NewzIntel.com

Category: Law Enforcement

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Ulster County Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 156 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Joshua Atkinson, age 27, of Ellenville, New York, was sentenced last week to serve 156 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

    The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York; and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT).

    Atkinson was one of 11 defendants charged in the case. These defendants have pled guilty and have been sentenced or are pending sentencing: 

    • Christopher Baez was sentenced to 71 months in prison, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release;
    • Michael Herry was sentenced to 27 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
    • Joshua Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on February 19, 2025;
    • Joseph Logan is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2025;
    • Timothy Hutcherson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 9, 2025; and
    • Daryl Livingston is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2, 2025. 

    As part of his guilty plea, Atkinson admitted that during the conspiracy he distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 3.2 kilograms of cocaine and 600 grams of fentanyl. Atkinson also admitted to using violence to obtain payments from his drug redistributors, including threatening a co-conspirator with a hammer. In January 2023, a search warrant was executed at Atkinson’s Ellenville residence and a .22 caliber pistol was recovered by law enforcement.

    Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Atkinson is released from prison.

    This case is being investigated by HSI; the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with URGENT (the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement and Narcotics Team), an inter-agency taskforce targeting drug dealers and gang members in Ulster County; the New York State Police; the Village of Ellenville Police Department; and the White Plains Police Department, with assistance from the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.   Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda is prosecuting this case.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Employee Of Real Estate Investment Firm Indicted For Investment Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – The former Vice President of Project Management for National Realty Investment Advisors (“NRIA”) has been indicted for his role in an investment fraud scheme and for misappropriating approximately $2.3 million from victim investors, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced today.

    Ivel Turner, 51, of Newark, Delaware, was indicted by a federal grand jury with eight counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud.  He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King in Camden federal court and was released on a $100,000 unsecured appearance bond and other conditions.  His arraignment is scheduled for February 4, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton.

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

    Turner was previously employed as Vice President of Project Management for NRIA, which held itself out as a real estate investment management fund with over $1.25 billion in assets under management. NRIA promised investors guaranteed returns of at least 12 percent per year for a period of five years, a full return of their investments, and monthly distributions of between six and ten percent of their original investments.  Turner had access to NRIA’s PPM, which made many such representations pertaining to NRIA’s purported returns on investment and distributions.

    In April 2020, while still employed at NRIA, Turner incorporated Oasis Realty Investment Group (“ORIG”).  Turner, through ORIG, solicited real estate investors to purchase, finance, and co-develop residential units in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.  Turner used NRIA as a model for ORIG.

    To induce investors to invest and continue to invest in ORIG, Turner made material misrepresentations and omissions related to, among other things: (a) ORIG’s financial position; (b) the manner in which Turner used investor money; and (c) Turner’s role at ORIG.  Turner also falsely represented to the victim investors that substantially all of ORIG’s proceeds would be used for real estate investment purposes, but instead, Turner misused hundreds of thousands of dollars of investor money on personal expenses, including luxury retail purchases, several vehicles, international travel, and a down payment on his residence.

    The wire fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.  The securities fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $5,000,000.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation leading to the indictment.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    ###

    Defense counsel: Rubin M. Sinins, Esq., Springfield, New Jersey

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney Announces Appointment of First Assistant U.S. Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – United States Attorney Leah B. Foley has announced that Katherine Ferguson has been appointed to serve as First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. Ms. Ferguson, a career prosecutor, has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for more than a decade.

    “Ms. Ferguson’s leadership, dedication, and prosecutorial excellence have earned her widespread respect within our office and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Foley. “Her deep understanding of federal law enforcement and her commitment to upholding the rule of law make her an invaluable asset. I am confident that she will bring the same integrity and vision to her new role as First Assistant U.S. Attorney as she has throughout her career.”

    Ms. Ferguson has served as Deputy Chief of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2017 and Lead Task Force Attorney for the District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force since 2021. As Deputy Chief of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit, Ms. Ferguson was responsible for overseeing federal narcotics and money laundering investigations and prosecutions. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney for 15 years, she has extensive experience working collaboratively with other federal, state and local partners to dismantle multi-jurisdictional and international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.

    Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Ferguson served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. There, she handled over 600 cases in Boston Municipal Court from arraignment to disposition and oversaw the prosecution of child abuse and narcotics offenses in Superior Court. From 2006-2007, Ms. Ferguson served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sandra L. Lynch with the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

    Ms. Ferguson graduated from Princeton University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics with Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa. While at Princeton, Ms. Ferguson earned Certificates in Political Economy and French Language & Culture. She also received a Masters in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was an Executive Editor for the Harvard Law Review.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lincoln Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Felon in Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jovan Travis, age 38, of Lincoln, Nebraska was sentenced on January 23, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Travis to a total of 92 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Travis’ release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release.

    On January 12, 2023, an Omaha Police Department (“OPD”) officer was contacted by a Confidential Informant (“CI”) regarding illegal narcotics sales.  The officer had the CI arrange a controlled purchase of pills from Travis.  On that same day, the CI and Travis met for the transaction. However, at the time of the buy, Travis advised the CI that he did not have the pills yet.  Instead, he offered the CI a handgun for $300, which the CI purchased using the task force money.  The handgun was reported stolen out of Illinois.

    Travis was previously convicted of multiple crimes that were punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

    This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Amassing Another Cache of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Joseph Gallo, 80, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sanchez to 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release, $12,750 in restitution, and $10,000 in additional special assessments, for possessing thousands of images and videos of child pornography.

    In March of last year, the defendant was charged by information with possession of child pornography as a second-time child sex offender. He pleaded guilty in July, admitting that, over a period of more than three years, he had amassed a collection of more than 18,000 images depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

    At the time Gallo committed these crimes, he was already a registered sex offender under Megan’s Law, attending court-ordered sex offender treatment, and serving a sentence of supervised county probation, following his 2015 prosecution in Bucks County for similar offenses.

    “Gallo learned nothing from his first conviction and again started seeking out those abhorrent images,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Consumers of child pornography like him perpetuate the exploitation and trauma of innocent victims, which my office, HSI, and our partners simply won’t abide. We’ll continue to hold accountable collectors of child sexual abuse material, because protecting kids everywhere is paramount.”

    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 projectsafechildhood.gov.

