NewzIntel.com

Category: Law Enforcement

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man charged following investigation into theft of high-value handbags from Wimbledon shop

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been charged following a police investigation into the theft of high-value handbags from a shop on Wimbledon High Street.

    Joshua Grant McKenzie, 22 (18.09.02) of Hounslow Rd, Feltham, was charged with theft on Sunday, 26 January in relation to the incident which took place on Tuesday, 14 January.

    He is due to appear at Ealing Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 27 January.

    Met officers have been working closely with Surrey Police colleagues, and today, McKenzie has also been charged by Surrey Police with theft from a store owned by the same business in Oakdene Parade, Cobham, on Monday 13 January.

    The charges relate to the alleged theft of handbags, totalling around £15,000 in value, from the shops.

    The store owner has been updated by police.

    A 22-year-old man was arrested on Saturday, 25 January and charged as above.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PHOTO RELEASE: Kristi Noem Sworn in as the Secretary of DHS

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Kristi Noem was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a vote of 59-34  and sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.  

    “It is such an honor to be sworn in as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security. It was made even more meaningful by being sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas at his home. Thank you, President Trump for putting your trust in me to help keep America safe.”  

    — Secretary Kristi Noem  

    On January 25, Kristi Noem is sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

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    On January 25, Kristi Noem is sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security | View Original
    The swearing-in ceremony took place at the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

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    The swearing-in ceremony took place at the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. | View Original
    On January 25, Kristi Noem is sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

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    On January 25, Kristi Noem is sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security | View Original
    On January 25, Kristi Noem is sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

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    On January 25, Kristi Noem is sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security | View Original

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Officer commended for bravery after disarming knife-wielding man

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    An officer has been praised for his outstanding bravery in single-handedly tackling a suspect armed with a knife who was trying to stab another man.

    PC Morgan Younger managed to take him to the ground and disarm and restrain him while calling for further assistance.

    The incident happened at a petrol station in Lee High Road, Lewisham at around 15:00hrs on Saturday, 25 January.

    Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jon Savell, in charge of policing London this weekend, said: “This is outstanding work from an officer who was on patrol alone, saw a very violent crime in progress and, without hesitation, raced in to assist.

    “I cannot overstate how proud we are in the Met today of his quick-thinking and bravery. He was calm and professional and everything we want our police officers to be.

    “I have no doubt without his intervention, the victim would have been seriously injured.”

    PC Younger, who is attached to South East Command Unit and has five years’ service, was on patrol when he stopped at the petrol station to quickly buy a drink. At the entrance, he saw a man grab the victim around the throat and try to stab him with a large knife.

    The officer immediately responded, took hold of the suspect and struggled with him while he continued to wield the knife.

    He managed to bring him to the floor and disarm him without any help.

    He then restrained him single-handedly while calling for back-up and still managing to arrest the man for attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

    He kept the man under control for five minutes until further officers arrived to help.

    The man, in his 60s, remains in custody at this stage. He was further arrested for handling stolen goods and being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, after a quantity of drugs was found at his home address.

    The victim, aged in his 40s, was not injured thanks to PC Younger’s swift work.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU launched the All-Russian competition “Family History. Immortal Memory”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    The opening ceremony of the All-Russian competition “Family History. Immortal Memory” was held on Russian Students’ Day, January 25. The State University of Management is the organizer of the competition.

    Opening the official ceremony, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Olga Petrova noted the significance of the fact that the competition is starting in the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland. “This is a continuation of the Year of the Family, because the values that they lay down are fundamental family values, these are the meanings and traditions that connect us, generations to generations.”

    Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev emphasized that the day for the start of such an important competition was not chosen by chance. “The competition will be interesting and useful for the younger generation, and I would like the date of the great Victory to become close and dear to them,” the rector noted, adding that the competition will last until mid-summer and include many events.

    Member of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, GUU graduate Biysultan Khamzaev emphasized Russian Student Day in his speech. “Everyone remembers their student days and I would like today’s youth not to miss this moment, so that they would later remember their university days with warmth. Happy holiday to everyone. And this year – the year of the great Victory of our ancestors – the competition starts. Guys, spend your time creatively, study, but also do not forget our veterans.”

    The award ceremony was followed by. Biysultan Khamzayev presented letters of gratitude “For contribution to the development of higher education, long-term conscientious work and assistance in the implementation of parliamentary activities” to Vladimir Stroyev, Vice-Rector Pavel Pavlovsky, Deputy Director of the Institute of Industry Management Andrey Lipatov, Head of the Patriotic Education Department of the Department of Youth Policy and Educational Work (UMPiVR) Almaz Akhayev, specialist of the youth policy department of the UMPiVR Marianna Loretsyan. “For special achievements in studies, conscientious attitude to the educational process and active civic position” – to students of the Institute of Public Administration and Law Ramazan Rakhmanov and the Institute of Industry Management Magomed Khadziev.

    The opening ceremony of the competition was also attended by Deputy State Secretary of the Union State Elena Bogdan, Vice-Rector of the Russian State Humanitarian University Irakli Balkvadze, Vice-Rector of the Yaroslavl State Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushinsky Denis Palatnikov, representatives of the Kherson University and Vitebsk State University.

    The All-Russian competition “Family History. Immortal Memory” is a competition for students and teachers who would like to tell the stories of their families during the Great Patriotic War. The main goal is to preserve the connection between generations: today’s youth and their grandfathers and great-grandfathers who defeated fascism. The initiator of the competition was the State University of Management and personally the rector Vladimir Stroyev. The strategic partners of the competition were the Association “I am proud” and the “People’s Front” of the DPR. RUDN, RTU MIREA, and RSUH participated in the work on organizing the event.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 01/26/2025

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    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: California depends on prison labour to deal with climate disasters — Canada must avoid a similar model

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jordan House, Assistant Professor, Labour Studies, Brock University

    As wildfires continue to burn in and around Los Angeles, the fact that many of the firefighters battling the blazes are inmates from California’s prison system has drawn significant attention in news coverage.

    While the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) claims their fire camp program is voluntary and provides prisoners with meaningful opportunities, research demonstrates otherwise.

    Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argue that the program exploits incarcerated individuals, labelling it as “modern-day slavery.” One ex-prisoner described it as “involuntary servitude.”

    An inmate shares his experience fighting California wildfires (ABC News).

    The use of prison labour is particularly concerning, given Black Americans are incarcerated at nearly five times the rate of white Americans in state prisons. In 12 states, more than half of the prison population is Black.

    California prisoners are denied access to minimum wage provisions, prevented from forming labour unions and denied access to other workplace safety regulations. They’re also more likely to be injured or to die on the job than non-incarcerated firefighters. Their wages are capped at US$29.80 per day, compared to non-incarcerated firefighters, who earn up to US$358 daily, not including overtime.

    While serving in a fire crew gives prisoners the chance to shave time off of their sentences and have records expunged, neither of these benefits is guaranteed. Both are contingent on the CDCR or county jails deeming the service in a fire camp to be “successful.” This leaves prisoners vulnerable to being denied these benefits, despite risking injury or death.

    Prison labour in the Canadian context

    Some Canadian coverage of the L.A. fires has noted that provincial prisoners in British Columbia also work in a wildfire suppression program. However, little has been said about how that work relates to the larger system of prison labour in the country.

    Like their counterparts south of the border, Canadian prisoners are engaged in various forms of labour, including wildfire management, but are denied basic rights as workers.

    In 1975, Donald Griggs, then-superintendent of Ontario’s Monteith Correctional Complex, told the Globe and Mail that prison labour had been used in response to fires from time immemorial: “When a fire got bad, the jails were emptied and the men were shoved out on the fire line.”

    By the late 1960s, programs for prisoners to support wildfire suppression had become more formalized. During that time, for example, prisoners at Beaver Creek, a federal prison in Ontario, participated in regional bushfire response efforts. Working in the program offered prisoners, who were paid $1.25 an hour, a chance at some “action.”

    By the mid-1970s, some Ontario prisoners earned up to $50 a day battling wildfires. Today, however, most prisoners don’t earn anything close to those wages. Federal prisoner pay maxes out at $6.90 per day.

    In the rare situations where prisoners are relatively well-compensated, prison labour still offers employers unique benefits. Prisoners’ lack of freedom and limited ability to refuse work is touted as an advantage. Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) officials have argued that, compared to volunteer firefighters, prisoners “are always in one place and available for duty.”

    Prison labour in British Columbia

    Canada’s most prominent use of prison labour to manage wildfires is in B.C. While prisoners served in direct firefighting roles in the past, today provincial prisoners, who make between $2 and $8 per day, play a critical support role for wildfire-fighting crews by maintaining equipment and fire camps.

