NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar pays Floral Tributes To Guru Ravidas on his Birth Anniversary

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 6:13PM by PIB Delhi

    On the occasion of birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, paid floral tributes to one of the greatest saints ever born in India, at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi today. Present on the occasion were all members of Dr. Ambedkar Foundation and officials of the Ministry. 

    “We should follow the path shown to us by Guru Ravidas Ji”, said Dr. Virendra Kumar. Inspired by the thoughts of Guru Ravidas Ji, the Ministry works for the welfare of the underprivileged and marginalized communities’ through its schemes and policies, he added.

    In the General Body Meeting organized by Department of Social justice and empowerment on 12 February 2025, members and officers celebrated Guru Ravidas Jayanti and thanked Dr. Virendra Kumar for  his working towards most marginalized communities’ their rights, welfare, and representation.

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    VM

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why federal courts are unlikely to save democracy from Trump’s and Musk’s attacks

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Maya Sen, Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School

    Many people may look to federal courts as a bulwark of the U.S. Constitution. Jose Luis Pelaez/Stone via Getty Images

    State governments, community groups, advocacy nonprofits and regular Americans have filed a large and growing number of federal lawsuits opposing President Donald Trump’s barrage of executive orders and policy statements. Some of his actions have been put on hold by the federal courts, at least temporarily.

    As a scholar of the federal courts, however, I expect the courts will be of limited help in navigating through this complicated new political landscape.

    One problem is that the U.S. Supreme Court in recent years has moved sharply to the right and has approved of past efforts to expand the powers of the presidency. But the problem with relying on the courts for help goes beyond ideology and right-leaning justices going along with a right-leaning president, as happened in Trump’s first term.

    One challenge is speed: The Trump administration is moving much faster than courts do, or even can. The other is authority: The courts’ ability to compel government action is limited, and also slow.

    And that doesn’t even factor in statements by Trump, Vice President JD Vance and “special government employee” multibillionaire Elon Musk. All three have indicated that they are open to ignoring court rulings and have even threatened to seek the impeachment of judges who rule in ways they don’t like.

    President Donald Trump and multibillionaire Elon Musk are working together to restructure the U.S. government.
    Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

    Speed

    Musk has been put in charge of White House efforts to cut government services, both in spending amount and reach.

    Constitutional law is clear: The executive branch cannot, on its own, close or shut down a federal agency that has been established by Congress. That is Congress’ job. But Trump and Musk are trying to do so anyway, including declaring that the congressionally established U.S. Agency for International Development will be shut down and turning employees away from the agency’s offices in Washington, D.C.

    The administration’s strategy, it seems, is the longstanding tech-company mantra: “move fast and break things.” The U.S. courts do not – and by design cannot – move equally quickly.

    It can take years for a case to wind its way through the lower courts to reach the U.S. Supreme Court. This is by design.

    Courts are deliberative in nature. They take into account multiple factors and can engage in multiple rounds of deliberation and fact-finding before reaching a final ruling. At every stage, lawyers on both sides are given time to make their cases. Even when a case does get to the Supreme Court – as many of these lawsuits likely will – it can take months to be fully resolved.

    By contrast, Trump’s and Musk’s actions are happening in a matter of days. By the time a court finally resolves an issue that happened in late January or early February 2025, the situation may have changed substantially.

    Volunteers hand out USAID flour at the Zanzalima Camp in Ethiopia in 2021.
    J. Countess/Getty Images

    For an example, consider the effort to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development. In the space of a week, the Trump administration put most of USAID’s workers on administrative leave and halted USAID’s overseas medical trials, which included pausing potentially lifesaving treatments.

    As of this writing, a district judge has temporarily blocked the order putting USAID workers on leave. But even if the courts ultimately conclude several months from now that the Trump administration’s actions regarding USAID were unlawful, it might be impossible to reconstitute the agency the way it used to be.

    For instance, many workers may have been demoralized and sought other employment. New personnel would have to be recruited and trained to replace them. Contracts that were terminated or invalidated or expired would have to be renegotiated. And the countries and communities that had received help from USAID might be less committed to the renewed programs, because of concerns services could be cut off again.

    Breadth

    When Republicans disagreed with any of Joe Biden’s executive actions – for example, his student debt forgiveness plan – they went to federal court to obtain nationwide injunctions stopping the implementation of the plan.

    But injunctions will not be as helpful given Trump’s recent playbook. A court blocking one order isn’t enough to stop the administration from trying different tactics. In 2017, courts blocked the first two versions of Trump’s ban on travel to the U.S. from majority-Muslim countries – but ultimately allowed a third version to take effect. And if an attack on one agency is blocked, the administration can try similar – or different – tactics against other agencies.

    The strategy of moving fast and breaking things is successful if the other side – or even the process of repair – can’t keep up with all the different strategies. Courts can be part of the strategy to preserve the Constitution, but they cannot be its only defenders.

    Authority

    John Marshall served as the nation’s fourth chief justice, from 1801 to 1835.
    Painted by Henry Inman, via Wikimedia Commons

    Researchers have argued that court-issued injunctions mostly work to stop the government from doing something, not to compel the government into doing something. Judges are already expressing concern that the Trump administration may fail to comply with orders to stop funding freezes.

    For instance, a federal district judge in Massachusetts has ordered the government not only to refrain from implementing changes to federal research grant funding but to provide evidence to the court that it was complying with the court’s order, immediately and every two weeks until the case is decided.

    Another federal judge has already found the administration failed to abide by a court order – but so far has not imposed any consequences on Trump, the administration or other officials.

    It’s unclear whether Trump would obey Supreme Court rulings against him, either. On the campaign trail, Trump’s running mate JD Vance said, “When the courts stop you, stand before the country like Andrew Jackson did and say, ‘The chief justice has made his ruling, now let him enforce it.’” He also recently remarked that “Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,” hinting at strong opposition to rulings the administration disagrees with.

    All this doesn’t mean the courts are useless, nor that people shouldn’t sue to challenge actions they deem illegal or unconstitutional. The courts – and the Supreme Court in particular – exist in part to arbitrate power disputes between Congress and the presidency. As Chief Justice John Marshall said in his landmark 1803 Marbury v. Madison ruling, “It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is.”

    But the courts alone will not be sufficient. The courts are like an antibiotic on a cut, helping healing and staving off further infection. They cannot keep a grievously wounded patient alive. For this, a robust political strategy is necessary. It is in all Americans’ hands collectively to make sure that the constitutional structure is not just enforced, but also sustained.

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

    – ref. Why federal courts are unlikely to save democracy from Trump’s and Musk’s attacks – https://theconversation.com/why-federal-courts-are-unlikely-to-save-democracy-from-trumps-and-musks-attacks-249533

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Follow-up question due to lack of answer to Question E-002172/2024 – E-002922/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The measure referred to by the Honourable Member has been announced as part of the Spanish action plan but has not been adopted yet and, therefore, the Commission is not in a position to assess it. Also, the Commission would not assess individual political statements.

    Member States have a primary responsibility to monitor the application of the European Media Freedom Act[1] and to take the necessary steps for enforcement.

    In its role as guardian of the Treaties, the Commission will continue monitoring the situation on the independence of media and journalists and may decide to take appropriate action including, where appropriate, infringement proceedings.

    It will continue assessing all relevant developments related to media freedom and pluralism in all Member States, including Spain, under the annual Rule of Law Report[2].

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202401083
    • [2] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/upholding-rule-law/rule-law/annual-rule-law-cycle_en
    Last updated: 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Commission measures to uphold journalists’ rights and protect journalists and publications threatened by the Russian Federation – E-002264/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    As stated in its reply to Written Question P-001987/2024, the EU firmly condemns Russia’s ongoing intimidation, harassment and killing of European journalists and other media workers who report from its war of aggression against Ukraine.

    This also includes the use of politically motivated arrest warrants issued by Russia against international journalists reporting from war zones and frontlines[1].

    The EU has consistently condemned Russia’s attempts to obstruct the work of European and other journalists and has regularly addressed these issues in multilateral fora like the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe where Russia is present.

    The EU will remain steadfast in its commitment to protect media freedom and the safety of journalists around the world and in war zones.

    The Commission will ensure the effective application of the European Media Freedom Act[2] and the anti-SLAPP Directive[3]. It will also monitor Member States’ actions to put in practice the recommendation[4] on the protection, safety and empowerment of journalists and the recommendation[5] on protecting journalists and human rights defenders who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings to safeguard the independence of media and journalists and will continue assessing all relevant developments related to media freedom and pluralism in all Member States, including Romania, under the annual Rule of Law Report[6].

    • [1] Further detailed guidance on extradition to third states and a summary of the relevant case law of the Court of Justice in this respect can be found in the Guidelines on Extradition to Third States of June 2022, see Commission Notice — Guidelines on Extradition to Third States, Official Journal of the European Union, (2022/C 223/01).
    • [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202401083
    • [3] Directive — EU — 2024/1069 — EN — EUR-Lex.
    • [4] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/recommendation-protection-safety-and-empowerment-journalists
    • [5] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A138%3ATOC
    • [6] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/upholding-rule-law/rule-law/annual-rule-law-cycle_en
    Last updated: 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Loans of repatriated ethnic Greeks from former USSR countries – E-000486/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000486/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos (NI)

    The Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece expresses the anguish of thousands of families repatriated from former USSR countries, who are facing the threat of their homes being auctioned or seized for loans they had taken out using a rehabilitation programme under the Law of 2000. After the onset the economic crisis in 2009, many families found themselves unable to make their loan repayments.

    The large increases in repayment instalments and interest are due to the fact that the loans were linked to Greek State bonds, the prices of which sky-rocketed during the period of the memoranda signed by the Greek governments of ND, SYRIZA and PASOK with the EU, the European Central Bank and the IMF. The funding for the repatriation programme was provided by the Public Investment Programme, which also included funds from the Third and Fourth Community Support Frameworks.

    Given the EU’s shared responsibility for leading thousands of families of repatriated people down a dead end,

    • 1.What is the Commission’s position on the urgent request to write off the amounts that have amassed from increases, recapitalisations and compound interest?
    • 2.What is the Commission’s position on the urgent request for the annual service cost, after the above write-offs, not to exceed 10% of the annual taxable amount, in order for such people to be able to save their only home, which for them was a lifelong dream?
    • 3.What is the Commission’s position on the urgent request to cease any enforcement actions or other coercive measure on the part of credit institutions and the State, so that they do not lose their homes?

    Submitted: 4.2.2025

    Last updated: 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Challenges and prospects for European space policy financing, institutional cooperation and harmonisation of standards in a strategic sector – E-002284/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The services offered by Galileo[1], Copernicus[2], and in the future by the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS2)[3] are crucial to the competitiveness of the EU and its Member States and to delivering on EU priorities including security and defence.

    Guaranteed funding is essential to maintain, upgrade, and reinforce the EU’s space assets. The Commission has started to develop, within the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework , new funding mechanisms for space: through the CASSINI initiative[4] promoting the leverage of private capital for the growth and scale up of start-ups and small and medium enterprises; or, in the case of IRIS2, through a public-private partnership in the form of a concession agreement with industry[5]. In the next multiannual financial framework, new funding approaches may be considered.

    The European Space Agency (ESA) is a trusted partner for EU space initiatives and already assigned by the Commission with important tasks notably, for the implementation of Galileo, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service[6], Copernicus and IRIS2.

    The Commission will assess the future role of ESA and other actors, considering the increased needs of the space sector in the evolving geopolitical landscape. The Commission — ESA integrated team for the IRIS2 implementation is a useful blueprint.

    The upcoming EU Space Law aims to establish a single market for space, ensuring resilience, safety, and sustainability in space activities.

    This new set of rules for the EU and global players accessing the single market will provide clarity for the industry and it will boost the European space industry’s competitiveness and position the EU as a global standards-setter in innovative markets.

    • [1] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-space/galileo-satellite-navigation_en
    • [2] https://www.copernicus.eu/en
    • [3] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-space/iris2-secure-connectivity_en
    • [4] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-space/entrepreneurship_en
    • [5] https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/commission-takes-next-step-deploy-iris2-secure-satellite-system-2024-12-16_en
    • [6] https://www.euspa.europa.eu/eu-space-programme/egnos
    Last updated: 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Mexican national security strategy under government headed by President Sheinbaum – E-002686/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The fight against organised crime is a shared challenge and priority for the EU and Mexico. The EU closely follows the Mexican government’s new security strategy,

    As indicated in the reply to your Question E -002382/2024 from 31 October 2024, the EU remains committed to cooperating with and supporting Mexico to address security and drug trafficking, notably through the programme of the EU with Latin America and the Caribbean against Transnational Organised Crime EL PACCTO[1] and the Cooperation Program between Latin America, the Caribbean and the EU on drug policy COPOLAD[2].

    The EU makes use of the appropriate tools to ensure a sound management of EU funds at all stages of the project management cycle, notably through monitoring and evaluation.

    Reinforcing EU-Mexico cooperation in the fight against firearms trafficking is also a shared priority. The EU seeks to improve international cooperation of law enforcement services.

    The EU has been encouraging Mexico to increase its involvement in the operational actions of the European Multiplatform against criminal threats (EMPACT) firearms and of the network of Police Specialized in Arms Trafficking (red ARCO), which is part of the EU programme El PACCTO.

    Regarding allegations that a percentage of firearms seized in Mexico is originating from EU Member States, the Commission underlines that it has no access to the operations of exportation, as it is a national competence. EU law governing the export of firearms for civilian use[3] has safeguards to ensure legal transactions.

    The EU recently adopted a recast Regulation that introduces, inter alia, more safeguards such as the issue of a user statement regarding the final use, the need for a proof of receipt and the possibility to carry out post-shipment checks.

    • [1] https://elpaccto.eu/en/
    • [2] https://copolad.eu/en/
    • [3] Regulation (EU) No 258/2012.
    Last updated: 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Human rights in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine – E-002933/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The EU has taken significant steps to address Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, leading to the oppression of Crimeans and turning the peninsula into a base for Russia’s war of aggression launched in February 2022. The EU will never recognise this annexation, which violates international law.

    The policy of non-recognition includes diplomatic pressure, sanctions, and restrictions since 2014, as well as non-recognition of any Russian passport issued in Crimea.

    Since July 2022, the EU has imposed sanctions on 45 individuals and two entities responsible for the illegal deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainians, and 16 individuals and five entities for the ‘re-education’ and militarisation of Ukrainian children.

    These sanctions aim to pressure Russia to cease its violations and hold perpetrators accountable. Additionally, the EU has supported efforts at the United Nations and other platforms to document and condemn Russia’s actions.

    The High Representative/Vice-President will continue to reinforce these measures and to propose new listings related to human rights violations.

    The EU will continue engaging with civil society and human rights advocates to monitor and hold regular dialogues on Crimea and other occupied territories.

    The EU keeps pressing for stronger international action to ensure Russia is held accountable. The EU will work on further diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian initiatives to protect Ukrainians and preserve their identity.

    Last updated: 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Appointment of Spain’s State Secretary for Communication – E-002748/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission is not in a position to comment on political appointments in Member States.

    Protecting media freedom and pluralism is a priority for the Commission, which has taken measures to curb the abusive use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) through a directive[1] and a recommendation[2], enhanced the safety of journalists through a recommendation[3] and adopted the European Media Freedom Act[4].

    Most provisions of the European Media Freedom Act shall apply from 8 August 2025, with the aim amongst other to protect journalists against interference.

    Ensuring a swift and effective implementation of the Act will be a priority for the Commission in the coming months, as it will be the ensuring a correct implementation of the anti-SLAPP Directive.

    The Commission will also continue monitoring Member States’ actions to put in practice the recommendation on the protection, safety and empowerment of journalists and the recommendation on protecting journalists and human rights defenders who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings and will use this information in future reports on the Rule of Law[5].

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32024L1069
    • [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A138%3ATOC
    • [3] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/recommendation-protection-safety-and-empowerment-journalists
    • [4] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202401083
    • [5] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/upholding-rule-law/rule-law/annual-rule-law-cycle_en#rule-of-law-report
    Last updated: 12 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update – Search for missing man, Mt Aspiring National Park

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    The search for a man reported missing in a river in Mt Aspiring National Park on 6 February remains ongoing.

    Police have located a number of personal items along the river, believed to belong to the missing man.

    Search efforts in the last two days have been hampered by extreme hazards and limited visibility, resulting in a brief suspension of the search on Tuesday afternoon.

    Today the Police National Dive Squad and Wanaka LandSAR Swift Water Rescue Team will search an area of the canyon with an underwater camera and light equipment.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lakeland Convicted Felon Charged With Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

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

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today the filing of a criminal complaint charging Taqiy Lewis (27, Lakeland) with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Lewis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

    According to the criminal complaint, on December 24, 2020, M.C., a 70-year-old woman, was outside her Lakeland home with her family, including young children. At approximately 5:30 p.m., Lewis and others engaged in a shootout just outside M.C.’s residence. M.C. was struck twice and killed. A.L., a thirteen-year-old child, was also shot and wounded.  

    More than two years later, on February 9, 2023, during an unrelated investigation, ATF special agents and officers from the Lakeland Police Department recovered a Kahr CM9 9mm pistol while executing a search warrant. Forensic testing using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) confirmed that this firearm was the one used to kill M.C. and injure A.L. Further investigation revealed that six casings collected from the crime scene, two spent projectiles recovered from a home, and a bullet recovered from M.C.’s body were all fired by Lewis and the Kahr CM9 pistol he possessed. At the time of the shooting, Lewis was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. 

    A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lakeland Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Additional Team Members

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Additional Team Members

    Governor Stein Announces Additional Team Members
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Stein announces additional staff as he continues to grow his team committed to building a safer, stronger North Carolina. 

    Adam Chandler, Policy Director 

    Adam Chandler is a native of Burlington, North Carolina, and a 12-year veteran of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served most recently as Associate Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General. Adam previously practiced at the Department as an appellate attorney, specializing in antitrust law, and served as a speechwriter for two attorneys general. He graduated from Yale Law School; the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar; and Duke University.   

    Kindl Detar, Senior Policy Advisor 

    Kindl Detar previously served as a Special Deputy Attorney General and the Director of the Public Protection Section at the North Carolina Department of Justice. Prior to her state government service, she worked at Foundation For The Carolinas and Robinson Bradshaw. Kindl is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. A native of Concord, she resides in Charlotte with her husband and three children.

    Sadie Weiner, Senior Advisor 

    Sadie Weiner has worked in state and federal government and campaigns for almost two decades. She served in the Office of Governor Roy Cooper first as Communications Director and most recently as Director of External Affairs. Previously, Weiner was the Communications Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), supporting campaigns across the country and picking up two Senate seats. She was also the Communications Director for U.S. Senator Kay Hagan in both her Senate office and her re-election campaign. Weiner lives in Raleigh with her husband and two children. 

    Awo Eni, Digital Director 

    Awo Eni returns to North Carolina after working on Cheri Beasley’s campaign for Senate in 2022 as the Deputy Digital Director. She most recently served as Director of Digital Content on Senator Sherrod Brown’s campaign for re-election in Ohio. Awo is a proud British-born Nigerian-American immigrant who calls Texas home. She is a graduate of the University of North Texas. 

    Liz Doherty, Policy Advisor 

    Liz Doherty joins the Stein Administration as a policy advisor in the Governor’s office. Prior to this role, she served as a policy advisor to Governor Roy Cooper and held various campaign roles, including as Governor Cooper’s communications director in 2020. She also serves as a board member on the NC Council for Women and completed a Master’s of Public Policy from the Duke University Sanford School in 2023.  

    Rania Hassan, Policy Analyst 

    Rania Hassan is a policy analyst in the Office of Governor Josh Stein. She previously worked as policy assistant and analyst in the Office of Governor Roy Cooper. She graduated from NC State University with a B.S. in Environmental Science and a minor in Environmental Policy and Justice. 

    Madhu Vulimiri, Senior Advisor for Health & Families Policy  

    Madhu Vulimiri joins the Governor’s Office from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, where she served as the Deputy Director for the Division of Child and Family Well-Being overseeing nutrition programs that support children and families. Prior to that, she led cross-agency priority initiatives at NCDHHS, including in the COVID-19 response, in chief of staff and senior strategy roles to the Chief Deputy Secretary of NCDHHS and at NC Medicaid. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead-Cain Scholar, and her Master of Public Policy from Duke University, where she was a Margolis Scholar in Health Policy and Management. 

    Elena Ashburn, Senior Advisor for Education Policy 

    Elena Ashburn joins the policy team after serving as an area superintendent in the Wake County Public School System, where she led 17,000 students in 23 schools. She began her career in education as a Teach For America teacher and later served as a middle and high school principal. Elena earned a doctorate in educational leadership from UNC Chapel Hill and was named the North Carolina Wells Fargo Principal of the Year in 2021.  

    Jonathan Moch, Senior Advisor for Climate & Energy Policy 

    Jonathan Moch was most recently Science and Technology Policy Advisor for the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and Office of Global Change in the U.S. Department of State, where he designed, negotiated, and implemented international climate and energy initiatives and agreements. Prior to the State Department, he was an interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellow with joint appointments in Harvard’s engineering, public health, and government schools. Jonathan holds a Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences with a secondary field in Science, Technology and Society, a master’s in Environmental Science and Engineering from Harvard University, and an undergraduate degree from Princeton University. 

    P.J. Connelly, Director of the Governor’s Eastern North Carolina Office 

    P.J. Connelly will serve as the Director of the Governor’s Eastern North Carolina Office. He served in this role for former Governor Roy Cooper from 2022 to 2024. Prior to that, Connelly served North Carolina’s rural communities through the Governor’s Hometown Strong Initiative. He also served as Assistant Director of Boards and Commissions in the Office of the Governor from 2017 to 2019. Connelly is from New Bern, North Carolina. 

    Feb 12, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Prominent Civil Rights Attorney James Walker Jr., to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Prominent Civil Rights Attorney James Walker Jr., to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker

    Prominent Civil Rights Attorney James Walker Jr., to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker
    jejohnson6

    James Robert Walker Jr., a prominent civil rights attorney from northeastern North Carolina, soon will be recognized with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker.

    The marker commemorating Walker will be dedicated during a ceremony at the New Ahoskie Missionary Baptist Church (410 West Hayes St., Ahoskie, N.C.) on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. The marker will be installed at the intersection of U.S. 13 and N.C. 42 in Ahoskie.

    Born in 1924 as the first of eight children, Walker grew up in Ahoskie, in a family of educators with advanced degrees and the grandson of a preacher. He served in World War II and earned his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina College, now North Carolina Central University, after being honorably discharged from the United States Army.

    Walker later became the first of two Black graduates from any program at UNC-Chapel Hill, having graduated from its law school in 1952. He returned to his native northeastern North Carolina and became a grassroots civil rights attorney, namely waging battles in the realm of voting rights across a six-county area (Halifax, Northampton, Warren, Bertie, Hertford, Gates).

    Walker was the principal organizer and president of the Eastern Council on Community Affairs. This group advocated for Black representation in local and state governing bodies, including town councils and state legislatures. It also opposed bills for school separation or segregation.

    Walker became the first Black member of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies, the school’s debating and literacy society, and the oldest student organization on the campus. The state’s NAACP also recognized him with its Distinguished Service Award for his efforts in civil rights. In 1961, he was the keynote speaker for the National Lawyers Guild in Detroit, Michigan, and in 1978, was named Lawyer of the Year by the same organization.

    Walker died in 1997.

    For more information about the historical markers, please visit https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/07/10/james-walker-jr-1924-1997-96, or call (919) 814-6625.  