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: India- And New Jersey-Based Jeweler Sentenced To 30 Months Incarceration For Multimillion Dollar International Trade Fraud Scheme And Unlicensed Money Transmitting

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, NJ. –  An India- and New Jersey-based man who operated jewelry companies in New York City’s Diamond District was sentenced to 30 months incarceration for spearheading a scheme to illegally evade customs duties for more than $13.5 million of jewelry imports into the United States and for illegally processing more than $10.3 million through an unlicensed money transmitting business, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Monishkumar Kirankumar Doshi Shah, a/k/a “Monish Doshi Shah” (Shah), 40, of Mumbai, India and Jersey City, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to a two-count Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business. Judge Salas imposed the sentence in Newark federal court and remanded Shah to begin serving his sentence.

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

    From in or around December 2019 through in or around April 2022, Shah engaged in a scheme to evade duties for shipments of jewelry from Turkey and India to the United States. Shah would ship and/or instruct his co-conspirators to ship goods from Turkey or India—which would have been subject to an approximately 5.5% duty if shipped directly to the United States—to one of Shah’s companies in South Korea. Shah’s co-conspirators in South Korea would change the labels on the jewelry to state that they were from South Korea instead of Turkey or India, and then ship them to Shah or his customers in the United States, thereby unlawfully evading the duty. Shah would also make and instruct his customers to make fake invoices and packing lists to make it look like Shah’s South Korean companies were actually ordering jewelry from Turkey or India. Shah also instructed a third-party shipping company to provide false information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) concerning the origin of the jewelry. During the scheme, Shah shipped approximately $13.5 million of jewelry from South Korea to the United States without paying the appropriate duty.

    In addition, from in or around July 2020 through in or around November 2021, Shah owned and/or operated numerous jewelry companies in New York City’s Diamond District, including MKore LLC, MKore USA Inc, and Vruman Corp. Shah used these entities to conduct more than $10.3 million in illegal financial transactions for customers—including converting cash to checks or wire transfers. Shah would also collect cash from customers and use other individuals’ jewelry companies to convert the cash into wires or checks. At times, Shah and other members of the money transmitting business moved hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single day. In exchange for their services, certain members of the money transmitting business charged a fee. None of Shah’s or his associates’ companies were registered as money transmitting businesses with New York, New Jersey, or the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas ordered restitution in the amount of $742,500 for the wire fraud scheme and forfeiture in the amount of $11,126,982.33 for the wire fraud and unlicensed money transmitting schemes.  In addition, the Court imposed a two-year term of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and task force officers of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; special agents with Homeland Security Investigations New York, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; special agents with Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; and special agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York/Newark, under the direction of Acting Port Director Jeffrey R. Greene, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New York; Homeland Security Investigations in Seoul, South Korea; the Korea Customs Service in South Korea; the Seoul Customs Special Investigation Office in South Korea; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Paterson; the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department; the Morristown Police Department; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General; and the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) for their assistance in the investigation.

    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.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit and Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.

                                                     ###

    Defense Attorney: Rahul Agarwal, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wichita man pleads guilty to child pornography distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to distributing child sexual abuse materials over the internet.

    According to court documents, Sebastian Grattan, 28, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.

    Grattan admits to creating an account on a messaging app and using it to distribute child sex abuse materials in November 2023.

    The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2025, and faces 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.

    The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Wichita Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.

    Project Safe Childhood
    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Amtrak Employee Admits Participating In $11 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – An Amtrak employee admitted participating in a health care fraud scheme to defraud Amtrak, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Rodolfo Rivera, 41, of Clayton, Delaware, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The Indictment also charges nine other co-conspirators in connection with the scheme: Kevin Frink, 53, of Willingboro, New Jersey; Quinton Johnson, 53, of Irvington, New Jersey; David McBrien, 36, of Levittown, Pennsylvania; Gregory Richardson, 35, of Roosevelt, New York; Michael Toal, 35, of Hazlet, New Jersey; Damany Walker, 41, of Irvington, New Jersey; Timothy Bogen, 59, of Hamden, Connecticut; Dion Jacob, 50, of Brooklyn, New York; and David Lonergan, 64, of Rockaway Park, New York.

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

    From January 2019 through June 2022, Rivera and his co-conspirators—who were also Amtrak employees—engaged in a scheme to obtain cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for their agreement to allow their health insurance plan to be billed for services that were never provided and were not medically necessary. As a result of the fraudulent claims submitted on behalf of Rivera, his dependent, and other Amtrak employees that he recruited into the scheme, the Amtrak health care plan paid over $2 million in reimbursements. In total, as a result of the conspiracy, the Amtrak health care plan paid over $11 million in fraudulent claims associated with providers connected to the scheme.

    Rivera received thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks from health care providers in return for his participation in the scheme, including from Punson Figueroa, an acupuncturist, and Michael DeNicola, a podiatrist. Figueroa previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced on September 24, 2024 to 34 months in prison. DeNicola previously pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, among other offenses. His sentencing remains pending.

    The health care fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Rivera’s sentencing is scheduled for June 26, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters, the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Samuel Dotson, and special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Bank Integrity, Recovery, and Money Laundering Unit, in Newark.

    The charge and allegations contained in the Indictment against Frink, Johnson, McBrien, Richardson, Toal, Walker, Bogen, Jacob, and Lonergan, are merely accusations, and they are each presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                                                 ###

    Defense counsel: Dennis S. Cleary, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Al Jazeera says correspondent’s arrest latest bid to gag Jenin coverage

    Pacific Media Watch

    The Al Jazeera Network has condemned the arrest of its occupied West Bank correspondent by Palestinian security services as a bid by the Israeli occupation to “block media coverage” of the military attack on Jenin.

    Israeli soldiers have killed at least 12 Palestinians in the three-day military assault that has rendered the refugee camp “nearly uninhabitable” and forced displacement of more than 2000 people. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the Jenin operation was a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights”.

    Al Jazeera said in a broadcast statement that the arrest of its occupied West Bank correspondent Muhammad al-Atrash by the Palestinian Authority (PA) could only be explained as “an attempt to block the media coverage of the occupation’s attack in Jenin”.

    “The arbitrary actions of the Palestinian Authority are unfortunately identical to the occupation’s targeting of the Al Jazeera Network,” it said.

    “We value the positions and voices that stand in solidarity and defend colleague Muhammad al-Atrash and the freedom of the press.”

    The network said the journalist was brought before a court in Hebron after being arrested yesterday while covering the events in Jenin “simply for doing his professional duty as a journalist”.

    “We confirm that these practices will not hinder our ongoing professional coverage of the facts unfolding in the West Bank,” Al Jazeera’s statement added.

    The Israeli occupation has been targeting Al Jazeera for months in an attempt to gag its reporting.

    Calling for al-Atrash’s immediate release, the al-Haq organisation (Protecting and Promoting Human Rights & the Rule of Law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory) said in a statement: “Freedom of opinion and expression cannot be guaranteed without ensuring freedom of the press.”

    Rage over AJ ban
    Earlier this month journalists expressed outrage and confusion about the PA’s decision to shut down the Al Jazeera office in the occupied West Bank after the Israeli government had earlier banned the Al Jazeera broadcasting network’s operation within Israel.

    “Shutting down a major outlet like Al Jazeera is a crime against journalism,” said freelance journalist Ikhlas al-Qarnawi.

    Also earlier this month, award-winning Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab criticised the Israeli government for targeting journalists and attempting to “cover up” the assassination of five Palestinian journalists last month.

    He said a December 26 press statement by the Israeli army attempted to “justify a war crime”.

    “It unabashedly admitted that the military incinerated five Palestinian journalists in a clearly marked press vehicle outside al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip,” Kuttab said in an op-ed article.

    Many Western publications had quoted the Israeli army statement as if it was an objective position and “not propaganda whitewashing a war crime”, he wrote.

    “They failed to clarify to their audiences that attacking journalists, including journalists who may be accused of promoting ‘propaganda’, is a war crime — all journalists are protected under international humanitarian law, regardless of whether armies like their reporting or not.”

    Israel not only refuses to recognise any Palestinian media worker as being protected, but it also bars foreign journalists from entering Gaza.

    “It has been truly disturbing that the international media has done little to protest this ban,” wrote Kuttab.

    “Except for one petition signed by 60 media outlets over the summer, the international media has not followed up consistently on such demands over 15 months.”

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 46 Months’ Imprisonment for Firearms Offenses

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

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Khalif Ward, 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Joel H. Slomsky to a term of 46 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $25,000 fine for firearms offenses.

    In December of 2023, Ward was indicted on one count of possession of a machine gun and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. He pleaded guilty to both charges in October.

    The defendant, a rap artist known as “Leaf Ward,” with hundreds of thousands of online followers, committed the offenses while on release for a state case involving the straw purchase and illegal transfer of firearms, and after he was found in possession of a firearm after being shot in 2020.

    As stated in court documents, on August 16, 2023, Ward took a stolen vehicle to the Bahama Breeze restaurant in the King of Prussia Mall. Officers doing proactive details in the parking lot ran the registration for the car, which came back stolen out of Philadelphia. The officers then began the process of towing the vehicle. While the car was in the process of being towed, Ward exited the restaurant with his girlfriend.

    Ward ran toward the tow truck, until he saw the uniformed police officers and the marked police vehicle. He then sprinted back into the restaurant, where an employee saw him put a loaded Glock firearm into a kitchen trash can and discard his hat nearby.

    Officers chased Ward into the restaurant and through the kitchen, apprehending him behind the eatery and recovering the loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol, which was found to be fitted with a illegal switch converting it from semi-automatic to fully automatic fire.

    “Despite two prior gun convictions, Ward continued to wield these weapons, boldly displaying them in his videos and carrying them on the street,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “Moreover, the pistol he tried to ditch when running from police was altered to enable automatic fire. This office will continue to work with the ATF and our state and local partners to get guns out of the hands of people not permitted to have them, to tamp down violent crime and make the public safer.”

    “Keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals is why the law prohibits felons from having firearms,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “In this case, the defendant was not only illegally carrying a loaded weapon in a busy public location, but he was carrying a pistol turned into a machine gun. Such converted weapons are extremely dangerous as they can fire an entire magazine of bullets in seconds, often hitting uninvolved bystanders. ATF is committed to working with our partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals like Ward who endanger our neighborhoods.”

    The case was investigated by the ATF, United States Secret Service, and the Upper Merion Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Lanni, Everett Witherell, and Shayna Gannone.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun and Drug Convictions

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DWINE HARDY (“HARDY”), age 32, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 7, 2025, by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey, after previously pleading guilty to Counts 1, 2, and 3 of a four-count indictment.  The indictment charged HARDY with being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8) (Count 1); possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(0) and 924(a)(2) (Count 2); and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) (Count 3).

    HARDY was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment as to Counts 1, 2, and 3, with each count to be served concurrently.  Judge Zainey also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release following HARDY’s release from prison and payment of  a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.

    According to court documents, Kenner police officers stopped HARDY in a stolen vehicle.  During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia, two Apple iPhones, 15 rounds of ammunition, and a stolen Glock Model 23 .40-caliber pistol.  The firearm was equipped with a machine gun conversion device and an extended 22-round capacity magazine.

    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.

    U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Kenner Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Sanction Palestinian Leadership and Institutions That Reward Terrorism

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353January 23, 2025
    Cotton, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Sanction Palestinian Leadership and Institutions That Reward Terrorism
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today reintroduced the PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act, legislation that would impose sanctions on foreign persons and entities that provide payments to Palestinian terrorists and the families of terrorists as part of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority’s (PA) system of terror compensation. 
    Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R- South Carolina), and Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) are cosponsoring the legislation. Congressman Mike Lawler (New York-17) will be introducing companion legislation in the House. 
    “The Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization continue to support terrorism against Israel by providing hundreds of millions of dollars per year in their reprehensible ‘pay-for-slay’ program. Anti-Semitic Palestinian terrorists know they can expect payment as a reward for killing Israelis and Americans–with thousands of Palestinian terrorists tied to October 7 eligible for these terror payments. Our bill will ensure that the PA, PLO and their institutions that reward acts of terrorism are punished,” said Senator Cotton.
    Text of the bill may be found here.  
    The PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act would impose sanctions on:
    Foreign persons who serve as an employee of the PLO and PA that has facilitated the payments, provided payments themselves, or knowingly provided significant financial, technological, or material support and resources as part of the PLO and PA’s system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism. 
    Entities that facilitate the PLO and PA system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism including the Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners, the Institute for the Care of the Families of the Martyrs and the Wounded, the Palestine National Fund, and National Association of the Families of the Martyrs of Palestine.
    Foreign financial institutions that participate in a financial transaction that is part of the PLO and PA’s system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump has fired a major cyber security investigations body. It’s a risky move

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Toby Murray, Professor of Cybersecurity, School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne

    Before the end of its first full day of operations, the new Trump administration gutted all advisory panels for the Department of Homeland Security. Among these was the well-respected Cyber Safety Review Board, or CSRB.

    While this change hasn’t received as much notice as Trump’s massive announcement about AI, it has potentially significant implications for cyber security. The CSRB is an important source of information for governments and businesses trying to protect themselves from cyber threats.

    This change also throws into doubt the board’s current activities. These include an ongoing investigation into the Salt Typhoon cyber attacks which began as early as 2022 and are still keeping cyber defenders busy, attributed to hackers in China.

    Salt Typhoon has been described as the “worst telecommunications hack” in US history. Among other activities, the hackers obtained call records data made by high-profile individuals and even the contents of phone calls and text messages. The phones of then presidential nominee Donald Trump were reportedly among those targeted.

    What does the Cyber Safety Review Board do?

    The board was established three years ago by the Biden administration. Roughly speaking, its job is the cyberspace equivalent of government air traffic investigation bodies such as the US National Transportation Safety Board, or the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

    The CSRB investigates major cyber security incidents. Its job is to determine their causes and recommend ways government and businesses can better protect themselves, including on how to prevent similar incidents in future.

    Its members include global cyber security luminaries from industry, such as cyber executives from Google and Microsoft, and US government leaders from several departments and agencies concerned with security.

    The US CSRB has previously published three major reports. Its first covered the infamous 2021 Log4j vulnerability, described at the time as the “single biggest, most critical vulnerability ever”. (A vulnerability is a weakness in a computer system that cyber criminals can exploit.)

    The board’s most recent published investigation involved a very sophisticated hacking campaign that targeted Microsoft’s cloud email services in 2023. As a result, hackers even gained access to the emails of various US government agencies.

    Cyber security experts widely consider the CSRB as a positive thing. Late last year, Australia even committed to establish its own version, the Cyber Incident Review Board.

    At the time of writing, it’s unclear whether the CSRB will continue – perhaps with different membership – or whether its activities will cease entirely.

    Either way, the decision to fire the board’s members has significant security implications. It comes at a moment in history when cyber threats have never been more severe.

    What is Salt Typhoon?

    The CSRB has been investigating the Salt Typhoon hacking campaign. Salt Typhoon is the name Microsoft assigned to a sophisticated group of hackers believed to be operated by China’s Ministry of State Security. The ministry is somewhat like a combination of an intelligence agency and a secret police service.

    Salt Typhoon is best known for hacking into several US telecommunication companies, first reported in August 2024. In December, it came to light Salt Typhoon’s telco hacks may also have impacted countries beyond the US. American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand authorities also jointly issued public guidance to organisations to help defend against Salt Typhoon.

    Salt Typhoon reportedly targeted prominent figures, including political leaders. The hackers’ goal appears to have been to collect intelligence, rather than cause damage.

    For example, it has been reported Salt Typhoon collected a list of all phone calls made near Washington DC, which could help them determine who was talking to whom in the US capital.

    Salt Typhoon also reportedly obtained a list of phone numbers wiretapped by the US Justice Department. This confirmed the fears of many people opposed to the government’s powers to lawfully wiretap citizens’ phones.

    It is unclear why the hackers obtained that information. Some have speculated it would identify which of their own operatives were being monitored by US law enforcement.

    To say the Salt Typhoon revelations created waves in government and cyber security circles is putting it mildly. Telecommunications are critical infrastructure, as well as highly valuable targets for intelligence collection.

    The idea that foreign spies could burrow so deeply into the communication fabric of the US was unprecedented and disturbing.

    In October 2024 the CSRB was tasked with investigating Salt Typhoon’s activities.

    An uncertain future

    With the board now fired, the future of the Salt Typhoon investigation remains unclear.

    A thorough and impartial investigation of the Salt Typhoon hacks, had it been allowed to run, was likely to have delivered highly valuable cyber security lessons. Those lessons are important for both US companies and those in Australia, which have also been the targets of Chinese intelligence collection.

    The future of the CSRB itself is now also in question. The board and its overseas equivalents serve a vital role in promoting cyber information-sharing that helps to improve best practices.

    It is imperative these bodies are staffed with a diverse collection of impartial experts, able to carry out their work free from government and corporate interference.

    It remains to be seen whether dissolving the current CSRB will be a gift to Chinese hackers (as some have claimed), or simply a speed bump in the evolution of the board.

    Toby Murray is the Director of the Defence Science Institute, which receives Commonwealth and State government funding. Toby receives research funding from the Australian government and has previously received funding from the US Department of Defense, Facebook and Google.

    – ref. Trump has fired a major cyber security investigations body. It’s a risky move – https://theconversation.com/trump-has-fired-a-major-cyber-security-investigations-body-its-a-risky-move-248106

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Johnson, Grassley Launch Congressional Investigation into Deadly New Year’s Day Attacks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
    WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) called for answers in the aftermath of the tragic New Year’s Day attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas. 
    Sens. Johnson and Grassley are demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provide further information on the backgrounds and motives of the ISIS-inspired New Orleans attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, and Las Vegas perpetrator, Matthew Alan Livelsberger. 
    Additionally, the chairmen are requesting records from Meta regarding Jabbar’s Facebook activity leading up to his deadly assault in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Jabbar posted five videos to his Facebook page in the hours before the attack describing his ISIS allegiance and harmful intent.
    “The public deserves complete transparency and the truth regarding the New Orleans terrorist attack and the Las Vegas car explosion,” the chairmen wrote. “While we understand the investigation into both of these incidents is ongoing, we expect your agencies to be forthcoming and responsive to oversight requests from Congress on this very serious matter.”
    The senators are also following up on legally protected whistleblower disclosures that the FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the New Orleans field office was on vacation during the New Year’s attack. Since receiving the senators’ letters, the FBI has confirmed the New Orleans SAC was on vacation at the time and did not return to New Orleans until January 2.
    “These are major public events that a SAC should be present for. The FBI failed to note this in any of the joint briefings it provided to Congress and must provide more information,” the chairmen noted.
    Sens. Johnson and Grassley’s letters are linked below:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: King Stresses that “All of the Above” Energy Policy Means Exploring All Power Sources

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR) to consider the nominations of Chris Wright to be Secretary of Energy and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to be Secretary of Interior, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) noted the omission of wind and solar technologies in recent Executive Orders despite public statements pledging an “all of the above” approach to energy. Senator King began his remarks by reiterating his support for the two nominees, while also making clear the need to recognize the value of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
    “Thank you so much. I supported both nominees. I don’t expect to agree with everything any nominee holds, but I think that both of these nominees understand these issues — the issues before us — quite well. I will echo Senator Hickenlooper’s comments, I look forward to working with both of them. I think they will make a significant contribution. I wanted to make a more general comment. In this committee I have heard the phrase “all of the above” 100 times. Unfortunately, in the last couple of days it appears that “all of the above” doesn’t include wind and solar. Anybody who thinks wind power doesn’t produce real electricity, I would advise them to go to a project to put their tongue on the bus bar of a wind turbine to see if it’s real energy. Of course, it is. The development of those technologies — which, by the way, wind and solar are the cheapest electrical generation technologies available today, three cents per kilowatt hour is the average across the country, lower than anything else. Combined cycled natural gas is close. The intermittency problems we discussed are solvable. They are solvable by natural gas as a potential backup that can be ramped up and ramped down as needed. It can be solved, of course, by the incredible development of battery technology which Senator Heinrich mentioned,” said Senator King.
    Speaking to the urgency of climate change, Senator King echoed the importance of keeping every option on the table to help deliver sustainable and economically viable energy solutions.
    “So, all I want to do is reiterate my belief that ‘all of the above’ includes all of the available technologies, as well as those still in development: small modular reactors, geothermal. There are tremendous opportunities out there, but to try to say that there is only one source of energy and that it lies beneath the surface of the Earth and is not geothermal, that’s not accurate, nor does it take cognizance to the real effects that both witnesses acknowledge of climate change. We can argue whether it causes a particular disaster or not, but no one can argue that the climate is changing and that it is having an effect. We see it in Maine in our forests, in our oceans — the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than any other body of water on Earth with the exception of the Arctic Ocean. I think it’s ironic by the way, the sudden interest in Greenland, and it’s strategic value rests upon the 75% reduction in Arctic Ocean ice over the last 40 years. Either climate change is real or it isn’t, but it is certainly real in many areas of the country and to argue to the contrary is not realistic. It is a challenge that we have to meet and I hope that we don’t take tools out of our toolbox that can contribute to the solution of that problem, as well as sustainable and economically viable energy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman,” concluded Senator King.
    As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator King has advocated for climate solutions that deliver on the clean energy potential of the historic Inflation Reduction Act. He has repeatedly emphasized the importance of permitting reform to deliver carefully considered, timely approvals of sorely-needed clean energy projects. Senator King has also been one of the Senate’s most vocal advocates for improving energy storage technologies and development and worked to include significant storage investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. 
    Recently, Senator King published an Op-Ed and spoke with CNN regarding his positions on the advise and consent process of Cabinet-Level nominees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: One charged following aggravated robbery and flee in Whangārei 

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    One person has been taken into custody following outstanding Police work in Whangārei overnight.

    At about 5.10pm, officers spotted a vehicle which had been identified from two robberies in the Kensington and Tikipunga areas on 22 January.

    Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer, Whangārei CIB, says Police signalled for the vehicle to stop in Otangarei however it failed to do so and fled from Police.

    “The vehicle was then abandoned and the occupants fled.

    “The dog unit arrived quickly, putting cordons in place and locating two people within minutes.”

    Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says a 16-year-old was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and unlawfully getting into a vehicle. Further charges are being considered.

    “This was an excellent example of a well-coordinated response to some dangerous behaviour within our community.

    “If you witness any unlawful behaviour please contact Police, you can report information to us by calling 111 if it is happening now or via 105 either online or over the phone if it’s after the fact.”

    The 16-year-old will appear in Whangārei Youth Court today.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from a DHS Spokesperson on Directive Expanding Immigration Law Enforcement

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Statement from a DHS Spokesperson on Directive Expanding Immigration Law Enforcement

    ASHINGTON – Today, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman issued a directive essential to fulfilling President Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations.
    The directive gives Department of Justice (DOJ) law enforcement officials in the U.S. Marshals, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons authority to investigate and apprehend illegal aliens.
    “Thanks to the last Administration’s open border policies, we’ve seen violent criminals and gang members terrorize American communities. Today’s action empowers law enforcement officials at the DOJ to help identify and apprehend aliens who have illegally come into our country. Mobilizing these law enforcement officials will help fulfill President Trump’s promise to the American people to carry out mass deportations. For decades, efforts to find and apprehend illegal aliens have not been given proper resources. This is a major step in fixing that problem.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Joaquin County Man Pleads Guilty for his Role in Murder-for-Hire Plot

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jagninder Singh Boparai, 48, of Manteca, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Boparai conspired with Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr., 45, of Dublin, and Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, 51, of Tracy, to murder Victim 2. In February 2023, Boparai met with a person he believed to be a hitman at a Starbucks in Manteca. Unbeknownst to Boparai and his co-defendants throughout their interactions, the hitman was a confidential informant working for the FBI. Boparai told the supposed hitman that the first job involved the assault of Victim 1, and once he proved his trustworthiness, he would be given another job. The following day, Boparai met the confidential informant again and offered to pay $6,000 for the assault of Victim 1. In March 2023, in the presence of Birla and another individual, Boparai met with the confidential informant, and Boparai gave the confidential informant $1,000 as a down payment for the assault. According to court documents, after more time had passed, the confidential informant showed Boparai a staged photo of Victim 1 laying on the ground covered in bruises, dirt, and blood to indicate the assault had occurred. Boparai said he liked the photo and told the confidential informant that he had two other “jobs,” one of which involved robbing a business, and the other involved making a person “disappear.”

    According to court documents, in March 2023, Boparai met with the confidential informant to pay the confidential informant $10,000 as a down payment for the murder of Victim 2. Sandhu provided Victim 2’s address, and Boparai instructed the confidential informant that Victim 2 must disappear without any evidence remaining. Boparai then made two calls to Birla asking for Victim 2’s Facebook profile. Boparai subsequently received a Facebook profile picture of Victim 2, which he showed to the confidential informant. On March 24, 2023, Sandhu and Birla met with the confidential informant in a parking lot in Manteca. Sandhu and Birla claimed that Boparai was out of town, but Boparai was observed by surveillance remaining in a car in the same parking lot. Sandhu and Birla instructed the confidential informant to kill Victim 2 and take Victim 2’s remains to Mexico in a suitcase.

    All three defendants were arrested on March 31, 2023, and are currently in federal custody.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Ceres Police Department, the Dublin Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lathrop Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the San Joaquin County Probation Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Stockton Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.

    Boparai is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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 remaining two defendants are scheduled for a further status conference on April 10, 2025. If convicted, they each face the same penalties as Boparai. As to these two co-defendants, the charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Kodiak residents indicted for drug trafficking related to 2022 fatal fentanyl overdose

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment this week charging three Kodiak residents with drug trafficking crimes in Alaska, including distributing fentanyl which resulted in a fatal overdose.

    According to court documents, between February 2022 and July 2023, Ashley Katelnikoff, 37 and Gerry Pugal, 37, allegedly conspired together to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.
    Court documents further allege that on or about Aug. 25-26, 2022, Katelnikoff distributed fentanyl as part of the conspiracy, which resulted in the death of a victim.

    The indictment also alleges that between Nov. 21-29, 2022, Pugal and Kalani Coyle, 32, attempted to possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of a fentanyl mixture and over 50 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.

    Katelnikoff is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Pugal is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and one count attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Coyle is charged with one count of attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The defendants will make their initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, Katelnikoff and Pugal face between 20 years to life in prison, and Coyle faces 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
    U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge David Reames of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Division Office made the announcement.

    The DEA Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office, with significant assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, Alaska State Troopers and the Kodiak Police Department, are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alana Weber, Chris Schroeder and Stephan Collins are 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 Security: Colorado Springs Man Sentenced To 13 Years For Being A Felon In Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lemich Riddle, 27, Colorado Springs, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison after being found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to the facts established at trial, on November 1, 2022, officers in Colorado Springs located Riddle, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.  Colorado Springs Police Department SWAT team officers took him into custody as he was driving back to his apartment.  In his car, officers found six firearms. Riddle has a prior felony conviction that prohibits him from possessing firearms.

    “We will always prosecute dangerous felons who possess weapons,” said United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of this defendant’s continued violation of the law.

    “CSPD strives for excellence in every investigation, and those around the illegal possession of firearms are no different,” said Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez. “This case highlights how the quality work of our investigators can be amplified by our partnership with federal authorities, resulting in significant sentencing that holds individuals accountable in meaningful ways that also make our community safer.”

    United States District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the sentencing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Colorado Springs Police Department handled the investigation. The Violent Crime and Immigration Section of the United States Attorney’s Office handled the prosecution.

    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.

    Case Number: 23-cr-00051-RMR

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police locate trove of stolen items in search warrant following air ambulance burglary

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attributable to Constable Ashley Wilson:

    Police investigating the burglary of an air ambulance helicopter in Mosgiel have located a trove of stolen items from several other burglaries.

    As a result of ongoing enquiries into the air ambulance helicopter burglary on 12 January, Police executed a search warrant at a Dunedin address yesterday afternoon.

    The recovered stolen items are believed to have been taken during the burglaries of multiple commercial and residential properties in early January this year.

    A bag containing medical equipment was found in the large amount of stolen property, and it is believed all items in the bag have been recovered.

    Some property has been identified from stores including Torpedo Seven, Off the Chain Bike Shop, Chisholm Park Golf Shop, Cash Converters, and 2Degrees. Many other stolen items are yet to be identified and returned to their respective stores.

    A 31-year-old man was arrested in Dunedin on 15 January in relation to the burglary of the air ambulance helicopter and two other burglaries.

    After the results of the search warrant, further charges are likely.

    The 31-year-old man is due to reappear on Tuesday 4 February in Dunedin District Court.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Leader Extradited from Mexico, Appears in Court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Alleged Sinaloa Cartel cell leader Octavio Leal-Hernandez, aka Chapito Leal, who is believed responsible for trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and marijuana into the United States from Mexico, appeared in federal court today following his extradition from Mexico yesterday.

    Leal-Hernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California in May 2020 for International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances.

    At today’s hearing, Leal-Hernandez was arraigned and entered a not-guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major. The judge granted the government’s request that the defendant be held without bond pending trial. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 10, 2025, for a motion hearing/trial setting in front of U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin J. Cheeks.

    The government filed a memorandum today in support of its request for detention that describes Leal-Hernandez as a cell leader who rose through the ranks of the Sinaloa Cartel. The memo said Leal-Hernandez was aligned with the Beltran-Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, specifically with Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, aka Chapo Isidro. Meza Flores is the co-leader of the Beltran-Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel and was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control as a Foreign Narcotics Kingpin.

    Between January 2012 and April 2012, law enforcement authorities lawfully intercepted wire and electronic communications between Leal-Hernandez and several of his drug trafficking associates. The wiretap intercepts confirmed that Leal-Hernandez was a leader/organizer of the Beltran-Leyva faction of the Sinaloa Cartel in Tijuana, Mexico and was responsible for supplying drug distributors in Southern California and other destinations within the United States. The wiretap intercepts also confirmed that Leal-Hernandez has committed acts of violence to facilitate his drug trafficking activities.

    Further investigation after 2012 until his arrest in 2020 confirmed that Leal-Hernandez remained one of the organization’s leaders, responsible for directing, managing, and overseeing the organization’s drug trafficking in Tijuana.

    According to the government’s detention memorandum, Leal-Hernandez oversaw the collection and preparation of large shipments of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana from Tijuana, Mexico into the United States. He then directed organization members to coordinate the logistics of storing the drugs in the organization’s stash houses and transporting them to the organization’s distributors and customers throughout California and elsewhere in the United States.

    “This appearance in an American court is the result of our unwavering pursuit of those who perpetuate violence and push narcotics into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “We will hold traffickers accountable, no matter how long it takes.”

    “The arrest and extradition of Leal-Hernandez marks a significant victory in our relentless fight against the deadly scourge of narcotics trafficking. This joint Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was made possible due to the dedication, expertise, and extensive investigative work of our special agents and our invaluable federal law enforcement partners,” said Shawn Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. “We extend our deepest gratitude to all involved for their unwavering hard work, commitment, and collaboration.”

    “Drug traffickers are predators that must be held accountable for the harm they cause,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “The capture and extradition of Leal-Hernandez is a reminder to any cartel member that there is nowhere to hide; we will use every tool at our disposal to hold you accountable because no one is beyond the grasp of the DEA and our law enforcement partners.”

    “International drug cartels cause immeasurable harm to the American public by importing lethal narcotics and committing acts of violence which terrorize our community,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The serious and sustained actions of international drug traffickers will not be tolerated, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to keep our communities safe.”

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Mellor. The U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Leal-Hernandez from Mexico to the Southern District of California.

    DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 20cr1224                                               

    Octavio Leal-Hernandez                                Age: 44           Tijuana

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 959, 960, and 963

    Maximum Penalty: Life, Mandatory Minimum: Ten years

    Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846.

    Maximum penalty: Life, Mandatory Minimum: Ten years

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Homeland Security Investigations

    Drug Enforcement Administration

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    U.S. Coast Guard

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Leal-Hernandez.

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

                                                                                   

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: China has invested billions in ports around the world. This is why the West is so concerned

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudio Bozzi, Lecturer in Law, Deakin University

    Shutterstock

    On his way to the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro in November, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte to officially open a new US$3.6 billion (A$5.8 billion) deepwater mega-port in Peru called Chancay.

    China’s state-owned Cosco shipping giant had purchased a 60% stake in the port for US$1.6 billion (A$2.6 billion), which gave the company exclusive use of the port for 60 years.

    Days later, the first ship departed for Shanghai loaded with blueberries, avocados and minerals.

    Chancay is part of China’s vision of a 21st century maritime Silk Road that will better connect China’s manufacturing hubs with its trading partners around the world. This has involved a heavy investment in ports in many countries, which has the West concerned about China’s expanding influence over global shipping routes.

    Newly re-elected US President Donald Trump made clear these concerns when he claimed China was “operating” the Panama Canal and the US intended to take it back.

    China does not operate the canal, though. Rather, a Hong Kong company operates two ports on either side of it.

    A booming port expansion

    The scale and scope of the maritime Silk Road is impressive. China has invested in 129 ports in dozens of countries through its state-owned enterprises, mostly in the Global South. Seventeen of these ports have majority-Chinese ownership.

    According to one estimate, Chinese companies invested US$11 billion (A$17.7 billion) in overseas port development from 2010–19. More than 27% of global container trade now passes through terminals where leading Chinese firms hold direct stakes.

    China has entered Latin America aggressively, becoming the region’s top trading partner. Its port strategy has clearly signalled a long-term goal to access the exports essential to its food and energy security: soybeans, corn, beef, iron ore, copper and battery-grade lithium.

    Last year, for example, Portos do Paraná, the Brazilian state-owned enterprise that acts as the port authority in the state of Paraná, signed a letter of intent with China Merchants Port Holdings to expand Paranaguá Container Terminal, the second-largest terminal in South America. China may invest in even more Brazilian ports, as 22 terminals are scheduled to be auctioned before the end of 2025.

    In Africa, Chinese investment grew from two ports in 2000 to 61 facilities in 30 countries by 2022.

    And in Europe, Chinese enterprises have complete or majority ownership of two key ports in Belgium and Greece – the so-called “dragon’s head” of the Belt and Road Initiative in Europe.

    What’s driving this port strategy?

    China’s emergence as a maritime and shipping power is central to Xi’s ambition for global economic dominance.

    For one, China requires stable access to key trading routes to continue meeting the demand for Chinese exports globally, as well as the imports Beijing needs to keep its economy humming.

    Controlling ports also enables China to create economic zones in other countries that give port owners and operators privileged access to commodities and products. Some fear this could allow China to disrupt supplies of certain goods or even exert influence over other countries’ politics or economies.

    Another key driver of this strategy is the metals and minerals needed to fuel China’s rise as a tech superpower. Beijing has concentrated its port investment in regions where these critical resources are located.

    For example, China is the world’s largest importer of copper ore, mainly from Chile, Peru and Mexico. It is also one of the world’s major lithium carbonate importers.), mainly from Chile and Argentina. And its port deals in Africa give it access to rare earths and other minerals.

    In addition, tapping into Latin America counteracts the trade tensions China has experienced recently with Europe. It also preempts concerns about possible US tariffs imposed on Chinese goods by Trump.

    Military concerns

    These moves have prompted concern in Washington that China is challenging US influence in its own backyard.

    China maintains that its seaport diplomacy is market oriented. However, it has established one naval base in the strategically located African nation of Djibouti. And it is believed to be building another naval base in Equatorial Guinea.

    According to a recent report by the Asia Society Policy Institute, strategy analysts believe China is seeking to “weaponise” the Belt and Road Initiative.

    One way it is doing this is by requiring the commercial ports it invests in to be equally capable of acting as naval bases. So far, 14 of the 17 ports in which it has a majority stake have the potential to be used for naval purposes. These ports can then serve a dual function and support the Chinese military’s logistics network and allow Chinese naval vessels to operate further away from home.

    US officials are also concerned China could leverage its influence over private companies to disrupt trade during a time of war.

    How is the West responding?

    While China’s investments are raising suspicions, the West’s willingness to invest in ports at this scale is limited. The US International Development Finance Corporation, for instance, has a much slower, rigorous process for its investments, which generally leads to fairer outcomes for both investors and host nations.

    However, some Western companies are acquiring stakes in established and newly built ports in other countries, albeit not to the extent of Chinese enterprises.

    The French shipping and logistics company CMA CGM’s global port development strategy, for example, includes investments in 60 terminals worldwide. In 2024, it acquired control over South America’s largest container terminal in the Port of Santos, Brazil.

    Trump has threatened tariffs as one way of countering China’s global sea power. An advisor on his transition team has proposed a 60% tariff on any product transiting through the Chancay port in Peru or any other Chinese-owned or controlled port in South America.

    Rather than making nations reluctant to sign port deals with Beijing, however, this kind of action just erodes Washington’s regional influence. And China is likely to take retaliatory measures, like banning the export of critical minerals to the US.

    Host nations like Peru and Brazil, meanwhile, are using the competition for port investment to their advantage. Attracting interest from both the West and China, they are increasingly asserting their autonomy and adopting a strategy of using ports to “play everywhere” on the global stage.

    Claudio Bozzi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. China has invested billions in ports around the world. This is why the West is so concerned – https://theconversation.com/china-has-invested-billions-in-ports-around-the-world-this-is-why-the-west-is-so-concerned-244733

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Section of road within frontier closed area near Lin Ma Hang Village in Sha Tau Kok opens today (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Section of road within frontier closed area near Lin Ma Hang Village in Sha Tau Kok opens today (with photos)
    Section of road within frontier closed area near Lin Ma Hang Village in Sha Tau Kok opens today (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Government has, with effect from today (January 24), opened a specified section of road within the frontier closed area (FCA) near Lin Ma Hang Village in Sha Tau Kok, by exempting the requirement to apply for a closed area permit for the public travelling by green minibus passing through this section of road, with a view to facilitating travel for members of the public and tourists to Lin Ma Hang Village and Robin’s Nest Country Park.     A spokesman for the Security Bureau stated, “Robin’s Nest Country Park was established in November last year. Having considered public views on opening the relevant section of road within the FCA near Lin Ma Hang Village and after careful study of the feasibility, the Government decided to implement special arrangements to open the relevant road portion.”     The Hong Kong Police Force published in the Gazette today that, pursuant to section 38A(1) of the Public Order Ordinance, the requirement to apply for a closed area permit would be exempted for any person travelling to and from Lin Ma Hang Village by green minibus passing through the road within the FCA between Wang Lek and the entrance of Lin Ma Hang Village. Starting from today, members of the public and tourists can take green minibus No. 59K (Sheung Shui Station – Lin Ma Hang) from Sheung Shui MTR Station to reach Lin Ma Hang Village through the relevant section of road within the FCA. After alighting, members of the public can visit tourist attractions such as MacIntosh Forts and Lin Ma Hang Lead Mine directly via the Lin Ma Hang Country Trail and can continue towards the direction of Sha Tau Kok via the Robin’s Nest Country Trail to enjoy the scenery around Yan Chau Tong and Shenzhen Wutong Mountain.      “We hope this measure can facilitate visits by members of the public and tourists to Robin’s Nest Country Park and nearby areas for sightseeing and experiencing Hong Kong’s rich geological features and historical heritage,” the spokesman said. The spokesman added that this exemption is only applicable to persons travelling by green minibus through the relevant section of road within the FCA and does not apply to private vehicles, taxis or other vehicles without a valid closed road permit, or to members of the public using other means of travel such as walking or cycling.     “In fact, there are various ways to visit Robin’s Nest Country Park, not limited to the above road within the FCA. Members of the public and tourists may choose other transportation means and routes, including New Territories green minibus No. 55K (Sheung Shui Station – Sha Tau Kok), KMB bus No. 78K (Sheung Shui Station – Sha Tau Kok), or KMB bus No. 277A (Lam Tin Station – Sha Tau Kok), to arrive at the Tam Shui Hang stop of Sha Tau Kok Road (Shek Chung Au), and then to the entrance of the Lin Ma Hang Country Trail through Shan Tsui Village Road. Public transport operators will closely monitor passenger demand and reserve sufficient vehicles and manpower to enhance frequency according to actual passenger growth,” the spokesman said.     For more information on Robin’s Nest Country Park, please visit the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk) or the Enjoy Hiking website (www.hiking.gov.hk).

     
    Ends/Friday, January 24, 2025Issued at HKT 9:01

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road closed, SH2, Ormond

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Matawai Road/SH2 is closed following a serious crash in Ormond this afternoon.

    Police were alerted to a two vehicle crash near Hatten Lane at around 1.10pm.

    Initial enquiries suggest there are injuries.

    The road is closed while the Serious Crash Unit examine the scene.

    Southbound traffic has diversions however it is not suitable for large trucks. There are no diversions for northbound traffic.

    Motorists are advised to avoid the area, use alternate routes and expect delays.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appeal for information: burglaries, Rolleston

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attribute to Senior Sergeant Rachel Walker, Area Response Manager, Canterbury Rural South:

    Rolleston Police investigating reports of burglaries from residential addresses in recent weeks would like to hear from anyone who may have information that could help.

    Three separate incidents have been reported since the 1 January this year.

    Among the items that were stolen were a number of military medals, including a Pacific Star medal, distinctive jewellery and a go-kart. Police are appealing for any information that could reunite these items with their rightful owners.

    If you have any information that could help our enquiries, and you have not yet spoken to Police, please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 250123/2449.

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

    We would also like to remind people to keep their homes as safe as possible if they’re going away this summer.

    Lock up doors and windows and ask a neighbour to check on your home regularly. Consider investing in an alarm system and sensor lights.

    Also ensure you have someone trusted to clear your mail and any other items that may be delivered. If you see any suspicious behaviour, please call 111 immediately.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Two new councillors elected in Edinburgh as by-election result announced

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Neil Cuthbert (left) and Conor Savage

    The Colinton/Fairmilehead by-election result has been announced at Waverley Court in Edinburgh.

    Neil Cuthbert of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and Conor Savage of the Scottish Labour Party have been duly elected to serve in the City of Edinburgh Council as members for the Colinton/Fairmilehead Ward.

    The declaration was made in the early hours of Friday, 24 January by Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence.

    Returning Officer for Edinburgh Paul Lawrence, said:

    Thanks to everyone who took part in the by-election to elect two new councillors to represent their communities on matters affecting their ward and the wider city. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Neil and Conor as new councillors and look forward to working with them.

    I would also like to thank our elections team and council colleagues who have worked so hard on this by-election in recent months – not least given the extremely challenging circumstances of rescheduling the count at such short notice due to Storm Eowyn.

    The turnout for the by-election was 31.9%.

    For further details of the results, please visit the Elections section of the Council website.

    Published: January 24th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Domestic violence and firearms offences – Johnson

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have arrested a 30-year-old male in relation to domestic violence offences on Thursday afternoon.

    Around 10am Thursday, police received intelligence that a male who was allegedly involved in a domestic violence assault the previous day, Wednesday 22 January 2025, was in possession of a firearm and driving through the Palmerston area.

    Territory Safety Division (TSD) members attended the male’s residence on Tarakan Court, established a cordon, and the 30-year-old male was arrested. During a lawful search of the unit, officers located and seized a quantity of illicit substances.

    A subsequent search of the offender’s vehicle located a firearm and ammunition, which were also seized.

    The firearm was not used during either incident.

    The offender remains in police custody, with charges expected to follow. Investigations are ongoing.

    If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, please reach out on 131 444 or, in an emergency, call 000. You can also anonymously report through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Joint Statement from AG Brown, Twelve Other Attorneys General: State and Local Law Enforcement Cannot Be Commandeered for Federal Immigration Enforcement

    Source: Washington State News

    OLYMPIA – Attorney General Nick Brown, along with the attorneys general of California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont, today issued a joint statement addressing a memorandum from a Trump political appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice addressing state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement:

    “It is well-established — through longstanding Supreme Court precedent — that the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal laws. While the federal government may use its own resources for federal immigration enforcement, the court ruled in Printz v. United States that the federal government cannot ‘impress into its service — and at no cost to itself — the police officers of the 50 States.’ This balance of power between the federal government and state governments is a touchstone of our American system of federalism.

    “Despite what he may say to the contrary, the President cannot unilaterally re-write the Constitution. The President has made troubling threats to weaponize the U.S. Department of Justice’s prosecutorial authority and resources to attack public servants acting in compliance with their state laws, interfering with their ability to build trust with the communities they serve and protect. Right now, these vague threats are just that: empty words on paper. But rest assured, our states will not hesitate to respond if these words become illegal actions.

    “As state attorneys general, we have a responsibility to enforce state laws – and we will continue to investigate and prosecute crimes, regardless of immigration status. We will not be distracted by the President’s mass deportation agenda.” 

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Commissioner recommends panel inquire into Judge’s conduct

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today.
    “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident on 22 November 2024 to the Judicial Conduct Commissioner,” Ms Collins says.
    “The Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be set up to inquire into what happened. However, because of my role in making the referral, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith will act as Attorney-General on this matter, to avoid any perception of conflict of interest, bias or pre-determination on my part in the decision yet to be made.
    “Mr Goldsmith will therefore now consider the Commissioner’s recommendation.
    “No further comment will be made.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –