Retired High Court Judge Jan-Marie Doogue has been appointed chairperson of the New Zealand Parole Board, Attorney-General Judith Collins announced today.
“I welcome the appointment of someone with Justice Doogue’s legal acumen and administrative experience to this demanding role,” Ms Collins says.
Justice Doogue began her legal career with Cairns Slane in 1983 and became a partner of the firm in 1986. She joined the partnership of Morrison Morpeth in 1990 before joining the independent Bar in 1992 and being appointed a District and Family Court Judge in 1994.
She was appointed Chief District Court Judge in 2011 and served on the High Court Bench from 2019-2024.
“Justice Doogue replaces Sir Ronald Young, who recently stood down after serving two terms,” Ms Collins says.
“I want to thank Sir Ronald for the able and committed leadership he provided throughout his tenure as chairperson, and in particular to the focus he placed on the role of victims within the parole process.”
JusticeDoogue takes up her appointment on 15 July 2025.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Senator Markey joined by Democratic Leader Schumer, Ranking Member Wyden, and climate advocates
Washington (May 22, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-chair of the Senate Climate Change Task Force, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined by climate advocacy groups, today hosted a press conference to blast Republicans’ all-out assault on efforts to combat the climate crisis, including unprecedented actions to revoke the California Clean Air Act waivers and repeal clean energy tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act.
“The Trump administration has made one thing painfully clear: They are putting Oil Above All—above the law, above the economy, and above the health and wallets of working families. The repeal of the Clean Air Act waivers is yet another historic example of the lawlessness of today’s Republican party; no rule, no norm, no standard is safe if it stands between them and what their Big Oil donors want. They’re breaking precedent, breaking Senate process, and breaking public trust. As a result, we will see more asthma. More heart disease. More early deaths. More cancer. That will be the Trump and Republican legacy,” said Senator Markey. “By repealing clean energy and environmental protection funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans are attacking clean air and clean energy with their tax bill. Republicans are seeking to destroy the tools and programs which are creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, easing costs for working families, and addressing air pollution in our communities. These attacks are dangerous and have far-reaching consequences for all.”
“When it comes to clean energy and the Republican agenda, I don’t believe we’ve seen this kind of economic self-sabotage in modern American times. Republicans are raising Americans’ electrical bills, destroying thousands of good-paying jobs, and sacrificing our energy security all to pay for handouts to big corporations and ultra-wealthy Trump donors. Back in the campaign, Trump told a room full of oil and gas executives that he’d let them control the agenda if they helped put him back in the White House, and clearly, he’s delivering on that horribly corrupt promise,” said Ranking Member Wyden.
“Congressional Republicans led a Big Oil-backed effort to circumvent their own rules in order to block California, and other states, from having stronger clean air standards for cars and trucks. This should not be a political or partisan issue, it’s about states’ ability to set standards – like the original tailpipe pollution limits set by Ronald Reagan – that deliver cleaner air for their citizens, said League of Conservation Voters’ Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis. “At the same time, House Republicans have just passed their billionaire tax scam, the most anti-environmental bill in our nation’s history that will drive up families’ energy costs by hundreds of dollars per year. Right now, the Senate must stand up against the anti-environmental billionaire tax scam to protect our clean air and water, and cost-saving, jobs-creating clean energy.”
“Today Congress has decided to fundamentally deny states their rights to reduce pollution and protect public health. In environmental justice communities, people of color and lower income face the greatest rates of asthma and cancer. This action enables a continued unjust assault on overburdened communities choking on diesel fumes. A clean transportation sector benefits us all and we will continue to fight for one that’s healthier, cheaper, and accessible to everyone,” said Yosef Robele, Federal Policy Manager, WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house
Ruahine Forest Park’s majestic beech forests and delicate understories are home to taonga species, yet these ecosystems are under pressure from browsing wild deer. But a new approach is taking root—one that brings communities, iwi, hunters and conservationists together to restore this cherished place.
The issue is that our national monitoring and reporting system show introduced wild browsing animals like deer are increasing in number, contributing to a decline in common tree species and changing the make-up of forests.
This is threatening the habitats where many of our native species live.
Localised monitoring in Ruahine Forest Park indicated relatively high numbers of ungulates (primarily deer) compared to national averages. Important understory plants, which help a forest regenerate and stabilise slopes, are disappearing.
This is not good!
What we saw was that taller plants preferred by deer and goats were very rare, while plants they avoid were common. This suggests that wild deer, goats, and pigs may have affected forest composition. Previously common plants like kamahi, broadleaf, mahoe, pate and tree fuchsia are now rare in Ruahine Forest Park.
The Plan: Adaptive Management
To address these very negative impacts, alongside local iwi/hapū, we are taking an adaptive management approach.
Basically, we’re taking a flexible, science-based approach.
And what this really means is trying different solutions, monitoring their effectiveness, and adjusting as we learn more, ensuring actions are guided by real-time insights.
Ruahine Forest Park presents unique challenges, including rugged terrain and a high risk of reinvasion by wild deer from surrounding areas. At the same time, the park is deeply valued by a wide range of users, from those who enjoy the outdoors and nature, to community restoration & conservation groups, adjoining landowners, recreational and commercial hunters.
Hunting for kai/food and sport have a long history here – common since red deer were first established in the park, with around 5,000-6,000 hunters visiting the Park annually.
So, the health of Ruahine Forest Park is our shared responsibility.
What we’re aiming to do is to enhance the effectiveness of deer removal efforts, to reduce the browsing impact of wild deer. To achieve this, together with our Treaty Partners we will focus on better aligning our work, the aspirations of iwi, wild animal recovery operations, recreational hunting, and work of other stakeholders.
Trevor Gratton, the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association’s Lower North Island Board Rep & Hutt Valley Branch President says, “As hunters, we value the opportunity to hunt in Ruahine Forest Park, but we also understand the need to manage deer numbers to protect the forest. A healthy forest ensures a sustainable habitat for all wildlife and preserves this special place for future generations.”
The adaptive management approach seeks to find solutions that addresses the conservation and management challenges of the park and maintains cultural and recreational values.
📷: Iwi visit to Ruahine Forest Park to discuss deer impacts. – DOC
Te Ao Māori: A Deep Connection to the Land
According to Māori kōrero tuku iho – stories passed from generation to generation – the range is part of the spine of the ika/fish Māui hauled up, known as Te Ika-a-Māui/the North Island. The Park holds significant value to tangata whenua, with deep connections through pā punanga/refuges, mahinga kai/food-gathering sites, the whakapapa/genealogy to the land that comes with place names, stories and wāhi tapu/sacred places. Kaitiakitanga/guardianship of the ngāhere/forest and the taonga/treasured flora and fauna is central to the role of tangata whenua.
Why Now?
When we assumed responsibility for the park in 1987, deer numbers were relatively low due to active commercial aerial hunting through the 1970’s to 1980’s. Since then, deer control has relied largely on recreational and commercial hunting, which has been declining over time. Thanks to additional funding, we are now expanding efforts to reduce deer numbers and monitor the effects on the forest. This builds on successful goat control programs and complements predator control projects happening in the park.
Together with local iwi/hapū we are drafting a deer management plan and getting advice from a newly established Community Deer Advisory Group.
Trial actions are taking place this autumn, and findings will help inform our longer-term management approach:
NZ Deerstalkers Association hunt: We worked with the Lower Hutt Branch to make it easier for hunters to fly by helicopter into the Western/Central area of Ruahine Forest Park. The hunt took place on 14-17 March 2025. Around 80 deer were removed. Hunters targeted hinds and the branch will provide DOC with track logs and kill way points, and hunter observations. This will help us assess the effectiveness of the hunt.
DOC aerial management: In May and June, we will carry out aerial control in the remote and hard to access North-West deer Management Unit (MU) – an area of 12,056 hectares. This work also complements possum and rat control being carried out in the Northern Ruahine’s high priority ecosystem unit, an area which contains a rich and diverse range of habitats and species. Where practical and within budget limitations, we will work with community to harvest meat from this operation.
Industry/WARO incentivisation: We have contracted the commercial venison industry to harvest 300 deer, operating under normal WARO permit conditions. Lower weight deer harvest is being incentivised. The work will start May 2025 and finish when the harvest target is met.
All three actions combined, make a start in addressing Ruahine deer impacts. We’ll continue working with the community to assess the effectiveness of each action and refine the deer management approach.
Stay tuned for updates on this exciting collaboration. In the meantime, explore the beautiful Ruahine Forest Park this summer and consider getting involved in community conservation projects.
Ruahine Forest Park’s future depends on all of us. Together, with adaptive deer management and a commitment to te taiao/the environment, we can ensure this precious ecosystem thrives for generations to come.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor of Aboriginal political history, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney
First Nations people please be advised this article speaks of racially discriminating moments in history, including the distress and death of First Nations people.
On a cold day 25 years ago, a bitter wind swept up from the south, pushing against an endless throng of people crossing one of Australia’s most famous landmarks.
Some 250,000 people were walking across Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of Indigenous reconciliation. It was an event called Corroboree 2000.
It took more than six hours for the mass of people to make their way from north to south, into the city. Across the nation, in small towns and in the capital cities, bridge walks symbolised overcoming a difficult past and coming together.
But Australia’s relationship with First Nations people in the years since has been sometimes tumultuous, occasionally optimistic and often vexed. What legacy did the event leave?
A ‘decade of reconciliation’?
A “Decade of Reconciliation” started with the unanimous passage of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Act through the federal parliament in 1991. “Reconciliation” was to be achieved between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by the centenary of Federation in 2001.
The act made a national commitment for the federal government to address both “Aboriginal disadvantage and aspirations”.
It didn’t, however, specify what reconciliation was or what a reconciled nation would look like. The 2001 deadline would come and go without any way of knowing if it had been achieved.
The amorphous nature of the concept likely contributed to the widespread political support for reconciliation. But whether it meant addressing Indigenous rights, or disadvantage, or both, was often decided down political party lines.
Some First Nations activists were unequivocal in their criticism of reconciliation. It was widely perceived as a poor substitute for Bob Hawke’s 1984 promise of national land rights, and later, Treaty.
The late Uncle Chicka Dixon renamed the movement “ReCONsillynation”. The “con” was the call to “walk together” as an alternative to Treaty and land rights.
Instead, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation was established in 1991. Its approach to reconciliation was largely about building knowledge and understanding among non-Indigenous Australians about Australian Indigenous lives, experience and history. This was seen as essential to advancing justice.
Changing hearts and minds
For more than a decade, the council worked to achieve its vision, recruiting thousands of participants to the cause. It produced educational materials to guide learning about First Peoples histories and cultures. It also promoted reconciliation activities in the community.
Community-led reconciliation activities proliferated quickly. Some of these continue today, helping establish a foundation for truth-telling.
Huge historical events were unfolding alongside this work. In 1992, the Mabo decision in the High Court ruled Australia was not terra nullius (land belonging to nobody) when it was claimed by Britain in 1770. This led to native title laws, which have made it possible for some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to claim ownership of their traditional lands.
In 1997, the Bringing Them Home report highlighted the trauma caused to generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait children across Australia by removing them from their families. They are known as the Stolen Generations.
The report recommended all Australian governments apologise to Indigenous people for their involvement in the policies and practices of forcible child removal.
By 1999, all states and territory governments had apologised. The federal government had not.
A contested history
These seismic shifts in public conversation inevitably came to feature in federal politics.
In the 1996 election, the two leaders – Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating and Liberal leader John Howard – outlined very different political visions based on opposing approaches to Australian history.
While Keating was in office, he combined two causes – native title and the republic – hoping they would help generate a new story of the nation’s foundation.
He sought to replace the positive, comforting and Anglo-centric view of Australian history. He highlighted the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal people and cast doubt on the morality of British occupation.
Howard largely framed his history in opposition to Keating’s. Whereas Keating’s history dwelled on identifiable historical wrongs, Howard famously said Australians should “feel comfortable and relaxed about their history”.
For Howard, there was much to be proud of in the story of the nation’s past. He accused the Labor party of peddling “the rhetoric of apology and shame”, or what came to be known as the “black armband” view of the past.
Despite the recommendation of the Bringing Them Home report, Howard didn’t apologise to Indigenous people. He championed “practical outcomes” instead of “symbolism”, although ultimately failed to deliver either.
A historic culmination
With all these debates brewing throughout the 1990s, Australians used the new millennium to make their own large, symbolic gesture.
Corroboree 2000 was held over two days in May. At the first event held on May 27, Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders met at the Sydney Opera House. The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation presented non-Indigenous leaders with two documents: the Australian Declaration Towards Reconciliation and the Roadmap for Reconciliation.
All the leaders who took part left their handprints on a canvas to show their support.
But in the intervening years, the shape of reconciliation and what Indigenous people could expect from it changed.
Reflecting the Howard government’s emphasis on practical reconciliation, the council’s final report emphasised that “overcoming disadvantage is central to the reconciliation process”. The original brief for reconciliation to also address “Aboriginal aspirations” was forgotten.
Howard gave a speech at the event and expressed “regret” for the past treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but he did not apologise. This left many in the crowd unhappy.
The apology would eventually come in 2008 from Labor Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.
Where are we now?
In his recent election victory speech, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasised national unity. He again placed reconciliation at the forefront of the Australian government’s Indigenous affairs agenda, saying:
we will be a government that supports reconciliation with First Nations people, because we will be a stronger nation when we close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
In the aftermath of the Voice referendum, the Albanese government says it is focusing on First Nations economic independence and empowerment, along with continuing to “Close the Gap” in experiences of disadvantage.
So 25 years on from the bridge walk, reconciliation remains a feature of the government’s response to First Peoples’ calls for recognition and justice.
But reconciliation can be seen as a safe harbour to merely rebuild consensus, when more ambitious Indigenous affairs agendas stall or fail.
Heidi Norman receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Anne Maree Payne has previously received research funding from Reconciliation Australia.
Oscar Jenkins, a 33-year-old former teacher from Melbourne, was one of many foreigners who responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call in 2022 for volunteers to join Ukraine’s armed forces to help repel Russia’s invasion.
In early 2024, Jenkins joined Ukraine’s International Legion of Territorial Defence, which has attracted some 20,000 fighters from 50 countries since the war began. He had no previous military experience, but this wasn’t a requirement to join.
In December, Jenkins was captured by Russian forces in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine and accused of serving as a “mercenary” in Ukraine’s 66th Mechanised Brigade’s 402nd Rifle Battalion. He was tried in a Russian court and sentenced on May 16 to 13 years imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony.
When a foreigner volunteers to fight in a war, their legal status under international law can be complicated.
Are they a soldier with the full authorisation of one of the warring parties to engage in hostilities? Or are they an illegal mercenary?
And what happens if they are captured?
Why legal status matters
The answers to these questions have very real importance to the thousands of foreigners who have joined Ukraine’s International Legion since 2022.
Russian authorities have classified all of Ukraine’s foreigner fighters as “mercenaries”. They’ve used this label to deny foreign fighters the status of “prisoner of war” (POW), with the requisite protections that come along with that under international humanitarian law.
While foreigners are permitted under international law to enlist in the armed forces of a state for political or moral reasons, mercenaries have historically been outlawed due to their sole motivation being financial gain.
International humanitarian law (the rules that govern war) define mercenaries as individuals who are not nationals or residents of a state engaged in war and are recruited to fight outside that state’s official armed forces.
They are motivated solely by private gain (like money or promises of reward), often well in excess of what the traditional armed forces are paid. Mercenaries are essentially professional soldiers who sell their services to a state without any real ties to that country.
Once a fighter is classified as a “mercenary”, they lose all the legal protections that are traditionally afforded lawful combatants.
This includes prisoner of war status if they are captured and immunity from prosecution for fighting in a conflict. Prisoners of war are also entitled to humane treatment and access to food and medical care. And they cannot be subjected to sham trials or torture.
According to my research, many of the foreign nationals who joined the International Legion were motivated by a desire to defend Ukraine against Russia’s aggression. They were sworn into Ukraine’s armed forces and paid the same as a Ukrainian soldier of equal rank.
Once enlisted in the armed forces, they were immediately exempt from “mercenary” status, irrespective of their motivation for joining.
As such, these foreign fighters should be entitled to the full range of protections guaranteed to members of Ukraine’s armed forces under the Geneva Conventions.
Labelling lawful foreign members of the Ukrainian armed forces as “mercenaries”, and denying them their protections, is an abuse of international law.
How can Australia protect its nationals?
If an Australian enlists in Ukraine’s armed forces and is captured by Russian forces, there is a limited toolkit the Australian government can use to help him or her. However, it is not powerless.
Through its embassy in Moscow, Australia can request access to detainees to assess their welfare while in prison. Russia can, however, decline this access. Details of a detainee’s capture may also be withheld.
Australia can also apply diplomatic pressure to ensure humane treatment of prisoners and their full POW rights.
This can be done by working with international bodies, such as the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention or organisations like the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), which can request access to detainees.
It appears the government is already doing some of these things. According to Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the government has been working with Ukraine and the ICRC to advocate for Jenkins’ welfare and release, and providing consular support to Jenkins’ family.
Australia also has an obligation to warn its citizens they will likely face severe consequences if they travel to Ukraine to fight and are captured by Russian forces, given Russia’s misuse of the “mercenary” label.
Through back-channel negotiations, Australia could also push Ukraine or its allies to include Australians being held by Russia in future prisoner swaps.
In January of this year, Ukraine and Russia carried out such an exchange of 470 prisoners from both nations. And in talks last week in Turkey, both sides agreed to release another 1,000 prisoners on each side.
Such exchanges have involved foreign fighters in the past. In 2022, 10 foreign citizens were included in a prisoner swap, including five Britons, two Americans, a Croatian, a Swede and a Moroccan. Several of them had been convicted of being mercenaries and sentenced to death after a Russian sham trial.
There is no guarantee Jenkins would qualify for such an exchange, however, if Russia continues to classify him as a mercenary.
Shannon Bosch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Police are issuing a reminder to the Rodney community to be vigilant with items being stolen from building sites and new builds.
Waitematā North Police have seen an increase in Gas califonts being stolen recently.
Area Prevention Manager Senior Sergeant Roger Small says they are simple to remove and easy to on sell in places such as Facebook Marketplace.
“We are seeing an increase in the theft of these units, predominately from homes that are currently under construction.
“These homes are often easy to access as they are not yet properly secured, giving would be thieves an easy entrance.”
Potential prevention measures include but are not limited to:
-Installing a security bracket, which can be fitted into the back of the califonts and make it much harder to be removed. Such brackets can be purchased with the unit, or from most hardware shops for a small cost. “These brackets would significantly slow down offenders, making your property a less attractive target,” Senior Sergeant Small says.
– Install the califont as late in the building process as possible as an occupied dwelling is far less appealing to offenders.
– CCTV is a fantastic deterrent and investigative tool.
Top tips: • Record serial numbers (either write it down or take a photo) – as we recover stolen property regularly. • Is it too good to be true? Items sold online at a cheap price may be stolen property! • Report offending to Police online • Be vigilant – if you see suspicious activity call Police on 111
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. ENDS.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Strike Force Trident have arrested four youths in relation to a stolen motor vehicle and pursuit in Palmerston yesterday afternoon.
Around 2:30pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of a Toyota Hilux driving dangerously through Berrimah along the Stuart Highway. Checks of the vehicle’s registration identified that it had been stolen from an address in Darwin City.
A short time later, Trident members sighted the vehicle stationary on Bailey Circuit, Driver, with one male youth exiting before it drove away. The 16-year-old male attempted to flee on foot but was arrested at the scene.
A pursuit of the vehicle was initiated; however, it was terminated shortly after when it ran through a red light.
A search was commenced involving Strike Force Trident, Dog Operations Unit, General Duties and CCTV operators resulting in the vehicle being sighted on Osgood Drive, Eaton, where the group abandoned it and fled the scene on foot. After a short foot pursuit, three youths were apprehended.
A 15-year-old male was charged with multiple offences including, Damage property, Drive whilst unlicensed, Driving, riding, Using motor vehicle without consent, Drive motor vehicle speed dangerous, and Dangerous driving during a pursuit. He was remanded to appear in court on 23 May 2025.
Three youths aged 15, 16 and 17 will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act 2005.
Police continue to urge those who witness a crime or anti-social behaviour to make contact on 131 444. Anonymous reports can also be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Three males, aged 13, 15 and 20-years-old, have been arrested after assaulting workers in a carpark of a shopping centre in Casuarina.
About 8:25pm last night, police received reports of four cleaners being assaulted by three males in separate incidents. It is alleged the first three cleaners were physically assaulted and the fourth cleaner was threatened with a hammer while the group demanded money and jewellery. No injuries were reported.
Casuarina General Duties and the Dog Operations Unit deployed and arrested the three males nearby.
The 13-year-old male will be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
The 15-year-old male was charged with Assault with Intent to Steal and is awaiting bail review.
The 20-year-old male was charged with Assault with Intent to Steal and was remanded to appear in the Darwin Local Court later today.
Casuarina General Duties Officers have carriage of the investigation.
Anyone who witnesses or experiences crime or anti-social behaviour is urged to contact police on 131 444. In an emergency dial Triple Zero.
A truck driver was arrested after a crash that seriously injured a motorcyclist at Blackwood yesterday afternoon.
Just after 3.30pm on Thursday 22 May, police were called to Shepherds Hill Road, Blackwood after reports of a collision between a truck and motorcycle.
The rider, a 46-year-old man from Blackwood, sustained serious injuries in the crash and was rushed to hospital. He remains in a critical condition.
The truck driver, a 38-year-old man from Holden Hill, was not injured.
Major Crash Investigators attended the scene to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Last night, the truck driver was arrested and charged with cause serious harm by dangerous driving. He was issued with an immediate loss of licence until further order and bailed to appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court on 31 July.
Anyone who witnessed the crash and hasn’t yet spoken to police or has dashcam or CCTV footage that captured the collision or either the truck or motorcycle in the vicinity of Shepherds Hill Road yesterday is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.
A man has been arrested for numerous offences following a police pursuit that started in the CBD and ended in the Riverland.
About 2.30am on Thursday 22 May, patrols were advised a wanted Victorian man was spotted driving a white BMW in the CBD.
Police attempted to stop the car however it failed to stop and was last seen travelling north on Churchill Road, Kilburn.
About an hour later the vehicle was detected driving on Sturt Highway, Nuriootpa at 129km/h in an 80km/h zone.
Riverland Police with the assistance of PolAir, attended West Boundary Road at Wunkar, where they located the white BMW. The vehicle again took off at speed away from patrols however PolAir quickly picked it up and tracked it reaching speeds of 170km/h.
The man was seen dumping the car and entering a property in Wunkar, where he confronted the occupants and demanded the keys to their Toyota HiLux.
He continued driving dangerously and at high speeds through back roads. The HiLux approached the intersection of Cameron Highway and Brown Wells Highway at Paruna and failed to negotiate the intersection causing the driver to lose control and roll.
The man ran from the vehicle but was located a short time later and he was arrested. The 31-year-old Victorian man was charged with dangerous driving to escape a police pursuit, illegal use of a motor vehicle, serious criminal trespass, theft, driving at a speed dangerous and other driving offences. He was refused police bail and will appear in Berri Magistrates Court today (Friday 23 May).
Police are actively pursuing positive leads to locate the person involved in an incident in Tauranga, during which a driver allegedly brandished a knife at another motorist.
Western Bay of Plenty Relieving Area Commander Inspector Logan Marsh said Police are taking the incident seriously and are conscious of information suggesting it may not be a one-off event.
“We are working to locate the person involved in the incident with urgency. This incident is absolutely concerning, and quite frankly it won’t be tolerated,” Inspector Marsh said.
“We are aware of the social media comments suggesting this is not an isolated event, and it’s important that we hear from anyone who has experienced a similar incident on the road so we can put a stop to it.”
Inspector Marsh encouraged anyone who has information or footage of this incident, or any similar incidents in the area, to report it Police online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report”, or by calling 105.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 23, 2025.
Half the remaining habitat of Australia’s most at-risk species is outside protected areas Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Ward, Lecturer, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University Land clearing for agriculture poses a real threat to many species. Rich Carey/Shutterstock More and more Australian species are being listed as critically endangered – the final stage before extinction in the wild. Hundreds of species of
How should central banks respond to US tariffs? The RBA provides some clues Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stella Huangfu, Associate professor, University of Sydney Lightspring/Shutterstock With the return of Donald Trump to the White House, the United States has signalled a return to aggressive tariff policies, upending economic forecasts around the world. This leaves central banks with a tricky dilemma: how to respond when
Air New Zealand to resume Auckland-Nouméa flights from November By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Air New Zealand has announced it plans to resume its Auckland-Nouméa flights from November, almost one and a half years after deadly civil unrest broke out in the French Pacific territory. “Air New Zealand is resuming its Auckland-Nouméa service starting 1 November 2025. Initially, flights will
Budget 2025: Pacific Ministry faces major cuts, yet new initiatives aim for development By ‘Alakihihifo Vailala of PMN News Funding for New Zealand’s Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) is set to be reduced by almost $36 million in Budget 2025. This follows a cut of nearly $26 million in the 2024 budget. As part of these budgetary savings, the Tauola Business Fund will be closed. But, $6.3 million
Air New Zealand to resume Auckland-Nouméa flights from November By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Air New Zealand has announced it plans to resume its Auckland-Nouméa flights from November, almost one and a half years after deadly civil unrest broke out in the French Pacific territory. “Air New Zealand is resuming its Auckland-Nouméa service starting 1 November 2025. Initially, flights will
Budget 2025: Pacific Ministry faces major cuts, yet new initiatives aim for development By ‘Alakihihifo Vailala of PMN News Funding for New Zealand’s Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) is set to be reduced by almost $36 million in Budget 2025. This follows a cut of nearly $26 million in the 2024 budget. As part of these budgetary savings, the Tauola Business Fund will be closed. But, $6.3 million
Why Donald Trump has put Asia on the precipice of a nuclear arms race Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Langford, Executive Director, Security & Defence PLuS and Professor, UNSW Sydney For the past 75 years, America’s nuclear umbrella has been the keystone that has kept East Asia’s great‑power rivalries from turning atomic. President Donald Trump’s second‑term “strategic reset” now threatens to crack that arch. By
Corroboree 2000, 25 years on: the march for Indigenous reconciliation has left a complicated legacy Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor of Aboriginal political history, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney First Nations people please be advised this article speaks of racially discriminating moments in history, including the distress and death of First Nations people. On
KiwiSaver at a crossroads: budget another missed opportunity to fix NZ’s underperforming retirement scheme Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Gilbert, Professor of Finance, Auckland University of Technology Lynn Grieveson/Getty Images When KiwiSaver was introduced in 2007 it was built on a stark reality: New Zealand Super alone will not be enough for most people to retire with dignity. As the population ages and the cost
Deaf President Now! traces the powerful uprising that led to Deaf rights in the US – now again under threat Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gemma King, ARC DECRA Fellow in Screen Studies, Senior Lecturer in French Studies, Australian National University Archival footage shows Tim Rarus, Greg Hlibok, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl and Jerry Covell, in Apple TV+ Deaf President Now! Apple TV+ In March 1988, students of the world’s only Deaf university started
Head knocks and ultra-violence: viral games Run It Straight and Power Slap put sports safety back centuries Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Yorke, Lecturer in sport management, Western Sydney University runitstraight24/instagram.com, The Conversation, CC BY Created in Australia, “Run It Straight” is a new, ultra-violent combat sport. Across a 20×4 metre grassed “battlefield,” players charge at full speed toward one another. Alternating between carrying the ball (ball runner)
NZ Budget 2025: funding growth at the expense of pay equity for women could cost National in the long run Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Curtin, Professor of Politics and Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Pay equity protest outside parliament on budget day, May 22 2025. Getty Images In 1936, when the National Party was created through a merger of the United and Reform parties, there was a recognition
Australian roads are getting deadlier – pedestrians and males are among those at greater risk Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne At least ten people died in fatal crashes earlier this month in a single 48-hour period on Victorian roads. It was the latest tragic demonstration of the mounting road trauma in
There is a growing number of ‘super-sized’ schools. Does the number of students matter? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Rowe, Associate Professor in Education, Deakin University LBeddoe/Shutterstock Earlier this week, The Sydney Morning Herald reported one of Sydney’s top public high schools had more than 2,000 students for the first time, thanks to the booming population in the area. This follows similar reports of other
From peasant fodder to posh fare: how snails and oysters became luxury foods Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato An Oyster cellar in Leith John Burnet, 1819; National Galleries of Scotland, Photo: Antonia Reeve Oysters and escargot are recognised as luxury foods around the world – but they were once valued by the lower classes
Govt should defuse NZ’s social timebomb – but won’t We have been handed a long and protracted recession with few signs of growth and prosperity. Budget 2025 signals more of the same, writes Susan St John. ANALYSIS: By Susan St John With the coalition government’s second Budget being unveiled, we should question where New Zealand is heading. The 2024 Budget laid out the strategy.
Punitive criminal libel charge against Samoan journalist draws flurry of criticism Pacific Media Watch A punitive defamation charge filed against one of Samoa’s most experienced and trusted journalists last week has sparked a flurry of criticism over abuse of power and misuse of a law that has long been heavily criticised as outdated. Talamua Online senior journalist Lagi Keresoma, who is also president of the Journalists
Grattan on Friday: if Ley and Littleproud find a way to cohabit, it will be a tense household Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Remember that cliche about the Nationals tail wagging the Liberal dog? That tail wagged very vigorously this week, and smashed a lot of crockery, as it sought to bring Liberal leader Sussan Ley to heel. In a gesture of overreach,
Legal academic says Samoa’s criminal libel law should go after charge By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Auckland University law academic says Samoa’s criminal libel law under which a prominent journalist has been charged should be repealed. Lagi Keresoma, the first female president of the Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) and editor of Talamua Online, was charged under the Crimes Act 2013 on Sunday
In recognition of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the Department of Justice today reaffirms its commitment to prosecuting perpetrators of human trafficking, protecting vulnerable victims, supporting survivors, and preventing the proliferation of these horrific crimes.
Combating human trafficking and vindicating the rights of trafficking victims are among the Department’s highest priorities, and we remain relentless in our pursuit of justice for survivors.
The Department of Justice remains steadfast in its commitment to bringing human traffickers to justice, dismantling human trafficking enterprises, and protecting human trafficking survivors.
Human Trafficking Prevention Month serves as an annual reminder of the importance of the fight against the abhorrent crime of human trafficking, but the Justice Department’s work continues every day of the year to combat this vicious crime, bring human traffickers to justice, and protect those at risk of falling prey to these unconscionable crimes of cruelty, exploitation, and greed.
Since passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, nearly a quarter of a century ago, the Department of Justice has served on the front lines of our nation’s fight against human trafficking in all its forms.
Today, we commemorate National Human Trafficking Prevention Month by redoubling our commitment to continue that fight.
Anyone who has information about a potential human trafficking situation or a person who may be experiencing human trafficking should contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Work plan released by Army Corps zeroes out hundreds of millions of dollars for key WA, CA waterway construction projects, among others—steering hundreds of millions to red states
***WATCH: WA, CA Senators hold press conference calling out Trump’s decision***
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Senate delegations from Washington state and California joined together to call out President Trump’s outrageous, nakedly-political decision to zero out critical funding for Army Corps of Engineers construction projects in blue states like Washington and California while steering hundreds of millions more to red states.
U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) blasted the Trump administration’s plans, released late last week, detailing how the Army Corps intends to zero out all Army Corps construction funding for the state of California, as well as $500 million for the Howard Hanson Dam in Washington state. California was set to receive well over $100 million in funding for projects, and the Howard Hanson Dam in Washington state was set to receive $500 million—in the Corps’ fiscal year 2025 budget request, in the Senate’s bipartisan draft fiscal year 2025 funding bill, and even in House Republicans’ draft fiscal year 2025 funding bill. But the Trump administration—using the new discretion afforded by the yearlong CR House Republicans drafted that was signed into law—ignored the draft bills and instead apportioned funding on a nakedly political basis.
On Tuesday, a top Army Corps official testifying before the House failed to provide any justification for the decision and noted that the ultimate decision rested with Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), headed by Russ Vought.
“We are here for a simple reason: Trump is robbing our states in broad daylight, and we are not going to be quiet about this,” said Senator Murray. “Last year, we worked across the aisle to hammer out a bipartisan understanding about what projects needed Army Corps construction funding. But President Trump is ripping up the roadmap we all agreed on—even House Republicans— and turning the Army Corps construction fund into his personal political slush fund. I don’t know how you get more obviously partisan than cutting California, the most populous state in the country, out of Army Corps construction funding entirely, and I just don’t know how you get more blatantly corrupt than zeroing out half a billion dollars for Washington state and completely shafting major work at the Howard Hanson Dam—work to address dam safety, water supply issues, and more.”
“The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma received $45.4 million less in this budget,” said Senator Cantwell. “This is a huge problem for the next five years. We want to stabilize our ports. We want the Army Corps to do their investment on important waterway issues. We want to grow economic opportunity at an age when the Pacific economy is continuing to grow. We want to be on the doorstep of that access and to be efficient about delivering it, not giving those jobs away to Canada and Mexico.”
“When anyone takes the oath of office, even Donald Trump as President of the United States, you become the president for all Americans — not just for red states or for blue states, but for every state and every community equally,” said Senator Padilla. “Yet, since the minute Donald Trump returned to office, he’s set out to politicize the office he holds, now trying to take hundreds of millions of dollars in flood prevention funding away from the states that happened to not vote for him and redirect them to projects in states that supported his election. It’s absolutely wrong. In California, that means cutting every last dollar of funding that was allocated for certain flood control projects. For a president so obsessed with fighting waste, fraud, and abuse, I know where he can find it. He just has to look in the mirror. Communities up and down California — including farmers and farm workers in the Central Valley and Pajaro — will now be at a higher risk of flooding because Donald Trump’s playing politics with federal funding.”
“Natural disasters don’t discriminate based on whether a state is red or blue, and the administration and Congress shouldn’t either when it comes to protecting communities from natural disasters. This puts us on a very dangerous path, a path where anything can be on the chopping block for a partisan reason,” said Senator Schiff. “Today, it’s funding for these projects. Tomorrow, it could be another form of funding meant to save lives. There will be a domino effect of threats aimed at blue states. When you’re elected to be president of the United States, you’re not a half president. You’re not president for only half of the country, not if you do the job right. These baseless attacks threaten millions of people from both parties whose lives are endangered by floods.”
Overall, the Army Corps’ plan would steer roughly $258 million dollars more in construction funding to red states while ripping away roughly $437 million dollars in construction funding for blue states, relative to the fiscal year 2025 request—which, historically, has been fully funded and was fully funded in the draft fiscal year 2025 bills produced on a bipartisan basis in the Senate and by House Republicans in the House. Trump’s work plan steers two-thirds of all Army Corps construction funding to red states while the budget request and House and Senate bills would have split that funding roughly evenly to red and blue states.
Supporting the Howard Hanson Dam has been a longtime priority for Senator Murray, and she has pressed the Army Corps to prioritize funding for the Dam for years. Under the last administration, Senator Murray was able to secure critical funding boosts for Howard Hanson Dam, including $220 million in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $50 million to begin construction of a new facility in the funding bills for fiscal year 2024 that Murray wrote as then-Chair of the Appropriations Committee. Back in 2010, Murray secured $44 million in badly needed emergency funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to repair the Howard Hanson Dam. In the draft fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill she cleared unanimously out of Committee last year, Senator Murray secured $500 million for the dam, which would support fish passage and address dam safety and water supply issues for cities like Tacoma and Covington. $500 million was also included in the House’s draft fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill. The funding is needed to execute a construction option on the contract for the project, which would have allowed construction to begin in 2026 as scheduled.
Congress typically provides specific, detailed instructions in its annual appropriations bills on how the Army Corps (and so many other agencies) must spend funding provided by Congress. Annual appropriations bills note exactly what Army Corps projects must be funded and at what levels. But instead of working with Democrats to pass full-year appropriations bills that deliver for communities across America, Republicans in Congress put forth a yearlong continuing resolution (CR) that failed to include hundreds of specific directives on how funding must be spent. For months, Senator Murray warned of the dangers of passing Republicans’ slush fund CR, noting, for example, that it would allow the administration to zero out funding for Army Corps projects.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“We are here for a simple reason: Trump is robbing our states in broad daylight, and we are not going to be quiet about this.
“We are not going to stop fighting for our communities, and we are going to make every single person understand what is happening—and what it means for our states, for our communities, and for this democracy.
“Last year, we worked across the aisle to hammer out a bipartisan understanding about what projects needed Army Corps construction funding. And ‘we’—isn’t just the four of us here. It includes our Republican counterparts and even our House colleagues.
“But President Trump is ripping up the roadmap we all agreed on—even the House Republicans—and turning the Army Corps construction funds into his personal political slush fund.
“To give you a sense of how blatantly political this is, consider the fact that the Corps’ budget request last year, the bipartisan Senate bill my committee passed unanimously, and the House bill—yes the Republican House bill—all split this funding just about evenly—every one of them split it just about 50-50 between red and blue states.
“Now compare that to Trump’s partisan takeover. This thing is totally lopsided—roughly two-thirds goes to red states and one-third for blue states.
“This is not how it should work—an out-of-control Republican president punishing blue states and rewarding his friends instead.
“I don’t know how you get more obviously partisan than cutting California, the most populous state in the country, out of Army Corps construction funding entirely. Trump slashed over $100 million for projects that reduce flooding for crying out loud! I mean who is pro-flooding?
“And I just don’t know how you get more blatantly corrupt than zeroing out half a billion dollars for Washington state and completely shifting major work at the Howard Hanson Dam—work to address dam safety, water supply issues, and more.
“This is a project years in the making, and it is being slashed at the stroke of one careless pen, at the will of one corrupt President alone.
“So why does President Trump think our constituents don’t need a safe water supply?
“Why does President Trump think our constituents don’t need to be protected from floods?
“It’s clear he simply doesn’t care.
“But it’s actually worse than what I just laid out—because Trump is not just taking hundreds of millions of dollars from blue states for projects that we all agreed on. He is actually shoveling this money to projects that were not funded by either bill in either chambers—and that is nakedly political.
“Suddenly, projects in or near his allies’ districts are funded.
“So we need answers. And more than that, we need accountability.
“Yesterday, a top Army Corps official testified before the House, and let me tell you: she had absolutely no acceptable—or even half-convincing—justification for these decisions.
“In fact, she very explicitly stated that OMB—not the experts at the Corps—called the final shots.
“That should raise everyone’s eyebrows—Russ Vought calling the shots for your constituents.
“So we’re here to call this out—and we are going to fight tooth and nail to make this right, and make these critical projects whole.
“I will tell you right now: I will not let defunding Howard Hanson Dam stand in any future bipartisan spending bill.
“And, I will continue warning my colleagues about passing another partisan CR, which gave this administration that power to pick winners and losers like this in the first place.
“I warned about exactly this before I voted against the CR—I warned that Trump could, and would, abuse the discretion in a slush fund
CR to rob our communities. And now, here we are.
“So every single member needs to pay close attention to what is happening here—and needs to speak out.
“Because it may not be your state today but what happens when your governor disagrees with the President? What happens when you vote against him and your state loses out on funding?
“Take my word—you don’t want to find out. We have to put a stop to this, and push back now.”
Police have arrested a man committing a string of burglaries this morning in Napier, in what a local officer is calling great back-to-basics Police work.
Senior Sergeant Su Robinson, Napier Response Manager, says: “At around 8am, a male was seen trying to open a person’s garage door, before leaving in a vehicle of interest.
“Officers had seen the vehicle acting suspiciously earlier and quickly identified the driver as a person of interest, also.
“Police were able to track the man to an industrial area where it is believed he was going to dispose of property stolen from another address.
Senior Sergeant Robinson says the quick actions of Police meant officers were able to stop the vehicle and arrest the male without incident.
“Using the knowledge we have around local people of interest, acting quickly, and using the technology we have available has led to an excellent result.
“The community can be assured, their homes and property are safer due to actions taken,” Senior Sergeant Robinson says.
The 51-year-old man is now facing two charges of burglary, one charge of possessing instruments for burglary, and one of receiving stolen property.
The man was due to appear in Napier District Court today.
Investment Boost has passed into law, meaning a major new tax incentive to encourage businesses to invest, grow the economy, and lift wages is now in place, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “Investment Boost takes effect immediately. This means businesses that go out today and buy machinery or tools or equipment or vehicles or technology can immediately deduct 20 per cent of that cost from taxable income – meaning a much lower tax bill. “The feedback to Investment Boost has already been massive, with businesses telling us it will be a game-changer. “This change will benefit farmers, tradies, hairdressers, manufacturers, and other businesses by helping them invest in productivity improving assets. It is all designed to help firms become more competitive and, therefore, able to lift workers’ wages. “The Treasury and Inland Revenue estimate Investment Boost will improve economic growth, lifting New Zealand’s GDP by 1 per cent, wages by 1.5 per cent and our capital stock by 1.6 per cent over the next 20 years, with around half these gains expected in the first five years. “Investment Boost applies to new assets purchased in New Zealand as well as new and used assets imported from overseas. It includes commercial buildings but excludes land, residential buildings, and assets already in use in New Zealand. “There’s no cap on the value of eligible investments. All businesses, regardless of size, can benefit. “Investment Boost delivers more bang for buck than a company tax cut because it only applies to new investments, not those made in the past. “The policy will reward businesses who make new investments by reducing their tax bills in the year they purchase new assets. For example, with Investment Boost, an advanced manufacturing firm that purchases a $200,000 environmental test chamber would reduce its tax bill by more than $10,000 in the year of purchase. “After many difficult years, New Zealand is once again on a steady economic growth path, thanks to our careful economic management supporting lower inflation, lower interest rates, and more business-friendly policies. “Businesses have been knocked around by challenging local and international economic conditions. This tax incentive shows that we are backing them to succeed. “Now is the right time to support New Zealand’s economic recovery by making it easier for businesses to invest, hire more workers, pay them better, and contribute more to our long-term prosperity. “It is only through a strong economy we can create jobs, lift incomes and afford the frontline public services like schools, hospitals and Police that Kiwis deserve.”
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – Today on Newsmax’s American Agenda, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed last night’s horrific murder of two staffers working for Israel’s embassy in D.C. that prompted Sen. Cornyn to call on the Department of Justice to investigate the details surrounding the suspect and the radical groups he was associated with. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.
“Antisemitism is on the rise and needs to be condemned.”
“Violence has no place in this country.”
“There’s been a course correction since the election of President Trump.”
“A lot of the woke programs and policies of universities across this country were a big surprise to a lot of people – the blatant antisemitism in particular, the targeting of Jewish students. This is unacceptable.”
“We have a new sheriff in town. We have a new Attorney General, a new FBI Director that can aggressively do investigations and prosecute individuals who violate the rights of our Jewish citizens, and I think that will go a long way to correcting the direction that we have been on for the last four years.”
Wellington Police are continuing to appeal for sightings of missing man Michael, who was reported missing on 19 May.
Police and Michael’s family are becoming increasingly concerned for his safety.
It has now been established that the last known sighting of him was on CCTV at the intersection of Bouverie Street and Udy Street in Petone at about 2:45pm on 19 May 2025.
He was wearing the clothing pictured in the images shared here.
Police are asking anyone who was in the Petone or Alicetown areas on the afternoon of 19 May who may have information, or may have seen Michael, to contact Police through our 105 service, quoting reference number 250520/2542.
We are also asking for anyone with dashcam footage, or residents or businesses with CCTV footage, to review their footage for any sightings of Michael on the afternoon in question.
Anyone who believes they see Michael is urged to call 111 immediately.
CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio has returned a 29-count indictment against 19 members and associates of a Cleveland drug trafficking ring. Those charged are Derek Brantley, 41, Cleveland Heights; Juan Johnny Colon, 42, Cleveland; Luis Joel Rondon, 44, Cleveland; Sydney Anthony, 25, Parma Heights; Ryan Bell, 39, Brunswick; Mark Byrd, 44, Cleveland; Nicholas Calvert, 37, Avon Lake; Jocelyn Dolan, 22, Newton Falls; Antonio Greenlee, 37, Cleveland; Andre Jenkins, 43, Cleveland; Melanie Crespo, 32, Elyria; Jordan Marsh, 27, Cleveland; Nicholas Malusky, 38, Parma; Sean Masters, 54, Fort Pierce, Florida; Brandon Payne, 32, Cleveland; Lee Pomales, 38, Cleveland; Mason Pulvino, 28, North Ridgeville; Martha Rios, 68, Cleveland; and Kalem Watts, 45, Cleveland.
Federal and local law enforcement agents and officers made the apprehensions in a series of coordinated arrests.
According to court documents, from October 2023 to December 2024, the defendants charged were alleged to have trafficked various controlled substances but were mostly dealing cocaine. Although based in Cleveland, the ring operated throughout Northeast Ohio and as far away as Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Their operations also included attempts to infiltrate the Ohio prison system.
Throughout the investigation, authorities seized thousands of dollars in cash and a number of illegal drugs that included cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Several illegally possessed firearms were also confiscated throughout the investigation.
During the investigation, several locations in Cleveland were found to be used as stash houses to store and package cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as store firearms.
An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, their role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF), and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Border Patrol, along with task force officers from numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Division of Police. Prosecutions are led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Corts for the Northern District of Ohio is leading the prosecution in this case.
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kyle Hunter Laws Duffner, age 27, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 384 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Durant Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On December 4, 2024, Duffner pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing a child with malice aforethought. According to investigators, on June 27, 2021, law enforcement responded to a 911 call of a non-responsive infant. The child was life-flighted for care but succumbed to injuries shortly after transfer. During treatment, medical professionals discovered signs of acute rib fractures, older rib fractures in various stages of healing, and a possible head injury. A post-mortem examination revealed a skull fracture symptomatic of blunt force impact in the early stages of healing, multiple contusions to the forehead, jaw, and chest, and rib fractures consistent with at least three events of blunt force trauma.
The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Duffner will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
TULSA, Okla. – A domain seizure warrant was unsealed, along with an indictment charging four foreign national hackers with conspiracy and other computer crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Russian nationals, Alexey Viktorovich Chertkov, 37, Kirill Vladimirovich Morozov, 41, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Shishkin, 36, and Dmitriy Rubtsov, 38, a Kazakhstani national, were charged with Conspiracy and Damage to Protected Computers for conspiring with others to maintain, operate, and profit from botnet services known as Anyproxy and 5socks.
The Indictment alleges that a botnet was created by infecting older-model wireless internet routers worldwide, including in the United States, using malware without their owners’ knowledge. The installed malware allowed the routers to be reconfigured, granting unauthorized access to third parties and making the routers available for sale as proxy servers on the Anyproxy.net and 5socks.net websites. Both website domains were managed by a company headquartered in Virginia and hosted on computer servers worldwide.
Additional court documents reveal that the 5socks.net website advertised more than 7,000 proxies for sale worldwide, including in the United States. Users paid a monthly subscription fee, ranging from $9.95 to $110 per month. The website’s slogan, “Working since 2004!”, indicates that the service has been available for more than 20 years. The defendants are believed to have amassed more than $46 million from selling access to the infected routers that were part of the Anyproxy botnet.
Chertkov and Rubtsov are additionally charged with False Registration of a Domain Name. They allegedly falsely identified themselves when they registered and used the domains Anyproxy.net and 5socks.net during the commission of these felony crimes.
During the investigation, the FBI’s Oklahoma City Cyber Task Force discovered that business and residential routers in Oklahoma had malware installed without the users’ knowledge.
Pursuant to a seizure warrant in the Eastern District of Virginia and in conjunction with the unsealing of the Indictment in the Northern District of Oklahoma, the FBI seized the Anyproxy.net and 5socks.net domain names. The botnet overseas was also seized and disabled by foreign law enforcement partners.
The FBI Oklahoma City Cyber Task Force is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Jiang and Christopher J. Nassar, with the Northern District of Oklahoma, are prosecuting the case, along with Ryan K.J. Dickey and Jane Lee, Senior Counsel from the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
The Justice Department collaborated closely with investigators and prosecutors from multiple jurisdictions in this investigation, including the Eastern District of Virginia, the Dutch National Police – Amsterdam Region, the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service (Openbaar Ministerie), and the Royal Thai Police. Black Lotus Labs of Lumen Technologies, Inc., provided significant assistance and worked closely with investigators.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
TULSA, Okla. – The Department of Justice announces the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
“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.”
“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.”
“Over a five-day period in April, the Justice Department charged and the FBI arrested more than 200 offenders of child sexual abuse crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The success of this operation would not be possible without the collaborative effort of law enforcement across the United States.”
FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater stated, “Operation Restore Justice is not just about upholding the rule of law – it’s about standing up as a society for the safety of children and showing predators that we will not allow them to rob kids of their innocence. The FBI is proud to collaborate with our law enforcement partners every single day to ensure anyone involved in criminal behavior against a child is brought to justice.”
Two individuals in the Northern District of Oklahoma were arrested and indicted last week, during Operation Restore Justice.
Jonathan Gross, 36, of Mounds, was arrested and indicted for Possession of Child Pornography; and
Kaleb Smith, 23, of Bartlesville and a member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, was arrested and indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country
Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice 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 of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, 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.
Jonathan Gross’s case is being investigated by the FBI-Oklahoma City field office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert. Kaleb Smith’s case is being investigated by the FBI-Oklahoma City field office with the assistance of the Bartlesville Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
FRESNO, Calif. — Donis Ariel Maldonado, 29, aka Donis Maldonado Reyes, aka “Danny,” a Guatemalan national residing in El Monte, was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Maldonado conspired with others to distribute 22 pounds of black tar heroin and 88 pounds of methamphetamine sourced from Mexico. On June 23, 2019, Maldonado retrieved the drugs from San Diego and transported them to El Monte. The next day, Maldonado delivered the drugs to an informant, who was acting at the direction of law enforcement, at a convenience store in El Monte. The drugs were valued at $300,000.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative (HIDTA), which consists of personnel from the California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
PORTLAND, Ore.—Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
“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.”
“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.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to be a part of Operation Restore Justice and seek justice for children who have been exploited or abused. A common thread in these cases and many others is that online predators will use any platform on the internet to contact unsuspecting children. These predators often pose as children themselves to trick their would-be victims,” said William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“The FBI has zero tolerance for criminal actors who target the most vulnerable in our community—our children,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Olson. “While we count Operation Restore Justice as a success, our work continues. We will use every resource available to us to pursue those who prey on children, as well as to help victims of abuse access tools to help them heal.”
Three individuals were arrested and charged with federal child exploitation crimes in the District of Oregon as part of Operation Restore Justice.
Robert Andrew Arias, 54, of Salem, Oregon, has been charged by indictment with distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography. He was arrested on April 28, 2025, at his residence in Salem and made his first appearance in federal court the same day. A jury trial is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2025.
Berret J. Brown, 40, of Vida, Oregon, has been charged by indictment with enticing minors, receiving child pornography, using a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and transferring obscene matter to a minor. Between July and August 2024, Brown is alleged to have used Snapchat to entice multiple children into producing and sending him sexually explicit videos. Brown is also alleged to have used Roblox, a children’s online video game platform, to connect with minors. On April 30, 2025, Brown made his first appearance in federal court and was ordered detained pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on August 5, 2025.
Michael Joseph Cambalik, 35, of Beaverton, Oregon, has been charged by complaint with sexually exploiting a minor, receiving child pornography and coercing and enticing a minor. In December 2024, Cambalik, posing as a female minor, is alleged to have used Call of Duty, an internet-connected video game, to meet and coerce a then-nine-year-old child to produce and send him sexually explicit photos and videos. On April 30, 2025, Cambalik made his first appearance in federal court and was ordered detained pending his arraignment on May 29, 2025.
Those arrested nationwide are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents at an online safety presentation broadcast from Albany, N.Y.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice 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 of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, 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.
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Isaiah Smith, 18, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with one count of possession of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that Smith possessed visual depictions of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. As detailed in court filings, these visual depictions included videos that the defendant recorded as he sexually abused two different child victims, a six-year-old girl, and a nonverbal three-year-old boy, on multiple occasions, over more than a year. The child sexual abuse material was discovered after a friend of the defendant walked in on Smith orally raping one of the child victims.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of five years up to lifetime supervised release, mandatory financial penalties, and mandatory registration as a sex offender under SORNA and Megan’s Law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
National Senior Fraud Awareness Day is May 15, and FBI Philadelphia wants to remind families, friends, and caregivers, of the fraud schemes that target older Americans.
In April, the FBI released the annual Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Elder Fraud report. This annual publication provides statistics about incidents of elder fraud—or fraud that explicitly targets older Americans’ money or cryptocurrency—that are reported to IC3. The goal of this report is to inform the public of the scams impacting the country and prevent future and repeat incidents.
In 2024, those over the age of 60 filed over 147,000 complaints to the IC3, with over $4.8 billion in reported losses, a 43% increase in losses from 2023. Across the nation, phishing and spoofing schemes were the most reported scams impacting older Americans, with over 23,000 complaints. Investment fraud resulted in the most reported victim losses, with about $1.8 billion in losses.
“Criminals continue to launch calculated and deliberate attacks against a uniquely vulnerable population, our senior citizens. Threat actors systematically prey on their savings, their identity, and their sense of security,” said FBI Philadelphia Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicole Sinegar. “National Senior Fraud Awareness Day is a critical reminder of the growing threat that financial scams and frauds pose to our older citizens. We urge families, friends, and caregivers to have an open and continuous dialogue about the scams threatening older Americans and empower them to report suspected schemes to law enforcement.”
Ways to protect yourself include:
Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator.
Search online for the contact information (name, email, phone number, addresses) and the proposed offer. Other people have likely posted information online about individuals and businesses trying to run scams.
Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action. Call the police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one.
Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers.
Never give or send any personally identifiable information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses.
Make sure all computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections are up to date. Use reputable anti-virus software and firewalls.
Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you don’t know, and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you.
If you or someone you know may have been a victim of elder fraud, contact FBI Philadelphia at (215) 418-4000, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. If the suspected fraud was Internet-facilitated, you can also file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Torrance Bistline, 36, of Colorado City, Arizona, was sentenced on April 28, 2025, by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 35 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. On October 2, 2024, Bistline was convicted by a jury of one count of Using a Means of Interstate Commerce to Persuade or Coerce a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity; two counts of Destruction of Records in an Official Proceeding; one count of Conspiracy to Commit Destruction of Records in an Official Proceeding; one count of Tampering with an Official Proceeding; and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Tampering with an Official Proceeding.
Bistline’s charges were related to his participation in a years-long child sexual abuse conspiracy that spanned several states and victimized at least ten children. Bistline committed his crimes with others, including co-defendant Samuel Rappylee Bateman, the self-proclaimed leader of a religious sect based in Colorado City. In 2020 and 2021, some of Bateman’s followers gave Bateman their minor daughters and wards as child “brides” to sexually abuse. Bateman and ten of his other followers previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy and were not part of the trial against Bistline.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bistline sexually abused one of Bateman’s child “brides” during a group sexual activity. He later tried to hide and destroy evidence to interfere with the investigation. Bistline also provided financial support, including luxury vehicles, to the child sex abuse ring.
The Phoenix Field Office of the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work rescuing and protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, the Colorado City Police Department, the Iron County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the St. George Resident Agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter.
CASE NUMBER: 22-CR-8092-010-PCT-SMB RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-065_Bistline
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZfor the latest news.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
LOS ANGELES, May 22 (Xinhua) — At least two people were killed and eight others were injured when a small plane crashed into a residential area in the southwestern U.S. city of San Diego early Thursday, local authorities said.
The San Diego Police Department reported on social media site X that the crash damaged about 10 buildings in the area.
Local authorities confirmed that a small Cessna plane crashed in the Murphy Canyon area at around 04:00 local time.
Several homes and cars caught fire as a result of the crash, city fire spokesman Dan Eddy told the media.
“There is jet fuel everywhere. We have hazmat specialists on site now and we have requested additional resources for that,” Eddy said.
He said all the victims were on the plane, which could hold up to 10 people. Officials do not yet know how many people were on board.
About 100 local residents were evacuated after the crash. Authorities confirmed that the damaged residential buildings were in a military town. –0–
Joint Operation Involving Federal and Local Law Enforcement Results In More Than 450 Arrests of Illegal Immigrants and Suspected Drug Criminals Across Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK—The largest collaborative police effort to enforce federal immigration laws in Arkansas’s history resulted in the arrest of 219 illegal immigrants over the past three weeks. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Clay Fowlkes, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced the culmination of “Operation Enforce and Remove,” an arrest operation across the state that involved all federal law enforcement agencies operating in Arkansas, as well the Arkansas State Police and all 19 Arkansas Judicial Drug Task Forces, who coordinated and organized the overall operation. In addition to assisting with immigration enforcement, these task forces also arrested 253 individuals suspected of committing drug crimes and seized nearly 15,000 pounds of illegal drugs worth millions of dollars and 43 guns.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents collaborated with the Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Drug Task Forces and Arkansas State Police, to arrest 219 illegal immigrants during the three weeks of this enforcement operation, which began February 5. In total, since January 21, when President Donald Trump issued executive orders designed to prioritize the enforcement of immigration laws, 375 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Arkansas.
“On January 21, the Department of Justice issued a memo to all Department components, to include all U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the DEA, FBI, ATF, and U.S. Marshals, instructing each agency to partner with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to focus our resources and attention to immigration-related investigations and prosecutions at the federal, state, and local level,” U.S. Attorney Ross said.
“The memo outlined policy changes in response to the President’s day one Executive Orders and provided guidance critical to the Department’s mission to combat three of the most serious threats facing the American people: First, cartels and other transnational criminal organizations which have created unsafe borders and huge flows of illegal immigration in violation of U.S. law. Second, brutal and intolerable violent crime by members of these organizations and illegal aliens. Third, the fentanyl crisis and opioid epidemic that are poisoning our communities and have inflicted an unprecedented toll of addiction, suffering, and death.
“Because the Justice Department must and will work to eradicate these threats, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Arkansas along with each of our federal law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize working with ICE to aggressively enforce the immigration and drug-and-violent crime laws enacted by Congress. When these efforts are combined with our partnerships with our outstanding state and local law enforcement officials, we are confident that this first operation will lead to additional successful operations in the days ahead.”
“Our commitment to safeguarding communities in western Arkansas remains steadfast as we implement increased immigration enforcement efforts,” U.S. Attorney Fowlkes said. “We are dedicated to upholding the law and ensuring public safety while maintaining the highest standards of law enforcement and prosecution. Through collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners, we will address the challenges of illegal immigration and protect our communities from criminals who seek to illegally enter the United States and subject our communities to their criminal activities and associated violence.”
In preparation for “Operation Enforce and Remove,” ICE, working with other federal and local partners, developed intelligence related to the locations of known illegal immigrants. The individuals these agents sought to arrest and remove had previous encounters with law enforcement, and therefore had known addresses in various databases. Some offenders were previously convicted of crimes, while others had some type of prior contact with law enforcement. All were in the country illegally and will be deported. Of the 219 arrests of illegal immigrants during the enforcement operation, 127 individuals were processed through the ICE Enforcement and Removal office in Little Rock, 57 were processed through the Fayetteville office, 23 through the Fort Smith office, and 17 individuals through the Texarkana office.
The illegal immigrants located in Arkansas came from 23 different countries. The crimes some of these individuals were previously convicted of include: battery, aggravated assault, robbery, drug possession and distribution, domestic violence, sexual assault, illegal firearm possession, running an illegal casino, forgery, hit-and-run, indecent exposure, and sexual assault against a minor.
“We will continue to use every tool and resource available to identify, locate and apprehend those criminal aliens that threaten public safety,” said Larry Adams, ICE Assistant Field Office Director. “Our enforcement efforts are unwavering and our dedication to protecting our communities remains stronger than ever.”
At the same time that ICE was engaged in immigration operations, Drug Task Force officers were conducting numerous drug investigations that involved highway interdiction, controlled purchases of narcotics, the execution of search warrants, and other methods aimed at arresting individuals known to be involved in drug trafficking. In addition to the 253 drug-related arrests and 43 guns seized, officers across the state seized the following drugs: 225 pounds of methamphetamine, 65 pounds of cocaine, 14,542 pounds of marijuana, and 2,681 fentanyl pills and 90 grams of fentanyl powder. The street value of these drugs, broken down to a user level, is potentially hundreds of millions of dollars. These individuals will be prosecuted at either the state or federal level, depending on the particular case.
The 472 arrests announced today are the culmination of the first, but not last, collaborative federal and state law enforcement effort designed to carry out the Department of Justice’s mission, and help keep all Arkansans safe.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
FAYETTEVILLE – A Winslow, Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison without the possibility of parole for Possession of a Biological Agent. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, in January 2024, a concerned citizen made an anonymous tip to the Washington County Sherriff’s office that Jason Kale Clampit, age 44, was manufacturing and may have poisoned one of his family members with ricin. Thereafter, an investigation revealed that Clampit had, in fact, produced ricin at his residence in Winslow, Arkansas, for the stated purpose of setting traps for trespassers. The investigation likewise revealed that during the manufacturing process, Clampit inadvertently exposed himself to ricin, which made him extremely ill. On January 24, 2025, a federal search warrant was executed by both the Bentonville Bomb Squad and an FBI Bioweapon Specialist team, which resulted in the confiscation of several items associated with processing ricin, and suspected ricin byproducts. On that same day, Clampit was taken into custody. While in jail, he made statements on a monitored phone call in which he directed others to dispose of liquid ricin contained in a jar that was secreted in a camper on his property. After listening to the monitored call, FBI agents responded quickly, contacted the individual Clampit directed, and located, in a trash can, a jar containing processed ricin.
Clampit was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in March 2024. He entered a plea of guilty in October 2024.
U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Bentonville Police Department, and the Arkansas Department of Corrections Division of Community Correction (probation and parole) all investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