    The Highway Historical Marker Program is a collaboration between the N.C. departments of Natural and Cultural Resources and Transportation.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Feb 12, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Myers Man Pleads Guilty To Pizza Shop Armed Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Shadarien Lamarr Ward (22, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ward faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.

    According to court documents, on the evening of September 1, 2024, Ward robbed a pizza shop near downtown Fort Myers at gunpoint, pistol-whipping an employee in the process. After grabbing the cash register drawer and approximately $700 in cash, Ward fled the area on foot. Though he was hooded and masked during the robbery, Ward was later identified by law enforcement after an extensive review of surveillance cameras in the area that tracked him to a nearby motel.

    Ward, a registered sex offender, was wearing a GPS monitor at the time of the robbery as part of his state sex offender probation, which helped law enforcement retrace his steps leading up to and immediately following the robbery. Although he cut off his GPS monitor and absconded from supervision following the robbery, Ward was located and arrested at a North Fort Myers motel soon thereafter.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lee County Felon Pleads Guilty To Unlawfully Possessing Loaded Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Austin Charles Wesley (25, Lehigh Acres) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Wesley faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.

    According to court documents, on October 24, 2024, Wesley was pulled over for speeding by the Florida Highway Patrol on SR-82 in Lee County. During the traffic stop, law enforcement located a loaded Walther .22 caliber handgun concealed underneath Wesley’s clothing. As a multi-time convicted felon, who previously served sentences in Florida state prison for various crimes, Wesley is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.     

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Trafficking Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOSHUWA DIAZ, 34, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to a narcotics trafficking offense.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Diaz was arrested on February 16, 2024, after a court-authorized search of his apartment on Orange Street in New Haven revealed approximately 75 grams of fentanyl, 278 grams of cocaine, 47 grams of crack cocaine, and a loaded P80 handgun with no serial number (“ghost gun”).

    Diaz pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base (“crack”), and fentanyl, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for May 7.

    Diaz is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.

    In April 2013, Diaz was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 78 months of imprisonment for distributing heroin.

    This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, which includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Washington, D.C. and FBI Washington, D.C. arrest 7 illegal aliens in Northern Virginia operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    February 12, 2025Annadale, VA, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    ANNANDALE, Va. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, assisted by the FBI, apprehended seven illegally present aliens during a routine enforcement operation in Annandale, Feb. 5.

    “These seven individuals were in the Northern Virginia area in violation of U.S. immigration laws,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. acting Field Office Director Patrick Divver. “ICE Washington, D.C.’s mission is to ensure the safety and security of our District of Columbia and Virginia communities through the arrest and removal of those individuals who undermine the safety of our communities and the integrity of our immigration laws. We take this mission extremely seriously, and we will continue to arrest and remove alien offenders.”

    During the targeted operation, ICE officers and FBI special agents arrested:

    • A 51-year-old, previously deported Mexican national convicted of DWI in Prince William County, Virginia, in April 2024.
    • A 36-year-old Nicaraguan national who refused to depart the United States to Nicaragua after being ordered to do so on Jan. 24 by a Department of Justice immigration judge.
    • A 24-year-old Honduran national, with no previous encounters with ICE, who illegally entered the U.S. without inspection, admission, or parole by a designated immigration official.
    • A 22-year-old Salvadoran national previously apprehended after illegally entering the U.S. in June 2019.
    • A 32-year-old Guatemalan national who entered the U.S. lawfully and violated the terms of his lawful admission.
    • A 24-year-old Guatemalan national, with no previous encounters with ICE, who illegally entered the U.S. without inspection, admission, or parole by a designated immigration official.
    • A 30-year-old Guatemalan national, with no previous encounters with ICE, who illegally entered the U.S. without inspection, admission, or parole by a designated immigration official.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROWashington.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH Launches Rental Registry’s Public Database

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    As part of work statewide to protect children and families from the hazards of lead exposure, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has launched its Rental Registry public database. (See link below.)

    With this dashboard, a resident can look up their rental property to see if the property’s landlord has secured a Certificate of Lead Conformance, or other lead certificate, for the property. These have been required by Rhode Island law for pre-1978 homes since 2005. They are issued by a licensed lead inspector and document that a property is in a lead-safe condition. The registry will also make the contact information of the property owner or manager available.

    “This new public database promotes transparency, safety, and accountability for people who rent their homes in Rhode Island,” said Director of Health Jerry Larkin, MD. “All children and families deserve to live in housing that is healthy and safe. By ensuring compliance with the requirement for landlords to provide lead-safe housing – which has been on the books for two decades – we are one step closer to that goal.”

    A requirement for landlords to register their rental properties by October 1, 2024 was laid out in the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (R.I. Gen. Laws � 34-18-58), which became law in Rhode Island in 2023. Through increased trainings and licensing professionals who were already license-holders in other states, RIDOH has significantly increased the number of licensed lead inspectors who are available to inspect properties for lead.

    In addition to allowing people who rent to search their properties, the new system also features a portal for landlords that makes it easier to register their rental properties. Landlords who have already registered their properties do not need to take any additional action right now. RIDOH will provide information to landlords about when re-registration is required. Landlords must re-register every year. (In the upcoming version of the Rental Registry, landlords will no longer need to upload their lead certificates. The new system will automatically recognize whether a property’s units are lead certificate compliant.)

    Most homes in Rhode Island were built before 1978 and likely have lead-based paint. (Lead paint was banned after 1978.) Lead paint and paint dust can harm young children’s health. Children younger than six years old are at greatest risk. Lead exposure can slow a child’s development and cause learning disabilities and behavior problems. The most effective way to prevent lead exposure is to properly maintain lead-painted surfaces or remove lead-based paints.

    RIDOH is continuing to focus its efforts on landlord education through broad social media and paid media campaigns right now. However, the failure to register and/or have a lead certificate can result in fines. RIDOH anticipates beginning to fine noncompliant landlords this summer. RIDOH will do additional, wide communication to landlords and the public before any fines are levied.

    The fine for failure to register is $50 per month, per unit. The fine for failure to obtain a valid lead certificate, where applicable, is $125 per month, per unit. A landlord who continues to fail to register or obtain a lead certificate is subject to additional, more significant penalties. Additionally, landlords cannot file for eviction for nonpayment of rent unless the property involved is registered in the Rhode Island Rental Registry.

    The rental registry includes rental properties that have been registered by landlords and properties that may be rental units that are still unregistered. (Potential rental properties were identified using tax assessor data and other public information.) As more properties are registered, the registry will become more complete. If tenants do not find their residence while searching the database, they can write to rentalregistry@health.ri.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Clearland — UPDATE: Missing person found safe

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The 28-year-old man who was reported missing on February 11 from Clearland has been found safe.

    The RCMP thanks Bridgewater Police Service for their assistance with this investigation, and Nova Scotians for assisting with missing persons files through social media shares and offering tips.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Natuashish — Natuashish RCMP investigates serious assault; victim airlifted for medical treatment, woman arrested

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Following an investigation into a serious assault that occurred at a home in Natuashish on February 10, 2025, 32-year-old Antonia Jacobish was arrested and charged by Natuashish RCMP.

    Shortly before midnight on Monday, Natuashsish RCMP received a report of the assault. A woman received serious injuries resulting from a physical attack that occurred inside a home. The victim was airlifted out of the community for urgent medical attention.

    The investigation, which was assisted by RCMP NL’s West District General Investigation Section, resulted in the arrest of Jacobish on February 11, 2025. She attends court today, charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. The victim of the crime is recovering from injuries that are now considered non-life threatening.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Massachusetts Resident Sentenced on Gun and Drug Convictions

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Taylor, age 29, of Malden, Massachusetts, was sentenced last month to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

    When he pled guilty in September 2024, Taylor admitted that he sold multiple firearms and controlled substances to another person in Rensselaer County between September 2023 and January 2024. Taylor admitted that he had sold two firearms to this person on separate occasions in October 2023, and on both occasions also distributed controlled substances. In December 2023, Taylor and a co-conspirator sold this person over 400 fentanyl pills along with approximately 25 grams of fentanyl powder.

    United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 4-year term of post-incarceration supervised release.

    ATF investigated this case with assistance from the Troy Police Department, the Brookline (Massachusetts) Police Department, and the Cambridge (Massachusetts) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brazilian Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Brazilian man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.    

    Rafael De Jesus-Ribeiro, 39, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. De Jesus-Ribeiro was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 13, 2025. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

    According to the indictment, De Jesus-Ribeiro was deported from the United States on July 17, 2019. It is alleged that sometime after his July 2019 removal, De Jesus-Ribeiro illegally reentered the United States without permission.

    The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah Foley and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Juvenile Charged With August 2024 Armed Carjacking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Aniq-Kai Covington, 16, of Washington, D.C., was charged as an adult (under Title 16) on February 11, 2025, in Superior Court with armed carjacking in connection with an August 13, 2024 incident in Southeast D.C. The charge was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

               According to documents filed in court, on August 13, 2024, at approximately 9:15 p.m., police officers were dispatched to the 2700 block of  31st Street S.E., where they located the victim of an armed carjacking. The victim told the officers that at least two suspects approached the victim, who was sitting in their vehicle waiting for a family member. One suspect approached the victim’s driver’s side door and pointed a firearm at the victim, ordering the victim to get out of the vehicle. Another suspect attempted to open the victim’s passenger door. The victim complied and got out of the car. The first suspect then demanded money and took the victim’s wallet and cell phone, before the suspects fled northbound on 31st Street, SE in the victim’s car.  The victim borrowed a phone from a family member and called 911. 

               The victim’s vehicle was located in the 2500 block of High Street S.E., stationary and unoccupied, just before 9:30 p.m., approximately 15 minutes after police were dispatched to the scene of the carjacking.  The victim’s vehicle was forensically processed, and a latent fingerprint recovered from the interior passenger’s side door handle was later determined to belong to Covington. 

               Covington was presented in court yesterday and ordered detained. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 14, 2025.

               The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Winer is prosecuting the case.

               These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Prison Guard Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Smuggle Drugs into Virginia Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Virginia man was sentenced yesterday for conspiring to distribute controlled substances and launder drug proceeds with co-conspirators in Massachusetts and Virginia.

    Kenneth J. Owen, 24, of Charlotte Court House, Va., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 21 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2024, Owen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA and buprenorphine and two counts of money laundering conspiracy.

    In December 2019 and January 2020, Owen conspired with Sathtra Em, a Lowell resident, and Michael Mao, an inmate at the Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn, Va., to smuggle MDMA and buprenorphine in the form of Suboxone and generic Suboxone sublingual films into the prison. At the time, Owen was working as a correctional officer at Buckingham.  

    As part of the conspiracy, Em mailed the drugs to Owen’s residence and paid him $1,600 in bribes to deliver the drugs and other contraband to Mao in the prison. Mao then sold the smuggled drugs to other inmates at Buckingham and Em collected the drug debts on behalf of Mao in the same Cash App accounts she used to pay the bribes to Owen. Owen used a Cash App account with the name “Carlos” to receive the bribes from Em, and he cashed out the funds to his bank account within minutes of receiving them.    

    Em and Mao previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. In August 2024, Em was sentenced to 21 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Mao was sentenced to 121 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, in November 2024.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations and the Virginia Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force Apprehends Mother’s Boyfriend for Injury to a Child

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Austin, TX – The U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force arrested a man sought by Austin Police for injury to a child following an incident on February 7th that resulted in the hospitalization of a 2-year-old victim.  

    Marcos Amaya Maldonado, 25, of Del Valle, is alleged to have committed the injury while the child was in his custody during the day at the child’s mother’s residence in the 9900 block of Dessau Road. According to an affidavit by an investigator with the Austin Police Department (APD) Child Abuse Unit, Maldonado is the boyfriend of the victim’s mother. 

    When the mother arrived at the residence from work, she observed bruising to the side of the child’s face, according to the affidavit. After noticing an increase in bruising and swelling to the child’s face, and a “rash” under the diaper area, the mother called 911.

    Medical personnel at a nearby hospital reported the victim had sustained a large contusion to her head and extensive bruising to her genitalia and vaginal lacerations. 

    Following an investigation on February 9th, the APD Child Abuse Unit obtained a warrant in the City of Austin Municipal Court and requested assistance from the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force-Austin Division to locate and apprehend Maldonado. 

    Members of the task force initiated a fugitive investigation and arrested Maldonado in the 100 block of Fortuna Drive in Del Valle.

    Maldonado was transported to the APD Child Abuse Unit and booked into the Travis County Jail where he will await judicial proceedings.  

    Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in Austin:

    Austin Police Department-Tactical Intelligence Unit
    Georgetown, Round Rock, and San Marcos Police Department
    Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson County Sheriff’s Office
    Texas Attorney General’s Office
    Texas Department of Criminal Justice OIG
    Texas Department of Public Safety
    U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
    U.S. DHS/Homeland Security Investigations

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police make arrest over Birkenhead aggravated robbery

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    An arrest has been made following the aggravated robbery of a Cash in Transit van in Birkenhead on Tuesday afternoon.

    Overnight, Police executed a search warrant at a Northcote address as part of the investigation.

    Acting Detective Inspector Simon Harrison, of Waitematā CIB, says a man was taken into custody.

    “We have charged the 43-year-old man with serious offences,” he says.

    The man will appear in the North Shore District Court today.

    He is facing charges including aggravated robbery and commission of a crime with a firearm.

    Acting Detective Inspector Harrison says the investigation team have been working hard to investigate the case since Tuesday.

    “It’s pleasing we have made an arrest so soon into the investigation, given the brazen nature of this alleged offending.

    “We will not tolerate this offending, especially when a firearm is allegedly presented.

    “I know news of this arrest will bring some reassurance to the Birkenhead community.”

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests illegal Turkish national charged with witness intimidation, assault, battery on intellectually disabled person

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SOMERVILLE, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Turkish national charged in Massachusetts with assault and battery against a household member, witness intimidation, and two counts of assault and battery against a person with an intellectual disability when officers arrested Berkan Karamurtlu, 27, in Somerville, Jan. 22.

    “This is a tragic example of what can go wrong when local jurisdictions refuse to honor immigration detainers,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “The local jurisdiction ignored our detainer and released Berkan Karamurtlu into the community. Unfortunately, he re-offended resulting in a second arrest for assaulting an intellectually disabled resident. Fortunately, the local authorities honored our second detainer and Karamurtlu is now in ICE custody. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by apprehending and removing egregious alien offenders.”

    Karamurtlu lawfully entered the United States Oct. 11, 2021, at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York but later violated the terms of his lawful admission.

    The Somerville District Court arraigned Karamurtlu Dec. 24, 2024, for the offenses of assault and battery on an intellectually disabled person and witness intimidation. ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Karamurtlu with the Somerville District Court, which ignored the detainer and released Karamurtlu from custody.

    The Somerville District Court again arraigned Karamurtlu Jan. 21 for the offenses of assault and battery on a person with intellectual disabled person and assault and battery on a family or household member. ICE then lodged an immigration detainer against Karamurtlu with the Medford Police Department.

    ICE served Karamurtlu with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge following his arrest.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X: @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CORIS ADDISON (“ADDISON”), age 42, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on February 5, 2025, by United States District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle, after previously pleading guilty to violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act by participating, along with others, in a methamphetamine conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

    According to court records, one of ADDISON’s co-conspirators sold approximately seven grams of pure methamphetamine to an undercover Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agent, and another individual, on August 29, 2023 at a Westbank, New Orleans apartment.

    Another drug deal was set for the following day at the same apartment, but before the deal took place, two of ADDISON’s co-defendants robbed the undercover ATF agent, and the other individual, at gun point.  To escape the danger, the undercover ATF agent, and the other individual, went onto the third-floor balcony of the apartment and began climbing down.  The agent fell during his escape and sustained severe injuries.  Although ADDISON did not participate in the robbery, he and others were later arrested  at the apartment.

    Judge Lemelle sentenced ADDISON to serve 80 months in prison, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

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

    The investigation was conducted primarily by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Louisiana State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department and Crimestoppers GNO. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator, and Nolan Paige, Chief of the Narcotics Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Thirty-Eight Defendants Sentenced in Massive Prison-Based Drug Trafficking Ring

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

    ATLANTA, Ga. – Thirty-eight members of a drug trafficking organization, including several State of Georgia prison inmates, have been sentenced for their roles in coordinating and distributing deadly heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl throughout the metro-Atlanta area, as well as laundering drug proceeds to Mexico.

    “The successful dismantling of this large organization is a result of a tenacious multi-year effort from federal, state, and local authorities to root out narcotics trafficking originating from state prisons,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr.  “Our office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to leverage all resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute entire networks of offenders responsible for distributing deadly drugs into our communities.” 

    “These sentences mirror the destructive impact on the community caused by this violent drug trafficking organization,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Wherever you operate, if you distribute dangerous drugs, DEA will find you and hold you accountable.”

    “Thanks to the hard work and collaboration of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, thirty-eight members of this extensive drug distribution network will spend significant time behind bars where they will no longer be able to plague our community with poison,” said Sean Burke, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. 

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges and other information presented in court: During the investigation, federal special agents learned that a network of prison inmates was using contraband cell phones to broker drug transactions throughout the metro-Atlanta area, including importing drug shipments from Mexico and other states. These prison brokers relied on conspirators on the outside to store, package and distribute multiple types of illegal drugs. Other members of the organization were responsible for laundering the proceeds from the drug sales to Mexico using local money remitters.  The organization also repeatedly threatened violence to uncooperative members.  In one case, agents learned of a plot to abduct and murder a narcotics dealer.  In response, law enforcement quickly mobilized to disrupt the plan.

    After the first phase of the investigation concluded, a Grand Jury sitting in the Northern District of Georgia returned an indictment against 19 of the conspirators for drug trafficking and money laundering offenses.  During the second phase of the investigation, agents identified additional conspirators including two of the high-level prison brokers, Jesus Sanchez-Morales and Juan Ramirez, who were later indicted by the Grand Jury for drug trafficking offenses.  After Ramirez was brought into federal custody, he used another contraband cell phone to broker drug deals, including the attempted distribution of fentanyl.  The Grand Jury later charged him with this new conduct.  

    Through this multi-year investigation, agents seized over 250 kilograms of methamphetamine, 25 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, more than 12,000 fentanyl pills, kilogram-quantities of fentanyl powder, heroin, and marijuana, and over $450,000 in drug proceeds. 

    The defendants were convicted and sentenced by U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May:

    • Juan Ramirez was sentenced earlier today to 27 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release .  Ramirez was convicted of ten drug trafficking counts including Conspiracy and Possession with the Intent to Distribute  Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl, after a jury found him guilty of these charges on July 25, 2024.
    • Jesus Sanchez-Morales was sentenced to 27 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Sanchez-Morales was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on June 22, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Martin Maldonado was sentenced to 19 years, seven months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Maldonado was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on April 26, 2021, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Benjamin Villareal Perez was sentenced to 19 years, seven months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Perez was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on September 17, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Jaime Chavez was sentenced to 17 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Chavez was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime on April 30, 2021, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Aszavious Anderson was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Anderson was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime on May 28, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Kristofer Ty Armistead was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Armistead was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on June 7, 2021, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Mario Castillo was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Castillo was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime on September 25, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Aricus Cantrell Holloway was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Holloway was convicted of Conspiracy and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on April 24, 2023, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Cristian Hernandez-Lovo was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Hernandez-Lovo was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime on September 24, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Jesus Antonio Molina-Ortiz was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Molina-Ortiz was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime on August 10, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Jamar Tyrone Zanders was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Zanders was convicted of Conspiracy and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on September 24, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Brandon Richard Duncan was sentenced to 14 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Duncan was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on July 9, 2021, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Joseph Dominic Edwards was sentenced to 14 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Edwards was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on August 4, 2023, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Rafael Alvarez was sentenced to 13 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Alvarez was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on August 13, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Jason Garcia-Lara was sentenced to 13 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Garcia-Lara was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on June 23, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Jordan Duane Bowers was sentenced to 12 years, six months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Bowers was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Heroin on May 10, 2022, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Emmanuel De Santos Nieto was sentenced to 12 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. De Santos Nieto was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on September 9, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Salvador Valencia-Zavala was sentenced to 11 years, three months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Valencia-Zavala was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on January 27, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Marvin Gaye Banks was sentenced to 11 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Banks was convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on July 15, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Samantha Fagundes was sentenced to 11 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Fagundes was convicted of Conspiracy and Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl, on January 15, 2020, after she pleaded guilty.
    • Alejandro Vasquez-Lopez was sentenced to 10 years, nine months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Vasquez-Lopez was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on May 24, 2021, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Shelly Denise Class was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Class was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on October 10, 2019, after she pleaded guilty.
    • Edgar Ochoa Martinez was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Martinez was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on July 22, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Allison Nichole Daniel was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Daniel was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on May 27, 2020, after she pleaded guilty.
    • Enrique Rodriguez-Govea was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Rodriguez-Govea was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on May 30, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Taurus Basil Stephens was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Stephens was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on December 16, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Raheem Jamal Morris was sentenced to nine years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Morris was convicted of Conspiracy and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on June 26, 2023, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Lilia Martinez Rodriguez was sentenced to eight years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Martinez Rodriguez was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering on September 21, 2020, after she pleaded guilty.
    • Roberto Rojas was sentenced to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Rojas was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on January 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Nicholas Charles Johnson was sentenced to seven years, eight months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Johnson was convicted of Conspiracy and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on July 10, 2023, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Leonardo Rosas was sentenced to six years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Rosas was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on October 3, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Daniel Gonzalez was sentenced to five years, four months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Gonzalez was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on July 11, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Juan Torres Chavez was sentenced to a time-served sentence of approximately four years, nine months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Chavez was convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on December 14, 2023, after he pleaded guilty.
    • David Chavez-Ortiz was sentenced to four years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Chavez-Ortiz was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl on October 21, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
    • Antwonette Jarnez Thomas was sentenced to four years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Thomas was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on January 7, 2021, after she pleaded guilty.
    • Erin Cortez was sentenced to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Cortez was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on January 22, 2020, after she pleaded guilty.
    • Joaquin Flores, Jr. was sentenced to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Flores was convicted of Conspiracy and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on January 19, 2024, after he pleaded guilty. 

    Eusebio Paniagua-Paz remains a fugitive.  If you have any information about his whereabouts, please contact your local law enforcement agency. 

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, Atlanta Police Department, Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, DeKalb County Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia State Patrol, and the South Fulton Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Alison B. Prout, Amy M. Palumbo, Elizabeth M. Hathaway, Sarah Klapman, and Nicholas Evert, together with former Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler Mann, Scott McAfee, and Erin H. Harris, prosecuted the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orleans Parish Man Guilty of Carjacking and Weapons Violations

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 4, 2025, RICHARD CARR (“CARR”), age 29, a resident of Orleans Parish, pled guilty in connection with a carjacking and gun violations that occurred on January 12, 2023, in New Orleans.

    Specifically, CARR pled guilty to carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1); brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii); and being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Court documents revealed that on January 12, 2023, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers were dispatched to Conti Street in response to an armed robbery/carjacking.  The victim said he met CARR that day and drove with him to various areas in the city after which,  CARR produced a firearm and demanded the victim’s cell phone and  car keys for his silver Toyota CHR.  On January 13, 2023, NOPD Officers observed the victim’s stolen silver Toyota CHR, minus the license plate , parked in front of a Franklin Ave gas station.  Police then saw a male sleeping in the front seat with a firearm in on his lap.   NOPD then secured the firearm, a Glock Model 43, nine-millimeter caliber pistol, and arrested CARR.  CARR was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction.

    As to the carjacking and felon in possession charges, CARR faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to the charge for brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, CARR faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years, up to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.  

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

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –