Category: Law

MIL-OSI USA: Co-Founder of Los Cuinis Drug Cartel Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison; High-Ranking Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) Operative Pleads Guilty

Source: US State of California

Today, a Mexican national and the co-founder of the armed, violent, and prolific Los Cuinis drug cartel was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in a major drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia, 49, of Michoacan, Mexico, was one of the top leaders — alongside his brothers, Gerardo Gonzalez-Valencia and Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia — of Los Cuinis, a major Mexican drug cartel responsible for trafficking multiple tons of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States. Los Cuinis financed the founding and growth of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which traffics hundreds of tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States and other countries, and is known for extreme violence, murders, torture, and corruption.

In February 2025, President Trump designated CJNG a foreign terrorist organization. According to court documents, the top leader of CJNG, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” is the brother-in-law of the Gonzalez-Valencia brothers. Closely allied, Los Cuinis and CJNG form one of the most violent and prolific transnational criminal organizations in the world, responsible for sending staggering amounts of drugs into the United States and inflicting extreme violence to further that objective.

Also today, as part of the Department of Justice’s focus on dismantling CJNG, another Mexican national, Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa, also known as “El Guacho,” a high-ranking CJNG member and El Mencho’s son-in-law, pleaded guilty to one count of international money laundering conspiracy.

“Today, the Criminal Division dealt two more devastating blows to CJNG and Los Cuinis through the sentencing of Jose Gonzalez-Valencia and the conviction of Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These men and the cartels they led are responsible for immeasurable death and destruction in the United States and Mexico. The Justice Department will continue to dismantle CJNG, Los Cuinis and all other transnational criminal organizations that flood our streets with dangerous drugs and engage in extreme violence to control their operations.”

“CJNG is one of the most powerful, influential, and ruthless criminal organizations to threaten our public safety and national security. Each leader and associate of CJNG who faces justice within the United States brings us one step closer to dismantling this terrorist organization,” said Acting Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Robert Murphy. “DEA will continue to use all available resources to disrupt CJNG’s drug trafficking and money laundering operations and systematically destroy their network.”

From at least 2006 to 2016, according to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed and coordinated numerous multi-ton shipments of cocaine destined for the United States using air, land, sea, and underwater methods. In 2007 the U.S. Coast Guard seized one shipment from a semi-submersible vessel that was transporting at least 4,000 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico for further distribution into the United States.

As one of Los Cuinis’ top leaders, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed acts of extreme violence in furtherance of drug trafficking activities, including the murder of an individual who allegedly stole a shipment of approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Los Cuinis, according to court documents. Jose Gonzalez-Valencia personally carried firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities and supplied weapons and ammunition to the CJNG.

In 2015, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia went into hiding in Bolivia — a country that did not extradite anyone to the United States from 2001 to 2023, despite an existing extradition treaty — and resided there for over two years under a fictitious identity. In 2017, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia was arrested in Brazil while on vacation and was subsequently extradited to the United States. Brazil’s extradition treaty required that the U.S. Government not recommend more than a 30-year sentence.

Pursuant to his plea agreement, Gutierrez-Ochoa admitted that he was a member of CJNG who was connected to CJNG’s top leadership. He also admitted that from at least 2023 until his arrest in 2024, he and other CJNG operatives used sophisticated money laundering methods involving real estate transactions, shell companies, and international money transfers to launder CJNG’s drug trafficking proceeds. For example, Gutierrez-Ochoa and others completed two wire transfers totaling $1.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds to purchase a luxury residence in Riverside, California, titled in the name of a Mexican entity owned and controlled by CJNG. When Gutierrez-Ochoa was arrested in November 2024, he was living at that property under a fictitious identity and possessed two untraceable and illegal firearms, approximately $2.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds, and numerous luxury items purchased with CJNG’s drug proceeds, including jewelry, watches, and vehicles.

Gutierrez-Ochoa is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Today’s sentencing of Gonzalez-Valencia and conviction of Gutierrez-Ochoa follow several recent strikes into CJNG’s most inner circle.

El Mencho’s older brother, Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, and Erick Valencia Salazar, an alleged co-founder of CJNG and El Mencho’s close advisor, were among the 29 wanted cartel leaders taken into U.S. custody on Feb. 27, 2025.

Shortly after, on March 7, 2025, El Mencho’s son, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, known as El Menchito, was sentenced to a term of life in prison plus 30 years to run consecutively and ordered to forfeit over $6 billion in drug trafficking proceeds. Before his arrest, Oseguera-Gonzalez was CJNG’s second-in-command and led CJNG for nearly seven years. He is responsible for trafficking more than 50 metric tons of cocaine and supervising drug labs that produced more than 1,000 metric tons of methamphetamine in Mexico. In 2013, he was one of the first contributors to the fentanyl epidemic in the United States, pledging to “do it big” and build an empire from counterfeit oxycontin pills laced with fentanyl. As the evidence at trial showed, he also committed heinous acts of violence. According to statements made in court and trial testimony, Oseguera-Gonzalez ordered the murder of more than 100 people, some of whom he murdered himself.

The DEA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section have been systematically dismantling the leadership of the CJNG and Los Cuinis at the highest level. To date, the ongoing investigation has led to indictments of approximately 30 high-value CJNG and Los Cuinis command-and-control targets, including seven Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs), the top drug trafficking command-and-control leaders. As of June 2025, 12 defendants have been convicted, including two at trial.

A number of indicted leaders of CJNG and Los Cuinis remain fugitives, including El Mencho, whose capture reward was recently increased to $15 million under the State Department’s Narcotic Rewards Program. Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia, another top leader of Los Cuinis and El Mencho’s brother-in-law, was arrested in 2015 by Mexican authorities pursuant to the U.S. indictment but since then has been fighting extradition to the United States.

The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance with obtaining foreign evidence and securing Jose Gonzalez-Valencia’s extradition to the United States.

Trial Attorneys Lernik Begian, Gwen Stamper, and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the cases.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Questions Energy Secretary Why DOE is Spiking Clean Energy Projects, Increasing Electricity Costs

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
06.20.25
Cantwell Questions Energy Secretary Why DOE is Spiking Clean Energy Projects, Increasing Electricity Costs
Cantwell presses Secretary Wright on whether DOE will renege on $1B promised for PNW green hydrogen hub On hydropower, Secretary acknowledges to Cantwell that “hydro has been a great resource for this country” that is “quite beneficial to our electricity grid”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, pressed U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright on whether the Trump Administration is attempting to roll back hydrogen production investments secured and awarded under the Biden Administration — including a $1 billion grant awarded to the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association in 2023 to become a one of seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs, as well as a 2022 tax credit aimed at spurring more investment in clean hydrogen production called 45V. The budget reconciliation bill passed last month by the House of Representatives eliminates the hydrogen credit, as would the proposal released earlier this week by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID).
Sen. Cantwell: “I actually think getting rid of the tax credits that we have, some of the other ones, broadly, are going to lead to electricity increased cost. And so, can I get you to tell me about the hydrogen hubs, whether you believe you support the hydrogen hubs and moving forward on this?”
Wright: “So, we put together, as I’m sure you’ve heard, and we’ve published it on the website, this project review process. We have a cross-functional team that evaluates every project. We’re going through 500 projects.”
Sen. Cantwell: “But is that data call a way to kill the projects? Or no, you really believe in funding some?”
Wright: “Oh, absolutely. No, we are funding plenty of projects right now, and we don’t stop funding any project. We’re funding all of the existing projects right now, and when we evaluate them – no, plenty of projects will pass. Plenty of projects will pass. Other projects we’ll say, “Hey, can you modify it this way to make it much more beneficial?” Some projects will be modified, and some projects will be ended. “
Video of their Q&A is HERE; a transcript is HERE.
Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces no dirty emissions — only water. Hydrogen can be produced from existing power resources, such as solar and hydropower.
Sen. Cantwell helped secure the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) program and other key hydrogen investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) during consideration in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee in July 2021, where she is a senior member, and push for its successful passage through the Senate. The H2Hubs program designated up to $7 billion in competitive grants to establish between six and 10 regional clean hydrogen hubs across the United States. These networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure were meant to help accelerate the use of hydrogen as clean energy and work toward achieving former President Biden’s goal of a 100 percent clean electrical grid by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
In October 2023, with support from the region’s Congressional delegation led by Sen. Cantwell, the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association received a $1 billion grant through the H2Hubs program. With continued federal support, the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association will be able to build out a robust network of hydrogen suppliers and off-takers in both the western and eastern parts of Washington and Oregon, as well as parts of Montana. Clean hydrogen can support decarbonization efforts already being made in the transportation, industrial, and agricultural sectors, as well as the rapidly expanding zero-carbon aviation sector being pioneered in the Pacific Northwest.
In 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, which included the 45V hydrogen production tax credit to incentivize projects that produce clean hydrogen power. In July 2024, Sen. Cantwell joined a group of colleagues in sending a letter urging then-Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to issue guidance on 45V eligibility that capitalizes on the “opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions faster and enhance our energy security, while strengthening our economy, creating thousands of jobs, and combating the climate crisis.” The budget bill currently being negotiated in the House and the Senate would drastically shorten the timeline for projects to qualify for the 45V credits – requiring them to begin construction by Jan. 1, 2026 rather than the previous deadline of Jan. 1, 2033 – and cut funding for the H2Hubs program. The Trump Administration is also currently reviewing the remaining H2Hubs financing.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Co-Founder of Los Cuinis Drug Cartel Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison; High-Ranking Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) Operative Pleads Guilty

Source: United States Attorneys General

Today, a Mexican national and the co-founder of the armed, violent, and prolific Los Cuinis drug cartel was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in a major drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia, 49, of Michoacan, Mexico, was one of the top leaders — alongside his brothers, Gerardo Gonzalez-Valencia and Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia — of Los Cuinis, a major Mexican drug cartel responsible for trafficking multiple tons of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States. Los Cuinis financed the founding and growth of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which traffics hundreds of tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States and other countries, and is known for extreme violence, murders, torture, and corruption.

In February 2025, President Trump designated CJNG a foreign terrorist organization. According to court documents, the top leader of CJNG, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” is the brother-in-law of the Gonzalez-Valencia brothers. Closely allied, Los Cuinis and CJNG form one of the most violent and prolific transnational criminal organizations in the world, responsible for sending staggering amounts of drugs into the United States and inflicting extreme violence to further that objective.

Also today, as part of the Department of Justice’s focus on dismantling CJNG, another Mexican national, Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa, also known as “El Guacho,” a high-ranking CJNG member and El Mencho’s son-in-law, pleaded guilty to one count of international money laundering conspiracy.

“Today, the Criminal Division dealt two more devastating blows to CJNG and Los Cuinis through the sentencing of Jose Gonzalez-Valencia and the conviction of Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These men and the cartels they led are responsible for immeasurable death and destruction in the United States and Mexico. The Justice Department will continue to dismantle CJNG, Los Cuinis and all other transnational criminal organizations that flood our streets with dangerous drugs and engage in extreme violence to control their operations.”

