NewzIntel.com

Category: Law Enforcement

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry of a Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that RAUDEL MIRANDA-MARTINEZ, age 44, pled guilty to reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326.

    According to court records, on or about January 11, 2023, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents encountered MIRANDA-MARTINEZ at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center where he was being held for public intoxication.  Records checks revealed MIRANDA-MARTINEZ unlawfully reentered the United States after he was previously deported on September 9, 2004.  MIRANDA-MARTINEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three (3) years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.  Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter.  Assistant U. S. Attorney M. Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seven Chilean Nationals Charged Following Nationwide Burglaries Of Several Professional Athletes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the  unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Pablo Zuniga Cartes (24, Chile), Ignacio Zuniga Cartes (20, Chile), Bastian Jimenez Freraut (27, Chile), Jordan Quiroga Sanchez (22, Chile), Bastian Orellano Morales (23, Chile), Alexander Huiaguil Chavez (24, Chile), and Sergio Ortega Cabello (38, Chile) with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. 

    According to the complaint, the individuals were members of a South American Theft Group that burglarized the homes of professional athletes around the country. These individuals targeted high-profile athletes in the National Football League (“NFL”) and National Basketball Association (“NBA”), all of whom were away or playing in professional games at the times of the burglaries. These individuals stole valuables worth over $2 million.    

    On October 5 and 7, 2024, in the Kansas City area, the homes of two Kansas City Chiefs football players were burglarized and jewelry, watches, cash, and other luxury merchandise was taken. The October 7 burglary occurred while the team played in Kansas City, Missouri.

    As detailed in the complaint, in Tampa on October 21, 2024, the home of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player was burglarized while the team played in Tampa. Jewelry, designer watches, a luxury suitcase, and a firearm were stolen.

    On November 2, 2024, the Wisconsin home of a Milwaukee Bucks player was burglarized during a game in Milwaukee. A safe containing several watches, chains, personal items, jewelry, and cash was stolen, along with a designer suitcase and designer bags. The total value of property stolen was approximately $1.484 million.       

    The below photograph depicts Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Bastian Jimenez Freraut, and a fourth individual posing with the stolen safe and jewelry taken shortly after the theft:

    On December 9, 2024, the Cincinnati home of a Cincinnati Bengals player was burglarized while the team played Arlington, Texas. Designer luggage, glasses, watches, and jewelry valued at about $300,000 was stolen. Sergio Ortega Cabello rented a vehicle used in the burglary. 

    Between the late afternoon on December 19, 2024, and the early morning of December 20, 2024, the Tennessee home of a Memphis Grizzlies player was burglarized while the team played in Memphis, Tennessee. Jewelry, watches, and luxury bags valued at about $1 million were stolen. 

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Patrol, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Hamilton County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office, the Shelby County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office, the Dallas (Texas) Police Department, the Indian Hill (Ohio) Police Department, the Leawood (Kansas) Police Department, the River Hills (Wisconsin) Police Department.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious transnational criminal organizations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Special Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Haynes.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 52-Month Prison Sentence for a D.C. Convicted Felon Who Traveled to the Jersey Shore to Rob an Overnight Pharmacy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Ashawntea Henderson, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. to 52 months in federal prison for participating in an early morning robbery of a drug store at the Jersey Shore. During the May 2020 robbery, he and his co-conspirators jumped the counter, overpowered the night pharmacist, stole thousands of prescription narcotics, and then – as they attempted to flee to the District – crashed into a responding police cruiser.

               The sentencing was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Brian Driscoll of the Newark Field Office.

                Henderson pleaded guilty on October 30, 2024, to interference of commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery). In addition to the 52-month prison sentence, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Henderson to serve three years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, Henderson and his co-conspirators researched potential targets including Walgreens and CVS pharmacies which were open all night. On May 9, 2020, Henderson and others drove more than 200 miles from Washington, D.C. to a Walgreens Pharmacy on State Road 33, in Neptune, New Jersey.

    At 3:09 a.m., Henderson and two others dressed in masks and gloves entered the Walgreens. All three jumped over the pharmacy counter and demanded codeine, Adderall, and Percocet. One of the co-conspirators grabbed the night pharmacist, demanded that he open the locked cabinets containing additional pills, and forced the pharmacist to assist them. After grabbing thousands of prescription medicines – including Oxycodone, morphine, amphetamine, and Nucynta – Henderson and the two co-conspirators fled in a black Nissan Altima operated by a fourth co-conspirator. At one point, the Nissan collided with a responding police officer’s patrol car but continued at high speed back to Washington D.C.

    After returning to the District, as they celebrated at a hotel, one of the co-conspirators received a text from a known drug distributor asking the price for a drug of the same type stolen from Neptune, New Jersey. The co-conspirator and the drug distributor continued to exchange texts about the sale of drugs for the following weeks.

               Henderson is currently serving a five-year prison sentence in Maryland in connection with his 2022 possession of a firearm. 

               The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the Neptune Township Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by AUSAs Justin Song, Sarah Martin and Cameron Tepfer.

    23cr190

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tres Avery Davis, 36, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. Davis admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 7, 2023, Davis delivered approximately 2,000 blue pills containing fentanyl to a Kemp Avenue residence in Charleston. Law enforcement seized the pills at the residence on March 9, 2023. Davis admitted that he intended to distribute at least some of these pills to other people.

    Davis is among 31 defendants convicted of federal crimes as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.

    Davis dealt directly with a fentanyl supplier and personally acquired fentanyl pills for redistribution as part of his role in the DTO. Davis also recruited a co-conspirator to act as a courier to transport fentanyl pills from Columbus, Ohio, to Charleston, West Virginia.

    Davis also distributed methamphetamine as part of his role in the DTO.  He was responsible for 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine that were seized from a location in Charleston, and performed several methamphetamine transactions during the course of the investigation.  Davis admitted that he sold methamphetamine in one-half pound to one pound quantities. 

    Davis has a long criminal history that includes more than a dozen prior convictions for such offenses as being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, distribution of cocaine base, possession of a controlled substance, and domestic battery.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department..

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Utah Man Accused of Bank Robbery in Custody

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City after he allegedly robbed two banks on two different days in Salt Lake County.  

    Robert Buckley Hardy, 47, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was originally charged by complaint on February 7, 2025, and taken into custody.

    According to court documents, Hardy, entered a Chase Bank in Cottonwood Heights on January 30, 2025, at approximately 3:17 p.m. Hardy allegedly asked the bank teller if an appointment was necessary and was told no. Hardy then handed the teller a manila envelope with several documents and left the bank. The documents referenced several United States and government actions regarding money laundering, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and corruption. One document also stated, “assume that this is an active bomb threat.” One document read, “I need $2001 for it to be considered a felony and get the un-kompromised FBI bank robbery division to respond.”

    Court documents allege, on February 6, 2025, Hardy entered a Chase Bank in Salt Lake City at approximately 2:04 p.m. Hardy allegedly told the teller it was a robbery and gave the teller various manila envelopes with documents inside and a typed note that read, “poor people steal because they are hungry. Rich people steal because they are greedy.” The note also said, “I need this evidence chain in the hands of the FBI bank robbery division and the local and federal police.” The note read, “please stuff at least $2001 into the bag for me. And make certain the FBI gets this.” The teller complied and gave Hardy $2001.00.

    Surveillance footage from the investigation and a Utah Driver’s License photo identified Hardy. Hardy was taken into custody without incident.

    Hardy is charged with bank robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment is February 21, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.  

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.

    Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader Of One Of Newark’s Largest Open-Air Drug Markets And Last Of 26 Defendants Sentenced To 168 Months’ Imprisonment

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – a Newark, New Jersey man was sentenced today for his role as the leader of an expansive drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of drugs and used firearms to protect their drug operation in Newark, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Shaheed Blake, a/k/a “Sha Gotti,” a/k/a “Sha,” a/k/a “Bruh,” 41, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark, New Jersey.  He was the last among his 25 co-defendants to be sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark. 

    Blake’s 25 conspirators were previously sentenced as follows:

    • Anderson Hutchinson was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment;
    • Jabaar Blake was sentenced to 163 months’ imprisonment;
    • Jason Colon was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment;
    • Keyenn Rodgers was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment;
    • William Teal was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment;
    • Brian White was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment;
    • Todd Garrett was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment;
    • Anthony Bowens was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment;
    • Dorrell Blake was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment;
    • Daquan Lockhart was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment;
    • Aldoray McClain was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment;
    • Sharif Davis was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment;
    • Roger Thomas was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment;
    • Lamont Pugh was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
    • David Rogers was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
    • Hanif Yarrell was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
    • Aaron Watson was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
    • Marquise O’Neal was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
    • Jaleel Metz was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment;
    • Bernard Brown was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
    • Jesse Scott was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
    • Rasheem Langley was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
    • Shadesasha Ford was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
    • Linwood Lyles was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment; and
    • Andrew Knox was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.

    This case was the result of a long-running wiretap investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Newark Police Department.

    According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Defendants were members and associates of a Bloods-affiliated gang that called itself the “CKarter Boys,” a play on “the Carter”—the name of the drug distribution building in the 1991 film New Jack City.  As Bloods members, the CKarter Boys used the letters “CK” to signify “Crip Killer,” a sign of disrespect to their rival street gang, the Crips.

    The investigation revealed that the organization’s leaders—Blake and Anderson Hutchinson, a/k/a “Murda Rah”—operated a massive drug market that flooded the streets of Newark with heroin and crack cocaine 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

    Blake, Hutchinson, and members of their organization sold heroin and crack cocaine to customers out of two neighboring houses near the Newark-Irvington border.  These drug dens were located in the heart of a residential community, just two blocks from the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, a public school serving children from Pre-K to Fifth Grade.  On average, just one of these locations, which Blake controlled, generated approximately $10,000 per day in revenue from narcotics sales, and, on at least one occasion, revenue exceeded $13,000 in a single shift.

    One of the abandoned residences was virtually impenetrable due to the organization’s efforts to fortify the structure by boarding up all doors and windows. The defendants gained access to the residence through a second-floor window by way of a ladder that conspirators then brought inside the residence.  Once inside the abandoned residence, the defendants would sell heroin and crack cocaine through a small hole that was cut out on a first-floor outer wall, allowing customers to purchase narcotics in exchange for cash, similar to a restaurant’s drive-through window.  In a backyard shed, the defendants stored narcotics, a communal cell phone that was used to operate the business, multiple firearms, and several boxes of ammunition.

    The investigation resulted in charges against 26 defendants, including Blake, two other leaders, middlemen who assisted with transporting drugs and drug proceeds, distributors, and suppliers.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of ATF, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. in Newark, and members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Emanuel Miranda, with the investigation. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Irvington Police Department, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the Belleville Police Department, the West Orange Police Department, the Livingston Police Department, the Nutley Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Verona Police Department.

    The CKarter Boys were prosecuted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”).  The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark.  As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community.  The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Essex County Correctional Facility, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

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

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri and Jake A. Nasar of the Criminal Division in Newark.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Joins Durbin, Casten, Illinois Delegation Members’ Letter to Protect Regional EPA Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 18, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin urging him to reconsider reported plans to terminate more than 1,100 probationary EPA employees, including many based in Illinois.

    “We are deeply concerned about the negative impacts such terminations—done across the board without consideration for positional need or programmatic impact—would have on the agency’s ability to protect public health and the environment in the state of Illinois and across the nation,” the lawmakers wrote.  “ The Trump Administration’s environmental policy agenda, led by EPA Director Zeldin, has already resulted in the termination of 388 probationary employees and 168 Environmental Justice (EJ) employees after the EPA dismantled its EJ office earlier this month. Though they are probationary, many of these employees are long-standing federal workers and subject matter experts with experience vital to running the EPA effectively and efficiently. They perform critical functions protecting Americans from dangers related to pesticides, waste management, chemical control, and ground and drinking water.”

    EPA Region V, which employs many EPA workers, is headquartered in Chicago.

    “The potential dismissal of employees based out of the EPA Region V Office in Chicago threatens the health and safety of communities across Illinois, as well as the rest of the states in Region V, and will undermine ongoing efforts to monitor and improve air and water quality, manage hazardous waste, and restore the ecosystem of the largest freshwater system in the world,” the lawmakers continued.

    “In light of these concerns, we request that you reconsider any plans to terminate probationary EPA employees. We urge you to consider the critical importance of these workers to the EPA’s mission and the potential adverse effects these terminations would have on the public health and environment of the American people,” the lawmakers urged Administrator Zeldin.

    In addition to Duckworth, Durbin and Casten, the letter is co-signed by U.S. Representatives Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) and Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17).

    The full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:

    Dear Administrator Zeldin,

    As members of the Illinois delegation, we write to express our profound concern about the potential immediate termination of over 1,100 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees, many based in Illinois, as well as the impact this could have on public health and our environment.

    Reports indicate that EPA staff members have received emails informing them of possible immediate dismissal due to their probationary status. We are deeply concerned about the negative impacts such terminations—done across the board without consideration for positional need or programmatic impact—would have on the agency’s ability to protect public health and the environment in the state of Illinois and across the nation.

    Though they are probationary, many of these employees are long-standing federal workers and subject matter experts with experience vital to running the EPA effectively and efficiently. They perform critical functions protecting Americans from dangers related to pesticides, waste management, chemical control, and ground and drinking water. They are essential to the EPA’s mission and to the well-being of our constituents.

    Illinois is home to industrial sites, precious natural resources, and unique environmental challenges that require diligent oversight, remediation, and ongoing enforcement. As just one example, the Chicago area has more lead pipes than any other American city, requiring EPA water technical assistance to help communities identify lead service lines, develop replacement plans, and apply for funding for lead pipe removal.

    The potential dismissal of approximately employees based out of the EPA Region V Office in Chicago threatens the health and safety of communities the state, as well as the rest of the states in Region V, and will undermine ongoing efforts to monitor and improve air and water quality, manage hazardous waste, and restore the ecosystem of the largest freshwater system in the world.

    In light of these concerns, we request that you reconsider any plans to terminate probationary EPA employees. We urge you to consider the critical importance of these workers to the EPA’s mission and the potential adverse effects these terminations would have on the public health and environment of the American people.

    Sincerely,

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Men’s behaviour change program expanded

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 19 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Women

    The Minns Labor Government is continuing work to create a safer New South Wales by taking a whole of community approach to addressing domestic and family violence, with Men’s Behaviour Change Programs (MBCPs) rolled out across an additional seven locations.

    $10 million is being invested to increase the availability of these programs across the state as part of the Minns Labor Government’s $245.6 million package to address domestic and family violence in New South Wales, which has included:

    • Implementing the state’s first ever Primary Prevention Strategy
    • Working to expand the Staying Home Leaving Violence program state wide
    • Introducing new offences for repeated and serious breaches of Apprehended Domesticc Violence Orders
    • Making it harder than ever for alleged domestic violence offenders to get bail
    • Introducing Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders
    • Modernising the definition of ‘stalking’ to include technology based harassment.

    MBCPs are evidence-based group programs and services that focus on working with perpetrators of domestic and family violence to reduce or prevent the recurrence of abusive behaviour by a perpetrator towards a partner or family member. Between 2022 and 2024, 1,800 men participated in MBCPs in NSW.

    The Minns Labor Government’s priority remains the safety of victim-survivors of domestic and family violence and ensuring they have access to support when they need it.

    Following this expansion, the programs will now be available across 35 locations through 15 providers. The new locations are:

    • Nowra, Shoalhaven LGA – Anglicare
    • Ulladulla, Shoalhaven LGA – Anglicare
    • Forster, Mid-Coast LGA – Manning Support Services
    • Gloucester, Mid-Coast LGA – Manning Support Services
    • Lithgow, Lithgow LGA – Plus Community
    • Blacktown, Blacktown LGA – Relationships Australia
    • Maitland, Maitland LGA – Relationships Australia

    Providers must be registered as compliant with the Practice Standards for Men’s Domestic Violence Behaviour Change Programs and deliver evidence-based interventions, as well as additional one-on-one supports.

    Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:

    “The NSW Government is working hard to build a safer New South Wales.

    “These programs are about taking accountability, about breaking the cycle of violence by working with perpetrators to understand their behaviour is never acceptable.

    “The fact is to build a safer New South Wales, free from domestic and family violence, we need men who use violence to take responsibility for their actions and change their behaviour.”

    NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr Hannah Tonkin said:

    “Addressing domestic and family violence is a priority in our state and nation.

    “The expansion of the Men’s Behaviour Change Program will promote the safety of women and children by holding men accountable for their violent and abusive behaviour and supporting them to change.

    “Programs like this can encourage participants to take responsibility for their behaviour and provide them with the skills and tools necessary to stop using violence and maintain respectful relationships.”

    MBCP provider Relationships Australia NSW CEO Elisabeth Shaw said:

    “Promoting the safety of women and children is essential to preventing domestic and family violence in our communities.

    “Our Men’s Behaviour Change Program works with men who use violence to take responsibility, guiding them to be accountable for their actions and stop abusive behaviours in their family relationships.

    “These men have recognised the need to change and have sought support to become safer partners and fathers. Through the program, they reflect on their behaviour, understand the underlying drivers of violence, and learn practical tools and strategies to manage themselves and de-escalate potentially aggressive situations.

    “We also work with the men’s current or former partners and their children to ensure their safety and support recovery. Many have shared with us that they are now living in safe and respectful homes, free from violence.”

    Support services:

    For information on Men’s Behaviour Change Programs operating in your local area, contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

    If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.

    If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN on 13 92 76.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reins in Independent Agencies to Restore a Government that Answers to the American People

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    RESTORING DEMOCRACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order ensuring that all federal agencies are accountable to the American people, as required by the Constitution. Under this Executive Order:
    The Order notes that Article II of the U.S. Constitution vests all executive power in the President, meaning that all executive branch officials and employees are subject to his supervision.
    Therefore, because all executive power is vested in the President, all agencies must: (1) submit draft regulations for White House review—with no carve-out for so-called independent agencies, except for the monetary policy functions of the Federal Reserve; and (2) consult with the White House on their priorities and strategic plans, and the White House will set their performance standards.
    The Office of Management and Budget will adjust so-called independent agencies’ apportionments to ensure tax dollars are spent wisely.
    The President and the Attorney General (subject to the President’s supervision and control) will interpret the law for the executive branch, instead of having separate agencies adopt conflicting interpretations.
    REINING IN INDEPENDENT AGENCIES: So-called independent agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have exercised enormous power over the American people without Presidential oversight.
    These agencies issue rules and regulations that cost billions of dollars and implicate some of the most controversial policy matters, and they do so without the review of the democratically elected President.
    They also spend American tax dollars and set priorities without consulting the President, while setting their own performance standards.
    Now they will no longer impose rules on the American people without oversight or accountability.
    ENSURING A GOVERNMENT THAT ANSWERS TO THE PEOPLE: This order fulfills President Trump’s promise to restore constitutional governance and accountability to the entire executive branch.
    Executive power without responsibility has no place in our Republic. The United States was founded on the principle that the government should be accountable to the people. That is why the Founders created a single President who is alone vested with “the executive Power” and responsibility to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.”
    Voters and the President can now hold all Federal agencies—not just Cabinet departments—responsible for their decisions, as the Constitution demands.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: In Day-Long Security Council Debate, Speakers Offer Divergent Views on ‘New’ Global Order, Stress Need to Update Global Governance

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    During a day-long Security Council debate on practicing multilateralism and reforming global governance today, speakers stressed the urgent need to update the United Nations — founded 80 years ago — including reforms to the Council itself and to the global economic order to better address twenty-first-century challenges.

    “One can draw a direct line between the creation of the United Nations and the prevention of a third world war,” said António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, recalling that the UN was “born out of the ashes” of the second.  The UN remains the “essential, one-of-a-kind meeting ground to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights”, he said.  However, “eight decades is a long time”, he said, emphasizing that while the “hardware” for international cooperation exists, “the software needs an update”.

    As global challenges demand multilateral solutions, he pointed out that the Pact for the Future puts forward concrete solutions to strengthen the machinery of peace, advance coordination with regional organizations and includes the first multilateral agreement on nuclear disarmament in more than a decade.  It also includes efforts to prevent an arms race in outer space, advance discussions on lethal autonomous weapons and recognizes the UN’s role in preventive diplomacy.

    “But the Pact does even more for peace,” he said, as it recognizes that the international community must address the root causes of conflict and tension and that the Council “must reflect the world of today”. Guided by the Pact, he said that multilateralism — “the beating heart of the United Nations” — can became an even more powerful instrument of peace.  “But multilateralism is only as strong as each and every country’s commitment to it,” he added, urging all Member States to continue updating global problem-solving mechanisms to “make them fit for purpose, fit for people and fit for peace”.

    Shift of Power to Global South

    Wang Yi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of China — Council President for February — then spoke in his national capacity to recall that representatives of his country were the first to sign the Charter of the United Nations, “writing with the Chinese calligraphy brush an important chapter in world history”.  Now, though, comprehensive peace and shared prosperity remain elusive.  Noting the rise of the Global South on the world stage, he insisted that “international affairs should no longer be monopolized by a small number of countries” and the fruits of global development should not be enjoyed by only a few countries.  China, as the world’s largest developing country, has become the major trading partner of more than 150 countries and regions and is promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to contribute to global prosperity and development.

    “The continuing inequalities of the global financial system have further aggravated today’s crises,” said Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, adding that “the very fabric of the world order established under the UN Charter is in danger of being torn apart”.  Urging reform of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, he pointed out that the current system favours the rich, while developing nations are trapped in a cycle of poverty and debt.

    Also underlining the need to reform the global economic order, Selma Bakhta Mansouri, Secretary of State to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Algeria, said that current financial arrangements are largely led by developed States.  It is necessary to ensure a “flexible and sustainable financing mechanism for African States and to work towards improving or easing their debt burden,” she stressed.  She also noted that Africa represents more than a quarter of UN Member States, but continues to be deprived of permanent representation on the Council.

    Similarly, Francess Piagie Alghali, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone, said that Africa remains the most glaring victim of inequitable Council composition.  Without structural reform, the organ’s performance and legitimacy will continue to be questioned, she said, also highlighting Africa’s exclusion from multilateral development banks.  Highlighting the African Union’s theme of the year — Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations — she stressed the need to urgently rectify the historical injustices perpetuated against the continent.

    Push for Two Permanent Security Council Seats for Africa

    Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia, also reiterated the need for a “deep-rooted reform” of the Council, stressing that African States should be granted two permanent seats that include the right to veto.  Stating that the UN Charter must be the “linchpin” and “our lodestar” as the international community embarks on reforming the multilateral system, he also noted that Council resolutions are being trampled upon, calling for effective mechanisms to bolster the UN’s capacity to guarantee international peace and security.

    “It is illogical that Africa does not feature among permanent members,” observed France’s representative, underscoring:  “That must change.”  Two African States must hold permanent seats on the Council, and he added that Africa’s demand for veto power is “legitimate”.  The representative of Denmark, in that vein, stated that the world needs a more-representative Council — “one which redresses the historical injustice done to the African continent”.  She added:  “We cannot seriously tackle the issues facing multilateralism when the Security Council continues to operate in a reality of yesteryear.”

    “The Security Council is arguably the least representative and most undemocratic of global institutions,” added Guyana’s representative, pointing out that the Council faces the risk of becoming irrelevant.  “We have seen repeatedly how the current structure and decision-making format — particularly the use of the veto — have thwarted the will” of the wider membership, she said.  Greece’s representative, for his part, expressed support for “any model of reform that is fair, strengthens the UN as a whole and transforms the Security Council into a more democratic, efficient, representative and accountable body”.

    Russian Federation, China Accused of Being Drivers of Instability

    Meanwhile, the representative of the United States said that “two of the greatest drivers of instability in the world today hold veto power”, spotlighting the Russian Federation’s bloody war in Ukraine and China’s exploitation of its developing-nation status.  “We need to take a close look at where this institution is falling short,” she added.  Therefore, the United States is currently reviewing its support to the UN, and she said that “we will consider whether actions of the Organization are serving American interests, and whether it can be reformed”.

    As to why the UN is falling short of its ambitions, the representative of the United Kingdom observed that “there is more to this than the often-mentioned liquidity crisis”.  While the Organization’s membership has increased, it is not fully representative of today’s “multipolar world”, she said.  Further, the Council is often characterized as “ineffective geopolitical theatre”, and she added that — while reform is needed — “this body has the tools to implement its peace and security mandate”.

    “It is time to rescue multilateralism from ruinous mistrust,” stressed Panama’s representative, urging States to ensure that, rather that floundering, the system flourishes and prospers.  Observing that his country has been reaping the rewards of multilateralism since its independence, he said that diplomatic efforts lead to the end of the colonial enclave and to the recovery of “our Canal”.

    BRICS Surpasses G7 in Gross Domestic Product

    The representative of the Russian Federation noted that developed countries have siphoned off $62 trillion in resources from the Global South since 1960, highlighting Moscow’s efforts to advance anti-colonial agendas at the UN.  And “there have been tectonic shifts in the global economy”, with BRICS (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China, South Africa) accounting for 37 per cent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), surpassing 29 per cent represented by the Group of 7 (G7) countries, he added, stressing the need for a more equitable global financial architecture.  Rejecting the West’s domination at the Security Council as “a relic of the past”, he said that his country advocates for indivisible security in Eurasia without infringing on others’ interests.

    “It is extraordinary that 193 Member States — with each of us at different stages of political and economic development, like-minded or even antagonistic — gather every day in this very building to discuss and solve current and future issues,” observed the representative of the Republic of Korea.  “This should not be taken for granted,” he stressed, stating that the UN’s convening role is the “driving engine of multilateralism”.  Slovenia’s representative, similarly, noted that the UN “enabled the power of rules to replace the rule of power”.  Citing former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, he said:  “It is not big Powers who need the UN for their protection.  It is all the others.”

    Unilateralism Versus Multilateralism

    As the floor opened to the wider membership, Celinda Sosa Lunda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, pointed to the need for radical change within the UN structure in view of the myriad threats to the planet’s very existence.  “We are fighting for the transition towards a multipolar world,” she stressed.  “Today the world is in a state of flux,” said Jeje Odongo Abubakhar, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda, pointing to the “palpable loss of trust” in age-old institutions and mechanisms.  Observing that many world leaders now favour unilateralism, he stressed:  “The future of multilateralism depends on the willingness of State and non-State actors to re-imagine and revitalize the system.”

    On that, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, said that it has become crucial to defend multilateralism given “the withdrawal of the world’s greatest Power from international bodies”.  He also opposed “trends towards the privatization of the Organization, turning it into a tool that represents the interests of major Powers and large transnational capital”.  Meanwhile, Péter Szijjártó, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, said that, during the “global dictatorship of the international liberal mainstream”, the UN has failed to be a platform for peace.  He therefore stressed that the UN must adjust itself to the new global political reality or “lose its significance”.

    Waleed Abdul Karim El-Khereiji, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, also said that the increasing crisis of confidence in the UN demands reform.  Further, “current bloody incidents” call for firm responses from the multilateral system.  “No people should feel abandoned by the international community,” stressed Fedor Rosocha, Director General of the Directorate for International Organizations and Human Rights in the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, stressing that the Council must not be passive in the fact of conflict, crisis and atrocity.

    The fact that “no new world war has happened” is not a consolation to Ukrainians whose towns have been destroyed, observed Mariana Betsa, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.  Multilateral institutions are being undermined from within, she said, urging that permanent Council members be limited in their use of the veto when they have a conflict of interest in the matter under consideration.  She added:  “If the UN begins to resemble a boxing ring — with fighters, their supporters and passive spectators — the prospects for global security will be bleak.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE: Charges – Gross indecency – Katherine

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested and charged a 17-year-old male in relation to several incidences of gross indecency that occurred in Katherine recently.

    On the morning of Friday 14 February 2025, it is now alleged that five women and a female child were indecently assaulted along a walking path in Katherine. 

    Yesterday, officers from Strike Force Cerberus and Katherine General Duties located and arrested a 17-year-old male in relation to the incident, who has since been charged with:

    • 1 x Gross Indecency – Child Under 16 Years
    • 5 x Gross Indecency – Without Consent

    The male was remanded to appear in Katherine Local Court today.  

    Senior Sergeant Warren Scott said, “This was a traumatising incident for those involved and detectives would like to thank the victims for coming forward and providing information that was vital in securing this arrest.”

    Police are urging anyone with further information to contact police on 131 444 and quote reference number P25043675. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: African Union Summit: African Development Bank President Highlights a Decade of Economic Transformational Impact

    SOURCE: African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

    During the final day of the assembly, several African governments and AU officials paid tribute to Dr. Adesina for his exceptional leadership of the Bank and strong global advocacy for Africa, He ends his tenure as the Bank Group’s president on 1st September 2025

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, February 18, 2025 – “It’s been my greatest honor to serve you and Africa”—Adesina tells African leaders
    Governments across Africa pay tribute to Adesina’s exceptional leadership
    UN Secretary General Guterres says global financial architecture hampering Africa’s development, calls for reforms

    African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org/en) President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, delivered a compelling farewell address to Heads of State and Government at the 38th African Union Summit, highlighting a decade of remarkable achievements by the Bank in driving Africa’s economic transformation. Adesina’s participation at the august continental gathering in Addis Ababa ended on a high note as African leaders considered and endorsed four Bank-led initiatives including the drive to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, measuring Africa’s green wealth as part of its GDP, a $20 billion facility to provide Africa with a financial buffer and a roadmap for the continent to achieve inclusive growth and rapid sustainable development.

    Adesina, who is also the Chairman of the Group’s Boards of Directors, underscored the impact of the Bank’s High 5s Agenda—Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa—which has impacted more than half a billion lives across the continent.

    “It has been an unprecedented partnership to advance the goal of the African Union towards achieving Agenda 2063: the Africa we want,” said Adesina who in February 2022, became the first president of the Bank Group to address the AU Summit.

    During the final day of the assembly, several African governments and AU officials paid tribute to Dr. Adesina for his exceptional leadership of the Bank and strong global advocacy for Africa, He ends his tenure as the Bank Group’s president on 1st September 2025.

    The February 15–16 Summit saw the election of Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf as Chairperson of the African Union Commission, taking over from Moussa Faki Mahamat. Algeria’s Ambassador, Salma Malika Haddadi, was elected the Commission’s Deputy Chairperson.

    Reflecting on his tenure at the helm of the African Development Bank, Dr. Adesina said the Bank has transformed 515 million lives, including 231 million women, over the past decade:

    127 million people gained access to better services in terms of health.
    61 million people gained access to clean water.
    33 million people benefited from improved sanitation.
    46 million people gained access to ICT services, and
    25 million people gained access to electricity.

    He cited the landmark Africa Energy Summit held in Tanzania in January, where 48 nations signed the Dar Es Salaam Declaration to adopt bold policies in support of an initiative by the World Bank and the African Development Bank to extend electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030. That meeting, attended by 21 heads of state, secured $48 billion in commitments from the two institutions and an additional $7 billion from other development partners.

    The Addis Ababa Summit endorsed the Dar Es Salaam Energy Declaration, the Baku Declaration by African Heads of State on Measuring the Green Wealth of Africa. The Assembly also adopted the African Financing Stability Mechanism, a groundbreaking initiative by the African Development Bank to provide $20 billion in debt refinancing for African nations alongside  the Strategic Framework on Key Actions to Achieve Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa report which  outlines key actions required to enable Africa to achieve, and sustain an annual growth rate of at least 7% of GDP over the next five decades.

    On food security, Adesina cited the Bank’s Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), the Dakar 2 Food Summit that mobilized $72 billion in 2023, and the $1.5 billion Africa Emergency Food Production Facility that was launched in May 2022 to avert a major food and fertilizer crisis triggered by global conflicts.

    “The African Development Bank accelerated food production in Africa. Over 101 million people became food secure. We mobilized $72 billion to implement the food and agriculture delivery compacts across the continent,” he stressed. With the support of the Bank, Ethiopia has achieved self-sufficiency in wheat production within four years and is now a wheat-exporting nation.

    A Decade of Transformative Impact

    With a strong focus on job creation, the Bank has trained 1.7 million youth in digital skills and is rolling out Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks to drive youth-led economic growth. “Our goal is simple: create youth-based wealth across Africa,” Adesina reiterated.

    Additionally, the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative has provided $2.5 billion in financing to over 24,000 women-owned businesses, said Adesina.

    Over the past decade, the African Development Bank has invested over $55 billion in infrastructure, making it the largest multilateral financier of African infrastructure.

    The Bank has also prioritized healthcare, committing $3 billion in quality healthcare infrastructure and another $3 billion for pharmaceutical development, including establishing the Africa Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation.

    Historic Financial Mobilization for Africa

    Under Adesina’s presidency, the Bank achieved its largest-ever capital increase, growing from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion currently. The most recent replenishment of the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional window, raised a record $8.9 billion for Africa’s 37 low-income countries, setting the stage for a target of $25 billion for its upcoming 17th replenishment.

    The Africa Investment Forum, a joint effort with eight other partner institutions, has also mobilized over $200 billion in investment commitments, reinforcing Africa as a leading investment destination.

    As he bade farewell, the outgoing Bank chief expressed gratitude to the African Heads of State, the African Union Commission, regional economic communities, and the people of Africa for their unwavering support.

    “As today will be my final attendance of the AU Summit as President of the African Development Bank, I would like to use this opportunity to immensely thank your Excellencies Heads of State and Government for your extraordinary support over the past ten years. I am very grateful for your always being there for the African Development Bank—your Bank. I am very grateful for your kindness, friendship, and partnership as we forged global alliances to advance the continent’s interest around the world,” he said.

    The 2025 Summit under the theme, “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,” drew global political leaders and other dignitaries, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley.

    Guterres reiterated calls for reform of the international financial architecture, which is hampering the development of many African economies, beset by expensive debt repayments and high borrowing costs, which limits their capacity to invest in education, health and other essential needs.

    Prime Minister Mottley emphasized Africa’s strategic role in shaping global economic trends, particularly highlighting the continent’s control of 40% of the world’s minerals. She stressed the importance of addressing emerging challenges like artificial intelligence, urging African nations to take a proactive role in technological advancement rather than becoming “victims of technology.”

    She also underscored the urgency of removing artificial barriers between Africa and the Caribbean, calling for the elimination of transit visa requirements to boost trade and integration. Mottley echoed demands for reparatory justice, noting that both the Caribbean and Africa began their independence journey with “chronic deficits” in resources, fairness, and opportunity.

    Opening the Summit on Saturday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed urged continued unity among member countries in addressing the challenges.

    “In a world marked by rapid change and multiple challenges, we find ourselves at the crossroads of uncertainty and opportunity. This movement calls upon us to strengthen our collective resolve, embrace resilience and foster unity across Africa”, he said.

    Dr. Adesina’s speech (https://apo-opa.co/4kiP9Ph)
    AU Summit pictures (https://apo-opa.co/4i03e1S)

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Atlanta-Area Return Preparers

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    The Justice Department filed a complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia seeking to bar three Atlanta-area tax return preparers from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing federal tax returns for others, as well as to require the defendants to disgorge the fees they received for fraudulently prepared returns.

    The civil complaint was filed against Mabika Ilunga; Simon Ilunga; Simon Ilunga Jr.; Mabilus Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service; Big Cheez Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service and SN Tax Services Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service. According to the complaint, the defendants prepared and filed tax returns that falsely understated their customers’ federal income tax liabilities by fabricating, among other things:

    • Businesses and related business expenses and losses;
    • Education and qualified electric vehicle credits;
    • Unreimbursed employee business expenses and
    • Dependents and filing status.

    The defendants fabricated these items to inflate their customers’ refunds and increase their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit.

    According to the complaint, the defendants prepared thousands of tax returns for 2020 through 2023, and already prepared over 400 returns between the start of the 2025 filing season and today’s filing. The complaint alleges that the IRS reviewed income tax returns for 34 of the defendants’ customers and found that returns for 33 of those customers had errors that required an adjustment, often included without the customers’ knowledge or consent. As a result, the complaint alleges that the defendants have cost the United States lost tax revenue as well as the time and resources necessary to investigate the false returns. The complaint further alleges that the defendants harmed their customers who could potentially face large income tax debts and may be liable for penalties and interest.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2025.

    In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $84,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.

    In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Venezuelan National Indicted For Unlawfully Possessing A Firearm And Ammunition

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

    Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Alvis Alexander Briceno-Yajures (24, Venezuela) with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien. If convicted, Briceno-Yajures faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, on July 30, 2024, Briceno-Yajures illegally possessed a firearm and ammunition while knowing that he was illegally or unlawfully in the United States.

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

    This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the Daytona Beach Police Department, and the Holly Hill Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Del Mastro.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Atlanta-Area Return Preparers

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Justice Department filed a complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia seeking to bar three Atlanta-area tax return preparers from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing federal tax returns for others, as well as to require the defendants to disgorge the fees they received for fraudulently prepared returns.

    The civil complaint was filed against Mabika Ilunga; Simon Ilunga; Simon Ilunga Jr.; Mabilus Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service; Big Cheez Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service and SN Tax Services Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service. According to the complaint, the defendants prepared and filed tax returns that falsely understated their customers’ federal income tax liabilities by fabricating, among other things:

    • Businesses and related business expenses and losses;
    • Education and qualified electric vehicle credits;
    • Unreimbursed employee business expenses and
    • Dependents and filing status.

    The defendants fabricated these items to inflate their customers’ refunds and increase their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit.

    According to the complaint, the defendants prepared thousands of tax returns for 2020 through 2023, and already prepared over 400 returns between the start of the 2025 filing season and today’s filing. The complaint alleges that the IRS reviewed income tax returns for 34 of the defendants’ customers and found that returns for 33 of those customers had errors that required an adjustment, often included without the customers’ knowledge or consent. As a result, the complaint alleges that the defendants have cost the United States lost tax revenue as well as the time and resources necessary to investigate the false returns. The complaint further alleges that the defendants harmed their customers who could potentially face large income tax debts and may be liable for penalties and interest.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2025.

    In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $84,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.

    In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Romanian Man Guilty of Access Device Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson announced that DORU ADAMESC, a/k/a “Petru Golban,” (“ADAMESC”), age 32, a national of Romania, pled guilty on February 13, 2025 before Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, to conspiracy to commit access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(b)(2).

    According to court documents, on May 19, 2024 and May 20, 2024, ADAMESC, and a co-conspirator, purchased items at retail establishments so that they could approach the credit card reading machines.  ADAMESC’s co-conspirator then distracted the cashiers while ADAMESC covertly installed card skimmers on the credit card reading machines.  ADAMESC was arrested on June 5, 2024, when he returned to one of the stores to attempt to retrieve a skimming device.  A search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of two large magnets, commonly used to activate the Bluetooth capabilities on skimming devices.  ADAMESC’s cellular phones were seized; one phone contained a photo of approximately 60 gift cards spread out on a counter.  Such gift cards are typically re-encoded with stolen card numbers in order to make fraudulent purchases or withdrawals.

    Law enforcement officers also seized six credit card skimmers before ADAMESC was able to retrieve them.  These skimmers captured approximately 421 credit, debit, and Electronic Benefit Transfer (“EBT”) cards.

    ADAMESC faces up to 7.5 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee.  Sentencing before Chief Judge Brown has been scheduled for May 22, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Special Agents of the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; Special Agents with the United States Secret Service; Deputies with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; Deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office; Deputies with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office; and Officers of the New Orleans Police Department, in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Capital Southwest Announces Leadership Changes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Michael Sarner to Succeed Bowen Diehl as President & Chief Executive Officer
    Chris Rehberger Promoted to Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer & Secretary
    Tabitha Geiger Promoted to Chief Compliance Officer

    DALLAS, Feb. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Capital Southwest Corporation (“Capital Southwest” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: CSWC), an internally managed business development company focused on providing flexible financing solutions to support the acquisition and growth of middle market businesses, announced today that Chief Financial Officer Michael Sarner has been appointed by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) to succeed Bowen Diehl as President and Chief Executive Officer of Capital Southwest. Mr. Sarner has also been appointed to serve on the Board. Both appointments are effective February 17, 2025. Mr. Diehl will continue to serve the Company in an advisory capacity for at least another year.

    In addition, Chris Rehberger has been promoted from Executive Vice President of Finance and Treasurer to Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer & Secretary of the Company, and Tabitha Geiger has been promoted from Deputy Compliance Officer to Chief Compliance Officer of the Company, effective February 17, 2025.

    “On behalf of the Board, we want to both acknowledge and celebrate Bowen’s long career at Capital Southwest,” said David Brooks, Chairman of the Board. “We greatly appreciate the leadership he has provided to Capital Southwest over the past decade and we wish him the very best. Succession planning has always been a priority for the Company, and Michael, Bowen and the Board are all in agreement that it is time to transition the leadership of Capital Southwest. Michael and Bowen have both been fully immersed in the strategy and operations of the Company, which will make this a smooth transition.”

    “I couldn’t be more optimistic about the future of Capital Southwest under Michael’s leadership. He has worked tirelessly by my side over the past decade building a best-in-class BDC and, together with the rest of our leadership team, I am confident the firm has the right team to continue executing Capital Southwest’s strategy going forward,” said Bowen Diehl. “I am very proud of what we have built here together and I am grateful for having had the opportunity over the past ten years to lead Capital Southwest’s transformation into a BDC with one of the most robust business models in the industry. While stepping down is clearly bittersweet, succession planning is an important part of a company’s evolution, and I very much look forward to supporting Capital Southwest in any way that Michael and the team find helpful, in the short term as an advisor, and in the long term as a fellow shareholder.”

    Mr. Sarner joined Capital Southwest in 2015 and brings more than thirty years of financial, treasury and BDC experience to his new role. He has been instrumental in planning and executing on both the corporate and capitalization strategy for Capital Southwest, raising over $2 billion in both debt and equity. In addition to serving as Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Sarner also served as the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary. He also has served on the Investment Committee for the entirety of his time with Capital Southwest. Previously, he spent fifteen years at American Capital in a variety of financial roles, including Executive Vice President and Treasurer.   

    “I’m honored to be entrusted with Capital Southwest’s future,” said Michael Sarner, President and Chief Executive Officer. “The Company is well-positioned for growth with a strong and cohesive leadership team – including Chris with whom I’ve worked closely with for the past two decades. I look forward to fostering the growth of the entire Capital Southwest team, as well as providing leadership for the Company with a renewed vision for the future.”

    Mr. Rehberger joined Capital Southwest in 2015 and has twenty years of experience in corporate finance roles within the BDC space. Mr. Rehberger additionally spent ten years in corporate finance roles at American Capital working alongside Mr. Sarner. Mr. Rehberger earned a bachelor’s in commerce with a concentration in finance from the McIntire School and a master’s from the Darden School of Business, both from the University of Virginia.

    Ms. Geiger has almost a decade of experience. Previously, she spent eight years in compliance consulting with IQ-EQ, where she was responsible for implementing and overseeing compliance programs for private equity, venture capital and hedge fund managers. Ms. Geiger earned a BS in Agricultural Communications and Journalism from Texas A&M University and her JD from South Texas College of Law. She is licensed to practice law in Texas.

    About Capital Southwest
    Capital Southwest Corporation (Nasdaq: CSWC) is a Dallas, Texas-based, internally managed business development company with approximately $1.7 billion in investments at fair value as of December 31, 2024. Capital Southwest is a middle market lending firm focused on supporting the acquisition and growth of middle market businesses with $5 million to $50 million investments across the capital structure, including first lien, second lien and non-control equity co-investments. As a public company with a permanent capital base, Capital Southwest has the flexibility to be creative in its financing solutions and to invest to support the growth of its portfolio companies over long periods of time.

    Media Relations Contact:
    Lauren DiGeronimo
    laurend@trailrunnerint.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Michael Sarner
    msarner@capitalsouthwest.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Great Falls woman sentenced to prison for 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation that seriously injured passenger

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS — A former Great Falls woman who was convicted by a federal judge for a December 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in which a juvenile passenger suffered serious injuries was sentenced on Feb. 12 to 14 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said today.

    After a one-day bench trial on Aug. 27, 2024, Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris found the defendant, Noblee Rose Littledog, 23, currently of Aberdeen, Washington, guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury as charged in an indictment. At sentencing, the court allowed Littledog to self-report to prison.

    In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Dec. 1, 2021, Littledog was driving a 2019 Jeep Cherokee on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation with the victim, a passenger identified as Jane Doe, who was 17 years old. While driving on Badger Creek Road, Littledog attempted to pass two vehicles at the same time while driving 105 mph. Littledog lost control of the vehicle and overcorrected, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and roll several times before coming to rest right side up. Both Littledog and the victim were seriously injured. Jane Doe suffered severe trauma to her lower extremities, underwent multiple surgeries and has permanent damage.

    The government presented evidence at trial that seconds before the crash, Littledog was traveling at a minimum speed of 105 mph. The evidence also showed that both occupants were restrained at the time of the crash. Jane Doe reported that Littledog had consumed alcohol on the drive, and Littledog told law enforcement at the hospital that she had consumed two alcoholic beverages approximately 30 to 40 minutes before the crash.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, the Montana Highway Patrol and the FBI, with assistance from the Cut Bank Police Department, conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Will Thompson Concludes His Service as United States Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Will Thompson announced today that he has concluded his tenure as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, effective immediately.

    “Serving as the United States Attorney has genuinely been a career highlight,” Thompson said. “Thinking that a boy who grew up in Boone County, West Virginia, would be able to serve his country in such a prestigious and vital role leaves me in awe. I am proud of the office’s work under my leadership and that my team has strengthened its relationship and reputation with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, as well as with the judiciary and general public.”

    Thompson was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., on August 10, 2021. The United States Senate confirmed Thompson by voice vote on October 5, 2021. After taking his oath of office on October 13, 2021, Thompson led an office of 34 attorneys and 41 non-attorney personnel located in offices in Charleston, Huntington, and Beckley.

    Thompson appreciates the role that former Senator Joe Manchin played in securing his nomination from President Biden, and the role that Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito played in getting him confirmed by the United States Senate. Thompson also appreciates the relationships he built and strengthened with state officials and the district’s state prosecutors, sheriffs, and chiefs of police.

    Thompson commends the Assistant United States Attorneys and support personnel who served with him. He appreciates the career people who there when he entered the office and the employees he hired during his tenure.

    “The people of this office are the true backbone of federal prosecution and representation in this district,” Thompson said. “They all serve with dignity and respect for the rule of law.  They are vital to the mission of the Department of Justice, which is to keep our communities safe.”

    Thompson is most proud of three accomplishments while he was in office. The first is the significant decline in overdose deaths. He attributes that to his office’s change of strategy from targeting street-level drug dealers to mid- and upper-level drug distributors. This strategy has removed hundreds of pounds of this poison from communities throughout the district. His office has disrupted supply chains of fentanyl that were coming directly into the district from China and methamphetamine that was coming directly from the cartels in Mexico. As part of his plan to lower the overdose rates, Thompson also championed prevention and treatment opportunities across the district.

    Thompson is also proud of his work in reducing violent crime and overall crime in the district. Thompson attributes this reduction to several factors. He improved communications and relationships with the office’s law enforcement partners. Thompson also worked with state and local partners to obtain federal grants to give them more resources to their jobs more. Finally, given that the majority of crimes in West Virginia are connected to the drug trade, the office’s revised strategy has helped reduce the crime rate.

    The third accomplishment that Thompson is proud of is using his skills as a former trial court judge to instigate a vigorous review process of cases to ensure there were no evidentiary issues. Thompson met with law enforcement partners throughout the district and informed them of this new review process. He had his office work more closely with the officers to address the issues, assist with writing search warrants, and help with other search and seizure issues.

    As United States Attorney, Thompson was the chief federal law enforcement officer in the southern half of West Virginia. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

    The results of the revised approach to drug cases under Thompson include Operation Smoke and Mirrors, which dismantled a high-volume drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area and yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history.

    Following the trail of methamphetamine in West Virginia back to Los Angeles, California, and the U.S. southern border, investigators seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine, 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms, and $935,000 in cash. The DTO was directly involved in price fixing in the methamphetamine trade by raising the price of methamphetamine coming into the United States from Mexico based on fluctuations in the currency conversion rate.

    Four separate indictments led to the convictions of 31 defendants, including the DTO’s in-state leaders and California-based suppliers. Over 20 defendants have been sentenced to prison, including eight to terms of more than 10 years. Three low-level defendants were referred to the Alternative Treatment Court (ATC). Thompson also supported the ATC program, which provides a blend of treatment that focuses on drug and mental health treatment, and alternative sanctions to effectively address offender behavior, rehabilitation, and education and job skills training.

    Thompson also led the prosecution of a Kanawha County man who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. The defendant set up a workshop in a rented St. Albans apartment were he made fake 30-milligram oxycodone pills. The defendant admitted that the fentanyl came from a source outside the United States and that the pill press came from China. Investigators seized over 10,000 pills and nearly $80,000 in this case.

    Thompson’s office also obtained guilty verdicts against a Logan County physician for four counts of distribution of a controlled substance. The defendant had previously pleaded guilty to using a registration number in violation of federal law and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. His medical license and office are subject to forfeit to the government as a result of the latest convictions.

    The office under Thompson also secured convictions against the majority of the defendants in prosecutions that dismantled a Huntington-area DTO responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl and a Beckley-area DTO that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

    While having the utmost respect for law enforcement officers, Thompson had zero tolerance for officers who break the law and violate people’s civil rights. In what Thompson considered the most critical civil rights case during his tenure, he personally participated in the investigation and prosecution of eight former West Virginia correctional officers who were charged and convicted in connection with a March 1, 2022, assault that resulted in the death of a Southern Regional Jail inmate and the subsequent cover-up. After four days of trial, the final defendant was found guilty on January 27, 2025.

    A former Fayette County law enforcement officer was sentenced to 25 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution for sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor female and obstructing the resulting investigation. Following four days of trial, a federal jury found the defendant guilty on April 28, 2023, of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, and two counts of obstruction of justice.

    A former Nicholas County deputy sheriff was convicted of the production of child pornography and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The defendant took two videos of the child victim, who was under the age of 12 and was sleeping on a couch. In the first video, he walked toward her and zoomed in on her buttocks.  In the second video, he recorded his exposed penis and him masturbating near the sleeping girl. He then used Snapchat to distribute the videos to multiple users. When Snapchat shut down his account, he created another Snapchat account to distribute child pornography.

    A former Logan police officer was sentenced to nine years in prison after a jury convicted him of using excessive force against an arrestee.  At the trial, the jury heard evidence that he assaulted the victim in a bathroom, then dragged him into another room and rammed his head against a door frame, leaving the victim unconscious and lying in a pool of his own blood.

    The office successfully prosecuted 18 individuals in connection with a scheme to traffic over 140 firearms from southern West Virginia to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over 50 of the firearms were recovered at crime scenes, primarily in Philadelphia, and were connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses. The ringleader was sentenced to 25 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

    The Southern District of West Virginia became a national leader in prosecuting bankruptcy fraud under Thompson’s leadership. Among those cases, a Charleston developer was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $730,326.43 in restitution for falsifying bankruptcy records. The former chief executive officer of the entity that operated the West Virginia Courtesy Patrol was sentenced to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $205,802.49 for fraudulent receipt of property from a debtor. A Putnam County man was sentenced to 30 days in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, including five months on home detention, and ordered to pay $24,662.56 in restitution for knowingly and fraudulently making a false declaration in a bankruptcy case.

    The office successfully prosecuted other forms of white-collar crime under Thompson. A Kentucky businessman pleaded guilty on behalf of himself and two limited liability companies for their roles in the January 2018 discharge of oil into the Big Sandy River. The defendants were sentenced to terms of probation and also ordered to pay $1,856,957.92 in restitution. The LLC defendants cannot conduct or operate any business during their five-year terms of corporate probation.

    Nine defendants were convicted in connection with multiple internet-based fraud schemes operated in the Huntington area that defrauded hundreds of individuals across the country. The schemes defrauded at least 200 victims, many of whom are elderly, of at least $2.5 million. The final convicted defendant was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, ordered to pay $904,126.96 in restitution, and participated in a digital awareness campaign to alert West Virginians to online fraud scams.

    The office also secured 20 convictions related to COVID-19 benefits fraud under Thompson, with court-ordered restitution and a civil penalty in these cases exceeding $1,330,000.

    Under Thompson’s leadership, the office secured a 15-count indictment charging a Kanawha County man with wire fraud, money laundering, and obstruction. The indictment alleges the defendant conceived and carried out two real estate-related investment fraud schemes that caused losses of between $395,000 and $434,501.42. The defendant’s mother pleaded guilty late last year to aiding and abetting the sale and offer of unregistered securities as a result of the investigation in this case.

    The office also secured an 18-count indictment charging the former maintenance director for Boone County Schools with mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and money laundering. The indictment alleges the defendant used his position to defraud the Boone County Board of Education out of approximately $3,400,000. To date, three other individuals have been charged as a result of this investigation.

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

    Before taking office as United States Attorney, Thompson was a Circuit Court Judge in West Virginia’s 25th Judicial Circuit. He was appointed to that position in 2007 and re-elected in 2008 and 2016. Thompson presided over several treatment courts, including the first family treatment court in West Virginia. Before becoming a Circuit Court Judge, Thompson practiced law at the Cook and Cook law firm in Boone County.  There, he focused on litigation, which included representing several hundred indigent clients in criminal defense and other matters. Thompson also previously served as President of Madison Healthcare, Inc. and as Vice President of Danville Lumber Company.

    Thompson was born in Charleston and raised in Boone County, West Virginia.  He earned a degree in civil engineering from West Virginia University and a law degree from West Virginia University College of Law.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis County Man Accused of Child Sex Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man from Northwoods, in St. Louis County, Missouri, has been accused of child sex trafficking.

    Rodarius Servick, 50, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Thursday on one count of child sex trafficking and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He appeared in court and pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

    The indictment accuses Servick of recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting or providing a minor for a commercial sex act between August 19, 2024, and Sept. 13, 2024, and transporting that minor across state lines for the purpose of prostitution on August 19.

    Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    A motion seeking to have Servick held in jail until trial says law enforcement learned on Sept. 13, 2024, of a runaway juvenile that was being trafficked. Detectives found an advertisement with her picture online, and the St. Louis County Police Department conducted an undercover operation that recovered the girl days later.

    The FBI, the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Ampless Ray Lilly, 52, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession of child pornography.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about February 20, 2023, through on or about April 23, 2024, Lilly knowingly received approximately 2,900 images and 1,100 videos containing child pornography on his mobile phone while accessing the internet from his Huntington residence. Lilly admitted that the child pornography he downloaded included depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and depictions of minor children subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence. Lilly further admitted that he distributed images and videos containing child pornography through the internet.

    Lilly is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

    Lilly is a registered sex offender as a result of his guilty plea to first-degree sexual assault in Lincoln County Circuit Court on January 22, 1993. During the time period of the current offense, Lilly began serving a five-year term of probation imposed on November 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 14, 2023. A petition to revoke that probation has been filed and is currently pending.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.

    United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.

    This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-15.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Authorize FEMA to Accept Tribal Government Requests for Fire Management Assistance Grants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Gary Peters(D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, reintroduced bipartisan legislation that requires FEMA to accept requests from Tribal governments to receive a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Declaration. FEMA can currently accept Emergency and Major Disaster Declaration requests from Tribal governments, but the agency cannot accept FMAG requests directly from Tribes. This limitation impedes Tribes’ capacity to access federal resources for wildfire management and undermines Tribal independence by forcing them to work through state governments rather than having the option to interact directly with federal authorities for this specific type of assistance.    

    “When wildfires threaten Tribal communities, Tribal governments must receive the assistance they need quickly,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan legislation allows FEMA to directly provide Tribal governments with federal resources to combat wildfires.”  

    Tribal governments currently face unnecessary limitations in accessing FEMA’s wildfire disaster assistance. While the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act granted federally recognized Tribal governments the authority to directly request Emergency and Major Disaster Declarations from the President or to go through a state request, Tribes cannot do the same for Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Declarations. Instead, they must work through state governments to receive FMAG assistance, despite their status as sovereign nations.  

    The Fire Management Assistance Grants for Tribal Governments Act aims to address this gap. This bipartisan legislation would modify the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to give Tribal governments the same options for FMAG Declarations that they already have for other FEMA declarations: either requesting assistance directly from FEMA or to work through their state. This change would create consistency across all three types of FEMA disaster declarations: Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Declarations, Emergency Declarations, and Major Disaster Declarations.  

    The bill has been endorsed by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the National Native American Law Enforcement Association, and the National Association of Counties.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Safety improvements for busy SH5 intersection

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A busy intersection on SH5 will be made safer with the construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of SH28/Harwoods Road, as we deliver on our commitment to help improve road safety through building safer infrastructure, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

    “Safety is one of the Government’s strategic priorities in transport investment, alongside economic growth and productivity, and funding is available for safety improvements to be made at the highest-risk locations, like this one between Tīrau and Tārukenga,” Mr Bishop says.

    “SH5 between Tīrau and Tārukenga is an important route for locals and tourists, freight and agricultural vehicles travelling between Waikato and Bay of Plenty. Planned safety improvements will complement work already completed between Ngongotahā on SH5 and locations along SH1 between Cambridge and Taupō.

    “The Harwoods Road roundabout will start construction this year in September and take about 8 months to build. It is one of several safety improvements planned for the stretch of SH5 between Tīrau and Tārukenga Marae Road. 

    “The Waimakariri Road right-turn bay construction includes some road widening near the intersection and will be built as part of resealing work next month.

    “Funding has also been allocated to complete design work for a roundabout at SH28/Whites Road and general widening between Whites and Harwoods Roads to allow for wide centrelines. Completing this design work means they will be ready to go as further funding becomes available.

    “The Government is focused on improving road safety through better maintenance and resilience of the state highway network, fixing potholes, strong enforcement by Police on the leading causes of deaths and serious injuries, and building new and safer roads.

    “Around 8,500 vehicles use the SH28/Harwoods Road intersection every day, and up to 20% of them are heavy vehicles. Building new and safer infrastructure is all part of our plan to help Kiwis get to where they need to go quickly and safely, and I look forward to this work getting underway later this year.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan national sentenced for illegal reentry in Eastern District of Texas

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BEAUMONT, Texas –A Guatemalan national has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Carlos Rodriguez-Torres, 42, pleaded guilty to reenty of deported alien and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 18, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on April 18, 2024, Rodriguez-Torres was found in Lumberton.  Data system checks revealed Rodriguez-Torres is a citizen and national of Guatemala and illegally present in the United States.  Further investigation revealed Rodriguez-Torres had been previously deported or removed to Guatemala on March 14, 2012; October 9, 2012; March 12, 2013; and January 8, 2019.  Rodriguez-Torres had also been previously convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien on February 20, 2018, in the Eastern District of Texas.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Lumberton Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Boston’s Violent Crimes Task Force Seeks Identity of Suspect Wanted in Connection with Armed Pharmacy Robbery

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

    The FBI Boston Division’s Violent Crimes Task Force, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Danvers Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect wanted in connection with the armed robbery of a pharmacy in Danvers, Massachusetts, on January 8, 2025. The robber is considered armed and dangerous.

    On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at approximately 5:17 p.m., the suspect entered the pharmacy located at 1 Maple Street, Danvers, Massachusetts. He approached the counter, pointed a silver pistol at the pharmacist, and demanded a variety of drugs from the safe. After placing the drugs in a black bag, he exited the store through the rear.

    The alleged robber is a thin, white male. During the robbery he wore a gray hooded sweatshirt with a dark-colored jacket, khaki pants, a black face mask, and a black hat.

    Anyone with information regarding this robbery should call the FBI at 857-386-2000 or the Danvers Police Department at 978-762-0221. Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash in Hunua

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are attending a serious crash in Hunua.

    At around 9am, two vehicles collided at the intersection of Paparimu and Hunua roads.

    One person is currently in a critical condition and will be airlifted to Auckland City Hospital.

    The Serious Crash Unit will examine the scene.

    Diversions are in place in the area and an investigation will commence into the crash in due course.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Armed Robberies of Four Maryland Cell Phone Stores

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Xavier Jones, 26, of Washington, D.C., to 22 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for his role in robbing four cell phone stores in Baltimore County, Howard County, and Prince George’s County, Maryland. Jones was also ordered to pay $74,141.26 in restitution. 

    Phil Selden, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department.

    According to the parties’ plea agreement, Jones and his co-conspirators brandished firearms during the robberies, threatened to kill employees and customers, physically moved victims throughout the stores, and pepper sprayed victims during one of the robberies.

    The final robbery occurred on December 23, 2020, at an AT&T store in Owings Mills, Maryland.  Co-conspirator Rico Dashiell, 26, of Fort Washington, Maryland, entered the AT&T store pretending to be a customer.  After Jones and co-conspirator Donte Herring, 25, of Washington, DC, entered the store, Dashiell brandished a firearm announcing a robbery.  Jones and Herring stole $48,767 worth of Apple and Samsung Galaxy devices, 76 in total.

    Additionally, Dashiell directed an employee to open the store’s cash register before stealing $322.  The perpetrators forced three victims into a room containing a safe and then proceeded to pepper spray them.  The robbers then fled the store in a stolen Kia Niro with registration tags from another vehicle.  During the course of their conduct, the robbers inadvertently took a 3SI GPS tracker which was in one of the stolen cell phone boxes.  As the perpetrators fled, the tracker was activated.  Law enforcement tracked the stolen vehicle to a single-family residence in Catonsville, Maryland where a friend of Jones lived.  Aviation units observed and filmed the robbers outside of the residence unloading the stolen AT&T merchandise and taking the items into the residence.  Law enforcement also found a stolen Dodge Caravan from a previous robbery at the residence.     

    The initial robbery happened on October 23, 2020, at a Verizon store in College Park, Maryland. Jones and a co-conspirator forced victims into a backroom before directing an employee to open a safe. The robbers then proceeded to steal $21,440.93 in mobile devices.

    Then on December 8, 2020, Jones and a co-conspirator robbed the Russell Cellular Verizon store in Columbia, Maryland.  Jones and a co-conspirator initially posed as customers before pulling a firearm on an employee.  The robbers then moved the employee into a backroom, ordering him to open the safe.  Jones and his co-conspirator stole $22,000.33 worth of mobile devices — including numerous iPhones — and $1,273, from the safe.

    On December 17, 2020, Jones and Herring robbed another Russell Cellular Verizon store – this time in Halethorpe, Maryland. The perpetrators again initially posed as customers before brandishing firearms and pointing them at an employee. Herring ordered the employee to open a safe and then they proceeded to steal various electronic devices — including multiple boxes of Apple cellular phones, watches, and iPads — worth approximately $27,940.  Additionally, Herring forced the employee to give him $1,313 from the cash register. They then fled in a stolen Dodge Caravan.    

    Dashiell previously pleaded guilty for his role in the robbery and was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.  Herring was convicted at trial and has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Selden commended the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, Howard County Police Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Selden also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Michael F. Aubin who are prosecuting the case.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lexington Woman Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington, woman, Amy Lynn Cook, 38, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, to 276 months, for production of child pornography. 

    According to her plea agreement, on December 1, 2023, law enforcement received a tip that a Google user, later identified as Cook, had uploaded child sexual abuse material to the platform. Law enforcement also identified additional tips that indicated that Cook had uploaded child pornography images to various other social media platforms, including Facebook.  In an interview with law enforcement, Cook admitted that she would sell images, including sexually explicit images of minors, to others on the internet. Search warrants obtained for Cook’s social media accounts and electronic devices led to the discovery of child pornography images, including images of infant that had been produced by Cook. Cook stated that someone requested the image via the internet and that she had been paid to produce and send it.

    Under federal law, Cook must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence.  Upon Cook’s release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. 

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by HSI and Lexington Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dayspring — Missing youth: Help the RCMP find Willow MacKenzie

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Lunenburg County District RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 14-year-old Willow MacKenzie. She was last seen at approximately 12:05 p.m. today on Leary Fraser Rd.

    MacKenzie has black hair and hazel eyes. She’s approximately 5-foot-5, 132 pounds. When last seen, she was wearing a camouflage hoodie, dark blue tights with red checkered markings down the side, black shoes, and glasses.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word through social media respectfully.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Willow MacKenzie is asked to contact the Lunenburg County District RCMP at 902-527-5555. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Amid Evolving Threat Landscape, UN Peacekeepers Must Have Adequate Resources to Protect Vulnerable Populations in Conflict Zones, Speakers Tell Special Committee

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    In an ever-shifting security landscape, ensuring sufficient funding, technology and training, and promoting gender equality in peacekeeping operations while also recognizing the importance of safeguarding vulnerable populations in conflict zones is more critical than ever, speakers told the opening of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, which also marked 60 years since its establishment.

    Vice-President of the General Assembly Cherdchai Chaivaivid (Thailand), speaking on behalf of Assembly President Philémon Yang (Cameroon), said that, for nearly 80 years, UN peacekeepers have protected civilians from violence and supported vital political dialogue between parties to conflict.

    “The safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers remains of utmost importance,” he stressed, adding that since 1948 over 3,500 blue helmets have lost their lives serving in UN peacekeeping operations.  “Going forward, we will need mandates suited for an evolving threat landscape,” he said, also emphasizing the need for improved capacity to assess conflict situations, as well as effective planning and management throughout the peacekeeping cycle.

    “It is also vital to improve cooperation of poor countries with other critical partners, increase trust among stakeholders and manage local and international expectations in the Pact for the Future,” he went on to say.  Further, Member States must enhance collaboration between the UN and regional and subregional organizations, particularly the African Union.

    Adoption of Pact for the Future Created ‘Transformative Moment’ for Peacekeeping

    Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, speaking on behalf of Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said that this annual engagement by Member States is a key source of the “enduring strength as a preeminent symbol of multilateral resolve”.  Peacekeepers can be a “lifeline” for hundreds of thousands of civilians caught in conflict.

    The Committee’s sixtieth anniversary comes at a transformative moment for peacekeeping following the adoption of the Pact for the Future, where Member States equivocally reaffirmed peacekeeping as a critical tool to maintain international peace and security, she said.  “You have a unique opportunity to build on those efforts by providing a platform for dialogue, presenting innovative ideas and ensuring the effectiveness and accountability of UN peacekeeping operations,” she added.

    More Peacekeeper Resources Key amid Complex Terrain Marked by Geopolitical Challenges and Volatility

    As delegates took the floor, many stressed the need for more resources so that peacekeepers can carry out their work in an ever-shifting security landscape, with Morocco’s delegate, speaking for Non-Aligned Movement, noting that UN peacekeeping operations are currently navigating a complex terrain marked by geopolitical challenges.  “Funding and limited resources remain a significant issue,” she stressed.  “As a result, peacekeeping operations find themselves in a delicate position, needing to adapt to the realities on the ground while responding to international expectations.”

    Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries Stress Consultation with Them Key for Drafting Clear, Achievable Mandates

    Speakers from troop- and police-contributing countries stressed the Security Council must further consult with them to draft clear and achievable mandates that preserve the primacy of political solutions and help peacekeeping operations better address the evolving nature of global conflicts.

    “Our peacekeepers continue to serve in nations where security situations are volatile, but despite such challenges, our peacekeepers are striving to fulfil their mandates, and therefore we must ensure their safety and security,” said Indonesia’s delegate, speaking for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).  Noting that its member States contribute over 5,000 peacekeepers across various UN missions, he called for better quality training and equipment for the troops.

    Canada’s representative, also speaking for Australia and New Zealand, and echoing other speakers, emphasized the importance of including women in all areas of peacekeeping missions, and commitment to the women, peace and security agenda as a cornerstone of the UN’s efforts to promote gender equality and lasting peace, reduce training obstacles in order to guarantee women’s full, equal participation.  “We urge missions to step up efforts to support the role of women in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding,” he said.  He further underscored the importance of planning and the deliberate implementation of transitions and drawdowns in peacekeeping operations, stressing:  “Several agencies need to be involved from the very beginning of these processes to identify the capacity of the host Government, the UN and civil society actors to support those transitions.”

    Countries Hosting Peacekeeping Missions Urge Focus on Linguistic Capacity-Building, Improved Cooperation

    Speakers from countries hosting peacekeeping missions laid out their priorities and concerns, as well, with the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaking for the French-Speaking Ambassadors Group, emphasizing that French-speaking areas host several operations that face growing and complex challenges.  “The fragility of ceasefire agreements, the high cost of conflict for the civilian population and the complexity of peace processes are making the work of the blue helmets more essential than ever,” he stressed. Recalibrating peacekeeping capacities is vital to improve cooperation with host States and “strengthen the links of trust” with the local population.

    “This is a priority that must also be looked at from the point of view of linguistic and intellectual capacity-building,” he said, calling for a focus on language abilities from the strategic planning to the operational phases.  Many countries in the Francophone space want to contribute more to peacekeeping operations, but they are being held back by language barriers at every stage of their engagement.

    Donor Countries Pledge Continued Support

    Donor countries, meanwhile, pledged to continue to support UN peacekeeping missions, and echoed many other Member States in calling attention to the unique opportunity created by the adoption of the Pact for the Future.  The European Union’s speaker, noting that the bloc provided almost one quarter of the UN’s peacekeeping budget last year, said it will continue to contribute constructively to the upcoming negotiations with the intent to improve UN peacekeeping in accordance with the Pact.  “We currently deploy almost 4,000 military police and civilian personnel to UN peace operations,” he said, adding:  “We cannot continue to demand more from our peacekeeping missions by expanding their mandates without providing the necessary resources for their implementation.”

    UN peacekeeping operations are confronted with increasingly complex challenges, he observed, citing regional threats, the effects of climate change, mis- and disinformation, increased presence of non-State actors, such as private military companies, transnational criminal activities and the weaponization of new and emerging technology, as demonstrated by the first attack ever last September on UN peacekeepers with an improvised armed unmanned aerial system.

    Election of Officers

    At the opening of the meeting, the Committee by acclamation elected Francisco Tropepi (Argentina), Michael Gort (Canada), Takayuki Iriya (Japan) and Michal Miarka (Poland) as Vice-Chairs; and Mohamed Soliman (Egypt) as Rapporteur.  Michael Gort (Canada) was elected to serve as Chair of the Working Group of the Whole.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –