I wish to thank the Guardia di Finanza [Italian Finance Police] in Crotone, the SCICO [Central Organised Crime Investigation Service] and the DDA [District Anti-Mafia Directorate] of Catanzaro for their outstanding operation which has led to the dismantling of an international criminal organisation engaged in human trafficking and money laundering.
It is a top priority to combat those who exploit people’s legitimate desire to find better living conditions in order to make huge profits for themselves. The Government is determined to take down these criminal networks and to stamp out the illegal trafficking of human beings, which feeds the interests of the slave traders of the third millennium.
Our commitment continues. We will keep working tirelessly to defend our borders and to reassert a fundamental principle: you can only enter Italy legally, by following the established rules and procedures.
After acquiring its own shares on 21 October 2024, Šiaulių Bankas AB (hereinafter – the Bank) pursuant to Article 19(2) of the Law on Securities of the Republic of Lithuania provides information on the total number of voting rights granted by the shares issued by it and the amount of the authorized capital, the number of shares and their nominal value:
Type of shares
Ordinary registered shares
ISIN code
LT0000102253
Bank’s LEI code
549300TK038P6EV4YU51
Nominal value of 1 share, EUR
0.29
Number of shares, units
662 996 646
Authorised capital, EUR
192 269 027,34
Number of votes granted by all issued shares, units
662 996 646
Number of votes calculating the quorum of the General Meeting of Shareholders
Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams, who never had children of her own, concentrated much of her activism on enriching the lives of American youth.Chicago History Museum/Getty Images
In August 2024, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, also a Republican, piled on, saying Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has no children to “keep her humble,” even though she’s stepmother to two children who call her “Mamala.”
My research offers a broader perspective on women’s experiences of mothering and a deeper understanding of how women without biological children contribute to the nation and its future.
‘Mothers of all children’
One such woman was Katharine Bement Davis, the subject of my current research.
Born in Buffalo, New York, in 1860, Davis was a member of a generation of “new women” who pursued higher education, built professional careers and fought for political rights.
Of this group, only Roosevelt had children of her own. But all of them saw themselves as “mothers of all children,” as one historian has described juvenile justice advocates. Accepting responsibility for the nation’s welfare, they used their identity as public mothers to shape American politics.
“First, I am still an old maid; therefore, I cannot write interesting things about my husband and children, (and) how I have treated him and how I have raised them. First and last, however, I have had a good deal to do in the way of looking after other people’s husbands and children.”
Indeed, Davis’ life illustrated the many meanings of motherhood.
Like many ostensibly childless women, Davis was a doting aunt. With her unmarried sisters, Helen and Charlotte, she helped care for her only niece, Frances, whose mother died when she was just a toddler. In the mid-1920s, Frances lived with all three aunts while attending school in New York City.
Black feminist scholars call this sort of arrangement, long practiced in African American communities, “othermothering.”
Davis and other white women of her generation also engaged in the practice of caring for children, whether through formal adoption or informal caregiving. For instance, Breckinridge helped raise her nieces and nephews, while Van Waters legally adopted a daughter.
‘Maternalism the coming great force in government’
Throughout her life, Davis used what she called “the methods of motherhood” to promote public welfare.
Only months into her term, male inmates at Blackwell’s Island Penitentiary staged a major riot. Davis quelled the rebellion and established her own authority by addressing the refractory prisoners like wayward children. “You fellows must behave,” she pronounced. “I’ll have it no other way.”
Social reformer Katharine Bement Davis, right, wrote that she ‘had a good deal to do in the way of looking after other people’s husbands and children.’ Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images
After successfully using “motherly methods” to regain control of “the bad boys of Blackwell’s Island,” Davis proclaimed that “maternalism” was “the coming great force in government.”
While she promoted public welfare and demanded political rights, Davis also advocated for what she and her contemporaries called “voluntary motherhood” – the idea that women should be able to control their reproductive lives.
Davis supported efforts to overturn the Comstock Act of 1873, which defined contraception and abortion as obscene and made distributing birth control information or devices through the U.S. postal service a federal crime.
States followed federal precedent by adopting “mini-Comstock Laws” criminalizing birth control. By the 1920s, however, some states permitted physicians to prescribe contraceptives – such as diaphragms and spermicides – to protect the health of their female patients.
When she surveyed 1,000 married women for a study of female sexuality in the 1920s, Davis found that most of her study subjects used contraceptives. In addition, nearly 1 in 10 reported having had at least one abortion, even though the procedure was illegal in every state.
And when Davis asked the women about their views on contraception – or as the survey put it, “the use of means to render parenthood voluntary instead of accidental” – she found that about three-quarters of them approved of it.
When the childless take charge
So-called childless women like Davis have shown that they have a stake in children’s welfare, women’s welfare and the nation’s welfare.
Davis cuddles a kitten in a photograph taken while she was a college student. Life and Labor, Volume 4
But today, it seems that Republican politicians are attempting to drive a wedge between mothers and others. As a recent New York Times article put it, “the politics of motherhood” have become a “campaign-trail cudgel.”
However, as Davis understood, many issues that affect mothers are important to all women. Moreover, Davis believed that everyone – not just biological mothers – shares the responsibility for the health and welfare of future generations. Finally, she insisted that women should control their own destinies.
Anya Jabour 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.
The Codiac Regional RCMP is asking for the public’s help locating a missing 14-year-old boy from Moncton, N.B.
Boe Travis was last seen on October 17, 2024, near Connaught Avenue in Moncton. He was reported missing to police the same day. Police have followed up on several leads to try and locate him, but have so far been unsuccessful. Police and his family are concerned for his wellbeing.
Boe Travis is described as being approximately 6 feet (182 centimetres) tall and weighing approximately 170 pounds (77 kilograms). He has brown eyes and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black hat, a black sweater, black and red sweatpants, and red and white sneakers.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Codiac Regional RCMP at 506-857-2400.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Public safety will be at the heart of an independent review into sentencing, as the government pledges to end the crisis in our prisons.
review into sentencing launched to end prison crisis and ensure no government forced into emergency release of prisoners again
the first principle of the Review will be to protect the public and make sure prisons punish serious offenders
this forms part of the government’s pledge to always have the prison places needed to lock up the most dangerous offenders, alongside its commitment to build 14,000 prison spaces
review will also look at tough alternatives to custody
Chaired by former Lord Chancellor David Gauke, the review will make sure the most serious offenders can be sent to prison to protect the public, and that the country always has the space needed to keep dangerous criminals locked up.
Launched on the day more prisoners will be leaving jail under an emergency release scheme due to chronic overcrowding, the review will make sure no government is ever placed in this position again.
The prison population has roughly doubled in the last 30 years – but in the last 14 of those years, just 500 places were added to the country’s stock of jail cells.
The government has committed to creating 14,000 extra prison places and outlining a 10-year capacity strategy later this year. Alongside this, the Sentencing Review will follow 3 core principles to ensure a sustainable justice system:
make sure prison sentences punish serious offenders and protect the public, and there is always the space in prison for the most dangerous offenders
look at what more can be done to encourage offenders to turn their backs on a life of crime, and keep the public safe by reducing reoffending
explore tougher punishments outside of prison to make sure these sentences cut crime while making the best use of taxpayers’ money
The review will also specifically consider whether current sentencing for crimes committed against women and girls fits the severity of the act, and ask whether there is more can be done to tackle prolific offending.
Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, said:
This government inherited prisons in crisis, within days of collapse.
This review, along with our prison building programme, will ensure we never again have more prisoners than prison spaces.
I believe in punishment. I believe in prison, but I also believe that we must increase the range of punishments we use. And that those prisoners who earn the right to turn their lives around should be encouraged to do so.
The Sentencing Review will make sure prison and punishment work – and that there is always a cell waiting for dangerous offenders.
The review will examine the tough alternatives to custody, such as using technology to place criminals in a ‘prison outside prison’ and forcing offenders to do hard work in the community that gives back to society.
In developing their recommendations, the independent chair and panel will look at evidence in this country and also from overseas jurisdictions, such as the US, to explore alternative approaches to criminal justice.
Independent Reviewer David Gauke said:
Clearly, our prisons are not working. The prison population is increasing by around 4,500 every year, and nearly 90% of those sentenced to custody are reoffenders.
This review will explore what punishment and rehabilitation should look like in the 21st century, and how we can move our justice system out of crisis and towards a long-term, sustainable future.
The review will submit its findings in full to the Lord Chancellor by Spring 2025.
The Review will provide long-term solutions for our justice system by:
examining the use and composition of non-custodial sentences, including robust community alternatives to prison and the use of fines
looking at the role of incentives in sentence management and the powers of the probation service in the administration of sentences in the community
exploring the use and impact of short custodial sentences
reviewing the framework around longer custodial sentences, including the use of minimum sentences, and the range of sentences and maximum penalties available for different offences
looking at the administration of sentences, including the point at which offenders are released from prison, how long they are supervised in the community on licence, recall to prison, and how technology can support this
considering whether the sentencing framework should be amended to take into account the specific needs or vulnerabilities of specific cohorts such as young adult offenders, older offenders, and women
considering the approach to sentencing in cases of prolific offenders
considering specifically sentencing for offences primarily committed against women and girls
The review will not consider:
the Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence or the administration of it
A 38-year-old man who operated as a loan shark in Coventry has been sentenced to 31 months in prison and handed a Criminal Behaviour Order in a first for the national Illegal Money Lending Team.
James Ringrose lent thousands of pounds to people, including workmates, charging ‘exorbitant’ interest rates and putting pressure on them to make them pay, Warwick Crown Court heard. He left borrowers feeling distraught and even suicidal as they struggled to pay him back.
Ringrose admitted two charges of illegal money lending and money laundering following an investigation by the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) and appeared before the court to be sentenced on Friday. (October 18)
The case was prosecuted by the IMLT in partnership with Coventry Trading Standards and West Midlands Police.
Mr Jonathan Barker, prosecuting on behalf of the IMLT, told the court Ringrose was operating as a loan shark between 2016 and July 2024 and used some of the proceeds to fund a house extension and cosmetic procedures in Turkey.
Ringrose was not authorised by the Financial Condict Authority to lend money, which meant he could charge whatever he wanted and did not have to abide by the rules that protect borrowers.
Mr Barker said one of Ringrose’s borrowers was a workmate who needed some cash but could not get a loan through a mainstream lender. He borrowed £40 and repaid £60. A few weeks later borrowed a further £100 and told to repay £140. The borrowing continued and by 2019 he was repaying Ringrose £400 a month.
Mr Barker said the borrower would go to a cashpoint and meet Ringrose, who had a clipboard and crossed his name off when he handed over cash. He said Ringrose also asked this borrower to withdraw using debit cards belonging to other people.
Mr Barker said the borrowing ‘spiralled out of control’. He was never given any paperwork and never knew exactly how much he owed.
Another colleague who needed money to repair a vehicle, borrowed £200 and was told she would have to repay £280 by the end of the month. She later took another loan on the same terms and when she struggled to repay, they came to an agreement where she was repaying £80 a month. Mr Barker said she was so scared of repercussions she continued to make payments for three years, significantly more than the original sum.
After an initial investigation by the IMLT, Ringrose was arrested at an address in Barons Croft, Nuneaton.
Analysis of his accounts showed that since November 2016 there were 317 third party credits totalling more than £80,000, 29 cash credits of over £17,000, 63 third party debits totalling just over £4,500 and 626 cash withdrawals worth over £90,000. There were at least 20 names associated with the transactions.
He was bailed but the court heard he continued to provide and collect on unauthorised loans to around 10 people, for more than £15,000.
In July 2024, he was arrested again following a warrant at an address in The Barley Lea, Coventry. During a search of property IMLT officers recovered loan records hidden under the carpet of the bottom stair in a folder.
New analysis of his bank accounts showed that since May 2023, there were 39 third party credits of just under £3,500, 94 third party debits of over £5,700 and 22 cash withdrawals worth just over £1,000.
Mr Barker said this showed part of the picture as the defendant would have conducted loan activity in cash.
The court heard another borrower borrowed £1,000 in various instalments and was charged double interest on anything over £100, which led her into a cycle of debt.
Mr Barker said: “She estimates that over the years she has borrowed a total of £5,000 and has already paid over £50,000 back, but the defendant had stated she still owes him over £60,000. She states for years she endured constant harassment from the defendant. This includes him persistently contacting her via phone, turning up outside her work address, forcing her to provide bank statements and wage slips to show what funds she has, entering her home without her permission following her and taking her to cash machines to withdraw funds.”
He said on one occasion Ringrose followed her around Coventry, shouted at her in the street and threatened her partner in order to get her to pay.
He said another workmate borrowed £3,000, adding: “He states that the defendant never kept his illegal money lending business a secret and was actually quite boastful about it. Ringrose told him that he would operate like a ‘payday loan lender’ and after collecting payments from people, they would have to borrow again from him immediately. He boasted that he had a constant stream of income.”
Mr Barker added: “The prosecution case is that the loan business was lucrative. The defendant would brag to others about how lucrative it was. It helped him fund an extension to his property and pay for cosmetic treatments in Turkey.”
Mr Barker also said when Ringrose found out that the IMLT had begun an investigation he tried to persuade borrowers not to speak to officers, offering money as an incentive.
Mr Gerard Cullen, defending, told the court there was a lack of sophistication in the offending and Ringrose did not realise he was acting illegally at first.
The judge, Mr Recorder Tom Restall, said despite coming to the attention of the authorities, Ringrose continued to lend money, charging ‘exorbitant’ levels of interest.
He said borrowers’ mental health suffered badly and one reported feeling suicidal.
For the first count of illegal money lending, Ringrose was sentenced to 16 months in jail to run concurrently with a three-month sentence for money laundering.
For the second offence of illegal lending, he was handed a 12-month sentence together with one month for money laundering, to run concurrently, but consecutive to the first set of offences.
He was also handed three months’ custody for breach of a suspended sentence for an earlier unrelated offence, bringing his total sentence to 31 months.
Ringrose was also made subject to a 10-year restraining order in relation to one borrower and handed a Criminal Behaviour order for five years, which means he must not enter the Stoke Aldemoor area of Coventry and not provide or collect unauthorised loans, directly or indirectly. If he breaches either order he could face a further jail term. A POCA timetable was set.
Councillor Abdul Salam Khan, chair of Coventry’s Police and Crime Board, added: “It is really disturbing how the culprits operate and that’s why I’m pleased about the action that has been taken to deal with this case. It shows the importance and effectiveness of partnership working between the Council’s trading standards officers and the Illegal Money Lending Team. I’d encourage anyone who has been affected by illegal money lending to get in touch on the Stop Loan Sharks helpline or via their online support.”
Dave Benbow, acting head of the IMLT, a national organisation hosted by Birmingham City Council, which investigates and prosecutes loan sharks, said: “This case is the first time we have used a Criminal Behaviour Order, which means that not only has Ringrose been punished for his illegal money lending activities, he will also be subject to strict rules that stop him acting as an illegal lender in the future.
“Even when illegal lenders are convicted and sentenced, that is not the end of it. We will do whatever we can to ensure they are not free to continue to blight communities in any way.
“Once again, we are grateful to all the witnesses who came forward in this case. We realise it’s not easy, but this shows that we can and will continue to take the strongest possible action against illegal lenders to make our communities safer.”
