NewzIntel.com

Category: Law Enforcement

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Lawler Introduces Bill to Strengthen State Department Hiring and Passport Services

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 7/15/25… Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), introduced the Cutting Passport Backlog Act.  

    This legislation amends the Department of State Authorization Act of 2023 to extend the special hiring authority for passport specialists from three to five years. This will allow the Bureau of Consular Affairs to hire qualified passport specialists without going through longer, traditional federal hiring processes. This measure has been identified by both the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the State Department as a key factor in improving service efficiency.

    “Since I was elected to Congress, my office has helped thousands of Hudson Valley residents with passport related casework. This casework is unfortunately far too common. The Cutting Passport Backlog Act will make the process easier for all parties, ensuring the State Department gets constituents their documents without unnecessary delays,” said Chairman Lawler.

    “Americans often travel abroad to see their family, go to school, or for countless other reasons. That is why a streamlined passport process is essential. I’m proud to lead efforts that support effective government operations and enhance the quality of federal services delivered to all Americans,” concluded Chairman Lawler. 

    As Chairman of the MENA Subcommittee, which holds jurisdiction over both the State Department’s Bureau of Management and Bureau of Counterterrorism, Lawler is leveraging his role to advance reforms that support a more agile and effective foreign policy.

    Each of these bills, including the Cutting Passport Backlog Act, has been submitted for consideration in the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s State Department reauthorization. 

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Westminster Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Federal Prison in Connection with Drug Trafficking and Firearms Crimes

    Source: US FBI

    Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Rodney Gaines, 35, of Westminster, Maryland, today, to 23 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. A federal jury found Gaines guilty back on April 4, of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of distribution of cocaine.

    Judge Abelson also found that Gaines ordered and arranged the murder of a man in Westminster, Maryland, on January 31, 2022.  The court applied sentencing guideline enhancements on the grounds that Gaines’s drug offenses involved firearms and violence or threats of violence, and that he served in a leadership role in the drug conspiracy.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Sheriff James T. DeWees, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Thomas Ledwell, Westminster Police Department.

    Evidence presented at trial included wiretaps that revealed Gaines arranged sales of cocaine to various customers.  During the recorded conversations, the cocaine was referred to in coded phrases such as “powder,” “8-balls,” “balls,” and the “sister,” among other terms.  Law enforcement also seized quantities of cocaine from Gaines’s customers after he sold to them. 

    The wiretaps also showed that Gaines sold cocaine in conspiracy with numerous accomplices, including people who he directed to deliver cocaine to customers; prepared the crack cocaine by “cooking” powder cocaine into crack; and hid drugs at various locations, including burying the drugs in wooded areas around Westminster.  Near the end of the investigation, law enforcement recovered more than $250,000 in cash in apparent drug proceeds from a storage unit that another member of the conspiracy acquired.  The jury found that the conspiracy involved 280 grams or more of cocaine base, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum to a life sentence in prison.

    Additionally, the defense presented evidence at trial that proved Gaines’s activities — and the activities of his conspiracy — involved firearms, including Gaines’s efforts to acquire firearms from co-conspirators in January 2022. 

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, MSP, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Westminster Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai N. Everett and Michael C. Hanlon who prosecuted the federal case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: CBSA investigation leads to multiple firearm and drug possession charges in Southern Ontario

    Source: Government of Canada News

    July 15, 2025        London, Ontario Canada Border Services Agency

    An investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Ontario Firearms Smuggling Enforcement Team (OFSET) has led to two arrests and the seizure of privately manufactured handguns, firearms parts, a 3D printer and narcotics, including carfentanil, a synthetic opioid one hundred times more potent than fentanyl. OFSET is comprised of criminal investigators, intelligence analysts and intelligence officers, dedicated solely to investigating firearms smuggling throughout Ontario. 

    In October 2024, border services officers at the international mail and cargo processing facility in Mississauga, Ontario, intercepted a silencer being imported from China. Another parcel containing a 50-round drum magazine coming from the United States was also seized. Both packages were destined for the same address. As a result, CBSA’s OFSET initiated an investigation into the importation of firearms parts into Canada. 

    On May 29, 2025, following an extensive investigation, members of OFSET, with the assistance of the London Police Service’s Emergency Response Unit, executed a search warrant at an address in London, Ontario. 

    Several items were seized, including:

    • privately manufactured firearms;
    • firearm parts;
    • a 3D printer;
    • 35 g cocaine;
    • 24.5 g carfentanil; and
    • oxycodone and boric acid.

    Benito Schiavone, 33, and Modesto Dino Schiavone, 57, both residents of London, Ontario, have been charged with multiple firearm and drug possession charges under the Customs Act, the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Together they face:

    • 4 counts of smuggling a Prohibited Device contrary to Section 159(1) of the Customs Act;
    • 4 counts of unauthorized Importation of a Prohibited Device contrary to Section 104(1)(a) of the Criminal Code;
    • 2 counts of manufacturing a Prohibited Firearm contrary to Section 99(1) of the Criminal Code; 
    • 8 counts of unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Firearm Knowing it is Unauthorized contrary to Section 92(1) of the Criminal Code; 
    • 2 counts careless Storage of Firearms contrary to Section 86(1) of the Criminal Code; and, 
    • 2 counts of possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance contrary to Section 4(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

    Modesto Dino Schiavone and Benito Schiavone are scheduled to appear in court later this month. The charges are subject to validation by the court.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Delta Airlines Agrees to Pay $8.1M to Settle Alleged False Claims Act Violations Related to Payroll Support Program

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Delta Air Lines Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has agreed to pay $8,100,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by awarding compensation to certain corporate officers and employees that exceeded the compensation limits Delta agreed to as part of its participation in the Department of the Treasury’s Payroll Support Program (PSP).

    The PSP was established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act to provide payroll support to passenger and cargo air carriers and certain contractors for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries, and benefits. The program was administered by the Department of Treasury (Treasury), and participating air carriers were required to enter into written agreements with Treasury that imposed certain conditions in exchange for the receipt of PSP funds. Among other program requirements, PSP agreements included limitations on the amount of compensation that PSP participants could pay to certain corporate officers and employees earning annual compensation in excess of $425,000. 

    Delta entered into PSP agreements with Treasury in 2020 and 2021, under which Delta agreed to the PSP compensation limits. The settlement resolves allegations that, between March 2020 and April 2023, Delta awarded compensation to some corporate officers and employees that exceeded the limits set by the PSP agreements. Delta allegedly violated the False Claims Act by inaccurately certifying compliance with PSP requirements in quarterly reports submitted to Treasury, as well as by not notifying Treasury of the breach once it was discovered by Delta, which would have given the government the right to demand the return of funds.

    “The PSP was intended to provide critical assistance to the airline industry during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who failed to abide by the terms and conditions governing their receipt and use of federal funds.” 

    “When companies accept federal assistance, especially generous pandemic-relief funds like those at issue here, they owe a duty to the American people to respect the conditions placed on those funds,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “We will continue to enforce all available laws to punish the misuse of taxpayers’ money.”

    “Our criminal investigators have been at the center of this investigation as a core part of our responsibility to safeguard the integrity and efficiency of Treasury programs and operations, and we remain steadfast in our determination to hold recipients of public funds to the highest standards,” said Treasury Deputy Inspector General Loren Sciurba.

    The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by H. Remidez LLC. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. H Remidez LLC  v. Delta Air Lines Inc., No. 1-23-cv-01116 (N.D. Ga.). The whistleblower will receive $850,500 in connection with the settlement.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General.

    The matter was handled by Trial Attorney James Nealon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony DeCinque for the Northern District of Georgia.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Delta Air Lines Agrees to Pay $8.1M to Settle Alleged False Claims Act Violations Related to Payroll Support Program

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Delta Air Lines Agrees to Pay $8.1M to Settle Alleged False Claims Act Violations Related to Payroll Support Program

    Delta Air Lines Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has agreed to pay $8,100,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by awarding compensation to certain corporate officers and employees that exceeded the compensation limits Delta agreed to as part of its participation in the Department of the Treasury’s Payroll Support Program (PSP).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bozeman Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking

    Source: US FBI

    MISSOULA – A Bozeman man accused of sending threatening emails to a student at Montana State University admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Rex Wu, Jr., 23, pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking. Wu faces 5 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing has been set for November 6, 2025. Wu was released on conditions pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that the MSU Police Department contacted the FBI in February 2023 because a student was receiving harassing and threatening communications. The emails were racially charged and included threats to kill the student and other members of the campus group she was affiliated with. The messages were sent from several accounts, including some on platforms that make it difficult to identify the owner. Law enforcement eventually identified Wu as the likely culprit by linking an IP address at a local apartment to him, as well as online donation records and various Gmail accounts. FBI agents interviewed Wu in Bozeman on February 27, 2025, and he admitted sending several harassing emails to the MSU student.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Starnes prosecuted the case. The FBI and Montana State University Campus Police conducted the investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Neshoba County Man Pleads Guilty to Two Counts Sexual Abuse of a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    Jackson, MS – On July 1, 2025, a Neshoba County man pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Robert Eikhoff, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office, made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Quindon Bailey John, 23, engaged in sexual contact with two female minors who were older than 12 years old but younger than 16 years old at the time of the offenses. Court records show that the offenses occurred in the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation in 2023 and 2024. 

    John is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2025, and faces up to fifteen years in prison on each count. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian K. Burns and Kevin J. Payne prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Delta Airlines Agrees to Pay $8.1M to Settle Alleged False Claims Act Violations Related to Payroll Support Program

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Delta Air Lines Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has agreed to pay $8,100,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by awarding compensation to certain corporate officers and employees that exceeded the compensation limits Delta agreed to as part of its participation in the Department of the Treasury’s Payroll Support Program (PSP).

    The PSP was established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act to provide payroll support to passenger and cargo air carriers and certain contractors for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries, and benefits. The program was administered by the Department of Treasury (Treasury), and participating air carriers were required to enter into written agreements with Treasury that imposed certain conditions in exchange for the receipt of PSP funds. Among other program requirements, PSP agreements included limitations on the amount of compensation that PSP participants could pay to certain corporate officers and employees earning annual compensation in excess of $425,000. 

    Delta entered into PSP agreements with Treasury in 2020 and 2021, under which Delta agreed to the PSP compensation limits. The settlement resolves allegations that, between March 2020 and April 2023, Delta awarded compensation to some corporate officers and employees that exceeded the limits set by the PSP agreements. Delta allegedly violated the False Claims Act by inaccurately certifying compliance with PSP requirements in quarterly reports submitted to Treasury, as well as by not notifying Treasury of the breach once it was discovered by Delta, which would have given the government the right to demand the return of funds.

    “The PSP was intended to provide critical assistance to the airline industry during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who failed to abide by the terms and conditions governing their receipt and use of federal funds.” 

    “When companies accept federal assistance, especially generous pandemic-relief funds like those at issue here, they owe a duty to the American people to respect the conditions placed on those funds,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “We will continue to enforce all available laws to punish the misuse of taxpayers’ money.”

    “Our criminal investigators have been at the center of this investigation as a core part of our responsibility to safeguard the integrity and efficiency of Treasury programs and operations, and we remain steadfast in our determination to hold recipients of public funds to the highest standards,” said Treasury Deputy Inspector General Loren Sciurba.

    The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by H. Remidez LLC. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. H Remidez LLC  v. Delta Air Lines Inc., No. 1-23-cv-01116 (N.D. Ga.). The whistleblower will receive $850,500 in connection with the settlement.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General.

    The matter was handled by Trial Attorney James Nealon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony DeCinque for the Northern District of Georgia.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Delta Airlines Agrees to Pay $8.1M to Settle Alleged False Claims Act Violations Related to Payroll Support Program

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Delta Air Lines Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has agreed to pay $8,100,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by awarding compensation to certain corporate officers and employees that exceeded the compensation limits Delta agreed to as part of its participation in the Department of the Treasury’s Payroll Support Program (PSP).

    The PSP was established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act to provide payroll support to passenger and cargo air carriers and certain contractors for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries, and benefits. The program was administered by the Department of Treasury (Treasury), and participating air carriers were required to enter into written agreements with Treasury that imposed certain conditions in exchange for the receipt of PSP funds. Among other program requirements, PSP agreements included limitations on the amount of compensation that PSP participants could pay to certain corporate officers and employees earning annual compensation in excess of $425,000. 

    Delta entered into PSP agreements with Treasury in 2020 and 2021, under which Delta agreed to the PSP compensation limits. The settlement resolves allegations that, between March 2020 and April 2023, Delta awarded compensation to some corporate officers and employees that exceeded the limits set by the PSP agreements. Delta allegedly violated the False Claims Act by inaccurately certifying compliance with PSP requirements in quarterly reports submitted to Treasury, as well as by not notifying Treasury of the breach once it was discovered by Delta, which would have given the government the right to demand the return of funds.

    “The PSP was intended to provide critical assistance to the airline industry during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who failed to abide by the terms and conditions governing their receipt and use of federal funds.” 

    “When companies accept federal assistance, especially generous pandemic-relief funds like those at issue here, they owe a duty to the American people to respect the conditions placed on those funds,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “We will continue to enforce all available laws to punish the misuse of taxpayers’ money.”

    “Our criminal investigators have been at the center of this investigation as a core part of our responsibility to safeguard the integrity and efficiency of Treasury programs and operations, and we remain steadfast in our determination to hold recipients of public funds to the highest standards,” said Treasury Deputy Inspector General Loren Sciurba.