    Notably, all the participating prisoners have “open custody” status, having “behaved exceptionally well during previous experience on other community work crews.”

    In Canada, prisoners are supposed to work as part of their rehabilitation, not as punishment. However, the reality often prioritizes the needs of employers over the rehabilitation of prisoners. A review of the CSC’s Federal Work Release Program, which was established in 1992 and included a firefighting component, notes:

    “It is not necessary that the work be directly related to the offender’s correctional plan…work release is a very flexible program that allows correctional managers to respond to community projects and local needs for labour.”

    This is particularly concerning given that ex-prisoners often struggle to secure gainful employment upon release, despite their participation in employment programming.

    Prison labour as a response to climate disasters

    While the idea of keeping people incarcerated to maintain a labour force to fight disasters might sound like something out of science fiction, it’s not mere speculation. Responses to climate catastrophes like the L.A. fires demand huge amounts of resources and labour.

    Former U.S. vice-president Kamala Harris, as California attorney general, led a campaign to defy a U.S. Supreme Court order to reduce the state’s prison population partly because decarceration would “severely impact fire camp participation.”

    In Canada, prison labour has similarly been used in disaster responses. Most recently, CORCAN, the federal prison industry program, has been contracted to build temporary housing for people displaced by the 2024 wildfires in Jasper, Alta.

    Just as Black, Indigenous and racialized people in the U.S. are more likely to become incarcerated, these are also the populations that suffer disproportionately from the impacts of wildfires. Studies have shown that Indigenous communities in Canada are the hardest hit by wildfires, while Indigenous Peoples make up the fastest growing prison populations.

    Much like the U.S., Canada also disproportionately incarcerates Black, Indigenous and racialized people, while also depriving incarcerated labourers of access to minimum wage rights, workplace safety provisions and the right to unionize.

    The root cause of many of these disasters — climate change — is disproportionately driven by the world’s wealthiest elites. The use of prison labour to fight wildfires only further perpetuates the systemic inequalities exacerbated by climate injustice and reflects a continuation of indentured servitude.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. California depends on prison labour to deal with climate disasters — Canada must avoid a similar model – https://theconversation.com/california-depends-on-prison-labour-to-deal-with-climate-disasters-canada-must-avoid-a-similar-model-248099

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The legacy of anti-Black racism: The public health crisis of racial trauma

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ingrid Waldron, Professor, Faculty of Humanities, HOPE Chair in Peace & Health, McMaster University

    The police killing of George Floyd in 2020 in the United States was an appalling act involving a group of officers who did not place much, if any, value on the life of a Black man. In the agonizing nine minutes before he died under the knee of Derek Chauvin, Floyd cried out for air and for his mother.

    Those moments, recorded by a passerby and shared widely and repeatedly over the days that followed, shocked the consciences of many Americans and others, triggering protests across the United States and in other countries, many of them led by the Black Lives Matter movement.

    Chauvin was convicted of murder, and three other officers were convicted of other serious crimes.



    Read more:
    How to deal with the pain of racism — and become a better advocate: Don’t Call Me Resilient EP 2

    While there is now greater awareness and scrutiny of racism and violence in policing, there is also a long record of reverting to old ways. Indeed, deeply entrenched racial bias is rooted in the soul and psyche of North American society and globally.

    When we think about Black Lives Matter, we typically think of criminal justice, but the movement also started a conversation about the lingering mental health impacts of police brutality on those who experience it directly, as well as those who experience it vicariously.

    Black trauma

    The traumatizing after-effects of anti-Black racism also result from Black people’s experiences within other social structures, such as employment, education and health care.

    The trauma resulting from multiple forms of anti-Black racism has a legacy that took root during the colonial era and has endured, impacting the spiritual, emotional, psychological and mental well-being of Black people in societies harmed by colonialism, such as Canada, the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

    I am a professor and the HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global Peace and Social Justice Program at McMaster University. I have been studying Black trauma for almost 20 years, and recently published a book on the subject, From the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter: Tracing the Impacts of Racial Trauma in Black Communities from the Colonial Era to the Present.

    The book documents that since the colonial era, Black bodies have been receptacles for trauma that carry the weight of the past and the present. Black trauma is deep, complex and continuing, and has harmful impacts on the mental health of Black people. It includes the dehumanizing and lingering consequences of the slave trade, the social and economic subjugation of Black people in Jim Crow America and the racist social structures that persist there and in Canada, the U.K. and elsewhere.

    For Black people, trauma results from racist assaults to their spiritual, emotional, mental, psychological and physical well-being. When racism resides in the body in these visceral ways, it manifests as emotional pain and rage, and its lingering after-effects endure over generations.

    Public health crisis

    Addressing the public health crisis of racial trauma for Black people requires that racism be recognized as a legitimate issue in health education and training, research, clinical practice, mental health services and policy, and in the mental health system more broadly.

    It also requires that mental health professionals not only become more culturally competent, but also develop skills in structural competency.

    That means being prepared to play a role in dismantling the inequities embedded within our social structures, including addressing the impact of upstream factors (poverty, poor public infrastructure, etc.) on the mental health of Black and other marginalized populations.

    Addressing racial trauma experienced by Black people also demands an analysis that appreciates racism’s inter-generational and multifaceted features. This analysis would examine how racism not only manifests itself over generations, but also at different levels, such as through everyday interactions between people (individual racism), within institutions (institutional racism), or through cultural dominance (cultural racism).

    Challenging legacies

    Addressing racial trauma experienced by Black people also demands an analysis that appreciates racism’s inter-generational and multifaceted features.
    (Shutterstock)

    For too long, efforts to address disparities between Black and white people in education, labour, employment, health and other social structures have focused on attributing these disparities to pathologies presumed to be inherent to Black culture and Black people. Instead, these efforts must be focused on identifying, dismantling and resolving the pathologies embedded within these social structures and peeling back the systems of power that impact mental health and well-being in Black communities.

    Resolving structural pathologies that harm Black people must be accompanied by a willingness to understand and appreciate the complexities of Black life, Black trauma and Black responses to trauma that may appear maladaptive to many, but that are normal and natural responses to racism’s intergenerational, multi-faceted and multilevel manifestations.

    Finally, resolving Black trauma must involve challenging the colonial and imperial legacies that reside within psychiatry and other mental health professions.

    Ingrid Waldron receives funding from CIHR, SSHRC.

    – ref. The legacy of anti-Black racism: The public health crisis of racial trauma – https://theconversation.com/the-legacy-of-anti-black-racism-the-public-health-crisis-of-racial-trauma-246104

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for witnesses – Assault – Darwin

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force is calling for witnesses in relation to an assault that occurred in Muirhead this afternoon.

    At 3.05pm, police received reports of an alleged assault of an 11-year-old boy by an unknown male youth at the William Forest Park in Muirhead.

    The victim had been walking along Asche Street when he was allegedly followed by the offender riding a black two-wheel push scooter. As the victim entered the William Forest Park, the offender allegedly assaulted him, causing him to fall to the ground. The offender allegedly further assaulted him while on the ground, before the victim was able to get away and call for help.

    The offender subsequently fled the area on the scooter and remains outstanding.

    He is described as being of Aboriginal appearance, aged between 16-18 years old, about 5’10”, with a skinny build, wearing a long white and black dress with puffy hair.

    Detectives are currently investigating and urge anyone who witnessed the incident, or with CCTV footage or dash cam footage of the location between 2pm-3.30pm, to make contact on 131 444 and quote reference NTP2500009737.

    Anonymous reports can also be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man charged with Putney murder

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been charged with murder following a death in Putney.

    Rory Talbot, 30 (12.10.94), of Mossbury Road, Wandsworth, was charged on Saturday, 25 January with the murder of his father Mark Talbot, aged 75.

    Rory Talbot is remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 27 January.

    On Friday, 24 January at 03:36hrs police were called to an address in Deodar Road, SW15 following reports of a stabbing.

    Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service who treated Mr Talbot.

    Despite their best efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mark Talbot who have been affected by this tragic incident, and who continue to receive support from specialist officers.

    Mark Talbot’s family said: “We are grateful for the support provided by police, our neighbours and others. We ask that our privacy is respected while we come to terms with the tragic loss of a highly respected member of the community.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Officials pay caring visits across city

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government’s principal officials today toured Yau Tsim Mong, Sha Tin, Kwai Tsing and Tuen Mun to meet different families and celebrate the Lunar New Year on the second day of the year-end caring visits in 18 districts.

    Accompanied by district officers, district council members and representatives from the District Services & Community Care Team, the officials learnt about citizens’ daily lives and needs as well as gave them blessing bags.

    Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing visited an elderly singleton in Tai Kok Tsui and presented her with a fruit basket, lap-mei or Chinese preserved meats and a panda doll. 

    Mr Cheuk also shared the festive joy with a family newly-arrived in Hong Kong residing in Tai Kok Tsui.

    While Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan engaged with grassroots families, an elderly couple and an elderly singleton living in Shui Chuen O Estate, Sha Tin.

    In addition, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn met singleton seniors in Kwai Fong Estate.

    Meanwhile, Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak called on an elderly singleton and a person with disabilities living in Tin King Estate, Tuen Mun.

    The principal officials will continue to visit different families in the coming two days to extend care and blessings and bring festive joy to the public.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What France loses by closing its military bases in Africa

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Thierry Vircoulon, Coordinateur de l’Observatoire pour l’Afrique centrale et australe de l’Institut Français des Relations Internationales, membre du Groupe de Recherche sur l’Eugénisme et le Racisme, Université Paris Cité

    Senegalese president Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced on 31 December 2024 that all foreign military bases in his country would close by 2025. On the same day, the Ivorian president said France would hand over control of the Abidjan military base to his country’s army.

    These announcements followed the planned withdrawal of French forces from Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Researcher Thierry Vircoulon discusses the potential implications of these decisions for France.

    What advantages could France lose by withdrawing its troops from African countries?

    France’s military presence in French-speaking Africa has evolved in strategic importance over the past 65 years. Over time, the significance of this presence has diminished. By the end of the 20th century, some French military bases had been closed and the number of pre-positioned troops had reduced from 20,000 in 1970 to 6,000 in 2022.

    Military bases have been a strategic asset for France, initially securing newly independent and fragile regimes in the aftermath of independence. They also played a key role in conducting external operations. These bases served as logistical hubs that enabled French military interventions and the evacuation of French nationals during crises.

    For instance, Operation Sagittarius, which evacuated European nationals from Sudan at the start of the war in April 2023, relied on the resources of the French base in Djibouti.

    Without these logistical points, projecting military strength becomes much more challenging and, in some cases, impossible. The closure of these military bases implies the end of major French military interventions, such as Operation Licorne (2002-2015) or Barkhane (2014-2022).

    In recent years, the cost-benefit analysis of these bases has been questioned in Paris. They have become a political and strategic issue. On one hand, these bases symbolise the old post-independence security pact between Paris and the leaders of some countries, making them appear as a legacy of neocolonialism.

    On the other hand, from a strategic point of view, having a pre-positioned military presence in Africa serves little purpose when the main threats to France come from elsewhere (for instance, eastern Europe and the Middle East). As a result, the strategic value of France’s military bases in Africa has diminished in recent years.

    What impact could military withdrawal have on France’s political and diplomatic influence in its former African colonies?

    The closure of the bases would signal the end of France’s capacity to intervene – whether justified or not – in certain conflicts across Africa.

    This would weaken its influence in the region, particularly as conflicts intensify across the continent, with more and more African countries seeking security providers. Addressing, stabilising or resolving these conflicts requires a combination of diplomacy and military intervention.

    It’s important to distinguish between countries that have chosen to sever military cooperation agreements with Paris (such as Chad and Senegal) and those that have simply closed military bases but maintained the military cooperation (like Ivory Coast).

    The announcement of base closures by African leaders, rather than by Paris, symbolises a rejection of French policy. This marks a significant loss of influence for France in the countries involved.

    Could this withdrawal reduce France’s influence in managing security crises in Africa?

    As part of the informal division of security responsibilities among western nations, France has long been considered the “gendarme of Africa”.

    Between 1964 and 2014, France conducted no fewer than 52 military operations across the continent. At the start of the 21st century, it played the role of lead nation in European military interventions in Africa. Other western powers recognised France’s expertise in managing African crises. In most cases, they either supported or simply followed its policies.

    This was reflected in France’s diplomatic responsibilities within the European Union and at the United Nations. French diplomacy is well represented in the Africa division of the European External Action Service. The French delegation is tasked with drafting UN security council resolutions on Africa. The peacekeeping department at the UN is led by a French diplomat.

    The end of France’s military interventionism will have diplomatic repercussions beyond Africa. They are already being felt in Brussels, Washington and New York.

    In Niger, the United States did not follow France’s hard line stance after the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in 2023. Instead it attempted to engage with the junta. This effort ultimately failed.

    In Chad, while Paris was complacent towards the dynastic succession from Idriss Déby to his son, Berlin took a critical stance. This led to a diplomatic crisis and the expulsion of ambassadors from Chad and Germany in 2023. In Italy, prime minister Giorgia Meloni publicly criticised French policy in Africa, causing tensions between Paris and Rome.

    How will the reduction in military presence affect France’s ability to protect its economic interests, particularly in the mining and energy sectors?

    In 2023, Africa accounted for only 1.9% of France’s foreign trade, 15% of its supply of strategic minerals, and 11.6% of its oil and gas supply.

    France’s top two trading partners in sub-Saharan Africa are Nigeria and South Africa – former British colonies which have never hosted a French military base.

    Since the beginning of the century, relations between France and African countries have been marked by a clear separation between economic and military interests. France not only has diminishing economic interests in Africa, but these are concentrated in countries that do not host French military bases.

    Thierry Vircoulon is a research associate at the Institut Français des Relations Internationales and an expert on the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime.

    – ref. What France loses by closing its military bases in Africa – https://theconversation.com/what-france-loses-by-closing-its-military-bases-in-africa-247898

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Principal Officials of HKSAR Government continue year-end caring visits in 18 districts (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The year-end caring visits in 18 districts co-ordinated by the Home Affairs Department continued today (January 26). Principal Officials (POs) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government continued to tour various districts today, including Yau Tsim Mong, Sha Tin, Kwai Tsing and Tuen Mun Districts, to visit different families and chat with them, learn about their living conditions, distribute blessing bags in celebration of the Chinese New Year, share the festive joy and celebrate the Chinese New Year together.
          
         Accompanied by the District Officer (Yau Tsim Mong), Mr Edward Yu, the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, together with Yau Tsim Mong District Council members and representatives from the District Services and Community Care Team (Care Team) (Yau Tsim Mong), visited an elderly singleton and a new arrival family living in Tai Kok Tsui to learn about their daily lives and needs, and share the festive joy.
          
         Accompanied by the District Officer (Sha Tin), Mr Frederick Yu, the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, together with a Sha Tin District Council member and representatives from the Care Team (Sha Tin), visited grassroots families, an elderly couple and an elderly singleton living in Shui Chuen O Estate, Sha Tin, to learn about their needs and share the festive joy of the Chinese New Year together.

         In addition, accompanied by the District Officer (Kwai Tsing), Mr Huggin Tang, the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, together with a Kwai Tsing District Council member and representatives from the Care Team (Kwai Tsing), visited singleton elderly people living in Kwai Fong Estate. Accompanied by the District Officer (Tuen Mun), Mr Michael Kwan, the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, together with a Tuen Mun District Council member and representatives from the Care Team (Tuen Mun), visited an elderly singleton and a person with disabilities living in Tin King Estate.
          
         The POs of the Government will continue to visit different families during the coming two days to extend care and blessings, and bring festive joy to the public.               

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police update on city events

    Source: South Australia Police

    Police were pleased with the overwhelming majority of community members who attended the Adelaide CBD today to participate in the events held, including the Tour Down under and other Australia Day events.

    At least a dozen people from across the Country, not involved in organised events or protests, were arrested and charged with various street offences including failing to cease loiter, possess articles of disguise, hinder and resist arrest. One of the males arrested has also been charged with displaying a Nazi symbol.

    Further details on arrests will be released later this afternoon.

    Police would like to thank those people who safely and peacefully attended city events.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Twelve Indicted in Connection with Violent Drug Trafficking Gang That Distributed Fentanyl in Seattle and Everett

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

    Group referred to two distribution sites in U District of Seattle as “the House” and “the Office” – Leader shot dead outside one location earlier this year

    Seattle – A coordinated law enforcement operation over the last 48 hours has resulted in eleven arrests of members of a drug trafficking ring that set up shop in the University District of Seattle, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. A year-long wire-tap investigation led to the indictment of 11 defendants on drug distribution and weapons charges. A twelfth defendant with ties to the organization was indicted on illegal weapons possession in connection with a deadly shooting at a Hookah bar in South Seattle. The defendants arrested over the last two days have or will be making appearances in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

    “These defendants were prolific fentanyl dealers who were frequently armed when guarding their stash or distributing their drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “The danger to the community cannot be overstated in this case. The leader of the drug crew was gunned down last summer – right in front of one of the U District locations where members of the crew distributed their poison, and continued do so, following the deadly shooting.”

    “This operation exemplifies the power of collaboration among law enforcement agencies at all levels,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “By uniting our resources and expertise, we have successfully dismantled a criminal network that has endangered our communities through violent acts and the distribution of fentanyl. Together, we will continue to fight against violent crime and protect the lives of our citizens.”

    “There’s no true relief for those who have lost loved ones to drug-related crime or rising overdoses,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke of IRS-CI Seattle. “We stand with our law enforcement partners to stop groups that profit from the fentanyl epidemic by following the money.”

    Thirty-one locations were searched yesterday by some 600 law enforcement officers from ten different agencies. A total of eleven people were arrested: nine of those indicted and two additional defendants were arrested on criminal complaints.

    Three defendants are indicted for both gun and drug crimes:

    Cooper Sherman, aka “Coop,” 27, of Seattle is charged with conspiracy, two counts of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

    Alvin Whiteside, aka “Mafia, 51, of Federal Way is charged with conspiracy, one count of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Whiteside is in state custody and will be transferred to federal custody.

    Muhamed Ceesay, aka “Mo,” 27, of Lynnwood is charged with conspiracy, two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Ceesay remains a fugitive.

    These eight defendants are charged in the indictment for the drug conspiracy and various drug distribution crimes:

    Ali Kuyateh, aka “Pops,” 49, of Seattle

    Lamin Saho aka “Buck,” 38, of Everett, Washington

    Oche Poston, 31, of Everett, Washington

    Jaquan Means, 45, of Bellevue, Washington

    Dominque Sanders, 34, of Everett, Washington – remains a fugitive.

    Patrick Smith, 27 of Edmonds, Washington – remains a fugitive.

    Matthew Robinson, 37, of Everett, Washington

    Yohannes Wondimagegnehu, aka “Jon,” 35, of Seattle

    Finally, Khaliil Ahmed, aka “Bossup,” 26, of Kent, Washington, was identified as someone who supplied guns to members of the conspiracy. He is charged in a separate indictment with three counts of illegal possession of firearms, and one count of illegal possession of ammunition. Two of the charges relate to guns he possessed on August 20, 2023, at the time of a fatal shooting at a hookah bar in South Seattle. Ahmed was injured in the shooting and three others were killed. The final two charges relate to a firearm and ammunition he possessed on May 30, 2024. Ahmed is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2022 conviction for illegally possessing firearms.

    Two defendants – Anteneh Tesfaye, 39, of Edmonds, Washington, and Michael Janisch, 25, of Mercer Island, Washington, were arrested on criminal complaints.

    Over the course of the investigation law enforcement has seized more than 19 kg of fentanyl, 12 firearms, and more than $130,000 in cash. In the operations yesterday they seized over 50 firearms to include fully automatic weapons and handguns with Glock switches; thousands of rounds of ammunition, including high capacity drum magazines, and armor-piercing rounds; several hundred thousand dollars of bulk cash and jewelry; 1 kilogram of fentanyl and 4 kilograms of cocaine.

    The charges contained in the indictments are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    This case 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 .

    This investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with significant participation by Seattle Police Department (SPD), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington State Patrol (WSP), FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Border Patrol, the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Bellevue Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Everett Police Department, Renton Police Department, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Washington State National Guard, Washington State Gambling Commission, Yakima County Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D) Narcotics and Gang Task Force, and Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Jensen and Joseph Silvio.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bay d’Espoir — Bay d’Espoir RCMP investigates break and enter at Canada Post storage shed

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Bay d’Espoir RCMP is investigating a break, enter and theft that occurred at a Canada Post storage shed sometime between Saturday, November 2 and Monday, November 4.

    Shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Monday, police received the report of the crime that occurred at the storage shed located on Route 360, approximately 1 km north of the Route 361 turnoff. Suspect(s) forced entry into the shed, causing property damage. In the same area, a passenger van was stolen and was later recovered abandoned at an apartment building parking lot in Grand Falls-Windsor. See images attached.

    Police believe the two incidents may be related. The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone with information about this crime or the identity of those responsible is asked to contact Bay d’Espoir RCMP at 709-882-2230. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Albuquerque FBI Division Announces It’s 2025 Citizen’s Academy

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

    Have you ever wondered how the FBI solves a case? Want to hear about the work agents are doing across New Mexico? Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda welcomes business, civic, and faith-based community leaders to apply for FBI Albuquerque’s Citizens Academy program, where we will give participants a first-hand look into life at the FBI.

    “The FBI’s Citizens Academy provides an incredible opportunity for members of the community to better understand the work of the FBI and partner with us in keeping New Mexico citizens safe,” said Raul Bujanda, special agent in charge for the FBI Albuquerque Division. “The FBI Citizens Academy program is a unique opportunity for us to share our work one-on-one with community leaders of all backgrounds, and for them to provide us with feedback. Through frank discussion and information sharing, we can improve relationships and advance our mission to protect all Americans.”

    FBI Albuquerque is now accepting nominations for the 2025 FBI Citizens Academy. Over the course of 8 sessions this spring, select business, religious, civic, and community leaders will be given an opportunity to go behind the scenes of local FBI operations and experience case studies and demonstrations led by Special Agents, Intelligence Analysts, and FBI Professional Staff. Topics will include how the FBI works to combat violent crime, human trafficking, cybercrime, counterintelligence, Indian Country, terrorism, and how teams train in forensics, firearms, evidence recovery, and more.

    • When: Wednesday evenings February 19th, 2025 – April 23rd, 2025
    • Where: FBI Albuquerque 4200 Luecking Park Ave NE, Albuquerque New Mexico 87107

    How to Apply: The FBI Citizens Academy is open to anyone with an interest in learning how the FBI works to protect and serve the community. Candidates can be nominated by a program alumnus, former or current FBI employee, or self-nominated. The nomination form must be completed in full and returned by the close of business on Friday, December 20, 2024. If selected, there is no cost to attend. Questions regarding the program or application process can be directed to aq.outreach@fbi.gov

    Requirements:

    • Business, religious, civic, or community leader
    • Be at least 21 years of age
    • No felony or serious misdemeanor convictions
    • Cannot be under investigation as a subject in a criminal case
    • Must live or work in New Mexico
    • Must agree to and pass a limited background check
    • Must be able to attend classes in person

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two National MS-13 Gang Leaders and Other MS-13 Members and Associates Indicted for Murders in Queens and Long Island

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

    Superseding Indictment Adds Charges Relating to Three Murders, Including Charges Against National Gang Leaders Edenilson Velasquez Larin and Hugo Diaz Amaya

    A 49-count superseding indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn that includes new charges relating to murders allegedly ordered and committed by national leaders, members and associates of the violent transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13.  To date, multiple MS-13 members and associates have been charged in the case for numerous crimes including the murders of Andy Peralta in 2018, Victor Alvarenga in 2018, Abel Mosso in 2019 and Eric Monge in 2020.  The superseding indictment filed today includes new charges against the following MS-13 members and associates:

    • Edenilson Velasquez Larin, also known as “Agresor,” “Saturno,” “Tiny,” “Erick” and “Paco,” allegedly a national leader of MS-13 and the Fulton Locos Salvatruchas (Fulton) clique, who is charged with the 2016 murder of Kenney Reyes and for ordering the murders of Monge in 2020 and Oswaldo Gutierrez Medrano in 2022.
    • Hugo Diaz Amaya, also known as “21” and “Splinter,” allegedly another national leader of MS-13 and the Park View Locos Salvatruchas clique, who is charged with racketeering conspiracy and the murder of Gutierrez Medrano in 2022.
    • Numerous other members of the Fulton clique, all of whom were previously charged in the case, have also now been charged with the murders of Reyes, Monge and Gutierrez Medrano.  

    Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York, Thomas G. Donlon, Interim Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Patrick Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the arrests and charges.

    “My Office and our law enforcement partners have worked tirelessly to hold MS-13 accountable for the unspeakable harm it has done to its victims and our communities.  As these charges make clear, our pursuit of those responsible will not be deterred by the passage of time or by the leaders of MS-13’s futile attempts to hide in the shadows,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This indictment strikes yet another blow at MS-13’s leadership and demonstrates our work to dismantle MS-13 from top to bottom.”

    Mr. Peace also thanked the FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Cross Border Task Force, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for their valuable coordination with the investigation.

    “Edenilson Velasquez Larin and Hugo Diaz Amaya, national MS-13 leaders, allegedly assumed the role of executioner by ordering and participating with the other charged defendants in a series of brutal murders to achieve status and revenge. These alleged conspiracies highlight the fearmongering and callousness in which MS-13 leaders and members operate. May today’s charges reflect the FBI’s commitment to continue its close collaboration with our law enforcement partners to rigorously dismantle the MS-13 hierarchy and disrupt all gang violence terrorizing our communities,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.

    “The defendants’ ruthless violence, in furtherance of the MS-13 gang, has no place in society and our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker. “Everyday, HSI New York and our law enforcement partners are utilizing every tool at our disposal to dismantle transnational gangs that jeopardize the safety of New Yorkers, as demonstrated with today’s announcement. No stone will be left unturned in our pursuit of justice on behalf of the victims slain by MS-13 gang members.”

    “These new charges highlight the NYPD’s relentless pursuit of individuals terrorizing our communities,” stated NYPD Interim Commissioner Donlon. “We and our law enforcement partners must continue to find and dismantle the gangs that fuel crime on our streets, and we must hold their members accountable for their senseless acts of violence. I express my gratitude to all of our federal, state, and local partners for their steadfast dedication to our shared public safety goal.”

    “We want to thank our partners in federal law enforcement, particularly the United States Attorney’s Office, for this collaborative effort to bring these violent and destructive criminals to justice,” stated Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.  “From our patrol officers on the street to the dedicated investigators in our Detective Division, the Nassau County Police Department is committed to fighting gang violence and rooting out those who bring destruction to our communities.”

    The U.S. Program

    As alleged in court filings, MS-13 is an extraordinarily violent street gang operating through “cliques” or chapters in Queens, Long Island and communities across the United States, as well as El Salvador, Honduras and other countries in the Americas and Europe.  The gang primarily makes money through drug trafficking and extortion, and is known for its gruesome murders of perceived gang rivals and gang members and associates who have violated the gang’s rules.  MS-13 has been responsible for dozens of murders in the Eastern District of New York alone.

    Since approximately 2021, virtually all MS-13 cliques in the United States have been united under a single hierarchy known as the “U.S. Program.”  The U.S. Program is led by a group of senior gang leaders, most of whom are incarcerated, known as “La Mesa” or “The Table.”  La Mesa, among other roles, allegedly authorizes and directs murders throughout the country, including in New York.  Prior to their arrests, Velasquez Larin and Diaz Amaya were allegedly two of the few members of La Mesa outside of prison — Velasquez Larin was living in Colorado and Diaz Amaya was living in Kansas — and were among the top leaders responsible for the gang’s operations on the East Coast.

    Murder of Kenny Reyes

    The superseding indictment adds charges for the 2016 murder in Uniondale, New York, of 18-year-old Kenny Reyes, who had recently come to the United States from Honduras.  As alleged in court filings, Fulton clique member Jose Espinoza Sanchez befriended Reyes and learned that he had been associated with the 18th Street gang, rivals of MS-13.  Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez plotted with other members of MS-13 in Nassau County to murder Reyes to increase their positions in the gang.  On May 23, 2016, Velasquez Larin, Espinoza Sanchez and two others lured Reyes to a wooded area to smoke marijuana, where they killed him with machetes and buried his body.  For years after the murder, Velasquez Larin bragged about their roles in the killing to other MS-13 members.

    Murder of Eric Monge

    The superseding indictment charges Velasquez Larin and Espinoza Sanchez for their roles in ordering the murder of Eric Monge, and Jose Guevara Aguilar, Jose Arevalo Iraheta and Erick Zavala Hernandez for their participation in the murder.  As alleged, in the early morning hours of September 6, 2020, Guevara Aguilar and fellow Fulton clique member Oscar Hernandez Baires shot and killed Monge while he was seated in the front passenger seat of his parked car near his home in Queens. Monge’s wife had just returned to the car after bringing their young children inside their residence when Hernandez Baires and Guevara Aguilar began shooting.  After the shooting, Guevara Aguilar and Hernandez Baires ran back to a car where Arevalo Iraheta and Zavala Hernandez were waiting to help them escape. As they fled to the car, Guevara Aguilar dropped his hat, which was later found to have his DNA on it.

    Murder of Oswaldo Gutierrez Medrano

    The superseding indictment also adds charges relating to the 2022 murder in Nassau County of 20-year-old Oswaldo Gutierrez Medrano, a member of the Sailors clique of MS-13.  As alleged, Velasquez Larin and Diaz Amaya ordered the murder of Gutierrez Medrano, and Diaz Amaya coordinated luring Gutierrez Medrano to meet other MS-13 members under the false pretense that he would be receiving a promotion within MS-13. In Nassau County, on February 13, 2022, Gutierrez Medrano allegedly met with those other members of MS-13, including defendants Arevalo Iraheta, Carlos Alvarado, Erick Galdamez Leon and Jose Mejia Hernandez, who allegedly killed him with machetes and knives, dismembered his body and buried him in a wooded area.

    The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    This case was investigated as part of the ongoing efforts by the OCDETF, a partnership that brings together the combined expertise of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

    Today’s charges are the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13.  Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York.  A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults.  Since 2009, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 70 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders.  These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel, Michael W. Gibaldi, Anna L. Karamigios and Sophia M. Suarez are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Eleanor Jaffe-Pachuilo.

    New Defendant:

    HUGO DIAZ AMAYA (also known as “21” and “Splinter”)
    Age:  36
    Kansas City, Kansas

    Defendants Previously Indicted:

    RAMIRO GUTIERREZ (also known as “Cara de Malo”)
    Age:  31
    Flushing, New York

    VICTOR LOPEZ (also known as “Curioso”)
    Age:  26
    Flushing, New York

    TITO MARTINEZ-ALVARENGA (also known as “Imprudente”)
    Age:  24
    Flushing, New York

    ISMAEL SANTOS-NOVOA (also known as “Profe” and “Travieso”)
    Age:  36
    Flushing, New York

    EDENILSON VELASQUEZ LARIN (also known as “Agresor,” “Saturno,” “Tiny,” “Erick” and “Paco”)
    Age:  35
    Thornton, Colorado

    CHRISTIAN ALAS LEON (also known as “Pata de Chucho”)
    Age:  26
    Westbury, New York

    CARLOS ALVARADO (also known as “Brayle” and “Danny”)
    Age:  21
    Westbury, New York

    JOSE AREVALO IRAHETA (also known as “Splinter,” “Inesperado” and “Daniel”)
    Age:  27
    Queens, New York

    JOSE ESPINOZA SANCHEZ (also known as “Cable,” “Bleca,” “Clave,” “Fantasma” and “Victor”)
    Age:  25
    Carrboro, North Carolina

    ERICK GALDAMEZ LEON (also known as “Truco,” “Burro,” and “Chicle”)
    Age:  24
    Westbury, New York

    JOSE GUEVARA AGUILAR (also known as “Tranquilo,” “Malhechor,” and “Angel”
    Age:  25
    Queens, New York

    KEILA HERNANDEZ MAY
    Age:  37
    Carrboro, North Carolina

    YONATHAN HERNANDEZ
    Age:  25
    Hempstead, New York

    JOSE MEJIA HERNANDEZ (also known as “Mismo” and “Timbre”)
    Age:  22
    Westbury, New York

    JOSE PEREZ OVANDO (also known as “Domino” and “Incompleto”)
    Age:  24
    Westbury, New York

    ERICK ZAVALA HERNANDEZ (also known as “Berry,” “Berro,” and “Alex”)
    Age:  26
    Queens, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-228 (S-3) (LDH)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner and Senior Executive of New York Contracting Company Plead Guilty to Paying Kickbacks to Obtain Construction Contracts From a Fortune 500 Company

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

    Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TROY CARUSO, the owner and chief executive officer of a commercial construction and contracting company headquartered in New York, New York (the “Contracting Company”), and JOHN NOLAN, a senior executive at the Contracting Company, pled guilty Friday, November 1, 2024, to conspiring to commit honest services wire fraud in connection with their scheme to pay kickbacks to a senior project manager at a Fortune 500 real estate services firm in order to obtain contracting work.  CARUSO and NOLAN pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who is scheduled to sentence CARUSO on February 12, 2025, and NOLAN on February 13, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Corruption has no place in our business landscape.  Troy Caruso and John Nolan sought to exploit the system for their own benefit, but today’s outcome shows that integrity will prevail.  This Office is dedicated to ensuring that the integrity of our contracting processes is upheld, and we will relentlessly pursue those who engage in such dishonest schemes.”

    According to the documents filed in this case, including the Indictment and the plea agreements of CARUSO and NOLAN, and statements made in Court: 

    From at least in or about February 2021, up to and including in or about September 2023, CARUSO and NOLAN agreed to pay, and did pay, kickbacks to an employee of a global and publicly traded commercial real estate services company (the “Real Estate Firm”) in exchange for assistance and preferential treatment so that the Contracting Company would be awarded projects managed by the Real Estate Firm (the “Kickback Scheme”).

    In or about March 2021, CARUSO and NOLAN were introduced by an individual (“CC-1”) to a senior project manager at the Real Estate Firm (“CC-2”).  CC-2 managed the process by which contracting companies bid for, and were awarded, contracts to work on construction projects for various of the Real Estate Firm’s clients. Beginning in or about March 2021, because of the Kickback Scheme, CC-2 took a series of actions CC-2 otherwise would not have taken to ensure that the Contracting Company was awarded a pre-construction contract and a construction contract relating to a certain project (“Project-1”), which was managed by the Real Estate Firm on behalf of its client, a health services business that provides hospital, medical, and other health services to patients.  For example, CC-2 ensured that the Contracting Company was on the Real Estate Firm’s “bid list” so that it could submit bids relating to Project-1 that it otherwise could not have submitted.  CC-2 also provided non-public information to CARUSO and NOLAN about the bidding process, and recommended the Contracting Company for both the pre-construction contract and the construction contract relating to Project-1.  As a result of the Kickback Scheme and CC-2’s actions, the Contracting Company was awarded the pre-construction and construction contracts for Project-1, the latter of which was valued at approximately $3.55 million (to be paid to the Contracting Company).

    In exchange for CC-2’s assistance and preferential treatment, CARUSO and NOLAN agreed to pay kickbacks to CC-2 in the amount of approximately one percent of the construction value of any project managed by the Real Estate Firm that resulted in a contract award to the Contracting Company.  Accordingly, CARUSO and NOLAN agreed to pay CC-2 approximately $35,500 for Project-1, and ultimately paid CC-2 approximately $33,000 in kickbacks for CC-2’s assistance on Project-1.  Most of these payments were made in cash at locations around New York City.  CARUSO and NOLAN also paid CC-1 approximately $15,000 for CC-1’s assistance in the Kickback Scheme, which included connecting CC-2 with CARUSO and NOLAN.

    CARUSO and NOLAN attempted to obtain additional contracts from the Real Estate Firm, with CC-2’s assistance as part of the Kickback Scheme.  Between in or about 2022 and in or about 2023, in exchange for CARUSO and NOLAN’s promise of payment for any contract awarded to the Contracting Company, CC-2 provided CARUSO and NOLAN with assistance relating to two additional construction projects managed by the Real Estate Firm that did not result in contract awards to the Contracting Company.

    *               *                *

    CARUSO, 57, of Smithtown, New York, and Ludlow, Vermont, and NOLAN, 43, of Brooklyn, New York, each pled guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

    The statutory maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the defendants’ sentences will be determined by a judge. 

    Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents and the Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Williams also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance in the investigation. 

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Kim is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of International Stock Manipulation Ring Pleads Guilty

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

    Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RONALD BAUER pled guilty to conspiring to commit securities fraud in connection with his role in a long-running “pump-and-dump” stock manipulation scheme. BAUER pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2025. 

    U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Ronald Bauer orchestrated a sprawling ‘pump-and-dump’ scheme involving the shares of numerous U.S.-based issuers that preyed on ordinary, retail investors.  While Bauer and his co-conspirators lived outside of the United States, they took advantage of the U.S. markets to perpetrate their fraud and reaped millions upon millions in profits at the expense of the victims. Today’s guilty plea should send a clear message that this Office is committed to holding market manipulators accountable no matter how hard they try to conceal their crimes.” 

    According to allegations in the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in court: 

    BAUER, a/k/a “Patek,” a citizen of Canada and the United Kingdom who resided in the United Kingdom, orchestrated numerous “pump-and-dump” schemes, controlling various aspects of the plans.  The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) had previously filed securities fraud claims against BAUER in 2005 for engaging in an alleged market manipulation scheme that was alleged to have issued false and misleading press releases while secretly dumping tens of millions of shares into the inflated market that BAUER and his associates had created.  In 2006, without admitting or denying the allegations, BAUER consented to the entry of a judgment against him providing for injunctive relief, barring BAUER from serving as an officer or director of a public company or participating in an offering of penny stock for a period of five years, and payment of disgorgement of $840,000.

    As he admitted in connection with his guilty plea, BAUER and his co-conspirators participated in a conspiracy to commit securities fraud with respect to seven issuers: Cantabio Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CTBO) (previously Lion Consulting Group (LIOC)); Virtus Oil and Gas Corp. (VOIL) (previously Curry Gold Corp. (CURGD)); Steampunk Wizards (SPWZ) (previously Freedom Petroleum (FPET)); Black Stallion Oil and Gas Inc. (BLKG) (previously Secure IT Corp.); PetroTerra Corp. (previously Loran Connection Corp (LRNC)); Black River Petroleum (BRPC) (previously American Copper Corp. (AMCU)); and Cyberfort Software Inc. (CYBF) (previously Patriot Berry Farms (PBFI)) (collectively, the “Issuers”).  

    To perpetrate the “pump-and-dump” scheme, BAUER and his co-conspirators obtained ownership and control of all or the vast majority of the unrestricted (i.e., free trading) stock of the Issuers.  BAUER and his co-conspirators sought to conceal their beneficial ownership of these controlling interests in the shares of the Issuers by causing their shares to be distributed to and divided amongst nominee entities that had been established by a Swiss corporation called Blacklight, S.A.  These entities were nominally owned by unrelated third parties but were, in fact, controlled by BAUER or his co-conspirators.  Thereafter, BAUER and his co-conspirators retained trading authority over the blocks of shares of the Issuers held by the Blacklight nominee entities and BAUER regularly provided trading instructions with respect to these shares to executives or employees at Blacklight.  In addition, BAUER and his co-conspirators effectively controlled or otherwise maintained significant influence over the management of the Issuers during the “pump-and-dump” scheme. 

    At times, BAUER and his co-conspirators caused nominees to engage in “match trades”—i.e., place both buy and sell orders in the same stock on the same day—for no legitimate economic purpose.  Furthermore, BAUER and his co-conspirators financed and coordinated promotional campaigns touting the Issuers to stoke trading interest in the Issuers’ stock, though without publicly disclosing their relationship to the promotional campaigns, their controlling interest, or their intent to sell a significant percentage of their holdings into the buying interest that they intended the promotional campaigns would generate.  BAUER and his co-conspirators took steps to conceal the fact that the nominee entities they controlled were the true funding source for the promotional campaigns. 

    During or shortly after the promotional campaigns, BAUER and his co-conspirators caused the Blacklight nominee entities to engage in trading activity in the Issuers’ stock, including selling a large percentage of their holdings of the Issuers’ stock, then caused the Blacklight nominee entities they controlled to remit to them the proceeds of the stock sales.

    *                *                *

    BAUER, 49, of London, United Kingdom, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  As part of his guilty plea, a money judgment in the amount of $4,377,228.74 was entered against BAUER.

    The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  He further thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division, as well as authorities in the United Kingdom, in particular the Crown Prosecution Service’s National Extradition Unit. Finally, Mr. Williams also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which separately initiated civil proceedings against BAUER. 

    The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Richman, Matthew R. Shahabian, Noah Solowiejczyk, and Vladislav Vainberg are in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendant Pleads Guilty to Federal Kidnapping and Carjacking Charges

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

                WASHINGTON – David Zanders, 22, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of federal kidnapping and one count of carjacking, stemming from an incident on May 1, 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves; FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist, of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 4, 2024. The defendant was arrested on November 18, 2022, and has been detained ever since.

                According to the court documents, in the early morning hours of May 1, 2022, Zanders and a conspirator kidnapped two males outside of a nightclub located at 645 Florida Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. The pair posed as an Uber and the two male victims subsequently got into the defendant’s vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Zanders pulled over on a neighborhood street in Washington, D.C., pointed a firearm at the two victims and robbed them of their phones and money. The victims were then driven around so the kidnappers could attempt to withdraw money using the victims’ credit cards. One of the victims was able to escape at a gas station in Washington D.C., when Zanders and the other suspect were looking for an ATM.  After the first victim escaped, the second victim was driven to a supermarket in Maryland. The defendant and his cohort then retrieved money from an ATM at the supermarket using the second victim’s ATM card. The second victim was then driven to another location in Maryland and released.

                That same evening, Zanders, his cohort and a third individual met at 955 Longfellow Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Zanders had arranged a meeting with two additional victims where he was purporting to sell his vehicle but was, in fact, going to take their vehicle. When the two victims arrived in their vehicle, a 2019 green Dodge Charger, Zanders pulled out a gun, threatened to shoot the third victim, and demanded his phone, money and keys. The additional suspects turned towards the fourth victim and demanded the car keys. The fourth victim complied and one of the suspects then drove away with the 2019 green Dodge Charger. Zanders and the additional suspect then drove away in their own vehicles and fled the scene.  

                Zanders faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison for kidnapping and 15 years for carjacking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

                In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, SAC Geist, and Chief Smith commended the MPD officers and FBI agents who collaborated on the investigation as members of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Unit and FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department.

                The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer and by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Renaud.  The case was initially investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Strong.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Romance Scammer Who Took U.S. Citizens Hostage in the Dominican Republic Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

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

                WASHINGTON – Deivy Jose Rodriguez Delgado, 30, a Venezuelan national, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 25 years in federal prison for the 2022 armed hostage takings of three U.S. citizens in the Dominican Republic, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the Miami Field Office.

                On December 11, 2023, after a nearly two week trial, a jury convicted Delgado of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking and three counts of hostage taking. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg ordered Delgado to serve five years of supervised release. Following his release from prison, Delgado will be subject to deportation proceedings. 

                According to the government’s evidence, Delgado, also known as “Sebastian,” kidnapped three men in separate instances between July 5 and July 30, 2022. In each of the three hostage-takings, Delgado lured his victim online with the promise of a friendly “date” and picked the victim up in his car. After driving a short distance, Delgado suddenly stopped to let an accomplice into the backseat, at which point Delgado and his accomplice held the victim at knifepoint, physically restrained the victim, and demanded ransom for his release. Delgado ordered that the ransoms be paid to online banking accounts, including the same CashApp account.

                Each of the three victims was forced at knifepoint to call his friends and family and ask for money to secure his release. The victims were held in captivity by Delgado and his accomplice(s) for up to an hour and were only released after Delgado believed a ransom payment had been made by the victims’ friends and family. In all three hostage takings, the victims were also robbed of their personal belongings before being released on the streets of the Dominican Republic.

                Following multiple victim reports, Dominican authorities began an investigation in August 2022. Local law enforcement in the Dominican Republic traced a vehicle used in one of the hostage takings to Delgado and arrested him on Sept. 14, 2022. During a search of the vehicle, Dominican authorities found two serrated knifes like those used in the hostage takings.

                This case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Field Office with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Dominican Republic’s Division Especial de Investigacion de Crimen Organizado Internacional (DECROI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Korba and Jolie Zimmerman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with assistance from paralegal Michael Watts. 

    ##

               Deivy Jose Rodriguez Delgado, 30, a Venezuelan national, used this image of himself to meet his victims on a social media dating application.

       

    During a search of the vehicle linked to Delgado, Dominican authorities found two serrated knifes like those used in the hostage takings.

    An image Delgado used on his social media app to lure victims.

    ##

    22cr0304

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: El Dorado Convicted Sex Offender Indicted for Distribution of Child Pornography

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

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment against Kevin Dail Meadors, 56, of El Dorado Hills, charging him with receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, between July 1, 2023, and Dec. 9, 2023, Meadors knowingly received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment alleges that Meadors suffered a prior conviction for committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, which affects the potential penalties he faces in this case.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny are prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Meadors faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. 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 was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Methamphetamine Delivery to Fresno

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

    FRESNO, Calif. — Donis Ariel Maldonado, 28, a Guatemalan national residing in El Monte, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, Maldonado agreed with other members of the conspiracy to distribute 22 pounds of heroin and over 80 pounds of methamphetamine sourced from Mexico.  On June 24, 2019, Maldonado delivered the drugs to an informant in Fresno.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative (HIDTA), which consists of personnel from the California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

    Maldonado is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Feb. 18, 2025. Maldonado faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $2 million 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 case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jacksonville Medical Records Technician Sentenced to 35 Years for Sexually Exploiting Numerous Children Online

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

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Arin Caleb Ellis (27, Jacksonville) to 35 years in federal prison for producing and distributing videos depicting children being sexually abused. Ellis was also ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Ellis was arrested on August 29, 2022, and has been in federal custody since that date. On February 28, 2024, Ellis pleaded guilty to persuading and coercing a child to engage in producing visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct and to distributing a video depicting a child being sexually abused. 

    According to court documents, from January 2018 through August 29, 2022, Ellis was an active member of several online groups on social media applications (apps) dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children and the sharing of child sexual abuse materials. Ellis and other members of these groups conspired and worked together to locate and sexually exploit minors across a variety of online social media platforms. During online text conversations, Ellis and other members discussed and strategized on how to pressure and coerce targeted children into producing sexually explicit photos and videos and engaging in sexually explicit conduct live on social media apps. Ellis and the other members also exchanged information about the identity of children who had an online presence, such as the minors’ names, ages, locations, and online user identifiers. Ellis told other group members that he preferred targeting female children who were 8 to 11 years old. Posing as minor children, Ellis and the other members persuaded and coerced the targeted children to engage in sexually explicit conduct and to live-stream the conduct that Ellis and his co-conspirators would covertly record. When Ellis and the other members obtained the sexually explicit recordings, they shared these materials through online group chats and other cloud-based file storage apps and websites.

    Ellis developed and used certain recording tools to capture live-streaming content over the internet that depicted the targeted children engaging in sexual acts. These tools allowed Ellis to simultaneously record multiple streaming video feeds from different children, and he shared these tools with other members for their use. Ellis used a variety of social media apps to communicate with the targeted minors across the United States and portrayed himself as a 10 or 11-year-old female child named “nova” from Florida. Ellis initially sent the targeted child sexually explicit photos and videos depicting an actual minor female that he was pretending to be and asked the child to be his “girlfriend.” After gaining some measure of trust, he then asked the child to send him sexually explicit photos and videos and recorded the child as she live-streamed sexually explicit conduct at his direction. Ellis also threatened some of the targeted children who refused to provide him with sexually explicit materials. 

    Ellis and the other group members also collaborated to hack into baby monitors, “nanny” cameras, and other internet-enabled cameras within private residences. The co-conspirators periodically provided Ellis with internal protocol addresses, which he developed his own computer code to remotely hack into these devices, allowing him to capture streaming video from compromised baby monitors.

    During this investigation, the FBI executed multiple search warrants and seized the contents of the accounts used by Ellis and other group members. That content, combined with the evidence recovered from Ellis’ electronic devices, revealed that Ellis potentially targeted thousands of minor children for online sexual exploitation.

    On August 29, 2022, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Ellis’ residence and seized his computers and electronic devices, several of which were encrypted. Forensic examination of one of Ellis’ cellphones revealed that he used a particular online app to send two videos of child sexual abuse to a co-conspirator just hours before FBI agents arrived at his residence. In total, the FBI recovered at least 1,700 photos and 700 videos depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct that Ellis maintained on his electronic devices and in his online social media accounts. Many of these materials depict young children, some as young as 6 years old. 

    Roger B. Handberg, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director B. Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kristin Rehler of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office, made this announcement. 

    This case was investigated by the FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit in Linthicum, Maryland, and the FBI Jacksonville Field Office, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown for the Middle District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys Kaylynn Foulon and McKenzie Hightower of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sapotaweyak Cree Nation — Swan River RCMP lay numerous charges in robbery

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On November 2, 2024, at 3:25 pm, Swan River RCMP responded to a report of a 24-year-old male having assaulted several people and was now walking around the community with a firearm.

    As officers arrived in the community, information was received that the suspect had fled the area after being picked up in a vehicle.

    Patrols were made and the suspect vehicle was located at the gas bar in Mafeking. A traffic stop was conducted on this vehicle that led to the arrest of the 24-year-old male, a 27-year-old male and a 40-year-old female. The 24-year-old male suspect had been found lying in the back of the vehicle with a loaded sawed-off shotgun, machete and ammunition.

    The investigation has determined that the 24-year-old male had assaulted two male victims (22, 20), threatened to harm them and forced them to empty their pockets and turn over their cell phones all while having the firearm pointed at them.

    24-year-old Chandler Cook and 27-year-old Travis Cook, both from Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, were remanded into custody on charges including Careless Use of a Firearm x2, Point Firearm x2, Robbery with Firearm x2 as well as numerous other firearm-related offences.

    The 40-year-old female, from Brandon, was later released from custody for a future court appearance in Swan River.

    Swan River RCMP continue to investigate.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Springhill — Cumberland County District RCMP investigating suspicious circumstances

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Cumberland County District RCMP is seeking assistance to identify a man following a suspicious incident in Springhill.

    On November 4, RCMP officers responded to a report of a suspicious person on Pine St. Investigators learned that at approximately 5:00 p.m., a man driving a truck stopped on the roadway and waved to a child outside a nearby home in an attempt to have them approach his vehicle.

    Based on there having been a significant distance between the child and the road, the child is not believed to have been at risk of physical harm during this incident. The child quickly informed an adult, and the vehicle left the area. Police did patrols but the vehicle was not located.

    “This child did the right thing by immediately telling an adult about this incident,” says Sgt. Brian Cameron, Operations NCO of Cumberland County District RCMP. “We don’t know the driver’s intent and would like to hear from him.”

    The male driver had brown hair and a mask that covered his nose and mouth. He was wearing a sweater and pants, possibly blue and green. The pick-up truck was silver in colour.

    Police want to speak with people who have information about this incident, as well as anyone who has witnessed or experienced a similar incident in the area. Anyone with information is asked to contact Cumberland County District RCMP at 902-243-2181. To remain anonymous, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Canton Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon

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

    Jackson, MS – A Canton man was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    According to court documents, on January 2, 2024, Damonik Robinson, 23, was found in possession of a firearm after Capitol Police conducted a traffic stop on Madison Street near Fortification Street in Jackson. There were four firearms found in the vehicle, three of which were equipped with attached machinegun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches,” which convert semi-automatic handguns to automatic weapons.  At the time of this possession, Robinson already had a previous felony conviction for drug and gun possession. It is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess a firearm or ammunition.

    Robinson was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 21, 2024.  He pled guilty on July 18, 2024, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office has seen an increase in cases involving illegal firearm conversion devices, commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” which convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns) in a matter of seconds. The rapid fire of firearms converted to machineguns presents a significant danger in our community to both the public and law enforcement.  According to a 2023 report by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), there was a 570% increase in the number of machinegun conversion devices taken into ATF custody between 2017 and 2021.

    U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The ATF and Capitol Police Department are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Jones 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: Marion County Man Indicted for Drug, Firearms Charges

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

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Vincent Irving Jones, 33, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has been indicted on methamphetamine and firearms charges.

    Jones is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to the court documents, Jones was found with methamphetamine and a .32 caliber pistol in Marion County. Jones is prohibited from having firearms because of prior felony convictions of voluntary manslaughter, escape from custody, and fleeing while under the influence of alcohol.

    Jones faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the drug charge, up to 15 years for the unlawful firearms charge, and up to five years for the obliterated serial number charge. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fairmont Police Department.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Ensuring fair electoral representation for Albertans

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

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    [embedded content]

    The Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, would amend several pieces of legislation, including the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, the Public’s Right to Know Act, the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act and the Alberta Evidence Act. Proposed amendments would increase access to justice and address the current needs of Albertans.  

    Electoral Boundaries Commission Act

    If passed, amendments to the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act would direct the commission to increase the number of electoral divisions in Alberta from 87 to 89 and clarify the list of factors the commission may consider when drawing up the new electoral boundaries.

    Under the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, the population of each electoral division in Alberta must not be more than 25 per cent above or more than 25 per cent below the average population of all the proposed electoral divisions. Currently, the populations of nine electoral divisions in Alberta are greater than 25 per cent of the average electoral division population. 

    Proposed amendments would help address the significant increase in Alberta’s population since the most recent provincial election, and ensure Albertans have effective representation in the legislature.

    “The amendments we are proposing are essential to keeping up with Alberta’s significant population growth and ensuring fair, effective representation for all Albertans in the legislature. By increasing the number of electoral divisions, we demonstrate our commitment to balanced and equitable representation for all Albertans.”

    Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice and Attorney General

    Public’s Right to Know Act

    The Public’s Right to Know Act legislates public reporting of crime data to make it easier for Albertans to know what’s happening in their community. Proposed amendments would allow the minister of justice to require government departments, municipalities and police services to provide up-to-date data, which will foster greater sharing of information and a better understanding of the criminal justice system.

    Critical Infrastructure Defence Act

    The Critical Infrastructure Defence Act protects essential infrastructure by creating offences for trespassing, interfering with operations or causing damage. Proposed amendments would incorporate the health care facilities currently identified in the regulation into the act, ensuring the definition of essential infrastructure is contained in one place. The definition of essential infrastructure is currently contained in both the act and the Critical Infrastructure Defence Regulation. With this amendment, the Critical Infrastructure Defence Regulation, which initially added “prescribed health care facilities” into the definition of essential infrastructure, will no longer be needed and will be repealed.  

    Alberta Evidence Act

    The Alberta Evidence Act sets out a process for individuals to give evidence to the court either orally or in writing. Proposed amendments would give Albertans simpler and more modern processes for confirming the truth of the information they provide to the courts. These amendments would save Albertans time and money by allowing them to certify information electronically rather than visiting a courthouse or paying to swear or affirm an oath in person. Processes will still be available for those who prefer in-person and paper-based execution of documents. 

    Quick facts

    • Between July 1, 2023 and July 1, 2024, Alberta’s population grew by around 204,000 people or 4.4 per cent. This is the highest annual growth rate since 1981 and the highest among all provinces.
    • The populations of nine electoral divisions currently exceed 25 per cent of the average population of each electoral division, which is the maximum deviation allowed under the legislation. 
    • An Electoral Boundaries Commission reviews existing electoral boundaries and makes proposals to the legislative assembly about area, boundaries and names of the electoral divisions.
    • A new Electoral Boundaries Commission is appointed eight to ten years after the appointment of the previous commission.
    • When drawing up the new electoral boundaries, the commission must consider the requirement for effective representation for all Albertans. In addition, the commission may consider:
      • The sparsity and density of population.
      • Communities of interest, including municipalities, regional and rural communities, Indian reserves and Metis settlements.
      • Geographical features, including the availability and means of communication and transportation between various parts of Alberta.
      • The desirability of understandable and clear boundaries.
      • The rate of population growth.
      • Any other factors the commission considers appropriate.

    Related information

    • Ensuring fair electoral representation
    • Bill 31: Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2024

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference
    • Listen to the news conference


    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Not too late to abandon the Bill, Christopher

    Source: Green Party

    The Green Party is urgently calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill following reports it will be introduced on Thursday. 

    “It’s not too late to do the right thing, Christopher. It’s time to abandon this Bill and honour Te Tiriti,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Justice, Tamatha Paul.  

    “Te Tiriti forms the founding agreement Aotearoa was built upon. It provides the foundations for an enduring relationship between tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti that ensures everybody is looked after and nobody is left behind.

    “Te Tiriti is permanent, Governments are temporary. Honouring the Treaty has to come before the honouring of coalition agreements. 

    “At Waitangi, Christopher Luxon told Māori that Te Tiriti was our past, present and future. At the tangi of Kiingi Tuuhetia, he spoke to the importance of kotahitanga and the need to honour the legacy of the late Kiingi. If his words are actually worth anything, he would not allow legislation that aims to completely corrupt and defile the defining essence of our nation anywhere near our Parliament. 

    “It is high time that his rhetoric matched the reality of his actions when it comes to Te Tiriti. He has stood by and watched as Treaty protections were removed from state care, as the Māori Health Authority was scrapped and as Māori wards were essentially erased. 

    “The Prime Minister has two choices: abandon the Bill and honour our founding agreement or unleash a level of division and disharmony that will cut to the very core of our country.

    “We call on the Prime Minister to do the right thing and uphold the dignity, meaning and integrity of our founding agreement,” says Tamatha Paul. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dubuque Man Who Possessed Firearms While Being an Illegal User of Methamphetamine and Cocaine Sentenced to Prison

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

    A man who possessed five firearms while being an illegal drug user was sentenced November 1, 2024, to more than one year in federal prison.

    Jesse James Zeromski, age 25, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 10, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user.

    At the guilty plea, Zeromski admitted he unlawfully possessed five firearms, including a revolver, two shotguns, and two rifles, while being an unlawful user of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and cocaine.  

    Zeromski was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Zeromski was sentenced to twelve months’ and one day imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Zeromski is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

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

    The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-1008.

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