Anyone who has been affected by illegal money lending should call the Stop Loan Sharks 24/7 Helpline on 0300 555 2222 or access support online at http://www.stoploansharks.co.uk. Live Chat is available on the website from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Voting machines are tested at the Wake County Board of Elections on Sept. 17, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. Allison Joyce/Getty Images
The 2024 election is rife with controversy, from the politics of the campaigns to the politics surrounding the administration of elections. Accusations of wrongdoing and ineptitude continue to plague election officials, despite their explanations of legal compliance and process.
This is not new. During the 2016 election season, there was a growing narrative in the media and elsewhere that U.S. elections were poorly run. These accusations came from the left and the right, with concerns ranging from voter suppression to rigged machines.
My colleagues and I have been studying election administration intensely for many years. When these accusations were made, they struck us as both odd and incorrect. We traveled around the country to visit election offices. We did surveys, we interviewed people, we ran focus groups, we toured election offices.
In 2020, my colleague Kathleen Hale and I published a book on innovation in election administration. Among our conclusions: U.S. elections are not broken, and while fragmented and sometimes confusing, the system is functioning well, despite myriad pressures on it.
The 2020 election continued to underscore that American election administration is strong across the country, despite the narrative from some losing candidates that there was widespread fraud and conspiracy.
I continue to interact with election officials on a regular basis through meetings, conversations, classes I teach and election observations. While there are normal errors and mistakes that will always happen, this year’s presidential election also continues to demonstrate that the people running our elections are professionals engaging in neutral administration, upholding the law as well as important public administration principles of transparency, accountability, accuracy, integrity and widespread access for eligible voters.
These people are doing this work despite an increasingly complicated and threatening environment for election officials.
These offices work closely with other county and city government offices. Their employees are trained on standard operating procedures to ensure ballot security and electoral integrity, and they work closely with state election offices to ensure standard application of federal and state laws. In some states, such as Colorado and Ohio, they have professional associations to enhance their coordination and work. And there are national professional and training programs to further enhance the field.
Despite the fact that most people think elections are held every other year, when you take into account state, local and special elections and the steps involved in preparation, early and absentee voting, election day voting and canvas and certification, there is an election being run somewhere in America almost every day.
Working in elections is uniquely challenging. Deadlines are fixed, budgets are comparatively small in most places, and perfection is expected at all times. For the past two presidential election cycles, election officials in some jurisdictions faced almost constant accusations of incompetence or fraud. Accusers are rarely able to provide actual evidence.
There are excellent examples around the country of good election administration in the face of many challenges and accusations of wrongdoing.
Another example is Mary Hall, an auditor in Thurston County, Washington. Hall has been recognized by the state of Washington and her colleagues for her strong professionalism for decades. She heads a robust office and staff who work to communicate to voters to ensure community trust in their processes and outcomes.
There are legitimate reasons that voter rolls are not perfect, and the presence of people on a voter roll who have moved and registered elsewhere is not evidence of fraud. And while such double registration is not illegal, voting in multiple places is. In the face of all of this, Hall continues to respectfully respond to their accusations and criticisms.
“I used to be very proud of my position and telling people what I did for a living. And I don’t do that anymore, because you never know what reaction you’re going to receive from the people on the other end,” Hall told “PBS NewsHour” in November 2023.
Election Day precinct officials receive training at Wake County Board of Elections headquarters on Sept. 26, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. Allison Joyce/Getty Images
‘Years of unsubstantiated personal attacks’
Other than sowing confusion and public distrust, these attacks and accusations have real-life implications for the lives of the people running elections.
Darling Allen, the former chief election official for California’s Shasta County, is widely regarded among her peers as having the highest levels of professionalism, integrity and honesty. In 2024, Darling Allen was one of five election officials in the country whom the American Bar Association awarded its Unsung Heroes of Democracy Award. That award “recognizes those individuals and organizations who work every day, often behind the scenes or without fanfare, to ensure that our elections are secure and that the democratic ideals set forth in the U.S. Constitution are upheld.”
But years of threats, hate mail, accusations and unsubstantiated personal attacks against her left her physically ill. This stress and resulting health conditions forced her to retire early. A vocal group of county residents alleged that widespread election fraud was happening on her watch and accused her of sedition and treason. In an ironic development, a local news website reported that “Supervisor Patrick Jones, who is the most visible proponent of the claim that election fraud is occurring locally, was himself successfully elected to office in a process overseen by Darling Allen.”
Darling Allen is just one example of dedicated officials who have left the field in recent years because of the rampant, false narrative about election wrongdoing on the part of officials.
But these officials nonetheless persist, upholding state and federal laws and professional standards of conduct and producing accurate and timely election results.
A review of the Moritz College of Law case tracker for the 2020 presidential election, which documents important election law cases from around the nation, demonstrates that many of these charges were meritless and that the results of the election were upheld. These results reflect the competence of those election officials.
Other groups, including academics, have been working to neutrally and empirically study these issues, looking at a range of topics, from election performance to best practices, as well as seeking to understand the impacts of the current narrative on the public.
Real electoral mismanagement is investigated, and the people involved face consequences if it is substantiated. Election fraud is a crime. Election officials know this and work tirelessly to ensure timely, fair, secure and accurate elections.
Mitchell Brown is the Curtis O. Liles III Professor in the Department of Political Science and directs the election administration program at Auburn University. For 35 years, Auburn University faculty have served as the curricular faculty for the Certified Elections/Registration Administrator (CERA) certification program, and through this role she serves on the Board of Directors of the Election Center. She has received numerous grants and contracts to study election administration, including from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, Bipartisan Policy Center, and MIT MEDSL, among others.
Coast Guard Sector New York’s former Enforcement Chief, Lt. Cmdr. Kamryn Jones, discusses how the Coast Guard collaborates with multiple units and partner agencies to implement security zone enforcement and ensure waterway security during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in Sept. 2023.
Crew members from Coast Guard small-boat stations, Maritime Security Response Teams (MSRTs), Maritime Safety and Security Teams (MSSTs), and New York Police Department (NYPD) units enforced multiple safety and security zones on the East River in support of the UNGA.
(U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Derek Dodge)
SHORT GAP, WV — Gov. Jim Justice surprised the students of Frankfort Elementary School with a $100,000 check to help build a brand new playground. Frankfort Elementary, home of the Rockets, is Mineral County’s newest school, which opened its doors in August of this year.
“This school is absolutely incredible,” Gov. Justice said. “It’s brand new, and I couldn’t be more excited for all of you. As Rockets, you represent the very best of West Virginia, and if I can offer one piece of advice, it’s to always aim for the stars. Babydog and I had the pleasure of exploring your new school, and it’s got everything you need. But one thing is still missing—a playground. Today, we’re making sure that you get that playground, and we brought $100,000 for it to happen. You deserve the very best, because you’re worth it, and we’re making sure you get it.”
CHARLESTON, WV — Gov. Jim Justice announced today that West Virginia Department of Economic Development Secretary Mitch Carmichael, who has served in the position since its creation in 2021, is stepping away to move into the private sector. Mike Graney has been appointed acting secretary for the department.
“I want to thank Secretary Carmichael for his incredible work over the years,” Gov. Justice said. “When we reshaped our thinking about economic development and made it an entire department, there was no better person to lead the charge than Mitch. He’s business savvy, loves West Virginia, and is a rockstar in every sense of the word. We’ve seen unbelievable growth and progress over the last few years, and it’s in part because of Mitch’s forward-thinking mindset. He’s been a real asset to the State of West Virginia. I’m incredibly thankful for what he’s done, and I wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
“It’s been an honor to serve under Governor Justice, and I thank him for the opportunity to bring his economic vision to life in this role,” Sec. Carmichael said. “By every measure, we’ve delivered historically significant and transformative improvements for the benefit of West Virginia’s long-term economic vitality. Our incredible work has resulted in more jobs, more investment, more broadband connectivity, more energy, and more community advancement than at any time in the history of West Virginia. I am forever grateful to have been part of the revitalization of West Virginia’s economy.”
Under Gov. Justice’s leadership, Sec. Carmichael has been a driver of West Virginia’s economic transformation. During the Justice Administration, the state has attracted over $20 billion in economic development investments, creating tens of thousands of jobs and bringing high-profile companies to West Virginia. Sec. Carmichael’s efforts have helped position the state as a top destination for business, innovation, and growth.
Gov. Justice also announced that Mike Graney has been promoted to acting Secretary of the Department of Economic Development. Graney was first appointed Executive Director of the West Virginia Development Office by Gov. Justice in 2018 and assumed the same role when the Department of Economic Development was established in 2021.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Federal Land Offenses
Michael A. Tunis, age 66 of West Yellowstone, Montana, was sentenced to 30 days in jail and a 5-year period of probation, with a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that time, for a DUI per se and open container violation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Oct. 11, in Mammoth, Wyoming.
Darrell C. Osterhout, age 63 of New Brighton, Minnesota, was sentenced to 7 days in jail and 1 year of probation, with a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that time, for DUI per se and interference with law enforcement functions. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Oct. 16, in Mammoth, Wyoming.
Production of Child Pornography
Robert Wayne Eaker, 38, of Boulder, Wyoming, was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison for production of child pornography with 15 years of supervised release. The court also ordered the defendant to pay $36,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. According to court documents, Eaker is a registered sex offender for prior offenses involving the sexual abuse of minors. In September 2023, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force were conducting an online investigation for people sharing child pornography. Agents discovered a Wyoming IP address sharing numerous files of child pornography and traced it back to Eaker. Agents later received a search warrant for the house where he was living. Agents found Eaker had produced lewd and lascivious files of a child. Eaker admitted to producing the files without the child’s knowledge. In addition, investigators found hundreds of files of child pornography containing prepubescent children on multiple devices belonging to Eaker. DCI-ICAC investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. Eaker was indicted on May 16, pleaded guilty on July 25, and U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Oct. 16, in Cheyenne.
Drug and Firearm Offenses
Brady Mitchell, 33, a transient, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment for being a felon and unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on April 13, Cheyenne Police Officers contacted Mitchell who was asleep in his van in a gas station parking lot. During questioning, officers saw a hatchet under his seat and smelled marijuana. They asked him to step out of his van so they could secure the weapon and conduct a search. Officers found a .22 revolver on Mitchell and approximately 12 ounces of marijuana, 3.31 grams of Xanax, 3.75 grams of fentanyl, and 1.13 grams of methamphetamine in his van. Mitchell is a previously convicted felon and not allowed to possess a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Cheyenne Police Department investigated this crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Mitchell was indicted on April 13, pleaded guilty on July 11, and U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Oct. 15, in Cheyenne.
llegal Re-entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Luis Barajas-Morales, 46, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus 10 days for deportation for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Feb. 26, Barajas-Morales was arrested by the Teton County Sheriff’s Department for the charge of contempt of court. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted. A Deportation Officer processed the defendant and obtained fingerprints matching pre-existing fingerprints in their database indicating Barajas-Morales was in the U.S. illegally and had not applied for permission to reenter the U.S. after being formally removed in December 2003. ICE investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Oct. 15, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00106.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Kansas, pediatric physician pleaded guilty in federal court today to using concealed video cameras to secretly record 13 child victims for the purpose of producing child pornography over a three-year period from Oct. 4, 2020, to Oct. 28, 2023. Aalbers also admitted that he was in possession of child pornography.
Brian Michael Aalbers, 50, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lajuana M. Counts to 13 counts of attempting to produce child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.
Aalbers, a pediatric neurologist at Overland Park Regional Hospital in Overland Park, Kan., remains in federal custody without bond.
Concerns were received by both the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office regarding the potential victimization of patients of Aalbers’s pediatric practice. During the investigation, it was determined there was no evidence to indicate any current or former patients were victimized by Aalbers. To protect and maintain the privacy of Aalbers’s victims, no additional information regarding the victims will be released.
According to today’s plea agreement, Kansas City, Mo., police officers investigated a report regarding concealed video cameras that had been found on Oct. 28, 2023. A witness later contacted officers to report that Aalbers was sending suicidal text messages. Lenexa, Kan., police officers located Aalbers and transported him to a local hospital to obtain voluntary mental health treatment. The hospital took possession of two laptop computers, two iPad tablets, and a cell phone that were inside a backpack Aalbers brought with him when he entered the facility.
Investigators obtained search warrants for those devices, as well as other cameras and electronic devices owned by Aalbers. Investigators found more than 50,000 video files associated with the hidden video cameras used by Aalbers, including more than 1,000 videos that contained pornographic depictions of the 13 child victims.
Investigators also obtained a search warrant for Aalbers’s iCloud account, which contained 1,000 additional images and 163 additional videos of child pornography, which included videos of the identified child victims that had been produced by Aalbers.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Aalbers are jointly requesting a sentence of at least 20 years, but no more than 30 years, in federal prison without parole. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Lenexa, Kan., Police Department, the Merriam, Kan., Police Department, and the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Kansas.
Project Safe Childhood
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, 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 http://www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Pineville, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for the kidnapping and murder of a pregnant Arkansas woman and her victim’s unborn child.
Amber Waterman, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to consecutive life sentences in federal prison without parole.
On July 30, 2024, Amber Waterman pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of thereby causing the death of a child in utero. Waterman admitted that she kidnapped Ashley Bush in order to claim her unborn child, Valkyrie Willis, as her own. Waterman transported Ashley Bush from Maysville, Ark., to Pineville. The kidnapping resulted in the deaths of both Ashley Bush and Valkyrie Willis.
Her husband, Jamie Waterman, 44, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of being an accessory after the fact to the kidnapping resulting in death. Jamie Waterman admitted that he knew Amber Waterman had kidnapped Bush, causing the death of her unborn child, and provided assistance in order to hinder or prevent the apprehension, trial, and punishment of Amber Waterman.
Amber Waterman, using a false name, contacted Bush, who was approximately 31 weeks pregnant, via Facebook. Amber Waterman pretended to help Bush obtain employment, suggesting she had a job opportunity for her. That prompted an in-person meeting between the two women on Oct. 28, 2022, at the Gravette, Ark., public library. They agreed to meet again on Oct. 31, 2022.
On Oct. 31, 2022, at roughly 11:45 a.m., Bush met Amber Waterman at the Handi-Stop convenience store in Maysville, Ark. Under the pretext that Amber Waterman was taking her to meet a supervisor to further discuss employment, Bush got into a truck driven by Amber Waterman. Amber Waterman then kidnapped and abducted Bush, driving her from Maysville to the Waterman residence in Pineville.
According to court documents, Amber Waterman led Jamie Waterman to Bush’s body. Jamie Waterman assisted in hiding and disposing of the body.
At about 5 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2022, first responders reported to the Longview store in Pineville for an emergency call of a baby who was not breathing. Amber Waterman admitted that she claimed to first responders that she had given birth to the child in the truck while on the way to the hospital. But in reality, she admitted, the child was Bush’s child, who died in utero, as a result of Amber Waterman’s kidnapping that resulted in the death of Bush.
An autopsy indicated that Bush died as a result of penetrating trauma of the torso and her death was classified as a homicide.
Under federal statutes, Jamie Waterman is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie L. Wan and James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI, the Benton County, Ark., Sheriff’s Department, and the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Arkansas and the Benton County, Ark., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Source: Republic of France in English The Republic of France has issued the following statement:
After carrying out the consultations required by the Statute of the International Court of Justice, on October 14, the French national group in the Permanent Court of Arbitration designated François Alabrune as the French candidate in the election for judges of the International Court of Justice, which will take place in November 2026.