    The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by H. Remidez LLC. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. H Remidez LLC  v. Delta Air Lines Inc., No. 1-23-cv-01116 (N.D. Ga.). The whistleblower will receive $850,500 in connection with the settlement.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General.

    The matter was handled by Trial Attorney James Nealon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony DeCinque for the Northern District of Georgia.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Man holding charged with murder

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Police laid a holding charge against a 50-year-old man with one count of murder today (July 15).

    The man was arrested yesterday (July 14) in suspected connection with a murder case happened in Yuen Long on the same day afternoon, in which a 54-year-old man died.

    The case will be mentioned at Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (July 16) morning.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Berks County Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies of Reading Gas Stations, Credit Union

    Source: US FBI

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Mikal Portalatin, 34, of Reading, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher yesterday to one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of armed bank robbery.

    The defendant was indicted on those charges in January 2024, in connection with three armed robberies in Berks County in the second half of 2022:

    • July 27, 2022; Citgo gas station convenience store, 200 block of Buttonwood Street
    • August 3, 2022; Sunoco gas station convenience store, 1500 block of Lancaster Avenue
    • November 21, 2022; Members First Credit Union, 500 block of E. Lancaster Avenue

    During the July robbery, Portalatin discharged his firearm at an employee who chased him as he fled; no one was hit.

    The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30 and faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.

    The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency, the Cumru Township Police Department, and the Reading Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rosalynda M. Michetti and Kelly Lewis Fallenstein.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: US FBI

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Benjamin Crawford (47, Brandon) has pleaded guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse material. Crawford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 25, 2025.

    According to the plea agreement, Crawford, a local attorney, distributed child sexual abuse material over a social media application and possessed child sexual abuse material on his cellphone and laptop. Crawford has agreed to his phone and laptop, which were used in the commission of the offense.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Tampa and Tennessee. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ovidio Guzman Lopez—Son of ‘El Chapo’ and a Head of Sinaloa Cartel—Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges in Chicago

    Source: US FBI

    CHICAGO – OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ, who succeeded his father—Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo”—as one of the heads of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Chicago to federal drug charges.

    Guzman Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug conspiracy and two counts of knowingly engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise.  The guilty plea was entered as part of a multi-district plea agreement with the government that resolves charges against Guzman Lopez brought by grand juries in the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of New York.

    U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not set a sentencing date.  Guzman Lopez has been detained without bond following his extradition from Mexico to the United States in 2023.

    The guilty plea is the result of a collaboration between the Justice Department’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and prosecutors from the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of New York, and Southern District of California, as well as law enforcement partners from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

    The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Adam Gordon, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Jose A. Perez, Assistant Director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, Steven Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Ray Rede, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Arizona, and Robert Murphy, Acting Administrator of the DEA.  Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Justice Department’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations, and the U.S. Marshals Service.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine, Erika Csicsila, and Michelle Parthum of the Northern District of Illinois; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, and David J. Robles of the Southern District of New York; Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California; and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of NDDS.

    The guilty plea was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals, including the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), as well as protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).

    “Today’s historic guilty plea sends yet another crystal-clear message that this Administration is going to shut down and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations and their highest-ranking members and associates,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “Under my leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations.  Our enforcement work will also extend to drug trafficking organizations, narcotics traffickers, and other dangerous criminal enterprises that seek to poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs.  Our successes stem from our close partnership with federal prosecutors across the country as well as our tight collaboration with our many law enforcement partners.”

    As heirs to the Sinaloa Cartel, Guzman Lopez stated in his plea agreement that he and his three brothers, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” assumed their father’s leadership role following El Chapo’s arrest in 2016 and subsequent conviction in the Eastern District of New York.  Guzman Lopez admitted in the plea agreement that he coordinated the transportation of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs and precursor chemicals from Mexico to the United States border, at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms.  Guzman Lopez used a network of couriers affiliated with the cartel to smuggle the drugs into the United States using vehicles, rail cars, tunnels, aircraft, and other means, the plea agreement states.

    After the drugs were distributed throughout the United States, individuals working for Guzman Lopez used bulk cash transport, wire transfers, trade of goods, and cryptocurrency to launder the illicit proceeds and ensure that the money was transmitted to Guzman Lopez and other members of the cartel in Mexico, the plea agreement states.  Guzman Lopez admitted that he and his cartel associates perpetrated violence against law enforcement officials, civilians, and rival drug traffickers in order to protect the cartel’s drug trafficking activities.

    As part of his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez agreed to the entry of an $80 million forfeiture money judgment.

    “Today’s guilty plea is another major step toward holding the Sinaloa Cartel and its leaders accountable for their role in fueling the fentanyl epidemic that has plagued so many Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Clayton.  “We remain committed to dismantling the Cartel’s entire fentanyl infrastructure and ensuring that the Chapitos and their violent organization can no longer flood our communities with this poison.”

    “With each passing day, you are seeing the sunset of the Sinaloa cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon.  “The Chapitos’ latest violence reflects their fading future.  Their leaders who remain free are now paranoid, distrusted and desperate.”

    “The guilty plea by Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of ‘El Chapo,’ is a real victory for both the United States and Mexico but also a clear win for the rule of law,” said HSI Acting SAC Rede.  “So much blood and violence lay with the Guzman family as well as spreading terror and plaguing both sides of the border with deadly drugs and weapons–no more.  It’s impossible to measure the amount of work HSI and partner agencies have spent in securing this guilty verdict, but what is clear and evident is that no one is beyond the reach of law enforcement and our nation’s laws.  Deliberate and coordinated teamwork resulted in today’s victory.”

    Guzman Lopez’s three brothers—IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, and JOAQUIN GUZMAN LOPEZ—were also charged with drug trafficking in U.S. indictments. Joaquin Guzman Lopez was arrested last year and remains detained in U.S. custody without bond.  He pleaded not guilty to charges filed in the Northern District of Illinois and is awaiting trial.  Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are charged in both the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of New York. They are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests.  The U.S. State Department has issued rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to their arrests and convictions.  [See the reward information here and here.]

    The public is reminded that the charges against Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez are merely allegations.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa: International Relations (IR) Committee Chairperson Is Unavailable for Media Interviews on National Security Allegations

    Source: APO


    .

    The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Supra Mahumapelo, has since the media briefing given by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, received requests from the media to comment on his removal from the position of Premier of the North West Province.

    Mr Mahumapelo is unavailable for media interviews and for comment on the grounds that, among other things, he is a Member of Parliament. Parliament has established processes and procedures for the Portfolio Committee on Police, the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, and the Standing Committee on Intelligence relating to the national security allegations.

    Furthermore, Mr Mahumapelo has a case in the North West High Court in Mafikeng and is suing for defamation against the Revolutionary Council and three others. Mr Mahumapelo received threats that if he did not get out of the position he would be killed. Threats on his life are due to political interference and evidence will be presented before the constituted committees as and when required.

