Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RAUL SILVA was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel to 12 years in prison for selling thousands of doses of deadly narcotics, including fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and heroin, the use of which resulted in the July 2019 death of a 66-year-old woman (the “Victim”), to whom SILVA had sold drugs for years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Raul Silva made a career of endangering lives by distributing illegal narcotics, some of which were laced with deadly fentanyl and acetyl. Silva’s disregard for others eventually caused the tragic and untimely death of a 66-year-old woman, who overdosed on a laced dose supplied by Silva. I thank our career prosecutors and agency partners for their determination and vigilance in holding Silva, and dealers like him, accountable.”
As reflected in the Indictment, court filings, the evidence presented in court, and the Court’s determinations at the sentencing hearing:
Between February 2019 and July 2019, SILVA and his co-defendant conspired to sell to an undercover New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officer, on eight separate occasions, more than 4,000 glassines containing varying combinations of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, heroin, and other drugs. These repeated drug sales followed years of narcotics trafficking and other criminal activity by SILVA, which resulted in 14 prior criminal convictions, including 10 prior narcotics convictions dating back to 1987.
In addition, SILVA was the longtime drug supplier of the Victim, a 66-year-old woman residing in the Chelsea area of Manhattan. On July 11, 2019, SILVA met the Victim near her residence to sell her several glassines containing fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and heroin. The Victim died in her apartment shortly thereafter, after consuming the narcotics sold to her by SILVA. The Victim’s body was discovered two days later by her daughter, who was completing her medical residency in Virginia at the time, and who traveled to the Victim’s apartment on the evening of July 13, 2019, after being repeatedly unable to reach her mother.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, SILVA, 55, of New York, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky and Matthew Weinberg are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Owen Foley.
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Bee Her, 45, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Her pleaded guilty to this charge on November 26, 2024.
In 2023, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force identified Bee Her as a multi-pound methamphetamine dealer operating out of Wausau. On October 13, 2023, a confidential informant purchased one pound of methamphetamine from Her at Her’s residence. On October 23, 2023, a confidential informant received two ounces of methamphetamine from Her at Her’s residence.
On February 8, 2024, Her was arrested on an active supervision warrant. Information obtained during the investigation suggests that Her was working for the cartels to traffic methamphetamine and that the cartels were trying to establish a line and system near Wausau. Her told investigators that he obtained 5 pounds of methamphetamine every two to three weeks to distribute.
During this time, Her was on state supervision for two felony cases, one involving a conviction for Child Enticement-Sexual Contact and the other involving convictions for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her’s supervision on the child sex crime was not revoked. His supervision on the drug case was revoked and he was sentenced to one year in jail.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said Her was identified as a large-scale trafficker of methamphetamine in Wausau with connections to Minnesota and Mexico and weighed the seriousness of Her’s conduct against his addiction to methamphetamine.
The charge against Her was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
An indictment was unsealed today charging Cory Lloyd, 46, of Stuart, Florida, and Steven Strong, 42, of Mansfield, Texas, in connection with their alleged participation in a scheme to submit fraudulent enrollments to fully subsidized Affordable Care Act insurance plans (ACA plans) in order to obtain millions of dollars in commission payments from insurance companies.
ACA plans offer tax credits to eligible enrollees. These tax credits, or “subsidies,” could be paid by the federal government directly to insurance plans in the form of a payment toward the applicable monthly premium. According to court documents, Lloyd and Strong conspired to enroll consumers in ACA plans that were fully subsidized by the federal government by submitting false and fraudulent applications for individuals whose income did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the subsidies. Lloyd allegedly received commission and other payments from an insurance company in exchange for enrolling consumers in the ACA plans. In turn, Lloyd allegedly paid commissions to Strong in exchange for consumer referrals.
As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and, through “street marketers” working on their behalf, sometimes offered bribes to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans. Marketers working for Strong’s company allegedly coached consumers on how to respond to application questions to maximize the subsidy amount and provided addresses and social security numbers that did not match the consumers purportedly applying. As a result of being enrolled in subsidized ACA plans for which they did not qualify, some of these consumers experienced disruptions in their medical care.
The indictment alleges that Lloyd and Strong used misleading sales scripts and other deceptive sales techniques to convince consumers to state that they would attempt to earn the minimum income necessary to qualify for a subsidized ACA plan, even when the consumer initially projected having no income. Lloyd and Strong also allegedly conspired to bypass the federal government’s attempts to verify income and other information. Lloyd and Strong allegedly engaged in the scheme to maximize the commission payments they received from insurers, resulting in their companies’ receiving millions of dollars in commissions.
As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong’s scheme caused the federal government to pay at least $161,900,000 in subsidies.
Cory Lloyd and Steven Strong are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, and 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Fleck of the FBI Miami Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Isaac Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office, and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Jamie de Boer and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Goodwood man charged with drug and firearms offences
Thursday, 20 February 2025 – 9:53 am.
Investigators from the Southern Drugs and Firearms Unit have charged a 45-year-old man with drug and firearms offences, following a targeted search of his Goodwood residence yesterday. Police will allege the man was in possession of a quantity of various illicit substances, a loaded shortened single barrel firearm and a small pistol. Detective Acting Inspector Felicity Boyd said police know the impact drugs and firearms have on the community. “This search is evidence of our continued commitment to community safety and holding offenders to account,” she said. The man was detained in custody to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court at 10am today.
New Zealand Police is bringing back an iconic advertisement responsible for inspiring thousands of people to join its ranks over the last 30 years.
The classic 1990s ad, set to “He Ain’t Heavy” – a song about a young girl carrying her baby brother – is an important part of New Zealand Police history.
Now, more than 30 years later, a remake is set to inspire the next generation of Police.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers says the 2025 version showcases a team of professional, effective, and empathetic staff who are working hard to prevent crime and harm.
“I know many officers who were inspired by the original ad to join Police, myself included.
“I was very moved and incredibly proud when I saw the remake.
“It demonstrates how varied, impactful and important policing is while showcasing the amazing work my staff do every day to keep people safe.
“I hope this ad will inspire people to join, just as it did three decades ago.”
The advertisement, a near scene-by-scene recreation of the original, includes Police responses to everything from pub brawls, to family harm, to arson, to fatalities on our roads.
It builds on what made the original so popular, reminding us of the impact policing has on the lives of so many.
“It’s a nod to the journey we’ve been on, incorporating new workgroups such as AOS, Maritime Unit and Community Beat Teams, and highlighting our increased diversity and capability, as well as the evolution of technology,” Commissioner Chambers says.
“The ad encapsulates our focus on core policing and our commitment to being increasingly visible in the communities we serve.”
While part of a recruitment campaign, the remake also represents an opportunity to celebrate Police and build community trust and confidence.
“Supporting each other through the highs and lows of policing is important to our well-being and sense of belonging,” Commissioner Chambers says.
Police staff around the country were eager to take part, with over 100 staff, family, and friends from partner emergency services and agencies featured.
Police families even opened their homes for filming.
Staff were so passionate about this initiative they were involved outside their normal working hours, and others such as Eagle were deployable during filming.
“I’m delighted to support the remake and look forward to the interest that it generates,” Commissioner Chambers says.
“It shows policing and my Police staff at their best, and I’m very proud for New Zealand, and the world, to see that.”
Note to media: The video is available to view on the New Zealand Police Facebook page. A short clip of behind the scenes footage is available to media on request.
The new Police marketing campaign starting today, recreating the ‘He Ain’t Heavy’ ad from the 1990s, has been welcomed by Associate Police Minister Casey Costello.
“This isn’t just a great way to get the attention of more potential recruits, it’s a reminder to everyone about what policing is and the quality of NZ Police,” Ms Costello says.
“As a serving officer when the original ad came out, I remember the impact it had and how proud I felt and I wasn’t surprised to hear that there was such a positive reaction from Police to the proposal to update it.
“No actors were used. More than 100 Police, their families and colleagues from other emergency services were involved and opened up their homes for filming.
“Our Police is world class and it’s important that the public understands all the work they do to prevent crime and serve their communities.”
The Minister said that the new campaign also provided potential recruits with a picture of what it meant to join the Police.
“Police are doing a huge amount of work to drive recruitment, improving the application and training process and since the Government lifted funding in the Budget there has been an unprecedented number of applications. “To get 500 extra frontline Police and improve the safety of our communities we need to keep that pipeline going, and I’m sure this new campaign will help keep the number of high-quality applicants flowing.”
An indictment was unsealed today charging Cory Lloyd, 46, of Stuart, Florida, and Steven Strong, 42, of Mansfield, Texas, in connection with their alleged participation in a scheme to submit fraudulent enrollments to fully subsidized Affordable Care Act insurance plans (ACA plans) in order to obtain millions of dollars in commission payments from insurance companies.
