Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
State Highway 2 in Clareville is blocked after a vehicle hit a power pole, resulting in the pole and lines coming down across the road just north of Carterton.
It happened about 9:15am, and fortunately no one was significantly injured.
There are diversions in place off the highway and these are likely to remain in place until the afternoon.
ENDS
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
On February 27, 2025, Punnichy RCMP received a report of a missing 44-year-old male, Jarod Norton.
Jarod was last seen by loved ones around February 8, 2025 on Muskowekwan First Nation.
Jarod is described as:
Jarod is known to travel to the Regina and Saskatoon areas, but his current whereabouts are unknown.
If you have seen Jarod or know where he is, contact Punnichy RCMP at 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
News release
La Loche RCMP arrested Keistin Moise on February 12, 2025 in La Loche.
He is scheduled to appear in court in La Loche on March 24, 2025.
–30–
2025-02-11
La Loche RCMP is asking the public to report sightings and information on the whereabouts of 25-year-old Keistin Moise. He also goes by the name ‘Philip J. Fry’.
Keistin Moise is wanted by La Loche RCMP for charges including assault, mischief – damage to property, and failing to attend court. These charges were laid in relation to a May 2024 investigation.
Keistin Moise is described as approximately 5’8″ tall and 130 lbs. He has brown eyes and black hair.
La Loche RCMP continue to investigate.
Report all sightings and information about the whereabout of Keistin Moise to your local police at 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
News release
La Loche RCMP arrested Rolfe Herman on March 2, 2025 in La Loche.
He is scheduled to appear in court in La Loche on March 3, 2025.
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Contact information
2025-02-10
La Loche RCMP is asking the public to report sightings and information on the whereabouts of 35-year-old Rolfe Herman.
Rolfe Herman is wanted by La Loche RCMP for charges including assault with a weapon, uttering threats, and fail to comply with probation order. These charges were laid in relation to a February 7, 2025 investigation.
Rolfe Herman is described as approximately 6’2″ tall and 190 lbs. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He has a skull and snake tattooed on his right shoulder and tribal art tattooed on his right arm.
Rolfe Herman is known to frequent the Saskatoon and North Battleford areas, but his current whereabouts are unknown.
La Loche RCMP continue to investigate.
Report all sightings and information about the whereabout of Rolfe Herman to your local police at 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
On August 31, 2024, Waskesiu RCMP received a report of a sexual assault.
Investigation determined a male approached a female in a washroom at the beach in Waskesiu during the late evening hours and attempted to sexually assault her. The woman was able to escape. She did not report physical injuries to police.
Waskesiu RCMP has been investigating this incident since and is now asking the public for assistance in identifying the suspect.
He is described as an Asian male between 16 and 21 years old, with a medium complexion and straight dark hair, which came approximately halfway down his forehead.
He is approximately 5’5″ to 5’7″ tall with a small build.
He was wearing black Crocs, grey socks, baggy black jeans or cargo pants, a woven fabric belt with a silver metal buckle, a light grey or white shirt and an oversize grey zip-up hoodie he was wearing half off his shoulders.
If you have information about this incident, think you know who the suspect may be, or saw the suspect in Waskesiu in late August/early September 2024, contact Waskesiu RCMP by dialling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Motorists in Matamata are advised of a collision between two vehicles on a railway crossing in the town.
It happened at the intersection of Firth and Tainui Streets just before 8:50am, and is understood to involve a car and a light railway vehicle.
There do not immediately appear to be any injuries of note.
Traffic control is in place for motorists, however drivers are advised to avoid this intersection for the time being.
ENDS
Source: NASA
On March 2, 1995, space shuttle Endeavour launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its eighth trip into space, on the STS-67 Astro-2 mission. The crew included Commander Stephen Oswald, Pilot William Gregory, Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld, Wendy Lawrence, and Tamara Jernigan – who served as payload commander on the mission – and Payload Specialists Samuel Durrance and Ronald Parise. During their then record setting 17-day mission, the astronauts used the three ultraviolet telescopes of the Astro-2 payload to observe hundreds of celestial objects. The mission ended with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
In August 1993, NASA assigned Jernigan as the payload commander for Astro-2, for a weeklong flight aboard Columbia then targeted for late 1994. Jernigan, selected by NASA in 1985, had previously flown aboard STS-40 and STS-52. Two months later, NASA assigned Grunsfeld, a space rookie from the class of 1992, as a mission specialist. In January 1994, NASA rounded out the crew by assigning Oswald, Gregory, Lawrence, Durrance, and Parise. Oswald, from the class of 1985, had flown previously as pilot on STS-42 and STS-56, while STS-67 represented the first spaceflight for Gregory, selected in 1990, and Lawrence, chosen in 1992. Durrance and Parise, selected as payload specialists in 1984, had flown on STS-35, the Astro-1 mission.
The Astro-2 science payload consisted of three ultraviolet telescopes mounted on a Spacelab instrument pointing system in the shuttle’s cargo bay. The trio of telescopes flew previously on STS-35, the Astro-1 mission, in December 1990. That mission, originally planned to fly on STS-61E in March 1986, remained grounded following the Challenger accident. Due to equipment malfunctions, the Astro-1 mission only achieved 80% of its objectives, leading to the reflight of the instruments on Astro-2, originally planned as a seven-day mission aboard Discovery. A switch to Columbia enabled a mission twice as long, with significantly more observation time. A scheduled maintenance period for Columbia resulted in Astro-2 switching to Endeavour, with a new flight duration of more than 15 days, but a launch delay to February 1995. The three telescopes supported 23 different studies, observing more than 250 celestial objects including joint observations with the Hubble Space Telescope of the planet Jupiter.
Endeavour returned to Kennedy following its previous flight, STS-68, in October 1994. After servicing the orbiter, workers rolled it to the vehicle assembly building on Feb. 3, 1995, for mating with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, and then out to Launch Pad 39A on Feb. 8. At 1:38 a.m. EST on March 2, Endeavour thundered into the night sky to begin the STS-67 mission. Eight and a half minutes later, the shuttle and its crew had reached space.
Shortly after reaching orbit, the crew opened the payload bay doors and deployed the shuttle’s radiators. Jernigan and Durrance activated the Spacelab pallet and its pointing system and the telescopes. The crew split into two shifts to enable data collection around the clock during the mission. Oswald, Gregory, Grunsfeld, and Parise made up the red shift while Lawrence, Jernigan, and Durrance comprised the blue shift.
For the remainder of the mission, the astronauts operated the telescopes, conducting 385 maneuvers of Endeavour to point the instruments at the celestial targets. The results met or exceeded preflight expectations. The crew also conducted a series of middeck investigations in technology demonstration and biotechnology. The Middeck Active Control Experiment studied the active control of flexible structures in space. Five years later, a newer version flew as one of the first experiments on the International Space Station.
Like all space crews, the STS-67 astronauts also spent time taking photographs of the Earth using handheld cameras. The mission’s long duration enabled them to image many targets.
On March 14, an eighth American joined the STS-67 crew in space when NASA astronaut Norman Thagard blasted off with two cosmonauts, headed for space station Mir. With three other cosmonauts already aboard Mir, the total number of humans in orbit grew to a then-record of 13. Two days later, Oswald and Thagard, who had flown together on STS-42, talked to each other via ship-to-ship radio.
Inclement weather at Kennedy thwarted the planned reentry on March 17, and the astronauts spent an extra day in space. On March 18, they again waved off a Kennedy landing and one orbit later, Oswald and Gregory piloted Endeavour to a smooth landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The crew had flown 262 orbits around the Earth in 16 days, 15 hours, and 9 minutes, at the time the longest space shuttle mission. A few hours later, a large crowd greeted the astronauts upon their return to Houston’s Ellington Field. Endeavour began its ferry flight back to Kennedy on March 26, arriving there the next day. Workers towed Endeavour to the processing facility to prepare it for its next flight, STS-73, then planned for September 1995.
Watch the crew narrate a video about the STS-67 mission.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LAREDO, Texas – A 19-year-old Laredoan has been indicted for possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Justin Landen Ruiz was originally charged by criminal complaint and is expected to appear in Laredo federal court before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.
On Feb. 6, authorities responded to a road rage incident on the northbound lane of Bob Bullock near the entrance to Lake Casa Blanca International State Park, according to the charges. The driver and sole occupant of a black Jeep, later identified as Ruiz, allegedly displayed a firearm during the incident.
The charges allege authorities had pulled over the vehicle and conducted a search which resulted in the discovery of two firearms and three loaded magazines in the center console.
One of the firearms was a tan Glock 19x, 9mm pistol and had an attached machinegun conversion device, according to the charges. These devices convert firearms to be fully automatic.
If convicted, Ruiz faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed John A. Sarcone III as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York. Mr. Sarcone will start on March 17.
As United States Attorney, Mr. Sarcone will serve as the Northern District of New York’s chief federal law enforcement officer, supervising an office of 49 Assistant U.S. Attorneys, 4 Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, 41 support staff members, and 9 contract support staff members. He will be responsible for prosecuting federal criminal offenses and representing the United States in civil litigation in the Northern District of New York and in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Mr. Sarcone stated: “Coming from a humble, blue-collar background – growing up in Croton-on-Hudson, having the same teachers at Croton High School as my parents had, and with my grandmother and children also graduating from that school, and having worked full-time while going at night to the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University– I am deeply humbled and honored to have been named U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York.
“I shall carry out my duties faithfully and with steadfast dedication to our nation, community, and the citizens of the Northern District of New York.
“Thank you, Attorney General Bondi, for trusting me to carry out this important mission and most importantly thank you President Trump for once again having faith and confidence in me to do my part to accomplish one of your most important tasks – to restore public confidence and trust in our government and the Department of Justice.”
Mr. Sarcone, who will be based in Albany, has been a dedicated public servant and lawyer for many years. From 2018 to 2021, Mr. Sarcone served as Northeast and Caribbean Regional Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration, overseeing a large team responsible for federal buildings and facilities, procurement, and IT initiatives, and working with dozens of federal agencies and courthouses, including in the Northern District of New York. Earlier in his career, he served as Town Attorney in Eastchester, New York, and General Counsel to the United Federation of Special Police Officers, Inc. and to the Association of Commuter Rail Employees.
Mr. Sarcone also founded and built a general practice law firm, providing advice to small businesses and family-owned corporations, handling large real estate transactions, and litigating and arbitrating in areas including business and construction disputes, insurance defense, and toxic torts.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – A Southern California man has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for punching an Asian American woman in the head while shouting racial slurs and then leaving her bloodied in a Culver City street in 2021, the Justice Department announced today.
Jesse Allen Lindsey, 38, who was transient at the time of the attack, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald.
Lindsey pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of a hate crime. He has been in federal custody since July 2024.
On June 14, 2021, at approximately 1 a.m., Lindsey began following the victim on her walk to work. According to the government’s sentencing position, Lindsey shouted racial slurs, cursed at the victim, and told her, “You don’t belong here.” He then violently punched her in the head. While the victim lay face down in the street, defendant shouted, “You hear what I said, [N-word]? I said good morning, bitch!”
Emergency personnel later transported the victim to a hospital to treat injuries to her head and ear. She was unable to work for a month and suffered years of psychological trauma, prosecutors said.
At sentencing, Judge Fitzgerald called the attack a “shocking and horrible crime” and noted Lindsey’s “serious criminal record.” Lindsey has 13 criminal convictions for firearms and narcotics offenses, domestic battery, grand theft, and attempted extortion. He also has at least 14 violations of probation or pretrial release and 19 additional arrests or contacts with law enforcement, the government said at Monday’s sentencing hearing.
Lindsey fled California after seeing news reports about the attack. Law enforcement officers eventually located Lindsey in a California state prison serving time for an unrelated conviction.
During an interview with law enforcement about the assault, Lindsey eventually admitted to punching the victim, but falsely claimed self-defense, the government’s sentencing position stated. Lindsey said the “little Asian person” was “mouthy” and looked like a “gangbanger.” Referencing the Asian actor known for his martial arts ability, Lindsey claimed the victim might pull “some Jet Li [expletive].” The victim was a middle-aged Asian woman who stood five feet tall and weighed approximately 120 pounds. Lindsey was over six feet tall and weighed approximately 250 pounds.
The FBI investigated this matter and received substantial assistance from the Culver City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Greer Dotson prosecuted this case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Myzere Hill, age 21, of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 5, 2025, by a federal grand jury for firearm offenses.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about January 31, 2024, Hill possessed a Glock firearm with a machinegun-conversion device. It is also alleged that Hill possessed the firearm while he was an unlawful user of, and addicted to, a controlled substance.
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.
The case was investigated by the Lower Paxton Township Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalties under federal law for the indicted offenses are 25 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release after imprisonment, a fine, and a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on March 4, 2025, charging one former and two current Kentucky State Police Troopers with violating individuals’ civil rights while acting as troopers with the Kentucky State Police.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, former Kentucky State Police Trooper Thomas Czartorski, 34, was charged with two counts of using unreasonable force in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 242. Kentucky State Police Trooper Jarrod Lewis, 29, was charged with one count of using unreasonable force. Kentucky State Police Trooper James Cameron Wright, 30, was charged with two counts of using unreasonable force and one count of perjury related to false declarations made under oath in connection with a federal civil case involving allegations of civil rights violations.
Czartorski, Lewis, and Wright will make initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on April 3, 2025. If convicted, Thomas Czartorski faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. If convicted, Jarrod Lewis faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. If convicted, James Cameron Wright faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Louisville Public Corruption Civil Rights Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tieke and Stephanie Zimdahl for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorneys Anita Channapati and Katherine DeVar of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
XXX
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
March 04, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today introduced the bipartisan Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act, legislation that would prevent and reduce food waste across the country. Each year, the U.S. produces and imports 237 million tons of food annually, but 31 percent of this food is never sold or eaten, while millions of Americans experience food insecurity.
Specifically, the Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act would establish a “Food Loss and Waste Reduction Certification,” and direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create:
Criteria, which businesses and organizations would have to meet to receive the certification;
A verification process, to confirm that businesses and organizations have achieved the criteria; and
A label, which certified businesses and organizations would be authorized to use on their products, buildings, and websites.
“While millions of Americans face food insecurity, millions of tons of food waste end up in landfills every year and contribute to methane emissions that drive the climate crisis. We must address these crises for the sake of hungry families, our economy, and our environment,” said Durbin. “Today, I’m reintroducing the bipartisan Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act with Senator Grassley to move our country toward more conscious consumption and curbing food waste.”
“Too many families suffer from food insecurity. The Iowa Waste Reduction Center at the University of Northern Iowa has demonstrated the economic and environmental benefits of reducing food waste, and Congress should act to build on their impactful work. Our legislation would recognize businesses for using excess food responsibly and incentivize others to improve their practices,” said Grassley.
“Food waste continues to be a national concern for our communities, especially here in Iowa where 22 percent of all waste going to our landfills is food. We look forward to working with Senators Durbin and Grassley to support the Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act through our continued initiatives at the Iowa Waste Reduction Center,” said Mark Nook, President of the University of Northern Iowa.
Food waste has significant economic, environmental, and social impacts. More than $440 billion is spent annually to produce and dispose of food that is never consumed or sold. Sending uneaten food to landfills or incinerators is responsible for the use of more than 20 trillion liters of water, which is equivalent to the annual water use of 50 million homes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Additionally, just one-third of food waste, if saved from disposal, could feed the 47 million Americans, including 14 million children, who are suffering from food insecurity, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The “Food Loss and Waste Reduction Certification” would be similar to existing certifications, such as ENERGY STAR and the BioPreferred Program. The Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act would direct USDA to promote the certification to ensure that consumers are informed about which businesses and organizations have received it.
The Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act has support from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, World Wildlife Fund, University of Northern Iowa, Too Good To Go, Kellanova, FMI – The Food Industry Association, National Restaurant Association, and Consumer Brands Association.
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Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Daniel Del Gobbo, Assistant Professor and Chair in Law, Gender & Sexual Justice, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor
United States President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender and gender diverse (trans) women athletes from competing in women’s sports, at the beginning of his presidential term on Feb. 5, showed the president accelerating a long-standing moral panic about queer and trans people.
Bearing the offensive title “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” the executive order misinterprets a U.S. law called Title IX to suggest falsely that trans-inclusive policies in collegiate and elite-level sports are somehow harmful to cisgender women. The force of this claim is backed by a threat: ban trans women, or face having your funding rescinded. The order came following a flurry of political moves entrenching transphobia in U.S. law and society.
The moral panic around trans women athletes can be seen in Canada as well. In both countries, the issue has emerged as fundamental to a right-wing strategy that positions trans women athletes as scapegoats, fuelling social anxieties about trans inclusion and gender equality more broadly. As leading trans scholar and professor of political science, women’s and gender studies Paisley Currah puts it, “the situation is dire — an unrelenting assault on our ability to go about our daily lives.”
Canadian universities must take action to protect trans students as part of a comprehensive strategy to promote gender equality on campuses.
Right-wing commentators rely on two main arguments in support of banning trans women athletes.
The first argument is the so-called “lost opportunity” argument, which holds that trans women athletes prevent cisgender women from participating by taking up limited spots reserved for women. This claim is based on a misapprehension.
The number of trans athletes competing in women’s sports at the collegiate and elite levels is extremely small. In 2024, NCAA President Charlie Baker told a U.S. Senate panel that, to his knowledge, fewer than 10 of the 510,000 student athletes competing in NCAA schools were trans. It is unclear how many identify as trans women, a group that is systemically underrepresented in every level of sports, both in terms of participation and results in competitions.
Read more:
Transgender athletes face an uncertain future at the Olympics as reactionary policies gain ground
The second argument is the so-called “unfair advantage” argument, which roots itself in the idea that “natural” biological sex-based differences exist that give trans women a competitive edge. This claim is equally problematic.
In 2024, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport released a review of research that summarized the data on trans women athletes. It found that research in this area is limited, often methodologically flawed and inconclusive in its results. Evidence indicates that trans athletes who have undergone testosterone suppression, for example, have no clear advantages over cisgender women.
Even if certain advantages exist, however — and that’s a big “if” — the fact remains that cisgender male athletes like Michael Phelps, an American swimmer and 23-time Olympic gold medalist, are celebrated for their physiological differences from other athletes. The choice to ban trans athletes is based on a pretext, not principle.
Trans women athletes have faced backlash. A notable target of these attacks is Lia Thomas, a trans swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania and the NCAA Division I champion who was banned from competing at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials.
As of February 2025, Fox News had published over 3,200 stories about Thomas, many of which contain dehumanizing language about trans people.
Racialized and Indigenous athletes face additional obstacles, particularly when they fail to meet racial and gender stereotypes about women. The barriers are often greatest in colonial sporting cultures where whiteness is upheld as a standard of femininity.
At the 2024 Olympics, right-wing commentators singled out Imane Khelif, a cisgender woman from Algeria who won the gold medal in women’s 66 kg boxing, based on false claims that she was trans. President Trump repeatedly misgendered Khelif, feeding the fire of racist, misogynistic and transphobic attacks that scrutinized Khelif’s appearance and behaviour to assess her gender conformity.
Myths about trans athletes have turned Canadian universities into battlegrounds. In 2024, Harriette Mackenzie, a trans basketball player at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, B.C. spoke out about her mistreatment, saying she was physically targeted by an opposing team after their coach said she should not have been allowed to compete against cisgender women.
Cases like Mackenzie’s affect not only trans students who experience discrimination on campus at disproportionate rates. They affect everyone because transphobia reinforces the gender binary and its assumptions about how people should look, act and compete in sports. The problem extends to broader academic climate and culture at universities, given that escalating rhetoric and hatefulness can amplify risks of gender-based violence on campuses.
Every province has passed human rights legislation providing that students have the right to be free from discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Canadian universities have a legal and moral responsibility to provide trans women athletes with equal opportunities to participate in campus life.
As a first step, universities should protect trans athletes in their non-discrimination and gender-based violence policies, many of which have been criticized on equality grounds. Through needs assessments studies (like the one conducted at University of British Columbia focussed on trans, two-spirit and gender diversity, completed in 2023), universities can identify gaps in their policies and programming and make recommendations.
Consider the issue of access. Many universities continue to show men’s and women’s bathrooms and locker rooms on campus maps without highlighting the location of trans-inclusive facilities. Research confirms that trans students are more likely to feel isolated and marginalized when campus services exclude them.
Additionally, universities should expand their athletics programs, improve training for coaches and staff, and create gender and sexuality support and affinity centres to celebrate the achievements of trans athletes and foster acceptance of trans students generally. These efforts should form part of a comprehensive strategy to promote equality, diversity, inclusion and decolonization on campuses, particularly in the face of right-wing pressure to curb these initiatives without good reason.
Finally, it bears mentioning that for many trans athletes, particularly those who face barriers to inclusion in other family and community spaces, the opportunity to participate in sports is more than a human right — it can be life-saving for them. Athletics provide an important outlet for trans people’s self-expression, discovery and community building at a formative time in their lives. Gender equality is not a game for these students. Universities must recognize that.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. It’s important to protect trans athletes on campuses, and this benefits all students – https://theconversation.com/its-important-to-protect-trans-athletes-on-campuses-and-this-benefits-all-students-249664
Source: United States Attorneys General 7
View All Environmental Crimes Bulletins
| District/Circuit | Case Name | Statute(s) |
|---|---|---|
| District of Alaska | United States v. Corey Potter, et al. | Crab Harvesting/Lacey Act |
| District of Arizona | United States v. Eric T. Scionti | Animal Videos/Animal Crush, Firearms |
| Eastern District of California | United States v. Andrew Laughlin | Reptile Smuggling/ Conspiracy |
| United States v. Jorge Calderon-Campos, et al. | Game Bird Fighting/Animal Welfare, Drugs | |
| Southern District of California | United States v. Michael Hart | Refrigerant Smuggling/ Conspiracy |
| United States v. Thalia Zambrano | Pesticide Smuggling/ Conspiracy | |
| United States v. Vyacheslav I. Piglitsin | Pesticide Smuggling | |
| Middle District of Florida | United State v. Jose Carrillo | Dog Fighting/Animal Welfare Act, Conspiracy, Firearm |
| United States v. Manuel Domingos Pita | Worker Death/Conspiracy, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Wire Fraud | |
| Northern District of Florida | Dolphin Killing/ Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act; Marine Mammal Protection Act | |
| United States v. Fernando Cruz Rubio, et al. | Vessel/Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships | |
| Southern District of Florida | United States v. Liza Hash | Vessel/Clean Water Act |
| Middle District of Georgia | United States v. Willie Russell, et al. | Dog Fighting/Animal Welfare Act |
| Eastern District of Kentucky | United States v. Kendall Glenn Hacker | Animal Videos/Animal Crush |
| Eastern District of Missouri | United States v. Christopher Lee Carroll, et al. | Tampering with Monitoring Method/Clean Air Act, Bank Fraud, Conspiracy, Money Laundering |
| District of Montana | United States v. Hollis G. Hale, et al. | Sheep Hunting/Endangered Species Act, Lacey Act |
| District of New Hampshire | United States v. Old Dutch Mustard Company, Inc., d/b/a Pilgrim Foods Company, et al. | Wastewater Discharges/Clean Water Act |
| Western District of North Carolina | United States v. Robert G. Gambill | Eagle Killing/Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act |
| Southern District of Ohio | United States v. Fabcon Precast LLC | Worker Death/OSHA |
| District of Oregon | United States v. Chamness Dirt Works, et al. | Asbestos Removal/ Clean Air Act |
| United States v. Clancy Logistics, Inc., et al. | Tampering with a Monitoring Device/Clean Air Act, Conspiracy | |
| Middle District of Pennsylvania | United States v. Roy Ladell Weaver, et al. | Tampering with a Monitoring Device/Clean Air Act, Conspiracy |
| Southern District of Texas | United States v. Andres Alejandro Sanchez | Spider Monkey Smuggling/ Lacey Act |
| Western District of Texas | United States v. Jason Lee Wagner | Wildlife Trafficking/ Conspiracy, Smuggling |
| Eastern District of Virginia | United States v. Jeffrey Radtke | Animal Videos/Animal Crush, Conspiracy |
| Western District of Virginia | United States v. James H. Spencer | Sewage Discharges/Clean Water Act |
| Western District of Washington | United States v. Jonathan Achtemeier | Tampering with a Monitoring Device/Clean Air Act, Conspiracy |
On February 7, 2025, a jury convicted Jason Lee Wagner of conspiracy and 12 smuggling violations (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 545, 2). Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2025.
Between March 2015 and December 2019, Wagner and others bought and sold endangered reptiles from individuals in Mexico. Wagner and other co-conspirator suppliers and middlemen used social media to offer reptiles for sale and to negotiate the terms of the sale and delivery with customers in the United States and Mexico. His co-conspirators also used international money transfers to provide for “crossing fees,” sales and purchases, and other expenses. They then packaged and re-packaged the reptiles for illegal crossings using USPS and other courier services to transport them between Mexico and the United States.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
On February 19, 2025, a grand jury indicted Roy Ladell Weaver and his company, Pro Diesel Werks, LLC, with conspiring to impede the lawful functions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA), and substantive CAA violations (18 U.S.C. § 371; 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Pro Diesel Werks provided vehicle repair and maintenance and performance enhancement services, including services on diesel engines and vehicle emission systems. The indictment alleges that between 2013 and March 2024, Weaver and the company, along with co-conspirators, disabled the hardware emissions control systems on the diesel vehicles of Pro Diesel Werks’ customers (a practice referred to as a “delete” or “deleting”), defeating the systems’ ability to reduce pollutant gases and particulate matter released to the atmosphere. The defendants are also alleged to have tampered with the monitoring device and method required under the CAA, that is they disabled the onboard diagnostic system on vehicles preventing the system software from monitoring the emission control system hardware deletes (a practice referred to as a “tune” or “tuning”).
The defendants charged customers between approximately $2,000 and $4,000 per vehicle to remove and disable the emission control systems on motor vehicles with diesel engines.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
On February 7, 2025, Corey Potter pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act for illegally transporting crab from Alaska (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A), 3373(d)(1)(B)). Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2025. Kyle Potter, his son, was previously sentenced to pay a $20,000 fine and complete a five-year term of probation. A third defendant, Justin Welch, was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and complete a three-year term of probation.
Corey Potter owns two crab catching vessels; Kyle Potter and Welch worked as vessel captains. In February and March 2024, the vessels harvested more than 7,000 pounds of Tanner and Golden king crab in Southeast Alaska. Corey Potter directed Welch and Kyle Potter to land the crab to Seattle, Washington, where they intended to sell it at a higher price than they would have in Alaska. Neither captain landed the harvested crab at a port in Alaska, and they never recorded the harvest on a fish ticket, as required under state law.
A large portion of the king crab that arrived in Seattle from Alaska had died and was unmarketable. Corey Potter knew that some of the crab aboard was infected with Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS), a parasitic disease fatal to crustaceans. Officials were forced to destroy more than 4,000 additional pounds of Tanner crab due to the risk of BCS infection. If the defendants had properly landed the crab in Alaska, authorities could have inspected the harvest and removed the infected crab before leaving Alaska.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
On February 7, 2025, Kendall Glenn Hacker pleaded guilty to conspiracy and to violating the Animal Crush statute (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 48(a)(2), (a)(3)).
Between November 2021 and June 2022, Hacker sent money through online payment applications, such as PayPal and Venmo, to Michael Macartney, an online chat group administrator. The members and participants of these groups funded, created, obtained, received, exchanged and/or distributed animal crush videos.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
On February 7, 2025, property management company Horseshoe Grove, LLC, pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act (CAA) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for asbestos work practice standards (42 U.S.C. §§ 7412(h),7413(c)(1)). Horseshoe Grove’s owner and operator Ryan Richter pleaded guilty to a CAA negligent endangerment violation (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(4)). Construction and demolition company Chamness Dirt Works, Inc., pleaded guilty to violating the CAA NESHAP for asbestos, and company owner and president, Ronald Chamness, pleaded guilty to a CAA negligent endangerment violation (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(4)). Sentencing is scheduled for April 3, 2025.
In November 2022, Horseshoe Grove acquired a property in The Dalles, Oregon, which included a mobile home park and two dilapidated apartment buildings. The previous owner provided the new buyers with an asbestos survey from December 2021, which identified more than 5,000 square feet of friable chrysotile asbestos within the two deteriorating buildings, with levels ranging from 2% to 25%. The survey also noted non-friable asbestos in various building materials, including siding and flooring, throughout the apartments. Despite these findings, Horseshoe Grove failed to implement the necessary precautions for asbestos removal.
In March 2023, Chamness Dirt Works began demolishing the two asbestos-laden structures without following proper removal procedures. Chamness did not engage a certified asbestos abatement contractor, did not wet the asbestos-containing debris, and dumped the material in a regular landfill.
Horseshoe Grove paid Chamness Dirt Works a total of $49,330 for the demolition, which did not meet the required safety standards.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: District of Oregon | Construction and Property Management Companies and Company Owners Plead Guilty to Asbestos Violations | United States Department of Justice
On February 10, 2025, Hollis G. Hale pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 1538(a)(1)(G), 3372(d)(2), 3373(d)(3)(B)). Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2025.
Hale conspired with Jack Schubarth to create giant hybrid sheep for captive hunting. Schubarth smuggled Marco Polo argali sheep parts from Kyrgyzstan into the United States. This protected species of sheep, native to high elevations in the Pamir region of Central Asia, is deemed the largest in the world.
In 2013, Schubarth provided genetic material to a third-party cloning facility, and, in 2016, received successfully cloned pure Marco Polo argali embryos. Schubarth raised a pure male argali clone that he named “Montana Mountain King.” In 2018, Schubarth began breeding Montana Mountain King with other species and selling the offspring throughout the U.S. To evade detection, Schubarth falsely labeled the offspring on Certificates of Veterinary Inspection and other official forms.
In June and July 2020, Hale facilitated the purchase and interstate transport of twelve hybrid Marco Polo argali sheep from Schubarth and falsely identified 43 species of sheep on a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. Hale falsified these documents knowing these sheep are prohibited in Montana. Schubarth was sentenced in September 2024 to six months’ incarceration, followed by three years’ supervised release.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks conducted the investigation.
On February 12, 2025, Zachary Brandon Barfield pleaded guilty to three counts of poisoning and shooting dolphins in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 1372(a)(2)(A), 1375(b); 7 U.S.C. §§ 136j(a)(2)(G), 136l(b)(2)). Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2025.
Barfield is a charter and commercial fishing captain operating out of Panama City, Florida. In the summer of 2022, Barfield became frustrated with dolphins eating red snapper from the lines of charter fishing clients. Between June and August 2022, Barfield and others placed a commercial methomyl insecticide inside bait fish to feed to and poison the dolphins that surfaced near his boat.
While captaining another fishing trip in December 2022, Barfield saw dolphins eating snapper from fishing lines. This time, he used a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot and kill a dolphin that surfaced near his vessel. In the summer of 2023, while on a charter fishing trip, Barfield used the same shotgun to shoot a dolphin that surfaced near the lines of clients.
The National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation with assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
On February 21, 2025, James Howard Spencer, the Mayor of Glen Lyn, Virginia, pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. § 1319(c)(2)(A)). Spencer admitted to directing employees of the Town of Glen Lyn to illegally discharge raw sewage and other pollutants into the East River, a tributary of the New River, on three occasions- in the summer of 2019, December 2020, and June 2021.
The discharges occurred at a pump station located behind the Glen Lyn Post Office, which was not an authorized discharge point of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the Glen Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The East River, a perennial stream and a tributary of the New River, is a protected waterway under the CWA.
Spencer knowingly violated multiple conditions of the NPDES permit, including discharges from unauthorized locations and failing to report the discharges to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Virginia State Police conducted the investigation.
On February 25, 2025, Liza Hash pleaded guilty to discharging oil into United States and contiguous zone waters, violating the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. §§ 1319(c)(2), 1321(b)(3)). Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2025.
Hash was the owner and operator of the S/V Juliet, a sailing vessel used for multi-day scuba diving trips between Miami and the Bahamas. Over the course of approximately six years, Hash’s vessel carried up to 12 passengers per trip, along with the crew, between the U.S. and the Bahamas.
On June 16, 2023, U.S. Coast Guard investigators boarded the Juliet following its return from the Bahamas. After noticing an active oil sheen originating from the vessel, they conducted a safety examination.
During the inspection, they noted oily water in the bilge, and a pump connected to the vessel’s grey water tank, to facilitate illegal overboard discharges. Hash had used the vessel’s grey water tank (which is intended to hold liquid waste from the boat’s washer, dryer, sinks, and showers) to store oil-contaminated bilge water and discharge overboard.
Investigators estimate that Hash discharged approximately 26,000 gallons of oily water during the five-year period.
The United States Coast Guard conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Southern District of Florida | Dive Boat Owner/Operator Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Clean Water Act | United States Department of Justice
On February 24, 2025, The Old Dutch Mustard Company, d/b/a Pilgrim Foods Company (Old Dutch), and company owner and president Charles Santich, pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. §§ 1311(a), 1319(c)(2)(A)).
Old Dutch manufactured vinegar and mustard products, generating acidic wastewater during the process. Much of this wastewater consisted of spilled or leaked vinegar, or discarded vinegar that did not meet specifications. Old Dutch did not have a permit to discharge process wastewater. Instead, it stored the process wastewater in tanks and a trucking company hauled one or two truckloads of the wastewater off-site daily to the Rochester Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW). Old Dutch paid the trucking company for transporting each load. A second wastewater stream consisted of stormwater that became acidic after flowing through areas of the facility (especially the tank farm) where vinegar spilled. Old Dutch also paid the trucking company to haul the acidic stormwater to the POTW.
Santich decided to reduce costs by ordering workers to discharge some of the wastewater to a manmade ditch formed by an abandoned railroad bed at the top of a hill behind the facility, from which the wastewater would flow into the Souhegan River. In May 2017, Santich hired an excavation company to extend an underground pipe to the top of the hill behind the facility. He then directed an employee to repeatedly pump wastewater through the underground pipe to the abandoned railroad bed. Once the process wastewater or contaminated stormwater discharged at the top of the hill, it flowed to the river. Old Dutch did not have an NPDES or any other permit to discharge pollutants into the river.
In March 2021, Santich directed the same excavation company to install a sump at the corner of the tank farm area to collect the acidic stormwater and pump it directly up the hill through the buried pipe. Similarly, during the Fall of 2022, Santich hired the excavation company to clean out the undergrowth in the manmade ditch at the top of the hill and line it with riprap to create a better drainage ditch and facilitate the flow of wastewater to the river.
On August 2, 2023, EPA agents executed a search warrant at the Old Dutch facility and witnessed this illegal activity. Agents observed liquid that smelled like vinegar discharging from the end of the underground pipe into the riprap-lined ditch. The wastewater discharge had a pH of 3.6. The agents then conducted a dye test starting at the sump outside the corner of the tank farm area. The dye discharged from the underground pipe at the top of the hill and flowed along the riprap-lined drainage ditch and down to the river.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation, with assistance from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.
Related Press Release: District of New Hampshire | Owner of Old Dutch Mustard Co. Pleads Guilty to Violating the Clean Water Act by Polluting the Souhegan River | United States Department of Justice
On February 26, 2025, Fabcon Precast LLC (Fabcon) pleaded guilty to willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation (29 U.S.C. § 666(e)). The criminal charge is related to an incident where an employee was killed when a pneumatic door closed on his head.
Fabcon operates several facilities in the United States, including one in Grove City, Ohio, that manufactures precast concrete panels. At Fabcon, employees known as batch operators were responsible for the operation and cleaning of the facility’s only concrete mixer. Concrete was discharged from the bottom of the mixer through a pneumatic door. By design, the mixer had an exhaust valve that released the pneumatic energy powering the discharge door, rendering it inoperable. Some months prior to June 6, 2020, the handle that operated the valve broke off and was not replaced.
On June 6, 2020, Zachary Ledbetter, a batch operator since January 2020, was on duty when the discharge door failed to close after releasing a batch of concrete. Because the valve was broken, Ledbetter could not perform the proper procedure to make the door safe to work around. When he attempted to free the door it closed on his head, trapping him. Eventually, Ledbetter was freed and transported to a hospital where he died five days later.
The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Office of Public Affairs | Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death Case | United States Department of Justice
On February 27, 2025, a court sentenced Vyacheslav I. Piglitsin to time served and to pay $4,355 in restitution. On March 2, 2024, Piglitsin drove over the border from Mexico with Mexican pesticides that he failed to present for inspection (19 U.S.C. §§ 1433 and 1436). Inspectors found seventy-two 1-liter bottles of “Bovitraz” in his vehicle.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
On February 3, 2025, a court sentenced Michael Hart to time served followed by one year of supervised release. Hart also will pay $1,500 in restitution. Hart pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally import hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Mexico and sell them in violation of law (18 U.S.C. § 371). In addition, Hart admitted to conspiring to illegally import hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), namely HCFC 22, which is banned under the Clean Air Act.
Between June and December 2022, Hart purchased refrigerants in Mexico and smuggled them into the United States in his vehicle, concealed under a tarp and tools. Hart posted the refrigerants for sale on OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, and other sites, and sold them for a profit.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
On February 6, 2025, a court sentenced Thalia Zambrano to time served, after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 371).
On June 28, 2024, authorities apprehended Zambrano when she drove into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry with 18 bottles of undeclared “Taktic” (Amitraz) concealed beneath a blanket on the back seat her car. Regulators in the United States canceled this pesticide due to the high concentration of amitraz.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
On February 10, 2025, a court sentenced Andrew Laughlin to pay a $5,000 fine, complete a two-year term of probation, and pay $4,209 in restitution into the Lacey Act Reward Fund. Laughlin pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling reptiles into the United States (18 U.S.C. § 545).
In 2017, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents identified Laughlin as part of a nationwide investigation into the smuggling of turtles from the United States to an individual in Hong Kong (Individual A). Individual A met and maintained contact with certain wildlife-smuggling associates via Facebook. Investigators identified Laughlin as a suspect in the wildlife smuggling ring from Individual A’s Facebook contacts and communications with covert agents. In addition to corresponding on Facebook, Laughlin also sent text messages to Individual A and co-conspirators.
Between March and April 2018, Laughlin acted as a “middleman” in an international amphibian smuggling ring. During a conversation with an undercover agent, Laughlin said that he participated in the ring in order to acquire hard-to-find newts. He shipped or received at least four packages of amphibians, including packages to or from individuals located in Hong Kong and Sweden. The packages were falsely labeled as items including a “toy car,” “rubber toys,” or “a ceramic art piece.” The boxes actually contained live animals, including eastern box turtles, spotted turtles, and a variety of newt species.
A search warrant executed at the defendant’s residence uncovered 80 live newts of various species. Some of them tested positive for a virulent fungus which originated in Asia and has spread throughout the illegal pet trade. The restitution covered expenses incurred to store and test the animals.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
Photo of newts seized from Laughlin’s residence; photo included in case press release at time of guilty plea
Related Press Release: Eastern District of California | Tahoe City Resident Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Injurious Amphibians into the United States
On February 10, 2025, a court sentenced Jose Angel Beltran-Chaidez to 24 months incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release. Beltran-Chaidez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin in this multi-defendant case involving drugs and animal welfare violations (21 U.S.C. §§ 841 (a)(1), (b)(1)(A)).
Between March and April 2021, Jorge Calderon-Campos (who calls himself “Americano”) supplied 26 pounds of methamphetamine to co-defendants Mark Garcia and Alberto Gomez-Santiago, and an additional 60 pounds to Francisco Javier Torres Mora. Between January and April 2022, Calderon-Campos also possessed roosters he used to participate in an animal fighting venture.
During a search of his residence on April 26, 2022, law enforcement officers found numerous hens and roosters, various cockfighting implements (including razors and spurs) and six cockfighting trophies, including several with plates inscribed with “Team Amkno” (shorthand for “Team Americano”). At Calderon-Campos’s “stash house,” law enforcement officers found 14 hens and 77 roosters, cockfighting leashes, a cockfighting trophy, and a variety of syringes and pill bottles containing substances related to cockfighting supplements.
Jorge Calderon-Campos was sentenced in November 2024 to eight years and one month of incarceration. Calderon-Campos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and to violating the Animal Welfare Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 841 (a)(1), (b)(1)(A)); 7 U.S.C. § 2156(b); 18 U.S.C. § 49(a)).
On August 26, 2024, a court sentenced Antonio Beltran-Chaidez to 46 months’ incarceration, followed by 24 months’ supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute (21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)).
In January 2024, co-defendant Gomez-Santiago was sentenced to four years and nine months incarceration, followed by 60 months supervised release. Mora was sentenced to four years and nine months incarceration. Horacio Ortega-Martinez, another associate of Calderon-Campos, was sentenced in April 2023 to 18 months incarceration, followed by 36 months supervised release, after pleading guilty to possessing gamecocks for an animal fighting venture (7 U.S.C § 2156 (b)).
Co-defendant Garcia pleaded guilty and was sentenced on March 3, 2025, to 24 months’ incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release. Byron Adilio Alfaro-Sandoval is scheduled for status conference June 18, 2025.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department.
Related Press Release: Eastern District of California | Mexican National Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Possessing Heroin with Intent to Distribute | United States Department of Justice
On February 11, 2025, a court sentenced Christopher Lee Carroll to serve nine years of incarceration and to pay $3 million in restitution. A jury convicted Carroll in August 2024 of three counts of bank fraud, three counts of making false statements to a financial institution, one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA), 13 violations of the CAA, and two counts of threatening a witness (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 2, 1014, 1512 (b)(3), 1344; 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Carroll and his business partner, George Reed, owned a time share exit company called Square One Group LLC. In April of 2020, they submitted a false and fraudulent application for a $1.2 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The loan application falsely stated that the spouses of Reed and Carroll owned the company to conceal Carroll’s status as a paroled felon, which would have precluded his company from receiving PPP funds. Carroll also used his wife’s name to avoid any potential liability for the fraud.
The PPP loan was supposed to help save businesses and jobs, but Carroll did not use the money to pay dozens of employees who were out of work or keep paying for health insurance for 17 of those employees. Instead, he used it to start a trucking company, Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair LLC. Carroll and Reed then applied for loan forgiveness, falsely claiming that they’d spent the money on payroll and other permitted expenses. Additionally, Reed and Carroll later sought a second loan of more than $1.6 million, taking a total of $660,000 in “owner draws” from the company after the loan was approved.
From May 2020 through December 2021, Carroll and Whiskey Dix violated the CAA by unlawfully removing the emissions control systems from more than 30 diesel-fueled trucks. In January 2022, Carroll tried to pressure two employees to take responsibility for the emissions tampering. When one of the employees said he was going to talk to federal investigators, Carroll threatened to stop paying for the employee’s attorney.
The court sentenced Whiskey Dix to complete a three-year term of probation after the jury convicted the company on 16 CAA violations. Reed pleaded guilty to bank fraud in September of 2022 and was sentenced January 23, 2025, to time served, and five years of supervised release. Reed was held jointly liable for $3 million in restitution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Eastern District of Missouri | Missouri Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for $3 Million Pandemic Fraud, Witness Tampering, Clean Air Act Violations | United States Department of Justice
On February 13, 2025, a court sentenced Jeffrey Radtke to 21 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Radtke pleaded guilty to conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos (18 U.S.C.§§ 371, 48(a)(2), (a)(3)).
Between June 2021 and August 2022, Radtke sent more than 40 payments (ranging from $1 through $300) he received from co-conspirators to pay videographers in Indonesia and other locations outside of the United States to create videos depicting the torture and deaths of juvenile macaque monkeys.
During the execution of a search warrant in April 2023, law enforcement found more than 2,600 videos and 2,700 images depicting animal crushing on Radtke’s computer.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
On February 14, 2025, a court sentenced Jonathan Achtemeier to pay a $25,000 fine and serve four months’ incarceration, followed by one year of supervised release. Achtemeier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA) for his role in tampering with required monitoring devices on diesel trucks (18 U.S.C. § 371).
Between 2019 and 2022, Achtemeier modified the software on hundreds of trucks nationwide to prevent the monitoring devices from detecting the removal of emissions controls. Achtemeier conspired with mechanics and truck fleet operators, instructing them on how to remove or disable anti-pollution hardware on diesel trucks, a process known as “deleting.” Achtemeier tampered with the monitoring device on his clients’ trucks by connecting laptops to the trucks’ onboard computers and remotely “tuning” the vehicles’ computers, which rendered required monitoring devices inaccurate. This allowed the trucks to run without functioning emissions control systems and resulted in the trucks emitting significantly more pollution than legally allowed.
Achtemeier charged as much at $4,500 per truck for work that often took him two hours or less. He advertised his services on social media nationwide, doing business as Voided Warranty Tuning or Optimized Ag. Between 2019 and 2022 his company took in more than $4.3 million in gross profits.
The Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Western District of Washington | Indiana man sentenced to prison for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act | United States Department of Justice
On February 18, 2025, a court sentenced Andres Alejandro Sanchez to complete a three-year term of probation to include six months’ home detention. Sanchez pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act for illegally importing a spider monkey into the United States (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(1), 3373(d)(2)).
On October 7, 2024, Sanchez travelled from Mexico to Laredo, Texas, and failed to declare a spider monkey he had in his vehicle to Customs and Border Protection officers as he attempted to cross the border.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
On February 18, 2025, a court sentenced Jose Carrillo to 84 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Carrillo pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act and knowingly possessing a firearm after a felony conviction (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 922(g)(1) and 924(d)).
On June 7, 2023, authorities executed a search warrant at Carrillo’s residence, seizing a total of 10 pit bull-type dogs. Several of the dogs exhibited scarring consistent with dogfighting. Authorities also discovered a .22 caliber rifle, a bloodstained wooden dogfighting “pit,” syringes, veterinary medications, a skin stapler, break sticks used to separate fighting dogs, and other suspected dogfighting paraphernalia.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance from the following agencies: Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshal Service; and the Pasco County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office.
Related Press Release: Office of Public Affairs | Florida Man Sentenced for Dog Fighting | United States Department of Justice
On February 18, 2025, a court sentenced Eric T. Scionti to 47 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Scionti pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and Animal Crushing in two separate cases (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), 48(a)(1)).
In December 2022, federal authorities received an anonymous tip that Scionti, a convicted felon, possessed a number of handguns, as well as grenades and bullet-proof body armor. On January 18, 2023, agents executed a search warrant, seizing six firearms and 1,826 rounds of ammunition from areas of a residence controlled by the defendant. Scionti has multiple Arizona state felony convictions and was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
While researching the defendant’s online activities, agents found video evidence depicting Scionti torturing pigeons. Agents executed a subsequent search warrant on September 29, 2023, for records and information associated with Scionti’s email account. During that search, agents seized approximately 168 videos and 89 digital photographs depicting Scionti torturing and mutilating live pigeons.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigations in these cases.
Related Press Release: District of Arizona | Tempe Man Sentenced to 47 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Animal Crushing | United States Department of Justice
On February 19, 2025, a court sentenced Manuel Domingos Pita to 48 months’ incarceration and to pay more than $55 million in restitution. Also, Pita will forfeit real estate and cash/bank accounts. Pita pleaded guilty to a wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and a willful violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act for causing the death of an employee (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1343; 29 U.S.C. § 666(e)).
Pita created and operated several shell construction companies, including one named Domingos 54 Construction, Inc. Pita used Domingos 54 to provide workers, including undocumented aliens, with construction jobs. However, Pita failed to secure the required workers compensation insurance coverage for these employees by falsifying the number of workers for which he sought coverage in worker’s compensation insurance applications. In addition, Pita failed to pay any federal employment taxes on the wages that these workers earned during the course of the scheme between 2018 and 2022.
Pita failed to disclose the number of workers he had. Had he properly disclosed the number of workers, he would have paid an additional $22.7 million+ in premiums. Additionally, Pita failed to pay to the IRS over $33.7 million in federal employment taxes on those workers’ wages.
Between February and July 2019, investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued six citations to Domingos 54 for failure to provide fall protection to workers. Even after being cited for these violations, Pita continued to ignore OSHA requirements. In March 2020, Pita assigned a worker and three other carpenters to install sheeting on the roof of a residential home in windy conditions without providing the required fall-protection gear or ensuring its use. As a result, one of the workers was blown off the roof and died from his injuries.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Florida Department of Financial Services’ Bureau of Insurance Fraud-Criminal Investigations, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Middle District of Florida | Florida Businessman Sentenced in Connection with Migrant Labor Employment Scheme, Payroll Tax Evasion, and Worker Death | United States Department of Justice
On February 20, 2025, a court sentenced Fernando Cruz Rubio to time served. Rubio pleaded guilty to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) for failing to maintain an oil record book (ORB) (33 U.S.C. § 1908(a)).
Rubio worked as a chief engineer on the M/V Suhar, a Panamanian-flagged ocean-going bulk carrier that routinely hauled cement from Tampico, Mexico, to Pensacola, Florida. The ship was managed by Gremex Shipping S.A. de C.V., which was responsible for the ship’s day-to-day operations, including hiring all crew, and ensuring compliance with all environmental and international regulations.
The Coast Guard inspected the ship when it arrived in Pensacola on August 25, 2023. Inspectors determined that the vessel’s crew regularly discharged untreated oily bilge water overboard, bypassing onboard pollution control equipment, and falsified the ship’s ORB to conceal these discharges. On various trips, between March 2021 through August 25, 2023, Rubio, as the Suhar’s chief engineer, failed to accurately maintain the ORB and did not record overboard bilge water discharges.
Gremex was sentenced in October 2024 to pay a $1.75 million fine, serve a four-year term of probation, and implement an environmental compliance plan. The shipping corporation also pleaded guilty to violating APPS.
The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service conducted the investigation.
On February 25, 2025, a court sentenced to Clancy Logistics, Inc., and owner Timothy C. Clancy, to each complete three-year terms of probation. They were also ordered to pay a fine of $101,510.00, jointly and severally. The defendants pleaded guilty to a felony count of tampering with a Clean Air Act monitoring device (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Between October 2019 and July 2023, Timothy C. Clancy tampered with the onboard diagnostic systems (OBDs) and caused others to tamper with the OBDs, of at least 13 Class 8 diesel semi-trailer trucks owned or operated by his companies, Clancy Transport, Inc., and Clancy Logistics, Inc. The defendants’ actions prevented the OBDs from detecting malfunctions caused by the deletion of the vehicles’ emission control systems, in violation of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
As part of this process, Clancy directed his employees to disable and remove the emissions hardware from his companies’ vehicles. This involved removing exhaust systems and their corresponding emissions control components from the vehicles, hollowing out the functioning portion of the devices so that only the casing remained, and re-installing the casing to create the appearance that the emissions controls were intact. The vehicles’ OBDs were then tuned so that they could no longer detect the removal of the control equipment.
Clancy and his companies tampered with the OBDs on their diesel semi-trailer trucks so that they could operate the vehicles with real or perceived increased performance and fuel efficiency and reduce or eliminate the cost and burden associated with maintaining the vehicles. As a result, a greater volume of pollutants was emitted from the vehicles.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: District of Oregon | Oregon Transportation Company and Owner Sentenced to Probation and Criminal Fines for Tampering with Pollution Monitoring Devices | United States Department of Justice
On February 27, 2025, a court sentenced Robert G. Gambill to pay a $9,500 fine and to forfeit a rifle, scope, and ammunition for killing a bald eagle in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668(a)). As required under provisions of the Act, $2,500 of the fine will be apportioned equally between two witnesses who reported the shooting.
On June 5, 2024, Gambill set his firearm on a fencepost and targeted, shot, and killed a bald eagle that was perched in a tree near a bridge in Sparta, North Carolina. After killing the eagle, Gambill drove away from the scene, abandoning the carcass on the bank of the New River. Two witnesses recovered the carcass and turned it over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The U.S. FWS forensic laboratory determined that injuries suffered by the bald eagle were consistent with a gunshot wound from a high-powered rifle.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation, with assistance from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office.
Related Press Release: Western District of North Carolina | Federal Judge Orders Sparta Man To Pay $9,500 Fine For Killing A Bald Eagle | United States Department of Justice
On February 28, 2025, a court sentenced Willie Russell to 24 months’ incarceration, followed by three years’ supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and exhibiting dogs in an animal fighting venture (7 U.S.C. § 2156(a)(1); 18 U.S.C. § 371). Russell is the fourteenth and final defendant to plead guilty in this federal dog fighting case. The other co-defendants are: Tamichael Elijah; Marvin Pulley, III; Brandon Baker; Christopher Travis Beaumont; Herman Buggs, Jr.; Terrance Davis; Timothy Freeman; Terelle Ganzy; Gary Hopkins; Cornelious Johnson; Rodrecus Kimble; Donnametric Miller; Willie Russell; and, Fredricus White.
On April 24, 2022, the defendants converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. They brought a total of 24 pit bull-type dogs to fight in a series of matches over that weekend. Law enforcement personnel who disrupted the event found numerous dogs inside crates in cars on the property.
The participants used their cars to store dogs who had already fought, as well as those awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Some dogs were kept on chains on the property. Law enforcement rescued a total of 27 dogs, including a badly injured dog that later perished from its injuries. Dogs in the cars also bore recent injuries and scars.
All defendants but Freeman pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to violate the animal fighting prohibition of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Defendants Beaumont and Miller also pleaded guilty to sponsoring or exhibiting (i.e., handling) a dog in a dog fight. Defendants Baker, Davis, Ganzy, Johnson, Pulley, and White further pleaded guilty to possessing and transporting a dog for purposes of using the dog in an animal fighting venture. Freeman pleaded guilty to spectating at an animal fight. Defendants Miller and Pulley also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possession of a firearm by a person with a prior felony conviction.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General; and the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office.
Related Press Release: Office of Public Affairs | Fourteenth and Final Defendant Convicted in Federal Dog Fighting Case | United States Department of Justice
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), joined twelve of his SASC colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanding legal justification for the recent abrupt dismissals of several Judge Advocate Generals (JAG) and documentation of the decision-making process. The senators also requested a response to several oversight questions on the removal and appointment process and expressed serious concerns about Secretary Hegseth’s statements regarding these actions.
“This action not only undermines the integrity of the military justice system but also appears to be in direct violation of federal law, specifically 10 U.S.C. §§ 7037(e) (Army) and 9037(f) (Air Force),” wrote the senators. “The Army statute explicitly states: “No officer or employee of the Department of Defense may interfere with— (1) the ability of the Judge Advocate General to give independent legal advice to the Secretary of the Army or the Chief of Staff of the Army; or (2) the ability of judge advocates of the Army assigned or attached to, or performing duty with, military units to give independent legal advice to commanders.”
The senators continued, “By arbitrarily and baselessly removing duly selected and highly qualified JAG officers, the Administration undermines the military justice system and has interfered with the independent legal counsel that uniformed attorneys provide to commanders and the Department itself. Such removals create an unmistakable chilling effect, signaling to all judge advocates that their positions are contingent not upon their legal expertise and adherence to the law, but rather upon political or personal loyalty. Further, this move undermines the rigorous selection and confirmation process established by Congress.”
In the letter, the senators specifically raise their concerns on Hegseth’s plan to reduce the rank of JAG leadership from three-star to a two-star general or flag officer: “This position was elevated to three-stars to signal the United States’ commitment to the rule of law as the foundation of good decisions and to ensure they could advise policymakers on our most critical national security decisions, following the abuses at Abu Ghraib. Demoting the military’s champions for lawfulness sends a clear and troubling message across the force.”
“Without independent legal counsel, military operations risk violating international law, exposing U.S. forces to war crimes allegations, damaging alliances, and undermining global legitimacy. The absence of sound legal advice can lead to unlawful targeting decisions, excessive use of force, or misuse of emerging technologies, increasing operational and strategic risks. It endangers uniformed service members by ceding moral high ground to our adversaries in their own conduct and prosecution of armed conflict,” the senators warned.
The senators concluded, “These arbitrary dismissals are a direct violation of their statutory protections. It sends a dangerous message that military legal professionals who provide objective, legally sound advice may be removed at will, thereby making it impossible for the JAG Corps to function as prescribed by law.”
In addition to Kaine, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
A copy of the letter is available here and below.
Secretary Hegseth:
The Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps is an essential pillar of our military, ensuring adherence to the rule of law, upholding the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and providing critical independent legal advice to commanders at all levels. The JAG Corps is not only a vital element in maintaining good order and discipline within our armed forces, but it is also a key component of operational readiness. By law, JAG officers provide guidance on military justice, international law, operational law, administrative compliance, and ethics, ensuring that our warfighters operate within the bounds of national and international legal frameworks. The stability and impartiality of the JAG Corps are paramount, and any undue interference in its functioning directly impacts the effectiveness and credibility of our military.
We write to you with deep concern regarding the recent relief of Judge Advocate Generals. This action not only undermines the integrity of the military justice system but also appears to be in direct violation of federal law, specifically 10 U.S.C. §§ 7037(e) (Army) and 9037(f) (Air Force). The Army statute explicitly states: “No officer or employee of the Department of Defense may interfere with— (1) the ability of the Judge Advocate General to give independent legal advice to the Secretary of the Army or the Chief of Staff of the Army; or (2) the ability of judge advocates of the Army assigned or attached to, or performing duty with, military units to give independent legal advice to commanders.” The Air Force and Navy statutes contain substantively identical language.
By arbitrarily and baselessly removing duly selected and highly qualified JAG officers, the Administration undermines the military justice system and has interfered with the independent legal counsel that uniformed attorneys provide to commanders and the Department itself. Such removals create an unmistakable chilling effect, signaling to all judge advocates that their positions are contingent not upon their legal expertise and adherence to the law, but rather upon political or personal loyalty. Further, this move undermines the rigorous selection and confirmation process established by Congress.
We are also deeply troubled by your follow-up statement after the firings where you said, “We want lawyers who give sound constitutional advice and don’t exist to attempt to be roadblocks.” This characterization of legal advisors within the military undermines the critical apolitical role they play in ensuring adherence to the Constitution, the UCMJ, and international law. Military lawyers are not “roadblocks” as you describe; they are guardrails, ensuring that orders issued by commanders are lawful and the armed forces uphold the principles that distinguish our military from those that serve autocrats around the world. Furthermore, your assertion that the selection process for senior legal officers is an “insulated” system that perpetuates the status quo disregards the legal framework established by 10 U.S.C. Chapter 36, which specifically governs the appointment, promotion, and selection of military officers, including those of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. This is not a self-perpetuating bureaucracy; it is a system codified by law to ensure that those entrusted with legal oversight are experienced, competent, and independent enough to provide candid legal counsel, even under difficult circumstances. Undermining this structure risks politicizing the military and eroding the very professionalism that has long been its foundation.
We are also troubled that you plan to reduce the rank of JAG leadership from a three-star to a two-star general or flag officer. This position was elevated to three-stars to signal the United States’ commitment to the rule of law as the foundation of good decisions and to ensure they could advise policymakers on our most critical national security decisions, following the abuses at Abu Ghraib. Demoting the military’s champions for lawfulness sends a clear and troubling message across the force. JAGs play a crucial role in ensuring the U.S. military complies with international law, including the DoD Law of War Manual, DoD Directive 3000.09, and the Army Field Manual on Interrogation, which govern the conduct of armed conflict, the use of autonomous weapon systems, and authorized military interrogation techniques. Without independent legal counsel, military operations risk violating international law, exposing U.S. forces to war crimes allegations, damaging alliances, and undermining global legitimacy. The absence of sound legal advice can lead to unlawful targeting decisions, excessive use of force, or misuse of emerging technologies, increasing operational and strategic risks. It endangers uniformed service members by ceding moral high ground to our adversaries in their own conduct and prosecution of armed conflict.
Such actions by the Administration amount to a betrayal of public trust and an erosion of the apolitical foundation of our military legal system. These arbitrary dismissals are a direct violation of their statutory protections. It sends a dangerous message that military legal professionals who provide objective, legally sound advice may be removed at will, thereby making it impossible for the JAG Corps to function as prescribed by law.
Given these grave concerns, we demand immediate clarification on the legal justification for these reliefs and an explanation as to how these actions comply with Title 10 statutes governing the selection and tenure of JAG officers. Additionally, we request a detailed account of the individuals involved in the decision-making process and any documentation that led to these dismissals.
To facilitate proper congressional oversight, we request responses to the following questions by March 13, 2025:
What is the legal basis for the removal of these JAG officers?
Were any communications or directives issued to justify these removals? If so, please provide them for review.
Do you plan to appoint two- or three-star officers to replace these JAG officers?
What analysis has the Department conducted to determine that the replacements for these JAG officers should be two-stars?
How does the Department plan to ensure the continued independence of the JAG Corps in light of these dismissals?
Were any external political or administrative pressures exerted on the decision to remove these officers?
How will the Department mitigate the chilling effect this decision has had on the ability of JAG officers to provide independent legal counsel?
What measures will be put in place to restore trust in the military justice system and prevent similar actions in the future?
Will you follow the legally-prescribed process in selecting the next Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force?
The rule of law is a foundational pillar of our nation, and the DoD must uphold it without exception. The independence of military legal professionals must be preserved, and any actions that erode this independence must be rectified without delay. Failing to integrate JAGs into military planning who are free to give independent legal advice to the commander threatens not only compliance with the law but also the safety and effectiveness of U.S. forces. As you committed at your confirmation hearing to respond promptly to the committee, we expect a response to these straightforward questions, along with full transparency in addressing the damage these firings have inflicted upon the military justice system.
Sincerely,
Source: New Zealand Government
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is welcoming the introduction of a new ‘hash’ database to counter digital violent extremism and protect the wellbeing of investigators.
“One of the many roles of the Department of Internal Affairs is preventing the spread of illegal objectionable material that encourages violent extremism. This new database will increase the efficiency of this work and better safeguard the wellbeing of the staff who deal with this content,” says Ms van Velden.
The database works by assigning a unique identifier, called a ‘hash’, to each piece of illegal content. These hashes can then be used to identify files that have already been classified as illegal, reducing the time required to individually identify material and preventing investigators from being repeatedly exposed to disturbing content.
The Department has the authority to issue ‘take-down notices’ to have the illegal material removed from online sites, including social media. The Department reports that most platforms promptly comply with such requests to remove the content. The database is also a useful tool in investigations into individuals found in possession of illegal material.
The database has been designed to be shared with the New Zealand Police, Customs Service, Security Intelligence Service, and international law enforcement agencies. The Department of Internal Affairs report that it has received positive feedback from partner agencies.
“The investigators in the Digital Violent Extremism team do incredible work preventing the spread of illegal terrorist content. I’m pleased that this new hashing database will ease the burden on them, as well as increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department.”
Source: Government of India
IIMC Strengthens Media Education with Industry Collaborations and Security Sector Training: DG, IIMC, Dr. Anupama Bhatnagar
Posted On: 04 MAR 2025 7:40PM by PIB Delhi
The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) successfully hosted its 56th Convocation Ceremony today at Mahatma Gandhi Manch, IIMC, New Delhi. Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chancellor of IIMC and Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Railways, and Electronics & Information Technology, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
The ceremony celebrated the achievements of the 2023-24 batch, with 478 students from IIMC New Delhi and its five regional campuses—Dhenkanal, Aizawl, Amravati, Kottayam, and Jammu—being conferred their Post Graduate Diploma certificates. Additionally, 36 outstanding students were honored with medals and cash awards for their academic excellence, marking a momentous occasion in their academic journey.
IIMC will be made into a world-class media university
Addressing the 56th Convocation of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in New Delhi, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) will be made into a world-class media university.
Congratulating the graduating students, Shri Vaishnaw emphasized that next version of IIMC will also include world-class curriculum and stronger collaborations with the media industry to meet the needs of a rapidly changing communication landscape.
Shri Vaishnaw also highlighted the dynamic nature of the media industry and the importance of adaptability. He said, “The entire world of media is transforming, and change is constant. We must absorb and adapt to these changes to stay ahead.”
Addressing the challenges that graduates may face, the Minister advised the students to continue their journey with dedication and perseverance, carrying forward the same energy that brought them to this significant milestone. Union Minister Shri Vaishnaw said, “Wherever you work, always remember – nation first, always first. Your work should aim to help the country, and other things will follow.”
IIMC to Continue Modernizing Curriculum and Expanding Training Programs
Director General, IIMC, Dr. Anupama Bhatnagar said ” The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has continuously updated its curriculum to keep pace with modern advancements and evolving requirements.” She also highlighted her hope that the students would achieve great success in the field of mass communication. To support this goal, the Placement Cell successfully organized an Industry Connect Event last December, offering students a valuable platform to learn from esteemed industry leaders across various media verticals.
She further stated that IIMC also plays a significant role in training officers of the Indian Information Service. In recent years, recognizing the needs of the security sector, specialized mass communication courses have been conducted for the Armed Forces, State Police Departments, Coast Guard, Assam Rifles, and CISF. Additionally, training programs have been organized for state information officers and public relations officials.
Additional Director General, IIMC, Dr. Nimish Rustagi, along with faculty and staff of the institute were also present on the occasion
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Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith
(Release ID: 2108197) Visitor Counter : 36
Source: Government of India
Issues of Proxy Sarpanchs Highlighted; Women Urged to Take Lead
Posted On: 04 MAR 2025 6:40PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj today launched the “Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan” (सशक्त पंचायत–नेत्री अभियान) at a landmark National Workshop of Women Elected Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions in New Delhi. The historic gathering brought together more than 1,200 women Panchayat leaders from across the country ahead of International Women’s Day 2025.The Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan (सशक्त पंचायत–नेत्री अभियान) is a comprehensive and targeted capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening Women Elected Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions across the nation. It focuses on sharpening their leadership acumen, enhancing their decision-making capabilities, and reinforcing their role in grassroots governance. Recognizing the crucial role of Women Elected Representatives in rural local governance, the Ministry has devised a strategic roadmap through this initiative to enhance their leadership skills and ensure their active participation in decision-making.
The event was graced by Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smt. Annapurna Devi, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, and Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse. Senior officials present on the occasion included Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Shri Ashok K. K. Meena, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, alongwith representatives from various Ministries, Departments, SIRD&PRs, TRIF and international organizations including UNFPA.
In his inaugural keynote address, Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh emphasized upon the vital role of women leaders in transforming rural governance. “The initiative of “Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan” marks a significant milestone in our journey toward inclusive development where women’s leadership will drive positive change at the grassroots level”, he stated. Shri Singh said that the government under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is fully committed to undertake capacity and confidence building measures to further strengthen women leadership in the country, particularly in gram panchayats. He highlighted the pivotal role of women in governance, stressing that empowered women strengthen democracy from the grassroots up to the national level. He lauded the impact of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, which has resulted in over 1.4 million elected women representatives in PRIs and noted that several states, including Bihar, have seen women representation beyond reservations, witnessing increased participation of women in unreserved seats also. The Union Minister praised women for performing multidimensional roles – from managing households to governing communities and running governments. “Women are proving that with proper support and opportunity, they can excel in any field they choose”, he remarked. He emphasized that capacity building is key to empowerment as it builds confidence; enabling women to achieve anything they aspire to. “This revolution in grassroots democracy is essential for creating a justice-based, equitable society”, he said.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Annpurna Devi, in her address stated that women-led governance enhances investment in health, education, sanitation, and economic stability, ensuring sustainable community and national development. She urged elected women representatives to exercise their authority independently and eliminate the influence of male interference in decision-making. She said that women empowerment entails economic, social, and political equality. Initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao have been catalysts for change in the last ten years, helping in transforming societal mindsets. Smt. Annpurna Devi highlighted that through Self-Help Groups, “Lakhpati Didis” and “Drone Didis” are etching an empowered life for themselves and their families. Schemes like Ujjwala, PM Awas Yojana, MUDRA yojana etc. have significantly contributed to women’s empowerment in India.
Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel addressed the concerning practice of “Mukhiya Pati”, “Pradhan Pati”, and “Sarpanch Pati” culture, where male relatives act as de facto leaders, undermining the leadership position of elected women representatives. He urged women leaders to exercise caution, especially in financial matters, while executing their official duties. The Minister of State referenced the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam and called for concerted efforts to address pressing issues like nutritional discrimination, female feoticide, and domestic violence in India. He asserted that achieving the vision of “Viksit Bharat” is not possible without the active participation of women, who constitute half the population. He urged women Panchayat representatives to define their own leadership roles and work towards creating women-friendly Gram Panchayats.
Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse, who began her political journey as a Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat in Maharashtra, shared her personal experience and highlighted the issue of proxy Sarpanches. She placed the responsibility on women representatives themselves to assert their authority. “Your journey from Panchayat to Parliament is both possible and necessary for inclusive governance”, she stated.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, emphasized that women representatives must not be proxy representatives but actual leaders driving change at the grassroots level. “The vision of women-led development is being realized through our PRIs, where today 43 percent are Women Elected Representatives. It is noteworthy that Gram Panchayats receiving national awards are increasingly women-led”, he stated. Union Secretary Shri Bharadwaj highlighted that through the “Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan” for the first time a dedicated capacity-building program for women is being implemented across India.
The workshop witnessed the launch of specialized training modules designed specifically for capacity building of Women Elected Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions. A comprehensive “Primer on Law Addressing Gender Based Violence and Harmful Practices” for Panchayat Elected Representatives was also introduced on this occasion. Outstanding women leaders from Panchayats across States and Union Territories were felicitated, who have demonstrated exemplary work in rural local self-governance. The National Workshop featured two insightful panel discussions on “Women’s Participation and Leadership in PRIs: Changing the Dynamics in Local Self-Governance”, examining how increased female representation is reshaping rural governance structures and “Women-Led Local Governance: Sectoral Interventions by WERs”, covering vital areas including health and nutrition, education, safety and security of women and girl children, economic opportunities, and digital transformation.
Primer on Law Addressing Gender Based Violence and Harmful Practices
सशक्त पंचायत नेत्री, बदलाव की पहचान
Empowered Women Panchayat Leaders, Transforming PanchayatsWitness the extraordinary journey of women leaders who are redefining rural governance!
The groundbreaking film “Journey of Women Beacon Panchayat Leaders” unveils the incredible… pic.twitter.com/ELimbdwaOs
— Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India (@mopr_goi) March 4, 2025
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Aditi Agrawal
(Release ID: 2108169) Visitor Counter : 54
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Speech by SCST at World Snooker Grand Prix 2025 opening ceremony (English only)
Speech by SCST at World Snooker Grand Prix 2025 opening ceremony (English only)
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Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the World Snooker Grand Prix 2025 opening ceremony today (March 4): Mr Ferguson (Chairman of World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, Mr Jason Ferguson), Mr Mok (Director of F-Sports Promotion Limited, Mr Tony Mok), Mr Law (Chairman of Billiard Sports Council of Hong Kong China Limited, Mr Vincent Law), esteemed guests, fellow players, ladies and gentlemen, Good evening, what an exciting day it is as we gather here for the World Snooker Grand Prix 2025 at the stunning Kai Tak Arena. Today marks a historic moment for Hong Kong, as we welcome this prestigious snooker tournament to our vibrant city. This event is not just a competition; it is a celebration of excellence in sports. As a recognised “M” Mark event, the Grand Prix guarantees an exceptional standard of play. We are thrilled to witness the world’s best snooker players showcasing their extraordinary talent and creating unforgettable memories right here at the state-of-the-art Kai Tak Sports Park. I want to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the organisers, F-Sports Promotion Limited, the World Snooker Tour, and the Billiard Sports Council of Hong Kong China Limited. Your hard work and dedication have brought this significant event to life, enhancing Hong Kong’s position as a prime destination for international sports events. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to all our generous sponsors and supporting units. Your vital support is instrumental in making this event a spectacular success. As we kick off this remarkable journey, I wish the World Snooker Grand Prix 2025 tremendous success. May all players and visitors have an unforgettable experience here in Hong Kong. Thank you.
Ends/Tuesday, March 4, 2025Issued at HKT 20:02
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Source: Government of India
National Health Policy target of Maternal Mortality Rate of 100 deaths per 1 lakh live births achieved; 83% decline in MMR achieved between1990 to 2020, much higher than the Global MMR decline
Annual footfall of 121.03 crores at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs; 1.54 crore wellness sessions conducted for Primary Healthcare increased in 2023-24
The no. of NCD screenings increased from 10.94 crores in 2019-20 to 109.55 crores in 2023-24
The no. of Tele-consultations increased from 0.26 crores in 2019-20 to 11.83 crores in 2023-24
Posted On: 04 MAR 2025 5:31PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda chaired the ninth meeting of Mission Steering Group (MSG) of National Health Mission (NHM), today at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Union Ministers of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav and Smt. Anupriya Patel, Shri Suman K. Bery, Vice chairman, NITI Aayog, Shri V.K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog were also present.
The Mission Steering Group is the highest policy-making and steering institution under the NHM, providing broad policy direction and governance for the health sector. Secretaries of Ministries of Government of India including MoHFW, AYUSH, Drinking Water & Sanitation, Punchayati Raj, Development of North Eastern Region along with officials from Women and Child Development, Social Justice & Empowerment, Education, Housing and Urban Affairs, Department of Expenditure, NHSRC and Secretaries from various central ministries, Health Secretaries from high-focus states including Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura and senior officials from NITI Aayog and MoHFW also attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Shri Nadda commended NHM for its achievements and thanked the MSG for its role in ensuring the outputs of different initiatives and schemes. He stressed on the need “to ensure the translation of agendas and objectives of different health schemes” for which he underlined the importance of the roles of officers like the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) at the ground level. Citing the administrative hindrances, he stressed on “enhancing and strengthening the capacities of Chief Medical Officers” and suggested the “need for training and capacity- building exercises so that their capacities can be utilized in the best way possible that will pave way for achieving required results of healthcare schemes at the grassroot level”.
Shri Nadda also commended the role of ASHA workers, “grassroot foot soldiers”, in the healthcare system and stressed on the need for their further empowerment and welfare through revised incentives for routine activities, and providing enhanced honorariums.
While commending the developments made in strengthening the health infrastructure through new technological advances and additions, he also stressed on the need to ensure quality of the latest additions like the BHISHM cubes (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri).
The MSG was apprised about the achievements made under NHM during the past few years while marking the future targets for different missions. For the first time, Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) was also included in the MSG. Presentations on achievements and future targets of NHM and PM-ABHIM were also made that covered the developments made under the Mission, its components and agenda for the future.
The achievements highlighted in the meeting include:
The attendees commended the progress achieved under the National Health Mission (NHM) through targeted programs and the support extended to states over the years. They proposed several key suggestions, including emphasizing on the need to increase internet connectivity in the Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs that is necessary to ensure tele-consultations. To address the issue of obesity in the country, AYUSH interventions along with screening and management through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs was emphasized upon.
The meeting also covered crucial discussions on policy frameworks, operational strategies, and financial norms aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery and achieving the NHM’s objectives. The focus remained on ensuring universal access to equitable, affordable, and quality healthcare, reducing child and maternal mortality, stabilizing population growth, and maintaining gender and demographic balance.
Shri Nadda observed that the decisions made during the MSG meeting will enhance the delivery of healthcare services and bring about results at the grassroots level. He added that the feedback and suggestions from the meeting will be taken into consideration to build the roadmap for future interventions.
Background: The Mission Steering Group is the highest policy-making and steering institution under the NHM, providing broad policy direction and governance for the health sector. The MSG plays a critical role in shaping policies and strategies that drive the nation’s healthcare initiatives. It is fully empowered to approve financial norms for all schemes and components under the NHM and advises the Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) in policy formulation and operation.
Since its inception in 2005 under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), which was later subsumed into the NHM, the MSG has convened 8 meetings under the NHM and 9 meetings under the NRHM. The last meeting of the MSG was held on January 11, 2023, under the chairpersonship of the then Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare. These meetings have historically provided a platform for critical decision-making and alignment of policies to strengthen healthcare services across the country.
The Mission Steering Group has been instrumental in guiding initiatives that strengthen healthcare infrastructure, improve service delivery, and respond effectively to public health challenges. The meeting was held with an objective of contributing significantly to the ongoing efforts towards building a resilient and responsive health system in India.
The MSG has been instrumental in guiding initiatives that strengthen healthcare infrastructure, improve service delivery, and respond effectively to public health challenges. The meeting was held with an objective of contributing significantly to the ongoing efforts towards building a resilient and responsive health system in India.
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MV/AKS
HFW/HFM 9th Meeting of Mission Steering Group of NHM/04March2025/1
(Release ID: 2108121) Visitor Counter : 27
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville Beach sushi restauranter has pleaded guilty to harboring illegal aliens for commercial advantage and private financial gain following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation.
Ping Ping Zheng, 37, of Jacksonville, faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. As part of the plea agreement, Zheng has agreed to forfeit to the United States a residence in Jacksonville and a transit van. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, Zheng owned and operated the Kamiya 86 Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar located in Jacksonville Beach. At the restaurant, she employed workers who were unlawfully present in the United States and who were not legally authorized to work in the country. Zheng violated federal employment and federal immigration laws by not requiring the workers to provide employment documentation indicating they could legally work in the United States.
Zheng also owned a residence at which she provided rent-free housing to the undocumented aliens, provided them with free transportation between the house and the restaurant, and with free food when working. Zheng paid the workers in cash and did not withhold taxes and other payments from the worker’s wages.
This case was investigated by ICE Jacksonville and the U.S. Border Patrol, with assistance from the Jacksonville Beach Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Source: US State of Maryland
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2025
Government Relations and Public Affairs
187 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
ROCKVILLE, Md. – On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the Supreme Court of Maryland held oral arguments in Montgomery County. The arguments were held at Montgomery College in the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center auditorium and livestreamed. The Supreme Court of Maryland holds off-site oral arguments at secondary or post-secondary educational institutions twice a term year at geographically diverse locations. This marks the third year that the Supreme Court has held oral arguments outside the city of Annapolis.
“The Maryland Judiciary continues to advance our mission to provide fair, efficient, and effective justice for all by promoting public understanding of the Supreme Court of Maryland through off-site oral arguments,” said Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader, Supreme Court of Maryland. “By conducting oral arguments at various educational institutions across the state, students, teachers, and community members have the opportunity to observe and learn about the Maryland judicial system. I want to thank the staff at Montgomery College for their support of this program and allowing us to hold oral arguments on their campus.”
Three hundred and twenty students from six different Montgomery County Public Schools participated, including Quince Orchard High School, Northwood High School, Springbrook High School, Montgomery Blair High School, Seneca Valley High School, and Thomas Edison High School of Technology.
“It was a great honor to bring the Supreme Court of Maryland to Montgomery County,” said Justice Steven B. Gould, Supreme Court of Maryland, who represents the Seventh Appellate Judicial Circuit (Montgomery County). “Today’s off-site oral arguments provided the students in attendance with a wonderful opportunity to watch the Supreme Court of Maryland in action. I join Chief Justice Fader in thanking all of the students and staff at Montgomery College for making today happen.”
After oral arguments were heard, college and local high school students participated in a question-and-answer session with the justices covering topics such as judicial procedures, their paths to the bench, and educational advice for aspiring jurists.
“Youth, especially students, are often catalysts for social change, and many Supreme Court cases in our country’s history reflect the issues students care about,” said Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Taylor. “Learning and experiencing how the Supreme Court works opens up the path to understanding how the law works in our country, at the local, state and national level. We are creating learning experiences that will not only guide them when they make their professional choices but also guide them when they become eligible to vote and function as active members of American society.”
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases – Estefany Martinez v. Amazon.com Services LLC and Fred Cromartie v. State of Maryland.
The Supreme Court’s off-site oral arguments are made possible by the Amended Administrative Order on the Supreme Court of Maryland Sitting Temporarily Outside of the City of Annapolis. The justice from the host circuit selects the educational institution to hold oral arguments, with the approval of the full Supreme Court.
The Appellate Court of Maryland also holds oral arguments outside of Annapolis. Under current Maryland law, the Appellate Court sits only in Annapolis with one exception: the court’s chief judge can set arguments at either of Maryland’s law schools. The Appellate Court has traditionally held one day of oral arguments at University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in the fall and at University of Baltimore School of Law in the spring.
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Source: European Parliament
As mentioned in the reply to E-001534/2024, the Commission’s position on Russia’s espionage, hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns is one of strong condemnation.
As also stated before, the country chapter for Poland of the 2023 Rule of Law Report[1] contains a factual reference to the case and indicates the sources of the relevant information, which include the Council of Europe platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists. The Commission usually refers to such alerts in the Rule of Law Report under the pillar of media freedom in relation to all Member States.
Source: European Parliament
The European arrest warrant (EAW) is a judicial procedure between judicial authorities in the Member States based on the particular circumstances of each individual case where surrender is requested. Neither the Commission nor the Member States’ governments can interfere or influence decisions taken by the judicial authorities.
The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) held that the principle of mutual recognition, which underpins the EAW framework decision, means that, in accordance with Article 1(2) thereof, the Member States are in principle obliged to act upon an EAW, arresting the persons concerned and bringing them before a national court competent to examine the warrant, including to see whether any grounds for refusal apply.
In order to assess whether there is a ground for refusing the EAW, the executing court should take into account the CJEU’s case-law on the EAW, and in particular regarding the two-step procedure set out in that case-law[1].
The Commission notes that an Article 7(1) of the Treaty on EU procedure against Hungary is ongoing in Council. This procedure was initiated by the European Parliament in 2018. It is for the Council to decide on next steps in this ongoing procedure.
The Commission shares the concerns expressed by the European Parliament in this procedure and always stands ready to participate in hearings and state-of-play points in the Council.
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000780/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Diana Riba i Giner (Verts/ALE)
The Valencian Government intends to amend Law 5/2018 on the Horta of Valencia to reclassify protected areas and allow construction in zones affected by the catastrophe produced by the DANA storm. The Horta of València is a historic agricultural system recognised by the FAO and plays a key role in food production, environmental sustainability and Valencian cultural heritage. The EU’s Natura 2000 network protects some parts of this area, which is covered by Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC), requiring impact assessments to prevent habitat degradation. Additional laws, such as the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (2011/92/EU), ensure compliance. Any land reclassification affecting these sites should align with EU environmental regulations.
Given the EU’s commitment to environmental protection, we would like clarification on the following:
Submitted: 20.2.2025
Source: US Marshals Service
Waterloo, IA – From March 2-4, the U.S. Marshals Service partnered with six law enforcement agencies in Black Hawk County to conduct Operation Black Hawk County, an enforcement/compliance initiative to investigate and arrest non-compliant and fugitive sex offenders.
Operation Black Hawk County’s goal is to ensure 100% compliance of the 322 registered sex offenders in Black Hawk County. By mid-day March 4, law enforcement personnel also conducted 284 sex offender compliance checks, and arrested six total offenders on outstanding warrants.
As a part of Operation Black Hawk County, one registered offender was identified as having an active deportation order through Immigrations and Custom Enforcement (ICE). On March 2, law enforcement officers took the individual into custody at his residence without incident. ICE transported him from Black Hawk County, where he awaits deportation to the country of Myanmar.
“The safety and well-being of our community is our highest priority,” said U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Iowa Christopher Barther. “We remain committed to working tirelessly, using every resource available, to protect our citizens, uphold the law, and ensure justice prevails.”
Operation Black Hawk County investigators initiated both state and federal criminal cases for failure to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, apprehended sex offenders in violation of registration requirements or wanted on active warrants and conducted sex offender compliance checks to increase police presence and identify non-compliant sex offenders for further investigation.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
As the federal government’s primary agency for sex offender and fugitive investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service use its resources and investigative expertise to make neighborhoods safer. The agency has a key mission to help keep non-compliant sex offenders accountable.
Convicted sex offenders are required to comply with federal, state, and local requirements to register. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act (AWA) authorizes USMS to assist state, local, tribal, and territorial authorities in the location and apprehension of non-compliant and fugitive sex offenders; investigate violations of the AWA for federal prosecution; and assist in the identification and location of sex offenders relocated because of a major disaster.
The U.S. Marshals Service is the federal government’s primary agency for fugitive investigations. Nationwide, 60 local task forces are dedicated to violent crime reduction by locating and apprehending wanted criminals. These task forces also serve as the central point for agencies to share information on fugitive matters. The Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force comprises officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Cedar Rapids Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, Marion Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Department of Corrections.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Samuel Brandon Smith (37, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of a bribe by a public official and one count of providing contraband to a federal prisoner. Smith faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the bribery offense and up to 5 years’ imprisonment for the contraband offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, Smith was a correctional officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) working at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman) in Sumter County. Between December 18, 2023, and September 4, 2024, Smith received bribes to smuggle contraband into FCC Coleman for inmates. In total, Smith received $43,901 in bribes.
On September 4, 2024, BOP staff stopped Smith when he reported to work at FCC Coleman. They found 668.1 grams of marijuana and other substances containing approximately 90 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on Smith’s person, hidden within his duty vest. Smith was smuggling this contraband into the facility with the intent to distribute it to federal prisoners in exchange for monetary payments.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cornelius Green, age 37, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 27, 2025, to 60 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Green previously pleaded guilty to possessing a Kel-Tec, Model RFB 18, caliber .308 semi-automatic rifle, which had been shipped or transported in interstate commerce, knowing that he had previously been convicted by a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Judge Mariani ordered the five-year sentence to run consecutive to an early seven-year sentence of imprisonment previously imposed for Green’s brandishing of a firearm in relation to a robbery.
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.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Schuylkill Haven Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
HARRISBURG– The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Latika Rainey, age 35, of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 19, 2025, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment charges Rainey for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, cocaine, and marijuana between February 26, 2023 and March 1, 2023. The indictment further charges Rainey for distributing cocaine, as well as possessing with intent to distribute cocaine base, cocaine, and marijuana on March 1, 2023.
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.
The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police – Organized Crime Vice Control Unit, the Harrisburg Bureau of Police – Street Crimes Unit, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalties under federal law for the indicted offenses are 100 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release after imprisonment, a fine, and a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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