France supports François Alabrune’s candidacy. A former legal advisor at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs who is currently serving as France’s ambassador to the Netherlands, he has recognized expertise in international law and meets all the criteria of rigor, independence, impartiality and integrity required to carry out the duties of a judge of the International Court of Justice.
France’s commitment to the International Court of Justice is longstanding and unwavering. The ICJ’s contribution to international peacekeeping and security is more vital than ever. Established by the UN Charter, the ICJ is the UN’s most important judicial body; its duty is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized UN bodies and specialized agencies.
Governments of Canada and Quebec kick off joint public consultations for Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park Expansion Project
October 21, 2024. – The Governments of Canada and Quebec announce that joint public consultations on the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park expansion project will be held this fall. Members of the public are invited to participate in these consultations, which are scheduled to take place from October 21 to December 13, 2024.
These consultations are open to all interested parties. Participants will be able to learn about the project and share their opinions online beginning October 21, 2024. Members of the public will have until December 13, 2024 to express their views on the project by completing a brief online survey. Individuals or organizations who wish to submit a brief may also do so via the website.
Five participatory events will be held in municipalities adjacent to the proposed expansion area. In each town where a consultation will take place, kiosks staffed by the marine park team will allow participants to discuss the project at their leisure and according to their areas of interest in late afternoon. An information and Q&A session will follow in the evening.
Public participatory events:
City Location Date
Rimouski Théâtre du Bic November 4 Rivière-du-Loup Hôtel Lévesque November 6 Kamouraska Community hall November 7 Saint-Irénée Domaine Forget November 12 Les Escoumins Multipurpose centre November 13
The expansion project has been presented to representatives of approximately 230 organizations, including Indigenous communities, RCMs and municipalities, business owners and NGOs on both shores of the St. Lawrence Estuary.
These discussions have led to a proposal to expand the boundaries of the marine park. Public consultations will provide interested members of the public and organizations an opportunity to express their views on the project, especially regarding the boundaries being proposed for the expansion, the objectives pursued as well as the associated challenges and opportunities. The information gathered will allow the two governments to make a joint and well-informed decision regarding the expansion project in 2025.
Expanding the marine park would help enhance protection for belugas, rorquals and green costal areas, in particular by including all of the beluga’s critical summer habitat in the park. The project is also an opportunity to promote discovery and educational activities related to the St. Lawrence River as well as to support the maintenance and development of a sustainable tourism offer associated with the St. Lawrence River..
The Brantford Police Service, in collaboration with RCMP Hamilton-Niagara Regional Detachment, executed search warrants at five southwestern Ontario locations resulting in three individuals from Brantford being charged.
The searches uncovered 6.3kg of cocaine, with a street value of $170,000 and approximately $2,000,000 in Canadian currency, which has been seized as suspected proceeds of crime.
A number of electronic communications devices were also seized. Additional arrests and charges may follow.
Three individuals are facing charges:
Bhavandeep Gill (36 yrs.), Possession of a Controlled Substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking, contrary to section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA)
Vikram Kumar (23 yrs.), Possession of a Controlled Substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking, contrary to section 5(2) of the CDSA
Sandeep Kaur (24 yrs.), Possession of a Controlled Substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking, contrary to section 5(2) of the CDSA
The individuals are scheduled to appear in Brantford Court on December 19, 2024.
The success of this investigation was made possible through funding provided by the Ontario Government, Ministry of the Solicitor General in which the Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario (CISO) supported this joint force investigation.
We would also like to thank the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Canada’s financial intelligence unit, for its vital role in supporting this investigation. Disclosures from FINTRAC helped uncover evidence of alleged money laundering and proceeds of crime by tracing financial transactions and identifying patterns. FINTRAC’s collaboration with the RCMP facilitated the understanding of the complex financial networks involved. The investigation’s outcome underscores the importance of interagency cooperation in combating organized crime.
“Drug trafficking has widespread and devastating effects on multiple levels. At its core, it contributes to violence and undermines public health with increased addiction rates and overdoses. Thanks to the Brantford Police Service and all of our partner agencies for the excellent collaboration which resulted in more than 6kg of cocaine taken off of our streets.” – Inspector Vance Morgan, Officer in Charge RCMP Hamilton-Niagara Detachment
“This is another successful joint project helping to minimize the threat to our communities caused by the distribution of controlled substances, and organized criminal activity related to drug trafficking. By disrupting the operation of criminal networks, our goal is to assist our community by reducing the violence surrounding the trade of illicit substances.
In support of the search warrants and arrests related to this project, the Brantford Police Service would like to recognize the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario, for their continued funding and dedication in keeping communities safe in Ontario.” – Interim Chief Jason Saunders, Brantford Police Service
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Shamoor Anis will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Anis has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Delaware, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Weiss said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
U.S. Attorney Weiss additionally commented that, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Anis will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number – 302-893-5213.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 410-265-8080.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
U.S. Attorney Weiss concluded, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Civil Engineering and Development Department highly concerned about worker at Tuen Mun Area 38 Fill Bank falling into sea Civil Engineering and Development Department highly concerned about worker at Tuen Mun Area 38 Fill Bank falling into sea ******************************************************************************************
The Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Michael Fong, is highly concerned about the incident happened at the Tuen Mun Area 38 Fill Bank today (October 21) in which a subcontractor’s worker fell into the sea and went missing. Mr Fong has tasked the project team to make every endeavour to facilitate the search and rescue operation of the Police and the Fire Services Department, seriously follow up on the cause of the incident and carry out a thorough review on safety measures of related work to prevent re-occurrence of similar incidents. At around 12.30pm today, the worker concerned accidentally fell into the sea after mooring a construction vessel. After the incident, related work has been suspended immediately and the work area concerned has been fenced off. The contractor has reported the incident to the Labour Department and has contacted the family of the worker to provide assistance.
SCRANTON – United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam announced today that Criminal Division Chief Bruce D. Brandler, Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) Michael Consiglio, Geoffrey MacArthur, and James Buchanan will lead the efforts of this Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.
Criminal Chief Brandler has been appointed to oversee and lead the District’s Election Day Program. AUSAs Consiglio, Buchanan, and MacArthur will serve as the District Election Officers (DEO) for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in our Harrisburg, Scranton, and Williamsport Offices. In that capacity, they are responsible for overseeing the handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of any kind to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of any kind. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of any kind directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy, said U.S. Attorney Karam. “We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.”
In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, our DEOs will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. AUSA/DEO Consiglio can be reached by the public at the Harrisburg Office number: 717-221-4482; AUSA/DEO Buchanan can be reached at the Scranton Office number: 570-348-2800; and AUSA/DEO MacArthur can be reached at the Williamsport Office number: 570-326-1935.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 215-418-4000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Jackson, Miss. – United States Attorney Todd Gee announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Bert Carraway and Samuel Goff will lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSAs Carraway and Goff have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEOs) for the Southern District of Mississippi, and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Gee said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Gee stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. To respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSAs Bert Carraway and Samuel Goff will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. They can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: 601-973-2826 or 601-973-2855.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 601-948-5000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Gee said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS.
On three occasions in 2019, JASON BROWN provided $500 in cash to an individual with the understanding that the money would be wired to an ISIS soldier engaged in terrorist activity in Syria. Unbeknownst to Brown, the individual to whom he provided the money was confidentially working with law enforcement, and the purported ISIS fighter was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
Also in 2019, Brown trafficked fentanyl and other drugs from California to the Chicago suburbs and illegally possessed several loaded handguns in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Brown, 42, of Lombard, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, one count of distributing fentanyl, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland imposed the sentence on Oct. 16, 2024, during a hearing in federal court in Chicago. Brown has been in law enforcement custody since his arrest in 2019.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the U.S. Department of Justice, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Lombard, Ill. Police Department, Addison, Ill. Police Department, and FBI Field Offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn McCarthy of the Northern District of Illinois and S. Elisa Poteat, Trial Attorney from the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.
Deer Lake RCMP is continuing to look for77-year-old Eugene Earl Spoon, who was last seen on the evening of October 18, 2024, in Deer Lake. Police have since confirmed that Spoon was a guest at the Driftwood Motel and has been unaccounted for since the time of the blaze.
Efforts are underway to complete a search of the fire scene. Spoon, who is visiting Newfoundland from the state of Kansas in the United States, has grey hair and is known to wear prescription glasses. His image is attached.
Anyone having information about the current location of Eugene Spoon is asked to contact Deer Lake RCMP at 709-635-2173.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – A federal jury convicted TERENCE WILSON (“WILSON”), age 42,and TRAVIS ENCLADE (“ENCLADE”), age 42, both of New Orleans, on October 9, 2024 for using a stash location in the 3500 block of Encampment Street in New Orleans to conspire to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl and, for being felons in possession of firearms.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, WILSON and ENCLADE conspired together, and with others, to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl from August 2022 through October 12, 2022. During this time, WILSON and ENCLADE engaged in multiple, near daily, hand-to-hand transactions with drug customers in the Hollygrove area.
In September 2022, law enforcement identified a residence being used by WILSON and ENCLADE as a stash house. Both WILSON and ENCLADE regularly made short trips to the stash house, indicative of drug activities, and possessed access keys. When law enforcement executed a search warrant at the stash house, they seized over 534 grams of heroin and fentanyl, over 120 grams of fentanyl, and 363 grams of mostly pure methamphetamine. Law enforcement also seized a Diamondback Model DB9, multicaliber pistol, a Palmetto State Armory Model PA-X9, multicaliber pistol and drug paraphernalia, including, vacuum seal bags, a plastic mixer bottle containing a brownish residue, digital scales with suspected drug residue, a mechanical press used to compress drugs into kilogram shaped packages for distribution, and bags of brown sugar, used as a cutting agent.
During a separate search of ENCLADE’s residence, law enforcement seized a stolen Ruger Model 57, 5.7 x 28-millimeter pistol.
In Count 1, the jury convicted WILSON and ENCLADE of conspiracy to distribute and, possess with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture, and 100 grams or more of heroin mixture. With respect to Count 2, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture and, 100 grams or more of a heroin mixture, the jury found WILSON guilty and ENCLADE not guilty. The jury convicted WILSON and ENCLADE of being felons in possession of firearms in Counts 3 and 4. The jury found WILSON and ENCLADE not guilty on Count 5, which charged possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
For both Counts 1 and 2, WILSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least 5 years of supervised release. For Count 1, ENCLADE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least 5 years of supervised release. For being a felon in possession of firearms, WILSON and ENCLADE each face up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. Additionally, for each count of conviction, both WILSON and ENCLADE face payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Sentencing is set for January 21, 2025.
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.
This prosecution is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Orleans Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Response Team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Response Team, the New Orleans Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, the Slidell Police Department, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, and the Thibodeaux Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and André Jones of the Narcotics Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
When prison officers are in the news, it’s rarely for a positive reason. Recent headlines have included officers smuggling contraband into prisons, or having inappropriate relationships with prisoners. It’s little wonder that the many prison officers who only want to do a good job feel undervalued. We don’t often hear about the ones saving lives on the wings.
Prison officers get a bad reputation. Research suggests that the public think they are power-hungry disciplinarians with questionable morals. It doesn’t help that a record high 165 staff in England and Wales were dismissed for misconduct in the past year.
But what is it like to be a prison officer in the UK today? I talk to prison officers in Scotland and Finland for my own PhD research and I regularly interview prison officers around the world for my podcast, Evolving Prisons.
Prison officers wear many hats. They’re mentors, firefighters and first-aiders. Officers themselves have likened their job to that of a parent. Sometimes they’re teaching a prisoner how to read, helping with job applications and sometimes they’re just having a conversation which might help someone change their thinking. Prison officers are the cornerstone of the prison system.
This is why it is so concerning that prisons in England and Wales are chronically understaffed. More than 13% of prison officers left His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service in the 12 months prior to June 30 2024. And 32% of the remaining officers have less than two years’ service, which puts them at risk due to their inexperience.
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This understaffing means that prisoners spend longer in their cells, as there are fewer opportunities for them during the day. This, coupled with unprecedented overcrowding, creates a “pressure cooker” environment which results in higher rates of violence and an increase in staff assaults.
One officer, who has worked in UK prisons for three decades, said it’s like going through a meat grinder and living each day in fear.
A 2023 study by the House of Commons justice committee surveyed 5,113 prison officers (about 25% of the total officer workforce). The results found a staggering 50% of them do not feel safe in the prison they work in.
The Ministry of Justice revealed that, in the 12 months to March 2024, the rate of assaults on staff in prisons in England and Wales increased by 24% from the year before, totalling 9,847 assaults. Working in a job where you are exposed to violence regularly has a negative impact on your physical and mental health.
Physical and mental health toll
Prison officers are in constant contact with people deemed too dangerous to be in society. As a result of this and the lack of resources available to them to do their job, they’re found to experience elevated rates of stress and burnout. They are also at heightened risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
In addition to the stress-related risks, working in a prison carries other environmental hazards that have both physical and mental effects.
For example, the use of the synthetic drug “spice”, a psychoactive substance, is prevalent in prisons around the UK and prison officers are at risk from inhaling the fumes. The symptoms are wide-ranging from one officer telling me it made her believe she had six fingers, to another being hospitalised and left with long-term health problems. Earlier this year, five prison officers were taken to hospital after a curry made for them by prisoners was suspected to have been spiked with spice.
Hypervigilance is common in prison officers and manifests as a way to keep themselves safe. However, research found it can negatively affect their sleep and their relationships, and it can psychologically fatigue officers. Some research suggests that some officers may help prisoners commit crime as a result of burnout, due to feeling a lack of motivation and dedication to the job.
Prison officers can also experience “moral injury”, a form of psychological trauma that can occur when someone acts against deeply held beliefs, as they find themselves going against their internal beliefs in their work. One officer told me, when working with female prisoners who had previously been victims of domestic abuse, that she felt she had replaced their perpetrator and was further traumatising them by telling them when they could shower, eat and leave their cell.
Prison officers witness a lot of trauma such as self-harm, suicide attempts and violence. Little research exists into rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among serving prison officers in the UK. However, a 2018 study in the US found prison officers have PTSD rates six times higher than the general population.
It’s clear that UK prison officers have been struggling with their mental health. One in eight took sick days for mental health reasons in 2022.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said recently that the department will “get a grip on the situation … and make our prisons safer for hard-working staff.”
But until that happens, the country’s prisons remain in a state of disarray. And prison officers are the people being asked to hold them together, while putting their own health and wellbeing on the line.
Kaigan Carrie does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The St. Lawrence Estuary is a collective gem, both culturally and naturally. The project involves expanding the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park to help protect a larger part of its estuary. Some 400 km long and up to 350 m deep, it is one of the largest and deepest estuaries in the world.
The proposed expansion would thus bring the Marine Park’s total surface area to 4,487 km2, i.e. 3.6 times its current size. It is proposed to expand the park’s boundaries to the river’s south shore, reaching the administrative regions of Chaudière-Appalaches and Bas-Saint-Laurent, from the municipality of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli to Bic National Park. On the river’s north shore, according to this proposal, the Marine Park would extend within the two administrative regions already bordering the park in its current configuration, i.e. Capitale-Nationale and Côte-Nord. The proposed expansion extends from the municipality of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François to Boisvert Point in the municipality of Longue-Rive.
The expansion project involves 4 administrative regions, 8 RCMs and 27 coastal municipalities. The Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation community would border the enlarged Marine Park, in the same way that the Essipit Innu First Nation community does under the park’s current boundaries. When combined with the current Marine Park, the expanded park would concern a total of 37 municipalities and 2 adjacent Indigenous communities. The number of citizens residing in a municipality bordering the Marine Park would rise from 19,000 to over 125,500.
As is the case for the current Marine Park, the planned expansion includes the water column and the seabeds. The area extends to the normal high-water marks, i.e. the maritime boundary delimitation of Quebec public lands. Islands, private property and maritime infrastructure (ports and marinas) are excluded from the proposal. For maritime facilities that do not have a submerged shore lot, a 25 m radius exclusion around infrastructure is planned.
Elements of Ecological Interest
In the estuary, the salt waters of the Atlantic mix with the fresh waters of the St. Lawrence, giving rise to a mosaic of habitats that support a wide array of fauna and flora. The territory proposed for the enlargement represents a tremendous ecological treasure. Although a number of elements are of ecological interest, the project would especially help strengthen protection for belugas, rorquals and coastal herbaceous areas. The targeted expansion area includes:
· The beluga’s entire critical summer habitat;
· Important feeding grounds for rorquals; and
· Fragile coastal habitats such as salt marshes and eelgrass beds.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) released the following statement in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the Laquan McDonald police shooting:
“Ten years ago today, 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer. Laquan’s death shocked our city and led to Chicagoans demanding change from law enforcement and accountability from Chicago’s leaders. Today, I join all those still mourning Laquan’s death and still demanding change.
“Laquan’s murder is part of a long history of Black men being senselessly killed by police officers. His name is now uttered along with Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Adam Toledo, Eric Garner, George Floyd, and too many more.
“Going for a jog, a walk, a drive, or simply existing in your own home should never be a death sentence. The only remedy is to enact transformative changes to government and law enforcement systems that have failed Black communities for too long.
“To that end, after ten years, it is simply unacceptable that the Chicago Police Department has achieved only seven percent compliance with the Justice Department’s consent decree. The residents of Chicago have demanded – and deserve – better. I firmly believe that most police officers seek to do right by their communities but too many bad apples continue to color communities’ relationships with law enforcement. When bad officers erode public trust, they harm the reputation of their fellow good officers.
“Unconscious bias and systemic racism must be rooted out. Bad officers must be held accountable for their actions. We owe it to Laquan to build a future that reflects our founding belief in equal justice under the law.”
October 21, 2024—Montréal, Quebec—Department of Justice Canada
Access to justice is key to increasing Canadians’ confidence in their justice system. By improving the ability of organizations to offer legal services in French and English across the country, the Government of Canada continues to fulfill its commitment to support official language minority communities.
Today, the Honourable Marc Miller, Member of Parliament for Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs, on behalf of the Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced the allocation of $2,340,855 over five years (2023–2028) through the Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund to support Éducaloi in the delivery of services to English-speaking Quebecers.
The funding announced today supports the “Access to Justice for English-speaking Quebecers: A Capacity Building and Collective Impact Approach” project. These funds help Éducaloi improve services to English-speaking citizens, including vulnerable and hard-to-reach clienteles. Through the development of plain-language legal information tools and educational resources in English, this project addresses the needs of Quebec’s official language minority community. Website accessibility, more active communication on social media, informative workshops, and an advertising campaign will help increase access to justice in both official languages. The funds will also enable Éducaloi—through its network of partners—to strengthen the capacity of other organizations to offer legal information services in English.
Founded in 2000, Éducaloi develops and provides legal information in all formats and in a way that is easily understood by all audiences. Its mission is to inform Quebec citizens about the law, their rights, and their obligations.
WASHINGTON – The United States Mint (Mint) 2024 American Women Quarters rolls and bags honoring Zitkala-Ša will be available for purchase on October 28 at noon EDT. The Zitkala-Ša quarter is the 15th coin in the American Women Quarters™ Program, a four-year program that celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women who have shaped our Nation’s history and helped pave the way for generations that followed.
The rolls and bags product options include:
Priced at $45.00, a bag of 100 circulating quality quarters minted in Philadelphia (product code 24WBJ)
Priced at $45.00, a bag of 100 circulating quality quarters minted in Denver (product code 24WBK)
Priced at $40.00, a two-roll set containing a total of 80 circulating quality quarters minted in Philadelphia and Denver (product code 24WRJ)
Priced at $60.00, a three-roll set containing a total of 120 circulating quality quarters minted in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco (product code 24WRK)
Orders for the 100-coin bags are limited to 10 per household on the first day, while orders for the two-roll and three-roll sets are limited to three per household on the first day.
Sign up to receive “Remind Me” alerts by visiting the official product listing page.
Because of overwhelming demand, much of the production of the three-roll sets is accounted for through subscription. A limited quantity will be available for purchase on October 28 at noon EDT.
The American Women Quarters rolls and bags are available for purchase through the Mint’s Product Subscription Program. These subscriptions work like a magazine subscription. After you sign up, you will receive the next product released in the series and continue to receive products until you end your subscription. Visit our subscriptions page to learn more.
The American Women Quarters will also be available at the Mint’s sales centers at the Philadelphia Mint, 151 N. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (on 5th Street between Arch Street and Race Street); the Denver Mint, 320 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80204 (on Cherokee Street, between West Colfax Avenue and West 14th Avenue); and the Mint Headquarters Coin Store in Washington, D.C., 801 9th St. NW, Washington, DC 20220.
The reverse (tails) depicts Zitkala-Ša in traditional Yankton Sioux dress. She is holding a book, which represents her work as an author as well as her successful activism for Native American rights. Behind her, a stylized sun represents her work on The Sun Dance Opera, while a cardinal symbolizes her name, which translates to “Red Bird.” A Yankton Sioux-inspired diamond pattern sits underneath the sun. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “AUTHOR,” “ACTIVIST,” “COMPOSER,” “25 CENTS,” and “ZITKALA-ŠA.” Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Designer Don Everhart created the design, which Mint Medallic Artist Renata Gordon sculpted.
Each coin in this series features a common obverse (heads) design depicting a portrait of George Washington. This design was originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser as a candidate entry for the 1932 quarter, which honored the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. The inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “2024.”
Launched in 2022, and continuing through 2025, the Mint is issuing five new quarter dollar reverse designs each year. The American Women Quarters Program is authorized by the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-330).
Inspire women everywhere. Shop the American Women Quarters Program today and start collecting this historic series honoring extraordinary women whose achievements, triumphs, and legacies reflect the strength and resilience of our Nation.
The groundbreaking American Women Quarters Program is an excellent way to remind future generations what can be accomplished with vision, determination, and a desire to improve opportunities for all. Subscribe to the program today to ensure fulfillment of your favorite product through 2025.
Please use the United States Mint catalog site at https://catalog.usmint.gov/ as your primary source of the most current information on product and service status or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing and speech impaired customers with TTY equipment may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468).
About the United States Mint Congress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. As the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; silver and bronze medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.
Note: To ensure that all members of the public have fair and equal access to United States Mint products, the United States Mint will not accept, nor honor orders placed prior to the official on-sale date of October 28, 2024, at noon EDT.
the ‘Fake Always Breaks’ campaign highlights to consumers and the motor trade that counterfeits are more likely to fail and endanger road users, putting lives at risk
safety-critical items such as tyres, wheels, airbags and brakes are among the most commonly-purchased fake items
the campaign has been developed in partnership with the motoring industry
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched its latest national awareness campaign, warning consumers of the dangers of purchasing counterfeit vehicle parts.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) research estimated that counterfeit vehicle parts imported to the UK were worth almost £1billion in 2016.
Driving home a clear message that ‘Fake Always Breaks’, the IPO’s new campaign alerts drivers to the life-threatening dangers such counterfeits pose. These include items such as brakes, headlights and air bags.
A survey conducted for the IPO has revealed that one in six motorists who responded said they had bought a counterfeit part in the past 12 months alone.
The campaign highlights how counterfeit vehicle parts are not subject to the same rigorous testing as legitimate products. It signposts new guidance advice for consumers and the motoring industry published by the IPO on how to spot and report a fake, developed in partnership with the motoring industry.
The campaign shows that many of the most commonly-purchased counterfeit car parts in the UK pose significant safety concerns if faulty. These include car batteries (bought by 25% of motorists who admit to buying counterfeit parts), tyres/wheels (23%) and windscreen wipers (19%). 14% of motorists who have purchased fake car parts bought counterfeit airbags, while over a tenth (12%) bought fake brake pads or discs.
Although many purchases are made unknowingly, almost three fifths (58%) of motorists responding to a survey said they did so knowing the part was counterfeit.
The survey also found that getting parts for a lower price was a significant factor among those intentionally buying a fake part, with three in ten (31%) citing cost savings as a reason.
A third (34%) of motorists who admitted to buying fake parts said they did so because they felt there was no discernible difference in appearance (34%).
Responses also suggest that such purchases made unknowingly are often uncovered at a later stage. More than two in five motorists (45%) who bought a fake that they thought was genuine, found out through their garage after the part faulted, with 30% becoming aware during routine service checks.
Vehicle manufacturers including Mercedes Benz, and law enforcement bodies such as the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), are also involved in the campaign. It brings targeted social media and industry voices together to deliver an awareness message that will resonate, and help consumers make informed choices.
Miles Rees, IPO Deputy Director of Enforcement said:
This is a serious campaign with a very serious message. We want to raise awareness that the trade in counterfeit vehicle parts not only harms legitimate traders while enriching criminals, but can also lead to life-changing or life-ending consequences for road users.
Working with our partners, we’re highlighting that such illicit goods are not subject to safety tests, and are likely to be made using vastly inferior materials. This puts them at increased risk of failure, with potentially devastating results.
Our ‘Fake Always Breaks’ campaign seeks to arm motorists and the vehicle repair and servicing industries with the awareness they need to help spot a fake, avoid the risks and report sellers . It reinforces a clear message that – as with all counterfeiting and piracy – this is anything but a victimless crime.
Stuart James, Chief Executive Officer at the Independent Garage Association (IGA) said:
We are pleased to support the IPO’s campaign that aims to raise awareness of the severe safety risks that counterfeit vehicle parts pose to all road users.
Garages should ensure that they avoid using customer supplied parts and fit parts from trusted suppliers and reputable vehicle parts distributors. This practice not only enhances the safety of vehicles but also reassures customers that all components meet the required specifications.
We actively encourage any garage that identifies counterfeit parts to report them through the various channels highlighted in the IPO advice. Together, we can combat this issue and contribute to safer roads for all.
Detective Chief Inspector Emma Warbey, from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), at City of London Police, said:
Counterfeiting safety-critical car components like tyres, wheels, airbags and brakes demonstrates the lengths that criminals will go to make money and their disregard for the safety of the people who will end up using these products.
Our officers recently seized 500 counterfeit car airbags, which could have put motorists at risk, during an operation in east London. Fake airbags aren’t manufactured to industry standards, so there’s a real possibility that they won’t inflate during a road traffic collision, or will deploy in error.
We know that the offer of a good deal can be enticing, but it’s vital to know how to spot the signs of a counterfeit car part and to buy from a reputable seller.
The campaign builds on previous consumer campaign activities undertaken by the IPO since the publication of its ambitious 5-year counter-infringement strategy, as the office continues to deliver on its commitments to raise public understanding, and ultimately respect, for IP rights.
Notes to editor:
1. A core strand of IPO’s Counter Infringement Strategy is to raise awareness and understanding of IP crime and infringement and the risks surrounding it.
2. The IPO regularly commissions research into topics relating to the infringement of intellectual property rights, including Social Media Influencers research published last year, regular reports include the OnlineCopyright Infringement and Physical Goods Tracker reports. The rese arch underpinning this campaign is found in the most recent Physical Goods Tracker report.
3. OECD source: Trade in Counterfeit Products and the UK Economy, 2019 Update
New guidance has been published by the IPO to consumers and industry.
4. Counterfeit vehicle parts are unauthorised copies of a genuine branded part being it an (OEM) part supplied by car manufacturers or aftermarket parts. An aftermarket part is anything not supplied by a vehicle manufacturer under their own brand name. Criminals target both categories. Counterfeit parts are usually made from inferior materials and are not safety-tested, increasing the risk of failure.
Attorney is 12th Individual Convicted in Scheme Involving Sale of Over $1.3B in Fraudulent Tax Deductions
A Georgia man pleaded guilty last week to obstructing the IRS related to his participation in the promotion of abusive syndicated conservation easement tax shelters.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vi Bui was an attorney and partner at Sinnott & Co., an Atlanta-based company. Beginning in at least in 2012 and continuing through at least May 2020, Bui participated in a scheme to defraud the IRS by organizing, marketing, implementing and selling illegal syndicated conservation easement tax shelters created and organized by Jack Fisher, Sinnott and others. For their involvement in the scheme, Fisher and Sinnott were convicted at trial and in January sentenced to 25 and 23 years in prison, respectively.
The scheme entailed the creation of partnerships that would purchase land and land-owning companies and then donate conservation easements over that land or the land itself. Appraisers would allegedly generate fraudulent and inflated appraisals of the conservation easements. The partnerships then claimed a charitable contribution tax deduction based on the inflated value of the conservation easement, resulting in a fraudulent tax deduction flowing to the wealthy clients who purchased units in the partnership. Many of these clients joined the tax shelters after the donation of the interest in land and after the close of the relevant tax year. Bui knew that, to make it appear that the participants had timely purchased their units in the tax shelters, Fisher, Sinnott and others backdated and instructed others to falsify documents, including subscription agreements, checks and other documents. And in at least one instance, Bui falsified documents himself.
Bui anticipated that the syndicated conservation easement transactions would be audited. To deceive the IRS, Bui and others took steps to make the partnerships appear as legitimate real estate development companies. They would create and disseminate lengthy documents disguising the true nature of the transaction, institute sham “votes” for what to do with the land that the partnership owned despite knowing that outcome was predetermined and falsify paperwork, such as appraisals and subscription agreements.
In one instance, when investigators conducted an undercover operation in 2018, Bui, believing that the IRS was auditing an individual’s 2014 tax return, prepared false documents that made it appear that the materials were executed before the purported donation of the conservation easement in 2014 and before the 2014 tax returns had been filed.
Bui earned substantial income for his role in the illegal scheme. He also used the fraudulent tax shelters to evade his own taxes, filing false personal tax returns from 2013 through 2018 that claimed false tax deductions from the illegal syndicated conservation easement tax shelters.
Bui is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 13, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. Bui also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
To date, in addition to the convictions of Fisher and Sinnott noted above, nine additional defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal conduct related to the syndicated conservation easement tax shelter scheme, including appraiser Walter Douglas “Terry” Roberts, accountants Stein Agee; Corey Agee, CPA; Ralph Anderson, CPA; James Benkoil, CPA; Victor Smith, CPA; William Tomasello, CPA; Herbert Lewis, CPA; and Attorney Randall Lenz.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia and Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement. They also thanked U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina for her office’s assistance.
IRS-CI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing, Parker Tobin, Jessica Kraft and Nicholas J. Schilling Jr., of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Huber and deputy chief of the complex frauds section for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
