NewzIntel.com

Category: Law Enforcement

  • MIL-OSI Security: Slovakian Man Sentenced for $738,000 Pandemic Loan Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced a man from the Slovak Republic who fraudulently obtained pandemic relief loans to 38 months in prison and ordered him to repay $738,118.

    While in the Slovak Republic, Mark Ethan Jermain submitted three false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications from April 26, 2020, to July 16, 2021. Jermain used his prior legal name, Arsene Millogo. The April 26, 2020, application sought $80,000 for Crazyeats LLC, which Jermain established in Missouri in 2017. On May 13, 2020, Jermain sought $325,275 for a company he’d set up called Unimentors LLC. After the loan was approved, Jermain submitted a Second Draw PPP loan application for $325,275 on Feb. 5, 2021.

    Jermain transferred the loan money to Slovakia. The PPP loans were intended to help struggling American businesses and jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jermain instead used the money for personal purchases and other unapproved purposes.

    “Mark Ethan Jermain fraudulently applied for and received PPP loans for businesses that didn’t exist anywhere but on paper. Furthermore, he used the identity of a former business partner, unbeknownst to the partner, to defraud the taxpayer funded program out of nearly three quarters of a million dollars,” said FBI St. Louis Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson. “Jermain is being held accountable in timely fashion after FBI special agents nabbed him at the airport in New York before he tried to fly out of the country.”

    Jermain returned to the U.S. on August 17, 2023. He was indicted on August 30 and arrested by FBI agents on September 7, the day he was scheduled to leave the country.

    Jermain, now 42, pleaded guilty in June to three counts of wire fraud.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll prosecuted the case.

    Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hagerstown Man Faces Federal Indictment for Sexually Exploiting a Minor and Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted William Foster Alger, 75, of Hagerstown, Maryland, charging him with seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of coercion and enticement of a child, and five counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.

    Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel Paul Joey Kifer, Chief of Police of the Hagerstown Police Department (HPD); and Washington County State’s Attorney Gina Cirincion.

    According to the indictment, between November 2023 and December 2024, the defendant persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced three minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing and transmitting child sexual abuse material.  Additionally, Alger allegedly enticed the minors to engage in prohibited sexual conduct.  He also possessed child sexual abuse material in an internet-based account and on four digital devices.

    If convicted, Alger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the seven counts of sexual exploitation of a minor; a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to a maximum of life imprisonment for each of the three counts of coercion and enticement of a child; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of the four counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.

    Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.   For more information about Internet safety education, click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

    U.S. Attorney Barron commended HSI, HPD, and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the federal case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Owensboro Man Sentenced to Over 13 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – An Evansville, Indiana, man was sentenced today to 13 years and 7 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Sheila G. Lyons of the DEA Chicago Field Division, and Chief Billy Bolin of the Henderson Police Department made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Austin Jenkins, 26, of Evansville was sentenced to 13 years and 7 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.  The distribution resulted in the death of a 17-year-old in Henderson, Kentucky, on October 16, 2022.

    There is no parole in the federal system.   

    The case was investigated by the DEA and Henderson Police Department, with assistance from the Vanderburgh County, Indiana Prosecutor’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Sanger Police Officer Indicted for Illegal Firearms Dealing, Obstruction Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Daniel Battenfield, 40, of Visalia, alleging the unlawful dealing of firearms without a license, making materially false statements to a federal agent, and lying on a federal firearms form.

    According to court documents, Battenfield has purchased and resold hundreds of firearms since at least 2016, purchasing the firearms below market price because of his law enforcement status and then reselling them for a profit. On at least one occasion, he placed an order directly for a customer, lying on a federal firearms form about purchasing the firearm for himself. When confronted by federal agents, he made false statements to them about his activities. Battenfield was placed on leave by the Sanger Police Department because of these activities in July 2024.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Sanger Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted of unlawful dealing in firearms or making false statement to a government agency, Battenfield faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of making materially false statement in purchase of firearms, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice 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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisville Man Sentenced to 3 Months Federal Incarceration and 3 Months Home Incarceration for Aiming a Laser at Police Helicopter

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOUISVILLE, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced this week to 3 months incarceration to be followed by 3 months home incarceration aiming the beam of laser at a Louisville Metropolitan Police Department.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

    “This senseless act could easily have resulted in tragedy for the crew of the helicopter, other aircraft, and citizens on the ground,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively identify and charge anyone who engages in this type of criminal conduct. I commend the FBI and LMPD for their prompt investigative work in identifying and apprehending Mr. Freeman.”

    According to court documents, Justin E. Freeman, 33, of Louisville, Kentucky, was sentenced 3 months incarceration and 3 months home incarceration, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft.   On or about September 30, 2023, Freeman directed the beam of a laser at an LMPD helicopter operating in Louisville, Kentucky.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Judd prosecuted the case.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Louisville Metro Police Department with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Janesville Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Cocaine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Taiwan Edwards, 29, Janesville, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 500 grams or more of cocaine intended for distribution. Edwards pleaded guilty to this charge on October 28, 2024.

    In October 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a storage unit connected to Edwards. Officers recovered more than a kilogram of cocaine and $72,573. Officers also found six firearms, including two “ghost guns,” and ammunition. A “ghost gun” is a privately made firearm that does not have a serial number.

    At sentencing, Judge Peterson described the storage unit as a “mini armory,” and noted that Edwards had engaged in a “very substantial” amount of drug trafficking.

    The charge against Edwards was the result of an investigation conducted by the Janesville Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan R. Stelljes prosecuted this case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Laredo felon guilty in conspiracy to smuggle hundreds of aliens

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Second man also convicted in one underlying offense involving 101 people in locked trailer

    LAREDO, Texas – A 34-year-old Laredo man has admitted guilt in a multi-year conspiracy to smuggle aliens for financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Since March 2023, Danny Nunez operated and coordinated an organization in Laredo that smuggled and harbored hundreds of aliens.

    The investigation tied Nunez to coordinating numerous smuggling events such as one involving over 100 aliens Dec. 2, 2023. On that date, law enforcement observed several people being loading into a white trailer in a warehouse parking lot. A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of 101 aliens locked inside the trailer, including 12 unaccompanied children. Multiple people reported they had difficulty breathing and feared for their life due to the conditions in the trailer.

    Juan Manuel Aguirre, 49, Laredo, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle aliens in the United States, admitting his role in the transportation and smuggling of this group.

    At the time of Nunez’s arrest, authorities also conducted a search of his residence resulting in the seizure of cell phones and ledgers documenting the aliens Nunez and others had smuggled over the course of the conspiracy. They also found over $36,000 in resulting proceeds and two illegal aliens on the premises.

    “The road to a secure border runs through the Southern District of Texas,” said Ganjei. “Human smuggling is a terrible practice, one that the Department is focused on eradicating. My advice to those in the human smuggling business is to find a new line of work.”

    Both Nunez and Aguirre face up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to smuggle aliens in the United States. They could also be ordered to pay up to $250,000 in fines. 

    They will remain in custody pending sentencing.

    Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety. and Border Patrol conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, the Laredo Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Introduces Bill to Make More Federal Lands Available for Housing Development, Protect Public Lands in Washoe County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    The Washoe County Lands Bill Would Protect Public Lands, Support Tribal Communities, Allow For Responsible Development, And Create New Opportunities To Lower Housing Costs
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced that she is reintroducing the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, also known as the Washoe County Lands Bill, to expand economic development opportunities and make more land available for housing in Washoe County, support local Tribal communities, increase access to outdoor recreation, and protect public lands . As the state with the highest percentage of public land in the nation, Nevada relies on federal legislation to make land available for development, like affordable housing, and to permanently protect outdoor spaces for future generations.
    For years, Senator Rosen has been working with a wide range of stakeholders across Washoe County to develop this comprehensive legislation. In 2023, she unveiled a working draft of the bill and collected feedback from hundreds of Nevadans during a public comment period, which she then incorporated into this legislation, which was previously introduced last year with the support of local government officials, conservation advocates, and business leaders.
    “As Nevadans continue to deal with high housing costs, I’m working to increase the amount of federal land available for housing development to bring down home prices and support sustainable growth for Washoe County,” said Senator Rosen. “My Washoe County Lands Bill will do that while also protecting hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands and supporting our state’s Tribal communities. I’ll keep working to ensure that this bill passes this new Congress to lower housing prices for hardworking Nevada families and help shape a better future for our state.”
    “I’m so proud that the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners supported Senator Rosen’s Truckee Meadows Public Lands Bill,” said Alexis Hill, Chair of the Washoe County Board of Commissioners. “We are committed to preserving our natural resources while allocating appropriate land for affordable and workforce housing, local governmental and tribal interests. We are especially excited about the potential revenue opportunities for Truckee River investments. This Bill will be a game changer for the future of northern Nevada.” 
    “Thank you to Senator Rosen for taking this all-important step to introduce a Lands Bill, which I believe is the single largest federal priority for the City of Sparks, Washoe County, and Reno areas,” said Ed Lawson, Mayor of the City of Sparks. “It will have a significant impact for all of us as we address the affordable housing issues throughout the region.”
    “With the collaborative effort from all stakeholders and Senator Rosen’s Office since 2017, a lands bill was created to greatly benefit the entire Truckee Meadows region,” said Daryl D. Gardipe, Chair of the Reno Sparks Indian Colony. “We are hopeful the re-introduction of this bill will pass unanimously as it represents all parties’ interests in an equitable fashion. Reno-Sparks Indian Colony is appreciative of all the support we received from all stakeholders to preserve our culturally important areas and our future growth.”
    “This legislation is a milestone in the history of public lands conservation in Nevada,” said Shaaron Netherton, Executive Director of Friends of Nevada Wilderness. “Northern Washoe County is home to critical wildlife habitat, uniquely dark skies, priceless cultural resources, and amazing outdoor recreation opportunities. Because Senator Rosen and her team spent countless hours consulting with multiple stakeholders, we now have a widely supported bill that will protect these values. We thank the Senator for her persistent leadership and look forward to working with her to help move this bill through Congress.”
    “The Nevada Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is pleased to support the Truckee Meadows Public Land Management Act as recently introduced by Sen. Rosen and we thank her for her leadership. We see this legislation as a good representation of compromise by many stakeholders and interests that took many years and many versions to achieve,” said Bryce Pollock, Vice Chair, Nevada Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. “We are very appreciative of Sen. Rosen’s consideration to ensure that public land access would not be limited for hunters and anglers along the Truckee River. We look forward to the conservation of more than one million acres of public lands, including many valuable recreation areas in North Washoe County, and are excited for the addition of a public shooting range that hunters can utilize for many generations to come.”
    “The Nevada Wildlife Federation thanks Senator Rosen for bringing all stakeholders together to create the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act,” said Russell Kuhlman, Executive Director of Nevada Wildlife Federation. “This legislation provides the county with the opportunity to balance our increasing human population while safeguarding our access to public lands, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation, which includes hunting and fishing.”
    “EDAWN truly appreciates the dedication Senator Rosen has given this critical issue,” said Taylor Adams, President and CEO of the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN). “In addition to safeguarding the natural beauty of Northern Nevada for future generations, this bill provides much-needed land that will ensure our region can continue to deliver sustainable growth of commercial development, housing, and the infrastructure required for both.”
    “The Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce is pleased to support Senator Rosen’s land management legislation,” said Ann Silver, CEO of the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce. “The legislation provides a pathway for communities in the Truckee Meadows to develop much-needed affordable housing and expanded land uses that can be managed as we continue to grow. The legislation also conserves pristine areas in northern Nevada where residents, tribes, and visitors can explore and recreate.”
    Senator Rosen’s Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act will: 

    Permanently protect more than 1,000,000 acres of public lands.
    Promote sustainable growth and economic development by directing over 15,200 acres of public lands to be made eligible for sale, all of which must be assessed for its suitability for new affordable housing. An additional 33 acres are set aside to only be sold for affordable housing. Any land sold for affordable housing would have to be sold at less than fair market value.
    Support local Tribal communities by expanding land held in trust by more than 8,400 acres for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, 11,300 acres for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, and over 1,000 acres for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.
    Provide local governments over 3,700 acres for public purposes such as parks, water treatment facilities, and schools. Land is specifically conveyed to Washoe County, the City of Reno, the City of Sparks, the Incline Village General Improvement District, the Gerlach General Improvement District, the State of Nevada, the Truckee River Flood Management Authority, the Washoe County School District, and the University of Nevada Reno.

    Senator Rosen has been working tirelessly to pass her Washoe County Lands Bill. Last year, she successfully urged the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to hold a hearing on this legislation. After it passed out of committee, she took to the Senate floor to try to pass the legislation by unanimous consent, but was blocked by Washington politicians. She vowed to reintroduce the Washoe County Bill in her second term and is fulfilling that promise today.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 02.06.2025 Sen. Cruz Introduces Constitutional Amendment to Prevent Democrats from Court Packing the Supreme Court

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, introduced a constitutional amendment to maintain a total of nine Supreme Court justices on the bench at a time.
    Once approved by Congress, the amendment would go to the states for ratification.
    Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “For years, Democrats have openly said they intend to pack the Supreme Court. They seek to use the Court to advance policy goals they can’t accomplish electorally. Such a move would be a direct assault on the design of our Constitution, which is designed to ensure the Supreme Court remains a non-partisan guardian of the rule of law. This amendment is a badly-needed check on their efforts to undermine the integrity of the Court.”
    Sen. Grassley said, “Democrats’ radical court packing scheme would erase the legitimacy of the Supreme Court and destroy historic precedent. The Court is a co-equal branch of government, and our Keep Nine Amendment will ensure that it remains independent from political pressure.”
    Sen. Cornyn said, “Democrats have turned the legal system into a vehicle for advancing policy goals they can’t achieve at the ballot box or in Congress. I’m proud to join Sen. Cruz in supporting this resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to prevent the Democrats from packing the Court and undermining the rule of law.”
    Sen. Lee said, “It is vital that we protect the independence and integrity of the Supreme Court. Radical Democrats will not stop trying to rig the decisions they want through court packing, and this legislation would permanently take that dangerous option off the table.”
    Sen. Crapo said, “Throughout our nation’s history, the Supreme Court has successfully safeguarded our Constitution. Packing the Court would unnecessarily increase partisanship within the institution, creating greater challenges in settling the pressing cases that matter to Americans in a constitutional and just way.”
    Sen. Capito said, “A nine Justice court has worked for our country for more than 150 years. Increasing that number in a partisan effort to achieve a desired policy result is a never-ending proposition. If court-packing were pursued, respect for the Supreme Court would plummet and the checks and balances of our constitutional order would be threatened. We should preserve our independent judiciary by closing the door to the Democrats radical court packing proposals.”
    Sen. Blackburn said, “The radical left wants to pack the Supreme Court to implement their socialist agenda. The number of justices on our nation’s highest court should stay the same regardless of which party is in power.”
    Sen. Cassidy said, “Packing the courts to achieve a preordained outcome is not what our Founding Fathers had in mind. Nine justices has been a good number for 156 years; I’m sure it will be for another 156.”
    Sen. Young said, “Though there is less talk about court packing these days from Democrats, adding to the Supreme Court remains a bad idea. I am again supporting this legislation to protect the constitutional credibility of the Supreme Court.”
    Sen. Hyde-Smith said, “The Supreme Court was designed by our Founders to protect justice, not be used as a political pawn.  We need to keep it that way.  Packing the Court for political leverage destabilizes the integrity of the institution and is dangerous for our country.  If this constitutional amendment is approved by Congress and the states, the issue will be settled for good.”
    Sen. Banks said, “Americans forcefully rejected Democrats at the ballot box last year. Their backup plan is to override the will of the voters by packing the Court. This amendment crushes that plan.”
    Sen. Risch said, “Democrats’ attempts to pack the Supreme Court with radical appointees undermines our democracy and American confidence in our judicial system. The Keep Nine Constitutional Amendment would ensure justices focus on upholding the rule of law rather than legislating from the bench.”
    The proposed constitutional amendment was co-sponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).
    Read the complete text of the amendment here.
    BACKGROUND
    Sen. Cruz previously introduced this amendment in 2023 and 2020.
    Over the past several years, top Democrats have pledged to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court when they are able to.
    Former Vice President Kamala Harris said “We are on the verge of a crisis of confidence in the Supreme Court […] We have to take this challenge head on, and everything is on the table to do that.” Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) posted online “Mitch McConnell set the precedent. No Supreme Court vacancies filled in an election year. If he violates it, when Democrats control the Senate in the next Congress, we must abolish the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court.” Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)called court-packing “long-overdue court reform.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said “I’m open. […] Actually, I mean, we could. […] Look, there are a lot of different ways to do it. The number of people on the Supreme Court is not constitutionally constricted.”
    Meanwhile Democrats, including Joe Biden, falsely called Senate Republican’s efforts to confirm Judge Barrett “court-packing.” Sen. Cruz has said, “Court-packing does not mean nominating a justice to fill a vacancy. […] It is expanding the number of justices. And, you know, Joe Biden in 1983 said court-packing was ‘a bone-headed idea,’ and now that bone-headed idea I think is their agenda number one if they win on Election Day.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dallas, Texas, Man Admits Making Threats of Violence Against Sikh Organization

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    CAMDEN, N.J. – A man from Dallas County, Texas admitted to a federal hate crime and for making interstate threats against the employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced.

    Bushan Athale, 49, of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court to an Information charging him with one count of interfering with federally protected activities through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and one count of transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person.  Sentencing is scheduled for June 3, 2025.

    “Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said Vikas Khanna, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.  “Every individual in this country must be free to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution.  We will continue to ensure the safety of our communities by prosecuting those who threaten our basic American freedoms.”

    “Every citizen has the right to feel safe, secure, and free from fear of violence or hate,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “We are deeply grateful to our law enforcement and community partners who stand with us daily. Together, we remain steadfast in pursuing those who threaten the safety and well-being of the people we are sworn to protect.”

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

    On or about September 17, 2022, Athale called the main number of an organization that advocates for the civil rights of Sikh individuals within the United States.  Over the course of the next hour, Athale left seven voicemails expressing hatred toward Sikh individuals working at this same organization and threatening to injure or kill these individuals with a razor.

    Athale’s voicemails, which were filled with violent imagery and obscenity, contained references to places, people, and tenets that are particularly significant within the Sikh religion.  Among other things, Athale stated his intention to “catch” the Sikhs at Organization 1, forcibly shave their “top and bottom hair,” use a “razor” to “cut” their hair and “make” them bald, “make” them smoke and eat tobacco, and “show [them] the heaven.”

    On March 21, 2024, Athale again called the same Sikh organization and left two more voicemails.  In these voicemails, Athale again used violent, sexual imagery to express his hatred toward Sikhs as well as Muslims, and spouted antisemitic rhetoric.

    During his guilty plea, Athale also admitted to additional conduct reflecting his long history of making violent threats rooted in religious animus.  For example, Athale admitted that on November 6, 2021 and November 7, 2021, he had sent electronic messages to a former co-worker, in which he stated that he “hate[d] Pakistan” and “hate[d] Muslims.”  Athale wrote, “I hate you, I just don’t know how to kill your whole family including you?  Tell me???  I will figure it out […] Probably I will hire a Jew, they will be most happy.”

    Athale also admitted that, from May 28, 2024 to May 31, 2024, he had sent threatening electronic messages to a recruiter who he believed to be a Muslim. Athale wrote statements such as “you will be dead, get out [expletive] Muslim” and “If you dont [sic] back off you are killed.”

    The charge of interfering with federally protected activities carries a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison and the charge of transmitting an interstate threat carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum potential penalty of up to a $250,000 fine. The defendant also may be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any term of imprisonment imposed.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited the special agents of the FBI of the Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, with the investigation leading up to this guilty plea.     

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the Special Prosecutions Division in Camden, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Richardson of the Civil Rights Division in Camden, and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

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    Defense Counsel: AFPD Maggie Moy

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Daines Introduce Bill to Give Small Businesses Permanent Tax Break

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced the Main Street Tax Certainty Act to permanently extend the 20 percent tax deduction for pass-through businesses. Should these tax cuts expire, small businesses will face an immediate and massive tax hike.

    “Inflicting a 20% tax increase on Idaho’s small businesses would be damaging to our economy and local communities,” said Risch. “The Main Street Tax Certainty Actensures these establishments remain the driving force Idaho’s economy and thrive for generations to come.”

    “As the son of a contractor, I’ve seen firsthand the hard work it takes to keep a small business flourishing- especially as Americans are still grappling with the effects of Joe Biden’s inflation. It’s absolutely crucial that we pass this legislation to prevent a 20 percent tax increase for hardworking Montanans and I’ll keep fighting for ways to support Montana small businesses, which provide the majority of jobs in our state,” said Daines.

    The 20% small business deduction was created as a part of President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts to level the playing field between small businesses and large corporations. Without Congressional action, 9 out of 10 small businesses will be hit with a massive tax hike when this deduction is set to expire at the end of 2025.  

    Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jim Justice (R-W.V.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Kennedy (R-La.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) joined Risch and Daines in introducing the legislation.

    Recently, a new study from Ernst and Young (EY) highlighted the economic activity supported by this small and family-owned business tax deduction, including 2.6 million jobs and $325 billion of the GDP.?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Can artists really take back their music like Swift? – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland

    Taylor Swift’s re-recordings rocked the music industry – can other artists reclaim their music too? A journal article explores the options.

    Taylor Swift and her millions of fans may be disappointed by her 2025 Grammys ‘snub’, but the billionaire artist still has much to celebrate, most notably, her successful fight to take ownership of her music in an industry long dominated by influential record labels.

    University of Auckland copyright expert Dr Joshua Yuvaraj says Swift significantly impacted the industry when she re-recorded several of her albums after the rights to her music were sold from under her.

    In his paper, published in the Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice and presented at the University of Melbourne’s Taylor Swift-themed academic conference, Swiftposium, the senior law lecturer examines how re-recording can help artists gain control of their music. He compares this strategy with the primary mechanism available under US copyright law: statutory reversion. (ref. https://academic.oup.com/jiplp/article/19/12/884/7913103 )

    His article looks at how reversion applies to sound recordings, focusing on the US copyright ‘termination’ provision, which lets creators reclaim copyright, typically after around 35 years. The size of the US recording market makes this scheme the most high-profile reversion system in the world. However, Yuvaraj argues that re-recording may offer a more accessible alternative to these legal processes.

    “In theory, copyright reversion gives artists a second chance at controlling their recordings. But in practice, the US system has significant obstacles: a long waiting period, complex legal requirements, and uncertainty over whether sound recordings are even covered.”

    Many artists simply don’t have the time or resources to navigate this legal quagmire, says Yuvaraj.

    “There are considerable power imbalances between artists and record companies,” he says. “For example, copyright is often assigned before the true value of a song is even known.”

    Re-recording, as Swift did, allows artists to sidestep these legal barriers. While the copyright in an original sound recording remains with the label, a newly recorded version, if produced independently, is treated as a separate work under copyright law – as long as the artist retained control, or had a license to reproduce the song itself, which has a separate musical copyright to the recording.

    “Taylor Swift’s success put re-recording in the spotlight as a way for artists to regain control over their music without waiting decades for copyright reversion laws to take effect,” says Yuvaraj.

    He says that unlike statutory reversion, re-recording requires much shorter waiting periods, allowing musicians to capitalise on market demand more quickly. There’s also less procedural complexity, and as long as artists comply with contractual waiting periods, they are unlikely to face legal action.

    Despite Swift’s success – her re-recorded albums were critically praised and financially lucrative – Yuvaraj notes that re-recording isn’t a viable solution for everyone.

    “It requires a strong fan base willing to embrace the new versions, and not all musicians have that level of market power,” he says.

    And while Swift’s re-recording battle highlighted power imbalances in artist contracts, it also saw record labels tighten their grip. There are reports of extended re-recording restrictions in contracts from the standard three to seven years to 20 or 30 years, making re-recording a less accessible option for future artists.

    Despite this roadblock, Yuvaraj says Swift’s case sparked important conversations about artist rights, and some musicians are now negotiating deals that allow them to retain ownership of their master recordings from the outset, eliminating the need for re-recording altogether.

    “Swift’s case brought re-recording into the public eye, but it doesn’t replace the need for fairer contracts and stronger copyright protections.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Taskforce targets retail theft and anti-social behaviour across Hobart

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Taskforce targets retail theft and anti-social behaviour across Hobart

    Friday, 7 February 2025 – 8:04 am.

    Tasmania Police is launching a new taskforce in Hobart, proactively targeting crime reduction, retail theft and anti-social behaviour.Taskforce Reprisal will commence on Monday 10 February with members to be based out of Hobart Uniform Division.Hobart Acting Inspector Danny Jackson said police had seen success previously through Operation Swipe at Glenorchy, Taskforce Saturate in Hobart, Taskforce Scelus in the Western District, and most recently with the launch of Taskforce Raven in the Northern District.“Taskforces are just one of a number of strategies that should provide the community with reassurance that we are continuing to proactively target known offenders to make our community safer for everyone,” he said.“We know there are concerns about retail theft in particular across the Hobart Division, and this will be one of the areas of focus for this taskforce.”“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our community, and we know that there is a small number of people who are responsible for the majority of crime committed. This taskforce will actively those offenders.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 6th, 2025 Heinrich, Moran Introduce Legislation to Create Pathways to Stable Careers, Expand Access to Apprenticeships & Technical Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced the Apprenticeship Pathways Act, legislation to create pathways to high-demand careers for high school students by expanding access to apprenticeships and technical education. Heinrich introduced the bill with U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).

    Apprenticeships and technical education offer a direct path to acquiring in-demand skills, and early exposure to industries can encourage more students to pursue careers in those professions. Expanding apprenticeship programs for high school students can help address workforce shortages and ensure a sustainable workforce pipeline. This legislation particularly focuses on apprenticeship programs for occupations with high need, including the building trades, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, and early childhood education.

    “If we want to set the next generation up for success, we need to go all in on expanding access to career-connected learning like apprenticeships as early as high school. By providing students with more preparation and job skills, we will ensure more New Mexicans have the opportunity to access careers in their own communities that they can build their families around, while strengthening New Mexico’s middle class and growing our state’s economy,” said Heinrich.

    “Apprenticeships bridge the gap between education and production, providing hands-on learning opportunities that benefit both students and employers in technical fields,” said Moran. “Aligning tech training with industry demands will help meet the workforce needs in Kansas and expand high-paying career opportunities in the IT industry.”

    The Apprenticeship Pathways Act would direct the U.S. Secretary of Labor to provide grants to industry intermediaries to develop and establish apprenticeship programs for high school students in the building trades, health care, early childhood education, technology, and manufacturing — based on local, regional, and national workforce trends. This model provides students on-the-job training and instruction, real-world experiences and responsibilities, and inspiring career pathways ahead of their entrance to the workforce.

    “Thanks to Senator Heinrich, and this legislation, New Mexico will soon provide pre-apprenticeship opportunities to young people around the state, especially in our underserved communities. Pre-apprenticeship is an essential on-ramp for high schoolers and recent graduates to access in demand, high wage careers. It’s a critical step in making our communities more prosperous,” said Mike May, Director of Workforce Learning for Future Focused Education.

    The text of the bill is here.

    Heinrich’s Longtime Support for Workforce Training and Apprenticeships:

    This week, Heinrich announced $1,350,000 in federal funding that he secured through the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process for the United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 412 (U.A. Local 412). The funding will support specialized journeyman training focused on filling jobs created by the CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act, including needs specific to semiconductor plants, hospitals, and heat pump installation, service, repair, and maintenance. Through his work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Heinrich has further supported the U.A. Local 412’s workforce development efforts by securing $1.2 million in the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Bill.

    In October 2024, Heinrich visited U.A. 412’s mobile training unit, which is creating more pathways to in-demand careers in the skilled trades and has already trained dozens of New Mexicans in Española, Taos, Las Vegas, Mora, Raton, and Santa Fe. Heinrich also participated in a training demonstration with U.A. Local 412 leadership and apprentices who are learning skills in the plumbing, pipefitting, and HVAC trades.

    The U.A. Local 412 Mobile Training Unit was initially paid for by an Economic Development Administration (EDA) Good Jobs Challenge Grant, as part of a $6.4 million award to the Northern N.M. Workforce Integration Network. The Good Jobs Challenge funds were authorized by the American Rescue Plan, the critical economic recovery legislation that Heinrich was proud to pass in 2021.

    Heinrich is continuing to press for passage of Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Bills. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed bills last year that included an additional $870,000 CDS award that he secured within the Senate Appropriations Committee-passed Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Bill to sustain the U.A. Local 412’s mobile training unit’s operations past the original EDA funding, and to expand its reach to new communities including Grants, Gallup, Silver City, and Zuni Pueblo.

    Heinrich has long championed proven workforce training programs like U.A. Local 412’s apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs that are growing the middle class, creating and connecting New Mexicans to high-quality careers they can access in their communities, and continuing New Mexico’s leading role in the clean energy transition that is being built by union workers in the skilled trades.

    Last year, Heinrich hosted a “Pro-Worker, Pro-Business Opportunities” roundtable to talk directly with New Mexicans about how federal legislation he helped pass into law, like the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Law, is creating careers in high-demand sectors and strengthening New Mexico’s health care, early childhood education, and skilled trades workforce. 

    In the last Congress, Heinrich introduced the bipartisan Apprenticeship Pathways Act, legislation to create pathways to careers for high school students by expanding access to apprenticeship programs for occupations with high need, including the building trades, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, and early childhood education. Last year, Heinrich also introduced the Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats (PATH) Act, legislation to strengthen the pipeline for careers in New Mexico, address rising workforce shortages, and grow the state’s economy through quality pre-apprenticeship programs.

    Last Congress, Courtenay Eichhorst, Business Manager of U.A. Local 412 and President of New Mexico Building Trades, testified about the importance of apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships during a hearing that Heinrich convened as the Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee on “Job Training for the Clean Energy Transition.”

    Eichhorst said during that JEC hearing, “In addition to our ‘gold standard’ apprenticeship programs, the UA and other Building Trades’ unions are also increasingly investing in pre-apprenticeship programs that can be designed to help prepare high school students or individuals from underrepresented communities for a career in the trades. These programs help fill the role that used to be filled by the ‘shop classes’ that were found in high schools but have become increasingly rare. Pre-apprenticeship programs also focus on the ‘soft skills’ that are necessary for success in any industry, such as showing up on time and other work etiquette.”

    Also in the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bills, Heinrich secured $1,200,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the SMART Local Union No. 49 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee to enhance and expand specialized HVAC apprenticeship training.

    Last March, Heinrich introduced the Providing Resources and Opportunities for Health Education and Learning (PRO-HEAL) Act, legislation that will tackle the health care provider shortage in New Mexico and nationwide by expanding pathways to high-quality, in-demand health care careers that medical professionals can access in their communities. Specifically, the PRO-HEAL Act addresses medical provider shortages by incentivizing states and institutions of higher education to expand or create health care provider pipeline programs, particularly in underserved and rural communities. The legislation is inspired by the success of the Combined BA/MD Degree Program at the University of New Mexico, where over 65% of students who have graduated from their program practice medicine in New Mexico.   

    Heinrich previously introduced the Pathways to Health Careers Act, legislation that reauthorizes and modernizes the Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program to help address health care shortages in New Mexico and across the country and create pathways to high-quality, in-demand health care careers. The HPOG program has a proven track record of successfully educating workers for jobs in the health care industry, while also providing career coaching, job placement, and a mix of other support services. The Pathways to Health Careers Act would restart and expand the HPOG Program, providing $425 million to make HPOG available nationwide from FY2024 through FY2028 and includes set asides for Tribes and U.S. Territories. 

    In 2021, Heinrich and Moran introduced the Championing Apprenticeships for New Careers and Employees in Technology (CHANCE in Tech) Act, bipartisan legislation to create earlier pathways to high-paying careers in the information technology (IT) industry. Heinrich previously introduced the bipartisan legislation in 2019 with former U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colo.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis County Man Admits Drug Robbery, Carjacking

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from St. Louis County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted possessing a machine gun and committing a drug robbery and a carjacking.

    Walter C. Moore, 19, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, robbery, carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

    Moore admitted using Facebook to arrange for the purchase of $900 worth of the painkiller Oxycodone on April 25, 2024. The seller drove to Moore’s house and invited him to sit in her 2014 Mazda6 to complete the sale. Moore pulled out a handgun, grabbed the Oxycodone pills and ordered the seller out, threatening to shoot her. Moore then sped off in her car.

    St. Louis County police located the car near the 1800 block of Chambers Road. Moore ran as police approached, but he was quickly located and arrested. He had discarded a Glock handgun equipped with a “switch,” or machinegun conversion device, rendering it a fully automatic weapon. It also had an extended magazine and a laser sight. Moore’s phone contained pictures of him with that gun and others. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing firearms.

    Moore is scheduled to be sentenced May 6. Both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Moore’s lawyer have agreed to recommend a sentence of 15 years in prison.

    The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone 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 violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Siblings Plead Guilty to COVID Relief Fraud

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

    Hattiesburg, MS – A Forrest County man and woman pled guilty to conspiring with each other to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Artista Garner, 36, of Hattiesburg, assisted her brother, Thaddieus Cooper, 31, in applying for benefits with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. As an inmate in the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), Cooper was not entitled to receive unemployment insurance benefits. Cooper was serving a sentence of six years in MDOC custody for armed robbery. Garner used the unemployment funds for her personal benefit and transferred some of the funds to Cooper via his commissary fund.

    The unemployment insurance benefits were federally subsidized through the CARES Act in response to the pandemic.

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Cooper and Garner on September 10, 2024. Both Cooper and Garner pled guilty on January 30, 2025, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2025, and they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting United States Attorney Patrick A. Lemon, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White, and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Southeast Region made the announcement.

    The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force (NUIFTF). In response to the unprecedented scope of Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud, the Department of Justice established the NUIFTF. The NUIFTF is a prosecutor-led multi-agency task force with representatives from FBI, DOL-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI, DHS-OIG, USPIS, USSS, SSA-OIG, FDIC-OIG, and other agencies. Members of the NUIFTF are working with state workforce agencies, financial institutions, and other law enforcement partners across the country to fight UI fraud, and consumers should be vigilant in light of these threats and take the appropriate steps to safeguard themselves.

    The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.

    Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Pedestrian injured in Paradise crash

    Source: South Australia Police

    A pedestrian has suffered critical injuries when he was hit by a car at Paradise last night.

    Emergency services were called to Darley Road about midnight on Thursday 6 February.

    The pedestrian, a 38-year-old Rostrevor man, was taken to hospital by ambulance where he is being treated for critical injuries.

    The driver of the Toyota sedan, a 58-year-old Norton Summit man, was not injured in the crash.

    Major Crash investigators attended the scene to assist patrols examine the scene and investigate the crash.

    The car was towed from the scene and the road reopened at 6am.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Missouri Man Guilty of Traveling to Louisiana for Illicit Sexual Conduct with 12-Year-Old Girl

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

    NEW ORLEANS –  U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ERIC CHARLES FULLER (“FULLER”), age 54, from Springfield, Missouri, pled guilty on February 4, 2025, before United States District Judge Greg Gerard Guidry, to interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b).

    According to court documents, on or about December 7, 2023, law enforcement personnel, operating undercover online and pretending to be a twenty-nine-year-old mother with a twelve-year-old daughter, met FULLER on a social network and messaging application. Over approximately the next month, on numerous occasions, FULLER discussed his interest in engaging in various sexual acts with the “mother” and daughter.”  These discussions culminated in FULLER making arrangements to travel from his residence in Springfield, Missouri, to the New Orleans, Louisiana area to engage in sexual contact, individually and collectively, with the ”mother” and “daughter.” During his conversations, FULLER described the contact he anticipated as “highly taboo,” “highly illegal,” “risky,” “not the worst way to be,” and “a way to have a happier life.” FULLER drove from Springfield, Missouri on about January 11, 2024, and arrived at a predetermined location in Mandeville, Louisiana, on January 12, 2024, in order to engage in sexual conduct with the individual FULLER believed to be a twelve-year-old female.

    FULLER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of  thirty (30) years.  FULLER also faces at least five (5) years, and up to a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  FULLER may also be required to register as a sex offender.  Sentencing before Judge Guidry has been scheduled for May 13, 2025.

    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 United States 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.

    U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington man indicted for 2023 fatal fentanyl overdoses in Skagway

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JUNEAU, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment last month charging a Washington man with distributing and conspiring to distribute controlled substances that resulted in the fatal overdoses of two people in Skagway in 2023.

    According to court documents, from Jan. 1 to Jan. 13, 2023, Jacob Cotton, 33, allegedly conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a substance containing fentanyl to another person. He also allegedly knowingly and intentionally distributed a controlled substance containing fentanyl to a second person during this time frame.

    On Jan. 13, 2023, a 28-year-old man died after overdosing on fentanyl allegedly distributed by Cotton. The following day, a 44-year-old man also died after overdosing on fentanyl allegedly distributed through the conspiracy. 

    Cotton is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The defendant made his initial court appearance on Jan. 31 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces between 20 years and life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Vogel of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge David Reames of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Seattle Field Division and Skagway Police Chief Jerry Reddick made the announcement.

    The DEA Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, and Skagway Police Department, as part of the Southeast Alaska Cities Against Drugs Task FORCE (SEACAD), are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito, Colleagues Call for Quick Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined a bipartisan group of 27 Senate colleagues in letter—led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy M.D. (R-La.)—to Acting Social Security Administrator Michelle King calling for the immediate implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act to provide full Social Security benefits for millions of public servants impacted by Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act, which fully repeals the two unfair Social Security provisions WEP and GPO, was signed into law on January 5, 2025. 

    “The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO),” the senators wrote. 

    “The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, ‘SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits’ owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO,” the senators continued. 

    BACKGROUND:

    The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other public servants by repealing two provisions of current law – the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) – that unfairly reduce the Social Security benefits that public employees receive.

    The WEP, enacted in 1983, reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. The GPO, enacted in 1977, reduces Social Security spousal benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers whose spouses receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government. Currently, nearly 7,000 West Virginians are affected by WEP and GPO.

    The Social Security Fairness Act repealed both of these laws, ensuring law enforcement, firefighters, park rangers, and other public sector workers and their families receive the full Social Security benefits they’ve earned.

    The full letter can be found here or below:

    Dear Acting Commissioner King,

    We write to you concerning the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act (Public Law No: 118-273). This legislation passed Congress on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis on December 21st, 2024 and was signed into law on January 5th, 2025. The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).

    The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, “SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits” owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO. In the interim, we request monthly updates and briefings regarding the status of the Social Security Administration’s progress towards implementing the Social Security Fairness Act. 

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.  We look forward to your response.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito, Colleagues Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Prevent Democrats from Court Packing the Supreme Court

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined 17 of her Republican Senate colleagues—led by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas)—to introduce a constitutional amendment to maintain a total of nine Supreme Court justices on the bench at a time. Once approved by Congress, the amendment would go to the states for ratification.

    “A nine Justice court has worked for our country for more than 150 years. Increasing that number in a partisan effort to achieve a desired policy result is a never-ending proposition. If court-packing were pursued, respect for the Supreme Court would plummet and the checks and balances of our constitutional order would be threatened. We should preserve our independent judiciary by closing the door to the Democrats radical court packing proposals,” Senator Capito said.

    Full text of the constitutional amendment can be found here.

    BACKGROUND:

    Over the past several years, top Democrats have pledged to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court when they are able to.

    Former Vice President Kamala Harris said: “We are on the verge of a crisis of confidence in the Supreme Court […] We have to take this challenge head on, and everything is on the table to do that.”

    Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) posted online: “Mitch McConnell set the precedent. No Supreme Court vacancies filled in an election year. If he violates it, when Democrats control the Senate in the next Congress, we must abolish the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court.”

    Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) called court-packing: “long-overdue court reform.”

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said: “I’m open. […] Actually, I mean, we could. […] Look, there are a lot of different ways to do it. The number of people on the Supreme Court is not constitutionally constricted.”

    Meanwhile Democrats, including Joe Biden, falsely called Senate Republicans’ efforts to confirm Judge Barrett “court-packing.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police seek motorists and footage to SH20 fatality

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are appealing for motorists to come forward following a fatality on the South-Western motorway this morning.

    A man died on a section of State Highway 20 near Mt Roskill after entering live lanes on the motorway network.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Kathy Bostock, of Auckland City CIB, says the pedestrian was struck by at least three vehicles.

    “From our enquiries so far, we have established the man entered the northbound on-ramp at Dominion Road at around 1.30am,” she says.

    “None of the vehicles stopped at the time.

    “Police are asking these motorists to contact us as they are an important part of us establishing the circumstances of this tragic event.”

    A scene examination was carried out on a section of State Highway 20 in the early hours of the morning, with those closures having since been lifted.

    “An investigation is now underway and it’s important those motorists do the right thing and come forward,” Detective Senior Sergeant Bostock says.

    Police are seeking witnesses in the area to come forward that were travelling through the area on State Highway 20, between 1.30am and 2am, to come forward.

    “We know there were a number of vehicles passing through, so we’d especially like to hear from anyone who has dashcam footage.”

    Anyone with information can contact Police on 105 or attend their local Police station using the reference number 250207/4077.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three New Locations Selected for $200M ON-RAMP Program

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Capital Region, Finger Lakes and Mohawk Valley have been selected to advance to the planning stage of the $200 million One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (ON-RAMP) program. The regions join Central New York, in which Syracuse was established as the program’s flagship location, and will create a network of high-impact workforce development centers to connect New Yorkers with careers in dynamic, high-growth advanced manufacturing industries. These workforce centers will equip New Yorkers with the skills they need and create an “on-ramp” to training, internships, apprenticeships and permanent employment and capitalize on the State’s success in attracting and expanding advanced manufacturing companies such as Micron and GlobalFoundries.

    “Too many communities in Upstate New York have been left out and left behind for generations – and I’m fighting to bring them back,” Governor Hochul said. “These new ON-RAMP centers will be critical parts of the new I-90 advanced manufacturing corridor, giving New Yorkers the skills and training necessary for a good-paying job. New Yorkers are already seeing the benefits of our economic development strategy: good-paying jobs, revitalized communities and more money in their pockets.”

    First proposed in Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State, ON-RAMP, which is managed by Empire State Development, was included in the FY25 Enacted Budget with the goal of establishing four new advanced manufacturing workforce development centers. The three regions announced today will receive up to $300,000 in planning grants to develop detailed road maps to establish the new ON-RAMP centers. Upon completion of a business plan, each center will receive up to $40 million in implementation funding.

    Training provided through ON-RAMP will be based on the highly successful model developed by the Northland Workforce Development Training Center located in Buffalo. Northland employs a model that is designed to reduce all the major barriers that prohibit students from enrolling and completing post secondary education such as transportation, childcare, academic readiness and affordability. These three centers will combine industry, academia, social services, organized labor and community organizations to provide high quality, in-demand training and the wraparound support necessary to remove these common barriers and empower more New Yorkers with the skills needed for careers in high growth advanced manufacturing industries. Each designee will spend the coming months in a planning phase where they will undertake a comprehensive community and stakeholder engagement process to develop a detailed blueprint for each center.

    Capital Region

    The Center for Economic Growth (CEG) will lead the Capital Region’s ON-RAMP center, with a proposed primary location offering technical training, non-technical foundational and soft skills and critical wraparound services. CEG will lead the regional consortium of industry partners, including GlobalFoundries, Plug Power, General Electric, NSH USA, P1 Industries and Regeneron, plus local trades and workforce training providers. Regional manufacturing employment is at a 22-year high, driven by semiconductor, energy and biotech industry growth, and several major pending construction projects will require a skilled trades pipeline. The Capital Region proposal recommends the adaptive reuse of a now-vacant building on former College of Saint Rose campus, which serves as a centralized location among Albany neighborhoods and provides direct CDTA Bus Rapid Transit access.

    Finger Lakes

    Monroe Community College will lead the Finger Lakes ON-RAMP center in partnership with RochesterWorks. The proposed center includes a flagship location at the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center located on Monroe Community College’s downtown Rochester campus. The center will train future employees in advanced manufacturing, semiconductor development and manufacturing, robotics, electronics, smart technologies, associated skilled trades, clean energy manufacturing and other high-demand skills to support regional employers. Potential consortium partners include major employers like Plug Power, Optimax, Akoustis, Coach, G.W. Lisk, BMP, ARP, Edwards Vacuum, Barilla America and Bausch & Lomb, along with local training and service providers. The consortium will leverage partnerships among Monroe Community College, Finger Lakes Community College, Genesee Community College and regional Workforce Development Boards to create an integrated training network.

    Mohawk Valley

    Mohawk Valley Community College will lead this regional ON-RAMP center by redeveloping the soon to be vacant Science and Technology building at MVCC’s Utica campus. The new facility is strategically located near major employers Danfoss, Indium and Wolfspeed, across the street from the city’s high school and directly adjacent to a high-diversity neighborhood. The center will offer training for in-demand skills on low-cost, no-cost, and work-and-learn models; retention strategies to engage marginalized and underserved populations and support completion; and employer integration to facilitate direct job placement. MVCC will lead a consortium of six core organizations with a proven track record of workforce innovation. MVCC’s Free Fast Track program and MACNY’s Real-Life Rosies and Advanced 2 Apprenticeship Programs, both successful direct placement programs, will be housed at the ON-RAMP center and provide additional capacity for these programs to increase enrollment.

    These new ON-RAMP centers will be critical parts of the new I-90 advanced manufacturing corridor, giving New Yorkers the skills and training necessary for a good-paying job.

    Governor Kathy Hochul

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “By adding centers in the Capital Region, Mohawk Valley and Finger Lakes to connect with Central New York, the ON-RAMP network will connect New Yorkers to new opportunities all along the upstate semiconductor corridor. Today’s announcement represents our latest investments in workforce training under Governor Hochul, and supports our continued efforts to reshore manufacturing jobs and build out the advanced manufacturing ecosystem.”

    New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “We must equip our workforce with the necessary skills to support New York’s rapidly expanding advanced manufacturing sector. By offering comprehensive training and wraparound services, this program offers New Yorkers across the state a pathway to well-paying careers now and for years to come. I applaud Governor Hochul for her continued investments in our workforce as we work to build the New York of tomorrow.”

    Center for Economic Growth President and CEO Mark Eagan said, “ON-RAMP ensures that people living in our communities have robust support, including stipends, childcare, and transportation to access training and ultimately a career in manufacturing. CEG is proud to act as the project lead on behalf of a regional consortium of more than 60 initial partners to build a seamless network of workforce training and service providers to connect individuals with in-demand jobs at high-growth manufacturers. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your leadership in growing New York State’s advanced manufacturing workforce.”

    Monroe Community College President Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna said, “Monroe Community College has a long history of sustaining public trust as an exemplary leader in workforce development. MCC and the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center stand ready to create the conditions for the entire Finger Lakes region to showcase its preparedness to uplift the lives of even more New York citizens. We look forward to working with a network of workforce development and training entities, like RochesterWorks, committed to preparing New Yorkers for careers in high-growth industries and leading collaboration to build the overall Upstate NY workforce development ecosystem.”

    Mohawk Valley Community College President Dr. Randall VanWagoner said, “We are so grateful to the Governor and her staff for this incredible opportunity to work even more closely with our workforce partners in the region to significantly scale opportunities that connect people to quality jobs and enhance the overall vibrancy of the communities we serve.”

    CenterState CEO President Robert Simpson said, “The need for talent continues to accelerate as we prepare for historic investments from Micron and other companies looking to expand operations in New York State. We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s leadership and vision as we partner to establish a critical new network of workforce development centers. ON-RAMP will help connect New Yorkers from priority populations with careers in high growth industries like manufacturing and construction. Across New York state these centers will both serve as state-of-the-art training facilities and as catalysts for the redevelopment of strategic, high-impact corridors.”

    State Senator Sean Ryan said, “We know that funding workforce development programs like ON-RAMP is one of the most effective investments we can make in New York’s economy. Providing more technical and career education throughout our state will set more workers up for success and ensure we have the well-trained workforce we need to attract and sustain manufacturing jobs.”

    Assemblymember Al Stirpe said, “The expansion of New York’s advanced manufacturing sector continues to highlight the urgent need to provide our Upstate workforce with the skills necessary for success. By extending workforce development through new ON-RAMP centers in the Capital Region, Finger Lakes, and Mohawk Valley, we can reach more underserved communities, offering the wraparound supports that increase the number of skilled workers while helping to break the cycle of generational poverty. I’m proud of Governor Hochul’s continued commitment, especially with the focus on creating a vital I-90 advanced manufacturing corridor. With Micron’s presence in Central New York and other major players like GlobalFoundries, this investment in workforce training ensures our region remains competitive and prepared for future opportunities in advanced manufacturing.”

    Assemblymember Harry Bronson said, “I am proud to say that thanks to the advocacy and partnership of my colleagues in the Greater Rochester Majority Delegation, as well as local officials, the Governor has identified the Finger Lakes Region as one of the high-impact, strategic locations for a new ON-RAMP workforce development training center. Workforce development is one of the most important tools for building the middle-class and addressing affordability for all our families. In addition, it will help us effectively reduce poverty in New York State and uplift our families, especially when paired with ON-RAMP’s strategy to address other barriers to employment such as transportation, childcare, education and more by providing wraparound services alongside job training. With these investments we are well on our way to building a more equitable and diverse New York economy. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your leadership.”

    Embedded Flickr Album

    Today’s announcement complements New York State’s investments in workforce development. In 2022, Governor Hochul reimagined the state’s approach to workforce development and established the Office of Strategic Workforce Development at ESD, which supports industry-driven workforce development programs and practices to ensure New Yorkers are prepared to meet the needs and priorities of employers. To date, more than $63 million has been awarded, leveraging more than $69 million in public and private funding, to support nearly 15,000 trainees for over 2,000 business partners.

    The announcement also complements the state’s investments to build a modern economy in New York by growing a dynamic and innovative semiconductor industry. In 2022, the Governor signed New York’s historic Green CHIPS legislation to make New York a hub for semiconductor manufacturing, creating 21st century jobs and kick-starting economic growth while maintaining important environmental protections. As part of the FY24 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul secured a $45 million investment to create the Governor’s Office of Semiconductor Expansion, Management, and Integration (GO-SEMI), which leads statewide efforts to develop the chipmaking sector. In December 2023, Governor Hochul announced a $10 billion public-private partnership — including $9 billion in private investment from IBM, Micron, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron and other semiconductor leaders — to bring the future of advanced semiconductor research to New York’s Capital region by creating the nation’s first and only industry accessible, High NA EUV Lithography Center at the Albany NanoTech Complex which has been recently awarded $825 million in federal funding and was designated the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator under the CHIPS and Science Act.

    In the last two years, chip companies have announced more than $112 billion in planned capital investments in New York — more than any other state — and one in four U.S.-made chips will be produced within 350 miles of Upstate New York. No other region in the country will account for a greater share of domestic production.

    Build the Workforce of Tomorrow

    As a part of her 2025 State of the State, Governor Hochul proposed making community college free for students ages 25-55 pursuing select associate degrees in high-demand occupations, including nursing, teaching, technology, engineering and more. Additionally, the State will cover the costs of tuition, books and fees for participants in this program and will increase funding for career support infrastructure to connect students with job opportunities. Governor Hochul also proposed providing funding for providers of registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships in the high-demand occupations, to cover partial apprentice wages, training costs, and for underrepresented groups, wraparound services. Additionally, the Governor proposed to reform the way executive agencies hire cybersecurity and technology talent by removing four-year degree requirements for many entry-level and early-career positions, and to create a cybersecurity fellows program with SUNY and CUNY community colleges that places graduates in two-year jobs in state government. Governor Hochul will also work with private companies to similarly reduce or remove certain educational requirements to create more entry points for New Yorkers graduating from community and technical colleges.

    Renew Our Commitment to Our State’s Capital City

    The FY 2026 Executive Budget launched an inclusive, State-led initiative to invest $400 million to revitalize the downtown core of Albany—in partnership with local stakeholders and backed by significant State resources to catalyze change. This investment includes $200 million to make real investments into tangible strategies and projects to revitalize Albany, such as: targeted strategies that address public safety and quality of life; revitalizing vacant or dated anchor institutions; reinvigorating commercial corridors; repurposing vacant and underutilized commercial buildings for housing and other new uses; leveraging open spaces and key public assets; coordinating with ongoing planning efforts related to the redevelopment of I-787 and the Livingston Avenue rail bridge; and creating new reasons to work, visit, or live in downtown Albany. This historic investment also includes $150 million to renovate the New York State Museum and upgrade the exhibits to be more inviting to visitors, including families, as well as funding for the State to temporarily supplement Albany’s public safety efforts by offering enhanced State Police resources to reduce crime and increase community policing in key corridors.

    Informed by conversations with local stakeholders, the Governor’s commitment to Albany will play out through a comprehensive community engagement process with the public, elected representatives, and community leaders to identify key opportunities to promote business development, bolster public safety, build out community anchors, encourage housing, and enhance affordability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Individuals Found Guilty in Massive Drug Trafficking Operation in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –  Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced today that two men were found guilty for their roles in a massive drug trafficking conspiracy that operated in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

    Lance Wade Cole, Jr., 53, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Damian Costello, 28, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, were found guilty by a federal trial jury of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, methamphetamine hydrochloride, cocaine, and cocaine base.  Cole and Costello along with 80 other defendants were involved in the conspiracy.  The leader of the Baltimore-based drug trafficking organization was co-defendant, Gary Brown, Jr.  The investigation involved over 100 kilograms of fentanyl.

    Prior to today’s verdict, seventy-seven (77) defendants had already entered guilty pleas.  Fifty (50) defendants are awaiting sentencing.  Twenty-seven (27) who have entered pleas have been sentenced. Some of those recently sentenced include:

    • Gregory O’Brien Long, Jr., 36, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release;
    • Amber Jean Davis, 41, of Bunker Hill, West Virginia, sentenced to 96 months in prison, three years of supervised release;
    • Zachary Thomas Doman, 24, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, sentenced to 70 months, three years of supervised release;
    • John Wesley Yates, 37, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, sentenced to 70 months in prison, three years of supervised release;
    • Jeremy Jason Crock, 43, of Romney, West Virginia, sentenced to 87 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release;
    • Michael Lee Engle, 47, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, sentenced to 57 months, three years of supervised release.

    Two (2) defendants, Matthew David Viands, of Summit Point, West Virginia, and Charles Delroy Singletary, of Baltimore, Maryland, are fugitives.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    Investigative agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Pittsburgh Field Division and Baltimore Field Division); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service;  the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; Ranson Police Department; Martinsburg Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia); Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (Maryland); Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia); Winchester Police Department; and the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia).

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

    U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

    Original press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/investigators-dismantle-fentanyl-drug-trafficking-network-eastern-panhandle

    MIL Security OSI –

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

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police Search and Rescue are searching this morning for a man missing in a river in Mt Aspiring National Park.

    Emergency services were alerted shortly before 5pm yesterday that a man had fallen from a rock into the river and had failed to resurface.

    A search team immediately deployed to the area however he was unable to be located.

    The search resumed this morning about 8am.

    Any further information will be released as it becomes available.

    ENDS 

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Ethics Program

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Ethics Program provides training and counsel to NASA employees and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the agency-wide ethics program. Headquarters and Center Chief Counsels ethics officials support the ethics program in their respective localities.
    A list of ethics officials at each NASA location can be found here: Headquarters and Center Ethics Officials.
    Associate General Counsel, General Law Practice Group:Katie Spear
    Agency Counsel for Ethics:Adam Greenstone

    NASA employees have a responsibility to the United States Government and its citizens to place loyalty to the Constitution, laws, and ethics principles above private gain. As NASA employees, we need you to preserve NASA’s core value of integrity through your commitment to ethics and ethical decision-making. If you are faced with a question concerning your ethics obligations as a NASA employee, please contact a NASA ethics official before taking action.
    Contact Information
    What are your obligations? Know the rules. If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective center.

    As a NASA employee, you may be required to disclose your financial interests for one of two reasons: 1) You are in a position requiring by law that you file a Public Financial Disclosure (OGE Form 278)(PDF) report.  This includes members of the Senior Executive Service (SES); SL or ST employees; holding another position classified above the GS-15 level; holding a “NASA excepted” position above a certain pay level; and Schedule C appointees.  2) Your duties are such that they raise an increased likelihood of a conflict of interest, for which you would file an (OGE Form 450)(PDF) report. If you are in a position subject to Public Financial Disclosure (or acting in one for more than 60 days), then you are subject to the Public Financial Disclosure report in which your report will be publicly available. If you are a General Schedule or other employee required to file OGE Form 450, your financial disclosure requirements will be less complex, and report will be confidential. For specific questions, please contact an ethics official.

    Please click here to access the latest Widely Attended Gatherings Determinations.  If you do not see a determination for the event in which you were invited to attend in your official capacity, please request guidance from your local ethics official.

    NASA employees are subject to regulations regarding outside employment. They are prohibited from engaging in outside activities that conflict with their official duties.  In addition, the NASA Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for NASA Employees, 5 C.F.R. Part 6901, require prior approval for engaging in certain types of outside employment. In these instances, employees should request approval from their local ethics official prior to accepting such outside employment.
    Note that the NASA Supplemental rules also prohibit NASA employees from engaging in outside employment with a NASA contractor, subcontractor, or grantee in connection with work performed by that entity for NASA; or a party to a Space Act Agreement, Commercial Launch Act agreement, or other agreement to which NASA is a party pursuant to specific statutory authority, if the employment is in connection with work performed under that agreement. 
    Employees in a leave status are subject to the same legal parameters. 
    Please reach out to your local ethics official for guidance.
    Resources

    We look forward to welcoming you to NASA! You are joining an organization that works to change the history of humanity and usher in a bold new era or discovery.  We are depending on you to maintain the public trust and to preserve NASA’s ethical culture. Accordingly, NASA employees must comply with ethical standards that relate to outside employment, political activities, and business relationships, among other topics. NASA encourages prospective employees to learn more about these ethical standards along the path of joining our team. If ethics questions arise before or after you join NASA, please contact a NASA ethics official before taking action. What are your obligations? Know the rules. If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective location.

    As a NASA employee, you may be required to disclose your financial interests for one of two reasons: 1) You are in a position requiring by law that you file a Public Financial Disclosure (OGE Form 278)(PDF) report.  This includes members of the Senior Executive Service (SES); SL or ST employees; holding another position classified above the GS-15 level; holding a “NASA excepted” position above a certain pay level; and Schedule C appointees.  2) Your duties are such that they raise an increased likelihood of a conflict of interest, for which you would file an (OGE Form 450)(PDF) report. If you are in a position subject to Public Financial Disclosure (or acting in one for more than 60 days), then you are subject to the Public Financial Disclosure report in which your report will be publicly available. If you are a General Schedule or other employee required to file OGE Form 450, your financial disclosure requirements will be less complex, and your report will be confidential. For specific questions, please contact an ethics official.
    Resources

    The post-government employment ethics statute, 18 U.S.C. § 207, applies to a former NASA employee’s communication with NASA or the Government on behalf of the former employee’s non-federal employer. Former NASA employees should contact a NASA ethics official for advice before communications or otherwise interacting with NASA or the Government on behalf of their new employer because this criminal statute may be implicated.  The Procurement Integrity Act also restricts individuals who were in certain contracting roles from accepting compensated work from certain contractors for a limited period. 
    Contact Information
    If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective center.

    A Special Government Employee (SGE) is an officer or employee “who is retained, designated, appointed, or employed to perform, with or without compensation, for not to exceed one hundred and thirty days during any consecutive period of three hundred and sixty-five consecutive days.” 18 U.S.C. § 202. Congress created the SGE category in 1962 to allow the federal Government to obtain the expertise it needs, while allowing experts to continue their private professional lives. As a result, some of the ethics statutes and regulations apply differently to SGEs than they do to regular executive branch employees, and some provisions do not apply at all.
    Financial Disclosure
    SGEs are required to file a financial disclosure report each year, usually a confidential financial disclosure report (OGE-450). Financial disclosure reporting helps NASA identify any possible financial conflicts of interest. SGEs are notified in advance of when to file.

    Ethics Training
    SGEs are required to receive annual ethics training by December 31st of each calendar year.
    Contact Information
    If you are a SGE and have questions, please contact the Headquarters Ethics Team by e-mail at hq-ethicsteam@nasa.gov or by phone at (202) 358-0550.
    Resources

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Office of the General CounselNASA Headquarters300 E Street SW Suite 9V30Washington, DC 20546Phone Number (202) 358-2450

    OGC Disclaimer: The materials within this website do not constitute legal advice. For details read our disclaimer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update: Fatal crash at Beaufort

    Source: South Australia Police

    A man has died following a fatal crash at Beaufort, in the state’s mid-north last night.

    At 5.25pm on Thursday 6 February emergency services were called to Augusta Highway, 4 kilometres north of Beaufort after reports of a crash between a road train and a Yamaha motorcycle.

    Sadly the rider of the motorbike, a 28-year-old man from Hope Valley died at the scene.

    The driver of the road train a 65-year-old man was not injured.

    The Augusta Highway was closed for several hours while Major Crash Investigators examined the circumstances of the crash, but has since reopened.

    The man’s death is the 14th life lost on South Australia road so far this year.

    Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has dashcam footage is asked to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Choking during sex: many young people mistakenly believe it can be done safely, our study shows

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Douglas, Professor of Law and Deputy Director of the Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW), The University of Melbourne

    Lysenko Andrii/Shutterstock

    Around 50% of Australian young people have engaged in choking, or strangulation, during sex. This practice involves one person putting pressure on the neck of another, restricting breathing or blood flow (or both).

    Strangulation during sex carries a variety of risks. These range from effects such as bruising and vomiting to brain injury and death.

    Although rare, strangulation is the leading cause of death in consensual BDSM play.

    There’s no evidence there is any safe way to undertake strangulation. Notably, strangulation can cause injury without leaving any marks and sometimes negative consequences don’t develop until well after the choking episode.

    In a new study, we’ve found part of the reason why strangulation during sex is so common may be because many people mistakenly believe that, while risky, it can be made safe through moderating pressure and appropriate communication.

    But stopping blood flow to the brain can take less pressure than opening a can of soft drink. And research shows strangulation can result in serious harms even when it’s consensual.

    Surveying young Australians

    In 2023, we surveyed a representative sample of 4,702 Australians aged between 18 and 35 about their experiences and opinions of strangulation during sex.

    In 2024, we published a study about the prevalence of sexual strangulation based on the results of this survey. We found 57% of participants reported they had been strangled during sex, and 51% had strangled a partner.

    At the end of the survey, we asked respondents:

    What are your thoughts or insights regarding choking during sex?

    For this new study, we wanted to understand perceptions around sexual strangulation. More than 1,500 participants commented on issues related to safety in their responses, and we analysed these.

    We surveyed young people in Australia about sexual strangulation.
    ImYanis/Shutterstock

    Many mistakenly believed choking could be safe

    It was concerning to us that many of the respondents seemed to believe sexual strangulation can be done safely. Most commonly, participants perceived it to be safe when done with a low level of pressure applied to the sides of the neck.

    One participant, a 31-year-old straight man, said:

    My partner likes a firm hand on the throat but more so not choking off the windpipe, but lightly restricting the blood flow when she can feel an orgasm building up.

    A 24-year-old straight woman commented:

    I think there should be a conversation before hand about how hard and how much pressure.

    Some respondents suggested it was safe to hinder blood flow, rather than oxygen flow. However, restricting blood flow to the brain can also have serious health implications.

    While not all pressure on the neck will be fatal, research shows even relatively low pressure can cause death by strangulation.

    Also, if the person using strangulation or being strangled has used alcohol and other drugs, differences in pressure may be more difficult to discern, increasing the risks for the person being strangled.



    Read more:
    More than half of Australian young people are using strangulation during sex: new research

    Communication and consent

    Participants also linked safety – whether emotional or physical – to consenting to sexual strangulation. As a 32-year-old straight woman wrote:

    If between two consensual adults who have discussed it prior with a safety plan in place then I do not see any harm in the act however I have been subjected to non consensual choking in a previous sexual encounter which left me angry and scared.

    A 23-year-old bisexual woman said:

    As long as both parties agree to it and the amount of pressure, it can be an enjoyable experience. Consent must be given.

    In general, consent was seen as an ongoing process, where it could be withdrawn at any point. A 32-year-old straight man said:

    Should be strictly base on consensus, be aware of your partner body language and breathing and ask them whether they want to continue the activity or not if they say no respect it and back off.

    However, research has found a person being strangled may not be able to withdraw their consent using gestures or words, despite wanting to.

    Several participants did comment on the limitations of consent as a harm-reduction mechanism, acknowledging that even where it was consensual, strangulation during sex could cause damage.

    Many participants discussed consent in relation to sexual strangulation.
    LightField Studios/Shutterstock

    Worryingly, several respondents expressed concern that consent was often overlooked, intentionally or accidentally. A 35-year-old straight woman said:

    The amount of men who just initiate it without asking the woman is scary and they feel entitled to do so.

    Some respondents – usually women, but not always – identified pressure to engage in strangulation (both to be strangled and to strangle their partner). A 24-year-old straight man said:

    I get scared to do it but my partner kinda makes me feel like i have to sometimes.

    A need for better education

    Studies from other countries such as the United States have also shown a misunderstanding of the potential dangers of sexual strangulation, and a false perception that it can be safe if undertaken with the “proper precautions”.

    Previous research has shown young people commonly learn about sexual strangulation through online pornography, social media and each other. Information from these sources is often misleading.

    While consent is a crucial part of any sexual activity, it doesn’t make strangulation safe. Neither does relying on regulating the pressure applied.

    It was positive to see many respondents in our survey identified a desire for more information about sexual strangulation. Accurate information about the risks associated with sexual strangulation should be easily available both online and through public health campaigns.

    Heather Douglas receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Leah Sharman receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Choking during sex: many young people mistakenly believe it can be done safely, our study shows – https://theconversation.com/choking-during-sex-many-young-people-mistakenly-believe-it-can-be-done-safely-our-study-shows-248867

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Tunisia: Authorities step up crackdown on LGBTI individuals with wave of arrests

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Authorities in Tunisia have stepped up their crackdown on LGBTI individuals, carrying out dozens of arrests over recent months, said Amnesty International today.

    Between 26 September 2024 and 31 January 2025 at least 84 people in the cities of Tunis, Hammamet, Sousse and El Kef – mainly gay men and trans women – were arrested, arbitrarily detained and unjustly prosecuted solely based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, according to the Tunisian NGO Damj Association for Justice and Equality.

    “The recent spike in arrests targeting LGBTI people is an alarming setback for human rights in Tunisia. No one should face arrest, prosecution or imprisonment based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Instead of harassing individuals based on gender stereotypes and deeply entrenched homophobic attitudes, the Tunisian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release anyone detained because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity and introduce safeguards to protect the rights of LGBTI people,” said Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.

    Amnesty International interviewed four LGBTI rights activists and three lawyers representing individuals arrested between September and December 2024 for their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The organization also reviewed legal documents, and official statements.

    The recent spike in arrests targeting LGBTI people is an alarming setback for human rights in Tunisia. No one should face arrest, prosecution or imprisonment based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

    Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International

    Wave of arrests

    The wave of arrests followed a large-scale online campaign that began on 13 September 2024, which saw homophobic and transphobic hate speech and discriminatory rhetoric against LGBTI activists and organizations spreading across hundreds of social media pages, including those espousing support for the Tunisian President Kais Said. Traditional media outlets also broadcast inflammatory messages by popular TV and radio hosts attacking LGBTI organizations, calling for their dissolution and for the arrests of LGBTI activists.

    Saif Ayadi, queer activist and head of programs at Damj, fears that the actual number of LGBTI people arrested and prosecuted is higher than the numbers Damj was able to document. He explained: “Our numbers are based on the direct assistance we provide to members of the community including legal assistance; it is not exhaustive. We estimate the real number to be at least three times higher because when we used to have access to official numbers of prosecutions a few years ago, we found that the on average our documentation only covers at most a third of the people affected.”

    Gay men and transgender people in Tunisia are often arrested based on gender stereotypes, behaviour or physical appearance. According to lawyers who represent LGBTI individuals, frequently digital evidence unlawfully seized from their devices after the arrests is used to prosecute them. Most of those arrested, report to their lawyers having their phones confiscated and illegally searched by police officers.

    The criminalization of consensual same-sex relations makes LGBTI people vulnerable to violence and abuse by the police, who often exploit their fear of arrest and prosecution and subject them to blackmail, extortion and, at times, sexual abuse. In some cases, those arrested were victims of entrapment and phishing on social media and dating applications by security officers. Some individuals reported to Damj being entrapped by security forces impersonating LGBTI people on social media and same-sex dating applications, to extort and blackmail them including through threats of outing, doxxing or arrest including for “soliciting prostitution online”. Lawyers have also reported on an increase in police raids without warrants on homes of LGBTI people during 2024.

    Abusive prosecutions on “morality” and “indecency” grounds

    Those arrested have been detained and prosecuted under Article 230, which criminalizes same-sex relations (for “sodomy and lesbianism”), and/or Articles 226 and 226 bis of the Penal Code, which criminalize “indecency” and acts deemed to be offensive to “public morals”. Article 230 provides for up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine while Articles 226 and 226 bis provide for up to six months’ imprisonment.

    “Articles in the penal code that criminalize ‘public indecency’ or acts deemed to be ‘against good morals or public morality’ are particularly dangerous as they are overly broad, vague and do not meet the principle of legality, allowing for a wide scope of interpretation and inconsistency. These overbroad provisions and their subjective and discretionary application allow law enforcement to carry out sweeping arrests of individuals simply for failing to adhere to gender norms or having a non-conforming gender appearance or expression,” said Diana Eltahawy.

    On 27 October 2024, the justice ministry issued a statement condemning the increasing use of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to spread content “contrary to public morals”, urging prosecutors to “take necessary judicial measures and launch investigations against anyone producing, displaying or publishing data, images and video clips with content that undermines moral values”. According to Damj, the ministry’s statement sparked a campaign against LGBTI individuals.

    A few days after this statement, five content creators, including Khoubaib, who is gender non-conforming, were arrested and charged with “public indecency, dissemination of content contrary to good morals” among other charges. They were convicted and sentenced on 31 October 2024 to prison terms of up to four and a half years. Upon their appeal, on 5 February, the convictions were upheld and four were released after their sentences were reduced. The fifth defendant who is gender non-confirming remains imprisoned as he was sentenced to a two-year prison term and a 1,000 dinar fine under Article 234 of the penal code for “violating morals by inciting minors to debauchery ” over videos that he created and posted on social media.

    Forced anal ‘examinations’ amounting to torture

    Men accused of engaging in same-sex relations are routinely subjected to forced anal “examinations” by medical doctors. Amnesty International considers forced anal examinations a form of torture. The Tunisian authorities must halt all such examinations immediately.

    On 3 December 2024, the El Kef Court of First Instance sentenced two men to one year imprisonment under Article 230. Both were subjected to forced anal examinations to obtain “proof” of same-sex sexual activity.

    Targeting to LGBTI activists

    LGBTI activists and associations have also faced increasing harassment by authorities. Queer activists Saif Ayadi, Assala Madoukhi and Mira Ben Salah were summoned for questioning several times, most recently in October and November 2024.  Police interrogated them about their activism, their work with civil society organizations and their participation in protests. Mira Ben Salah, who is a trans activist and the coordinator of Damj’s office in Sfax, was subject to repeated interrogation in relation to the organization’s work, including with migrants and refugees. Mira is facing multiple charges in connection with her work with Damj and is awaiting the outcome of the investigation.

    In July 2023 and February 2024, Mira Ben Salah filed complaints with the Public Prosecutor at the Court of First Instance in Sfax over her repeated harassment by police. She told Amnesty international: “I have been summoned and questioned so many times because of my work and my activism but when I filed complaints for harassment, threats and violence that I faced they don’t call me to testify nor take my complaints seriously.”  She added that while the authorities’ investigation against her was progressing swiftly, the investigation into her own complaints has not made any progress.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Fiscal Prudence and Frugality Must Never Compromise Operational Efficiency, Says Vice-President

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Fiscal Prudence and Frugality Must Never Compromise Operational Efficiency, Says Vice-President

    Being in Service of Bharat, Home to One-Sixth of Humanity, Is a Blessing, Says VP

    Never Create Hurdles in Pension Disbursement; Have Absolute Empathy for Veterans, Says VP

    Lawful Route of Integrity Is the Safest Route, Says VP

    Security Is Best Assured From a Position of Strength, and Strength Is Secured By Preparation, Highlights VP

    Vice President Addresses Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) Probationers of 2022 and 2023 Batches

    Posted On: 06 FEB 2025 8:53PM by PIB Delhi

    The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today addressed the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) probationers of the 2022 and 2023 batches in New Delhi, saying, ““I strongly advocate that there must be meticulous, scrupulous adherence to fiscal prudence, frugality but this should not come at the cost or compromising efficiency and efficiency lies in the fiscal utilisation of resources. Financial integrity is absolute essence; it is your nectar. Financial integrity once compromised you lose it forever; you can never repair and therefore, develop a mechanism in life of happiness and satisfaction that do not measure yourself comparing those who are in private sector. You are an ancient guardian of economic discipline.”

    Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar further said, “Being in service of Bharat, home to one-sixth of humanity, is a blessing. You may have, on account of your credentials, the occasion to serve in several other areas, and maybe perhaps with larger fiscal gain, but you shall never have the satisfaction that you will have now. Satisfaction to live up to our civilizational ethos of service, satisfaction to nurture our nationalism, satisfaction to serve our motherland, and satisfaction to serve in conditions that is envy of everyone.”

    Addressing the need for respect and care for veterans, Shri Dhankhar stated, “For example, it is historical fact established, the morale of the armed forces is determined by the care we have for our veterans. If veterans are in good morale, those who serve on the frontiers or otherwise look up. And you have a deep connect with the veterans, pensioners. You will have to have absolute empathy for pensioners. Never ever create a problem in disbursement of the pension. I am so happy and delighted and I came to know about it that technological upgradation has resulted in seamless delivery with expedition. But still, there will be issues and issues are bound to be there. We will never have a system where there will be no issues interdepartmental or with pensioners. Have empathy.”

    He further urged officials to treat pensioners with respect and devotion, remarking, “Act with them with a sense of devotion. All of them are like parents for you, senior citizens, our veterans. Hand-holding them, if they physically interface with you, will go a long way. Not only they will bless you, by word of mouth, a message will permeate all throughout. They are not the people who are retired. They are pensioners. They will never be tired of serving the nation in whatever form they are. This blessed, distinguished, premium category of human resource you will be interacting with.”

    Speaking on financial discipline, the Vice-President cautioned against shortcuts and urged adherence to integrity. “There will always be challenges, but I can assure you lawful route of integrity is the safest route. Shortcuts are very tempting; sometimes, they are too tempting to be resisted but when challenges come, a shortcut, rather than being the shortest distance between two points, turns out to be the longest, intractable with headwinds and air pockets. Sometimes, negotiating is never-ending.”

    Reflecting on the global security scenario, the Vice-President stressed that preparedness is paramount, given the challenges in the region and ongoing global conflicts. “Given the security clime in our neighborhood, given the challenges we have, and given the challenges that we are living in times where conflagration in any part of the globe—Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Hamas—we were impeccable, and therefore, the level of preparation now has become much beyond what you may be having in your mind. The good thing is that our nation is getting prepared.”

    He further emphasized the importance of security from a position of strength, stating, “Security of any nation is fundamental. It is said security is best assured from a position of strength. And position of strength is secured by level of preparation. And preparation these days, you have to be ahead of times. You have to think of next-gen equipment in every field. And now the situation is so dramatically changed that conventional warfare has taken back seat.”

    Highlighting the responsibilities of public servants, the Vice-President urged them to put the nation first. “While I would say always keep the nation first, have unwavering commitment to the nation, but this cannot be just an idea. While it is your ordainment by virtue of being public servants to ensure fiscal discipline, enabling operational efficiency, you also have to look around what as individuals you can do.”

    The Vice-President also stressed the need for strengthening family ties, promoting indigenous knowledge, and fostering inclusivity. “One, strengthening of family ties, family values. Be connected with family. Make it a priority. Believe in environmental awareness and sustainable living. As individuals, you can contribute for it. Embrace indigenous knowledge, economic self-alliance. Be Vocal for Local. I’ll tell you, avoidable imports in this country are a huge drain on finance, to the extent of billions of dollars. And these avoidable imports are in the shape of shoes, socks, trousers, coat, shirts, carpets, furniture, toys, candles, what not. Second aspect is that when we engage into use of avoidable foreign items imported in the country, we are depriving our people of work. This small gesture you can do.”

    He concluded by emphasizing national unity and resilience, saying, “Foster unity and inclusivity amidst mass diversity. For 5,000 years we have had inclusivity, but the challenge to inclusivity was extreme. Murderers came, invaders came. They ravaged our culture, our religious places. We stood our ground. But time has come now to keep nation’s interest always first, fostering unity, fostering brotherhood.”

    Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, IAS, Defence Secretary, Smt. Devika Raghuvanshi, IDAS, Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Dr. Vandana Kumar, Additional Secretary, Rajya Sabha Secretariat and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –