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Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Further person charged with murder of Jason Romeo in Clapton

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A further person has been charged with the murder of 20-year-old Jason Romeo who died following a stabbing in Clapton.

    Renaldo Roberts – 25 (20.02.99) of Hobbs Place Estate, E1 will appear in custody at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 27 February charged with murder. He was arrested on Tuesday, 25 February.

    Three other men have been charged with Jason’s murder.

    Raynolph Asante, 22 (13.03.02) of Pembury Road, Hackney, Travis Mitchell, 22 (23.07.02) of Bodney Road, Hackney and Rhamyah Bailey-Edwards, 21 (21.08.03) of Williams Avenue, Walthamstow have been charged with murder and appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 24 February. They have been remanded in custody to next appear at the Old Bailey on 3 November.

    Detectives have also made a further arrest. A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Wednesday, 26 February and remains in custody.

    Another 19-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder on Tuesday, 25 February has been bailed pending further enquiries.

    An investigation was launched after Jason died after being stabbed outside an address in Bodney Road, E5 at 17:59hrs on Tuesday, 18 February. Enquiries remain ongoing.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote American Businesses in Competition with China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced bipartisan legislation to help American businesses compete with Communist China. The Strengthening Exports Against China Act would incentivize economic growth by eliminating barriers for American businesses competing directly with China in emerging industries like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Companion legislation has been introduced in the House by Representatives Young Kim (R-Calif.) and Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio).
    “The Chinese Communist Party provides massive subsidies and financing for businesses in emerging industries. To remain competitive, the United States needs to do more to support innovative businesses here at home,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “My bipartisan legislation will support more American businesses directly competing with China to help them make breakthroughs in AI, critical mineral mining and processing, and other transformational areas.”
    “It’s time for fair competition on the global stage,” said Senator Rounds. “We must level the playing field for U.S. exporters when they’re up against firms backed by the Chinese Communist Party’s opaque financing. The Strengthening Exports Against China Act would allow the Export Import Bank to increase export financing and insurance support to U.S. firms that export products in direct competition with China.”
    The Export-Import Bank (EXIM) creates American jobs by promoting and financing exports. The China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP) was established on a bipartisan basis in 2019 to counter Chinese export subsidies and financing while advancing U.S. innovation and export competitiveness in 10 Transformation Export Areas, including AI, 5G, energy efficiency, and semiconductors. Unfortunately, the CTEP is struggling to scale up due to the rules governing EXIM financing. Under current law, if EXIM projects reach or exceed a two percent default rate, the Bank must immediately freeze all lending. This default rate cap poses a significant challenge to EXIM’s ability to support U.S. exporters in emerging, less established fields. The Strengthening Exports Against China Act would eliminate the default rate cap for exporters covered by the CTEP program to help them better compete directly with PRC rivals.
    The full text of the legislation can be found here.
    Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts in Congress to strengthen our national security and supply chains. She has consistently blocked burdensome taxes on mining and wrote important provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bolster Nevada’s critical mineral supply chain. She’s also introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the domestic supply chain for rare-earth magnets, which are critical components of cell phones, computers, defense systems, and electric vehicles, but are almost exclusively made in China.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI and SSA OIG Charge Decades-Long Fugitive with Fraud Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A fugitive wanted for over four decades on attempted first-degree murder charges was apprehended in Weed, New Mexico, on February 19, 2025, following an investigation that uncovered his decades-long use of a deceased man’s identity to evade authorities and fraudulently obtain government benefits.

    According to court documents, Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, allegedly assumed the identity of Walter Lee Coffman, who died in 1975 at the age of 22. Coffman had graduated from the University of Arkansas just two months before his death. University records showed Campbell attended the same institution during that period, where both he and Coffman pursued engineering degrees, suggesting a likely connection between the two.

    It is alleged that Campbell first applied for a passport under Coffman’s name in 1984 and renewed it multiple times, always providing a photograph of himself and his current address.

    Campbell also obtained a replacement Social Security card in Coffman’s name in 1995, using an Oklahoma driver’s license in Coffman’s name.

    In approximately 2003, Campbell relocated to Weed, New Mexico where he allegedly purchased property in Coffman’s name. Campbell continued renewing the fraudulent passport under Coffman’s name in 2005 and 2015. Each time, he submitted an updated photograph and listed his current address in Weed, New Mexico.

    The scheme began to unravel when, in September 2019, Campbell visited the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department in Cloudcroft, presenting fraudulent documents to renew his driver’s license. He submitted a previously issued New Mexico driver’s license with his photograph bearing the name “Walter L Coffman,” Coffman’s birthdate, and a Weed, New Mexico address. Campbell also provided a Social Security card and a U.S. passport, both in Coffman’s name.

    After a renewed New Mexico license was issued to Campbell under Coffman’s name, agents from the National Passport Center’s Fraud Prevention Unit discovered Coffman’s death and the suspected decades-long fraudulent use of his identity.

    The resulting investigation revealed that Campbell allegedly applied for and was awarded Social Security Title II Retirement Insurance Benefits under Coffman’s identity. As a result of the alleged scheme, Campbell is suspected of receiving approximately $140,000 in U.S. government funds administered by the Social Security Administration in Coffman’s name.

    Investigators uncovered that Campbell was arrested in Wyoming in 1982 for attempted first degree murder. He allegedly planted an explosive device at the doorstep of his estranged wife’s boyfriend. When his wife opened the toolbox containing the bomb, it exploded, causing her to lose a finger and suffer other injuries. The blast also set fire to the residence and a neighboring unit. Campbell was reportedly released on bond in 1983 but failed to appear in court, resulting in an active warrant for Attempted First Degree Murder.

    On February 14, 2025, authorities obtained warrants to arrest Campbell for and search the 44-acre property in Weed, New Mexico registered under Coffman’s name. The arrest operation involved a coordinated effort by multiple law enforcement agencies.

    During the arrest, Campbell allegedly greeted law enforcement armed with a scoped rifle, positioning himself in an elevated, partially concealed spot.

    After repeated orders and the deployment of flashbangs, Campbell emerged from the wood line and was detained. When recovered, the rifle was loaded with high-powered ammunition capable of piercing standard body armor and ready to fire, with the scope caps flipped open, the selector lever set to fire, and a round chambered.

    After Campbell‘s arrest, agents fingerprinted him, confirming his true identity and fugitive status, including the active attempted first-degree murder warrant from Wyoming. Prior to his arrest, Campbell had remained on the United States Marshals Most Wanted List for over four decades.

    A subsequent search of the property yielded 57 firearms and large quantities of ammunition. As a fugitive, Campbell is prohibited from possessing firearms.

    Campbell was charged by criminal complaint with misuse of a passport and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charge, Campbell faces up to 10 years in prison.

    Law enforcement officials are conducting a thorough review of evidence collected during the execution of a search warrant at the subject’s residence. Based on these findings, investigators are evaluating the possibility of additional charges.

    Following Campbell’s arrest, the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office in Green River, Wyoming, notified the U.S. Marshals and requested a detainer be placed on him in connection with the pending attempted first-degree murder charges.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin, Special Agent in Charge of the SSA OIG Jason Albers and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    This case was co-investigated by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. It was originally initiated by the Diplomatic Security’s El Paso Resident Office and the National Passport Center’s Fraud Prevention Unit. Enforcement assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, as well as the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clara Nevarez Cobos.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Big corporations are getting away with catastrophic air pollution – putting Canadians at risk

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By David R Boyd, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights & environment and Associate Professor of Law, Policy and Sustainability, University of British Columbia

    Penalties imposed on corporate polluters in Canada are often extremely lenient. (Dennis MacDonald/ Shutterstock)

    Millions of kilograms of toxic pollutants, over 17,000 deaths annually and environmental laws that aren’t being diligently enforced. This is the troubling picture that emerged when we, a group of environmental researchers, investigated trends in air pollution enforcement in Canada.