“CJNG is one of the most powerful, influential, and ruthless criminal organizations to threaten our public safety and national security. Each leader and associate of CJNG who faces justice within the United States brings us one step closer to dismantling this terrorist organization,” said Acting Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Robert Murphy. “DEA will continue to use all available resources to disrupt CJNG’s drug trafficking and money laundering operations and systematically destroy their network.”

From at least 2006 to 2016, according to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed and coordinated numerous multi-ton shipments of cocaine destined for the United States using air, land, sea, and underwater methods. In 2007 the U.S. Coast Guard seized one shipment from a semi-submersible vessel that was transporting at least 4,000 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico for further distribution into the United States.

As one of Los Cuinis’ top leaders, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed acts of extreme violence in furtherance of drug trafficking activities, including the murder of an individual who allegedly stole a shipment of approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Los Cuinis, according to court documents. Jose Gonzalez-Valencia personally carried firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities and supplied weapons and ammunition to the CJNG.

In 2015, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia went into hiding in Bolivia — a country that did not extradite anyone to the United States from 2001 to 2023, despite an existing extradition treaty — and resided there for over two years under a fictitious identity. In 2017, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia was arrested in Brazil while on vacation and was subsequently extradited to the United States. Brazil’s extradition treaty required that the U.S. Government not recommend more than a 30-year sentence.

Pursuant to his plea agreement, Gutierrez-Ochoa admitted that he was a member of CJNG who was connected to CJNG’s top leadership. He also admitted that from at least 2023 until his arrest in 2024, he and other CJNG operatives used sophisticated money laundering methods involving real estate transactions, shell companies, and international money transfers to launder CJNG’s drug trafficking proceeds. For example, Gutierrez-Ochoa and others completed two wire transfers totaling $1.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds to purchase a luxury residence in Riverside, California, titled in the name of a Mexican entity owned and controlled by CJNG. When Gutierrez-Ochoa was arrested in November 2024, he was living at that property under a fictitious identity and possessed two untraceable and illegal firearms, approximately $2.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds, and numerous luxury items purchased with CJNG’s drug proceeds, including jewelry, watches, and vehicles.

Gutierrez-Ochoa is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Today’s sentencing of Gonzalez-Valencia and conviction of Gutierrez-Ochoa follow several recent strikes into CJNG’s most inner circle.

El Mencho’s older brother, Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, and Erick Valencia Salazar, an alleged co-founder of CJNG and El Mencho’s close advisor, were among the 29 wanted cartel leaders taken into U.S. custody on Feb. 27, 2025.

Shortly after, on March 7, 2025, El Mencho’s son, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, known as El Menchito, was sentenced to a term of life in prison plus 30 years to run consecutively and ordered to forfeit over $6 billion in drug trafficking proceeds. Before his arrest, Oseguera-Gonzalez was CJNG’s second-in-command and led CJNG for nearly seven years. He is responsible for trafficking more than 50 metric tons of cocaine and supervising drug labs that produced more than 1,000 metric tons of methamphetamine in Mexico. In 2013, he was one of the first contributors to the fentanyl epidemic in the United States, pledging to “do it big” and build an empire from counterfeit oxycontin pills laced with fentanyl. As the evidence at trial showed, he also committed heinous acts of violence. According to statements made in court and trial testimony, Oseguera-Gonzalez ordered the murder of more than 100 people, some of whom he murdered himself.

The DEA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section have been systematically dismantling the leadership of the CJNG and Los Cuinis at the highest level. To date, the ongoing investigation has led to indictments of approximately 30 high-value CJNG and Los Cuinis command-and-control targets, including seven Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs), the top drug trafficking command-and-control leaders. As of June 2025, 12 defendants have been convicted, including two at trial.

A number of indicted leaders of CJNG and Los Cuinis remain fugitives, including El Mencho, whose capture reward was recently increased to $15 million under the State Department’s Narcotic Rewards Program. Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia, another top leader of Los Cuinis and El Mencho’s brother-in-law, was arrested in 2015 by Mexican authorities pursuant to the U.S. indictment but since then has been fighting extradition to the United States.

The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance with obtaining foreign evidence and securing Jose Gonzalez-Valencia’s extradition to the United States.

Trial Attorneys Lernik Begian, Gwen Stamper, and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the cases.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Co-Founder of Los Cuinis Drug Cartel Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison; High-Ranking Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) Operative Pleads Guilty

Source: United States Attorneys General

Today, a Mexican national and the co-founder of the armed, violent, and prolific Los Cuinis drug cartel was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in a major drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia, 49, of Michoacan, Mexico, was one of the top leaders — alongside his brothers, Gerardo Gonzalez-Valencia and Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia — of Los Cuinis, a major Mexican drug cartel responsible for trafficking multiple tons of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States. Los Cuinis financed the founding and growth of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which traffics hundreds of tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States and other countries, and is known for extreme violence, murders, torture, and corruption.

In February 2025, President Trump designated CJNG a foreign terrorist organization. According to court documents, the top leader of CJNG, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” is the brother-in-law of the Gonzalez-Valencia brothers. Closely allied, Los Cuinis and CJNG form one of the most violent and prolific transnational criminal organizations in the world, responsible for sending staggering amounts of drugs into the United States and inflicting extreme violence to further that objective.

Also today, as part of the Department of Justice’s focus on dismantling CJNG, another Mexican national, Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa, also known as “El Guacho,” a high-ranking CJNG member and El Mencho’s son-in-law, pleaded guilty to one count of international money laundering conspiracy.

“Today, the Criminal Division dealt two more devastating blows to CJNG and Los Cuinis through the sentencing of Jose Gonzalez-Valencia and the conviction of Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These men and the cartels they led are responsible for immeasurable death and destruction in the United States and Mexico. The Justice Department will continue to dismantle CJNG, Los Cuinis and all other transnational criminal organizations that flood our streets with dangerous drugs and engage in extreme violence to control their operations.”

“CJNG is one of the most powerful, influential, and ruthless criminal organizations to threaten our public safety and national security. Each leader and associate of CJNG who faces justice within the United States brings us one step closer to dismantling this terrorist organization,” said Acting Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Robert Murphy. “DEA will continue to use all available resources to disrupt CJNG’s drug trafficking and money laundering operations and systematically destroy their network.”

From at least 2006 to 2016, according to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed and coordinated numerous multi-ton shipments of cocaine destined for the United States using air, land, sea, and underwater methods. In 2007 the U.S. Coast Guard seized one shipment from a semi-submersible vessel that was transporting at least 4,000 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico for further distribution into the United States.

As one of Los Cuinis’ top leaders, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed acts of extreme violence in furtherance of drug trafficking activities, including the murder of an individual who allegedly stole a shipment of approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Los Cuinis, according to court documents. Jose Gonzalez-Valencia personally carried firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities and supplied weapons and ammunition to the CJNG.

In 2015, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia went into hiding in Bolivia — a country that did not extradite anyone to the United States from 2001 to 2023, despite an existing extradition treaty — and resided there for over two years under a fictitious identity. In 2017, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia was arrested in Brazil while on vacation and was subsequently extradited to the United States. Brazil’s extradition treaty required that the U.S. Government not recommend more than a 30-year sentence.

Pursuant to his plea agreement, Gutierrez-Ochoa admitted that he was a member of CJNG who was connected to CJNG’s top leadership. He also admitted that from at least 2023 until his arrest in 2024, he and other CJNG operatives used sophisticated money laundering methods involving real estate transactions, shell companies, and international money transfers to launder CJNG’s drug trafficking proceeds. For example, Gutierrez-Ochoa and others completed two wire transfers totaling $1.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds to purchase a luxury residence in Riverside, California, titled in the name of a Mexican entity owned and controlled by CJNG. When Gutierrez-Ochoa was arrested in November 2024, he was living at that property under a fictitious identity and possessed two untraceable and illegal firearms, approximately $2.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds, and numerous luxury items purchased with CJNG’s drug proceeds, including jewelry, watches, and vehicles.

Gutierrez-Ochoa is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Today’s sentencing of Gonzalez-Valencia and conviction of Gutierrez-Ochoa follow several recent strikes into CJNG’s most inner circle.

El Mencho’s older brother, Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, and Erick Valencia Salazar, an alleged co-founder of CJNG and El Mencho’s close advisor, were among the 29 wanted cartel leaders taken into U.S. custody on Feb. 27, 2025.

Shortly after, on March 7, 2025, El Mencho’s son, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, known as El Menchito, was sentenced to a term of life in prison plus 30 years to run consecutively and ordered to forfeit over $6 billion in drug trafficking proceeds. Before his arrest, Oseguera-Gonzalez was CJNG’s second-in-command and led CJNG for nearly seven years. He is responsible for trafficking more than 50 metric tons of cocaine and supervising drug labs that produced more than 1,000 metric tons of methamphetamine in Mexico. In 2013, he was one of the first contributors to the fentanyl epidemic in the United States, pledging to “do it big” and build an empire from counterfeit oxycontin pills laced with fentanyl. As the evidence at trial showed, he also committed heinous acts of violence. According to statements made in court and trial testimony, Oseguera-Gonzalez ordered the murder of more than 100 people, some of whom he murdered himself.

The DEA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section have been systematically dismantling the leadership of the CJNG and Los Cuinis at the highest level. To date, the ongoing investigation has led to indictments of approximately 30 high-value CJNG and Los Cuinis command-and-control targets, including seven Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs), the top drug trafficking command-and-control leaders. As of June 2025, 12 defendants have been convicted, including two at trial.

A number of indicted leaders of CJNG and Los Cuinis remain fugitives, including El Mencho, whose capture reward was recently increased to $15 million under the State Department’s Narcotic Rewards Program. Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia, another top leader of Los Cuinis and El Mencho’s brother-in-law, was arrested in 2015 by Mexican authorities pursuant to the U.S. indictment but since then has been fighting extradition to the United States.

The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance with obtaining foreign evidence and securing Jose Gonzalez-Valencia’s extradition to the United States.

Trial Attorneys Lernik Begian, Gwen Stamper, and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the cases.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: MPs may have passed the assisted dying bill, but the debate is just beginning

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Suzanne Ost, Professor of Law, Lancaster University

Now that the assisted dying bill has passed its momentous third reading in the House of Commons, it may seem like legalisation in England and Wales is a done deal. But despite this significant milestone, the bill is not yet law and its journey through the House of Lords is far from a formality.

While the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill is now closer than ever to becoming law, both the Commons and the Lords must agree on its final wording. And just like in the Commons, there are passionate supporters and vocal opponents in the Lords. Peers are expected to focus their attention on a number of outstanding, and controversial, issues.

One of the biggest concerns that surfaced during both the report stage and today’s third reading relates to the speed and process of drafting the legislation.

Because this is a private member’s bill, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, it was subject to strict timelines. Leadbeater had just 85 days to work with legal drafters and set out a policy framework before the bill was published ahead of its second reading in November 2024.

Despite this, the democracy-supporting charity the Hansard Society has noted that the bill is “among the most heavily scrutinised in recent times”, and it could ultimately receive up to 200 hours of parliamentary debate, especially now that it has moved to the Lords.

Still, the fast turnaround meant that many important decisions, such as what medications will be approved for use in assisted dying, have been left for the secretary of state to determine later through what’s known as delegated legislation (secondary laws made without a full parliamentary vote).

