NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Men Charged with Offenses Related to the Sex Trafficking of Minors in Danbury

    Source: US FBI

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that the following four individuals have been charged by federal criminal complaint with offenses related to the sex trafficking of minors:

    • OSWALDO ORDONEZ-ORTEGA, 39, of Danbury
    • MARCO ROBLES, 40, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Brookfield
    • EDWIN QUILLI-TACURI, 40, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Danbury
    • BRYAN ISMAEL VASQUEZ-SALINAS, 23, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Danbury

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in February 2025, the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and Danbury Police began investigating a Danbury-based organization believed to be involved in the sex trafficking of minors.  On March 11, 2025, after seeing a communication on a WhatsApp messaging account advertising the sale of two 15-year-old females for sexual encounters, investigators executed a state warrant at a residence in Danbury, found a 15-year-old female victim and a 16-year-old female victim, and arrested Ordonez-Ortega, Robles, Quilli-Tacuri, Vasquez-Salinas, and a fifth individual.  Quilli-Tacuri was located in a locked bedroom with the 15-year-old victim, and the fifth individual was found in a locked bedroom with the 16-year-old victim.  Ordonez-Ortega and Vasquez-Salinas were found together in the kitchen, and Robles was stopped after attempting to leave the area in his vehicle.

    It is alleged that the minor victims were briefly interviewed by law enforcement and Connecticut Department of Children and Families investigators before being transported to a local hospital for medical care and evaluation.  The investigation, which has also included analysis of cell phones seized at the time of the defendants’ arrests, revealed that Ordonez-Ortega coordinated the transportation of the minor victims to Danbury, made appointments with Robles, Quilli-Tacuri, Vasquez-Salinas, and others to engage in sexual activity with the minors, and received payment from the men, a portion of which he returned to the minors.  Ordonez-Ortega scheduled 13 men to engage in sexual activity with the 15-year-old victim, and 11 men to engage in sexual activity with the 16-year-old victim, on March 10 and 11, 2025, in Danbury.

    It is further alleged that Robles caused physical injury to the 15-year-old victim during his sexual encounter on March 11.

    Each of the four defendants is charged with sex trafficking of children, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

    In addition, Ordonez-Ortega and Vasquez-Salinas are charged with attempted sex trafficking of children and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.  Ordonez-Ortega is also charged with coercion and enticement of minors to engage in sexual activity, and with transportation of minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    Robles and Quilli-Tacuri were arrested on the federal charges yesterday.  They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and currently are detained.  Ordonez-Ortega, who is in state custody, and Vasquez-Salinas, who is in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, will be presented in federal court at a later date.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Danbury Police Department, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Brookfield Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings and Mary G. Vitale.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

    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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Financier Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Family Member Out of $8.4 Million

    Source: US FBI

    MIAMI – A former financier previously disciplined by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission pled guilty today in the Southern District of Florida to defrauding his elderly family member out of approximately $8.4 million.

    According to court documents, Brett Thomas Graham, 61, began assisting his family member after she became a widow in approximately 2017. In approximately November 2018, Graham assisted her with retaining a financial advisor headquartered in New York, New York. In approximately February 2019, the family member sold a townhouse in New York, New York, for approximately $9 million. In approximately September 2019, Graham began transferring money from her accounts into his own checking account.  Graham spent the money on himself.  In approximately December 2020, Graham assumed the role of the family member’s power of attorney, by which he was obligated to act in her best interest.  Graham used the opportunity to continue his scheme to defraud.

    In one instance, in December 2020, Graham asked the financial advisor for an additional $250,000, writing that the money was needed for the family member’s “higher medical & care expenses.” After receiving the money, Graham spent it on himself. In another instance, in November 2022, Graham asked that the financial advisor make an additional $400,000 available, writing that the funds were necessary for “[a]mazing [investment] opps…” After receiving the money, Graham spent over $300,000 on his credit card, art, travel, and rent.

    Law enforcement was able to seize approximately $2 million worth of jewelry and art purchased with fraud proceeds.

    Graham’s sentencing is scheduled to take place before Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks on September 16.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli S. Rubin is prosecuting the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Demirci for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20103.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Child Sex Trafficking Charges and Witness Tampering

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A North Las Vegas resident who recruited his victims over social media pleaded guilty Thursday to 10 federal charges related to child sex trafficking and exploitation.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in April 2017 through December 2017, Jacques Anton Lanier, also known as “John Dupree,” coerced and solicited nine girls under the age of 18 years old to engage in sexual activities with him for money and drugs. Lanier engaged in commercial sex acts with at least four of the girls. He also requested and received sexual images from some of the victims and took a sexually explicit image of at least one victim constituting child pornography. Lanier traveled to California and engaged in sex acts with a victim.

    In 2018, while Lanier was in custody pending related criminal charges, he tampered with one of the victims through intimidation and threats, and persuaded that victim to evade legal process, refrain from testifying, and prevent communication between the victim and law enforcement regarding federal offenses.

    Lanier pleaded guilty to four counts of coercion and enticement; four counts of sex trafficking of children; one count of sexual exploitation of children; and one count of tampering with a witness, victim or informant.

    United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro scheduled sentencing for March 27, 2024. Lanier faces the maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

    The case was investigated by the FBI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the North Las Vegas Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Bianca R. Pucci and David Kiebler are prosecuting the case.

    The 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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or https://report.cybertip.org.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Arrested for Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Charges During January 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: US FBI

               WASHINGTON — A Las Vegas man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including for assaulting law enforcement during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

               Mario Gonzalez, 51, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. In addition to the felonies, Gonzalez is charged with misdemeanor offenses of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

               Gonzalez was arrested on Jan. 8, 2024, by the FBI in Las Vegas and made his initial appearance in the District of Nevada.

               According to allegations contained in court documents, Gonzalez traveled from Las Vegas to Washington, D.C., and was present among a mob of rioters illegally assembled on Capitol grounds near the Peace Monument circle on Jan. 6, 2021. Gonzalez then approached the Lower West Terrace and entered the northern scaffolding around the Inauguration stage, where police attempted to prevent rioters from gaining access to the steps leading up to the Upper West Terrace. As the rioters succeeded in pushing the police line back and up the stairs, Gonzalez filmed the altercation with police and took selfie-style recordings of himself using his cell phone.

               Court documents say that Gonzalez then came out of the scaffolding carrying a fire extinguisher and proceeded to spray the extinguisher in the direction of the police line that held the crowd at bay. Police then deployed a chemical riot control agent in the direction of Gonzalez, which caused him to drop the fire extinguisher and retreat into the crowd.

               This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

               This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Las Vegas and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia.

               In the 36 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,265 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

               Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Trafficking Large Quantities of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Near Elementary School

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Thursday by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to 10 years in prison for selling fentanyl and methamphetamine from his home, which was located across the street from an elementary school.

    According to court documents, Daniel Thorndal, 51, conspired with others to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and five grams or more of methamphetamine in Las Vegas. On April 15, 2022, Thorndal sold methamphetamine and fentanyl at his residence. On April 21, 2022, Thorndal sold fentanyl at the same residence again. On May 6, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant on the residence and recovered approximately 422 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 127 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the drugs, law enforcement officials also recovered a .380 caliber pistol that was possessed in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.

    Thorndal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. In addition to imprisonment, he was sentenced to four years of supervised release.

    United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

    The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Operskalski prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Nevada CPA Sentenced to Three Years in Prison in False Tax Return Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Nevada man was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for willfully aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns, in connection with a scheme to sell purported investment opportunities to clients that he falsely claimed would entitle them to IRS tax deductions.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Lance K. Bradford, of Henderson, was a certified public accountant and founder and manager of LL Bradford & Company (LLB). LLB performed accounting-related work, including tax preparation, audit and consulting services. Bradford also operated a real estate business that developed office buildings and other real property. In connection with Bradford’s real estate development activities, he operated and controlled a real estate investment partnership entity.

    In 2011, Bradford began offering LLB’s high-net-worth clients an “investment opportunity” through which the clients would make a payment to his partnership entity and, in exchange, receive a large tax deduction of approximately five to seven times the amount of money the client “invested.” Bradford advised that the clients’ payments would entitle them to claim the large tax deduction based on losses derived from the partnership entity, even though he knew the tax laws did not permit the sale of such deductions in exchange for an investment of money, and the partnership did not incur the losses or depreciation in the amounts represented by Bradford. Bradford also did not report the purported investments as losses on the clients’ tax returns as promised. Instead, he caused the clients’ returns to report large false deductions for cost of goods sold, professional and consulting fees or nonpassive losses. In total, Bradford’s scheme caused a tax loss to the IRS of at least $8 million.

    As one example from his investment scheme, in 2014, Bradford asked a client to make a $417,780 “investment” to his partnership entity in exchange for purported depreciation-based losses to be placed on his client’s 2013 corporate tax return (Form 1120S). But instead of reporting depreciation related to the investment, Bradford caused LLB to prepare and file a Form 1120S that falsely inflated the company’s cost of goods sold by $2,110,000, causing a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $860,627.

    In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Gloria M. Navarro ordered Bradford to serve one year of supervised release and pay $6,734,338 in restitution to the United States.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI.

    Trial Attorney Patrick Burns of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hudson County Convicted Felon Indicted for Possessing a Firearm and an Extended Magazine

    Source: US FBI

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County man has been indicted for a firearms offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Richard Sharp, 25, of Bayonne, New Jersey and known on social media as “Famous Richard,” is charged with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. He was arrested earlier today and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court and was detained.

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

    On July 4, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of an incident at a gas station in Bayonne, New Jersey. The investigation revealed that during an altercation at the gas station, Sharp had brandished a firearm with an extended magazine and threatened to shoot other people who were at the gas station. Several days later, Sharp posted a video on social media showing him dancing while holding a firearm equipped with an extended magazine.

    Subsequently, on July 12, 2024, following a judicially authorized search of Sharp’s residence and vehicle, law enforcement recovering a loaded Beretta M9 semi-automatic handgun with a defaced serial number and an extended magazine that contained approximately 24 rounds of ammunition.

    The count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition is punishable by a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Division under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Driscoll, with the investigation. He also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez and the Bayonne Police Department under the direction of Police Chief Robert Geisler.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Nadel of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.

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

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    Defense counsel: Areeb Salim, Esq. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mercer County Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearms, Fentanyl, and Cocaine

    Source: US FBI

    TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County, New Jersey, man was arrested and charged with illegally possessing firearms and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

    Jose Colon-Matos, 33, of Trenton, is charged by complaint with one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of two firearms, one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He made his initial appearance on January 6, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton federal court and was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for January 10, 2025.

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

    On May 15, 2024, following an investigation into narcotics activity in Hamilton Township in Mercer County, law enforcement officers conducted a court-ordered search of an apartment used by Colon-Matos during which they recovered from a safe in the apartment two loaded firearms, including one with an obliterated serial number, distribution quantities of suspected fentanyl and cocaine, and approximately $9,000.00 in United States currency. The narcotics were subsequently tested by the New Jersey State Police forensic laboratory, which returned positive results for fentanyl and cocaine.

    The charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm carries a potential maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, and a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Driscoll in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Hamilton Township Police Division, under the direction of Chief Kenneth R. DeBoskey, and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, for their assistance in the investigation.

    The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

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

    Defense counsel: Andrea G. Aldana, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Office of the Federal Public Defender.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Bergen County Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin

    Source: US FBI

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possession of heroin with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Dawan A. Brown, 37, of Cliffside Park, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an information charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.  Judge Martinotti imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.

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

    Since at least January 2022, law enforcement had investigated drug trafficking activity in the District of New Jersey, to include in and around Harrison, New Jersey.  During the investigation, law enforcement officers learned that Dawan Brown, a/k/a “DB,” distributes narcotics in New Jersey.  

    Through investigation, law enforcement officers learned that Brown packaged and distributed large amounts of heroin from an apartment in a building located in Harrison, New Jersey.  On June 14, 2022, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the Harrison apartment and at Brown’s residence located in Cliffside Park, New Jersey.  From the apartment in Harrison, officers recovered approximately two kilograms of narcotics, suspected to contain amounts of heroin and fentanyl; drug paraphernalia, including a ledger, a safe, scales, a coffee and spice grinder, ink pads, stamps, Ziplock bags, vacuum bags and a vacuum bag sealer machine, razor blades, glassine envelopes and strainers; and approximately $34,000 that was contained within the safe along with some of the suspected heroin and fentanyl.  From the residence in Cliffside Park, officers recovered approximately $169,000, five cell phones, safety deposit keys, and various jewelry including diamond necklaces, gold watches, and a gold ring.  Law enforcement officers also recovered approximately $225,000 from safety deposit boxes that were associated with Brown.

    As part of his plea agreement, Brown agreed to forfeit $436,615.95, the proceeds from the narcotics trafficking.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Brown to four years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian J Driscoll Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; Harrison Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Strumolo; and Cliffside Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Marc Marano, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.  He also thanked the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the Bloomfield Police Department, the Newark Police Department, Irvington Police Department, Hillsborough Police Department, and the Fort Lee Police Department.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Frazer of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Cybercrime Unit, in Newark.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Announce Five-Count Indictment in Violent Crime Spree on Navajo Nation

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Rydell Happy for his alleged involvement in a violent crime spree on April 24, 2024. Happy, who was already in custody awaiting trial on a second-degree murder charge, now faces charges for first degree murder, two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence and discharging said firearm, assault with a dangerous weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    According to court documents, on April 24, 2024, Happy, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly shot John Doe in the head with a revolver and then repeatedly beat his head with a baseball bat, resulting in Doe’s death.

    The indictment further alleges that on the same day, Happy assaulted Jane Doe with a revolver and discharged the firearm during the incident.

    The indictment further alleges that Happy, who was previously convicted of domestic violence, is prohibited from possessing firearms.

    If convicted of the current charges, Happy faces a mandatory life sentence or death for the first-degree murder charge, and 10 to 15 years for the other charges.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.  The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of Indigenous victims and their families.  

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Civil Disorder and Assaulting Federal Officers

    Source: US FBI

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that JohnMichael Santiago, 25, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of civil disorder and assaulting a federal officer, was sentenced to serve 33 months by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who handled the case, stated that on September 4, 2020, following the release of information by the Rochester Police Department (RPD) regarding the death of Daniel Prude, a group of protesters damaged property and turned over tables at two restaurants in Rochester, causing numerous patrons to leave. During the evening of September 5, 2020, Santiago was part of a group of approximately 1,500 protesters that gathered at Broad Street and Exchange Boulevard, about a block north of RPD headquarters, where they blocked all lanes of traffic on nearby streets. Over the next few hours, some protesters hurled rocks, bottles, lit fireworks, and other objects at police officers in the area. Some also shined flashlights and pointed lasers at officers. Protesters were repeatedly asked to move onto the sidewalks and leave the area or be subject to arrest. Many disregarded the requests, remained in the streets, and continued to block traffic. Santiago threw an ignited firework in the direction of a line of uniformed RPD officers, which detonated in the immediate vicinity of the officers. Santiago was not arrested that night, but was later interviewed by law enforcement about the incident. Santiago admitted that he attended the protests, brought fireworks to the protests, and threw an ignited mortar-style firework at police officers.

    While in custody at the Livingston County Jail, after being charged with civil disorder, Santiago assaulted two corrections officers, throwing a hard plastic cup at one, and striking the other in the face with his fist.  Officers began to wrestle Santiago to secure him, during which one officer suffered contusions and a concussion, and a second suffered a back injury.

    The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the United States Marshall’s Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Launches Stolen Art App

    Source: US FBI

    Claude Monet paintings. Stradivarius violins. Tiffany lamps.

    Law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and around the world have submitted these to the FBI’s National Stolen Art File (NSAF), a database of stolen pieces of art and culturally significant property. The NSAF assists in law enforcement’s efforts to close cases and return pieces of art and property to their rightful owners.

    Now, you can access that database in the palm of your hand using our new National Stolen Art File app.

    “One of the biggest evolutions for NSAF was making it publicly available,” said Colleen Childers of the FBI’s Art Crime Program. “Now, with the new mobile upgrade that we’ve undergone, we want to continue to push to make it a more user-friendly platform.”

    While the app was primarily created with law enforcement and art-industry partners in mind, anyone can use it to verify that art or antiquities they own or are looking to buy aren’t actually stolen property.

    In the app, you can:

    • Search and filter stolen art by location, description, type of art, and more.
    • Display the information most relevant to you.
    • Save pieces of art to a favorites page and easily access them later.
    • Share stolen art entries via text, email, or social media.
    • Submit tips to the FBI directly from the app.

    Download the app for free on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Wilver Villegas-Palomino Added to FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List

    Source: US FBI

    The ELN uses proceeds from Villegas-Palomino’s drug trafficking enterprise to fund terrorist attacks, launch sabotage operations, buy political influence, and engage in other malign activities designed to destabilize government institutions and subvert U.S. national security and law enforcement interests in the region. 

    A federal arrest warrant was issued for Villegas-Palomino in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, on February 13, 2020, after he was charged with narcoterrorism, international cocaine distribution conspiracy, and international cocaine distribution. 

    “Villegas-Palomino continues to present a grave threat to the community through his cocaine and narcoterrorist empire,” said FBI Supervisory Special Agent Nick Zarro, who is overseeing the investigation out of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Cocaine produced in Villegas-Palomino’s laboratories ultimately ends up on U.S. streets, plaguing local communities and driving spikes in violent crime.” 

    The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a federal drug enforcement program overseen by the U.S. Attorney General and the Department of Justice, has named Villegas-Palomino a consolidated priority organization target (CPOT), which is reserved for those involved in the most significant international drug trafficking operations affecting the United States. 

    Zarro hopes the poster and publicity will move hesitant associates to come forward with tips. “Continued publicity of Villegas-Palomino’s status on this list will disrupt his ability to travel abroad, restrict his ability to meet with international drug trafficking associates, and hamper his ability to recruit new members—and will generate leads and intelligence for law enforcement,” he said.

    Villegas-Palomino is 41 years old and has black hair and brown eyes. He is between 5’7” and 5’9” tall and weighs about 190 pounds. He is a Colombian national and speaks Spanish. Aliases include Carlos El Puerco (“Carlos the Hog”), El Puerco, Wilver Villegas, and Wilver Palomino. 

    If you have any information concerning Villegas-Palomino, please contact the FBI via WhatsApp (neither a government-operated nor government-controlled platform) at (281) 630-0330. You can also contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation SpecTor Targets Darknet Markets

    Source: US FBI

    To get the word out about the prevailing dangers, the JCODE team embarked on an effort this spring called Operation ProtecTor. This effort involved reaching out to individuals whose identities were discovered during search warrant and arrest operations of prolific vendors. The FBI sent leads to each of its field offices to work with partner agencies. Agents then drove to subjects’ homes, knocked on their doors, and let them know that law enforcement was aware of what they had been doing—and that the safest thing to do was to stop.

    “No matter what somebody is telling you, you really don’t know what’s in it,” said Andrew Innocenti, a supervisory special agent who leads a JCODE squad in the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. He said the drugs—or the precursor ingredients they’re made of—can change hands frequently as they travel from the darknet to the doorstep.

    “When these pills are created and shipped around the country, they are being resold in some instances to people in high school, people at universities, people on social media,” he said. “And by that point, you’re diluting the message of what this actually is or is purporting to be. When the messaging gets changed over time, from drug trafficker to darknet vendor, to reseller, to the local high school kid who’s handing them out, who knows what you might be taking? And so that’s where the danger lies.”

    Operation SpecTor is the fifth coordinated law enforcement action since the JCODE team was established in 2018. In remarks at a May 2 press conference in Washington, D.C., Attorney General Merrick Garland said the recent operation represents the most funds seized and the highest number of arrests in any coordinated international action led by the Justice Department against drug traffickers on the darknet.

    “Our message to criminals on the dark web is this: You can try to hide in the furthest reaches of the internet, but the Justice Department will find you and hold you accountable for your crimes,” Garland said.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Honors Fallen During 2023 Police Week Events

    Source: US FBI

    Police Week regularly draws 25,000 to 40,000 visitors to the nation’s capital. The observance comprises several events—including some, like the FBI service, that occur before Police Week officially starts.

    These collective events include the Blue Mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church; a Police K-9 Memorial Service at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial; a 5K fundraising run; the arrival of the Police Unity Tour, where more than 2,000 bicycle riders simultaneously arrive in Washington, D.C., after traveling for days from cities around the country; the aforementioned 35th annual candlelight vigil; and the 42nd annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol, which was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: North Carolina Man Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Offenses During January 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – A North Carolina man was sentenced to prison today after he was previously convicted of assaulting law enforcement other offenses during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

                Brett Alan Rotella, also known as Brett Ostrander, 35, of Kannapolis, North Carolina, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss to 38 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

                A federal jury previously found Rotella guilty of three felony offenses, including obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, and several misdemeanors.

                According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, on Jan. 6, 2021, at approximately 2:24 p.m., Rotella was identified among a crowd of rioters amassed on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., wearing distinctive clothing that included a red skull cap, a black sleeveless puffy vest over a red sleeveless shirt, and white or gray long shorts. He carried a long pole with at least two flags affixed to it at various points during the day.

                According to police body-worn camera footage, just minutes after his arrival at the West Font, Rotella approached a police barricade and forcibly pushed it toward a Metropolitan Police Department officer, while shouting inflammatory remarks.

                At approximately 2:33 p.m., as the police line on the West Plaza became overwhelmed and was forced to retreat, Rotella was observed taking charge of a group of rioters, directing their movements by periodically signaling with his hand to “hold” and leading them up the southwest stairs toward the Capitol.

                Video footage from the Lower West Terrace showed that at approximately 2:40 p.m., Rotella followed retreating officers into the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement that day. Inside the Tunnel, as officers attempted to hold back the rioters, Rotella continued his advance, even after pepper balls containing chemical irritant were fired at him.

                Evidence during the trial showed that the mob, including Rotella, breached the Capitol entrance at the Tunnel by smashing the glass pane of one of the locked doors and forcing the doors open. CCTV and body-worn camera footage depicted Rotella entering the Tunnel and joining others in a concerted effort to physically assault police officers inside. Inside the Tunnel, Rotella pushed against police shields and attempted to leverage his body to push through the police line and into the building.

                Rotella left the Tunnel at approximately 2:55 p.m., but remained in the vicinity for approximately ninety more minutes, joining a large crowd that repeatedly surged against the police line. Further video evidence depicted Rotella counting down and leading a coordinated push by the mob against the officers.

                Rotella was later observed grabbing a large orange ladder and handing it toward the front of the crowd in an apparent attempt to use it against the officers. Video footage showed Rotella pushing the ladder into the Tunnel and pushing against other rioters near him in an effort to collectively breach the police line.

                The FBI arrested Rotella on Aug. 29, 2023, in Mooresville, North Carolina.

                This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.

                This case was investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte and Washington Field Offices, which identified Rotella as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #82 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

                In the 47 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,572 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 590 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

                Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Raleigh Man Who Fled From Police with ‘Ghost Gun’ Sentenced to Eight Years

    Source: US FBI

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced to 96 months in prison after fleeing from the police and discarding a “ghost gun”.  On May 22, 2024, Treyvion Maleke Sutton pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on December 8, 2023, Sutton, 20, fled from Raleigh police officers on foot after officers attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which he was a passenger. While running from officers, Sutton discarded a loaded, unserialized “ghost gun” with an extended magazine. Sutton, who has prior felony convictions for common law robbery, assault by strangulation, discharge of a weapon into occupied property, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and battery of an unborn child, was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    A privately made firearm is often called a “ghost gun” because it is not marked with a serial number and therefore is far more difficult for law enforcement to trace if they are used to commit crimes. These firearms can be made from scratch, or they can be assembled from weapon parts kits, including “buy-build-shoot” kits, which are weapon part kits with pre-manufactured, dissembled, complete firearms (a firearm in a box).

    The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.

    Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Nokes  prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-24-D-RN.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Zoe Mafia Family, Other Gang Members Convicted on Firearms and Narcotics Charges in South Florida Federal Court

    Source: US FBI

    MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, ATF Miami, and Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), in collaboration with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, secured federal convictions and prison sentences against 18 members of violent South Florida street gangs – including Zoe Mafia Family (ZMF), the 3rd World gang, and several sects of the Bloods gang.

    The joint operation involved charges of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine trafficking; carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and felon in possession of a firearm. It led to the recovery of 23 firearms, three kilograms of fentanyl, and seven kilograms of cocaine, as well as methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.

    The defendants, former residents of South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties) were convicted and sentenced to prison terms as follows: 

    Andre Allen, 37, was sentenced to 120 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (22-cr-20190);

    David Brown,41, was sentenced to 151 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (22-cr-60177);

    Tirell Caldwell,26, was sentenced to 57 months for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon (22-cr-60220);

    Johnnie Gibson,51, was sentenced to 175 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine (23-cr-60205); 

    Brionne Griffin,35, was sentenced to 60 months for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, and methamphetamine (22-cr-60082);

    Joseph Johnson, Jr.,46, was sentenced to 120 months for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60131);

    Timothy Neil Lewis, Jr.,26, was sentenced to 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60083);

    Makinson Moise,35, was sentenced to 248 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine base (23-cr-60004);

    Arnicious Odom,48, was sentenced to 30 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine (23-cr-60205);

    Wendy Previl,33, was sentenced to 120 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60089); 

    Joshua Robinson,38, was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (24-cr-60132);

    Robert Roseme,28, was sentenced to 42 months for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60089); 

    Nolan Setoute,43, was sentenced to 12 months for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon (22-cr-60124);

    Terrance Stanley,40, was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60120);

    Dorshawn Tate,20, was sentenced to 8 months for possession with intent to distribute alprazolam (23-cr-60051);

    British Wilkerson,42, was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60125);

    Byron Felecio Williams, Jr.,40, was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-80136); and

    Kevin Williams,31, was sentenced to 18 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (24-cr-60132).

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the ATF Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office announced the results of the operation.

    This case was investigated by ATF Miami and Broward Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from DEA Miami, HSI Miami, and FBI Miami.

    Southern District of Florida Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Brown and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCormack prosecuted these cases.

    Several of the defendants, are associated with Zoe Mafia Family (ZMF), a South Florida Haitian street gang.

    Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department designated two Haitian gangs (Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

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

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Law Enforcement During January 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – A North Carolina man pleaded guilty today to assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

                David Paul Daniel, 37, of Mint Hill, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to a felony offense of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. Judge McFadden will sentence Daniel on May 5, 2025.

                According to court documents, Daniel traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the Jan. 6, 2021, “Stop the Steal” rally on the National Mall.

                At approximately 2:12 p.m., the initial breach of the U.S. Capitol building occurred at a doorway known as the Senate Wing Door. Eventually, U.S. Capitol Police officers were able to stop the influx of rioters from that doorway. To secure the area, the officers, among other efforts, placed heavy wooden structures in front of the Senate Wing Door and nearby windows.

                At approximately 2:42 p.m., a rioter succeeded in once again breaking open the Senate Wing Door, but further entry was blocked by one of the heavy wooden structures, which was placed in front of the door like a barricade. At approximately 2:46 p.m., Daniel moved to the front of the crowd directly in front of that barricade.

                About one minute later, Daniel and another rioter to his right thrust their arms into and forcefully pushed the barricade into the officers standing on the other side. Officers attempted to keep the heavy wooden barricade in place as the crowd swarmed behind Daniel to support the push. Approximately one minute later, rioters succeeded in overwhelming the officers and swarmed into the Senate Wing Door hallway.

                At about 2:49 p.m., Daniel climbed over a pile of wooden structures to exit the Senate Wing Door area through a broken window. Daniel then re-entered the Capitol through another broken window beside the Senate Wing Door. He spent several moments walking around the perimeter of the area just inside the Senate Wing Door, then then walked south down a corridor, through the Small House Rotunda, and entered the Capitol Crypt. After a few moments, Daniel walked back north to the Senate Wing Door, where, at approximately 3:04 p.m., he eventually exited the building through a broken window.

                This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.

                This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

                In the 48 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,583 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 600 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

                Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces North Georgia Results of Operation Restore Justice

    Source: US FBI

    ATLANTA – Between April 28, 2025 through May 1, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort, by all 55 FBI field offices, United States Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division (CEOS), to identify, track, and arrest child sex offenders.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 subjects, including six individuals charged in the Northern District of Georgia: Austin Hunter Bedingfield, 27, of Douglasville; Ian Dudar, 26, of Roswell; Kenneth Frazier, 30, of Powder Springs; Eduardo Gardea, 26, of Norcross; Connie Lynn Thompson, 52, of Grantville; and Christopher Welcher, 44, of Grantville.

    “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims – especially child victims – and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

    “Sex crimes against minors are especially heinous,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to hold accountable those who prey on children and achieve a measure of justice for the victims and their families.”

    “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

    “Our commitment is resolute. FBI Atlanta remains steadfast in its mission to safeguard children from those who seek to harm society’s most vulnerable,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “However, let there be no confusion – this week’s operation is just one chapter in a relentless, year-round effort that our dedicated agents are fully invested in. We will continue to leverage every tool and resource at our disposal to track down child predators and ensure they face justice.”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court, the following defendants were arrested in connection with the operation, indicted by federal grand juries seated in the Northern District of Georgia, and have now been arraigned before a United States Magistrate Judge:

    • Austin Hunter Bedingfield was charged with distribution of child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. Bedingfield allegedly distributed graphic videos depicting the abuse of minors to an undercover officer via Kik. FBI agents conducted a search of Bedingfield’s electronic devices and recovered additional images of sexual abuse of minor children. He was arrested on April 30, 2025.
    • Ian Dudar was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material. Dudar allegedly purchased child sexual abuse material using Bitcoin from a commercial child exploitation ring on at least four occasions in 2022.  Later, in January 2024, when FBI agents executed search warrants on his person and home, they found child sexual abuse material on two of his electronic devices. He was arrested on April 29, 2025.
    • Kenneth Frazier was charged with enticement of a minor, receipt of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material. On November 7, 2024, acting on tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Cobb County, Georgia, Police Department executed a search warrant at Frazier’s residence in Powder Springs. Officers seized Frazier’s cell phones, which contained hundreds of images and videos of children as young as infants and toddlers forced to engage in sex acts. One of Frazier’s phones also contained chat transcripts in which Frazier allegedly described himself as a “pedophile,” enticed a minor to engage in sexual activity, and received a visual depiction of that minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He was arrested on May 2, 2025.
    • Eduardo Gardea was charged with distribution of child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. Gardea allegedly distributed child sexual abuse material on two internet platforms and possessed thousands of images depicting the sexual abuse of children. He was arrested on April 24, 2025.
    • Connie Lynn Thompson was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly destroying electronic devices to conceal the alleged child exploitation crimes of Christopher Welcher, who was also arrested during the operation, as is more fully described below. Approximately a week after Welcher’s arrest, he allegedly called Thompson from jail and discussed a plan to destroy electronic devices that contained evidence against him. Although Thompson allegedly executed the concealment plan, the FBI recovered the damaged devices from Thompson’s household trash. She was arrested on May 16, 2025.
    • Christopher Welcher was charged with enticement of a minor, interstate travel to engage in an illicit sex act with a minor, possession of child sexual abuse material, and commission of a felony by a registered sex offender. On March 4, 2025, Welcher, a registered sex offender who previously served more than six years in federal prison for distributing child sex abuse materials, allegedly exchanged sexually explicit text messages with an undercover investigator he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Welcher then drove from Alabama to the vicinity of a northwest Georgia high school to allegedly meet and molest the girl. Police arrested Welcher upon his arrival at the meeting location and seized his phone, which contained hundreds of images of child sex abuse. He was arrested on May 16, 2025.

    Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges.  The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg and Assistant United States Attorneys James Hwang, Matthew LaGrone, Leanne Marek, and Amy Palumbo are prosecuting these cases.

    These cases are being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Cobb County Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Rome/Floyd Metro Drug Task Force.

    This effort follows the Department of Justice’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April 2025, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, investigate and prosecute these crimes every day, April served as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

    The Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Man Arrested on Felony and Misdemeanor Charges for Actions During January 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: US FBI

                 WASHINGTON — An Ohio man was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

                 David Valentine, 46, of Wilmington, Ohio, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with a felony charge of civil disorder. In addition to the felony, Valentine is charged with misdemeanor offenses of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful, knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of government business or official functions and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds.

                 Valentine was arrested on Aug. 22, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and he made his initial appearance in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

                 According to court documents, Valentine was identified within the restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol building at around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, near a line of police officers and bike-rack barricades preventing rioters from advancing toward the U.S. Capitol building. At about 1:40 p.m., rioters carried and passed a large metal-framed “Trump 2020” sign toward the police line.

                 It is alleged that when the sign reached the police line, Valentine joined the rioters who pushed the sign against the police officers. It is alleged that Valentine reached for the sign with his right hand and pushed the sign. The rioters used the large sign as a battering ram against the officers who were holding the line and attempted to breach the bike-rack barricades while the officers were attacked with the large sign.

                 Later, Valentine was identified on the West Plaza of Capitol grounds and was seen entering a lower part of the Inaugural stage within the West Plaza. Valentine then allegedly climbed into an area that appeared to be under construction and seemed to cut some wires with a folding knife.

                 At about 2:30 p.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) retreated to an area inside the archway of the U.S. Capitol building’s Lower West Terrace Doors, referred to as the Tunnel. The Tunnel was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement on January 6th.  There, rioters massed in front of the Tunnel and attacked police officers, pushing in a collective effort to overwhelm the police officers guarding this entrance to the building. Valentine was present outside the Tunnel.

                 At approximately 5:00 p.m., rioters collectively pushed against the police officers in the Tunnel, and Valentine allegedly joined the group, placing his hand against the back of the rioter in front of him before being repelled by a chemical irritant.

                 This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

                 The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Cincinnati and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

                 In the 43 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,488 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 550 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

                 Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Cincinnati Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Missing Teen

    Source: US FBI

    CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in federal court here today to 162 months in prison for sex trafficking a missing teen girl.

    As part of his conviction, Payton Jamar Brown, 26, was ordered to pay nearly $58,000 in restitution to the minor victim and forfeit his home on Niagara Street in Cincinnati. Proceeds of the sale of his forfeited home will be paid to Brown’s victim as restitution.

    According to court documents, from June until October 2022 and again in February 2023, Brown sex trafficked the teenaged girl.

    Brown met the victim online and began a relationship with her. The victim began to reside with Brown, who created prostitution advertisements of her. Brown would transport the victim to hotels for prostitution dates that he had arranged. Brown arranged at least 40 prostitution dates in this timeframe and collected the proceeds from the victim.

    In October 2022, Colerain police officers responded to Brown’s residence and recovered the victim, who was subsequently taken to a juvenile facility in another state.

    In February 2023, the juvenile escaped the facility and messaged Brown on Instagram to pick her up. Brown drove interstate to pick up the victim and her friend and bring them to his residence. Brown again created a prostitution advertisement of the victim and arranged sexual encounters with other men for money.

    Throughout his time with the victim, Brown would regularly engage in sex acts with the minor and record those acts with a cell phone. He would then sell the photos and videos to others online.

    Brown was arrested by the FBI in February 2023. He pleaded guilty in October 2023.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III; and members of the Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations (RECI) task force announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Columbus Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Stealing Cocaine From Crime Scenes, Police Evidence Room

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus police officer pleaded guilty in federal court here today to crimes involving more than 10 kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.

    Joel M. Mefford, 35, of London, Ohio, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of money laundering.

    According to court documents, Mefford was a Columbus police officer assigned to investigate drug crimes. On three occasions between February and April 2020, Mefford worked with another officer to steal and traffic cocaine.

    In February 2020, Mefford and the other officer were investigating a drug crime and unlawfully gained access to a detached garage belonging to the subject of the investigation. Without a warrant, they entered the garage and discovered two kilograms of cocaine in the rafters. They unlawfully seized one of the kilograms and left the other to be found during the execution of a search warrant the next morning. The other officer gave the stolen narcotics to another individual to sell.

    Similarly, in February and March 2020, Mefford and the other officer were investigating drug-trafficking activity at houses on Ambleside Drive and Kilbourne Avenue in Columbus. On March 7, 2020, the officers took a bag containing multiple kilograms of cocaine from the house on Ambleside Drive and arrested an individual there. They then traveled to the house on Kilbourne Avenue and removed a kilogram of cocaine. That same day, Mefford turned in one kilogram of cocaine to evidence, and the officers stole the other kilograms to be sold.

    In April 2020, Mefford and the other officer stole between 10 and 20 kilograms of cocaine from the Columbus police property room and replaced it with fake cocaine. Mefford transported the stolen cocaine in a police cruiser and the other officer later gave the drugs to another individual to sell. The drug proceeds were then given to the other officer, who provided Mefford his cut. Mefford personally received a total of approximately $130,000 from cocaine sales.

    Mefford deposited more than $72,000 of the cash derived from the cocaine sales into his personal bank account.

    Possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years in prison. Money laundering is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.

    The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents and officers from the FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office and the Columbus Division of Police.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bryan County Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault with Intent to Commit Murder

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jason Edward Lewis, age 48, of Kenefic, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country.

    The Superseding Indictment alleged that on or about July 10, 2024, Lewis assaulted an individual with intent to commit murder.  The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office.

    The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Lewis will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Geizura represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Medford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of a Teenager

    Source: US FBI

    MEDFORD, Ore.—A Medford man was sentenced to federal prison Monday for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a local teenager.

    John Rocha, 31, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release.

    According to court documents, on September 7, 2021, officers from the Medford Police Department responded to a report of an overdose death of a local 17-year-old high school student. Investigators soon learned that the teenager had taken counterfeit Percocet pills containing fentanyl. Within days, investigators identified Rocha as the victim’s fourth-level drug supplier and, when confronted by law enforcement, he admitted to having recently sold counterfeit pills.

    On February 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a five-count indictment charging Rocha and four others with distributing fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    On February 20, 2024, Rocha pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE). It was prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. MADGE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Jackson County Community Corrections, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

    The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Communiqué

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Statement

    Banff, May 20-22, 2025

    1. We, the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, met on May 20-22, 2025 in Banff, Canada together with the Heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group (WBG), Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and Financial Stability Board (FSB). We were also joined by Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko and the President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for parts of the meeting.
    2. We began by reiterating our shared commitment to the G7. After 50 years of working together, transcending national differences and promoting global prosperity, the value of the G7 is clear. We held a productive and frank exchange of views on the current global economic and financial situation, the risks and opportunities common to our countries, and ways to address them. This joint statement reflects the outcome of the discussion between G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors during the meeting.  

    Global Economy

    1. In the face of multiple complex global challenges, we are committed to pursuing our shared policy objectives. We agree that the G7 can leverage our strong economic relationships to advance our common goals. International organizations signaled at our last meeting that trade and economic policy uncertainty was high and weighing on global growth. We acknowledge that economic policy uncertainty has declined from its peak, and we will work together to achieve further progress. We also shared our concerns over unsustainable global macro imbalances.
    2. In this respect, we also underscore the need to address excessive imbalances and strengthen macro fundamentals, given potential global spillovers. We call on the IMF to continue to enhance its analysis of imbalances in both its bilateral and multilateral surveillance. We continue to engage with each other and with international partners to advance international cooperation and deliver prosperity.
    3. Strong and sustainable economic growth is the cornerstone of economic prosperity. We are committed to working together to achieve a balanced and growth-oriented macroeconomic policy mix that supports our economic security and resilience and ensures that all of our citizens can benefit from that growth. We are committed to maintaining well-functioning financial markets. We recognize that elevated uncertainty can have implications for the economy and for financial stability. We will continue to monitor and consult closely on these matters. Our central banks remain strongly committed to ensuring price stability, consistent with their respective mandates. We reaffirm our May 2017 exchange rate commitments.

    Economic Resilience and Security

    1. We recognize the need for a common understanding of how non-market policies and practices (NMPPs) aggravate imbalances, contribute to overcapacity, and impact the economic security of other countries. Building on our previous commitments and as guided by Leaders, we will contribute, as appropriate, to the monitoring of NMPPs, continuing to assess the distortions they cause in markets and their global spillovers. We agree on the importance of a level playing field and taking a broadly coordinated approach to address the harm caused by those who do not abide by the same rules and lack transparency.
    2. We call on international organizations to address data gaps and deepen our collective understanding of NMPPs and their domestic and global implications. We agree that joint analysis of market concentration and international supply chain resilience would be useful areas of future work. This analysis will inform our respective policy approaches, which will in part be shaped by our underlying industrial and consumer structures. Where appropriate and relevant, we will engage partners beyond the G7.
    3. We recognize a significant increase in international low-value shipments being sent to our economies in a decentralized manner, and the potential for this to overwhelm and take advantage of customs controls and duty and tax collection infrastructure. Collectively, we recognize the potential for illicit drug trafficking, the importation of counterfeit goods, the misclassification of merchandise, revenue leakage, inequity for our retailers, and significant environmental waste. We commit to exploring ways that our low-value importation systems could address these risks.

    Support for Ukraine

    1. We condemn Russia’s continued brutal war against Ukraine and commend the immense resilience from the Ukrainian people and economy. Ukraine has suffered significant destruction. The G7 remains committed to unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist, and its freedom, sovereignty and independence toward a just and durable peace.
    2. We welcome ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire. If such a ceasefire is not agreed, we will continue to explore all possible options, including options to maximize pressure such as further ramping up sanctions. We reaffirm that, consistent with our respective legal systems, Russia’s sovereign assets in our jurisdictions will remain immobilized until Russia ends its aggression and pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine.
    3. We agree that private sector mobilization will be important in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, with costs estimated by the WBG at US$524 billion over the next decade. We collectively commit to help build investor confidence through bilateral and multilateral initiatives. To this end, in addition to the ongoing support through the MIGA SURE (Support for Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Economy) trust fund, we will work, including through the Ukraine Donor Platform, with the Government of Ukraine, international financial institutions (IFIs), and the insurance industry towards removing the blanket ban imposed on Ukraine as soon as possible. We will continue to coordinate support to promote the early recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine, including at the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which will take place in Rome on July 10-11, 2025. Further, we agree to work together with Ukraine to ensure that no countries or entities, or entities from those countries that financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be eligible to profit from Ukraine’s reconstruction.

    Bolstering Long-term Growth and Productivity

    1. We agree on the importance of pursuing public policies that spur innovation, raise productivity and promote greater labour force participation. In an environment of high public debt and increasing fiscal pressures, we also agree that raising long-term growth potential is essential to manage risks to fiscal sustainability and increase wages and living standards.
    2. We discussed and shared experiences on how best to pursue growth-enhancing policies in a fiscally prudent manner. We agree that structural reforms can help set the foundations for strong and sustainable economic growth. We recognize that specific growth policies need to be adapted to each country’s needs and circumstances. We agree that maintaining a stable and predictable macroeconomic environment is important for strong growth and productive long-term investment.

    Artificial Intelligence

    1. We deepened our understanding of prospects for AI to raise productivity growth, and of the policies needed to realize the benefits. We appreciate the framework provided by the OECD to better quantify and monitor AI-driven productivity gains. We recognized the benefits of AI for the financial sector and the need to monitor and assess potential risks to financial stability as AI adoption further increases.

    Financial Sector Issues

    1. We are committed to a strong, resilient and stable financial sector. We reiterate that a continued focus on financial stability and regulatory issues remains vital to ensure the effective functioning of the financial system. We noted our support for the important work of the FSB and Standard Setting Bodies. We focused on non-bank financial intermediaries, which play an increasingly important role in financing the real economy. Their activities can contribute to the efficiency of financial markets but can also pose risks to the global financial system. We discussed sources of potential risk, including those from liquidity mismatch, leverage and interconnectedness. We agree on the need to assess non-bank data availability, use and quality and to share knowledge and approaches to monitoring and assessing potential risks.
    2. Enhancing cross-border payments can have widespread benefits for citizens and economies worldwide. We remain committed to delivering cheaper, faster, more transparent and more accessible cross-border payments while maintaining their safety, resilience, and financial integrity. This includes supporting the implementation of the G20 Roadmap as well as appropriate future actions as necessary to meet these goals.
    3. Cyber risks threaten to disrupt global financial systems and the institutions that support them. To address the evolving cyber threat landscape, we will continue to take action to further strengthen our shared response capabilities and protocols in the event of a significant cyber incident. We look forward to the G7 Cyber Expert Group’s assessment of the risks and opportunities that AI presents for cybersecurity.
    4. The potential effects of quantum technologies on the global financial landscape are becoming increasingly visible. Our central banks will explore how we can identify, categorize and mitigate potential risks to data security and financial stability and promote economic resilience.

    Financial Crime Call to Action

    1. We remain steadfast in our commitment to tackling financial crime, including money laundering, terrorist financing and the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (AML/CFT/CPF). We endorse a “Financial Crime Call to Action” to spur further progress and collective efforts of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and its Global Network. By bringing together over 200 jurisdictions around the world, the FATF is the ultimate international standard setter, and we welcome its leadership in combatting financial crime since its creation by the G7 in 1989.
    2. Through strengthening our AML/CFT/CPF frameworks and enhanced international cooperation we will endeavor to stay abreast of emerging risks, understand the role of technology and deepen the responsible exchange of information to make it harder for criminals to access the financial system and evade detection.
    3. We recognize financial crime acts as a barrier to growth, development and stability, and support efforts to strengthen frameworks in lower capacity countries. We encourage the international community to join us in this Call to Action and strengthen our collective response to financial crime.

    Support for Developing Countries

    1. We reaffirm our commitment to the ongoing implementation of the World Bank-led Resilient and Inclusive Supply-Chain Enhancement (RISE) Partnership and recognize its progress toward better integrating low- and middle-income countries in the global supply chain of clean energy products, especially in Africa. We welcome the adoption of a country roadmap in Zambia. We encourage the World Bank to further advance this initiative, and we look forward to the launch of the first local and regional information platforms in Africa. We support the expansion of RISE’s activities to Latin America and the Caribbean, and a better integration of all segments of the critical mineral supply chain. We call on Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to strengthen collaboration on critical mineral supply chains amongst themselves and with other key stakeholders. We also highlighted linkages to G20 initiatives facilitating private sector development, such as the G20 Compact with Africa.
    2. We recognize that global crises, including health crises and natural disasters, pose significant challenges for all economies, with particularly severe impacts on vulnerable states, including small ones. We reaffirm the importance of strengthening support for these countries by facilitating domestic resource mobilization as well as the use and uptake of crisis preparedness and response tools, including Climate Resilient Debt Clauses and insurance, to help ease fiscal pressures. We encourage the IMF and MDBs to strengthen their focus on crisis prevention in order to reduce the incidence of crises materializing.
    3. We call on the international community to make efforts to support vulnerable countries facing debt challenges. We look forward to the G20 work on improving the implementation of the Common Framework for debt treatments in a predictable, timely, orderly, and coordinated manner. We also agree on the importance of advancing debt transparency to support sound economic governance and financial stability. We call on the international community to make efforts to support vulnerable countries whose debt is sustainable but face near-term liquidity challenges. We recognize the need for continued efforts with all partners, public and private, to enhance the availability and quality of debt data, including through the Data Sharing Exercise with the World Bank.
    4. We reaffirm our commitment to achieving more effective and impactful MDBs through reforms aiming to ensure that they work effectively as a system to address the most pressing global challenges, deliver on their core mandate, and use their resources as efficiently as possible, including by implementing the recommendations from the G20 Capital Adequacy Framework Review. We urge MDBs to continue to step up their efforts to mobilize private capital and enhance domestic resource mobilization in emerging markets and developing countries. We emphasize the importance of implementing quality-based procurement policies and procedures that promote efficiency, competition from the private sector, and transparency.

    G7 Financial Crime Call to Action

    The G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors remain steadfast in our commitment to tackling financial crime, including money laundering, terrorist financing and the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (AML/CFT/CPF).

    In 1989, the G7 created the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to “prevent the utilization of the banking system and financial institutions for the purpose of money laundering” and was soon joined by many other countries and jurisdictions which shared the same concerns and volunteered for a global effort against financial crime. Since its establishment, the FATF’s mandate and standards have expanded to include the combatting of financing of terrorism and the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The transnational nature of money laundering, malicious nature of its predicate crimes, and integrated nature of our economies necessitate a collective approach to combatting illicit finance. 2025 marks the 35-year anniversary of the FATF’s “40 Recommendations”, which were developed collectively by FATF members and are now being implemented in more than 200 jurisdictions worldwide thanks to the joint efforts of the FATF Global Network.

    The Intersection of Crime, Security, and Economic Prosperity

    Organized criminals, including cartels, are exploiting gaps in global AML safeguards to launder the profits of their criminal activities such as drug trafficking (including fentanyl and synthetic opioids), fraud, cybercrimes, and human smuggling that generate billions in illicit revenue annually. These crimes are not only having a devastating impact on our communities, but they are also impacting national security and economic integrity as profits are re-invested into vast criminal networks that seek to undermine the rule of law and destabilize our governments and economies.

    Financial crime is also harming global economic growth. The International Monetary Fund has found that illicit finance reduces productivity, widens inequality, inhibits legitimate investment and hinders an effective allocation of resources. The World Bank has found that financial crimes are a barrier to development sparking political instability, deterring private capital, undermining good governance and the rule of law, and generally eroding trust in governments and institutions. Illicit finance also robs treasuries of badly needed tax revenue at a time when so many economies around the world are facing historically high debt levels.

    The World Bank sees tackling illicit finance in low-capacity countries as vital to their development priorities and requiring sustained engagement. Strengthening AML/CFT/CPF capacity in developing and low-capacity countries would improve financial inclusion and further deprive international organized crime groups of opportunities to launder their illicit proceeds or finance terrorism.

    In this context, technically sound and effective AML/CFT/CPF frameworks contribute to safer communities, our collective security, and to stronger economies in the G7 and around the globe.  

    The Way Forward

    Under the Canadian G7 Presidency, Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors have taken stock of the fight we launched in 1989 and identified areas for further action. Today, we endorse the present Financial Crime Call to Action to strengthen global security, protect financial sector integrity, and foster economic growth and economic development.

    Strengthening our Frameworks

    • We re-commit to the founding principles of the FATF and will continue to actively support the organization.
      • The FATF is the ultimate AML/CFT/CPF standard setter that catalyzes improvements in members’ AML/CFT/CPF regimes. It is essential to maintain the FATF’s role at the centre of the global fight against illicit finance.
      • We commit to ensuring that the FATF remains a technical body that produces in-depth and impartial peer reviews and research that inform our ongoing understanding of risk.
    • We commit to improving the effectiveness of our respective AML/CFT/CPF regimes. The G7 must lead by example.
      • G7 financial systems remain the most interconnected in the world and continue to represent attractive targets for bad actors seeking to launder ill-gotten gains. The G7 will continue to improve our effectiveness in preventing the proceeds of crime from entering our financial sectors, detecting and disrupting money laundering threats, sanctioning criminals and depriving them of their illegitimate proceeds in a manner consistent with our domestic legal frameworks.
      • Shell companies are enablers for criminals to hide proceeds of crime and engage in illicit activities, such as large-scale tax and sanctions evasion. Ensuring that competent authorities, particularly law enforcement, have sufficient resources and tools to investigate and prosecute money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing involving shell companies is critical to fighting financial crime.
      • The procurement of dual use and military technology through circumvention of sanctions violates United Nations Security Council Resolutions and undermines global security. We commit to enhancing implementation of our targeted financial sanctions and ensuring they are the most effective in the world.

    Enhancing International Cooperation

    • We will stay abreast of emerging risks tied to money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing through research and the development of joint typologies and strategic intelligence.
      • We express our serious concerns that virtual asset thefts and scams, including by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, have reached unprecedented levels. These threats, as well as the methods used by criminals to launder their proceeds, must be better understood and addressed. This is necessary to raise awareness, enhance prevention, and mitigate money laundering as well as being critical to promoting responsible innovation in virtual assets and protecting virtual asset users in our jurisdictions. We will further research and exchange information such as typology work on emerging risks related to virtual assets, including from the perspectives of cybersecurity and AML/CFT/CPF, and take necessary measures.
      • We recognize that illicit actors will continue to take advantage of jurisdictional differences in approaches to countering sanctions evasion and the financing of proliferation. Therefore, we commit to work together to maintain an up-to-date and common understanding of relevant threats, vulnerabilities, and typologies to prevent and combat complex proliferation financing and sanctions evasion schemes.
    • We must break down silos and deepen the responsible exchange of information internationally to make it harder for criminals to access the financial system and evade detection.
      • Bad actors are exploiting silos within, and across, AML/CFT/CPF regimes to conceal their actions. In response, we will improve risk-based and secure information sharing internationally between our national competent authorities, and domestically amongst the private sector and between public and private sector partners, consistent with our domestic legal frameworks. Facilitating this type of information sharing supports G7 efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of fraud on our businesses and citizens and to combat illicit activities by transnational organized crime groups, including cartels.
      • Many of our financial institutions operate across G7 markets. We will encourage deeper cooperation between our regulators who supervise on a group-wide basis. We commit to ensuring that our AML/CFT/CPF supervision is risk-based, effective and focused on stopping financial crime. We will also ensure that sanctions for non-compliance are proportionate, dissuasive and effective.

    Addressing Financial Crime as a Barrier to Growth and Stability

    • We will support efforts to strengthen AML/CFT/CPF frameworks in lower capacity countries to foster growth and economic development.
      • This can be achieved through many channels, including bilateral and multilateral assistance and collaboration. This work will ensure the G7 together with other FATF members keep pace with evolving regional risks, and support asset recovery to further deprive criminals of illicit proceeds and reduce opportunities for money laundering.
      • The FATF and its Global Network of nine FATF-Style Regional Bodies (FSRBs), which bring together more than 200 jurisdictions and 20 observer international organizations, are at the heart of the global fight against financial crime. We reiterate our commitment to supporting the FSRBs in overseeing the consistent and effective implementation of the FATF standards worldwide, including in the next round of mutual evaluations.
    • We commit to supporting the effective implementation of AML/CFT/CPF measures that are risk-based and proportionate.
      • We recognize that a risk-based approach can promote economic development and financial inclusion by encouraging assessments of risk, identifying lower and higher risk scenarios, and implementing simplified AML/CFT/CPF measures in certain scenarios proportionate to the relevant risks. 
      • By implementing the revised FATF standards, we will facilitate legitimate funds continuing to move through the formal financial sector, promoting economic development and financial inclusion while mitigating unintended consequences.
    • We commit to exploring the role of technology in AML/CFT/CPF implementation.
      • We encourage adoption of new technologies that can more effectively detect, report and interdict illicit finance. This includes partnering with the private sector to understand how emerging technologies (including artificial intelligence) can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of AML/CFT/CPF regimes. This should be consistent with our respective domestic legal frameworks and risk-based, while ensuring data protection and human rights.
      • We continue to support the FATF’s initiatives to accelerate global implementation of its standards on virtual assets and virtual asset service providers (VASPs) as well as its work on emerging risks, including those that arise from misuse of stablecoins and peer-to-peer transactions, offshore VASPs, and decentralized finance (DeFi) arrangements.
      • We are contributing to the FATF’s ongoing work to strengthen its Standards on Payment Transparency to adapt to changes in payment business models and messaging standards and to foster payment systems that are more transparent, inclusive, accessible, safe and secure, while enabling faster and cheaper transactions, including remittances. Consistent with this work, we also support the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments.

    Lastly, we commit to furthering this work under the French G7 Presidency in 2026, in coordination with all FATF members, and to report on the actions taken to implement the commitments in this Call to Action.

    We encourage all countries to join us in this Call to Action. The international community can, and must, strengthen our collective response to financial crime and its impact on communities, security, and prosperity.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: L3 Technologies Inc. Agrees to Pay $62,000,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations arising from Submission of False Cost or Pricing Data on Defense Contracts

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: L3 Technologies Inc. Agrees to Pay $62,000,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations arising from Submission of False Cost or Pricing Data on Defense Contracts

    L3 Technologies Inc., a corporation doing business in Utah, has agreed to pay the United States $62 million to settle allegations that its division, Communications System West, violated the False Claims Act and the Truth In Negotiations Act by knowingly making false statements and submitting and causing the submission of false claims by failing to disclose accurate, current, and complete cost or pricing data for communications equipment sold to various Department of Defense agencies, including the Air Force, Army, and Navy, and other government agencies. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Florida Men Plead Guilty for Their Roles in Years-Long Off-the-Books Payroll Scheme

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Two Florida Men Plead Guilty for Their Roles in Years-Long Off-the-Books Payroll Scheme

    Two Florida men pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Leslie Hoffman Price for the Middle District of Florida for their roles in a years-long off-the-books payroll scheme. The pleas must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Announces Final Approval of His Plan To Provide Wage Increases for the Connecticut State Police

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is applauding the Connecticut State Senate for voting this afternoon in favor of approving an agreement he negotiated with the Connecticut State Police Union that will enact pay increases for the Connecticut State Police.

    The governor and the union reached the agreement in April, and then the governor presented the agreement to the legislature for its approval. Today’s vote by the Senate was the final step necessary in the process of ratifying it.

    “Our Connecticut State Police deserve salaries that reflect the essential work they provide, and I am glad that we were able to reach this agreement to provide these pay increases for our state troopers,” Governor Lamont said. “This wage re-opener follows the pattern established by SEBAC as the final contract to be ratified under this pattern. I want to thank the members of the General Assembly who voted in favor of supporting our state troopers, as well as those who helped negotiate this agreement.”

    The legislation that was approved by the Senate today is Senate Resolution 16. It was approved in that chamber by a vote of 36 to 0. The House of Representatives approved the agreement earlier this week through House Resolution 17 by a vote of 134 to 12.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Department of Justice Investigating El Centro Police Department Officer-Involved Shooting Under AB 1506

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, May 22, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

     **The information provided below is based on preliminary details regarding an ongoing investigation, which may continue to evolve**

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ), pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), is investigating and will independently review an officer-involved shooting (OIS) that occurred in El Centro, California on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at approximately 8:10 p.m. The OIS incident resulted in the death of one individual and involved personnel from the El Centro Police Department. 

    Following notification by local authorities, DOJ’s California Police Shooting Investigation Team initiated an investigation in accordance with AB 1506 mandates. Upon completion of the investigation, it will be turned over to DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review. Anyone who has information related to this officer-involved shooting incident and wishes to report it may do so by calling (916) 210-2871. 

    More information on the California Department of Justice’s role and responsibilities under AB 1506 is available here: https://oag.ca.gov/ois-incidents.

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