits for EV charging stations. With California’s goal of transitioning the state to 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035, widespread deployment of EV charging stations is key to achieving this goal and ensuring that EV charging infrastructure is available to meet growing demand. However, noncompliance with AB 1236 and AB 970 hinders California’s transition to electrification. In today’s legal alert, Attorney General Bonta highlights common compliance issues occurring statewide, as well as resources for localities to address these issues.

    “The global fight against climate change requires bold action and system solutions. Deploying electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a step in the right direction, empowering communities to transition to clean energy and reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and in California, we have state laws that do just that,” said Attorney General Bonta. “With today’s alert, we are reminding localities that they must comply with state law in streamlining the permitting of this infrastructure, as well as removing unreasonable barriers that prevent deployment statewide, which will improve air quality and mitigate climate impacts for generations to come.”  

    Requirements Under EV Charging Streamlining Laws

    Below are key legal requirements covered by the legal alert. 

    • Localities Must Approve EV Charging Stations Ministerially. Localities must approve an EV charging station permit application unless the locality finds, based on substantial evidence, that the charging station would have a “specific, adverse impact upon public health or safety.”
    • Streamlining Laws Supersede Local Zoning Codes and Cover All Installation Types. Localities must ministerially approve EV charging permit applications regardless of siting location and local zoning regulations, and regardless of the type or size of the proposed installation.
    • Accelerated Permitting Timelines. Applications are deemed complete either 5 or 10 business days after submission depending on the number of EV charging stations proposed. Upon completion, localities have 20 or 40 business days to approve the complete permit application, depending on the number of chargers.
    • Local Ordinance Requirements. Localities must adopt ordinances that create an expedited and streamlined permitting process for EV charging stations.

    RESOURCES

    For localities seeking additional guidance or support, resources include:

    • California Building Officials, “AB 1236 Tool Kit: Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Ordinances and Staff Report Templates – Large Jurisdictions.”
    • Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), “CA Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permit Streamlining Map.”
    • GO-Biz, “Plug-In Vehicle Readiness.”
    • GO-Biz, “Permitting Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Scorecard.”
    • GO-Biz, “Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permitting Guidebook” (2d Ed.) (Jan. 2023).
    • UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy, & the Environment, “Equitable EV Action Plan Framework” (Dec. 2024).
    • UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy, & the Environment, “EV Equity Roadmap.”

    A copy of the alert is available here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Products from Chinese-flagged tuna vessels caught with North Korean labour and authorised for export to the European Union – E-000935/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000935/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    César Luena (S&D)

    The North Korean regime exports labour, often forced and unpaid, from a large part of its population to prop up the country’s economy and generate income that supposedly helps finance its nuclear programme. A key destination for this labour is China.

    The use of North Korean labour outside the country is prohibited by the United Nations Security Council. The European Union has a legal framework in place to prevent goods produced by North Koreans from entering its supply chains. However, recent investigations[1] have identified 12 Chinese-flagged tuna vessels using North Korean labour on board. Four of these vessels are authorised to export to the EU. The findings also show that North Korean crew have suffered serious abuse, with frequent transfers between vessels and stints at sea lasting for up to a decade.

    What is the Commission doing to investigate, trace and monitor products from Chinese-flagged tuna vessels caught with North Korean labour and authorised for export to the European Union?

    Submitted: 5.3.2025

    • [1] Report: ‘Trapped At Sea’, published by the Environmental Justice Foundation, https://ejfoundation.org/reports/trapped-at-sea-exposing-north-korean-forced-labour-on-chinas-indian-ocean-tuna-fleet.
    Last updated: 18 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against Aircraft Used by Nicolás Maduro Moros in Violation of U.S. Sanctions and Export Control Laws

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Note: View the forfeiture complaint.

    The United States today filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the Southern District of Florida against a Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, bearing tail number T7-ESPRT, which was smuggled from the United States under false pretenses and operated for the benefit of Nicolás Maduro Moros (Maduro) and his representatives in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (the Maduro Regime) in violation of U.S. sanctions and export control laws. The aircraft was seized last year in the Dominican Republic at the request of the United States.

    Today’s filing alleges that the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was purchased and maintained in violation of U.S. sanctions against Maduro and the Maduro Regime. According to the complaint, the aircraft is forfeitable based on violations of U.S. law, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and money laundering violations.

    Since 2014, the United States has imposed sanctions against targeted individuals, entities, and sectors in Venezuela to address the increasing political oppression and corruption in Venezuela by the Maduro Regime. On March 8, 2015, the President found that the situation in Venezuela constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and declared a national emergency pursuant to IEEPA to deal with that threat. See Executive Order (E.O.) 13692.

    In 2017, 2018, and 2019, President Trump took additional steps regarding the national emergency declared in E.O. 13692. On Aug. 5, 2019, the President issued E.O. 13884 “in light of the continued usurpation of power by Nicolás Maduro and persons affiliated with him, as well as human rights abuses, including arbitrary or unlawful arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens, interference with freedom of expression, including for members of the media, and ongoing attempts to undermine Interim President Juan Guaidó and the Venezuelan National Assembly’s exercise of legitimate authority in Venezuela.”

    E.O. 13884 prohibits the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order, including the Government of Venezuela and the Maduro Regime; the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person; and, any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in the order.

    The complaint alleges that on or about Jan. 23, 2023, a company purportedly based in the Caribbean island country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Foreign Company 1) entered into a contract to purchase the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft from a company in Florida for $13,250,000. The complaint further alleges that the individual in charge of purchasing the aircraft purportedly on behalf of Foreign Company 1 was a Venezuelan national (Foreign Principal 1), who concealed the fact that he was representing or associated with the Maduro Regime.

    The complaint further alleges that Foreign Company 1 merely acted as a nominee owner of the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft as it was formed shortly before the purchase, in June 2022, and was struck from the register of St. Vincent companies for failure to pay annual fees two years later, in May 2024.

    The complaint further alleges that funds used to purchase the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft were sent via multiple wire transfers from different countries, including Malaysia, using both U.S. dollars and euros, and that Foreign Company 1 used an email address with a “.ae” domain from the United Arab Emirates to correspond with the Florida-based seller even though Foreign Company 1’s representatives allegedly had Spanish names and some of the emails contained the phrase “Enviado desde mi iPhone,” or Spanish for “Sent from my iPhone.”

    The complaint further alleges that the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was flown from the United States to St. Vincent on or about April 3, 2023, and approximately five hours later, it departed for Caracas, Venezuela, piloted by two members of the Venezuelan Presidential Honor Guard, and accompanied by a second aircraft that operates out of a Venezuelan military base.

    The complaint further alleges that, since May 2023, the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft has flown to and from Venezuela at least 21 times and Maduro has been seen traveling with the aircraft on official visits to other countries, including for a December 2023 prisoner exchange with the United States.

    As alleged, in March 2024, the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was flown to the Dominican Republic for service and maintenance where Foreign Company 1 held itself out to be the owner, concealing from the Dominican-based jet maintenance company that the aircraft had been purchased and operated for benefit of the Maduro Regime.

    The complaint further alleges that on at least two occasions in May 2024, Foreign Principal 1, purportedly acting on behalf of Foreign Company 1, and other Venezuelan individuals, including military personnel, attempted to retrieve the Dassault Falcon aircraft from the Dominican Republic.

    Following the attempts by the Venezuelan individuals to retrieve the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, the U.S. government obtained a seizure warrant and requested that the Dominican Republic seize, detain, and transfer the Dassault Falcon aircraft. Pursuant to U.S. request, the aircraft was transported back to the United States on Sept. 2, 2024. That same day, the Maduro Regime issued a statement admitting the Dassault Falcon aircraft “has been used by” Maduro.

    A second Dassault Falcon aircraft identified by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as blocked property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural-gas company, and illegally serviced and maintained in violation of U.S. sanctions, also was seized in the Dominican Republic at the request of the United States government on Feb. 6, 2025.

    The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security Miami Field Office is investigating the case, along with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Santo Domingo.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Paster and Jorge Delgado for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the matter.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and HSI El Dorado Task Force Miami provided significant assistance in working with authorities in the Dominican Republic. The United States thanks the Dominican Republic for its assistance in this matter.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sipekne’katik — UPDATE: Missing man found safe

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The 43-year-old man who was reported missing on February 28 and last seen at a mall in Truro has been found safe.

    The RCMP thanks Nova Scotians for assisting with missing persons files through social media shares and offering tips.

    File #: 2025-266545

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking Member of “Black Rain” Drug Crew Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for His Involvement in Three Cold Case Murders

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Jerome Jones, also known as “Sha,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis to 30 years’ imprisonment for his role in the 1991 murder of Oscar Flow and the 1992 murders of Robert Arroyo and Dorothy Taylor—all related to Jones’ narcotics trafficking operation.  Jones pleaded guilty in August 2024. 

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

    “Jones now faces decades in prison for his role in a violent drug organization and for several vicious killings committed within less than one year.  His sentence is a reminder that no matter how much time has passed, my Office and our law enforcement partners will not rest until murderers like the defendant are held accountable and justice is served for their victims,” stated United States Attorney Durham.   

    Mr. Durham expressed his thanks to the FBI and the NYPD for their outstanding investigative work and the Queens District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.

    Jones was a high-ranking member of “Black Rain,” a Queen-based drug trafficking organization that sold narcotics at several locations on Rockaway Boulevard in the late 1980s and early 1990s.  The organization was responsible for poisoning the community with massive quantities of various drugs: heroin sold as “Black Rain,” cocaine sold as “White Lightning,” and crack sold as “Thunder.”  In the early 1990s, a single Black Rain drug spot brought in more than $10,000 per day in drug sales. To protect its profitable operation and to punish those who crossed its leaders, Black Rain members committed multiple acts of violence, including murders.

    In December 1991, Jones murdered Oscar Flow in Springfield Gardens, Queens, after he learned that Flow had stolen from one of Black Rain’s drug spots and that the victim’s sneaker matched a muddy footprint on the roof of the location that had been robbed.  Jones and a co-conspirator shot Flow multiple times.  Jones later boasted to an underling that Flow got “six in the head” for stealing from Black Rain.

    In September 1992, Robert Arroyo was murdered in the vicinity of 128th Street and Rockaway Boulevard in South Ozone Park, Queens, where Jones managed a drug spot.  Jones recruited and paid two co-conspirators to kill Arroyo, who Jones suspected was a drug trafficking competitor and a police informant.  In their first attempt, the recruits mistakenly shot and seriously wounded another man they incorrectly believed to be Arroyo.  That victim survived.  The hit team finally located Arroyo on a crowded street and shot him repeatedly, killing him.

    In November 1992, Jones again paid a co-conspirator to murder Dorothy Taylor, who the defendant blamed for having a Black Rain drug spot shut down by law enforcement when she failed to pay the rent and city marshals padlocked the apartment.  Taylor was shot to the death in the driveway of her home by the co-conspirator.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Tanya Hajjar, Emily J. Dean, Lindsey R. Oken, and Raffaela S. Belizaire are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Theodore Rader.

    The Defendant:

    JEROME JONES (also known as “Sha”)
    Age: 60
    West Virginia

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-54 (NGG)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Immigration Violation Charges for the Northern District of Ohio

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that federal grand juries in the Northern District of Ohio have returned indictments for the following individuals on charges of immigration law violations. These are separate and unrelated cases filed during the months of January and February 2025.

    Yeixon Brito-Gonzalez, aka Yiexon Maikenedy Brito-Gonzalez, 21, a citizen of Venezuela, was indicted on two counts of possession of a fraudulent identification document. He possessed counterfeit Legal Permanent Resident and Social Security cards. Brito-Gonzalez was arrested Jan. 30, 2025, in Sandusky, Ohio. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Sandusky Bay Station.

    Juan A. Cabrera-Claros, 42, a citizen of El Salvador, was indicted on one charge of illegal re-entry into the United States. He has been previously removed three times: July 13, 2011; Nov. 23, 2011; and Feb. 22, 2013. Cabrera-Claros was arrested Feb. 15, 2025, in South Euclid, Ohio. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

    Mardoqueo Hernandez-Gomez, aka, Gabino Toj-Chac, 31, a citizen of Guatemala, was indicted on one charge of making a false claim of citizenship to obtain a federal or state benefit, and one count of misuse of a Social Security number. On April 17, 2023, the defendant is alleged to have attempted to obtain an Ohio Driver’s License by providing a Social Security card issued to another individual. Hernandez-Gomez was arrested Jan. 16, 2025, in the state of Kansas. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CPB Sandusky Bay Station.

    Angel Baltazar Lux-Santay, 32, a citizen of Guatemala, was indicted on one charge of illegal re-entry into the United States after having previously been removed on Sept. 12, 2019 and Jan. 20, 2020. Lux-Santay was arrested in Ashland County, Ohio, on Feb. 2, 2025. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by ICE.

    Jorge Marrero-Padilla, 36, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted on one charge of illegal re-entry into the United States. He has been previously removed four times: July 9, 2008; June 29, 2010; Nov. 13, 2010; and Dec. 26, 2012. Marrero-Padilla was arrested in Painesville, Ohio, on Jan. 15, 2025. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by ICE.

    Raul Montes-Rodriguez, 52, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted on one charge of illegal re-entry into the United States after having been removed twice from the U.S. on Jan. 21, 2014 and April 23, 2013. Montes-Rodriguez was arrested Jan. 29, 2025 in Lorain, Ohio. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CPB Sandusky Bay Station.

    Alando Roach, 24, a citizen of Jamaica, was charged with being an undocumented alien in possession of a firearm. Roach was arrested March 3, 2025, in Youngstown, Ohio. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and ICE.

    Mariano Tomas-Aguilar, 44, a citizen of Guatemala, was indicted on one charge of illegal re-entry into the United States. He was previously removed from the U.S. five times: Aug. 14, 2008; Sept. 8, 2009; Oct. 26, 2018; Feb. 19, 2019; and March 12, 2020. Tomas-Aguilar was arrested Dec. 9, 2024, in Eastlake, Ohio. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by ICE.

    An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

    A team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the USAO’s criminal division are prosecuting these cases.

    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 communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Smoking Marijuana in a Parked Car Leads to 6-Year Sentence for Massachusetts Felon Found with a Gun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jermaine Gillespie was subject to bail conditions when officers encountered him in a Biddeford parking lot

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

    U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jermaine Gillespie, 31, to 72 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gillespie pleaded guilty on August 26, 2024.

    According to court records, in September 2022, Biddeford police officers responded to a report that an individual was smoking marijuana in a parked vehicle. Responding officers identified Gillespie and learned that he had existing bail conditions that prohibited the use or possession of marijuana. After a search of the vehicle, the officers recovered a 9 mm pistol. Gillespie is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his conviction history which includes a 2013 conviction in Massachusetts for assault and battery with serious bodily injury, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a dangerous weapon.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department.

    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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Mexican national guilty of federal immigration and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BEAUMONT, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Nacogdoches, has pleaded guilty to federal immigration and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Joel Bustamante Moreno, 25, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry by a deported alien and unlawful possession of a machine gun before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on March 18, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on February 1, 2024, Moreno was arrested after selling multiple firearms, including a 9mm pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device, also known as a Glock switch.  Machine gun conversion devices are devices that once affixed to a pistol make the pistol capable of firing automatically by a single trigger pull. These devices allow a pistol to operate as a machine gun. After the purchase, law enforcement attempted to arrest Moreno as he fled the scene in his vehicle.  Moreno wrecked the vehicle and fled on foot to a residence where he was arrested.  Moreno had been previously deported in 2019 and 2020 and did not have permission to be in the United States.

    Moreno was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 20, 2024.  Moreno faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

    This case is 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. PSN is a violent crime reduction strategy 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 being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Nacogdoches Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Road Rage Shooting Lands Oklahoma County Man in Federal Prison for More Than Seven Years for Illegal Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – JESUS FLORES, 42, of Oklahoma County, has been sentenced to serve 92 months in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    According to public record, on May 30, 2024, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a reported assault. Officers learned a driver, later identified as Flores, had been cut off on the highway while driving. Flores chased down the car that cut him off and shot the driver in the head, though the victim recovered from their injuries. Officers later recovered two firearms in Flores’s child’s diaper bag. On September 5, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Flores with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    Public record further reflects that Flores has a lengthy criminal history, with previous felony charges in the California Superior Court that include carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and inflicting corporal injury on an intimate partner.

    On December 17, 2024, Flores pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly possessed two firearms despite his criminal record.

    At the sentencing hearing on March 17, 2025, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Flores to serve 92 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Russell noted the need to protect the public from further crimes by Flores.

    This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn M. Hutzell prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of “Operation 922” and Operation “Shots Fired,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. “Operation 922” prioritizes prosecution of federal firearms violations connected to domestic violence. “Shots Fired” targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Beaumont felon guilty of federal firearms violation

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

    BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Cydney James Dorsey, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a prohibited person before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on March 18, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on September 8, 2024, at approximately 3:30 a.m., law enforcement officers responded to the parking lot of SNS grocery store on Concord Avenue in Beaumont as a large crowd had gathered and refused to leave.  As police attempted to dispel the crowd, Dorsey ran from them, and in the process, discarded a firearm.  Dorsey was apprehended carrying a bag that had a magazine with ammunition.  Further investigation revealed Dorsey had a previous felony conviction which prohibited him from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. 

    Dorsey was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 6, 2024.  Dorsey faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

    This case is 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. PSN is a violent crime reduction strategy 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 being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: A rude awakening out west

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    A man faces charges after a Police patrol caught him napping in a stolen vehicle in the small hours.

    Acting Detective Inspector Simon Harrison says a Crime Squad unit was travelling through Rānui at around 1.45am.

    “At first the night shift team came across a vehicle parked on Bahari Drive with the door wide open and the driver sound asleep.

    “On further checks, the vehicle was showing as stolen.”

    The vehicle had been reported stolen from the North Shore area in a burglary earlier this month.

    “The lone man was startled awake when our staff approached him, locating a screwdriver securely resting in his lap,” acting Detective Inspector Harrison says.

    “We arrested the 21-year-old man without further incident.”

    He has been charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and will appear in the Waitākere District Court next week.

    Police enquiries are ongoing into the initial burglary in Wairau Valley.

    ENDS. 

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Farmer support for bovine tuberculosis and other livestock diseases – E-000135/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    For the eradication of important diseases such as bovine tuberculosis, the Commission has put in place specific rules, notably Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689[1] that together with Regulation (EU) 2016/429[2] covers all aspects to eradicate it.

    The EU rules are based, inter alia, on scientific advice provided by the European Food Safety Authority, on decades of experience eradicating it and on the international standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health.

    Member States that are not yet free from the disease, must have in place an appropriate eradication programme approved by the Commission which must comply with the criteria set in those rules and the competent authorities need to implement it until eradication.

    This legislation also applies to and in the United Kingdom (UK) in respect of Northern Ireland (NI) in accordance with the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. Both Ireland and the UK (NI) have an approved programme[3].

    Bovine tuberculosis outbreaks must be dealt with in line with those programmes, under the responsibility of the competent authorities in Ireland and in the UK in respect of NI to progress towards eradication, including at border areas.

    EU funding of veterinary measures for bovine tuberculosis eradication is not envisaged for the years 2025 to 2027 as financial resources are allocated to the control and eradication of other major priority animal diseases.

    Preventive measures can be supported financially through Member State Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plans[4], if programmed, including risk management and improved on-farm biosecurity investments.

    Funding of veterinary measures in the UK (NI) with EU funds or CAP support is not possible under the provisions of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

    • [1] Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/689 of 17 December 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards rules for surveillance, eradication programmes, and disease-free status for certain listed and emerging diseases.
    • [2] Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’).
    • [3] R eference: Annex II, Part II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620.
    • [4] Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013, OJ L436, 6.12.2021, p.1.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash in Browns Bay

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police can confirm one person has died following a serious crash in Browns Bay last night.

    The crash involved a single vehicle and was reported on Beach Road at around 7.50pm on 18 March.

    Sadly, Police can confirm that the sole male occupant of the vehicle has died.

    The Serious Crash Unit carried out a scene examination last night.

    Enquiries will be made on behalf of the Coroner into the man’s death.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Gotta catch ’em: Suspect charged after Onix-ceptable Poké heist

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    A member of the public would have made Detective Pikachu and Officer Jenny proud, after helping Police locate a man accused of stealing highly sought after Pokémon cards.

    At 9.50pm on Tuesday 18 March, Police were called to a Tuwharetoa Street store after a reported break-in. The offender smashed a glass panel to gain entry and placed Pokémon trading cards, worth more than $2200, into bags.

    A member of the public saw the suspicious activity and – prepared for trouble – called Police while taking video of a suspect walking away.

    Thanks to that information, officers tracked a man to a nearby bar, where he was taken into custody and the cards recovered.

    The man is also a suspect in an incident on 9 November, when Pokémon cards worth more than $500 were taken from the same store. Those cards have not been recovered.

    A 35-year-old man has been charged with burglary, shoplifting and resisting Police. He is due to appear in the Taupō District Court today, 19 March.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Help us locate Ryan

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are seeking the community’s assistance in locating Ryan, who has been reported missing.

    The 16-year-old has left his Belmont home on the North Shore between 1.30 and 7am today.

    Ryan was dressed in school uniform at the time.

    He has not returned home or shown up at school in Glenfield this morning.

    Police and Ryan’s family are concerned for him.

    If you see Ryan, or have information on his whereabouts, please contact Police immediately on 111.

    Please use the reference number P061957888.

    We appreciate your assistance in this matter.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ food price inflation improving, but prices skyrocket for poor nations – WorldVision

    Source: World Vision

     

    • Food price inflation for ten basic food items has improved in New Zealand from a 56% rise in 2023 to an 18% drop in 2024
    • It takes 2.4 hours to pay for a basic food basket in NZ and 1.7 hours in Australia.  This compares with 47 days in Barundi and 20 days in Sudan.
    • There is growing global inequality in food access with food price inflation disproportionately affecting low-income nations.
    • Wealthier nations need to commit to funding emergency food aid and humanitarian aid.

     

     A new report on food price inflation shows basic food items are now more affordable in New Zealand, but reveals devastating increases for some of the world’s poorest countries, including Sudan, Burundi, and Timor Leste. 

     

    World Vision’s annual Price Shocks Report examines food price inflation in 77 countries for ten common food items, including rice, bananas, chicken, tomatoes, eggs, milk, and oil, and compares these with prices a year ago.

     

    The 2025 report finds that food prices dropped 18% in New Zealand in 2024, compared with a 56% increase for the same basic food items in 2023.  The average New Zealander would have to work for 2.4 hours to pay for the ten common food items.  This compares with three hours in 2023.

     

    However, while food price inflation has improved in more wealthy nations, such as New Zealand, Australia, France, Germany, Ireland and the United States, it has dramatically worsened for many of the world’s poorest countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa. 

     

    In 16 countries in this year’s study, it would take more than one week of work to earn enough money to pay for World Vision’s standard food basket.

     

    These countries, such as Sudan, Chad, Somalia, and Burundi are united in facing climate and environmental extremes, along with armed conflict, political instability and massive population displacement.

     

    World Vision Head of Advocacy and Justice, Rebekah Armstrong, says the report highlights the urgent need for adequate funding for emergency food aid.

     

    “This report is released in turbulent and uncertain times and the findings emphasise the need for urgent action to sustain global food systems and prevent the agonising impacts of hunger.

     

    “This requires interventions to address the root causes of hunger, but it also demands that we fund and deliver adequate emergency food aid. 

     

    “Sadly, we know that humanitarian funding for food security programming is expected to fall far short of the target to address predicted needs in 2025, and that means millions will go hungry due a deficit of political will and resources.  It doesn’t have to be this way,” she says. 

     

    World Vision is calling on the New Zealand government to make a strong commitment to support humanitarian food aid, climate adaptation, and global hunger responses — especially within the Asia-Pacific region, where communities are particularly vulnerable to climate and economic shocks. 

     

    Armstrong says in addition to saving millions of lives, emergency food aid and cash grants for food are one of the key ways to avoid greater political unrest around the world.

     

    “Food insecurity is an indicator of wider instability, but it also contributes to political unrest, conflict, economic stagnation and delays in development.  Addressing food security is a proven method to help create a safer and more secure world for everyone,” she says. 

     

    Armstrong says in 2024, only 47% of required humanitarian food assistance was funded leaving millions without support.

     

    She says the Rohingya crisis, the ongoing war in Sudan, prolonged droughts in the Horn of Africa and cyclones in the Pacific all contribute to conditions that exacerbate hunger.

     

    “We are at a breaking point.  Governments and the global community need to fulfil the commitments they have made and act now to scale up food aid, support smallholder farmers and invest in long-term solutions to prevent millions more from falling into famine.”

     

    New Zealanders who want to support emergency food aid can give here: wvnz.org.nz/wfp

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Brunner meets Eurojust presidency

    Source: Eurojust

    During the visit, Eurojust President Michael Schmid and Commissioner Brunner discussed the threat of organised crime to European citizens. As organised crime becomes more professional and more global, authorities need to keep up and work together. Eurojust provides hands-on support to prosecutors to collaborate on cross-border investigations. In 2024, nearly 13 000 criminal investigations received support from Eurojust, leading to the freezing of more than EUR 1 billion in assets and over 1 000 arrests.

    Eurojust President Michael Schmid and Commissioner Magnus Brunner

    Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, commented following his visit: Without judiciary follow up, police work cannot be effective in the long-term. This is something we will address in the Internal Security Strategy I will present soon.

    Besides day-to-day support to criminal investigations, Eurojust also ensures that prosecutors and judges work together strategically on common threats and challenges. Mr Schmid presented two Eurojust networks, the European Judicial Organised Crime Network (EJOCN) and the European Judicial Cybercrime Network (EJCN). These networks ensure that specialised prosecutors connect, exchange expertise and cooperate.

    After the visit Eurojust President, Michael Schmid, said: As we prepare for the new EU Internal Security Strategy, I am delighted to highlight together with Commissioner Brunner the judicial dimension of cross-border security cooperation, alongside the vital work of police forces. It is crucial to not only temporarily disrupt the work of organised crime networks, but to also ensure that criminals are brought to justice. In 2024 alone, Eurojust supported nearly 13 000 ongoing investigations across Europe. I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss the path forward with Commissioner Brunner and welcome his leadership in strengthening the EU’s internal security.

    The visit of Commissioner Brunner concluded with a discussion on criminal justice collaboration outside of the European Union. As criminal networks create stronger ties globally, prosecutors need to be able to work quickly and efficiently and without hurdles with their colleagues around the globe. Eurojust is building a strong network of partners around the world. A network of over 70 Contact Points and a growing number of Liaison Prosecutors stationed in The Hague ensure that cross-border investigations happen easily and with trust between prosecutors.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Georgia: Authorities freeze bank accounts of organisations supporting activists to ‘kill peaceful protest’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Reacting to the freezing of bank accounts belonging to five Georgian NGOs that provide financial and legal assistance to detained protesters, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, said: 

    “The Georgian authorities’ decision to freeze the accounts of civil society organisations who have been providing crucial financial support to arbitrarily detained protesters, helping them with payments of fines and legal representation, is yet another blatant attack by the Georgian authorities on human rights.  

    “This measure seeks to further undermine the rights to peaceful assembly and association and violates Georgia’s international human rights obligations. 

    “The Georgian authorities must immediately end their relentless crackdown against civil society and peaceful protest. The arbitrary asset freezes must be lifted without delay.” 

    A chilling effect 

    On 17 March, three Georgian NGOs – Nanuka’s Fund, managed by journalist Nanuka Zhorzholiani, Prosperity Georgia, run by former prime minister and businessman Nika Gilauri, and the NGO Human Rights House Tbilisi – announced that they had been informed by their banks that the Tbilisi City Court had issued an urgent injunction to freeze their accounts. Two other NGOs, Fund for Each Other 24/7 and Shame Movement, have also had their assets frozen. 

    The frozen funds have been providing financial assistance to individuals fined for participating in the ongoing anti-government protests or dismissed from their jobs due to their civic activism. Local activists have warned that this latest assault could effectively “kill the entire protest movement.” 

    Nanuka Zhorzholiani of Nanuka’s Fund was the first to report the assets freeze, with the other four NGOs later confirming similar measures being taken against them. None were notified of any concerns of financial irregularities prior to the freezing. The Prosecutor’s Office later issued a statement saying the funds had been seized as part of an investigation into “sabotage’’. The prosecution statement claimed the funds bore responsibility for alleged violence and property damage linked to ongoing protests, though no official evidence or further details have been provided. 

    The Government of the ruling Georgian Dream party has recently intensified its crackdown on civil society and all dissent by weaponising the country’s criminal justice system and introducing a series of unduly restrictive legislative amendments targeting free expression and public assemblies. 

    Changes to the “Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations” have drastically increased fines, extended so-called administrative detention for violations of the law from 15 to 60 days, and banned actions like covering one’s face. 

    Additional legislative measures have targeted civil society organisations and independent media, including restrictions on foreign funding, expanded state control over grants, and introduced new offences such as insult of officials. 

    These amendments, coupled with the expansion of law enforcement agencies’ powers, have severely undermined the right to peaceful assembly, and placed a huge financial and legal burden on protesters. 

    MIL OSI NGO –