    Federal and provincial governments share responsibility for regulating air pollution. However, environmental laws and regulations are only useful if they’re properly enforced. Our research shows Canada needs to take greater action in enforcing the widely endorsed “polluter pays” principle for air pollution. According to this principle, those who produce pollution should pay for cleaning up any environmental damage.

    We built a publicly-available dataset in Canada of air pollution enforcement actions. We scoured all available sources, creating a database of more than 2,200 enforcement actions that took place between 2000 and 2020 from eight provinces as well as the federal government. This helped us identify patterns in the way air pollution laws were being enforced.

    Broken rules

    One of the disappointing patterns we saw is that the majority of enforcement actions in our dataset — 63 per cent — were against individuals for offences such as illegal campfires. Meanwhile, only one-third of enforcement actions were brought against companies — including those that had dumped vast volumes of toxic substances into Canada’s air, or caused catastrophic emissions offences (such as the Toronto Sunrise Propane explosion).

    Even in the uncommon cases where rules were enforced against large corporations, the penalties imposed were extremely lenient. These penalties amounted to barely a slap on the wrist for repeat industrial polluters.

    For example, the mining corporation Rio Tinto was fined $150,000 in Québec for breaking air pollution laws in 2013. This fine equated to only 0.00023 per cent of the company’s annual revenue. To put this into perspective, if a Canadian family earning the average income of $62,900 after taxes was given a 0.00023 per cent fine, this would equate to $14.47.

    It’s not surprising, then, that this company would go on to violate air pollution laws again less than one month later. They also violated these laws again in 2016 and 2019.

    Even the relatively small fine of $150,000 is well above the median fine for industrial air polluters. According to our study, fines ranged from $2,500 to $10,000 for most types of offences — including excess emissions or violating an environmental standard. This is less than some people would be fined for driving with a suspended licence. These fines are less than one per cent of the maximum penalties permitted by law for environmental offences — which range up to $12 million.

    Another concerning pattern our study revealed is that some large industrial polluters are repeat offenders. While government policies indicate there should be increasingly strict enforcement applied in these cases, this doesn’t appear to be the general practice. Instead, chronic law-breakers tended to receive multiple warning letters — not increasingly large fines or prosecutions.

    For instance, over the last five years, four provincial orders were reportedly issued against INEOS — one of the world’s largest chemical production companies. These orders were issued so the company would address its benzene emissions. This toxic chemical is linked with cancer.

    Following federal and provincial orders to reduce benzene emissions in 2024, INEOS decided to close the offending facility. The company was never fined for its toxic pollution.

    Enforcement actions don’t seem to be taking into account the way human and environmental health are jeopardized by industrial air pollution. Vulnerable or marginalized groups who live near large industrial facilities are particularly at risk of harm.

    We found that on average, businesses were generally fined less for committing an actual pollution violation — such as illegally dumping large quantities of contaminants into the air — than they were for failing to notify an enforcement agency that they’d committed a violation.

    Improving environmental enforcement

    Canadian enforcement agencies are failing to properly hold high-risk offenders and repeat offenders to account.

    But positive change is possible. Going forward, there are three key actions enforcement agencies should take:

    • Increased penalties: Polluters should pay for their pollution. The consequences of breaking the law should be proportional to the risks to public health and the environment. Substantial mandatory minimum fines should replace the current practice of warning letters and grossly inadequate tickets or fines.

    • Transparency: The public should have access to environmental information through standardized data on air pollution violations. This information should include who committed the violation, the details and location of what occurred and what was done about it. Ideally, the federal government would co-ordinate and publish all environmental enforcement data from across provinces the same way it publishes a national inventory of industrial pollutant releases.

    • Focus on high-risk offenses: The focus of enforcement actions should be on high-risk offenders, such as super-polluters (businesses that produce disproportionate volumes of air pollution relative to their competitors), repeat offenders and inter-provincial offenders.

    By properly enforcing environmental regulations, Canada can protect the public from the perils of poor air quality. This would also be a vital step towards realizing everyone’s right to a healthy environment — a right that was recently recognized in an amendment to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

    This story was co-authored by Claire Ewing, Senior Climate Action Specialist, who completed her Master’s of Science in Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia in 2021.

    David R Boyd receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Amanda Giang receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and Environment and Climate Change Canada.

    – ref. Big corporations are getting away with catastrophic air pollution – putting Canadians at risk – https://theconversation.com/big-corporations-are-getting-away-with-catastrophic-air-pollution-putting-canadians-at-risk-250013

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death Case

    Source: US State of California

    A Delaware corporation with a manufacturing facility in Ohio pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to a charge of willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule. The criminal charge is related to an incident where an employee was killed when a pneumatic door closed on his head.

    Fabcon Precast LLC (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, 20, 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.

    Federal law makes it a class B misdemeanor to willfully fail to follow an OSHA safety standard, where the failure causes the death of an employee. The class B misdemeanor is the only federal criminal charge covering such workplace safety violations.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, and Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Megan Howell of the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Great Lakes Region, made the announcement.

    The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Cullman, of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and for the Southern District of Ohio respectively, prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Shoplifter faces the lights and sirens

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Routine patrolling in Avondale has bagged a prolific shoplifter.

    Late on Tuesday night, a frontline unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle sought by Police on Blockhouse Bay Road.

    “It was around 11.43pm, when staff were carrying out prevention patrolling in the area,” Auckland City West Area Commander, Inspector Alisse Robertson says.

    “The vehicle was stopped as its registered owner was sought by Police.

    “The man was not the registered owner but after speaking with the driver further, his identity was established.”

    Inspector Robertson says the man had numerous warrants for his arrest over dishonesty offending, including shoplifting.

    “The man was a person of interest to our National Retail Investigation Support Unit.

    “He was arrested on the roadside, and while he was being spoken to Police observed methamphetamine inside the vehicle.”

    Police have since charged the man with more than 20 shoplifting offences, along with possession of methamphetamine.

    “We will allege he was responding for offending at retail stores right across the city, with nearly $10,000 in offending since September,” Inspector Robertson says.

    The 34-year-old man has appeared in the Auckland District Court and will reappear on 19 March.

    “This is a great outcome from our staff and is another example of the work going into targeting recidivist retail crime offenders.”

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Kentucky Businesses, Nonprofits and Residents Affected by February Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON – In response to a Presidential disaster declaration issued Feb. 24, 2025, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for Kentucky businesses, nonprofits, and residents affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides occurring Feb. 14.  

    Under this declaration, the primary counties of Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry and Pike are eligible for both Physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA EIDLs: Bell, Estill, Jackson, Johnson, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Leslie, Magoffin, Powell and Wolfe, as well as Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee and Wise in Virginia; and Mingo and Wayne in West Virginia.

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.    

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.    

    Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.    

    SBA’s EIDL program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for PNPs, and 2.563% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms, based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Beginning Thursday, Feb. 27, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Perry County to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov. The BRC hours of operation are listed below:

    Business Recovery Center (BRC) 
    Perry County

    Hazard Community and Technical College Jolly Classroom Center

    1 Community College Drive

    Hazard, Kentucky 41701

    Opening:  Thursday, Feb. 27, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    Hours: Monday – Friday – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    Closed: Sunday

    Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.

    With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover.  FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition.  

    To apply online, visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.  

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is April 25, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Nov. 24, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death Case

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Delaware corporation with a manufacturing facility in Ohio pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to a charge of willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule. The criminal charge is related to an incident where an employee was killed when a pneumatic door closed on his head.

    Fabcon Precast LLC (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, 20, 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.

    Federal law makes it a class B misdemeanor to willfully fail to follow an OSHA safety standard, where the failure causes the death of an employee. The class B misdemeanor is the only federal criminal charge covering such workplace safety violations.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, and Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Megan Howell of the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Great Lakes Region, made the announcement.

    The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Cullman, of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and for the Southern District of Ohio respectively, prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sex Predator Sentenced to 15 Years for Sexually Abusing a Minor Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Damon Michael Dozier, 41, for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Dozier imprisoned for 180 months, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender.

    In June 2023, Dozier took a minor child behind a shopping mall to engage in sexually explicit activity. Dozier admitted that he knew the child was only 13 years old.

    Dozier is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Scaife and Steve Briden prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Missoula credit union employee sentenced to prison for embezzling $389,000 by swapping real money for fake currency

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MISSOULA — A former Missoula credit union employee who admitted to embezzling approximately $389,000 from the vault by swapping real money with fake funds was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $389,000 restitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said.

    The defendant, Edward Arthur Nurse, 35, of Missoula, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to an indictment charging him with theft from a credit union.

    U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court also sentenced Nurse to six months of home confinement and to perform 600 hours of community service. The court allowed Nurse to self-report to prison.

    In court documents, the government alleged that from about July 2023 to June 2024, Nurse embezzled from his employer, Park Side Credit Union in Missoula. In June 2024, an employee discovered $340,000 in cash in the credit union’s vault had been replaced with fake funds from a company that provides fake currency as props for movies and entertainment productions. Nurse used his position as “team lead” for the vault to swap the credit union’s cash with fake money he purchased specifically for this purpose. Nurse hid his conduct from security cameras, auditors and his colleagues by putting real money at the front and back of bundles of fake money. Nurse made multiple purchases of fake money and stole the real cash from his work at different times over a seven-month period.

    After the credit union discovered the thefts, Nurse claimed to an FBI special agent that he did not usually carry much cash and, aside from a vacation to Las Vegas, Nevada, he had not made any recent large purchases or cash deposits. However, records show that Nurse made at least nine cash deposits of over $10,000 each in 2024 into his personal account.  The investigation also determined that during the first six months of 2024, Nurse had purchased $410,000 in fake currency from a prop money company. The credit union was later informed that approximately $50,000 in fake money had been received by the Federal Reserve in July 2024. Those funds were returned and determined to be fake bills from the prop money company.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, with assistance from the Missoula Police Department, conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Man Indicted for Violations of Federal Controlled Substances Act, Federal Gun Control Act, and Reentry of Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on February 14, 2025, MIGUEL ANGEL SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ (“SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ”), age 37, was indicted for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in Count One of the indictment, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in Count Two, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon in Count Three and, reentry of a removed alien in Count Four, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c),924(a)(2), 922(g), and Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a), and 1326(b)(2), respectively.

    According to the indictment, on or about January 29, 2025 SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ  possessed a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine; possessed a firearm, a Taurus Model G2C, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; knowingly, unlawfully possessed a firearm, having been previously convicted of a felony in the State of Mississippi, and was officially deported and removed from the United States on or about July 9, 2010.

    If convicted of Count One, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ faces up to twenty years imprisonment , a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  If convicted of Count Two, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ faces a minimum term of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release.  If convicted of Count Three, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ faces up to fifteen years imprisonment , a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count Four, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ faces  up to twenty years imprisonment , a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release.  As to each count, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Border Patrol, Kenner Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Gretna Major Crimes Task Force.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ten Time Convicted Felon and Sureno “Mexican Pride” Gang Member Indicted for Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Ammunition After High-Speed Chase

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richland, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced today that on February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment for Victor Amezcua-Garcia with Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Amezcua-Garcia was arraigned on February 25, 2025, at the U.S. District Court in Richland, Washington.

    According to Pasco Police, Amezcua-Garcia was on Washington State Department of Corrections supervision with an active felony warrant for escape and the Pasco Police Department had probable cause to arrest Amezcua-Garcia for a series of armed robberies and shootings in Pasco.

    Knowing Amezcua-Garcia to be an active Sureno gang member with the set “Mexican Pride”, on January 24, 2025, Detectives with the Pasco Police Department contacted Amezcua-Garcia by phone pretending to be a rival gang member and arranged a time and location to meet up that day to “fight”.  Amezcua-Garcia and another Sureno gang member arrived at the agreed location in a stolen vehicle.  They were both seated low in the vehicle and their faces covered by bandanas.

    After Amezcua-Garcia was positively identified, a traffic stop was attempted; however, Amezcua-Garcia fled, attempting to elude law enforcement, and traveling at very high rates of speed through several Pasco residential neighborhoods before Pasco Police were able to safely perform a “pit” maneuver, bringing Amezcua-Garcia’s vehicle to a stop. Amezcua-Garcia and his passenger attempted to flee on foot; however, Pasco Police were able to block in the vehicle to prevent the escape.  In plain view in the vehicle, Pasco Police observed a loaded, and chambered, firearm which had Sureno gang indica carved into it.  A search of Amezcua-Garcia’s person revealed the same caliber ammunition in his pocket.

    “I am honored to work with such brave federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement officers, who frequently are called upon to put themselves in harm’s way to protect Eastern Washington communities,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker. “I also am honored to lead an office with such talented attorneys and support staff. I stand in awe of their professionalism and dedication to ensuring justice in Eastern Washington.”

    This case is being investigated by the ATF, Washington Department of Corrections, and Pasco Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard is prosecuting the case.

    4:25-cr-06006-MKD

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

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Opening Statement on DOJ Nominees John Sauer, Harmeet Dhillon and Aaron Reitz

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    Opening Statement by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
    Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee
    Wednesday, February 26, 2025
    Good morning. I’d like to welcome everyone to this hearing to consider the nominations of John Sauer to serve as the Solicitor General, Harmeet Dhillon to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division and Aaron Reitz to serve as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy.
    Before I turn to my opening statement, I’ll explain how we’re going to proceed today.
    I’ll give my opening remarks, and then I’ll invite Ranking Member Durbin to give opening remarks. Then, I’ll call on Senators Lee, Cruz, Hawley and Schmitt to introduce the nominees. After that, the nominees will have a chance to give an opening statement to the Committee. 
    Following the statements from the nominees, we’ll proceed to a single, five-minute round of questions. I ask Members to do their best to adhere to these time limits, so that we can proceed efficiently with the hearing.
    With that, I’ll turn to my opening remarks.
    Our three nominees have been tapped to serve in important roles in the Department of Justice. Congratulations on your nominations. If confirmed, your work will impact the lives of millions of Americans.
    Each of you has impressive qualifications, and we’re looking forward to hearing from you. I’d like to thank your family and friends for coming today. I know they’re all very proud of you.
    I’ve said many times that the Department of Justice is at an inflection point. Over the last four years, public trust in the Department has declined, and many Americans feel like the justice system doesn’t work for them.
    If confirmed, we expect you to work with Attorney General Pam Bondi to fulfill her promise to turn things around.
    Mr. Sauer, you’re particularly well suited to serve as the nation’s chief appellate lawyer. You started your career clerking for Justice Scalia, one of the legal giants of our time. Justice Scalia spent his life teaching lawyers to faithfully interpret the law and Constitution according to its original meaning. I’ve no doubt that you learned this lesson well.
    After clerking and a stint in private practice, you left D.C. behind to go home and serve as an Assistant United States Attorney in Missouri. You worked diligently to prosecute criminals and to keep your community safe. 
    In 2017, you joined the Missouri Attorney General’s Office as the Solicitor General, where you served under two members of this Committee, Senator Hawley and Senator Schmitt.  Serving as a state’s chief appellate officer during the COVID pandemic and across two presidential administrations undoubtedly prepared you for the role you will walk into if you are confirmed. 
    There’s a lot of work to be done defending our nation’s laws, and I know you’re prepared to take it on.
    Ms. Dhillon, you’re one of the nation’s foremost experts on civil rights. Your journey started a long way from here, when your family immigrated from India. You went to Dartmouth at the tender age of 16, and then went to law school at the University of Virginia.
    Throughout your career, you’ve never shied away from unpopular but just causes. You served as the Director of an ACLU chapter after 9/11, a group many on my side are often skeptical of. You also started your own law firm and founded a non-profit. You’ve litigated some of the most important cases on free speech, religious liberty, voting rights and discrimination.
    Discrimination is wrong. Our Constitution and our civil rights laws do not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, as the Supreme Court recently made clear in the Students for Fair Admissions cases.
    Unfortunately, the Biden administration not only allowed discrimination to take place, but openly encouraged it. Under the name of “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” the Biden administration imposed a nationwide regime of discrimination, and the Civil Rights Division completely failed to enforce our nation’s laws. President Trump has put an end to this and, if confirmed, I trust that you’ll work to help him execute on his promise.
    Americans don’t pick winners and losers based on the color of their skin, their sex or the name of their God.
    Ms. Dhillon, you’ve fought for everyone to be treated equally. You fought against colleges shutting down free speech for political reasons, against states restricting freedom of worship and against big tech companies engaged in censorship. You’ve won many victories defending freedom and our constitutional rights. If confirmed, we’ll need your continued leadership to protect the civil rights of all Americans.
    Our side of the aisle doesn’t spend much time talking about people’s personal characteristics. We care about character and merit. But in addition to your qualifications, your background makes you particularly suited to return the Justice Department to its proper role of enforcing our civil rights laws and ending discrimination.
    You’re an immigrant, a religious minority, a woman, a business owner, a civil rights leader, an accomplished lawyer, and, I’ve learned, an excellent knitter. You’re an example of what is great about America.
    Mr. Reitz, you have an impressive and dedicated career of service to our country. You attended college at Texas A&M University on an ROTC Scholarship and honorably served our country as a United States Marine, including a tour in Afghanistan.
    Upon your return from Afghanistan, you attended law school at the University of Texas, where you excelled.
    After a time in private practice, you decided to serve your country again. You clerked for the now-Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Then you ran for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives and campaigned on issues that you believed in. You continued gaining legal experience during this time in private practice.
    You eventually joined the Office of the Attorney General of Texas as Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy. In that role, you were involved in some of the office’s most impactful litigation during the Biden administration. You fought to secure the border, hold Big Tech accountable, protect the integrity of the ballot box and promote conservative social values.
    Today, you continue to serve Texas and your country as a member of Senator Cruz’s staff. You are currently his Chief of Staff, and I think I won’t offend my colleague when I say that this is no easy job. This is particularly true because you continue to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve, where you actively drill with your unit and hold the rank of Major. Your relentless work ethic and love of country are obvious.
    In short, the three nominees before us have impressive careers and life stories. I look forward to hearing from them today.
    With that, I’ll turn to Ranking Member Durbin for his opening remarks.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collected More Than $100 Million in Civil, Criminal, and Asset Forfeiture Actions in Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois collected more than $100 million in criminal, civil, and asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2024, Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced today.

    The 2024 collections included approximately $23.9 million in criminal actions, $6.4 million in civil actions, and $70.4 million in asset forfeiture actions.  Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and Department of Justice components across the country to collect another $62.2 million in cases pursued jointly with those offices.

    “Our attorneys and staff place a high priority on recovering funds for the federal treasury and victims of federal crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual.  “Our office will continue to responsibly safeguard taxpayer resources while delivering a valuable return to the citizens of our district.”

    U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Justice Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  Federal law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund, which then distributes the money to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.J. Res. 35, a joint resolution providing for Congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions”

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.J. Res. 35 would disapprove a final rule published by the Environmental Protection Agency in November 2024 that implemented a requirement in the 2022 reconciliation act (Public Law 117-169). The rule detailed how the agency would collect fees from certain energy-related facilities whose methane emissions exceed a threshold specified by law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Urges States to Comply with Federal Law by Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi issued letters to officials in California, Maine, and Minnesota warning them to comply with federal antidiscrimination laws that require them to keep men out of women’s sports.

    “This Department of Justice will defend women and does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law and President Trump’s executive order protecting women’s sports.”

    As President Trump’s recent executive order on this subject explains, allowing men and boys to compete in women’s and girls’ sports “is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls.” The practice is also illegal under federal law: it denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports, in violation of Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Urges States to Comply with Federal Law by Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi issued letters to officials in California, Maine, and Minnesota warning them to comply with federal antidiscrimination laws that require them to keep men out of women’s sports.

    “This Department of Justice will defend women and does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law and President Trump’s executive order protecting women’s sports.”

    As President Trump’s recent executive order on this subject explains, allowing men and boys to compete in women’s and girls’ sports “is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls.” The practice is also illegal under federal law: it denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports, in violation of Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill Enhancing Mental Health Support for First Responders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Wednesday, February 26, 2025

    U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) reintroduced the bipartisan First Responders Wellness Act. The legislation would establish a national mental health hotline for first responders in addition to expanding mental health services for those on the frontlines of major disasters.

    “Congress should prioritize the wellbeing of those first on the scene of life’s crises. That starts with investing in the health and safety of our police officers, firefighters, and EMTs,” said Senator Hawley. “This bipartisan legislation would provide first responders with the mental health tools they need to cope with past trauma and the resources necessary to support them in their jobs.”

    “Police officers, firefighters, and EMTs face unique stressors, and as a result, they are at high risk of developing PTSD and other mental health problems,” said Senator Gillibrand. “We owe it to our first responders to do more to help. I am introducing bipartisan legislation to establish a mental health hotline specifically tailored to the needs of first responders and staffed by peer specialists and counselors who have an understanding of the occupational stressors experienced by first responders and have completed trauma-informed training. The bill would also expand professional mental health services for first responders during times of major disasters. I am proud to be introducing this legislation with Senator Hawley and hope to get it passed soon.”

    First responders—including our men and women in blue, firefighters, EMS personnel, and public safety telecommunicators—face higher rates of PTSD than civilians. 

    To address this, the First Responders Wellness Act would:

    • Amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to develop a professional program to provide confidential and independent mental health services to law enforcement officers.
    • Increase the number of mental health service providers available to law enforcement officers.
    • Establish a first responders mental health hotline to provide peer and emotional support, information, brief intervention, and mental or behavioral health and substance use disorder resources.
    • Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit an annual report to Congress on the hotline and its implementation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK urges Russia to respect the Geneva Conventions and ensure the humane treatment of Prisoners of War: UK statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    UK urges Russia to respect the Geneva Conventions and ensure the humane treatment of Prisoners of War: UK statement to the OSCE

    UK Counsellor, Ankur Narayan, cites multiple independently-verified sources documenting Russia’s widespread use of torture against Ukrainian prisoners of war, a clear violation of its obligations under the Geneva Conventions.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.  This month marked eleven years since Russia began its illegal annexation of Crimea.  Earlier this week marked three years since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, enabled by Belarus.  Each week, this Forum has executed its mandate by recording the related breaches of OSCE commitments and violations of international law.

    At last month’s FSC Opening Session, the Russian Delegation called on us to “create favourable conditions for the fulfilment of the [FSC’s] mandate … including the Code of Conduct”.  We agree.

    As Russia knows, paragraphs 30, 31 and 34 of the Code of Conduct compel States to ensure that their armed and security forces abide by international law.  As Russia knows, Paragraph 34 explicitly references the Hague Conventions and the Geneva Conventions.  As Russia knows, I will only cite independently-verified, internationally-respected sources.

    Mandate after mandate, the UN has consistently reported that the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russian authorities is widespread and systematic.  In recent months, assessments have only worsened.  The Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has concluded that Russia’s use of torture against POWs and civilian detainees amounts to “crimes against humanity”.

    The OHCHR continued to document the “widespread use of torture and ill-treatment”, including sexual violence, against civilians and Ukrainian prisoners of war held by the Russian Federation. The OHCHR also documented the continued efforts of family members to obtain information about the fate and whereabouts of civilian detainees and POWs in captivity.

    Mr Chair, Russia must abide by its Geneva Convention obligations.  This means it must treat all civilian detainees and prisoners of war humanely.  It must also allow immediate unimpeded access by the ICRC.

    The UK condemns Russia’s exploitation of Prisoners of War for political and propaganda purposes. We are deeply concerned that Russia has detained two British nationals Mr James Anderson and Mr Hayden Davies on false charges of so-called mercenaryism. They are not mercenaries. They are Prisoners of War. Ukraine has confirmed that both are members of Ukrainian Armed Forces. They must be provided all the rights and protections afforded to Prisoners of War under the Geneva Conventions. We demand Russia respects its obligations under International Law.

    The Code of Conduct commits us to act in solidarity if OSCE norms and commitments are violated.  As catalogued by the OSCE Moscow Mechanisms, ODIHR and UN, there is irrefutable independent evidence of Russia violating international law, including international humanitarian law.  As per paragraph 1 of the Code, such breaches are a “direct and legitimate” concern for us all.

    That is why we call on Russia to respect the Geneva Conventions and ensure the humane treatment of Prisoners of War.  That is why Russia must also release all civilians who have been arbitrarily detained – including the three Special Monitoring Mission staff.  Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 February 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    • UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals
    • Move to the UK if you’re coming from Ukraine
    • Homes for Ukraine: record your interest
    • Find out about the UK’s response

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Questions Michael Kratsios and Mark Meador at Nomination Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, questioned two of President Trump’s nominees: Mr. Michael Kratsios, nominated to be the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and Mr. Mark Meador, nominated to be a Federal Trade Commissioner.

    During the hearing, Senator Fischer asked Mr. Kratsios about emerging technologies and the Department of Defense’s essential role in shaping national spectrum policy, especially given its unique testing abilities for wireless technology. She also asked about the lessons learned from the America’s Mid-Band Initiative Team (AMBIT) spectrum auction.

    Additionally, Senator Fischer questioned Mr. Meador about how he would effectively use agency resources to uphold the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) mission. She emphasized the importance of the FTC’s coordination with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on enforcement efforts to protect consumers.

    Click the image above to watch a video of Senator Fischer’s questioning

    Click here to download audio

    Click here to download video

    On the DoD’s Cutting-Edge Spectrum Testing and Innovation:

    Senator Fischer: Mr. Kratsios, I welcome your enthusiasm for advancing American leadership on emerging technologies. As you know, OSTP is responsible for coordinating science and tech policy among federal agencies. 

    When you were the United States Chief Technology Officer, one of your focuses was advancing DoD’s unique testing abilities to drive innovation. And at the time, you stated that the Department of Defense is “at the forefront of cutting-edge 5G testing and experimentation.” Do you still believe that?

    Michael Kratsios: I do, yes.

    Senator Fischer:     And when it comes to 5G and other spectrum matters, do you believe that DOD testing should be faithfully integrated into a national spectrum policy?

    Michael Kratsios: Yes, DOD is a critical component of the spectrum strategy.

    On AMBIT:

    Senator Fischer: Previously, I understood you were involved with “America’s Mid-Band Initiative Team,” known as AMBIT, and you brought that up a couple times yesterday in our discussion. And so, I looked into it a little bit more to familiarize myself with it. That was an auction of mid-band spectrum held by DOD, and it was to make those licenses available to wireless companies. Is that correct?

    Michael Kratsios: Yes. 

    Senator Fischer: Did the AMBIT auction cause more congestion for defense systems operating in the lower 3 [GHz] band?

    Michael Kratsios:     In my opinion, I think AMBIT provided an opportunity for a technical analysis of that spectrum range and find a way to be able to still complete the national security mission by moving some of the workloads that were in the auction band to lower bands. 

    Senator Fischer:     So, they had to compress that band even more then in order to accommodate that into the lower 3. Is that correct?

    Michael Kratsios:     Yeah, so some of the activities that were in the band that ultimately were auctioned were moved down to lower bands.

    Senator Fischer:     I also understand that AMBIT struggled on the back end with major relocation costs from the defense systems that were displaced in that process of compressing them. Is that correct?

    Michael Kratsios:     I haven’t tracked the details of that since I left office, but there’s always transition costs associated with freeing up bands, typically.

    Senator Fischer: Are you familiar with any of the costs? Are those readily available, so we can access those? Do you know how that cut into the net revenue that was expected from the auction?

    Michael Kratsios:     I’m not familiar with those details, but I can try to see what’s publicly available.

    Senator Fischer: That would be great. 

    On Responsible FTC Enforcement:

    Senator Fischer:     Mr. Meador, over the years, the Federal Trade Commission has faced off in court against the deepening pockets of major corporations, especially when it comes to Big Tech. If confirmed, how would you prioritize litigation and effectively use agency resources in upholding the FTC mission?

    Mark Meador: That’s a very important topic. I will say the FTC staff have gotten very good at doing a lot with often much less. If confirmed, my first step will be to consult with the Chairman and the Commissioners and of course, the staff, who understand what challenges they are facing. What do we have on our docket and what resources do we have available? And then we’re collaborating with all of them to determine which cases are the highest priority to protect the largest number of consumers from the gravest threats. 

    On FTC Coordination with the Department of Justice: 

    Senator Fischer: It’s my understanding that at times there can be tension with that enforcement coordination with the Department of Justice. Do you have any comments on that? Or if that would occur, what would you do?

    Mark Meador: Sure, this is something that has happened frequently in the past. Some of it has unfortunately been very public. I’m confident that President Trump has selected leaders for this administration who can work very well together. I think it is of paramount importance that both agencies be singing from the same hymn sheet, be aligned on policy and enforcement decisions, and there should really be no daylight between them when it comes to how they’re enforcing the antitrust laws.

    I think anything is possible if you don’t care who gets the credit. And so, when it comes to merger clearance, we should be focusing on protecting consumers as fast as possible, not trying to get one up on the other agency.

    Senator Fischer: Thank you both for putting yourselves forward to serve in these very dangerous times that we live in. I really appreciate it and thank you to your families as well.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wausau Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Leading Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tommie L. Haney, 44, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced February 20 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 14 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of both methamphetamine and cocaine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Haney pleaded guilty to this charge on December 2, 2024.

    In February 2022, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking organization operating in Wausau, Wisconsin. The multi-year investigation involved the seizure of drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and seizures of firearms and large quantities of drugs from residence searches. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.

    Haney was identified as a local leader of the drug trafficking organization. He worked closely with sources of supply, he arranged bulk purchases, and he accompanied others traveling to obtain drugs. He also helped set drug prices and recruited additional members to the organization. Haney supplied and directed the activities of several regional drug distributors. He also distributed drugs himself. He sold 226 grams of methamphetamine on February 24, 2022, 29 grams of cocaine on January 19, 2023, and 115 grams of methamphetamine on March 16, 2023.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley said Haney was part of a substantial drug conspiracy that caused harm to the Wausau community. Judge Conley also said that the quantity of drugs involved in the case warranted a lengthy sentence.

    Eight others were also charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Teala L. Kumbera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced to 54 months in federal prison. Shandel L. Mohr was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison. Quo Vadis Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of both methamphetamine and cocaine and possessing firearms as a felon and was sentenced to 12 ½ years in federal prison. Shelby Gutch pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine on January 7, 2025, and entered into a 24-month diversion agreement. Troy C. Olsen was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison. Craig C. Gates was convicted of possessing cocaine intended for distribution and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 106 months in federal prison. Edwin Lewis and Samuel A. Teague have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months.

    The charges against Haney and the others in his organization were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.

    This case has also been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.

    In addition, this operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Stephenville — RCMP NL’s MCU searches home in Port au Port as part of injured snowmobiler investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP NL’s Major Crime Unit (MCU) is continuing its investigation into a snowmobiler who was left with serious injuries following an incident in Port au Port on February 21, 2025. Police executed a search warrant at a home in Port au Port yesterday.

    At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2025, Bay St. George RCMP responded to the report of an injured snowmobiler on Gravel’s Pond in Port au Port. The operator of the snowmobile fell from the machine after it came to a stop and sustained serious injuries that do not appear to be consistent with the fall from the snowmobile. The cause of the injury sustained remains under investigation by the RCMP MCU.

    Yesterday, February 25, 2025, as part of this investigation, a warrant to search a residential property, authorized under the Criminal Code, was obtained and executed by RCMP NL’s MCU at a home on Front Road in Port au Port West. A number of items were seized from the property.

    Police are continuing to ask for the public’s assistance, looking to speak with anyone who travelled along the isthmus, an area commonly known as the gravels, in Port au Port between the hours of 3:57 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. on Friday February 21, 2025. Motorists are asked to check for possible dash cam surveillance during that time and to provide the surveillance footage to police.

    The investigation is continuing. Anyone having information about the incident is asked to contact RCMP NL’s MCU by calling Bay St. George RCMP at 709-643-2118.

    Background:

    https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2025/rcmp-mcu-west-continues-investigation-injured-snowmobiler-port-au-port-seeks-publics

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Faith and Ethical Communities Unite to Champion Reparative Justice for Africans and People of African Descent

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 26, 2025/APO Group/ —

    In alignment with the African Union’s (AU) 2025 theme, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,” a two-day workshop will be held on February 27-28, 2025, at the Kuriftu Resort African Village and the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This initiative aims to address the enduring impacts of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, slavery, and colonization, while promoting healing and reparations for affected communities.

    Organized by SECAM (Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar), the AU Catholic Chaplaincy, HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light), COPAB (Pan African Conference on Ethics and Bioethics), IAPD-Africa (Interreligious Association for Peace and Development), URI (United Religions Initiative), and other key partners, in collaboration with the Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) of the African Union Commission, the workshop will gather AU officials, diplomats, religious leaders, scholars, human rights advocates, and policymakers to advance the AU’s reparations agenda.

    The Call for Reparative Justice

    For centuries, Africans and people of African descent have endured the consequences of historical injustices, including economic disenfranchisement, social marginalization, and psychological trauma. The legacies of slavery, colonization, apartheid, and genocide continue to impact communities today. Recognizing this, the AU is dedicated to addressing these issues through comprehensive policies, advocacy, and global engagement.

    Ghana, a leader in the reparations movement, has made significant contributions to this cause through initiatives like the 2019 “Year of Return.” This workshop aims to build on such efforts by amplifying the voices of faith-based and ethical organizations in the pursuit of justice.

    Workshop Agenda Highlights

    The two-day event will feature a diverse program, including keynote addresses, panel discussions, and faith-based perspectives on reparations.

    On Day 1 (February 27, 2025), the workshop will take place at the Kuriftu Resort African Village, beginning with a keynote address by Dr. Rita Bissoonauth, Head of the UNESCO Liaison Office to the African Union Commission (AUC) and Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). This will be followed by panel discussions featuring perspectives from African Traditional Religion, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, along with insights from diaspora and global faith leaders. A special session will focus on the ethical and moral imperatives of reparations, with contributions from HWPL, URI, All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), CIDO, and SECAM. An open forum will provide participants an opportunity for dialogue and policy recommendations, concluding with a dinner hosted by SECAM for all attendees.

    On Day 2 (February 28, 2025), the event will move to the African Union Commission. The agenda will include presentations on transgenerational trauma, genocide, and peace-building initiatives in Africa, as well as discussions on economic reparations, including microfinancing opportunities. International perspectives on advancing justice through reparations will also be explored. The event will conclude with the signing and presentation of the Addis Ababa Declaration on Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations, followed by closing remarks and commitments from participating organizations.

    Expected Outcomes

    The workshop seeks to enhance awareness of reparative justice within faith communities and the public. It aims to establish a coalition of faith-based and ethical organizations dedicated to this cause and to develop policy recommendations and an action roadmap in partnership with the African Union. Additionally, a formal commitment document supporting the AU’s 2025 reparations theme will be produced as an outcome of the workshop.

    A Unified Call to Action

    This workshop underscores the essential role of faith and ethical communities in shaping public opinion, influencing policy, and fostering reconciliation. By collaborating with the AU and global stakeholders, these organizations can play a transformative role in advancing justice and restitution for Africans and people of African descent.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: King County Man Who Dealt Narcotics on the Dark Web and Kept a Cache of Weapons at His RV Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Law enforcement was already investigating dark web drug trafficking when defendant was shot near Olallie State Park

    Seattle – A King County man, arrested after law enforcement discovered a drug lab and cache of firearms and explosives inside an RV near a state park, was sentenced today to eight years in prison for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a machinegun, and unlawful possession of destructive devices, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Braiden F. Wilson, 29, and his partner, 30- year-old Chandler B. Bennett were arrested following a May 12, 2024, shooting in rural King County.  At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, the crimes “were egregious… You distributed a large amount of drugs that cause a danger to our community.”

    “Mr. Wilson used the dark web to advertise his potentially deadly wares, shipping fentanyl pills across the country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “He further placed the lives of the community in danger by stockpiling a cache of weapons and explosives, which he stored adjacent to a state park frequented by the public.”

    According to records filed in the case, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) was investigating Wilson for dealing drugs on the dark web, when King County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the RV near Olallie State Park when Wilson was shot. The deputies noticed that the RV had surveillance cameras and asked to get access to the recorded video to identify the assailant. Bennett refused to allow law enforcement to enter the RV, so they sought a warrant from a King County Judge.

    When law enforcement entered the RV, they found a large cache of weapons as well as fentanyl powder, tablets containing fentanyl, and sundry items associated with the manufacture of tablets, including a manual pill press. Law enforcement located more than two and a half kilograms of fentanyl-laced pills. Law enforcement seized 16 firearms, body armor, silencers, and ballistic shields. They also found gun parts made from 3D printers – making them untraceable. There were multiple destructive devices and literature on the chemistry and manufacturing of explosives, as well as literature on how to convert firearms to fully automatic capability.

    Agents and officers also searched two storage units associated with Wilson and found two additional pill presses, more controlled substances, and mailing supplies. In all law enforcement seized more than two kilos of fentanyl-laced pills, nearly a kilo of fentanyl powder, and more than three kilos of methamphetamine. Computer and bank records reveal that Wilson distributed controlled substances via his dark web identity more than 2,000 times and he took in more than $287,000 in crypto currency.

    Wilson pleaded guilty in October 2024.

    Asking for an eight-year prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Wilson engaged in a comprehensive enterprise to distribute fentanyl-laced pills throughout the country by offering his products for sale on dark web 

    marketplaces…  He maintained a veritable armory while engaged in his drug distribution business. Inside the motorhomes Wilson shared with his co-defendant, investigators found an operable machinegun; silencers designed to muffle the report of a discharged firearm; a shotgun stored in a case designed to look like it carried a musical instrument; destructive devices commonly called pipe bombs; and materials to make more destructive devices.”

    “This is another example of great work by our patrol deputies, as they went above and beyond on a call that resulted in taking two dangerous criminals off the street,” said King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. “Additionally, I am so proud of the work done by our Gun Violence Reduction Unit.  That team was able to ensure the proper steps were taken in this investigation, and in partnership with several federal agencies, were able to hold these people accountable and ensure justice was served.”

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with assistance from the Washington State Patrol.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Sentencing of New York Man for Role in Scheme Defrauding Bernalillo County

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    strong>ALBUQUERQUE – A New York man was sentenced today in federal court for his role in a business email compromise scheme that defrauded Bernalillo County of over $447,000.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, Oscar Kipikirui Ngeno, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Kenya, was involved in a business email compromise scheme targeting the government of Bernalillo County, New Mexico. Between October and December 2019, while residing in New York on an immigrant visa, Ngeno allowed others to have access to his bank account, which was used for fraudulent transfers.

    The scheme involved a spoofed email sent to Bernalillo County, purportedly from a legitimate vendor, containing falsified payment information and a phone number controlled by Ngeno. As a result, the county transferred a total of $447,372.89 to Ngeno‘s account over several months.

    Ngeno became aware of the illegal nature of these transfers and the criminal origin of the funds in his account. On November 6, 2019, he used approximately $13,090.82 of the fraudulently obtained money to pay off a personal vehicle loan with Capital One Auto.

    On November 15, 2024, Ngeno pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, acknowledging his role in the scheme. Ngeno was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $15,000 to Bernalillo County.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Buffalo Field Office, the Rochester Resident Agency, Richmond FBI Field Office and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero to Step Down from the Commission and Retire from Federal Service

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    With the fulfillment of her term, and the nomination of Brian Quintenz to succeed her, Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero will step down from the Commission upon Mr. Quintenz’s confirmation, and retire from federal service.  Commissioner Goldsmith Romero said, “It’s been a tremendous privilege to serve in the federal government for 23 years.  Following my wonderful tenure at the SEC and as the Special Inspector General for TARP at the Department of the Treasury, it has been a joy to be a CFTC Commissioner and serve alongside my fellow Commissioners and the CFTC staff.  History has shown how sound regulation plays a critical role in U.S. financial markets being the envy of the world, and I am honored to have played a part in promoting U.S. markets and protecting investors and customers.” “I congratulate my friend and fellow Commissioner, Christy Goldsmith Romero, on her retirement from decades of dedicated federal service” said Acting Chairman Caroline Pham. “Throughout her distinguished career, she has worked tirelessly to protect the American public and address risks in banking and financial services. I have appreciated her notable accomplishments towards our shared goal of supporting the CFTC’s robust enforcement program—to hold those who break the law accountable and deter bad actors from causing harm to our markets. In particular, Christy has been a thought leader in combatting fraud and addressing cybersecurity in new technologies such as AI and blockchain as sponsor of the CFTC’s Technology Advisory Committee. I will miss her partnership and collegiality on the Commission.”Commissioner Goldsmith Romero is a well-regarded, trusted, and internationally recognized leader in financial regulation and oversight.  She has served as a Presidential appointee since 2012, was twice unanimously confirmed by the Senate, has testified before Congress 14 times, and was recently nominated to be the FDIC Chairman and Board Member.  Her work has received substantial media coverage, and she is a sought-after speaker.  Commissioner Goldsmith Romero led the CFTC during a time of expansion of derivatives markets and amid geopolitical uncertainty.  Her overriding priority has been to ensure that markets work well—that they remain vibrant, resilient and have integrity.  She has visited farmers, agricultural and energy providers, and critical mineral providers, and met with exchanges, trading platforms, clearing houses, banks and brokers.During her term, Commissioner Goldsmith Romero prioritized risk management, focusing on the Commission’s mission to promote market resilience.  Her work led to increased surveillance to ensure prices for food and fuel were not artificially increased by fraud or manipulation.  She led the drafting of the CFTC’s first proposed rule on cyber resilience for banks and brokers, which garnered a unanimous Commission vote.  She spoke about resilience to climate risk, given the impact of severe climate events on agricultural and energy markets. Commissioner Goldsmith Romero built on her career-long enforcement record of combating fraud and other illegality and of advancing investor and customer protection.  She changed the CFTC’s routine practice of settling all cases without requiring defendants to admit their misconduct and called for stricter penalties for recidivism and violations of anti-money laundering laws.  She proposed the creation of a National Financial Fraud Registry, and advocated that Congress define “retail customer” for derivatives markets.Commissioner Goldsmith Romero has been a leader at the CFTC on future of finance issues.  She promoted responsible innovation and competition in the CFTC’s regulation of trading of digital assets and engaged with technology innovators.  She sponsored the CFTC’s Technology Advisory Committee, to which she added technology experts in cryptocurrency, stablecoins, blockchain, digital identity, AI, fintech, and cybersecurity.  The committee examined emerging technology and cyber resilience and released first-of-its-kind reports on “Decentralized Finance” and “Responsible AI in Financial Markets.”Commissioner Goldsmith Romero was the first AANHPI lawyer to serve as a CFTC Commissioner and the first LGBTQIA+ Commissioner.  She thanks President Biden for her nomination, the U.S. Senate for its unanimous confirmation, and her current and former staff and CFTC for their outstanding public service.About Commissioner Goldsmith RomeroCommissioner Goldsmith Romero was sworn in as a CFTC Commissioner on March 30, 2022, after being nominated by President Biden and unanimously confirmed by the Senate.  In June 2024, President Biden nominated her to be the FDIC Chairman and Board Member (nomination returned by the Senate in January 2025).Prior to becoming a CFTC Commissioner, she served for 12 years at the Department of Treasury, including for a decade as the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), after being nominated by President Obama and unanimously confirmed by the Senate.  She continued to serve in that position throughout President Trump’s administration and the beginning of President Biden’s administration.  There, she led a nationwide law enforcement and audit watchdog office conducting oversight over TARP, the government’s response to the financial crisis that covered banks, derivatives, housing, the automotive industry and insurance.  She testified before Congress and served as a non-partisan Congressional resource on the U.S. financial system, the global financial crisis and TARP.  SIGTARP returned more than $11 billion to taxpayers and other victims, a 27 times return on investment.  SIGTARP developed a unique ability to find hidden fraud in banks.  SIGTARP investigations led to criminal charges against 465 defendants (including 75 bankers sentenced to prison and 121 homeowner scammers sentenced to prison), as well as civil charges by the DOJ, the SEC & others against 25 entities including large financial institutions.Commissioner Goldsmith Romero served for six years at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including as counsel to two SEC Chairs, Christopher Cox (R) and Mary Schapiro (I), after serving on the staff of the Enforcement Division.  She also was an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center teaching a class on the SEC and securities regulation, and at the University of Virginia Law School teaching classes on cryptocurrency regulation and federal oversight.  Prior to joining the SEC, she worked at national law firms including Jenner & Block, Snell and Wilmer, and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, and served a federal clerkship. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Crescent Township Resident Charged with Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant remains detained after searches also revealed more than 20 firearms and evidence of antisemitic and violent extremist ideologies

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Glenwillard, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The one-count Indictment named Aidan Harding, 20, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment and other information presented to the Court, on or about December 11, 2024, Harding possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, including videos containing the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors.

    On January 27, 2025, Harding was charged by criminal complaint and, at a February 12, 2025, detention hearing, ordered to be held without bond pending trial after the United States introduced evidence that Harding committed the charged offense and possessed additional materials depicting violent sexual assaults. In addition, in support of its contention that Harding presented an unacceptable danger to the community, the United States presented testimony and documentary evidence that Harding adhered to a racially-motivated violent extremist ideology, possessed more than 20 firearms, had targeted Pittsburgh’s Jewish community with antisemitic fliers, and made statements online about his interest in “political and revenge driven” mass casualty events, including references to the shooter who murdered 11 congregants at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. The evidence also established that Harding, who had been previously adjudicated delinquent for terroristic threats after discussing online his desire to commit a “high kill count” attack, possessed videos of mass shootings from the United States and other countries, and had filmed himself re-enacting the Columbine mass shooting at a memorial honoring the victims of that attack.

    The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

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

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Over $20 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina collected over $20 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, over $14 million was collected in criminal actions and over $6 million was collected in civil actions.

    Additionally, the Eastern District of North Carolina worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $27,680.71 in cases pursued jointly by these offices.

    The Eastern District of North Carolina’s successful collection efforts included the identification and recovery of over $800,000.00 transferred and concealed by criminal defendant Shephard Spruill, who participated in fraudulent billings to Medicaid by abusing his access to patient information.  In another example of successful enforcement, the Eastern District of North Carolina recovered over $500,000 from civil defendant Michael Robinson for amounts fraudulently obtained from farm assistance programs run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The recovery of funds fraudulently obtained from such government programs is vital for ensuring the preservation of important public resources.

    The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    The Eastern District of North Carolina also aggressively pursued criminal and civil asset forfeiture remedies to disgorge criminals of their ill-gotten gains and recover funds that can subsequently be remitted to the victims of financial crime.  Working with partner agencies and divisions, this office collected over two million in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

    In addition to those deposits, during Fiscal Year 2024, the Eastern District of North Carolina, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, seized and processed for forfeiture nearly $5 million in Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency that is alleged to be proceeds of cryptocurrency confidence investment schemes, a type of fraud scheme in which fraudsters develop romantic or other personal online relationships with a victim and then convince them to invest substantial sums of money through fake apps that are designed to look like legitimate cryptocurrency exchange apps, but instead  deceive the victim into believing that they are earning high rates of return on their investments while really funneling the cryptocurrency directly to the fraudsters’ personal wallets.  Even larger cryptocurrency seizures and forfeitures are anticipated and in progress in the coming year as law enforcement works aggressively to combat this devastating form of criminal activity.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rockford-Area Contractor Sent To Prison For Investment Scam

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

              LANSING – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge announced today that Matthew Mencarelli, 39, of Belmont, Michigan was sentenced to 97 months in prison for a wire fraud scheme in which he offered phony investments in nonexistent “fiber optic cable” and other infrastructure projects. He used the money to finance his lifestyle and make Ponzi-type payments to earlier investors. U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, who imposed the sentence, found Mencarelli responsible for causing $1,615,180 in loss to 15 victims of the scheme.    

              “Those who steal from others to line their own pockets will be held accountable,” Birge said. “We are committed to combatting financial fraud and white-collar crime and would like to thank the victims who came forward to report it.”

              “Today’s sentencing of Matthew Mencarelli sends a stern message that fraudulent investment schemes will not be tolerated in Michigan,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI remains committed to investigating and deterring financial fraud that harms our community. We appreciate the Grand Rapids Police Department for their invaluable partnership and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Michigan in bringing Mr. Mencarelli to justice.”

              Court records indicate that Mencarelli, who owned a contracting business called Matthew’s Woodworking LLC, began soliciting fictitious investments in 2018 when his business was suffering from financial difficulties and unsatisfied customers.  He approached friends and acquaintances from his family’s yacht club and county club and told them he had lucrative contracts with local governments in Traverse City to install fiber optic cable or other infrastructure projects.  He told them he needed money to maintain a “surety bond” in connection with the contracts and guaranteed high rates of return if the investors loaned him money. In truth, there were no such contracts and Mencarelli used the money instead to finance his lifestyle, pouring at least $400,000 into a custom-built home.  He also used payments from newer investors to pay off older investors. When it came time to pay investors back, he lied, bullied, and threatened them and manufactured false documents to maintain the charade.   

              The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two men convicted of murdering a man in Croydon.

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men have been convicted of murder as detectives appeal to the public for help to locate an outstanding suspect.

    David Walcott, 35 (18.08.89) of Turle Road, Norbury and Rammon Mali, 33 (08.12.91) of Valley Road, Croydon, were found guilty of the murder of Rijkaard Siafa on Wednesday, 26 February at the Old Bailey, following a five-week trial.

    Walcott was also found guilty of possession of an offensive weapon.

    A murder investigation was launched after police were called to reports of a man stabbed in Fellmongers Yard, Croydon on Friday, 12 April 2024.

    A number of members of the public attempted to provide first aid, before police, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance arrived at the scene. Sadly, despite their efforts, Rijkaard died at the scene only 30 minutes later.

    In court, Walcott and Mali claimed that they were present, but were not the ones who stabbed Rijkaard. However they were unanimously found guilty of murder by the jury.

    Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “Our thoughts very much remain with Rijkaard’s family and friends, who had to re-live the last traumatic moments of his young life during the trial after the defendants failed to take responsibility for their actions.

    “The defendants acted together, as a team. They had been looking for Rijkaard during the afternoon of Friday, 12 April and when they found him, they viscously attacked him. He didn’t stand a chance.”

    The court heard that on the day of the murder Rijkaard had been at a friend’s flat near Fellmongers Yard, before leaving to meet his partner. Only a few minutes after leaving the flat, he had been stabbed 13 times.

    After the attack, Walcott and Mali immediately fled the scene. They then went to a pub on nearby Katharine Street, where they ordered three pints of beer.

    As part of the investigation, officers viewed more than 100 hours of CCTV and were subsequently able to identify both Walcott and Mali.

    A fast-paced manhunt was launched and a few days later officers were able to track Walcott to an address on Lewin Road, SW16. He was arrested on Friday, 19 April 2024 and charged the following day.

    Mali fled the country on Tuesday, 16 April 2024. He was arrested at Gatwick Airport upon his return on Sunday, 5 May 2024 and charged the following day.

    They are due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey at a later date.

    Detectives are continuing to offer a reward of up to £10,000 for information that leads to the arrest and charge of Jordan Vincent, who remains wanted for Rijkaard’s murder.

    DCI Townsend, said: “Even though Walcott and Mali have been convicted for the murder of Rijkaard, our investigation continues.

    “Rijkaard was only 22 and had his full life ahead of him – our team remains resolute in helping them secure justice and need the public’s help to do so.

    “I am grateful to all those who have come forward so far but we are appealing to people to dig deep into their consciences to help us locate Jordon Vincent. If you have any information – no matter how insignificant you think it might be – I would urge you to get in contact as this could prove to be crucial.”

    Information, images or footage can be provided at Public Portal – https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS24W40-PO1

    Alternatively, anyone who has information or footage can call 0208 721 4961 referencing Op Biscot. To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 27, 2025
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