ACA plans offer tax credits to eligible enrollees. These tax credits, or “subsidies,” could be paid by the federal government directly to insurance plans in the form of a payment toward the applicable monthly premium. According to court documents, Lloyd and Strong conspired to enroll consumers in ACA plans that were fully subsidized by the federal government by submitting false and fraudulent applications for individuals whose income did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the subsidies. Lloyd allegedly received commission and other payments from an insurance company in exchange for enrolling consumers in the ACA plans. In turn, Lloyd allegedly paid commissions to Strong in exchange for consumer referrals.
As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and, through “street marketers” working on their behalf, sometimes offered bribes to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans. Marketers working for Strong’s company allegedly coached consumers on how to respond to application questions to maximize the subsidy amount and provided addresses and social security numbers that did not match the consumers purportedly applying. As a result of being enrolled in subsidized ACA plans for which they did not qualify, some of these consumers experienced disruptions in their medical care.
The indictment alleges that Lloyd and Strong used misleading sales scripts and other deceptive sales techniques to convince consumers to state that they would attempt to earn the minimum income necessary to qualify for a subsidized ACA plan, even when the consumer initially projected having no income. Lloyd and Strong also allegedly conspired to bypass the federal government’s attempts to verify income and other information. Lloyd and Strong allegedly engaged in the scheme to maximize the commission payments they received from insurers, resulting in their companies’ receiving millions of dollars in commissions.
As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong’s scheme caused the federal government to pay at least $161,900,000 in subsidies.
Cory Lloyd and Steven Strong are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, and 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Fleck of the FBI Miami Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Isaac Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office, and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Jamie de Boer and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
As New Zealand launches a major tourism campaign targeted at Aussies with the slogan “Everyone must go”, a leading Australian travel compensation lawyer has warned travellers to “go at your own risk”.
Director of Carter Capner Law and former national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance Peter Carter has revealed that unlike Australia and most other developed nations, travellers to New Zealand cannot access compensation for injury or death due to the fault of someone else.
Victims cannot hold wrongdoers accountable for injuries they encounter anywhere in New Zealand as a result of recklessness or negligence, and court claims for damages against people responsible for injuries or their insurers are prohibited.
Mr Carter said the country has been a “legal liability free zone” since the protections were removed in the 1970s.
“As Australians we naturally assume that because at-fault motorists, workplaces and business enterprises carry insurance and can be pursued for losses resulting from major injuries – it would be the same across the ditch.
“But in New Zealand, careless drivers and businesses are immune from liability for the injuries they cause other people.
“This applies to everyone and includes road accidents, recreational injuries, domestic aircraft accidents and all other situations,” he explained.
“You have no right to compensation and no avenue to take legal action, even if you are flattened on a pedestrian crossing by a 10 tonne truck.”
He said one woman from Queensland who suffered serious spinal injuries when a speeding car crossed on to the wrong side of the road collided with her head-on, “fought the New Zealand legal system for eight years and lost.”
“Australia’s health system will cover you for some medical expenses on your return but you are on your own if you can’t return to full time work.”
Mr Carter urged all travellers to New Zealand to have travel insurance but said “this stops when you set foot on the tarmac” in Australia. The only way to protect against loss of earning capacity from a NZ road accident is to take out income protection insurance before you travel.
He said the absence of accountability in New Zealand means there is no economic incentive – like potential insurance premium hikes or lawsuits – to prevent accidents.
“There is no safety culture and this means road and other accident rates are much higher than Australia, so Australians must visit New Zealand with that knowledge,” he said.
About Peter Carter:
Peter Carter is one of the most experienced lawyers in the Australasian region in the fields of aviation, tourism and travel compensation. He is a former national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, and was previously a director of the Civil Justice Foundation of Australia. Peter has also held the roles of Queensland president of the Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand, and governor on the board of the American Association for Justice.
DALLAS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Pedro Bailon, a 36-year-old citizen of Mexico and convicted felon charged with second-degree murder, to his home country Feb. 12. He was turned over to Mexican authorities without incident.
“Violent criminal aliens, like this one have no place in our communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas acting Field Office Director Josh Johnson. “His disregard for our nation’s immigration laws coupled with the violence he perpetrated is unconscionable, demanding his immediate removal.”
Bailon entered the U.S near San Ysidro, California without inspection Aug. 21, 1995.
The Wichita Police Department in Kansas arrested Bailon for first–degree murder March 8, 2007.
The Sedgwick County District Court in Wichita, Kansas, convicted Bailon for second degree murder July 2, 2008, sentencing him to 18 years in prison.
ICE encountered Bailon at the Ellsworth Correctional Facility in Kansas Aug. 21, 2008, and determined he was removable per the Immigration and Nationality Act.
ICE served Bailon with a notice of intent to issue a final administrative removal order, Feb.7.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet on Sept. 25, 2019, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was shut out of the discussions concerning the future of his country, which took place in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18, 2025. In fact, there were no Ukrainian representatives, nor any European Union ones – just U.S. and Russian delegations, and their Saudi hosts.
The meeting – which followed a mutually complimentary phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin just days earlier – was gleefully celebrated in Moscow. The absence of Ukraine in deciding its own future is very much in line with Putin’s policy toward its neighbor. Putin has long rejected Ukrainian statehood and the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government, or as he calls it the “Kyiv regime.”
While the U.S. delegation did reiterate that future discussions would have to involve Ukraine at some stage, the Trump administration’s actions and words have no doubt undermined Kyiv’s position and influence.
To that end, the U.S. is increasingly falling in line with Moscow on a key plank of the Kremlin’s plan to delegitimize Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian government: calling for elections in Ukraine as part of any peace deal.
Questioning Zelenskyy’s legitimacy
Challenging Zelenskyy’s legitimacy is part of a deliberate ongoing propaganda campaign by Russia to discredit Ukrainian leadership, weaken support for Ukraine from its key allies and remove Zelenskyy – and potentially Ukraine – as a partner in negotiations.
Claims by the Russian president that his country is ready for peace negotiations appear, to many observers of its three-year war, highly suspect given Russia’s ongoing attacks on its neighbor and its steadfast refusal to date to agree to any temporary truce.
Yet the Kremlin is pushing the narrative that the problem is that there is no legitimate Ukrainian authority with which it can deal. As such, Putin can proclaim his commitments to a peace without making any commitments or compromises necessary to any true negotiation process.
Meanwhile, painting Zelenskyy as a “dictator” dampens the enthusiastic support that once greeted him from democratic countries. This, is turn, can translate to the reduction or even end of military support for Kyiv, Putin hopes, allowing him a fillip in what has become a war of attrition.
What Putin needs for this plan to work is a willing partner to help get the message out that Zelenskyy and the current Ukraine government are not legitimate representatives of their country – and into this gap the new U.S. administration appears to have stepped.
Then-candidate Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a polling station during Ukraine’s presidential election in Kiev on March 31, 2019. Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images)
Dictating terms
Take the narrative on elections.
At the meeting in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. reportedly discussed elections in Ukraine as being a key part of any peace deal. Trump himself has raised the prospect of elections, noting in a Feb. 18 press conference: “We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law.” The U.S. president went on to claim, incorrectly, that Zelenskyy’s approval rating was down to “4%.” The latest polling actually shows the Ukrainian president to be sitting on a 57% approval rating.
A day later, Trump upped the attacks, describing Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections.”
Such statements echo Russia’s narrative that the government in Kyiv is illegitimate.
The Kremlin’s claims regarding what it describes as the “legal aspects related to his [Zelenskyy’s] legitimacy” are based on the premise that the Ukraine president’s five-year term as president of Ukraine should have ended in 2024.
And elections in Ukraine would have taken place in May of that year had it not been for the martial law that Ukraine put into place when the Russian Federation launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
And while the Ukrainian Constitution only includes language regarding the extension of parliament’s powers until martial law is lifted, constitutional lawyers in Ukraine tend to agree that the implication is that this also applies to presidential powers.
Notwithstanding what the law says, the Kremlin’s questioning of the democratic institutions of Ukraine and its push for elections in Ukraine have found traction in Washington of late. Trump’s special envoy Gen. Keith Kellogg declared on Feb. 1 that elections “need to be done” as part of peace process, saying that elections are a “beauty of a solid democracy.”
The ballot box trap
Zelenskyy is not opposed to elections in principle and has agreed that elections should be held when the time is right. “Once martial law is over, then the ball is in parliament’s court – the parliament then picks a date for elections,” Zelenskyy stated in a Jan. 2 interview.
And he appears to have the backing of the majority of Ukrainians. In May 2024, 69% of Ukrainians polled said Zelenskyy should remain president until the end of marshal law, after which elections should be held.
The issue, as Zelenskyy has said, is the timing and circumstances. “During the war, there can be no elections. It’s necessary to change legislation, the constitution, and so on. These are significant challenges. But there are also nonlegal, very human challenges,” he said on Jan. 4.
Apart from logistical problems of ensuring free and fair elections in the middle of a war, the conflict would present logistical hurdles to campaigning and accessing polling sites. There is also the question of whether and how to include Ukrainians in Russian-occupied territories and those who are internally displaced, as well as the 6.5 million who fled fighting and currently reside abroad.
Rather, it was a sham vote that only underlined what most political scientists will confirm: Elections are at best a necessary but insufficient marker of democracy.
This point is not wasted on Ukrainians, whose commitment to democracy strengthened in the years leading up to the 2022 invasion. Indeed, a survey taken a few months into the war found that 76% of Ukrainians agreed that democracy was the best form of governance – up from 41% three years earlier.
There are other reasons Ukraine might be wary of elections. The adversarial nature of political campaigns can be divisive, especially among a society in high stress.
Ukrainian politicians have openly argued that holding an election during the war would be destabilizing for Ukrainian society, undermining the internal unity in face of Russian aggression.
Russia has since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 employed its substantial resources to influence Ukraine’s politics through all available means, ranging from propaganda, economic pressures and incentives to energy blackmail, threats and use of violence.
In 2004, Moscow’s electoral manipulations in favor of the pro-Russian candidate, Viktor Yanukovich, led to the Orange Revolution – in which Ukrainians rose up to reject rigged elections. Nine years later, Yanukovich – who became president in 2010 – was deposed though the Revolution of Dignity, which saw Ukrainians oust a man many saw as a Russian stooge in favor of a path toward greater integration with Europe.
Putin’s history of meddling in elections extends beyond Ukraine, of course. Most recently, the Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the country’s presidential elections, citing an electoral process compromised by foreign interference.
An impossible position
In raising elections as a prerequisite to negotiations, Putin is setting a
“catch-22” trap for Ukraine: The Ukrainian Constitution states that elections can happen only when martial law is lifted; but the lifting of the martial law is possible only when the “hot phase” of the war is over. So without a ceasefire, no election is possible.
But in refusing to agree to elections, Ukraine can be cast as the blockage to any peace deal – playing to a narrative that is already forming in the U.S. administration that Kyiv is the problem and will need to be sidelined for there to be progress.
In short, in seemingly echoing Russian talking points on an election being a prerequisite for peace, the U.S. puts the Ukrainian government in an impossible position: Agree to the vote and risk internal division and outside interference, or reject it and allow Moscow – and, perhaps, Washington – to frame Ukraine’s leaders as illegitimate and unable to negotiate on the behalf of their people.
Lena Surzhko Harned 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.
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February 19, 2025
Albany, NY
Governor Signs Executive Order Activating Members of the New York National Guard to Help Ensure Safety and Security at Correctional Facilities
Governor’s Order Provides Authority For Additional Overtime Compensation for Correction Officers and Other Staff Reporting for Duty and Actively Working to Secure Facilities
Governor Directs DOCCS and Office of Employee Relations to Appoint Martin Scheinman as Independent Mediator to Resolve Illegal Work Stoppage Quickly
“These disruptive and unsanctioned work stoppages by some correction officers must end as they are jeopardizing the safety of their colleagues, the prison population, and causing undue fear for the residents in the surrounding communities,” Governor Hochul said. “In an effort to resolve this illegal work stoppage I have directed the appointment of highly respected independent mediator Martin Scheinman who will begin work immediately to return striking correction officers back to work. While I am confident we will resolve this illegal strike, I am grateful for the thousands of correction officers and staff that are continuing to report for duty – I thank them for their continued service and for doing the right thing.”
Earlier today, more than 3,500 members of the New York National Guard started reporting for duty as advance crews are at correctional facilities ahead of the larger deployment to determine logistical needs and roles and responsibilities. National Guard members will support and supplement current correctional staff on site to ensure safety and security with tasks including distributing meals and medication to incarcerated individuals and help maintain general order and wellness in the facilities. Additional members are expected to report for duty in the coming hours and days.
Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Charles Schumer today announced that BAE Systems is investing $65 million to expand operations in the Village of Endicott, Broome County. The company will add a total of 150,000 square-feet to its existing site to make way for the addition of a new battery production line and lab space, and new office space. As a result of the expansion, the company has committed to creating up to 134 good-paying jobs onsite. BAE Systems is a global defense, aerospace and security company with approximately 93,500 employees worldwide. The BAE Systems facility in Endicott designs, develops and produces a broad portfolio of safety-critical electronic systems from flight and engine controls to power and energy management systems. The company has been operational at the Huron Campus site since 2011.
“BAE Systems’ decision to further expand its business represents yet another win for New York State and for the Southern Tier, which is laser focused on becoming a global hub for next-generation battery innovation efforts,” Governor Hochul said. “Since taking office, I have remained committed to bringing jobs back to Upstate New York. This incredibly successful company chose to grow its operations here, spurring top-quality, good-paying job creation in the region because they have seen firsthand how hardworking New Yorkers are.”
Senator Charles Schumer said,“BAE Systems is adding 130+ good-paying jobs right here in the Southern Tier to make sure the next generation of America’s batteries are stamped ‘Made in Upstate NY.’ This $65 million expansion to add a new battery production line, research lab, and office helps show how we can bring this supply chain back from overseas, with the Southern Tier leading the way to make sure the future of battery manufacturing is manufactured in Broome County, not Beijing. BAE Systems is a vital part of the Southern Tier economy, with a world-class workforce of over 1200 people, and selecting this area for their major battery production expansion is no accident. I’m proud of the millions in federal support I’ve delivered – via the American Rescue Plan and my bipartisan CHIPS & Science Act – to the region to make it a global center for battery research and set the stage for today’s announcement. Today BAE is helping add another loop to establish this region as a core of manufacturing and innovation for America’s battery belt.”
The project involves the expansion of BAE Systems battery production line, including the purchase and installation of machinery and equipment to efficiently produce an energy storage system for electric/hybrid electric aircraft. This facility will include an automated state-of-the-art production line, an engineering lab, and an aftermarket center, and is expected to be fully complete in 2027.
Empire State Development is assisting the project with up to $8.5 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program in exchange for the job creation commitments. Broome County is also providing assistance for the project.
BAE Systems Senior Director Jim Garceau said, “This facility expansion reinforces our commitment to the Southern Tier and builds on New York State’s vision to create a regional hub for battery innovation. With this investment, we will enhance our capabilities to address the emerging needs of the next-generation hybrid/electric aircraft.”
Bolstering Next-Generation Battery Innovation Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer were instrumental in the company’s decision having worked closely with company officials to ensure that the project would move ahead in New York’s Southern Tier region which is laser-focused on supporting next-generation energy efforts – a top priority for the governor and senator.
In January 2024, the Governor and Senator announced that the U.S. National Science Foundation had designated the New Energy New York (NENY) Storage Engine as a Regional Innovation Engine (NSF Engine), which was created by the Senator’s bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law. The NENY Storage Engine, anchored at Binghamton University in the Southern Tier Region, will receive up to $15 million in federal funding for two years and up to $160 million over 10 years to establish a hub that will accelerate innovation, technology translation and the creation of a skilled workforce to grow the capacity of the domestic battery industry. Through Empire State Development, New York State will match up to 20 percent for the first five years of the project as well as provide support through established programs. The NENY Storage Engine was chosen for its diverse, cross-sector coalition that will build a leading ecosystem driving battery technology innovation, workforce development and manufacturing to support U.S. national security and global competitiveness.
Schumer has long fought to secure federal investment to boost the Southern Tier’s battery manufacturing and R&D. In 2021, Schumer created the Build Back Better Regional Challenge in the American Rescue Plan that he led to passage as Majority Leader. The senator personally advocated for the selection of the Binghamton University-led New Energy New York’s (NENY) battery hub proposal, helping deliver a $63.7 million federal investment with a $50 million funding match from New York State. In 2023, Schumer also delivered the prestigious federal Tech Hub designation, also created by his bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law for the Binghamton University-led NENY proposal.
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Governor Hochul’s strategic and laser-focused support for next-generation clean energy companies accelerates this cutting-edge industry’s growing presence in New York State. BAE Systems’ expansion will create top-quality jobs and opportunities in the Southern Tier, furthering the region’s leadership in battery technology innovation.”
New York State’s Climate Agenda New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.
New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “BAE Systems has been a major driver of economic growth in Broome County, and I congratulate them on their new $65 million expansion. Thanks to strategic investments from Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer, New York has become a testbed for battery storage innovation, and NYPA will continue to support firms like BAE Systems developing cutting-edge technology and spurring economic growth with low-cost power.”
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “With this investment in next generation battery technology at their Broome County location, BAE Systems is supporting local jobs and strengthening the state’s clean energy supply chains, ensuring New York continues to lead the way in innovation and clean tech economic opportunity. The expansion will also advance clean transportation in the aviation industry and support NYSERDA’s efforts in research, development, and demonstration of new technologies in the energy storage sector.”
State Senator Lea Webb said, “It’s exciting to see BAE Systems expand its next-generation battery innovation operations right here in the Southern Tier, bringing up to 134 new jobs to the Village of Endicott, ” said State Senator Lea Webb. “This investment strengthens our region’s role as a leader in clean energy technology and advanced manufacturing. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to growing our local economy and everyone who made this expansion possible. This investment not only creates new opportunities for workers but also reinforces New York’s leadership in the future of sustainable energy solutions.”
Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “Years of hard work and dedication have made our area a designated hub for battery innovation and manufacturing. BAE’s expansion to include a new battery production line will further establish our community as a leader in clean-energy technology. Their work on electric/hybrid bus and aircraft battery systems are game changers for the industry and for our local workforce. I’d like to thank BAE Systems for their continued investment in our community, and the Governor and Empire State Development for their ongoing support of this important work.”
Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, “BAE Systems’ expansion in Endicott is another major win for Broome County, reinforcing our region’s role as leader in next-generation battery innovation while creating even more job opportunities for our community. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to economic growth in the Southern Tier and to BAE Systems for choosing to expand here in Broome County.”
Village of Endicott MayorNick Burlingame said, “BAE Systems’ decision to expand its operations in Endicott is a testament to the strength of our community, our workforce, and our region’s commitment to innovation. This investment not only reinforces Endicott’s legacy as a hub for cutting-edge technology but also brings new opportunities for local families and businesses. We are proud to support BAE Systems as they continue to grow and shape the future of clean energy and battery innovation right here in our village. We look forward to the jobs, economic impact, and advancements this expansion will bring to Endicott.”
For additional information about BAE Systems, visit: https://jobs.baesystems.com/global/en/.
Accelerating Economic Development in the Southern Tier Today’s announcement advances the Southern Tier Strategic Plan and complements “Southern Tier Soaring” strategy by facilitating economic growth and community development. These regionally designed plans focus on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving next-generation innovation. More information is available here.
About Empire State Development Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development.
The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Philip Walker, 39, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around November 2019 through in and around April 2022, in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Florida, and Texas, Walker conspired to recruit and entice persons—namely adult females—knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that means of force, threats of force, fraud, coercion, or any combination of such means would be used to cause those persons to engage in commercial sex acts.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr W. Moulton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics Division, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Walker.
This prosecution is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education and improved cooperation across agencies and service providers, thereby enhancing the office’s ability to empower victims of human trafficking to become thriving survivors.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA– Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MACEO ROBERTS (“ROBERTS”), age 25, from Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced on February 12, 2025 before United States District Judge Susie Morgan for conspiring to commit sex trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1594(c).
According to court documents, in about Summer 2020, ROBERTS told his co-conspirators, Dominique Peeples and Jeremy Talbert, that he was making a lot of money acting as a pimp, and offered to teach them how to be pimps, as well. After Peeples and Talbert agreed, ROBERTS “gave” Minor Victim 2, a minor female born in 2003 who had previously performed commercial sex acts under ROBERTS’s direction, to Peeples. Thereafter, Minor Victim 2 introduced Talbert to Minor Victim 3, a minor female born in 2003, who began performing commercial sex acts under Talbert’s direction.
During Summer 2020, ROBERTS, Peeples, and Talbert travelled throughout the southern United States, including the New Orleans area, with multiple females, including Minor Victim 2, Minor Victim 3, and Adult Victim 1, for the purpose of having the females engage in commercial sex acts. ROBERTS taught Peeples and Talbert techniques to oversee and advertise a prostitution operation, including the amount to charge. ROBERTS also reminded them to keep all of the proceeds. During this time period, including while in New Orleans, Adult Victim 1 engaged in commercial sex acts at the direction and supervision of ROBERTS, while Minor Victim 2 worked for Peeples and Minor Victim 3 worked for Talbert.
In about October 2020, ROBERTS assumed control over Minor Victim 3, and required her, not only, to work approximately fifteen hours per day performing commercial sex acts, but also to give him all the money she earned. ROBERTS beat Adult Victim 1 in front of Minor Victim 3 to show Minor Victim 3 the consequences for not following his instructions. ROBERTS also provided drugs and alcohol to the victims to control their behavior.
In about October 2020, Talbert recruited Minor Victim 1, a fourteen-year-old female, to engage in commercial sex acts under his direction. In about late October 2020, ROBERTS, Peeples, Talbert, Adult Victim 1, Minor Victim 1, and Minor Victim 2 travelled to New Orleans, where they stayed for several months. During this time, ROBERTS, Peeples, and Talbert supervised the commercial sex work of Adult Victim 1, Minor Victim 2, and Minor Victim 1, respectively. ROBERTS imposed rules and quotas that Adult Victim 1 had to follow and, when she did not meet those quotas or expressed reluctance, ROBERTS threatened to beat and shoot her.
In January 2021, ROBERTS beat Adult Victim 1 so badly that she required hospitalization in a New Orleans area facility. After Adult Victim 1’s hospital discharge, ROBERTS and Peeples told Adult Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 that they would bring them home to Memphis. Instead, ROBERTS and Peeples drove them to Houston and forced them to engage in commercial sex acts until they finally escaped. ROBERTS and Peeples then returned to Memphis to look for Adult Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 to punish them for escaping. ROBERTS located Adult Victim 1, hiding in a hotel bathtub, and choked her. He also threatened Minor Victim 2.
Additionally, in about late January 2021, ROBERTS met and began recruiting Adult Victim 2 to perform commercial sex acts under his direction. Adult Victim 2 did so until about April 2022. During that time, ROBERTS repeatedly beat, threatened, and victimized Adult Victim 2, including in November 2021 at a New Orleans area hotel. In about April 2022, shortly before his arrest, ROBERTS punched Adult Victim 2 so hard that he shattered her front teeth.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced ROBERTS to 270 months’ imprisonment. Judge Morgan ordered that this sentence be run consecutively to any sentence imposed on a pending case for attempted murder and robbery in Marion County Superior Court in Indianapolis, Indiana. Judge Morgan imposed a fifteen year term of supervised release following imprisonment. ROBERTS was ordered to pay $666,000 in restitution to the victims. ROBERTS must also participate in the sex offender registration and notification program. In addition, Judge Morgan imposed a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Peeples and Talbert previously pleaded guilty to sex trafficking offenses. Peeples’s sentencing is set for April 9, 2025, before Judge Sarah S. Vance, and Talbert’s sentencing is set for March 12, 2025, before Judge Lance M. Africk.
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 www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit and Jordan Ginsberg, Supervisor of the Public Integrity Unit.
Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today spoke on the Senate Floor ahead of voting to confirm Kash Patel, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senator Barrasso also discussed how quickly Senate Republicans are confirming President Trump’s nominees. The Republican-led Senate has now confirmed 18 of President Trump’s nominees. That is faster than the pace of confirmations under President Barack Obama in 2009 and President Joe Biden in 2021.
Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
“President Trump’s cabinet picks are strong. Senate Republicans are confirming them quickly.
“By the end of today, we will have confirmed 18 of President Trump’s nominees. These nominees are bold and well-qualified.
“That is more nominees than President Obama had in 2009. It is more than President Biden had in 2021. More than twice as many.
“Americans voted for a bold, new direction in Washington. Senate Republicans are delivering it.
“Yesterday, the Senate confirmed Howard Lutnick to be the Secretary of Commerce. He will kickstart the Golden Age of American Manufacturing.
“The Senate is also on track to confirm Kelly Loeffler to be the Administrator of the Small Business Administration. Kelly is our former colleague in the Senate. She will be a voice for Main Street America.
“The Senate will soon vote on the confirmation of Kash Patel. Mr. Patel is the nominee to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“The United States is seeing increased threats from terrorism.
“The previous FBI Director told the Senate one year ago, ‘I see blinking lights everywhere.’
“On New Year’s Day, 14 Americans were killed in a terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“That is why the Senate must confirm Mr. Patel with speed and urgency.
“Once confirmed, Mr. Patel will begin working to restore trust in one of America’s premier law enforcement agencies.
“Today, regrettably, only 2 in 5 Americans say they hold a favorable view of the FBI. This must change.
“Kash Patel will refocus the FBI on its core mission of fighting crime. He will reshape the Bureau so it is no longer a tool for political attacks. He will rededicate the Bureau to keeping Americans safe.
“This is a uniquely qualified nominee.
“Mr. Patel began his career as a public defender in Florida. He defended the constitutional rights of some of the most dangerous people in the country.
“He later joined the Obama Department of Justice as a counterterrorism prosecutor. He investigated and prosecuted cases that protected our country from the most serious threats.
“He received several awards for excellence for bringing terrorists to justice.
“Mr. Patel saw the power of the FBI to keep Americans safe.
“He also saw how the power of the FBI could be abused.
“In Congress, Mr. Patel lead the investigation that exposed that the FBI was spying unlawfully on President Trump’s 2016 campaign.
“Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation later backed up Mr. Patel’s side of the story. Durham found, ‘The FBI failed to uphold their mission of strict fidelity to the law.’
“This abuse of power was a breach of Americans’ trust in the FBI.
“Kash Patel will restore trust by returning the FBI to its core mission of investigating and fighting crime.
“At his confirmation hearing, he said he will work to cut in half the number of rapes, drug overdoses, and homicides in our country.
“This is something that every law-abiding American should welcome.
“For Democrats, however, this is apparently unacceptable. They claim Mr. Patel wants to weaponize government. That is blatantly false.
“It was Democrats who turned the FBI into a political attack dog against their political opponents.
“The FBI pressured social media companies to censor the Hunter Biden Laptop story.
“It partnered with Joe Biden’s Department of Justice in the targeting of concerned parents who protested woke school board meetings.
“It targeted Catholics as domestic terrorists and spied on them at church.
“It put politics and personal gain over service to the country.
“Mr. Patel will end the weaponization and restore transparency.
“He believes that crime is bad, that two tiers of justice is unacceptable, and that equal justice under the law is good.
“To Democrats, that’s taboo. To the rest of the country, it’s common sense.
“Americans want the FBI to fight crime. Kash Patel is the man to do it.
“If you want to defend our constitutional rights, confirm Kash Patel.
“If you want justice and accountability, confirm Kash Patel. If you want to keep our communities safe, confirm Kash Patel.
“Mr. Patel is a man of integrity and fidelity to the rule of law. I look forward to confirming him.”
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
FULL VIDEO OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE IS AVAILABLE HERE.
PHOTOS & VIDEO OF KAINE ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and environmental leaders held a press conference calling for the end of President Trump’s war on affordable, American-made energy, which will raise energy costs for Americans and kill high-quality jobs. The senators were joined by Natural Resources Defense Council’s Senior Vice President of Climate Jackie Wong, Sierra Club’s Executive Director Ben Jealous, and League of Conservation Voters’ Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld.
In the hours following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders, including the national energy emergency order, to withdraw support for renewable energy—despite its benefits to America’s economy and environment—and grant his administration new powers to promote fossil fuels at the cost of bedrock environmental laws. Kaine and Heinrich introduced legislation to terminate the national energy emergency President Trump declared. The legislation is privileged, meaning that the Senate will be required to vote on it. The vote is expected next week.
“We are producing more energy now than at any other point in our history, and the U.S. is the envy of the world when it comes to energy innovation and production. The passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act have accelerated clean energy projects and created jobs, and we are on an amazing trajectory,” said Senator Kaine. “Trump’s sham emergency threatens to screw all of that up. Why? Because he’d rather benefit Big Oil and suspend environmental protections than lower costs and create jobs for the American people. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting to terminate President Trump’s emergency.”
“America is producing more energy than ever before including both conventional and renewable sources. This is happening because of the year-over-year certainty Democrats created with tax structures and permitting that has allowed us to make solar, wind, and energy storage cheaper, faster, and less capital intensive to add to the electric grid. We made it possible to build big things in American once again,” said Senator Heinrich, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “But now, Trump’s fake emergency declaration is causing enormous uncertainty. If you’re thinking about opening a new factory, you don’t know what your tax structure will be in the next 12 months. If you’re trying to site and build a new transmission line, the federal agencies you work with just had a ton of their expert staff sacked, making it more difficult to get a permit. This is going to kill skilled trades jobs and drive up the cost of your electricity bills by as much at $480 a year by 2030. Trump’s war on affordable, American-made energy is killing jobs and raising costs on working families.”
“Trump falsely declared an energy emergency as a pretext to assert authority he lacks and to justify a raft of actions meant to lock us into decades more dependence on the fossil fuels that are driving the climate crisis. There is no energy emergency. There is a climate emergency. Trump’s actions will make it worse,” said Jackie Wong, Senior Vice President for Climate and Energy, Natural Resources Defense Council.
“In the last four years, if you’re under 52, you’ve seen something happen for the first time in your adult life, which is America opening big new factories from coast to coast to give birth to big new industries,” said Ben Jealous, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. “Trump threatened the jobs of 77,000 workers in the wind industry on day one, sent shockwaves through their families and communities, and threatened to derail the United States from seizing the greatest economic opportunity on Planet Earth right now. Donald Trump’s objective here is to cut taxes and allow fossil fuel industries to continue to destroy beautiful places across this country in the interest of greed when we’ve got a better alternative. It’s time for our country’s people to rise up and demand the President of the United States put their interests first.”
“We are NOT in an energy emergency. In fact, Trump inherited a thriving clean energy economy with more than 400,000 new jobs and more cheaper and cleaner energy than ever before. Yet Trump and Musk are desperate to impound, freeze, and repeal the very clean energy investments that lower energy bills and create jobs – the majority of which are in districts currently represented by Republicans – so they can pay for tax cuts for their billionaire buddies. Trump and Musk are firing civil servants who help keep our electricity grid safe and secure and gutting clean energy industries that employ thousands of other workers. And Trump and Musk are threatening our air and water and pushing to open up our most precious public lands for permanent destruction so Trump can make good on his promise to Big Oil CEOs to drill, drill, drill,” said Tiernan Sittenfeld, LCV SVP for Government Affairs.
In recent years, the term “social justice” has become a significant part of public discourse, often invoked in discussions about equality, human rights, and societal reforms. But what exactly does social justice mean, and why is it so important?
The United Nations supports the principle in multiple ways, from addressing economic inequality to access to education, healthcare, and the protection of human rights, with the aim of creating a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Social justice is for everyone, which is why the UN pays attention to the needs of particularly marginalized and vulnerable communities, such as refugees, indigenous peoples and those living with disabilities.
Social justice encompasses a wide range of issues which are highlighted as part of World Day of Social Justice marked annually on 20 February.
Equity, solidarity, human rights
The UN definition of social justice is “an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations.” This can be interpreted as a world in which societies are based on the principles of equality and solidarity, understand and value human rights, and recognize the dignity of every human being.
The five key principles of social justice are often defined as:
the recognition that different people have different needs and circumstances (equity),
ensuring that everyone has access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed (access),
enabling all individuals to play in role in the political, economic and social life of the communities (participation),
protecting the human rights of all individuals (rights) and
valuing and respecting differences between people, such as race, gender, and sexual orientation (diversity).
Social justice is a cornerstone of the United Nations’ mission to promote peace, security, and human rights worldwide and is enshrined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an international blueprint for peace and prosperity.
The Agenda is broken down into 17 ambitious Goals, which are due to be achieved in the next five years. Some progress has been made, particularly on the reduction of extreme poverty, and improved access to essential health services, but overall they are not on track.
However, the Goals have been useful in providing UN Member States with clear, objective targets designed to improve the lives of their citizens.
UN News/Daniel Dickinson
The Sustainable Development Goals form the bedrock of social justice.
Promoting decent work
One of the primary ways the UN supports social justice is through the promotion of decent work and economic opportunities.
The International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized UN agency, plays a crucial role in this area. The ILO‘s Decent Work Agenda focuses on creating jobs, guaranteeing rights at work, extending social protection, and promoting social dialogue.
By advocating for fair wages, safe working conditions, and the elimination of forced labour and child labour, the ILO helps ensure that workers worldwide are treated with dignity and respect.
A banana grower harvests his crop in Manicaland, Zimbabwe.
The promotion of decent work is one of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda: Goal 8 (SDG 8) calls for the promotion of inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all.
Advancing gender equality
Gender equality is another critical aspect of social justice that the UN actively promotes. It is a fundamental human right and is critical to a healthy society.
UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, works to eliminate discrimination against women and girls, empower women, and achieve gender equality, through initiatives such as the HeForShe campaign and the Spotlight Initiative.
A community activist in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique provides information on preventing child marriage and gender-based violence.
SDG 5 calls for the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls: UN-backed commitments have seen declines in some problem areas, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM), but many women and girls continue to face barriers to their economic and social empowerment.
Ensuring access to education
Despite some recent progress in the percentage of students attaining a basic education, an estimated 300 million children and young people will still lack basic numeracy and literacy skills by 2030.
Students in Chhattisgarh, India, attend a robotics class.
Education is a powerful tool for reducing inequalities, reaching gender equality and achieving social justice, and the UN is committed to reaching SDG 4, which focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
The UN also supports educational and training programmes aim to build tolerance, understanding, and resilience among young people, helping them become advocates for social justice.
Protecting human rights
The protection of human rights is at the heart of the UN’s mission, and one of its greatest accomplishments is the drafting and adoption of the groundbreaking Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which paved the way for a comprehensive body of human rights law.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) works to promote and protect the human rights of all people, monitoring and reporting human rights violations, providing technical assistance to governments, and supporting the work of human rights defenders.
The work of the OHCHR is crucial in ensuring that individuals can live free from discrimination, violence, and oppression.
The SDGs focus on eliminating poverty and providing people with opportunities to prosper.
Since 2008 World Day of Social Justice has been celebrated annually on 20 February, following a declaration by the General Assembly.
The Day was created as a reminder of the need to build a fairer and more equitable world, and to combat unemployment, social exclusion and poverty.
This year’s theme is “Strengthening a just transition for a sustainable future,” acknowledging the need to ensure that the move towards low-carbon economies benefits everyone, especially the most vulnerable.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is marking the occasion with a series of events held in major cities around the world.
Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash at Angle Vale.
The collision occurred at the intersection of Angle Vale Road and Riverbanks Road, Angle Vale.
Riverbanks Road is closed in both directions. Angle Vale Road is also closed for eastbound traffic, however, westbound is open.
Motorists are asked to avoid the area if possible.
Major Crash officers are attending the scene to assist with the investigation into the crash.
Anyone who witnessed this incident or has dashcam footage that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au
SAFE renews call for rodeo ban following four deaths
SAFE is once again urging the Government to ban rodeo following the deaths of four animals so far this summer – deaths that could have been prevented had the Government acted on long overdue animal welfare reforms.
SAFE Campaign Manager Emily Hall says animals used in rodeo events endure extreme physical and psychological trauma, and these recent deaths further illustrate the inherent cruelty of rodeo.
“Over the past two months, we’ve seen animals die from lameness, dislocated limbs, and other severe injuries – all in the name of entertainment,” says Hall.
“The pain and torment these animals endure is absolutely appalling.”
Despite drafting a revised rodeo code of welfare two years ago, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) and the Government have failed to progress it. SAFE believes that, as a result, New Zealand’s animal welfare laws remain disconnected from the brutal reality of rodeo practices.
“The Animal Welfare Act states that the physical handling of animals must minimise the likelihood of unnecessary pain and distress, yet rodeo practices depend on force and rough handling,” says Hall.
SAFE says releasing the revised code of welfare is urgently needed to allow New Zealanders to have their say on rodeo events, aligning it with both the Animal Welfare Act and public expectations.
“The release of this revised code will allow Kiwis to voice their opinion on the future of cruel rodeo events” says Hall. “Public consultation is the vital next step.”
Yesterday, SAFE took further action by placing an ad in The Post and billboards in Wellington calling for immediate Government intervention on rodeo.
“The abuse of animals in rodeo must end, and NAWAC and Minister Hoggard need to take immediate action to progress the revised code of welfare,” says Hall.
“It is high time Kiwis had their say on the future of rodeo.”
SAFE is Aotearoa’s leading animal rights organisation.
We’re creating a future that ensures the rights of animals are respected. Our core work empowers society to make kinder choices for ourselves, animals and our planet.
Notes for the editor:
Information on the four deaths; The first fatality was of a horse rendered lame following the Taupō rodeo on 29 December who was killed the following day. The second death on December 30 occurred at the Te Anau rodeo, where a three-year-old bull’s hind leg was dislocated during the bull riding event. He was killed on-site. A steer then died prior to the Oruru Valley event on 3 January after being transported from the Warkworth and Far North events. The fourth fatality occurred at the Mad Bull rodeo in Otago on 2 February where a bull died after being ridden the previous day.
Whilst vets are required to be on-site at all rodeo events, rodeo clubs are not obliged to report injuries or deaths sustained during events.
In July 2022, SAFE and the New Zealand Animal Law Association (NZALA) jointly contested rodeo in the High Court. The court ruled that the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) must determine appropriate animal welfare guidelines. However, neither NAWAC nor Andrew Hoggard have provided a justification for the significant delay on the revised rodeo code of welfare.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) scorned the recent firing of one thousands employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) across throughout the country as having a detrimental impact on veterans and their ability to access their earned benefits. In a hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), King also questioned the Honorable Paul Lawrence Ph.D., nominee to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, on his support for these cuts and how he will work within the department to ensure that veterans are not victims of the VA’s quest to “reduce inefficiencies” – and rely solely on new technology – across the federal government.
“On the layoffs, here is the problem. You have testified, and the press release has been, that this is done in a thoughtful way with reviews. I am a great advocate of Ronald Reagan’s admonition ‘trust but verify.’ I would like to see some data that verifies that that took place. It is hard for me to believe that 1000 people were laid off in a matter of weeks with the kind of thoughtful process that you are defining,” Senator King said, before posing a question that quoted Project 2025 (italicized). “The next administration should explore how reviews would be accelerated with clearance from OMB to target significant cost savings from revising disability rating awards.’ That is a change of benefits. For future claimants, and listen to this, ‘while preserving them fully or partially for existing claimants.’”
Senator King continued, “Partially is a pregnant term. That means you are talking about potentially reducing benefits for people who are getting them now…the phrase ‘preserving benefits fully or partially for existing claimants’ is not very reassuring to the veterans of this country.”
Senator King then questioned the nominee on his support for AI in reviewing veterans claims, noting that AI is a tool, but cannot be used as a medical decision maker when lives are at stake — by again quoting Project 2025 (in italics)
“One is a suggestion for the VA to increase automation. ‘The best way to provide benefits more faster and more accurately is by using technology to perform most ofthe work.’ We are already learning in the private sector through insurance companies that giving AI the decision about making these kind of decisions does not work well. Do you think increased use of technology and artificial intelligence in claims processing is a good idea?” King asked.
Dr. Lawrence responded, “Thank you for the question, Senator. If you noticed it said most of the work. The way the claim comes about is that there is a lot of work where you gather information and it is called development. That’s what takes so long, getting the veterans’ information in front of someone to make a decision. Technology can be used to gather the information faster. So, a government employee and a claims adjudicator can make the decision.”
King asked again, “You are testifying that you are not talking about AI making the decision but simply automating the collection of data?”
“It is called development. That is correct. The decision should be made by an individual, a V.A. employee as required by law. But also to bring judgment into things. I think technology is great but it is not the end all be all,” Dr. Lawrence concluded.
Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King has been a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. Last year, he led the bipartisan Military Spouse Employment Act — pieces of which passed into law in the FY2024 NDAA — which allows military spouses to have a remote work career with any federal agency and helps them to maintain consistent employment should they move with their spouse. He also introduced the Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act to expand military family care to cover critical health care during pregnancies. Most recently, he joined the bipartisan Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act to improve financial security for military families by ensuring life insurance packages for servicemembers and veterans adjust for increases in cost of living and inflation.
Legislation has been introduced to extend the appointment term of the acting conflict of interest commissioner until the next conflict of interest commissioner can be appointed.
Without the proposed legislation, the office will become vacant before the next commissioner can be appointed. Victoria Gray, KC, was appointed to the acting role on Jan. 6, 2025. The term expires 20 sitting days of legislative assembly after the appointment date, on April 7, 2025, as per the Member’s Conflict of Interest Act.
The search for a commissioner is carried out by a special committee of the legislature through a process that takes approximately six to eight months. Typically, this process would have been already underway, but it has been delayed due to the 2024 provincial general election and interregnum period. Government anticipates that the special committee will be struck imminently and will begin its work shortly.
The commissioner is an independent officer of the legislative assembly of British Columbia. The commissioner serves five-year terms and provides advice to members of the legislative assembly concerning their obligations under the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act. The commissioner’s primary roles are:
to provide confidential advice to members about their obligations under the act;
to oversee the disclosure process, including meeting with each member at least annually to review the disclosure of the member’s financial interests; and
to respond to allegations that a member has contravened the act and conduct an inquiry if needed.
Gray completed a five-year term as commissioner from Jan. 6, 2020, to Jan. 5, 2025. She sat on the B.C. Supreme Court from 2001 until 2017, after 19 years of practicing as a commercial litigator in Vancouver and teaching civil litigation at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia.
Learn More:
For information about the conflict of interest commissioner, visit: https://coibc.ca/
To read about the appointment of Gray as acting commissioner, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/31886
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS DeJESUS, 30, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 132 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, DeJesus’s criminal history includes felony convictions in state court for criminal possession of a firearm and burglary in the third degree.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, members of the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force – North Central Office conducted a series of controlled purchases of narcotics from DeJesus. DeJesus was arrested on state charges on December 16, 2022, and, on that date, a court-authorized search of his Hartford residence revealed approximately 460 grams of fentanyl, approximately 90 grams of crack cocaine, nearly a kilogram of marijuana, drug processing and packaging materials, a loaded Glock 45 9mm handgun, a loaded 9mm magazine, and $52,579 in cash.
The case was adopted for federal prosecution and, on March 7, 2023, a grand jury returned an indictment charging DeJesus with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
After his federal arrest, DeJesus was released on a $100,000 bond and into home confinement at residence of a family member on Warren Street in Hartford. On November 20, 2023, DeJesus was again arrested after law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence. As investigators entered the residence, DeJesus threw fentanyl out of a window. A search of the residence revealed an additional quantity of fentanyl, a small quantity of cocaine, and drug processing and packaging materials. In total, DeJesus possessed more than 490 grams of fentanyl on that date.
On February 20, 2024, the grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging DeJesus with an additional count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
DeJesus has been detained since November 20, 2023. On October 17, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Resident Office and the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force – North Central Office, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.
LOS ANGELES – A Palmdale man is scheduled to be arraigned today on a 12-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he coerced two minors into producing and sharing with him sexually explicit content of themselves and enticed one minor to have sex with him.
Darius Desean Edwards, 21, of Palmdale, is charged with five counts of production of child pornography, five counts of receipt of child pornography, and two counts of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Edwards, who was employed by Palmdale’s Department of Parks and Recreation until his recent termination, was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the indictment, from October 2023 until December 2023, Edwards engaged in sexual conversations with a then 16-year-old girl and requested her to produce and share with him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of herself. Edwards received at least one video from this victim depicting CSAM.
In March 2024, Edwards communicated with a then 15-year-old girl and requested that she produce and share with him CSAM of herself. Edwards received at least one photo and three videos from this victim depicting CSAM.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
If convicted, Edwards would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count of receipt of child pornography, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for each count of production of child pornography, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum of life in prison for each count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Lyndsi Allsop with the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
1. On the allocation of budgetary appropriations to the Ministry of Labor of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation for the provision of another inter-budget transfer to the budget of the Kursk region
The draft order is aimed at providing social support to citizens living in the Kursk region and who have lost essential property.
2. On the draft amendments of the Government of the Russian Federation to the draft federal law No. 770471-8 “On Amending Article 5 of the Federal Law “On Biological Safety in the Russian Federation””
The draft amendments propose to introduce changes that, among other things, provide for the granting of authority to the Russian Ministry of Health to establish the procedure for applying clinical recommendations.
3. On amending the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 19, 2012 No. 608 (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation)
The draft resolution provides for the Russian Ministry of Health to be empowered to approve a list of identity documents that can be used to establish the age of a person purchasing potentially dangerous gas-containing household goods.
4. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Article 8 of the Federal Law “On the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Entrepreneurship in the Russian Federation”
The bill is aimed at specifying the list of support programs, information about the recipients of which must be entered by the bodies and organizations that provided such support into the unified register of small and medium-sized businesses that are recipients of support.
5. On amendments to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 28, 2018 No. 884 (in terms of amendments to the Regulation on the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation)
The draft resolution is aimed at granting the Russian Ministry of Education the authority to approve a federal program of educational work for children’s recreation and health organizations.
6. On Amendments to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 30, 2004 No. 401 (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision)
The draft resolution is aimed at clarifying the powers of Rostekhnadzor concerning the establishment of standards for permissible emissions of radioactive substances, as well as the approval of methods for developing these standards.
Moscow, February 19, 2025
The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
BOSTON — An investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led to federal charges unsealed against two dozen leaders, members and associates of the Trinitarios gang — a violent transnational criminal organization. An ICE Homeland Security Investigations-led a task force arrested eight alleged gang members early Feb. 19, and 22 individuals have been charged with federal offenses, including racketeering conspiracy in connection with six murders and 11 attempted murders. Two individuals, who were juveniles at the time of the alleged criminal offenses, have been charged by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office with murder.
The charges are the result of a multijurisdictional investigation that began in the aftermath of four murders, and a series of attempted murders and shootings that took place in Lynn, Massachusetts in 2023, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios criminal enterprise.
According to court documents, Chapters of the Trinitarios were identified in in Lawrence, Lynn, Boston and Haverhill. Trinitarios members in these cities allegedly undertake efforts to dominate their communities by intimidating rival gangs and establishing control over certain neighborhoods. It is further alleged that the Trinitarios do not hesitate to use violence, including murder, to further the organization’s goals and purposes. According to the charging document, these gang rivalries develop through personal enmity and disrespect between members of the rival gangs, competition over drug territory and customers as well as violent acts (such as robberies, shootings and murders) that have been committed by the gangs against each other in the past. It is alleged that these rivalries have become deadly and multiple murders have been committed by Trinitarios gang members.
Specifically, ICE HSI’s investigation allegedly identified that the Massachusetts Trinitarios have committed at least 10 homicides in Essex County over the past decade and are believed to be responsible for numerous attempted murders, shootings, kidnappings and robberies. Sixteen members of the Trinitarios criminal enterprise in Massachusetts have been charged with six of these murders — two of which took place in Lawrence in 2017 and two double murders in Lynn in 2023. The remaining four homicides are being prosecuted by the Essex District Attorney’s Office.
“Today the message should be loud and clear: transnational criminal organizations and foreign-born malign actors committing violent acts in our communities will never have refuge in the United States. We are working every day with our state, local, and federal partners to tackle transnational crime from all angles with all of the resources available to us to make our streets safer,” said ICE HSI New England Special Agent in Charge, Michael J. Krol.
According to the charging documents, the Trinitarios are a hierarchical criminal organization, with positions that are known to exist at the state and local chapter level, whose members adhere to a code of conduct. Enmanuel Paula-Cabral, aka “Nelfew,” aka “Gordo,” aka “Manny,” allegedly serves as the State Supreme of the Trinitarios for Massachusetts, responsible for the entirety of the gang’s criminal activities, coordination with other state leaders and communication with leadership of the Trinitarios in the Dominican Republic.
Paula-Cabral is also allegedly responsible for the Trinitarios Chapter operating in Manchester, New Hampshire as well the Trinitarios located in Maine, where the gang operates a lucrative drug-trade. Below the Supreme is a position referred to as the “Flag” or “Segundo,” which in Massachusetts is allegedly held by Ery Jordani Rosario, aka “Racacha.”
The Massachusetts Trinitarios allegedly recruit new members among communities of legal immigrants and illegal aliens from the Dominican Republic — specifically juveniles in local high schools in Lawrence and Lynn. To curry favor with these new recruits, the Trinitarios allegedly appeal to their shared Spanish language and culture, Dominican patriotism and use the appearance of prosperity and brotherhood.
It is further alleged that members are generally initiated into the gang after a period of observation or probation and are often inducted following the completion of a “mission” — which is generally a substantial act of violence such as shootings, beatings, or fist fights with rival gang members that were the same age or stature. According to the court documents, upon induction, new members are formally “blessed” into the organization during a formal ceremony, are administered oaths by the State Supreme and are awarded with ceremonial beaded necklaces. Younger members are allegedly tasked with lesser roles during many violent “missions,” including standing lookout during a shooting, holding or concealing weapons on behalf of full members and transporting weapons after their use in shootings.
According to the charging documents, the Trinitarios endeavor to project power over the internet and social media allegedly producing music and music videos featuring members in Trinitarios colors and clothing holding weapons, cash and other items, as well as lyrics that boast about violence, drugs and other criminal endeavors as warnings and threats to other rival gangs.
“As the court papers make clear, for well over a decade, Trinitarios gang members have engaged in brazen acts of murder, assault, and drug distribution — instilling fear in the communities of Lynn and Lawrence in particular. Today’s law enforcement operation has struck a significant blow against the leadership of the Trinitarios operating in Massachusetts — virtually dismantling an organization responsible for years of bloodshed, drug trafficking, and lawlessness,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This enforcement action ends the Trinitarios reign of terror in Massachusetts. Today, our communities are safer with the removal of these alleged violent offenders from our streets, and where appropriate, from our country. This operation is a testament to the tireless collaboration among the dedicated members of our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Such shameless and senseless acts of violence have no place anywhere; especially not in any city in Massachusetts. If you threaten the safety of our residents, we will find you, we will hold you accountable, and we will ensure that justice is served.”
“This operation is another example of how the FBI and our law enforcement partners work together to dismantle large-scale, violent transnational criminal organizations that cause chaos and death in our communities. We believe those arrested today — leaders, members, and close associates of the Trinitarios – have allegedly shown a reckless indifference to human life in order to control their turf, push their poison, and make money. There is no question our streets are safer because of this takedown,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force will continue to work on the public’s behalf to lock up these dangerous offenders who shatter folks’ sense of security and quality of life.”
“Gang violence, as well as illegal gun and drug trafficking, have no place in the Commonwealth,” said Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoff Noble. “Operations like this show the Massachusetts State Police is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to find those responsible for these crimes, arrest them, and pursue justice. Getting these criminals off the street makes Massachusetts a safer place to live.”
“This investigation and the results represent the best of law enforcement partnerships. The residents of Essex County are safer today with the dismantling of this violent criminal enterprise,” said Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker.
“Today’s operation marks the culmination of an extensive investigation, demonstrating the strength of our collaborative efforts to combat gangs and violent criminal activity. These significant arrests will undoubtedly prevent further harm to our community. I want to express my deepest gratitude to our officers and our State and Federal law enforcement partners, the Essex County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the United States Attorney for Massachusetts for their relentless pursuit of justice and for their commitment to making our city safer,” said Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy.
“I commend the successful collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations,” says Manchester New Hampshire Police Chief Peter Marr. “By arresting multiple gang members involved in violent criminal activities throughout the region, we are reinforcing the commitment to making our community safer.”
The charge of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (also known as “racketeering conspiracy” or “RICO conspiracy”) provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act conspiracy) provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation was led by ICE HSI New England’s Strike Force, Massachusetts State Police, the Essex District Attorney’s Office, the Lynn Police Department and the Manchester New Hampshire Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Federal Bureau of Investigations; and the Andover, Boston, Franklin, Lawrence, Peabody and Salem Police Departments.
Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA, Calls for Repeal of Burdensome Corporate Transparency Act
JEFFERSON CITY, MO– Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA, has joined 19 other Secretaries of State in urging President Donald J. Trump to support the repeal of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), a federal law that places costly and confusing reporting requirements on small businesses.
“The Corporate Transparency Act is government overreach at its worst—hitting small businesses with unnecessary red tape while letting big corporations and nonprofits off the hook,” said Secretary Hoskins. “Missouri’s entrepreneurs should be focused on growing their businesses, not filling out government paperwork under threat of fines or jail time.”
The CTA requires millions of small businesses to report detailed ownership information to the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), with penalties of up to $10,000 and two years in prison for noncompliance. Meanwhile, large corporations and tax-exempt organizations—entities more likely to engage in illicit financial activity—are exempt from these requirements.
The coalition of Secretaries of State highlighted the CTA’s flawed implementation, the lack of clear guidance from FinCEN, and the financial burden on small business owners, which is estimated to cost $145 million in compliance expenses nationwide.
A bill has been introduced in Congress—H.R. 8147, the “Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act”—to fully repeal the CTA. Secretary Hoskins strongly supports this effort and urges lawmakers to act swiftly.
“I stand with small business owners across Missouri who are frustrated, confused, and rightfully concerned about this law,” Hoskins said. “Repealing the CTA is the right thing to do to protect our entrepreneurs and strengthen our economy.”
The full letter, signed by 20 Secretaries of State, has been sent to the White House for consideration and is attached to this release. Secretary Hoskins remains committed to advocating for Missouri’s businesses and cutting through unnecessary government bureaucracy. An additional editorial penned by the Secretary is attached for use.
For more information, please contact: Rachael Dunn, Director of Communications, [email protected].
About Secretary of State Denny Hoskins Denny Hoskins, CPA, was elected Missouri Secretary of State in November 2024. With a strong background in business and public service, he is committed to improving government efficiency, transparency, and supporting Missouri families.
Final Jt. SoS Corp. Transparency Act Letter v20250214.pdf
Repeal the Corporate Transparency Act to Protect Small Businesses By Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA
Small businesses are the backbone of Missouri’s economy. They create jobs, drive growth, and keep our communities strong. But instead of supporting them, Washington bureaucrats are making it harder to do business.
The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), passed in 2021, was supposed to combat money laundering. Instead, it’s a bureaucratic disaster that unfairly burdens Missouri’s small businesses while exempting big corporations and nonprofits.
What Does the CTA Do? The law requires nearly every small business with fewer than 20 employees to report detailed ownership information to the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). If a business owner fails to comply—whether due to confusion or an honest mistake—they could face fines of up to $10,000 and even jail time.
This means a family-owned restaurant in Kansas City, a small farm in rural Missouri, or a startup in St. Louis must navigate complex federal reporting requirements, while large corporations and tax-exempt organizations—entities far more likely to engage in financial misconduct—are exempt.
Why Is the CTA a Problem? Since the law took effect, my office has been flooded with concerns from small business owners, accountants, and attorneys who are confused about how to comply. The federal government has provided little guidance, leaving entrepreneurs to figure it out on their own—under threat of steep penalties.
Even worse, experts estimate compliance with the CTA will cost small businesses nationwide over $145 million in administrative expenses. That’s money and time that could be spent hiring workers, expanding operations, and serving customers—not filling out government paperwork.
Repealing the CTA Is the Right Move
I have joined 19 other Secretaries of State in calling on President Trump and Congress to repeal the CTA immediately. There is already a solution—H.R. 8147, the “Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act”, which would end this unnecessary burden on small businesses.
Missouri’s small businesses should not be treated like criminals just for trying to make an honest living. It’s time to repeal the CTA and let entrepreneurs focus on what they do best—creating jobs and growing our economy.
Denny Hoskins, CPA, serves as Missouri’s 41st Secretary of State, where he advocates for small businesses, election integrity, and economic growth.
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OVIDALIS JIMINEZ PUJOLS, 39, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment for a fentanyl trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration arranged the controlled purchase of two kilograms of fentanyl from a wholesale supplier of narcotics with multiple distribution points in the northeastern U.S. Jiminez Pujols and his co-defendant, Winifer Acosta Jiminez, were arrested on February 22, 2023, after they transported the two kilograms of fentanyl from New York to a meeting location in Milford, Connecticut.
Jiminez Pujols has been detained since his arrest on February 22, 2023. On November 26, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Jiminez Pujols faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.
Acosta Jiminez, who was released on $100,000 bond after federal arrest on January 31, 2024, removed her GPS monitoring equipment on July 31, 2024, and absconded. She is currently being sought by law enforcement.
As to Acosta Jiminez, Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Nathan J. Guevremont through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Gallatin, TN – A U.S. Marshals task force in Tennessee, working a collateral lead from the USMS in Georgia, arrested a man wanted in Cobb County, Georgia for a slew of felony charges.
Darzell Thaddeus Wester, 27, was charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault (deadly weapon), aggravated battery, exploitation/ intimidation of elder person, and possession of a firearm during commission of a crime, and a warrant for his arrest was issued in the Superior Court of Cobb County on Jun. 14, 2024.
On Nov. 15, 2024, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the U. S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force with locating and apprehending Wester.
Upon developing information that Wester was residing in the Gallatin area, the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service Middle Tennessee Fugitive Task Force.
The Middle Tennessee Task Force located Wester at a residence on Turner Way in Gallatin. Wester was arrested without incident and taken to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office jail where he was booked as a fugitive from justice and will await extradition to Georgia.
Additionally, Wester has three outstanding warrants from Coffee, Robertson, and Dickson Counties in Tennessee. These warrants are for driving under the influence of alcohol, larceny, and fraud, respectively.
The U.S. Marshals Service is committed to protecting communities by apprehending dangerous fugitives.
The U.S. Marshals Middle Tennessee Task Force is a multi-agency task force that serves the Middle District of Tennessee. Its membership is comprised of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Putnam, Rutherford, and Sumner County Sheriff’s Deputies, Metro Nashville Police Officers, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Tennessee Department of Correction Special Agents, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Today, ActingU.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KIANNA SCOTT (“SCOTT”), age 24, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on February 18, 2025, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion to use of a communication facility in causing and facilitating the commission of the distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine , in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 843(b).
According to court documents, SCOTT used a telephone to assist another known individual in the distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, narcoticswithin the Eastern District of Louisiana.
SCOTT faces a maximum term of imprisonment of (4) four years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Saint Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Saint John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Harahan Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.