One area likely to receive particular scrutiny is the bill’s inclusion of so-called “Henry VIII clauses”. These are controversial powers that allow ministers to make changes to existing primary legislation, effectively altering acts of parliament without needing a new law. A key example is clause 38 that would let ministers revise the NHS Act 2006 to formally include assisted dying within NHS services.

Stronger safeguards but concerns persist

Several amendments aimed at strengthening the bill’s safeguards were supported during the Commons stages. These included the introduction of independent advocates, a new disability advisory board, and additional protections for people with learning disabilities, mental health conditions, or autism.

An amendment from Labour MP Naz Shah was also supported at the third reading, ensuring that a person who chooses to stop eating and drinking will not automatically be considered terminally ill. This is a protection designed to prevent the system being used inappropriately.

Yet despite these measures, concerns remain. Critics worry about the risk of coercion, both from others and self imposed. There is particular unease about people feeling pressured to choose assisted dying because they consider themselves a burden.

Questions have also been raised about whether those with conditions like anorexia might qualify for assisted dying under the current wording of the bill.

Even with the new safeguards, including mandatory training for doctors to detect coercion and assess mental capacity, many feel the bill needs tighter definitions and clearer criteria to protect the most vulnerable.

The role of palliative care

The impact on palliative and end-of-life care continues to be a major point of debate. Today, MPs backed an amendment from Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson that would require the government to assess the state of palliative care services within one year of the law being enacted.

Peers in the House of Lords may push further on this issue. Some may argue that before a person can request assisted dying, they should first be referred to a palliative care specialist to fully understand their options. Others may want the law to spell out more clearly who is qualified to assess these requests.

Another key question is who should provide assisted dying services. The British Medical Association has previously suggested a model where assisted dying operates outside the core NHS system. This would be a kind of parallel service overseen by the health secretary but delivered by independent providers. This would be similar to how early medical abortions are offered in some parts of the UK.

Time is tight in the Lords, so peers will probably focus on a few high priority areas. Any amendments will need to be proposed, debated and approved quickly if the bill is to continue progressing this session.

Even if the bill passes, it includes a four year implementation period to allow for the development of more detailed policies, including training for professionals, protocols for medication and clearer guidance on safeguarding.

The passing of the bill in the Commons is historic. But the national conversation on assisted dying is not over. And the next phase will determine how this sensitive and deeply personal issue is handled in practice.

Suzanne Ost has previously received funding from the AHRC for her assisted dying research.

Nancy Preston receives funding from Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020 and the NIHR

– ref. MPs may have passed the assisted dying bill, but the debate is just beginning – https://theconversation.com/mps-may-have-passed-the-assisted-dying-bill-but-the-debate-is-just-beginning-259460

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: MPs may have passed the assisted dying bill, but the debate is just beginning

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Suzanne Ost, Professor of Law, Lancaster University

Now that the assisted dying bill has passed its momentous third reading in the House of Commons, it may seem like legalisation in England and Wales is a done deal. But despite this significant milestone, the bill is not yet law and its journey through the House of Lords is far from a formality.

While the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill is now closer than ever to becoming law, both the Commons and the Lords must agree on its final wording. And just like in the Commons, there are passionate supporters and vocal opponents in the Lords. Peers are expected to focus their attention on a number of outstanding, and controversial, issues.

One of the biggest concerns that surfaced during both the report stage and today’s third reading relates to the speed and process of drafting the legislation.

Because this is a private member’s bill, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, it was subject to strict timelines. Leadbeater had just 85 days to work with legal drafters and set out a policy framework before the bill was published ahead of its second reading in November 2024.

Despite this, the democracy-supporting charity the Hansard Society has noted that the bill is “among the most heavily scrutinised in recent times”, and it could ultimately receive up to 200 hours of parliamentary debate, especially now that it has moved to the Lords.

Still, the fast turnaround meant that many important decisions, such as what medications will be approved for use in assisted dying, have been left for the secretary of state to determine later through what’s known as delegated legislation (secondary laws made without a full parliamentary vote).

One area likely to receive particular scrutiny is the bill’s inclusion of so-called “Henry VIII clauses”. These are controversial powers that allow ministers to make changes to existing primary legislation, effectively altering acts of parliament without needing a new law. A key example is clause 38 that would let ministers revise the NHS Act 2006 to formally include assisted dying within NHS services.

Stronger safeguards but concerns persist

Several amendments aimed at strengthening the bill’s safeguards were supported during the Commons stages. These included the introduction of independent advocates, a new disability advisory board, and additional protections for people with learning disabilities, mental health conditions, or autism.

An amendment from Labour MP Naz Shah was also supported at the third reading, ensuring that a person who chooses to stop eating and drinking will not automatically be considered terminally ill. This is a protection designed to prevent the system being used inappropriately.

Yet despite these measures, concerns remain. Critics worry about the risk of coercion, both from others and self imposed. There is particular unease about people feeling pressured to choose assisted dying because they consider themselves a burden.

Questions have also been raised about whether those with conditions like anorexia might qualify for assisted dying under the current wording of the bill.

Even with the new safeguards, including mandatory training for doctors to detect coercion and assess mental capacity, many feel the bill needs tighter definitions and clearer criteria to protect the most vulnerable.

The role of palliative care

The impact on palliative and end-of-life care continues to be a major point of debate. Today, MPs backed an amendment from Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson that would require the government to assess the state of palliative care services within one year of the law being enacted.

Peers in the House of Lords may push further on this issue. Some may argue that before a person can request assisted dying, they should first be referred to a palliative care specialist to fully understand their options. Others may want the law to spell out more clearly who is qualified to assess these requests.

Another key question is who should provide assisted dying services. The British Medical Association has previously suggested a model where assisted dying operates outside the core NHS system. This would be a kind of parallel service overseen by the health secretary but delivered by independent providers. This would be similar to how early medical abortions are offered in some parts of the UK.

Time is tight in the Lords, so peers will probably focus on a few high priority areas. Any amendments will need to be proposed, debated and approved quickly if the bill is to continue progressing this session.

Even if the bill passes, it includes a four year implementation period to allow for the development of more detailed policies, including training for professionals, protocols for medication and clearer guidance on safeguarding.

The passing of the bill in the Commons is historic. But the national conversation on assisted dying is not over. And the next phase will determine how this sensitive and deeply personal issue is handled in practice.

Suzanne Ost has previously received funding from the AHRC for her assisted dying research.

Nancy Preston receives funding from Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020 and the NIHR

– ref. MPs may have passed the assisted dying bill, but the debate is just beginning – https://theconversation.com/mps-may-have-passed-the-assisted-dying-bill-but-the-debate-is-just-beginning-259460

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Former Haitian Mayor and Human Rights Violator Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Lying about Past Involvement in Political Violence

Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

Headline: Former Haitian Mayor and Human Rights Violator Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Lying about Past Involvement in Political Violence

Jean Morose Viliena, the former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, was sentenced today to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release by Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV for the District of Massachusetts for possessing and using a Permanent Resident Card he had fraudulently obtained by falsely stating that he had not ordered, carried out, or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Former Haitian Mayor and Human Rights Violator Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Lying about Past Involvement in Political Violence

Source: United States Attorneys General

Note: See indictment here.

Jean Morose Viliena, the former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, was sentenced today to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release by Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV for the District of Massachusetts for possessing and using a Permanent Resident Card he had fraudulently obtained by falsely stating that he had not ordered, carried out, or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people. A federal jury convicted Viliena in March 2025 of three counts of visa fraud.

“In Haiti, Jean Morose Viliena was involved in the violent killings, beatings, and assaults of whomever he believed threatened his power as mayor,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His lies to U.S. immigration authorities allowed him to unlawfully enter this country and obtain lawful permanent resident status. Individuals who commit violent crimes in their home countries should take note: we do not tolerate human rights abusers who lie to take refuge here. We will find you, investigate you, and prosecute you to ensure that you are held accountable to the maximum extent of U.S. law for your heinous criminal conduct.”

“Jean Morose Viliena built a life in the United States by burying the truth about his violent past – a past marked by political persecution, bloodshed and the silencing of dissent in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortably in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain. Today’s sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe haven for human rights abusers. Lying to gain entry into this country and then lying again under oath to avoid accountability strikes at the heart of our immigration and legal systems. I commend the tremendous courage of the victims and witnesses who stood up and spoke the truth despite the risks and made this outcome possible.”

“Today’s sentencing underscores the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to ensuring that individuals who commit heinous acts of violence and fraud are held accountable, regardless of where those crimes were committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England. “Jean Morose Viliena’s actions were not only a gross violation of human rights but also a betrayal of the trust placed in him by his community. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to bring justice to victims and protect the American people from foreign criminals seeking to escape justice in their home countries.”

Viliena, 53, was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until February 2010. As a candidate and as mayor, Viliena was backed by Korega, a political machine that used armed violence to exert power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and other armed supporters aligned with Korega and directed them to engage in armed violence to quash opposition to his authority.

According to evidence presented at trial, on July 27, 2007, Viliena violently retaliated against an activist who had previously spoken at a judicial proceeding on behalf of a neighbor whom Viliena had assaulted. In a brutal act of reprisal, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to the activist’s home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the activist’s younger brother and then smashed the brother’s skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.

Viliena committed another act of violent retribution in April 2008, when he and his associates attacked community members who had founded a radio station that Viliena opposed. According to multiple witnesses’ testimony, Viliena mobilized armed members of his staff and supporters to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. Viliena distributed firearms to his men, some of whom also carried machetes and picks. According to the evidence presented at trial, during this incident, Viliena beat one man and ordered an associate to shoot him when he tried to flee. As a result, the man’s leg was later amputated above the knee. Viliena also beat a student who was at the radio station; when the student tried to flee, a bullet struck his face, leaving him permanently blind in one eye.

Less than two months after the radio station attack, Viliena presented himself at the U.S. Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti, where he applied for a visa to enter the United States. The visa application specifically requires an applicant to state whether they are a member of any class of individuals excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded “no,” indicating that this category did not apply to him. Viliena thereafter swore to and affirmed before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application.

Based on Viliena’s false representations, the United States approved his visa application and permitted him to enter the country. The United States later granted Viliena lawful permanent resident status and a Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “Green Card.” For years, through the use of his fraudulently obtained Green Card, Viliena enjoyed a job; sufficient income; a comfortable home; a safe community; the ability to visit his family in Les Irois at any time; and the privilege of raising and educating a son who is now a U.S. citizen by birth.

The HSI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Invaluable assistance was also provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from Boston Logan Airport.

Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.

Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONSPIRACY SPANNING FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND SOUTHERN ALABAMA DISMANTLED

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Kimberly Robinson Gandy, 47, of Gulfport, Mississippi, was found guilty on Wednesday afternoon, June 18, 2025, by a federal jury, of: Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; and Money Laundering. Her codefendant, Chad Cornelius Seymore, 49, of Dothan, Alabama, pled as charged, on Monday, June 9, 2025, immediately prior to the scheduled trial, to: Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Receiving Benefits From Sex Trafficking; Interstate Travel In Aid of Racketeering; and Money Laundering. The guilty plea and verdict were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the tireless efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners who investigated this case, and the tenacious work of the federal prosecutors and support staff in my office, we have dismantled this sex trafficking conspiracy and obtained justice on behalf of its victims. My office is committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to aggressively prosecute those who prey upon and profit from human trafficking victims. This outcome is a testament to the outstanding collaborative work of the Capital City Human Trafficking Task Force.”

Court documents reflect that over a four-year period Seymore conspired with others to bond adult women out of county jail and then force them to commit commercial sex acts in Alabama and North Florida. Seymore recruited women suffering from drug addictions at hotels and through online advertisements. He threatened and physically abused his sex trafficking victims. Gandy conspired with Seymore to traffic women in Panama City Beach and Destin. They used online money exchange platforms to transfer funds received from commercial sex acts.

Sentencing for Chad Seymore is scheduled for August 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Kim Gandy will be sentenced on September 15, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The defendants will be sentenced at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Alan C. Winsor.

The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dothan, Alabama Police Department, the Panama City Beach Police Department, the Panama City Police Department, with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONSPIRACY SPANNING FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND SOUTHERN ALABAMA DISMANTLED

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Kimberly Robinson Gandy, 47, of Gulfport, Mississippi, was found guilty on Wednesday afternoon, June 18, 2025, by a federal jury, of: Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; and Money Laundering. Her codefendant, Chad Cornelius Seymore, 49, of Dothan, Alabama, pled as charged, on Monday, June 9, 2025, immediately prior to the scheduled trial, to: Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Receiving Benefits From Sex Trafficking; Interstate Travel In Aid of Racketeering; and Money Laundering. The guilty plea and verdict were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the tireless efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners who investigated this case, and the tenacious work of the federal prosecutors and support staff in my office, we have dismantled this sex trafficking conspiracy and obtained justice on behalf of its victims. My office is committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to aggressively prosecute those who prey upon and profit from human trafficking victims. This outcome is a testament to the outstanding collaborative work of the Capital City Human Trafficking Task Force.”

Court documents reflect that over a four-year period Seymore conspired with others to bond adult women out of county jail and then force them to commit commercial sex acts in Alabama and North Florida. Seymore recruited women suffering from drug addictions at hotels and through online advertisements. He threatened and physically abused his sex trafficking victims. Gandy conspired with Seymore to traffic women in Panama City Beach and Destin. They used online money exchange platforms to transfer funds received from commercial sex acts.

Sentencing for Chad Seymore is scheduled for August 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Kim Gandy will be sentenced on September 15, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The defendants will be sentenced at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Alan C. Winsor.

The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dothan, Alabama Police Department, the Panama City Beach Police Department, the Panama City Police Department, with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Members Of Drug Conspiracy Distributing Fentanyl And Methamphetamine Are Sentenced To Prison

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

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two members of a drug conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine were sentenced to prison yesterday, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Ashton Durrell Farley, 32, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Thomas Eugene Ikard, 46, of Lenoir, N.C., was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. Farley and Ikard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.

U.S. Attorney Ferguson is joined in making the announcement by Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department.

Two other members of the drug conspiracy were previously sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Dustin Eric Wilson, 35, of Charlotte was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Harold Marquis Wilfong, 37, of Hickory, was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court documents and court proceedings, federal charges were filed against the defendants following a 10-month investigation led by the ATF and the Hickory Police Department (HPD), aimed at reducing drug distribution and drug-induced criminal activity in Catawba County and surrounding areas. The drug trafficking ring operated out of Hickory and distributed large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the area. To identify the drug conspirators and their operations, ATF agents and HPD officers utilized controlled drug purchases, conducted physical surveillance, and executed search warrants. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that members of the drug ring used several residences either as “stash houses” to store drugs and/or guns, or to conduct drug sales and other drug trafficking activities. One of the alleged stash houses was located two blocks from the federal courthouse in Charlotte.

According to court records, during the investigation, law enforcement seized multiple kilograms of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Law enforcement also seized multiple firearms used by some of the traffickers to support their drug distribution, including an AR-15 rifle and a privately made firearm or “ghost gun,” and ammunition.

In making the announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the ATF, HPD, and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office investigation of this case and thanked the U.S. Marshals Service for their invaluable assistance.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Nearly 2 dozen charged in large drug and money laundering operation spanning multiple jurisdictions

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

Operations Red Ranger, Borrowed Time, and Resurrection lead to seizure of drugs and millions in illicit proceeds

HOUSTON – A total of 23 people are now in custody for various drug trafficking, firearms and money laundering charges following major law enforcement operations in Houston/Galveston and Rio Grande Valley areas of Texas this week, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Some of those arrested have already begun to make their appearances U.S. Magistrate Judges Christina Bryan in Houston, Andrew Edison in Galveston and Nadia Medrano in McAllen. Others are in state custody on related charges and expected in federal court in the near future.

Grand juries in Houston and McAllen returned the five separate, but related indictments in May. The charges allege crimes that occurred as early as January 2023 for some and between May 2024 and December 2024 for others and involve cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine trafficking, firearms-related offenses and money laundering.

The charges allege some of the individuals were truck drivers delivering drugs north. According to information presented to the court, 10 kilograms of cocaine had been taken to Georgia and money returned to pay drivers and other expenses.

The arrests are the culmination of multiple months-long Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations dubbed Operation Red Ranger, Borrowed Time and Resurrection. During the investigation and operations, law enforcement also seized over 170 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, over two thousand kilograms methamphetamine, more than 100 firearms and nearly $3 million as well as four properties valued at $1.2 million.

If convicted, many charged with drug trafficking offenses face up to life in federal prison and could pay millions in fines. Those charged with money laundering offenses face up to 20 years, while the firearms convictions carry up to 10 or 15 years in federal prison.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the OCDETF operations with the assistance of U.S. Marshals Service; Texas Department of Public Safety; sheriff’s offices in Fort Bend, Galveston, Chambers, Hidalgo, Harris and Kleberg counties; Texas Attorney General’s Office – Money Laundering Unit; West Tennessee Drug Task Force and police departments in Houston, Katy and Galveston as well as Houston and South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area programs.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Leo III, Patricia Cook Profit, Michael Day and Roberto Lopez are prosecuting the cases.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Largest Ever Seizure of Funds Related to Crypto Confidence Scams

Source: US FBI

United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against $225 Million in Funds Involved in Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud Money Laundering

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against more than $225.3 million in cryptocurrency. According to the complaint, the U.S. Secret Service and the FBI used blockchain analysis and other investigative techniques to determine that the cryptocurrency is connected to the theft and laundering of funds from victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes, commonly referred to as cryptocurrency confidence scams.

The civil action was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Shawn Bradstreet of the San Francisco Field Office, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the San Francisco Field Office.

The complaint alleges that the cryptocurrency addresses that held the over $225.3 million in cryptocurrency were part of a sophisticated blockchain-based money laundering network that executed hundreds of thousands of transactions and was used to conceal the nature, source, control, and ownership of proceeds derived from cryptocurrency investment fraud. The scam operators dispersed proceeds across an extensive group of cryptocurrency addresses and accounts on the blockchain to conceal the source of the illicitly obtained funds.

As part of the investigation of the laundering network, dozens of victims across the country were confirmed to have lost funds through the belief that they were making legitimate cryptocurrency investments, with more than 400 suspected victims around the world. The complaint discussed millions of dollars in victim losses.

“Under my leadership, with the support of President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia is taking a leading role in the fight against crypto-confidence scams, partnering with law enforcement throughout the country to seize and forfeit stolen funds and rip them from the hands of foreign criminals, all with the eye toward making victims whole,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro.

“Today’s civil forfeiture complaint is the latest action taken by the Department to protect the American public from fraudsters specializing in cryptocurrency-based scams, and it will not be the last,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These schemes harm American victims, costing them billions of dollars every year, and undermine faith in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Our investigators and prosecutors are relentlessly pursuing these scammers and their ill-gotten gains, and we will relentlessly pursue recovery of victim funds.”

“This seizure of $225.3 million in funds linked to cryptocurrency investment scams marks the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. Secret Service history,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Bradstreet of the U.S. Secret Service’s San Francisco Field Office. “These scams prey on trust, often resulting in extreme financial hardship for the victims. The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and our private partners worked diligently to trace these illicit transactions, identify victims and seize these funds so that they can eventually be returned to their rightful owners.”

“Cryptocurrency investment schemes can have devastating and long-lasting consequences for victims, far beyond just financial losses,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the San Francisco Field Office. “In this case, hundreds of victims lost millions of dollars to an elaborate scheme, and I commend the work of the FBI San Francisco investigative team and the United States Secret Service, San Francisco Office who worked tirelessly to return stolen assets to the victims. The FBI continues to aggressively pursue the criminals behind these heartless frauds, working alongside our federal partners and the private sector to disrupt malicious networks and recover funds for those targeted.”

According to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, cryptocurrency investment fraud caused more than $5.8 billion in reported losses in 2024 alone.

This investigation is being handled by the U.S. Secret Service San Francisco Field Office and the FBI San Francisco Field Office. The Department of Justice thanks Tether for its proactive assistance in this investigation.

This case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Rick Blaylock, Jr., of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorneys Stefanie Schwartz and Ethan Cantor of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).

Members of the public who believe they are victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud and other cyber-enabled crime should contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov. If you believe you may be a victim of one of the scams alleged in the government’s complaint, add the code “BT06182025” in the narrative of your complaint, and if you have previously filed a related complaint, make note of the prior complaint in the narrative.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Woman Pleads Guilty, Admits Multiple Fraud Schemes

Source: US FBI

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARLENIN VITO, 46, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to an offense stemming from multiple fraud schemes.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Vito was employed as Medicaid Coordinator at an assisted living facility (“Company A”) located in Stamford. Vito’s responsibilities included assisting the residents in applying for nursing home level Medicaid reimbursements, monitoring the residents’ patient trust accounts, and ensuring compliance with Medicaid regulations. She was also responsible for keeping journal entries for the residents’ trust accounts and to credit their accounts when funds were received, and for debiting patient accounts when payments were made on behalf of the residents or when cash was given to residents for incidental expenses.

Between approximately December 2019 and May 2021, Vito defrauded Company A and its residents by generating checks from Company A’s system, forging a fellow employee’s signature on the checks, negotiating the fraudulent checks purportedly to give the cash proceeds to certain residents, and keeping the cash for her own use. Vito then made false entries into Company A’s accounting ledger by debiting the fraudulently obtained cash from the residents’ respective trust accounts. Many of the residents were not healthy enough or mentally capable of tracking their own expenses or monitoring the balances of their own trust accounts.

In certain instances, Vito cancelled residents’ supplemental health insurance coverage, but continued to deduct funds from the trust accounts and took the funds for herself. Also, when certain residents’ trust accounts were credited with Economic Impact Payments (“COVID-19 stimulus payments”), Vito took the funds for herself and then debited the residents’ accounts at a rate of approximately $60 a day until the stimulus funds were depleted.

During the scheme, Vito fraudulently negotiated approximately 500 checks, stealing approximately $310,820. When she was confronted by family members of certain residents, Vito created and provided to those family members false account statements that misrepresented the balances in the residents’ trust accounts.

After she was terminated by Company A, Vito obtained employment as a bookkeeper and scheduler at an alarm company (“Company B”) located in White Plains, New York. Vito stole from the company by making false representations about overtime for herself and her daughter, and by using company funds to order more than $10,000 worth of products to be delivered to her Waterbury residence. Company B was defrauded of approximately $23,558 through these schemes.

After she was terminated by Company B, Vito was employed as a bookkeeper at a law firm in Hartford (“Company C”). Vito took fraudulently generated checks drawn on Company C’s bank account and issued as “Pay to the Order of ‘Petty Cash, ’” forged the signature of an authorized employee on the checks, cashed the checks, and kept the funds for herself. She then recorded the fraudulently negotiated checks in Company C’s books and records as “Petty Cash.” Vito stole approximately $27,179 from Company C.

Vito pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10.

Vito is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Stamford Police Department, Hartford Police Department, Ridgefield Police Department, and the Putnam County (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Nathan J. Guevremont.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: GAD’s first Public Service Pensions conference
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

GAD’s first Public Service Pensions conference

Pensions professionals from across the public sector networked, and contributed to discussions, at GAD’s first pensions conference.
Credit: Crown copyright

More than 100 professionals from across the sector attended the Government Actuary’s Department’s (GAD) first public service pensions conference on Thursday 19 June 2025. The event brought together representatives from the pension schemes for all 8 public service workforces, across all 4 nations.

Reflect and Connect

The theme of the conference was ‘Reflect and Connect’. Opening the event, the Government Actuary highlighted a key objective for the day was providing an opportunity for those working in public service schemes to meet others doing similar work, encourage knowledge sharing and greater collaboration.

The conference included a keynote address from Siobhan Amutharasan (HM Treasury) and Jan Claisse (GAD) and inspiring plenaries on pensions dashboards and pension board governance.

Delegates also attended discussions on a wide range of topics including the McCloud remedy, AI opportunities and the gender pensions gap. The Office for Budget Responsibility, The Pensions Ombudsman and The Pensions Regulator also provided engaging and thought-provoking sessions.

Energising and interesting

Greg Ceely from the Office for National Statistics presented a session on Healthy Life Expectancy and the State Pension age review. Commenting on the event, he said: “It’s been very energising and interesting to find out how various pension elements fit together. It has been refreshing to know that people are thinking about pensions in a multifaceted way.”

Claire Neale, the Head of Police Pensions from the National Police Chiefs Council noted: “It’s been a fabulous networking opportunity, and a real pleasure to connect with new people.”

Clair Alcock, Head of Pensions at the Local Government Association remarked: “It was brilliantly put together and all the topics were really relevant.”

Phil Bassingham-Searle, the Head of Armed Forces remuneration at the Ministry of Defence also noted: “It has been thought provoking and has brought together a group of people who don’t normally come together, who’ve got shared interests.”

It was an inspiring and energising day that captured the spirit of collaboration and shared purpose at the heart of public service pensions. #ReflectAndConnect

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Published 20 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Announces Community Project Funding Requests for FY26
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
SEATTLE, WA — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) is today announcing the Community Project Funding (CPF) requests that she will be advocating to include in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) appropriations bills.

“Delivering for the Seattle area is the most important part of my job, and I am so proud to be working to bring home this money for innovative and critical projects across our community,” said Jayapal. “This funding will make our community safer, more affordable, more resilient to the climate crisis, and overall a better place to live. As Republicans in Congress and the Administration work to cut funding in every corner of the country, including for UW, and make life more expensive for all of us, I will continue working to get these projects across the finish line.”

Jayapal is submitting the following funding requests:
- $3 million for the City of Burien’s Public Market
- $3 million for the City of Lake Forest Park’s Lakefront Park Community Center
- $10 million for the City of Seattle’s Fort Lawton Redevelopment
- $4 million for the City of Seattle’s Lake City Community Center and Affordable Housing Redevelopment
- $3.75 million for the City of Seattle’s Third Avenue Revitalization
- $3 million for the City of Seattle’s Seattle Waterfront Elliott Bay Seawall Project, Phase 2
- $4 million for the City of Shoreline’s Trail Along the Rail
- $1.7 million for the Port of Seattle’s Pier 86 Grain Terminal Switcher Locomotive Replacement
- $1 million for the Port of Seattle’s Seattle Waterfront Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment
- $3 million for Sound Transit’s Link Reliability Improvements
- $5 million for Southwest Suburban Sewer District’s Sewer Rehabilitation Project, Phase One
- $5 million for the University of Washington’s Cold Lab
- $2 million for the University of Washington’s Critical Campus Building Access Fixes
- $281,000 for the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Evaluating Shoreline Restoration Effectiveness on Vashon and Maury Island
- $7 million for the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Seattle Ferry Terminal Shoreside Electrification
In the FY24 budget, Jayapal secured $7,566,000 for affordable housing and emergency shelters, which is expected to build or renovate nearly 300 housing units throughout the district and maintain emergency shelter for 200 individuals.

However, in the FY25 budget process, Republicans eliminated non-profits from eligibility for certain funding streams, disqualifying multiple previously eligible housing projects in WA-07. The FY25 cycle resulted in a full-year continuing resolution where no projects were funded. For FY26, House Republican Leadership has announced they will limit Democratic projects to 37 percent of total CPF spending despite the nearly 50-50 makeup of the House of Representatives.

More detailed information on each of these projects can be found here. Since the reinstatement of CPF by the Democratic House leadership in the 117th Congress, Jayapal has secured $57,626,089 for 39 community projects in WA-07. The full lists from FY22 can be found here, FY23 here, and FY24 here.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Conditions imposed on protests in London this weekend

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

The Met has used its powers under the Public Order Act to impose conditions on a number of protests taking place in central London this weekend.

A protest organised by a number of groups, under the banner of the Palestine Coalition, will take place on Saturday afternoon.

The protest will form up in Russell Square from midday before marching to Whitehall via Aldwych and the Strand.

Once at the end of the march an assembly will take place with speeches.

A static protest organised by the group known as ‘Stop the Hate’, held in opposition to the Palestine Coalition march, will take place just north of Waterloo Bridge at the junction with the Strand.

The following conditions have been imposed in order to prevent serious disruption.

Anyone gathering for the Palestine Coalition protest must remain in the shaded area on the map below until the march sets off.

Anyone participating in the march must then remain on the agreed route shown on the map below.

Anyone participating in the assembly following the Palestine Coalition march must remain in the blue shaded area on the map below. The stage must be positioned in the area shown in red and the assembly must finish by 17:30hrs.

Discussions are ongoing in relation to conditions that will be imposed on the ‘Stop the Hate’ protest.

This page will be updated once those conditions have been confirmed.

Should any further conditions need to be imposed on other protest activity in London this weekend, the details will be added here.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Conditions imposed on protests in London this weekend

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

The Met has used its powers under the Public Order Act to impose conditions on a number of protests taking place in central London this weekend.

A protest organised by a number of groups, under the banner of the Palestine Coalition, will take place on Saturday afternoon.

The protest will form up in Russell Square from midday before marching to Whitehall via Aldwych and the Strand.

Once at the end of the march an assembly will take place with speeches.

A static protest organised by the group known as ‘Stop the Hate’, held in opposition to the Palestine Coalition march, will take place just north of Waterloo Bridge at the junction with the Strand.

The following conditions have been imposed in order to prevent serious disruption.

Anyone gathering for the Palestine Coalition protest must remain in the shaded area on the map below until the march sets off.

Anyone participating in the march must then remain on the agreed route shown on the map below.

Anyone participating in the assembly following the Palestine Coalition march must remain in the blue shaded area on the map below. The stage must be positioned in the area shown in red and the assembly must finish by 17:30hrs.

Discussions are ongoing in relation to conditions that will be imposed on the ‘Stop the Hate’ protest.

This page will be updated once those conditions have been confirmed.

Should any further conditions need to be imposed on other protest activity in London this weekend, the details will be added here.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force Arrests Cleveland Homicide Suspect While Riding a Bike

Source: US Marshals Service

Cleveland, OH – Today, the U.S. Marshals led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) arrested Jacob Hughes, 61. Hughes was wanted by the Cleveland Division of Police for aggravated murder.

It is alleged that on May 30, 2025, Hughes stabbed and killed Kenneth Moore, 52 at an address near the 10500 block of Elk Ave., Cleveland, Ohio. It is also alleged that Hughes attempted to destroy evidence by setting a fire at the residence. Today, members of the NOVFTF arrested Hughes on E. 109th Street and he was riding down the street on a bicycle.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “Several hours of investigative work by our task force were dedicated to this arrest. The team had developed information that this fugitive was potentially homeless and getting around the city on a bike. Today, they found him on the bike and made a safe arrest.”

Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous. Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.

The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force – Cleveland Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies: U.S. Marshals Service, Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Independence Police Department, Parma Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Solon Police Department, Cleveland RTA Police Department, Westlake Police Department, Bedford Police Department, Middleburg Heights Police Department, Newburgh Heights Police Department and the Metrohealth Police Department.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Previously Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for Exploiting Minors via Snapchat

Source: US FBI

INDIANAPOLIS— Darren Ringenberg, 30, of Louisville, Kentucky, a registered sex offender, was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, after being convicted of two counts of sexual exploitation of a child while required to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, in 2019, Ringenberg was previously convicted in Kentucky of twenty counts of Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor and was required to register as a sex offender for life.

Then, after his release from the Kentucky offense, in June 2023, Ringenberg, using the Snapchat username “devil_hell6969,” communicated with a nine-year old girl living in Monroe County, Indiana and coerced her to send sexually explicit images and videos, threatening to hack into her social media accounts and remove all her friends if she did not comply. Ringenberg directed her as to what images to send, how to take the photos and told her that they could meet in person in the future. He also falsely claimed to be sixteen years old and would screen-record and save many of the images and conversations without the child’s knowledge.

After receiving a tip about his illicit behavior online, law enforcement conducted judicially authorized searches of both Ringenberg’s Snapchat account and his residence in Louisville. Investigators found text messages, many of which were sexual in nature, between Ringenberg and various other unidentified minors, including the nine-year-old girl. Also located on his cell phone camera roll were many Snapchat screen recordings of minor victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

“Sex offenders often use manipulation and threats to sexually exploit children with utter disregard for the lasting trauma they inflict. I urge parents and guardians to talk to the children in their lives about what they’re doing online and make sure they have trusted adults they can turn to for help,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the FBI and the Bloomington Police Department for their work to seek justice for this victim and protect other children from this online predator.”

“This case is a tragic reminder that with today’s technology, predators can reach across state lines with a few clicks. While the distance didn’t help protect this child from harm, it did not stop the offender from being brought to justice,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting children and holding offenders accountable – no matter where they are.”

The FBI and Bloomington Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum, who prosecuted this case.

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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood

###

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westminster City Council launches consultation on new powers to tackle antisocial behaviour | Westminster City Council
Source: City of Westminster
- Council seeking views from the public on new measures to tackle nuisance vehicles, pedicabs and on street anti-social behaviour.
- Fines of up to £1,000 could be handed down to people who flout new regulations to keep the public safe.
Westminster City Council has launched a public consultation on proposed new Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) as part of its ongoing efforts to crack down on antisocial behaviour and create safer, cleaner, and more welcoming communities.

Public Spaces Protection Orders are intended to deal with persistent anti-social behaviour that is detrimental to the community’s quality of life. They do so by imposing conditions on the use of that area to ensure everyone can enjoy public spaces.

The proposed PSPOs would give the police and council officers additional powers to tackle persistent issues such as public urination, verbal abuse, drug use and other forms of anti-social behaviour that affect residents, businesses, and visitors alike. Breach of a PSPO is a criminal offence and officers will be able to issue fixed penalty notices to immediately respond to this anti-social behaviour.

The council is seeking views from residents on proposals to:
- Introduce a new PSPO to tackle On-Street ASB in South Westminster building on the work of the new Street Based Intervention team.
- Engage residents and those who visit or work in the rest of Westminster to gather their views on whether this approach is the right one for to be deployed in other parts of the city.
- Extend the existing nuisance vehicle PSPO to cover Soho and Mayfair.
- Introduce a new city-wide PSPO to tackle nuisance caused by pedicabs
This is the latest move by the council in a wider package of initiatives introduced to clamp down on antisocial behaviour. Recent actions include:
- a £500k investment in new CCTV to double the number of cameras to 200, which includes 40 additional cameras for the West End.
- the launch of a new Street Based Intervention Team, combining City Inspectors and Homeless Outreach officers.
- the recruitment of more City Inspectors to keep the city’s streets clean and safe – both boosting deployment in existing teams and creating a new 8 member specialist ASB team.
Councillor Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council, said:

“Everyone has the right to feel safe and respected where they live. This is why this administration has invested in more City Inspectors and the new 200 camera CCTV system to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in partnership with the police. This investment has given us extra capacity to make more effective use of the additional powers available through these new PSPOs, enabling our city inspectors and police to tackle unacceptable behaviour swiftly and effectively.

“We want to hear from our residents first – this consultation gives the public a vital say in shaping how we respond to ASB and build safer streets for everyone.”

The council is urging residents, businesses, and community organisations to take part in the consultation.

To have your say and learn more about the proposed PSPO’s, visit:

https://www.westminster.gov.uk/leisure-libraries-and-community/crime-and-community-safety/anti-social-behaviour/public-space-protection-orders-pspo

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The council is consulting on new powers including:

FIXED PENALTIES

A person who is guilty of an offence under this Order shall be liable to a £100.00 Fixed Penalty Notice under s.68.

CRIMINAL CONVICTION

A person who is charged with the offence of failing to comply with this Order is liable upon summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 (currently £1000) on the standard scale.

DISPERSAL

Two of the proposed Orders contain a Dispersal Order related to “Remaining in the Restricted Area after having been asked to leave by an Authorised Officer” and a requirement to “leave the Restricted Area if asked to do so by an Authorised Officer and must not return to the Restricted Area for 24 hours”. ‘Authorised Officer’ in this context is an employee or agent of the Authority who is authorised for the purpose of giving directions under this Order, a Police Officer or any other person designated by the council.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: $10 Million to Expand Food Access for All New Yorkers
Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced $10 million through the State’s Food Access Expansion Grant Program to increase food access for New Yorkers living in areas with limited options for affordable, fresh food. The program provides funding to nine organizations across the state to support the development and expansion of supermarkets, food cooperatives, permanent farm stands, mobile markets, and other retail food stores in underserved regions while also increasing markets for New York farmers. This announcement follows Governor Hochul’s warning to New Yorkers regarding the impact of federal cuts to the SNAP program on New York’s agricultural industries and vulnerable families. Funding for the State’s Food Access Expansion Grant program was included in the 2024 Enacted Budget and builds on Governor Hochul’s goal to enhance affordability for New York families, boost demand for New York agricultural products, bolster New York’s food supply chain, and ensure all New Yorkers have access to fresh, local foods.

“I am committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers, especially those in underserved areas, have access to affordable, healthy, local foods,” Governor Hochul said. “I know that the projects awarded through our Food Access Expansion Grant Program will make a significant impact in this space and ensure that our families can put fresh, New York made foods on the table, while supporting our agricultural community at the same time.”

Administered by the Department of Agriculture and Markets, funding through the Food Access Expansion Grant Program was available to eligible entities for projects aiming to increase the availability of food, whether through construction of a new retail store, the purchase of equipment to improve food and meals offered, the creation or expansion of mobile markets, and more. The program was developed following a Request for Interest (RFI), which gathered input from stakeholders to guide the Department on how best to shape the program.

Below is a list of awarded projects:
- The Adirondack North Country Association (North Country) – $468,576 to partner with The ADK Food Hub and Whitten Family Farm to increase the availability and distribution of food throughout the North Country. The project will construct a new processing kitchen and retail store in St. Lawrence County. This will help to expand a permanent farmstand, allowing for food processing and sale of processed products from other farms, including milk, yogurt, cheese, salads, frozen vegetables, baked foods, pickles, and jams. The Real Food Hub will result in a building that offers climate-controlled storage, a processing kitchen, loading dock, and retail storefront.
- Broome County Council of Churches Inc. (Southern Tier) – $1,553,688 to partner with members of their task force including the City of Binghamton, Broome County, Eden Food for Changes, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and others to renovate an existing building to include a new commercial kitchen, and to purchase and customize a new Mobile Market Bus. The new kitchen will be used to produce SNAP-eligible prepared meals for retail sale at the Greater Good Grocery and in the Mobile Market Bus.
- Buffalo Go Green Inc. (Western New York) – $809,932 to implement building renovations for a market, commercial kitchen, and juicery, including dry and cold storage and a loading dock to be used by their mobile market. The project will result in a commercial kitchen, juicery, food retail space, and 3,500 square feet of cold and dry storage on Buffalo’s Eastside to expand and support their mobile markets.
- The City of Schenectady (Capital Region) – $2,100,000 to partner with Electric City Community Grocery, Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority, and National Co+op Grocers to open a new grocery store and co-op in downtown Schenectady. The project will result in the renovation of an existing building into a cooperative food store. The City of Schenectady is providing a $1 million grant toward project costs.
- Foodlink Inc. (Finger Lakes) – $291,420 to expand its Curbside Market program in Monroe County through the construction of a commercial warehouse for loading and unloading Curbside Market vehicles with storage space for product. The project will additionally fund the purchase of a new Curbside Market vehicle.
- The Research Foundation for the State University of New York (Western New York) – $265,973 to expand critical infrastructure for the UB Veggie Van mobile market by purchasing and customizing a new market vehicle and expanding cold and dry storage infrastructure. The project will result in shared infrastructure that addresses food insecurity across the University of Buffalo and Buffalo State campuses.
- Riseboro Community Partnership Inc. (New York City) – $2,134,720 to partner with the Central Brooklyn Food Coop to lease 10,000 square feet of a new development project for grocery retail and food storage. Funds will be used for excavation costs and the retail fit-out of the co-op. Riseboro will partner with Brooklyn Packers to source food from New York farms.
- Syracuse Economic Development Corporation (Central New York) – $1,719,000 to partner with the City of Syracuse, Ellicott Development Company, Super Imperial Market, and Food Access Healthy Neighborhoods Now to renovate and reopen the Valley Plaza Grocery Store on the Southside of Syracuse that has been vacant since 2018. The project will result in 22,000 square feet of retail food space bringing fresh produce, meats, and prepared foods to the neighborhood and grocery delivery for seniors.
- Tri Corner Food Equity, Education & Distribution (Mid-Hudson) – $656,690 to purchase and renovate an existing building that includes walk-in refrigeration, refrigeration and freezer displays, and bakery display cases. The new Fair Food Grocery Store will result in 2,080 square feet of retail space, a commercial kitchen, and café space.
New York State State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “Connecting the dots between New Yorkers and our farmers, and addressing gaps in the food supply chain, are key priorities here at the Department. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s dedicated support, we’ve implemented a number of initiatives that aim to support our farmers, strengthen our food system, and get fresh, local foods to our families. The Food Access Expansion Grant Program is one more piece of that puzzle, and will make a tremendous impact on many of our underserved communities. I congratulate all the organizations receiving funding today and look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition.”

State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Every New Yorker deserves to eat healthy, locally-grown food, and the State’s Food Access Expansion Grant Program is a lifeline in our effort, especially in underserved areas where access to fresh food is scarce. By investing in new grocery stores and farm stands, we’re creating more demand for New York-grown products and connecting the dots between local food and local communities. I’m proud to have helped champion this funding and thrilled to see Tri-Corner FEED receive state support to open the Fair Food Grocery Store in Millerton—a project that will bring fresh food, a café, and a commercial kitchen into the village. Congratulations to Tri-Corner FEED and all the awardees working to expand food access across New York.”

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “I am thrilled that Broome County Council of Churches will be receiving such a sizable grant from our Food Access Expansion Program. The program was established to expand access to fresh and local food in underserved areas, while also increasing opportunities for NY’s farmers. Communities like mine, and so many across the state, are desperately in need of these resources, especially at a time when federal support is at risk. This is one of numerous initiatives we have advanced in the state budget connecting NY agriculture with NY consumers.”

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said, “SEDCO’s award from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is a huge win for Syracuse and the Southside neighborhood. Having access to fresh and healthy food is critical in every neighborhood in this city, and now an area with limited access will have a grocery store once again. I am thankful to our City staff, Food Access Healthy Neighborhoods Now, and other community advocates who are working diligently to address food desert concerns in our neighborhoods, and to Governor Hochul and New York State for this significant investment to help support these efforts.”

Schenectady County Legislature Chair Gary Hughes, “We’re grateful to Governor Hochul and the Department of Agriculture and Markets for supporting efforts to expand access to healthy food. This funding moves us closer to opening a community-owned grocery store in Downtown Schenectady. Together with the $3 million committed by the County Legislature, it marks a significant step toward making this long-standing vision a reality.”

Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy said, “We are very thankful to Governor Kathy Hochul for providing a huge boost to our efforts to launch the new food co-op by providing this State grant. This is a pivotal step forward for our efforts to establish a new grocery store downtown.”

Foodlink President & CEO Julia Tedesco said, “The need for equitable food access in our community has never been greater. Rising costs of food and persistent barriers continue to make it difficult for too many families to access fresh, affordable food. This investment from Governor Hochul allows us to expand our Curbside Market with additional operating space and purchase a new vehicle. We can reach more neighborhoods, more efficiently, ensuring that nutritious food is not a privilege, but a right for all Monroe County residents.”

The Food Access Expansion Grant Program is one initiative in an array of programs implemented by New York State to build a more resilient food system. New York continues to support several groundbreaking programs that focus on improving access to locally grown foods including through its 2026 Budget, including the Nourish NY program, the 30 Percent NYS Initiative for school meals, and the Farm-to-School program. Additionally, this year’s Budget included the third round of funding as part of the Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program, which provides $50 million over five years to support regional cooking facilities that will facilitate the use of fresh New York State farm products in meal preparation for K-12 school children.

These investments build on the Governor’s commitment to boost demand for New York agricultural products, bolster New York’s food supply chain, and ensure all New Yorkers can access fresh, local foods. This includes the Governor’s Executive Order 32 directing State agencies to increase the percentage of food sourced from New York farmers and producers to 30 percent of their total purchases within five years. The Governor has also committed $25 million toward the New York State Grown & Certified Infrastructure, Technology, Research and Development Grant Program to assist food producers, processors, distributors, and others using New York ingredients to bring innovative NYS Grown & Certified products to market.

New York State continues to prioritize increasing access to food for all New Yorkers through a number of programs and initiatives, including the enhanced FreshConnect Fresh2You initiative, the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs, the Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grants Programs, and more. Governor Hochul recently announced $13.7 million in funding for 19 projects statewide through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant Program to provide capital and technical assistance to farmers and food businesses operating at the middle of the supply chain, helping to enhance coordination throughout the food system and improve access to markets for farmers. This investment will help connect the dots between our state’s food producers and retail operations.

According to a report from the Office of the State Comptroller, between 2019 and 2021, approximately 10 percent of New Yorkers, or approximately 800,000 households, experienced food insecurity and struggled with food affordability.

Earlier today, Governor Hochul sounded the alarm on how the Republican budget reconciliation bill will affect the Nation’s largest food assistance program, The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), undermining a program that millions of New Yorkers rely on to put food on the table every single day. Estimates indicate the reconciliation bill would shift exorbitant costs to states across the country, including New York, where an additional $2.1 billion would be imposed on State and local county governments that administer the program.

MIL OSI USA News –
June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: $10 Million to Expand Food Access for All New Yorkers
Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced $10 million through the State’s Food Access Expansion Grant Program to increase food access for New Yorkers living in areas with limited options for affordable, fresh food. The program provides funding to nine organizations across the state to support the development and expansion of supermarkets, food cooperatives, permanent farm stands, mobile markets, and other retail food stores in underserved regions while also increasing markets for New York farmers. This announcement follows Governor Hochul’s warning to New Yorkers regarding the impact of federal cuts to the SNAP program on New York’s agricultural industries and vulnerable families. Funding for the State’s Food Access Expansion Grant program was included in the 2024 Enacted Budget and builds on Governor Hochul’s goal to enhance affordability for New York families, boost demand for New York agricultural products, bolster New York’s food supply chain, and ensure all New Yorkers have access to fresh, local foods.

“I am committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers, especially those in underserved areas, have access to affordable, healthy, local foods,” Governor Hochul said. “I know that the projects awarded through our Food Access Expansion Grant Program will make a significant impact in this space and ensure that our families can put fresh, New York made foods on the table, while supporting our agricultural community at the same time.”

Administered by the Department of Agriculture and Markets, funding through the Food Access Expansion Grant Program was available to eligible entities for projects aiming to increase the availability of food, whether through construction of a new retail store, the purchase of equipment to improve food and meals offered, the creation or expansion of mobile markets, and more. The program was developed following a Request for Interest (RFI), which gathered input from stakeholders to guide the Department on how best to shape the program.

Below is a list of awarded projects:
- The Adirondack North Country Association (North Country) – $468,576 to partner with The ADK Food Hub and Whitten Family Farm to increase the availability and distribution of food throughout the North Country. The project will construct a new processing kitchen and retail store in St. Lawrence County. This will help to expand a permanent farmstand, allowing for food processing and sale of processed products from other farms, including milk, yogurt, cheese, salads, frozen vegetables, baked foods, pickles, and jams. The Real Food Hub will result in a building that offers climate-controlled storage, a processing kitchen, loading dock, and retail storefront.
- Broome County Council of Churches Inc. (Southern Tier) – $1,553,688 to partner with members of their task force including the City of Binghamton, Broome County, Eden Food for Changes, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and others to renovate an existing building to include a new commercial kitchen, and to purchase and customize a new Mobile Market Bus. The new kitchen will be used to produce SNAP-eligible prepared meals for retail sale at the Greater Good Grocery and in the Mobile Market Bus.
- Buffalo Go Green Inc. (Western New York) – $809,932 to implement building renovations for a market, commercial kitchen, and juicery, including dry and cold storage and a loading dock to be used by their mobile market. The project will result in a commercial kitchen, juicery, food retail space, and 3,500 square feet of cold and dry storage on Buffalo’s Eastside to expand and support their mobile markets.
- The City of Schenectady (Capital Region) – $2,100,000 to partner with Electric City Community Grocery, Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority, and National Co+op Grocers to open a new grocery store and co-op in downtown Schenectady. The project will result in the renovation of an existing building into a cooperative food store. The City of Schenectady is providing a $1 million grant toward project costs.
- Foodlink Inc. (Finger Lakes) – $291,420 to expand its Curbside Market program in Monroe County through the construction of a commercial warehouse for loading and unloading Curbside Market vehicles with storage space for product. The project will additionally fund the purchase of a new Curbside Market vehicle.
- The Research Foundation for the State University of New York (Western New York) – $265,973 to expand critical infrastructure for the UB Veggie Van mobile market by purchasing and customizing a new market vehicle and expanding cold and dry storage infrastructure. The project will result in shared infrastructure that addresses food insecurity across the University of Buffalo and Buffalo State campuses.
- Riseboro Community Partnership Inc. (New York City) – $2,134,720 to partner with the Central Brooklyn Food Coop to lease 10,000 square feet of a new development project for grocery retail and food storage. Funds will be used for excavation costs and the retail fit-out of the co-op. Riseboro will partner with Brooklyn Packers to source food from New York farms.
- Syracuse Economic Development Corporation (Central New York) – $1,719,000 to partner with the City of Syracuse, Ellicott Development Company, Super Imperial Market, and Food Access Healthy Neighborhoods Now to renovate and reopen the Valley Plaza Grocery Store on the Southside of Syracuse that has been vacant since 2018. The project will result in 22,000 square feet of retail food space bringing fresh produce, meats, and prepared foods to the neighborhood and grocery delivery for seniors.
- Tri Corner Food Equity, Education & Distribution (Mid-Hudson) – $656,690 to purchase and renovate an existing building that includes walk-in refrigeration, refrigeration and freezer displays, and bakery display cases. The new Fair Food Grocery Store will result in 2,080 square feet of retail space, a commercial kitchen, and café space.
New York State State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “Connecting the dots between New Yorkers and our farmers, and addressing gaps in the food supply chain, are key priorities here at the Department. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s dedicated support, we’ve implemented a number of initiatives that aim to support our farmers, strengthen our food system, and get fresh, local foods to our families. The Food Access Expansion Grant Program is one more piece of that puzzle, and will make a tremendous impact on many of our underserved communities. I congratulate all the organizations receiving funding today and look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition.”

State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Every New Yorker deserves to eat healthy, locally-grown food, and the State’s Food Access Expansion Grant Program is a lifeline in our effort, especially in underserved areas where access to fresh food is scarce. By investing in new grocery stores and farm stands, we’re creating more demand for New York-grown products and connecting the dots between local food and local communities. I’m proud to have helped champion this funding and thrilled to see Tri-Corner FEED receive state support to open the Fair Food Grocery Store in Millerton—a project that will bring fresh food, a café, and a commercial kitchen into the village. Congratulations to Tri-Corner FEED and all the awardees working to expand food access across New York.”

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “I am thrilled that Broome County Council of Churches will be receiving such a sizable grant from our Food Access Expansion Program. The program was established to expand access to fresh and local food in underserved areas, while also increasing opportunities for NY’s farmers. Communities like mine, and so many across the state, are desperately in need of these resources, especially at a time when federal support is at risk. This is one of numerous initiatives we have advanced in the state budget connecting NY agriculture with NY consumers.”

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said, “SEDCO’s award from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is a huge win for Syracuse and the Southside neighborhood. Having access to fresh and healthy food is critical in every neighborhood in this city, and now an area with limited access will have a grocery store once again. I am thankful to our City staff, Food Access Healthy Neighborhoods Now, and other community advocates who are working diligently to address food desert concerns in our neighborhoods, and to Governor Hochul and New York State for this significant investment to help support these efforts.”

Schenectady County Legislature Chair Gary Hughes, “We’re grateful to Governor Hochul and the Department of Agriculture and Markets for supporting efforts to expand access to healthy food. This funding moves us closer to opening a community-owned grocery store in Downtown Schenectady. Together with the $3 million committed by the County Legislature, it marks a significant step toward making this long-standing vision a reality.”

Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy said, “We are very thankful to Governor Kathy Hochul for providing a huge boost to our efforts to launch the new food co-op by providing this State grant. This is a pivotal step forward for our efforts to establish a new grocery store downtown.”

Foodlink President & CEO Julia Tedesco said, “The need for equitable food access in our community has never been greater. Rising costs of food and persistent barriers continue to make it difficult for too many families to access fresh, affordable food. This investment from Governor Hochul allows us to expand our Curbside Market with additional operating space and purchase a new vehicle. We can reach more neighborhoods, more efficiently, ensuring that nutritious food is not a privilege, but a right for all Monroe County residents.”

The Food Access Expansion Grant Program is one initiative in an array of programs implemented by New York State to build a more resilient food system. New York continues to support several groundbreaking programs that focus on improving access to locally grown foods including through its 2026 Budget, including the Nourish NY program, the 30 Percent NYS Initiative for school meals, and the Farm-to-School program. Additionally, this year’s Budget included the third round of funding as part of the Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program, which provides $50 million over five years to support regional cooking facilities that will facilitate the use of fresh New York State farm products in meal preparation for K-12 school children.

These investments build on the Governor’s commitment to boost demand for New York agricultural products, bolster New York’s food supply chain, and ensure all New Yorkers can access fresh, local foods. This includes the Governor’s Executive Order 32 directing State agencies to increase the percentage of food sourced from New York farmers and producers to 30 percent of their total purchases within five years. The Governor has also committed $25 million toward the New York State Grown & Certified Infrastructure, Technology, Research and Development Grant Program to assist food producers, processors, distributors, and others using New York ingredients to bring innovative NYS Grown & Certified products to market.

New York State continues to prioritize increasing access to food for all New Yorkers through a number of programs and initiatives, including the enhanced FreshConnect Fresh2You initiative, the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs, the Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grants Programs, and more. Governor Hochul recently announced $13.7 million in funding for 19 projects statewide through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant Program to provide capital and technical assistance to farmers and food businesses operating at the middle of the supply chain, helping to enhance coordination throughout the food system and improve access to markets for farmers. This investment will help connect the dots between our state’s food producers and retail operations.

According to a report from the Office of the State Comptroller, between 2019 and 2021, approximately 10 percent of New Yorkers, or approximately 800,000 households, experienced food insecurity and struggled with food affordability.

Earlier today, Governor Hochul sounded the alarm on how the Republican budget reconciliation bill will affect the Nation’s largest food assistance program, The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), undermining a program that millions of New Yorkers rely on to put food on the table every single day. Estimates indicate the reconciliation bill would shift exorbitant costs to states across the country, including New York, where an additional $2.1 billion would be imposed on State and local county governments that administer the program.

MIL OSI USA News –
June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador Announces Arrest of North Idaho Man for Alleged Sexual Exploitation of a Child

Source: US State of Idaho

Home Newsroom AG Labrador Announces Arrest of North Idaho Man for Alleged Sexual Exploitation of a Child

BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced investigators with his Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit arrested sixty-seven-year-old Kenneth Ely on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, for alleged sexual exploitation of a child. Kenneth Ely was charged with ten counts of possession of child exploitation material. “Protecting children from exploitation across the state is one of our most important responsibilities in the Office of the Attorney General,” said Attorney General Labrador. “We will pursue every lead and work with our law enforcement partners across North Idaho to thoroughly investigate these allegations and ensure that those who allegedly harm children are held accountable under the law.” The Latah County Sheriff’s Office, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lewiston Police Department, United States Secret Service, and the Moscow Police Department assisted the Idaho ICAC Task Force in the arrest. Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678. The Attorney General’s ICAC Unit works with the Idaho ICAC Task Force, a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to investigate and prosecute individuals who use the internet to criminally exploit children. Parents, educators, and law enforcement officials can find more information and helpful resources at the ICAC website, ICACIdaho.org. The charges listed above are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Who is Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sahar Maranlou, Lecturer in Law and Socio-legal Studies, Royal Holloway University of London

Ali Khamenei was born in Mashhad, Iran, in 1939, as the second son of a local religious leader, Javad Khamenei, and he grew up in relative poverty.

He learned to read the Qur’an in early childhood before attending a theological seminary school in Mashhad. At 18, he travelled to Najaf in central Iraq to study Shia jurisprudence, but was later asked by his father to return. He was a student of Ayatollah Hossein Borujerdi and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

There is not much known about Khamenei’s family life, except that he is married and has six children. Khamenei’s interest in poetry is a well-known part of his public persona. He often cites poems in his speeches and hosts poetry gatherings where pro-government poets gather to read their poems to receive his comments. Khamenei’s interest in literature is quite rare among religious clerics. The same goes for his interest in gardening.

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In the 1960s and 1970s Khamenei was involved in protests against the US-backed monarchy (the shah), and was an ardent supporter of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, then living in exile, and against the “westernisation” of Iran. This led to his arrest by the shah’s secret police and intelligence operation, the Organisation of National Security and Information (Savak), which suppressed opposition to the shah.

Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the monarch who ruled Iran until 1979, was backed by western powers including the US and the UK. After a decade of economic growth in Iran, mainly based on oil revenues, did not lead to an improvement in the standard of living for ordinary Iranians, a combination of students, intellectuals and clerics created combined support for a revolution.

After the shah was overthrown in the 1979 revolution, Iran became an Islamic republic. Khamenei was appointed as a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Council, which was put in place to manage the revolution, and served as deputy defence minister and led Friday prayers in Tehran, which was considered highly prestigious.

The new republic adopted an anti-western “imperialist” foreign policy. This is known as “global arrogance” (Estekbar Jahani) in Iranian post-revolutionary discourse.

In 1982, he was elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, winning 95% of the vote, after the previous president, Mohammad Ali Rajai, was killed in a bomb attack in Tehran. Khamenei had been the target of an assassination attempt two months earlier, leaving him with serious injuries and paralysis in his right arm.

Iran’s supreme leaders reacts to air strikes by Israel and US rhetoric.

Iran’s war with neighbouring Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, lasted from 1980 to 1988 and is known in Iran as the “sacred defence”. The war began after an invasion by Iraqi troops on Iranian territory and resulted in around one million deaths across both countries.

This was another significant period in Khamenei’s career. He was active in managing Iran’s defence as the chairman of the supreme council of war support during this period. The council was formed to make sure the country was as prepared as possible during the war and to take measures to mobilise forces and to meet the needs of the war at the battlefront.

Read more:
Why Israel’s air strikes signal a shifting relationship with the US and a weakening Iran

He also commanded the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an elite part of the Iranian armed forces, from 1981. At the end of the war, Khamenei claimed Iran had won a “luminous victory”.

He praised Khomeini for his tactics in the war and said that the supreme leader had realised from the very beginning that it was not an ordinary conflict between two neighbours. “He recognised the enemy and realised that the main enemy is not present in the war, and he recognised that Saddam is just a tool.”

He went on to suggest that this was a war about US regional power and that Saddam Hussein would continue to receive US support.

Rising to supreme leadership

Khamenei became supreme leader in 1989 after the death of Khomeini. He was designated as the new leader by the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body of Islamic clerics. He ruled in the same style, and with the same type of foreign policy, as his predecessor; looking for allies to offset US power in the region.

The duties designated for the rahbar (supreme leader) are listed in Article 101 of the constitution and range from determining the political direction of the government (in consultation with an advisory committee) to commanding the armed forces to declaring war, peace, and the mobilisation of armed forces to pardoning or commuting sentences upon recommendation of the head of the judiciary.

Khomeini’s conception of Islamic government was centred on the doctrine of the guardianship of “the jurist”, known as velayat-e faqih, and this continued at the heart of the government that followed under Khamenei. This gives the supreme leader extensive powers, including control over the military, judiciary and media.

This doctrine plays a vital role in legitimising theocratic power in Iran, linking religious authority with the state. Discussion about velayat-e faqih continues within Iranian society as part of an ongoing dialogue between traditional religious authority and civil society.

Read more:
Trump’s unpredictable approach to Iran could seriously backfire

The question of who might come to power after Khamenei was raised during the grassroots uprising and pro-democracy protests around Iran in 2022 and 2023. It was expected that any transition would take a considerable amount of time, especially if the aim was for a more democratic form of government.

The current war might suggest a different outcome. Even though the Israeli attacks on Iran have again sparked discussion of a possible change of leader, the public is focused now on their own safety, and defending Iran, not on political change.

Any external war or threats coming from outside Iran has historically united Iranians against aggressors. This means that the path to democratic change is not likely to be created, or helped, by Israeli air strikes or US threats.

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

– ref. Who is Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? – https://theconversation.com/who-is-irans-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-259424

MIL OSI Analysis –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Arkansas Private Nonprofits Affected by April Storms

Source: United States Small Business Administration

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Arkansas of the July 21 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset physical damage caused by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding occurring April 2–22.

The disaster declaration covers the Arkansas counties of Clark, Clay, Craighead, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Fulton, Greene, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Izard, Jackson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Little River, Lonoke, Marion, Miller, Monroe, Montgomery, Nevada, Newton, Pike, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sevier, Sharp, St. Francis, Stone and Woodruff.

Under this declaration, PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature are eligible to apply for business physical damage loans. Eligible PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements might include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by any disaster. 

“One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s mitigation loans.”

PNPs are also eligible to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the PNP suffered any physical property damage. 

Interest rates can be as low 3.62% with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return physical damage applications is July 22, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 23, 2026.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for His Role in an International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

Headline: High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for His Role in an International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

A Mexican national and violent member of Los Zetas cartel was sentenced today to 35 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $792 million for conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana knowing that the drugs would be unlawfully imported into the United States.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for His Role in an International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

Source: United States Attorneys General 12

A Mexican national and violent member of Los Zetas cartel was sentenced today to 35 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $792 million for conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana knowing that the drugs would be unlawfully imported into the United States.The United States Department of State designated Los Zetas, now known as Cartel del Noreste, as a foreign terrorist organization on Feb. 20, 2025.

According to court documents, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, was personally responsible for importing into the United States more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana, engaging in acts of violence against rival drug trafficking groups for control over drug plazas and trafficking routes, storing and transporting weapons, explosives, and ammunition, and bribing law enforcement officers to ensure drug loads would not be disturbed.

Gonzalez-Duran was an original member of Los Zetas, a drug trafficking organization comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing for the Gulf Cartel. Gonzalez-Duran later served as a regional commander in the Mexican cities of Matamoros, Reynosa, and Miguel Aleman, after Los Zetas formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel known as “The Company.” Gonzalez-Duran personally maintained a warehouse in Reynosa from which, in November 2008, authorities seized 540 rifles, 165 grenades, 500,000 rounds of ammunition, and 14 sticks of TNT that were used to secure drug territory and shipments. Gonzalez-Duran also was intercepted in a phone call in May 2007 coordinating the transportation of almost $1.5 million in cash from McAllen, Texas, into Mexico.

“Jaime Gonzalez-Duran employed violence and intimidation tactics to maintain Los Zetas’ reign over key drug trafficking routes, especially on the U.S.-Mexico border, used to send vast quantities of narcotics into the United States,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence is a forceful reminder to Mexican terrorist organizations that the Department of Justice is committed to bringing to justice those who threaten the wellbeing and safety of the American people for their own personal gain.”

“For decades, DEA agents have tirelessly pursued justice to bring down one of Los Zetas’ most violent leaders, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran,” Said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the DEA Houston Division. “Today, those relentless efforts by our agents have paid off, and Duran will now be held accountable for years of bringing deadly drugs into American communities and killing those who stood in his way. No matter the distance of a violent drug trafficking organization or the rank of its leader, DEA will track down anyone who threatens our national safety and security.”

On Feb. 28, Gonzalez-Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States from Mexico.

The DEA Houston Division investigated the case.

Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and October 2022 extradition of Gonzalez-Duran.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for His Role in an International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

Source: United States Attorneys General 12

A Mexican national and violent member of Los Zetas cartel was sentenced today to 35 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $792 million for conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana knowing that the drugs would be unlawfully imported into the United States.The United States Department of State designated Los Zetas, now known as Cartel del Noreste, as a foreign terrorist organization on Feb. 20, 2025.

According to court documents, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, was personally responsible for importing into the United States more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana, engaging in acts of violence against rival drug trafficking groups for control over drug plazas and trafficking routes, storing and transporting weapons, explosives, and ammunition, and bribing law enforcement officers to ensure drug loads would not be disturbed.

Gonzalez-Duran was an original member of Los Zetas, a drug trafficking organization comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing for the Gulf Cartel. Gonzalez-Duran later served as a regional commander in the Mexican cities of Matamoros, Reynosa, and Miguel Aleman, after Los Zetas formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel known as “The Company.” Gonzalez-Duran personally maintained a warehouse in Reynosa from which, in November 2008, authorities seized 540 rifles, 165 grenades, 500,000 rounds of ammunition, and 14 sticks of TNT that were used to secure drug territory and shipments. Gonzalez-Duran also was intercepted in a phone call in May 2007 coordinating the transportation of almost $1.5 million in cash from McAllen, Texas, into Mexico.

“Jaime Gonzalez-Duran employed violence and intimidation tactics to maintain Los Zetas’ reign over key drug trafficking routes, especially on the U.S.-Mexico border, used to send vast quantities of narcotics into the United States,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence is a forceful reminder to Mexican terrorist organizations that the Department of Justice is committed to bringing to justice those who threaten the wellbeing and safety of the American people for their own personal gain.”

“For decades, DEA agents have tirelessly pursued justice to bring down one of Los Zetas’ most violent leaders, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran,” Said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the DEA Houston Division. “Today, those relentless efforts by our agents have paid off, and Duran will now be held accountable for years of bringing deadly drugs into American communities and killing those who stood in his way. No matter the distance of a violent drug trafficking organization or the rank of its leader, DEA will track down anyone who threatens our national safety and security.”

On Feb. 28, Gonzalez-Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States from Mexico.

The DEA Houston Division investigated the case.

Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and October 2022 extradition of Gonzalez-Duran.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

MIL Security OSI –

June 21, 2025