    As a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress, the NEC will first look into the matter and decide on its approach as a collective of the ANC.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: United Nations (UN) calls on to stress more control over grain traders

    Source: APO

    The trend towards monopolization of grain trade that exists in the global market today requires the BRICS countries to cooperate in the field of antitrust policy and antitrust legislation. Alexey Ivanov, Director of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre at the Higher School of Economics (www.BRICSCompetition.org), said at the 9th UN Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection in Geneva. 

    “Global companies from the food sector should receive the closest attention from antitrust authorities. We emphasize the importance of ensuring food security and nutrition and mitigating the impacts of acute food price volatility, as well as as abrupt supply crises, including fertilizers shortages. The authority of grain traders is highly similar to that of the organizers of digital ecosystems, the digital giants that have already come under scrutiny by antitrust authorities around the world. Under exceptional circumstances of supply shortages or acute food price spikes affecting a BRICS member, we recognize that cooperation initiatives can facilitate emergency responses and natural disaster management, guided by national priorities and consistent with the World Trade Organization rules. None of these measures should lead to unfair trade practices or violations of international trade norms, as their sole purpose is to support food security and nutrition, including through international solidarity.”, – Ivanov emphasized. 

    “A very telling event has recently taken place – the merger of two major grain traders, Bunge and Viterra. This merger was approved just last week by 31 competition authorities around the world. At the same time, no measures were proposed to limit the influence of these companies on the global value chain – the power that has a huge influence on the global market and the organization of grain trade,” Ivanov said. 

    He noted that regulators in Brazil and China have already raised concerns, such as the issue of price shifting from global to national markets, but no commitments have been established to address these concerns. 

    Anastasia Nesvetailova, Head, Macroeconomic and Development Policies Branch, UNCTAD, emphasized the growing influence of financialization on global food markets. Of particular concern, she noted, is the dominance of the so-called ABCD group — ADM, Bunge, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus — which effectively controls global agricultural trading. Three of these companies do not disclose sufficient information, rendering the sector highly opaque and poorly regulated. 

    According to Nesvetailova, 70% of transactions on U.S. and European commodity markets today are speculative in nature and disconnected from the real economy. The financial power of commodity traders is increasing, as they evolve into non-bank financial institutions with systemic influence not only on commodity markets but also on global financial stability. Meanwhile, oversight of their operations remains fragmented and ineffective. 

    “The last time such practices had a systemically destructive impact was in 2007, when an expanding web of debt-driven financial obligations operated largely outside regulatory oversight, ultimately leading to the collapse of the banking system in the U.S. and beyond. A similar scenario could unfold again — this time in the commodity trading sector,” warned Nesvetailova. 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre.

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: United Nations (UN) calls on to stress more control over grain traders

    Source: APO

    The trend towards monopolization of grain trade that exists in the global market today requires the BRICS countries to cooperate in the field of antitrust policy and antitrust legislation. Alexey Ivanov, Director of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre at the Higher School of Economics (www.BRICSCompetition.org), said at the 9th UN Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection in Geneva. 

    “Global companies from the food sector should receive the closest attention from antitrust authorities. We emphasize the importance of ensuring food security and nutrition and mitigating the impacts of acute food price volatility, as well as as abrupt supply crises, including fertilizers shortages. The authority of grain traders is highly similar to that of the organizers of digital ecosystems, the digital giants that have already come under scrutiny by antitrust authorities around the world. Under exceptional circumstances of supply shortages or acute food price spikes affecting a BRICS member, we recognize that cooperation initiatives can facilitate emergency responses and natural disaster management, guided by national priorities and consistent with the World Trade Organization rules. None of these measures should lead to unfair trade practices or violations of international trade norms, as their sole purpose is to support food security and nutrition, including through international solidarity.”, – Ivanov emphasized. 

    “A very telling event has recently taken place – the merger of two major grain traders, Bunge and Viterra. This merger was approved just last week by 31 competition authorities around the world. At the same time, no measures were proposed to limit the influence of these companies on the global value chain – the power that has a huge influence on the global market and the organization of grain trade,” Ivanov said. 

    He noted that regulators in Brazil and China have already raised concerns, such as the issue of price shifting from global to national markets, but no commitments have been established to address these concerns. 

    Anastasia Nesvetailova, Head, Macroeconomic and Development Policies Branch, UNCTAD, emphasized the growing influence of financialization on global food markets. Of particular concern, she noted, is the dominance of the so-called ABCD group — ADM, Bunge, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus — which effectively controls global agricultural trading. Three of these companies do not disclose sufficient information, rendering the sector highly opaque and poorly regulated. 

    According to Nesvetailova, 70% of transactions on U.S. and European commodity markets today are speculative in nature and disconnected from the real economy. The financial power of commodity traders is increasing, as they evolve into non-bank financial institutions with systemic influence not only on commodity markets but also on global financial stability. Meanwhile, oversight of their operations remains fragmented and ineffective. 

    “The last time such practices had a systemically destructive impact was in 2007, when an expanding web of debt-driven financial obligations operated largely outside regulatory oversight, ultimately leading to the collapse of the banking system in the U.S. and beyond. A similar scenario could unfold again — this time in the commodity trading sector,” warned Nesvetailova. 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre.

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Elmo Man Sentenced to 32 Years’ Imprisonment After He Shot a Rifle at Federal Agents

    Source: US FBI

    EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a St. Elmo man to 32 years in federal prison after he shot at law enforcement agents serving an arrest warrant at his residence in Fayette County.

    Dax Baldrige, 47, pleaded guilty in January to seven counts of assault of a federal officer, two counts of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Following imprisonment, he will serve five years of supervised release.

    “Law enforcement officers are brave, underappreciated, and underpaid heroes who risk their lives every day to protect others,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Those, like Dax Baldrige, who target our officers for violence represent a form of evil against the very foundation of society. Few things are as serious, and our office will bring the full weight of federal law to bear, relentlessly pursuing the harshest prison terms to hold such people accountable.”

    On Oct. 17, 2022, task force members with the U.S. Marshals Service attempted to serve an arrest warrant for Baldrige at his residence in Fayette County. When they arrived, the officers knocked and gave Baldrige an opportunity to present himself for arrest.

    As they began to make entry to the residence, Baldrige used a stolen short barrel rifle equipped with 60 rounds of ammunition to shoot through the wall of his residence, nearly striking multiple officers. All agents were able to retreat from the residence safely and without injury.   

    “We are pleased that this case has been adjudicated. We want to thank the Illinois State Police, the ATF, and all our partner agencies for their steadfast commitment to our mission. We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Illinois, who successfully prosecuted this case and brought it to a successful conclusion,” said U.S. Marshal David C. Davis. “This case continues to illustrate the inherent dangers of this profession, and we continue to be grateful that none of our task force members were injured during the arrest of Baldrige.”

    After firing at officers, Baldrige barricaded himself in his residence and engaged in a standoff with law enforcement that lasted over 10 hours. 

    “The defendant’s decision to open fire on law enforcement showed a blatant disregard for human life and the safety of the surrounding community. This sentence sends a clear message—violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated. ATF is grateful to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who assisted in bringing this individual to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon, ATF Chicago Field Division.

    Following his arrest, investigating agents conducted a search of Baldrige’s residence and recovered nine firearms including six rifles, a revolver, two pistols and ammunition.

    “When law enforcement officers, who have selflessly taken an oath to safeguard the public, are literally fired upon while trying to protect communities from known offenders, those individuals must be held accountable,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly.  “We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s diligence in pursuing justice and supporting officers who put their lives on the line every day.”

    “When someone opens fire on law enforcement, they’re not just attacking an individual; they’re attacking the very foundation of our community’s safety and security,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher J.S. Johnson. “The sentence imposed sends an unequivocal message: such aggression against those who protect us will be met with the full force of justice.”

    The U.S. Marshal Service Great Lakes Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, the Illinois State Police, the FBI Springfield TOC West Task Force and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Arshi prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Guilty of Carjacking

    Source: US FBI

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MILTON CARTER (“CARTER”), age 34, pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1).

    According to court documents, on April 21, 2023, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers responded to a 911 call that CARTER was in the parking lot of a business on Bienville Street threatening to shoot his romantic partner. When officers arrived, CARTER was wearing a backpack with a Ruger Model EC9S nine-millimeter handgun inside. The Ruger handgun was stolen during a carjacking at a retail establishment on St. Bernard Ave. approximately 36 hours earlier. The victim of the carjacking identified CARTER in a photo line-up as the perpetrator of the carjacking. As the victim was getting out of her car to walk into the store, CARTER approached with a sawed-off shotgun pointed at the head of the victim and commanded the victim to get out of the vehicle. CARTER then drove off in the victim’s car. When the car was recovered, the Ruger handgun CARTER possessed when he was arrested was missing from the glove compartment.

    CARTER faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.

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

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of Firearms

    Source: US FBI

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HAVEN PATTERSON (“PATTERSON”), age 42, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).

    According to court records, on February 27, 2025, PATTERSON intentionally possessed a loaded 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and a loaded .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun.  PATTERSON is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior Louisiana State conviction.

    The offense is punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.  Sentencing is scheduled for October 7, 2025.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit.

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

    *     *    *

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ypsilanti Man Pleads Guilty in Online Refund Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    DETROIT – Mubasher Riaz, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Riaz was engaged in an online refund scheme from July 2017 through his arrest in November 2023, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.

    Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.

    According to court records, defendants Mubasher Riaz and his brother, Muzzammil Riaz, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud earlier this year. Muzzammil Riaz pled guilty to his lesser role in the scheme on June 4, 2025. As part of their pleas, both defendants admitted to purchasing online goods using fraudulent identities, virtual private networks, different electronic devices, and other means intended to avoid fraud detection by online vendors. The defendants purchased goods from hundreds of vendors, including cell phones, tablets, electronic doorbells, and clothing. After receiving the purchased goods, defendants submitted refund claims, falsely claiming the purchased goods were defective. Despite submitting a refund, the defendants did not return the purchased goods. Instead, the defendants shipped back an empty box, a counterfeit item, or alternative item such as a book that matched the expected shipment weight of the return. Mubasher Riaz would then resell the unlawfully obtained goods for profit.

    FBI agents uncovered the scheme while executing a search warrant at the home of Mubasher Riaz in November 2023. At the time, Mubasher was under investigation for sexual exploitation of children. Agents found evidence of fraud in plain view in the home, including over 40 cell phones and 30 tablets that were individually labeled with the personal identifying information of different identities used for the fraud scheme. The total loss incurred by online vendors was over $400,000.

    While the defendants used numerous accounts, some of the more common accounts used to make the online purchases and fraudulent refunds include the following:

    Law enforcement believes many possible victims of the scheme exist. Potential victims are encouraged to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at www.fbi.gov/mubasherriazvictims

    (Please note that the link to the website is case sensitive).

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Zurek.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Platte Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Guadalupe Ramirez, 40, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 3, 2025 in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Ramirez to 324 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Ramirez is released from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.

    Beginning in 2021, special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and task force officers with the Cooperative Organization for Drug Enforcement (CODE) began a large-scale investigation into drug dealing in central and west-central Nebraska. Ramirez, also known as “Shrek,” quickly emerged as a key player in a multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy that saw methamphetamine being trafficked into Nebraska mainly through mailings originating from California and Mexico. Members of the conspiracy would receive the mailed packages loaded with narcotics and distribute the drugs throughout Nebraska, including as far east as Omaha. At the time of sentencing, the Court found between 15 and 45 kilograms of methamphetamine were moved through Nebraska as a part of this conspiracy.

    The investigation also revealed an association between Ramirez and firearms. Ramirez’s Facebook profile included discussions between himself and others in the conspiracy about firearms and a public video of Ramirez discharging a firearm out the window of a vehicle he used to deal drugs.

    While imposing the sentence, Judge Bazis commented that Ramirez was essentially “the second in command” of this operation and told Ramirez that “a lot of drugs moved through Nebraska because of you.”

    The years’ long investigation that led to this conviction was recognized by the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA)’s 2024 Community Impact Operation of the Year. In presenting the award, Midwest HIDTA Director Dan Neill noted that the case was up against other jurisdictions with much larger cities, including St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri. The award recognized the hard work of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies during this investigation.

    FBI Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “The trafficking of drugs into our communities is not a victimless crime. It has a destructive effect on our neighborhoods and families. The investigation of Ramirez and his co-conspirators resulted in 36 federal indictments, 22 local arrests, the seizure of illicit drugs, cash, and firearms, and dismantled a pernicious drug trafficking organization in central Nebraska. We’ll continue to join forces with our partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations in both urban and rural communities across the state, and to impose consequences on those responsible for selling drugs to mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters in our community.”

    U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods said, “The outstanding work of the CODE Task Force demonstrates that full prosecutorial and investigation collaboration can accomplish tremendous outcomes in the interest of making Nebraska an even safer place for its citizens to call home.”

    These cases were investigated by the CODE Task Force which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nebraska State Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, and Army National Guard Counter Drug Unit.  The investigation and arrests were also assisted by the U.S. Postal Service, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department, La Vista Police Department, the Tri-Cities Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) Task Force, the Western Intelligence Narcotics Group (WING) Task Force, the Capitol Region Safe Streets Task Force (CRSSTF), the Lincoln/Lancaster County Metro Fugitive Task Force, the Lincoln and Keith County Attorney’s Offices, and Nebraska District 11 Probation Office.   

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendants Sentenced for Trafficking Methamphetamine in Middle Georgia

    Source: US FBI

    Investigation Began Following 11-Kilo Meth Seizure in Macon; Fentanyl Mixtures Seized

    MACON, Ga. – Four defendants involved in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in Macon responsible for pushing kilogram quantities of the illegal drug into the community were sentenced to federal prison today for their crimes.

    Denzelle Diangelo Willis, 34, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 278 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Willis previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 24.

    James Richard Fuller, 33, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 181 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Fuller previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 24.

    Julio Cesar Mendez, aka “Migo,” 29, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 135 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Mendez previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on March 24.

    Deion Jocoley Howard, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 53 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Howard previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 24.                         

    The sentencing hearings occurred on July 10 before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “All those associated with these criminal organizations pushing large quantities of the most deadly and addictive drugs into the Middle District of Georgia will find their cases in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is working closely with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to make our communities safer.”

    “This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “These defendants had total disregard for their actions that far too often have tragic consequences.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, with assistance from the Bibb, Peach and Monroe County Sheriff’s Offices, began investigating a drug trafficking organization operating in Macon in November 2022, after FBI agents seized nearly eleven kilograms of methamphetamine resulting from a separate investigation into Julian Coker’s drug trafficking organization (for more information about this case, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/leader-armed-drug-trafficking-organization-sentenced-28-years-prison). DEA agents learned that Willis and Mendez sold methamphetamine and heroin throughout the Macon area. Between February and March 2023, agents used Confidential Informants (CI) to conduct three methamphetamine buys from Mendez and two heroin buys from Willis; the substances were later tested and contained fentanyl.

    Using court-authorized wiretaps and surveillance, agents discovered Mendez maintained a stash house on Melbourne Street in Macon and supplied ounce quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana to a network of street-level dealers. Howard was a freelance illegal drug broker in Macon who facilitated drug transactions between mid-level dealers and upper-level suppliers. Howard connected Mendez with Willis’s methamphetamine supply. Willis obtained kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from a source in the Atlanta area for distribution in the Macon area. Fuller was Willis’s courier for resupply trips and deliveries to mid-level dealers.

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

    The case was investigated by the DEA with assistance from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Peach County Sheriff’s Office.

    Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Research Guides in Focus – Intellectual Property Law: A Beginner’s Guide

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The Law Library of Congress is pleased to announce the publication of the new research guide, Intellectual Property Law: A Beginner’s Guide. This guide provides an overview of resources for researching patent, copyright, and trademark law.

    The guide begins with a general explanation of intellectual property, followed by print and online resources for further learning about the subject. There are also tabs for resources specific to patent, copyright, and trademark law. For each area of intellectual property law, we have gathered secondary sources, statutes, regulations, treaties, databases for searching records, case law sources, lists of organizations that can assist with applications for protection, and other online resources.

    We hope that this guide will be a valuable resource for researchers seeking to learn more about intellectual property laws, researchers searching for existing patent, copyright, and trademark records, and researchers who want to learn about the processes to apply for protection for their intellectual property. As always, we encourage researchers who have further questions, comments, or feedback about this guide to reach out to us through Ask a Librarian.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Strickland Tackles Extreme Heat and Modernizes Transit Corridors 

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) introduced the Cool Corridors Act of 2025. The bipartisan legislation focuses on mitigating extreme heat in urban areas by investing in tree canopies and shade infrastructure along transit corridors, sidewalks, bus stops, school zones, and underserved neighborhoods. 

    “As temperatures climb and heatwaves become more severe, we must ensure our communities are equipped to stay cool, safe, and livable,” said Strickland. “My bill promotes smart investments to improve public health, improve our infrastructure, make our communities more walkable and resilient.” 

    “In the Lower Hudson Valley, extreme heat causes serious damage to our roads, sidewalks, and public spaces, impacting families’ daily routines and expenses during the hottest months of the year. This bill will cool down our streets and transit corridors, helping protect our infrastructure and create safer, more comfortable neighborhoods for everyone. By investing in public works projects now, we will save taxpayers’ money in the long run and improve the quality of life for our communities,” said Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17), Co-Chair of the Extreme Heat Caucus. 

    “At Trust for Public Land, we know that access to nature isn’t a luxury — it’s a lifeline. That’s why we support this effort to reauthorize the Healthy Streets Program,” said Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, President and CEO of Trust for Public Land. “Through our work with communities across the country, we’ve witnessed the transformative power of trees, and how planting them in urban and rural neighborhoods alike results in added shade along with cleaner air, improved health outcomes, more local jobs, and documented protection from extreme temperatures and climate events.” 

    “Extreme heat is now the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S., and it’s only getting worse. Trees are one of our most effective defenses—especially in the places where people are most exposed, like sidewalks, transit corridors, and bus stops. The Cool Corridors Act delivers smart, science-based investments in shade where people need it most. It’s a practical, proven way to protect public health and create safer, more connected neighborhoods. Led by Representatives Strickland and Rep. Lawler, this is bipartisan leadership turning down the temperature on extreme heat. We thank them for the coolest legislation of the summer and for championing life-saving, locally driven solutions that communities urgently need,” said Joel Pannell, Vice President of Urban Policy, American Forests. 

    The Cool Corridors Act aims to improve public health outcomes by addressing urban heat islands, reducing air and noise pollution, and decreasing stormwater runoff. Additionally, it promotes local workforce development through urban forestry job training, preserves existing roadside vegetation, and strengthens long-term maintenance and climate resilience strategies.  

    The bill also calls for interagency coordination across the Departments of Transportation, Energy, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency. It ensures accountability through community engagement and robust data reporting on environmental and public health outcomes. 

    House Co-Sponsors include: Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-07), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Rep. Steven Cohen (TN-09), Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Rep. Timothy Kennedy (NY-26), Josh Harder (CA-09). 

    You can read the full legislation here. 

    Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is Whip of the New Democrat Coalition, Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Funding Crisis Leaves Defense Lawyers Working Without Pay

    Source: United States Courts

    The program that pays court-appointed private attorneys to represent indigent federal criminal defendants has run out of money, starting the clock on a painful three-month delay in paying these attorneys and their related service providers for constitutionally mandated legal work. 

    The funding crisis has prompted concern throughout the federal Judiciary that many of these private lawyers, known as panel attorneys, could decline new cases. That could leave defendants, even those on death row, without adequate representation.

    Judge Amy St. Eve, chair of the Judicial Conference’s Budget Committee, said, “The right of a criminal defendant to effective counsel regardless of the defendant’s economic status is guaranteed under our Constitution and the Criminal Justice Act. That fundamental right is at risk because we ran out of funding on July 3 to pay the private practice attorneys appointed to represent federal defendants.” 

    Panel attorneys are paid from funds appropriated by Congress to the Judicial Branch’s Defender Services program. Payments to panel attorneys have been suspended during previous congressional budget crises, but rarely for more than a few weeks in a single fiscal year.

    “These attorneys will not be paid until October 1 for the work they have done and for the work that we continue to ask them to do, unless the Judiciary receives supplemental funding from Congress before then,” St. Eve said. 

    Over 90 percent of defendants in federal criminal cases have court-appointed counsel, because they cannot afford their own lawyer. Nationwide, federal defenders’ organizations handle about 60 percent of publicly financed cases. The remaining 40 percent are assigned to private, qualified defense lawyers who agree to serve on a court’s Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel.

    The continuing resolution to fund the government for fiscal year 2025 passed by Congress in March froze all Judicial Branch funding at the FY 2024 level, which resulted in panel attorney funding running out unusually early. Because of the hard freeze funding level, funding is not available within other Judiciary accounts to address the funding gap. 

    The Judiciary has been in communication with congressional appropriators about the need for $116 million in supplemental funding to mitigate these payment deferrals and avert a continuing crisis. 

    During recent congressional testimony, St. Eve said, “These disruptions in panel attorney payments negatively affect our panel attorneys, potentially reducing their willingness to accept future appointments and jeopardizing the ability to provide necessary and timely representation.”

    There are more than 12,000 private panel attorneys throughout the country who accept CJA assignments annually. About 85 percent of them work for small firms or are solo practitioners who can ill afford long delays in payments for their work. Significant amounts of work affected by the funding freeze have already been performed.

    Some of the attorneys “continue to work but are not getting paid, which obviously is a tremendous hardship, especially for small firms and solo practitioners,” said Judge Cathy Seibel, who chairs the Judicial Conference’s Defender Services Committee.

    The funding shortfall also affects specialists employed by the defense to help effectively present their clients’ cases, such as investigators, interpreters, and expert witnesses. Many of those vital roles may go unfilled for three months, with unpredictable consequences for the criminal justice system.

    For example, in the District of North Dakota, several long-tenured CJA attorneys recently resigned from the panel. The concern among many federal courts is that attorneys will decline appointments and trials will have to be postponed, leaving some defendants detained for longer than necessary or even compromising criminal cases if requirements under the Speedy Trial Act cannot be met.

    The work can’t simply be turned over to federal defender organizations across the country because those offices are already seriously understaffed. Federal defender offices have been under a hiring freeze for 17 of the past 24 months because of tight budgets from Congress. Many defender offices are experiencing increased burnout among employees working excessive overtime.

    Panel attorneys are paid an hourly rate of $175 in non-capital cases, and, in capital cases, a maximum hourly rate of $223, which are significantly lower than market rate. The rates include both attorney compensation and office overhead, such as rent, supplies, and equipment.

    Keep updated on the evolving situation. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fiji govt offers NZ$1.5m settlement to former anti-corruption head for ruined career

    By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior reporter

    The Fiji government looks set to pay around NZ$1.5 million in damages to the disgraced former head of the country’s anti-corruption agency FICAC.

    The state is offering Barbara Malimali an out-of-court settlement after her lawyer lodged a judicial review of her sacking in the High Court in Suva.

    Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka suspended Malimali from her role on May 29, following a damning Commission of Inquiry into her appointment.

    Malimali was described as “universally corrupt” by Justice David Ashton-Lewis, the commissioner of the nine-week investigation, which involved 35 witnesses.

    “She was a pawn in the hands of devious members of government, who wanted any allegations against them or other government members thrown out,” Ashton-Lewis told RNZ Pacific Waves earlier this month.

    Tanya Waqanika, who acts for Malimali, told RNZ Pacific that her client was seeking a “substantial” payout for damages and unpaid dues.

    Waqanika met lawyers from the Attorney-General’s Office in the capital, Suva, on Tuesday after earlier negotiations failed.

    Expected to hear in writing
    She declined to say exactly what was discussed, but said she expected to hear back in writing from the other party the same day.

    A High Court judge has given the government until 3pm on Friday to reach a settlement, otherwise he will rule on the application on Monday.

    “We’ll see what they come up with, that’s the beauty of negotiations, but NZ$1.5 million would be a good amount to play with after your career has been ruined,” Waqanika said.

    “[Malimali’s] career spans over 27 years, but it is now down the drain thanks to Ashton-Lewis and the damage the inquiry report has done.”

    She said Malimali also wanted a public apology, as she was being defamed every day in social media.

    “I don’t expect we’ll get one out of Ashton-Lewis,” she said.

    Adjournment sought
    During a hearing in the High Court on Monday, lawyers for the state sought an adjournment to discuss a settlement with Waqanika.

    However, she opposed this, saying that the government’s legal team had vast resources and they should have been prepared for the hearing.

    Malimali filed a case against President Naiqama Lalabalavu, Rabuka and the Attorney-General on June 13 on the grounds that her suspension was unconstitutional.

    Waqanika said the President suspended her on the advice of the Prime Minister instead of consulting the Judicial Services Commission.

    Government lawyers approached Waqanika offering a compensation deal the same day she lodged a judicial review in the High Court.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fiji govt offers NZ$1.5m settlement to former anti-corruption head for ruined career

    By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior reporter

    The Fiji government looks set to pay around NZ$1.5 million in damages to the disgraced former head of the country’s anti-corruption agency FICAC.

    The state is offering Barbara Malimali an out-of-court settlement after her lawyer lodged a judicial review of her sacking in the High Court in Suva.

    Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka suspended Malimali from her role on May 29, following a damning Commission of Inquiry into her appointment.

    Malimali was described as “universally corrupt” by Justice David Ashton-Lewis, the commissioner of the nine-week investigation, which involved 35 witnesses.

    “She was a pawn in the hands of devious members of government, who wanted any allegations against them or other government members thrown out,” Ashton-Lewis told RNZ Pacific Waves earlier this month.

    Tanya Waqanika, who acts for Malimali, told RNZ Pacific that her client was seeking a “substantial” payout for damages and unpaid dues.

    Waqanika met lawyers from the Attorney-General’s Office in the capital, Suva, on Tuesday after earlier negotiations failed.

    Expected to hear in writing
    She declined to say exactly what was discussed, but said she expected to hear back in writing from the other party the same day.

    A High Court judge has given the government until 3pm on Friday to reach a settlement, otherwise he will rule on the application on Monday.

    “We’ll see what they come up with, that’s the beauty of negotiations, but NZ$1.5 million would be a good amount to play with after your career has been ruined,” Waqanika said.

    “[Malimali’s] career spans over 27 years, but it is now down the drain thanks to Ashton-Lewis and the damage the inquiry report has done.”

    She said Malimali also wanted a public apology, as she was being defamed every day in social media.

    “I don’t expect we’ll get one out of Ashton-Lewis,” she said.

    Adjournment sought
    During a hearing in the High Court on Monday, lawyers for the state sought an adjournment to discuss a settlement with Waqanika.

    However, she opposed this, saying that the government’s legal team had vast resources and they should have been prepared for the hearing.

    Malimali filed a case against President Naiqama Lalabalavu, Rabuka and the Attorney-General on June 13 on the grounds that her suspension was unconstitutional.

    Waqanika said the President suspended her on the advice of the Prime Minister instead of consulting the Judicial Services Commission.

    Government lawyers approached Waqanika offering a compensation deal the same day she lodged a judicial review in the High Court.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fiji govt offers NZ$1.5m settlement to former anti-corruption head for ruined career

    By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior reporter

    The Fiji government looks set to pay around NZ$1.5 million in damages to the disgraced former head of the country’s anti-corruption agency FICAC.

    The state is offering Barbara Malimali an out-of-court settlement after her lawyer lodged a judicial review of her sacking in the High Court in Suva.

    Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka suspended Malimali from her role on May 29, following a damning Commission of Inquiry into her appointment.

    Malimali was described as “universally corrupt” by Justice David Ashton-Lewis, the commissioner of the nine-week investigation, which involved 35 witnesses.

    “She was a pawn in the hands of devious members of government, who wanted any allegations against them or other government members thrown out,” Ashton-Lewis told RNZ Pacific Waves earlier this month.

    Tanya Waqanika, who acts for Malimali, told RNZ Pacific that her client was seeking a “substantial” payout for damages and unpaid dues.

    Waqanika met lawyers from the Attorney-General’s Office in the capital, Suva, on Tuesday after earlier negotiations failed.

    Expected to hear in writing
    She declined to say exactly what was discussed, but said she expected to hear back in writing from the other party the same day.

    A High Court judge has given the government until 3pm on Friday to reach a settlement, otherwise he will rule on the application on Monday.

    “We’ll see what they come up with, that’s the beauty of negotiations, but NZ$1.5 million would be a good amount to play with after your career has been ruined,” Waqanika said.

    “[Malimali’s] career spans over 27 years, but it is now down the drain thanks to Ashton-Lewis and the damage the inquiry report has done.”

    She said Malimali also wanted a public apology, as she was being defamed every day in social media.

    “I don’t expect we’ll get one out of Ashton-Lewis,” she said.

    Adjournment sought
    During a hearing in the High Court on Monday, lawyers for the state sought an adjournment to discuss a settlement with Waqanika.

    However, she opposed this, saying that the government’s legal team had vast resources and they should have been prepared for the hearing.

    Malimali filed a case against President Naiqama Lalabalavu, Rabuka and the Attorney-General on June 13 on the grounds that her suspension was unconstitutional.

    Waqanika said the President suspended her on the advice of the Prime Minister instead of consulting the Judicial Services Commission.

    Government lawyers approached Waqanika offering a compensation deal the same day she lodged a judicial review in the High Court.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fiji govt offers NZ$1.5m settlement to former anti-corruption head for ruined career

    By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior reporter

    The Fiji government looks set to pay around NZ$1.5 million in damages to the disgraced former head of the country’s anti-corruption agency FICAC.

    The state is offering Barbara Malimali an out-of-court settlement after her lawyer lodged a judicial review of her sacking in the High Court in Suva.

    Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka suspended Malimali from her role on May 29, following a damning Commission of Inquiry into her appointment.

    Malimali was described as “universally corrupt” by Justice David Ashton-Lewis, the commissioner of the nine-week investigation, which involved 35 witnesses.

    “She was a pawn in the hands of devious members of government, who wanted any allegations against them or other government members thrown out,” Ashton-Lewis told RNZ Pacific Waves earlier this month.

    Tanya Waqanika, who acts for Malimali, told RNZ Pacific that her client was seeking a “substantial” payout for damages and unpaid dues.

    Waqanika met lawyers from the Attorney-General’s Office in the capital, Suva, on Tuesday after earlier negotiations failed.

    Expected to hear in writing
    She declined to say exactly what was discussed, but said she expected to hear back in writing from the other party the same day.

    A High Court judge has given the government until 3pm on Friday to reach a settlement, otherwise he will rule on the application on Monday.

    “We’ll see what they come up with, that’s the beauty of negotiations, but NZ$1.5 million would be a good amount to play with after your career has been ruined,” Waqanika said.

    “[Malimali’s] career spans over 27 years, but it is now down the drain thanks to Ashton-Lewis and the damage the inquiry report has done.”

    She said Malimali also wanted a public apology, as she was being defamed every day in social media.

    “I don’t expect we’ll get one out of Ashton-Lewis,” she said.

    Adjournment sought
    During a hearing in the High Court on Monday, lawyers for the state sought an adjournment to discuss a settlement with Waqanika.

    However, she opposed this, saying that the government’s legal team had vast resources and they should have been prepared for the hearing.

    Malimali filed a case against President Naiqama Lalabalavu, Rabuka and the Attorney-General on June 13 on the grounds that her suspension was unconstitutional.

    Waqanika said the President suspended her on the advice of the Prime Minister instead of consulting the Judicial Services Commission.

    Government lawyers approached Waqanika offering a compensation deal the same day she lodged a judicial review in the High Court.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: A Message From the United States Attorney to the Residents of Ruidoso, New Mexico: Combating Disaster-Related Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – The recent flooding in Ruidoso, New Mexico, has brought devastating loss and hardship to our community. Lives have been lost, homes and businesses have been destroyed, and many families are facing an uncertain future. In the midst of this tragedy, we have witnessed countless acts of generosity and resilience as neighbors, volunteers, and organizations step forward to help those in need.

    Unfortunately, history teaches us that disasters like this also attract individuals seeking to exploit the situation for personal gain. Fraudulent activity undermines recovery efforts and diverts critical resources away from genuine victims.

    Past disasters have shown that fraud can take many forms, including:

    • Individuals not affected by the flooding who attempt to claim disaster benefits.
    • The creation of fraudulent charities or the diversion of donations intended for legitimate relief organizations.
    • Fraudulent applications for rebuilding grants and loans, such as those offered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

    Our office has zero tolerance for those who seek to steal from disaster victims or misuse funds meant for recovery. We have established a Disaster Fraud Working Group, which includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, HUD, SBA, Postal Inspectors, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Marshals Service. This group is actively reviewing potential cases and will work closely with the New Mexico Department of Justice, local and tribal law enforcement, and community partners to ensure that fraudsters are brought to justice.

    Anyone considering disaster-related fraud should be aware that federal law—specifically, 18 United States Code, Section 1040—provides for penalties of up to 30 years in federal prison.

    We urge the public to remain vigilant. If you observe suspicious activity or suspect fraud, please report it immediately. The National Disaster Fraud Hotline is available toll-free at (866) 720-5721, or you may email disaster@leo.gov. The hotline operates 24/7.

    Together, we can protect our community and ensure that help reaches those who truly need it.

    MIL Security OSI –