Category: Law

MIL-OSI Global: Peter Sullivan murder conviction quashed after 38 years in jail – it would be a mistake to see his case as a bizarre, one-off

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Brian Thornton, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, University of Winchester

Peter Sullivan has had his conviction for the murder of Diane Sindall quashed. He is not the Beast of Birkenhead. He is an innocent man who got ensnared in a malfunctioning system that then took 38 years to admit its mistake.

He was wrongly convicted in 1987 for the brutal attack on the part-time pub worker. The 21-year-old was beaten to death and sexually assaulted as she walked home after a shift in Bebington, Merseyside.

Sullivan is now 68 and has lost the best years of his life. Remarkably, in a statement read by his lawyer after his conviction was overturned he said he was “not angry, not bitter”. He said he had experienced horrors but would not dwell on them: “I’ve got to make the most of what is left of the existence I am granted in this world.”

Given he’s the victim of the longest miscarriage of justice experienced by a living inmate in the UK, no one would begrudge Sullivan that.

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But it would be a mistake to see his case as a bizarre, one-off. In March I wrote in detail about how the English criminal justice system continually betrays victims of injustice – from cases like the Birmingham six and the Guildford four to the hundreds of victims of the Post Office scandal.

There are also immediate parallels to be made with two other miscarriage of justice cases – Victor Nealon and Andrew Malkinson.

Read more:
Convicting the innocent: how a rotten system ensures miscarriages of justice will continue

The Sullivan, Malkinson, Nealon cases were all exposed as miscarriages of justice thanks to new DNA evidence, but only after a reluctant and incurious appeal system was dragged kicking and screaming into agreeing to new forensic testing.

Malkinson was wrongly convicted of rape and spent 17 years in prison. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) twice rejected his submissions that he was innocent, and he was only cleared when his own lawyers tracked down DNA evidence that proved his innocence.

Nealon who was wrongfully convicted of attempted rape spent an additional ten years in prison because the CCRC refused to carry out DNA tests that would have proved his innocence. He applied to the CCRC twice but was rejected both times.

In the Sullivan case, the CCRC feels it deserves credit for ordering the retesting that led to his exoneration, and it does. But it’s worth noting that he applied to the CCRC in 2021 and it took until now for him to be freed.

No compensation

Justice delayed is justice denied and all three men spent unnecessary years of their lives behind bars thanks to a sluggish and often inept appeals system.

It took decades, but Sullivan is now a free man. He leaves prison with £89 in his pocket, and that’s it. There will be no automatic compensation, no system that eases him back into ordinary life.

When Victor Nealon was released after 17 years in prison, he would have been homeless if it were not for the kindness of a journalist who allowed him to sleep on his couch. Nealon has never received compensation. After multiple rejections he and Sam Hallam, another miscarriage of justice victim who was accused of murder, took their claims for compensation all the way to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). They lost.

The judges at the ECHR concluded that it was virtually impossible for victims of miscarriage of justice to receive compensation in the UK, noting that 93% of people who applied for compensation were rejected. The two men have never seen a penny of compensation.

But it appears that Malkinson may be one of the lucky 7% who do. It has been reported that the Ministry of Justice is to pay him “a significant sum” and no one in their right mind would object to Malkinson receiving compensation. He is an innocent man who spent 17 wasted years in prison.

Hallam, Nealon and so many more are also innocent but have been refused compensation. Why?

It is difficult to come to any other conclusion than Malkinson is being compensated because of the media coverage his case attracted. Malkinson is a very impressive person – erudite, thoughtful and reasonable – someone capable of guest editing the Today programme. His case, along with his criticisms, threw the CCRC into crisis and led to the resignation of its chair. But not everyone can be Andrew Malkinson, and they shouldn’t have to be.

Sullivan is a very different person. “He’s a very quiet, private man,” his lawyer told the BBC. He has so far shunned the media and it’s clear that he will not have the same high profile as Malkinson. His story will fade as the news agenda moves on and there will be a danger that the lessons from this case will be ignored or forgotten.

For example, Sullivan’s case is a reminder that there are still people in prison who were jailed based on false confessions, and these cases should be reviewed urgently.

And the project announced by the CCRC to identify cases where new forensic testing could provide fresh evidence needs to happen urgently. As Chris Henley KC, the lawyer who led a review into the CCRC’s handling of the Malkinson case, said, more miscarriages of justice cases are “inevitable” and so it is better to identify them as quickly as possible. No need for more innocent people to languish unnecessarily in prison.

Ultimately, the main lesson for the criminal justice system to learn is humility.
If a plane crashes, accident investigators will painstakingly piece the wreckage back together to identify what went wrong. If there is an infectious outbreak, medical experts will urgently seek out the source. They do this so that they can find out what went wrong and avoid future tragedies.

But somehow the criminal justice system appears to feel it is above this approach, despite the fact that Peter Sullivan was failed by the police, by the legal system, courts and the Court of Appeal. As Henley said: “I think that there is a fundamental problem in relation to our appeal system generally, that it just won’t face up to the fact that mistakes can be made. It stubbornly wants to stick to the original flawed conviction.”

But first and foremost, Peter Sullivan must receive the compensation he deserves. He was wronged and the state should swiftly and fairly do what it can to make that right.

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

– ref. Peter Sullivan murder conviction quashed after 38 years in jail – it would be a mistake to see his case as a bizarre, one-off – https://theconversation.com/peter-sullivan-murder-conviction-quashed-after-38-years-in-jail-it-would-be-a-mistake-to-see-his-case-as-a-bizarre-one-off-256723

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: The Quest for Public Debt Transparency in EMDEs

Source: IMF – News in Russian

Keynote Speech by IMF Financial Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department
IMF Conference: Public Debt Transparency—Aligning the Law with Good Practices

May 14, 2025

Opening – Scope of the Speech

Good afternoon, everyone. It is a privilege to be here with you. Behind many sovereign debt crises there is often a simple, but difficult truth: the full picture of public debt and contingent liabilities which migrated to sovereign balance sheets was not visible to the public until it was too late. Transparency, therefore, is not just ideal—it is essential.

This Conference demonstrates the Fund’s shared commitment to turning transparency from a goal into a reality in our member countries. I want to thank our IMF Legal Department for this timely initiative and inviting me to speak today.

I would like to address the importance of transparency from the vantage point of the markets and the sovereign borrowers—specifically, the debt managers. I’ll first address why transparency matters, and why now more than ever. I’ll then delve into where countries stand today, the obstacles we face, and some possible solutions. I’ll give you a brief tour of how the Fund works to improve transparency in our three core activities of surveillance, lending, and capacity development—and finally, offer some thoughts on the path forward.

The Difficult Backdrop Calls for Greater Transparency

As you have already heard from our IMF Managing Director this morning, ensuring public debt transparency remains critical to monitor debt vulnerabilities, at a time of historically high public debt in emerging market (EM) and developing economies.

The current global environment presents challenges for many countries to access capital markets. EMs are already facing the highest real financing costs in a decade and will have to continue issuing government debt, including meeting new fiscal spending needs. Small middle-income countries and frontier economies face a more difficult situation. Several frontier economies would find it difficult to issue a Eurobond at current levels. Meeting external financing needs will be challenging for many frontier borrowers if official development assistance is reduced. Domestic market funding may not be sufficient to substitute for external borrowing. So, the stakes are high.

Why Transparency Matters

Transparency is foundational—in periods of both calm and stress.

In normal times, it builds credibility and fosters trust. It helps countries reduce borrowing costs and reinforces accountability to a country’s citizens. Transparent debt management operations, backed by clear strategies, predictable borrowing plans, and regular reporting pays off in improved market confidence and lower credit risk. Transparency also pays off by providing better access to sovereign debt markets.

Even under sovereign stress, transparency acts as a stabilizing force. Opacity might offer short-term breathing space, but it raises long-term borrowing costs. “Debt surprises” damage trust, increase the cost of borrowing and increase the severity of crises. Conversely, sovereigns that disclose the full picture early—and align this with credible fiscal plans—can stabilize expectations. And at the extreme, for countries facing default, when public debt becomes too high and the government cannot borrow at sustainable terms, transparency also has a role to play in negotiations with creditors by enabling a faster resolution of debt problems during debt restructuring

To ensure adequate public debt transparency, stakeholders should be able to count on the availability of timely, accurate, and comprehensive information on public debt stock and flows. You can think of this as the outcome of a country’s debt management. But from the perspective of Fund work, the concept of public debt management transparency is broader—it also encompasses the availability of key procedures and policies on public debt and of sound legal frameworks to support them. This should cover both the central and the general government.

The Current State of Public Debt Transparency in EMDEs

Evaluated against these metrics, sovereigns in advanced economies generally abide to high standards of debt transparency. Advanced economies typically finance themselves in markets, which impose market discipline. The process for sharing information on their borrowings is well established and institutionalized, and as a result, data on public debt is readily accessible. Some emerging markets are as transparent as advanced economies on their general government debt. However, governments in many emerging markets and developing economies rely significantly on external loans as well as on non-marketable domestic debt which can make their debt less transparent.

Many factors explain the opaqueness of government borrowings in emerging markets and developing economies. These include lenders’ preferences, persistently large borrowing needs, low accountability, aversion to transparency, shallow bond markets, and lack of capacity. While inadequate public debt transparency is often the result of an interplay between several factors, analyzing them separately allows identifying potential solutions that are most urgently needed. Allow me to highlight a few key factors and what can be done to address them.

First, lender preferences. Some resource-exporting countries use collateralized debt structures at the behest of creditors, involving special purpose vehicles that conceal the nature and seniority of these debt structures. Importantly, collateralized debt is often undertaken with confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements that impede reporting and disclosure.

Solutions to address this type of opacity require establishing a legal and policy framework that discourages such borrowing structures. Legal frameworks can also help tackle this problem by limiting the scope of confidentiality agreements the executive can enter into and mandating a minimum level of disclosure regarding the financial terms of these debt liabilities.

Second, the reticence of sovereign borrowers to disclose their borrowings. This can be an intentional under-reporting of public debt liabilities. However, it is often more subtle: some sovereigns rely on financing by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) or other entities that are effectively backed by the government, but whose debt liabilities are kept off-budget.

Finding solutions to this problem is a difficult challenge. The solution is stronger governance, supported by stronger legal frameworks around the entire public financial management ecosystem. Such frameworks would warrant disclosure of all public debt liabilities and new borrowings, including by SOEs, and extra-budgetary entities supplemented with full fiscal transparency of the government and the SOEs balance sheets.

Third, there can be gaps in the framework for public debt transparency. Such gaps mostly reflect shortcomings in the governance, reporting, and the institutional and policy framework of public debt. In many countries, this is a function of fragmented debt management responsibilities even within the central government. Inadequate transparency in such countries does not imply a lack of willingness by the sovereign to disclose its debt liabilities, but rather a deficiency in its ability to be adequately transparent. We see many such cases in our work.

Addressing these gaps requires a broad-based approach, starting from the legal and governance framework, and weaving through institutional arrangements and the policy framework for public debt management. We have seen some countries make tangible progress that we have supported with capacity development, although more needs to be done across our membership.

Leveraging Marketable Debt for Transparency and Sound Financing

While much of the global discussion related to transparency has focused on external debt. I will take this opportunity to speak about debt issued in the local market and how greater reliance on marketable debt could drive better transparency and sound financing. Domestic debt transparency is an overlooked issue in the debt discussions on low-income countries (LICs).

Large emerging markets typically have well-developed domestic government securities markets characterized by strong transparency practices. As in advanced economies, the cost of borrowing in large EMs reflect market forces. In the last decade or so, sovereigns from smaller emerging markets and LICs have relied more heavily on domestic debt. However, in these countries, transparency practices in domestic debt markets are often weak. And since in some cases the development of local debt markets is still evolving, many borrowers rely on non-marketable debt to fill part of their domestic financing needs. Non-marketable borrowing tends to be more insulated from price signals and inherently less transparent.

There is a solution: accepting market prices. Transparency is a prerequisite for markets to operate well. Transparency on primary market issuances is crucial for price discovery and predictability for investors. And transparency in secondary market pricing and transactions is important for market liquidity. Such steps could create a self-reinforcing dynamic to improve transparency.

IMF Work on Debt Transparency

Against this background, let me now give you a brief account of what we do in the Fund to promote debt transparency by sovereign borrowers. These efforts span the three key areas of Fund activity: bilateral surveillance, lending, and capacity development.

Within bilateral surveillance, the IMF last year decided to expand the scope of mandatory reporting on debt by member countries. Members will be required to report on general government debt stock from this year (2025) and to report its detailed composition from 2027.

In the context of our lending programs, the IMF Debt Limits Policy has raised the bar on debt disclosure. Where countries have critical debt data disclosure gaps, these should be addressed upfront in IMF-supported programs. And every IMF program staff report is now required to provide granular information on debt holders and debt service by creditor for a period of three years as well as information on the stock of collateralized debt.

Our work on Capacity Development (CD), supports efforts to enhance transparency by sovereign borrowers. Over the years, debt transparency has increasingly been mainstreamed across many areas including support on public debt management, fiscal transparency assessments, debt sustainability assessments, the domestic legal framework on public debt management, and statistical dissemination of public debt. Further, debt transparency has now been added as an explicit outcome in our Results-based Management framework, which we use to monitor the effectiveness of our CD delivery.

The Fund has stepped up its CD work on public debt reporting and monitoring, publication of medium-term debt management strategies and annual borrowing plans, and fiscal risk assessments—all of which will contribute to enhance transparency by our member countries. For this purpose, staff from different departments—including staff from MCM, as well as the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs, Statistics and Legal Departments—work closely with officials across our membership from the Ministries of Finance, Debt Management Offices, Central Banks, and Audit Institutions.

Our policy and analytical work—including papers like Making Public Debt Public, and those on Sovereign Investor Relations and Legal Foundations of Public Debt Transparency—shape global thinking and inform Fund policy. At the same time, our longstanding guidance—like the IMF-World Bank Guidelines on Public Debt Management and the Fund’s Fiscal Transparency Codeas well as statistical standards—continues to provide an anchor for sound debt transparency practices across our membership.

Conclusion

As you carry forward your discussion today and tomorrow on the legal reforms needed to promote transparency of sovereign debt, I would like to leave you with four key messages.

First, public debt transparency helps a sovereign, both in good and bad times.

Second, enhancing debt transparency is all the more critical under the current global environment.

Third, debt transparency must be designed and not assumed as a default setting.

Fourth, it must be embedded in law, institutions, and incentives—across the full spectrum of public borrowing.

To achieve this, countries should develop a strong governance mechanism on public debt supported by robust legal and institutional frameworks. Such frameworks should not only cover central government debt but also extend across the general government and state-owned enterprises. The goal is clear. However, we must acknowledge that this would be a big ask and long-term project, especially given the capacity constraints in many emerging and developing economies.

A well-sequenced approach to upgrade the transparency framework will be crucial. For many countries, starting with central government debt and expanding outward in a phased, realistic way could be the right approach. Enhancing transparency on general government debt and the wider public sector would be the next priority.

The Fund remains a committed partner in this journey—helping countries move from fragmented systems and hidden risks to integrated frameworks and informed policy choices.

Thank you—and I wish you a productive remainder of the conference.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER:

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

@IMFSpokesperson

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/05/14/sp051425-the-quest-for-public-debt-transparency-in-emdes

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Connecticut Delegation, Colleagues File Amicus Brief Slamming Trump’s Lawless Attempts To Dismantle The CFPB

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

May 14, 2025

HARTFORD—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives John B. Larson (D-Conn.-01), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04), and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) joined their colleagues in filing an amicus brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in a lawsuit brought forth after President Trump illegally fired staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The brief condemns mass firings at the CFPB, reiterates that Congress created the CFPB to combat the abuses that caused the devastating 2008 financial crisis, and highlights that the president does not have the power to abolish it.
“Congress has been creating, restructuring, and eliminating executive offices, departments, and agencies since the Founding. At the same time, because power over the basic structure of the federal government is Congress’s alone, the executive branch cannot unilaterally establish or abolish an executive agency,” the lawmakers wrote.
They continued: “The Administration’s actions, if allowed to occur, would not just be unconstitutional—they would also be disastrous. As the Supreme Court has explained, eliminating the CFPB would ‘trigger a major regulatory disruption and would leave appreciable damage to Congress’s work in the consumer-finance arena.’”
The amicus brief was led by U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA-35) and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Former lawmakers Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Barney Frank (D-MA) also signed onto the amicus brief.
U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also signed the brief, along with former lawmakers Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.).
Since its inception, over 80,000 Connecticut residents have received more than $45 million from CFPB’s Civil Penalty Fund, which is used to help compensate harmed victims who would not otherwise receive compensation from the defendant in the case. Last year, Connecticut consumers also received compensation from the CFPB’s lawsuits against Think Finance for deceiving consumers into repaying loans they did not owe, and Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com for subjecting consumers to illegal advance fees and deceptive advertising.
The full amicus brief is available HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why are Turkey and the PKK turning to peace – and can it last?

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Pinar Dinc, Associate Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science and Researcher, Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University

Negotiations to end more than 40 years of conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) have taken on a concrete dimension. On May 12, two months after the PKK’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, wrote a letter in which he called on the group to lay down its arms, it has announced it will disband.

The PKK, which has been fighting for greater Kurdish rights and autonomy, has outlined several conditions it views as essential for it to dissolve. It insists that Öcalan lead and direct the peace process, that the right to democratic politics in Turkey is recognised, and that the group is given solid legal guarantees.

On the one hand, there seems to be great longing for peace between Turkey and the PKK. This has been evidenced by the positive reactions to the PKK’s statement both nationally and internationally.

Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said the PKK’s disengagement with terror had opened “the doors of a new era in every area, namely strengthening politics and democratic capacity”.

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However, there is also scepticism. Turkey views the peace process very differently from the Kurds, referring to it as part of the government’s “terror-free Turkey” initiative. The Kurdish movement has instead adopted the title of Öcalan’s February letter, “Call for Peace and Democratic Society”.

Many also see Erdoğan’s willingness to resolve the Kurdish issue as a political maneuver by the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP). Positioning itself as the party that ended decades of “terror” at the hands of the PKK would allow the AKP to consolidate its hold on power.

But, notwithstanding this, there are clear reasons for both the Turkish state and the PKK to come to the negotiating table now. One of the leading reasons is the changing geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East.

In late 2024, Bashar al-Assad’s regime was toppled in Syria and the country was subsequently taken over by Islamist militants. Iran’s influence has also been weakened following the collapse of parts of its regional proxy network, notably Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and, most recently, the Houthis in Yemen.

Israel, meanwhile, is continuing its war in Gaza. And it has intensified its military operations in Syria, particularly near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, alongside open expressions of support for Syria’s Druze religous communities.

At the same time, Donald Trump has returned to the White House and reopened the door to dialogue with Iran over its nuclear programme. The region’s politics are being reshaped, and leaders across the Middle East are repositioning themselves accordingly.

For the PKK and its broader political base, a peace process with Turkey offers a pathway to equal citizenship, democratic participation and long-term legitimacy for Kurds in the Middle East after nearly a century of struggle.

This was signalled by the Kurdish National Conference in April 2025. The conference, which was attended by different Kurdish parties and organisations, highlighted the importance of strategic coordination among Kurds in the region.

For Turkey, peace with the PKK now would further reduce a weakened Iran’s ability to project power westward. Some groups suspected of being affiliated with the PKK, such as the Sinjar Resistance Units in northern Iraq, have been indirectly supported by Iran.

Turkey’s handling of the PKK conflict and the broader Kurdish issue has also often complicated its engagement with the west. For example, human rights groups have accused Turkey of allowing the Syrian National Army (a coalition of armed groups in northern Syria) to act with impunity against Kurdish civilians in areas outside its control.

This has created friction in Turkey’s diplomatic outreach to the US and Europe. By addressing the longstanding Kurdish issue, Ankara could lay the groundwork for more stable relations with the west. These relations are particularly important now as Turkey is looking to take an increasingly key role in European security.

It is serving as a mediator in negotiations to end the Ukraine war. And Erdoğan has even offered to host direct talks between the Ukrainian president, Volodymr Zelensky, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Istanbul.

Bumpy road ahead

The PKK’s dissolution will not guarantee peace in Turkey. The Kurdish people expect equal citizenship and the end the government’s practice of removing elected mayors and replacing them with state-appointed trustees.

They also demand the release of political prisoners and reforms to Turkey’s anti-terrorism laws, which critics say are frequently used to suppress dissent. These issues will be discussed in parliament over the coming days, with talks on a new constitution expected to take place in the autumn.

The negotiations will not be simple. The Kurds have been persistently labelled as rebels, traitors and terrorists since the beginning of the Turkish republic in 1923. It will not be easy to change entrenched opinions overnight.

Özgür Özel, the leader of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s party (CHP), has emphasised the importance of resolving the Kurdish issue peacefully and democratically. But it is not clear whether his views reflect those of his supporter base and Turkish society more broadly.

Turkey must be further democratised to give the peace process a greater chance of success. The nation’s vibrant civil society currently operates under intense pressure from the state. Giving it more of a voice will help bring Turkey’s deeply divided society together.

It is always difficult – if not impossible – to make predictions about the future when it comes to Middle Eastern politics. However, a new balance is being established in the Middle East, and in this new balance very different players have to sit at the same table.

Pinar Dinc is the principal investigator of the ECO-Syria project, which receives funding from the Strategic Research Area: The Middle East in the Contemporary World (MECW) at the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University, Sweden.

– ref. Why are Turkey and the PKK turning to peace – and can it last? – https://theconversation.com/why-are-turkey-and-the-pkk-turning-to-peace-and-can-it-last-256527

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Joins Push Urging the Trump Administration to Drop its Anti-Voter Policies that will Disenfranchise Tribal Communities

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and 10 of her Senate colleagues in sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts of President Trump’s anti-voter “election integrity” executive order and the SAVE Act on Native American voting rights.

“Enactment of new voter registration policies under the Executive Order and the SAVE Act would lead to mass disenfranchisement of eligible Native voters and further depress the Native vote,” wrote the Senators. “Tribal IDs generally lack place of birth information required by the legislation, and the vast majority of these IDs lack the specific U.S. citizenship documentation required by the Executive Order. And the SAVE Act’s in-person requirement would exacerbate existing barriers, such as requiring IDs that list residential mailing addresses, by forcing many Native voters to travel great distances, including costly flights or multi-hour drives, to reach their local elections office or polling place.”

“As Secretary of the Interior, you have a special moral and legal responsibility to uphold our nation’s trust and treaty obligations,” continued the Senators. “If implemented, the sweeping federal mandates included in the Executive Order and the SAVE Act would disenfranchise eligible Native voters who are following state laws. We encourage your active engagement with the White House and the Department of Justice to ensure that Native communities are able to exercise the franchise fully and have their voices heard at the ballot box.”

Tribal IDs are currently an acceptable form of documentation to register to vote in nearly every state, but the SAVE Act and Trump executive order require that an ID must show place of birth and citizenship, which the majority of Tribal IDs lack, adding another barrier to the ballot box for many Native American communities. The Senators underscored that if enacted, these provisions would force Tribal voters who live in rural and remote locations to travel significant distances to prove their citizenship in order to register to vote.

The Senators also emphasized the disproportionate impact the vote-by-mail restrictions would have on Native communities, which often rely more on mail-in voting because of a lack of infrastructure and transportation access. Trump’s executive order penalizes states that accept absentee or mail-in ballots received after Election Day, harming Native voters in states like Nevada, Alaska, North Dakota, Oregon, and California that process ballots as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.

Only 66 percent of Native Americans eligible to participate in elections are currently registered to vote, leaving more than 1 million eligible voting-age Native Americans unregistered. Creating further obstacles to register to vote would likely reduce these numbers even further.

Senator Cortez Masto has long been a champion for Tribal communities. Last year, the Senate passed both her legislation to make it easier for Indian Health Services to recruit and retain doctors and her legislation to strengthen Tribal public safety. She repeatedly called on the Biden administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Virginia, Maryland Senators Urge House to Pass D.C. Budget Fix

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD) urged House Republican leadership to take up and pass the bipartisan legislation, passed previously by the Senate, to allow the District of Columbia to use its own local funding. Today marks two months since that bill, authored by Sen. Van Hollen and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) – and cosponsored by Sens. Warner, Kaine, and Alsobrooks – passed the Senate unanimously.

“It’s been two months since the Senate passed, with bipartisan support, a simple fix that allows the District of Columbia the ability make its own funding decisions, yet the House still refuses to act. Each day that this legislation stalls, we are leaving D.C. in the lurch, threatening the District’s schools, public safety, and emergency response operations. It’s well past time for the House to act,” Sen. Warner said.

“Republican House leadership’s decision to stall a bipartisan bill—which even President Trump supports—to allow D.C. to spend its own money is ridiculous and wrong,” said Sen. Kaine. “Law enforcement officers’ salaries and the quality of D.C.’s public schools and transportation have hung in the balance for months because of the House’s failure to act. It’s time for Speaker Johnson to do his job, and bring this bill up for a vote like he promised.”

“The District of Columbia should be able to spend its own revenue without Congress getting in the way. Yet by freezing over $1 billion of D.C.’s own funds through their sham funding bill in March, House Republicans are holding the District hostage – threatening the operations of local law enforcement, fire departments, schools, and more. This is all pain for D.C. residents, and no gain for federal taxpayers who aren’t saving a single cent as a result of this pointless provision. Two months ago today, the Senate unanimously passed the bill Senator Collins and I authored to fix this issue, and President Trump has urged the House to do the same. It’s time for Speaker Johnson to let this bill move forward and release D.C.’s funds,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“I worked with my fellow DMV Senators to pass a bipartisan solution to the $1.1 billion budget cuts in the disastrous CR. It has been waiting on the House’s vote for two months. At a time when our neighbor D.C. is experiencing economic hardship and hundreds of civil servants, many of whom are Marylanders, are losing their jobs in the district, we need to make sure this budget fix gets passed,” said Sen. Alsobrooks.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senate Unanimously Passes Cassidy, Grassley Resolution Recognizing National Police Week

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and 79 senators applaudedthe Senate’s unanimous passage of their resolution designating May 12 through 17 as National Police Week to reiterate the Senate’s unwavering support for law enforcement officers across the United States.
“As hostility toward police officers grows, threats to their safety increase. We must support those who risk their lives daily to protect our communities,” said Dr. Cassidy.
“Law enforcement officers in Iowa and across the nation work tirelessly to protect and serve our communities. This week, and every week, we should give our thanks to the brave men and women in blue, who have sacrificed so much to ensure our safety,” said Senator Grassley. “As always, I’m proud to back the blue and will continue my efforts in Congress to protect and support our courageous officers.”
Cassidy and Grassley were joined by U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Ashley Moody (R-FL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Kennedy (R-LA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Tim Scott (R-SC), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jim Risch (R-ID), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rand Paul (R-KY), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Katie Britt (R-AL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Rick Scott (R-FL), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jim Banks (R-IN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ted Budd (R-NC), Gary Peters (D-MI), Thomas Tillis (R-NC), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Warner (D-VA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Margaret Hassan (D-NH), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Thune (R-SD), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jon Husted (R-OH), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Todd Young (R-IN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and John Boozman (R-AR) in introducing the resolution.
Background
Every year, for more than six decades, Congress has passed a resolution in honor of law enforcement officers. During National Police Week, Americans pay special tribute to the service and sacrifice of courageous officers and their families, especially our nation’s fallen heroes. Cassidy is a consistent supporter of law enforcement. This month, he introduced legislation recognizing law enforcement officers for their diligence in protecting and serving our communities and calling for increased health and safety measures for law enforcement professionals.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — Four drivers arrested by RCMP NL for impaired driving offences this past weekend

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Over this past weekend, RCMP NL arrested four individuals for impaired driving offences. Drivers were stopped in Harbour Grace, Roddickton, Marystown and Philips Head.

Shortly before 10:00 p.m. on Friday, May 9, 2025, Harbour Grace RCMP responded to the report of a suspected impaired driver. The described vehicle was located and stopped on Water Street in Harbour Grace. The driver, a 67-year-old woman, showed signs of alcohol impairment and was arrested. Back at the detachment, the woman refused to provided breath samples. She now faces charges of impaired operation and refusing to provide a breath sample.

Approximately 40 minutes later, Roddickton RCMP stopped a vehicle in front of the detachment on Cloud Drive in Roddickton. The driver, a 56-year-old man, showed signs of drug impairment. The man performed poorly on roadside field sobriety tests and was arrested for drug impaired driving. He was transported to White Bay Central Health Centre in Roddickton where a blood sample was obtained. Police await the results of the testing to determine if charges of drug impaired driving are appropriate.

Shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 11, Burin Peninsula RCMP stopped a vehicle on Columbia Drive in Marystown. The vehicle was uninsured and had expired registration. The driver, 44-year-old man, showed signs of alcohol impairment and failed a roadside breath test. He was arrested and was transported to the detachment where he provided further breath samples that were above the legal limit. He faces charges of impaired operation and was ticketed under the Highway Traffic Act for operating a vehicle without insurance and registration.

Later that day, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP responded to the report of a suspected impaired driver. The described vehicle was located and stopped on Route 352 in Philips Head. The driver, a 51-year-old man, failed a roadside breath test and was arrested. At the detachment, the man provided further breath samples that were more than twice the legal limit. He faces charges of impaired operation.

All drivers were released from custody and those who are set to face charges are scheduled to appear in court at later dates. Licence suspensions and vehicle seizures occurred where appropriate.

This week, during Canada Road Safety Week, RCMP NL remain focussed on road safety, including the enforcement of those who choose to drive while impaired. If you suspect a driver is impaired, please contact your local detachment or 911 to make a report.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, McClain, Delaney, Moylan Introduce Legislation to Expand Leave Benefits for Military Families

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
May 12, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Veterans’ Affairs Committees (SVAC)—and U.S. Representatives April McClain Delaney (D-MD-06) and James Moylan (R-GU-AL) introduced legislation to modernize the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in order to help ensure that military caregiver benefits are available to more people who selflessly care for their servicemember or Veteran family member in medical need. The Making it Likely for Families of the Military to Live with Leave Access (MIL FMLA) Act would expand FMLA leave benefits for military family members who aren’t currently covered under the FMLA.
“It’s long overdue that Congress expands leave benefits for the selfless Americans who care for their servicemember or Veteran loved ones—who often have complex and unique medical needs as a result of their service,” said Senator Duckworth. “No servicemember should ever have to worry whether they and their loved ones will have the benefits needed to care for them after their service—it hurts our military readiness and recruiting. Supporting caregivers isn’t just about doing something humanitarian. It’s about the safety and security of our nation.”
“Over 14 million Americans care for injured servicemembers and veterans, yet current law leaves too many behind,” said Congresswoman McClain Delaney. “The bipartisan MIL FMLA Act, which I’m proud to lead with Congressman Moylan, ensures all military caregivers—including domestic partners and extended family—can access the leave they deserve, without arbitrary restrictions. This bill is a step toward truly honoring the service and sacrifice of those who care for our nation’s heroes.”
“I am proud to co-lead the bipartisan MIL FMLA Act with Rep. McClain Delaney, which will address inequities that our veterans, servicemembers, and their families face every day,” said Congressman Moylan. “As the representative of the district with the highest level of enlistments per capita, and as a veteran myself, this bill addresses the countless underlying issues that affect our ability and willingness to serve. I look forward to working with Rep. McClain Delaney to deliver for those in our country who have served and currently serve our country.”
The MIL FMLA Act would address the gaps in FMLA that have left many military caregivers without adequate leave access by:
Adding reserve components and domestic deployments as covered active duty for family members;
Eliminating the requirement that military caregiver protections only apply to Veterans who served within the last five years;
Allowing military caregivers to utilize special military caregiver FMLA leave more than once;
Expanding military caregiver provisions to cover domestic partners and other close family members like aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, grandparents, grandchildren and other loved ones; and
Creating a new form of leave, specifically for Veterans who need extended time to address serious injuries or illnesses related to their service.
Along with Duckworth, the legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
Along with McClain Delaney and Moylan, the legislation is cosponsored in the House by U.S. Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), André Carson (D-IN-07), Troy Carter (D-LA-02), Gil Cisneros (D-CA-31), Cleo Fields (D-LA-06), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05), Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Sam Liccardo (D-CA-16), Sarah McBride (D-DE-AL), Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), Johnny Olszewksi (D-MD-02), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13) and Rasihda Tlaib (D-MI-12).
The legislation is endorsed by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, National Military Family Association, American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, Center for American Progress (CAP), Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN), Caregiver Action Network, National Partnership for Women & Families, VoteVets, Caring Across Generations, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), MomsRising, Family Values @ Work, Common Defense, A Better Balance, Truman National Security Project, Secure Families Initiative and Agency for Community EmPOWERment (ACE) of NEPA.
“The Making It Likely for Families of the Military to Live with Leave Access Act is a crucial step forward in helping those who make countless sacrifices for their country,” said Molly Weston Williamson, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. “Service members, veterans, and their loved ones deserve the time they need to respond to the effects of service. No one should have to risk their job in order to ensure they or their family can get the care they need or to address the impacts of deployment.”
Full text of the legislation is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
Duckworth has long been a leader in pushing for better benefits and support for members of the armed and uniformed services and their family members. In April, she introduced legislation that would help expand leave benefits for the millions of devoted health professionals serving in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps. Last year, she helped secure $2.9 billion to support family caregivers of disabled Veterans and $2.4 billion to expand benefits and services for military and Veteran caregivers to include health care and mental health services, among other things. Last month, she renewed her push to ensure IVF treatment costs are covered on servicemembers’ and military families’ health care plans. Last December, Duckworth helped pass the bipartisan Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that gave servicemembers a pay raise and included a Duckworth-led provision to improve access to high-quality medical care for servicemembers and their families in the Indo-Pacific region, among other wins for military families.
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MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests Afghani national convicted of assault in Maryland

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

BALTIMORE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 27-year-old Afghani national Javid Ahmadi May 13 in Elkridge, Maryland. Ahmadi has been convicted of second-degree assault.

“The arrest of this criminal alien offender, who has been convicted of assault here in Maryland, highlights the ongoing threat posed by individuals who violate our immigration laws and engage in serious criminal activity after entering the United States illegally,” said ICE Baltimore acting Field Office Director Nikita Baker. “ICE Baltimore will continue to prioritize the arrest and removal of criminal aliens who endanger the safety and well-being of our Maryland communities.”

The U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Ahmadi near San Ysidro, California, Oct. 10, 2023, and served him a notice to appear. On the same date, Border Patrol released him on an order of recognizance.

On June 19, 2024, the Anne Arundel County Police Department arrested and charged Ahmadi for second-degree assault, a fourth-degree sex offense and indecent exposure. The Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County in Annapolis convicted Ahmadi for the offense of second-degree assault April 9 and sentenced him to 11 months and 29 days of confinement, but ultimately suspended his entire sentence.

Ahmadi will remain in ICE custody.

Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROBaltimore.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Sinaloa cartel leaders charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism and drug trafficking in ICE, FBI investigation

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

SAN DIEGO – An indictment unsealed May 13 is the first in the nation to charge alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel with narco-terrorism and material support of terrorism in connection with trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin into the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI are investigating this case.

“These charges highlight the unwavering efforts of transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel to flood our communities with deadly drugs,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. “HSI and our law enforcement partners will not allow cartel-driven drug trafficking to threaten the safety and stability of our neighborhoods. We are all lasered focused on a unified effort to dismantling these networks and their factions in bringing those responsible to justice.”

Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, are charged with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering as key leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a powerful and violent faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that is believed to be the world’s largest known fentanyl production network. Five other BLO leaders are charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. The indictment is a direct result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14157 which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the Secretary of State’s subsequent designation of the same on February 20, 2025.

“The Sinaloa Cartel is a complex, dangerous terrorist organization and dismantling them demands a novel, powerful legal response,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Their days of brutalizing the American people without consequence are over — we will seek life in prison for these terrorists.”

“Operation Take Back America initiatives reflect the reality that narco-terrorists operate as a cancer within a state,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “They metastasize violence, corruption and fear. If left unchecked, their growth would lead to the death of law and order. This indictment is what justice looks like when the full measure of the Department of Justice along with its law enforcement partners is brought to bear against the Sinaloa Cartel.”

“BLO, under the leadership of Inzunza Noriega, is allegedly responsible for some of the largest-ever drug seizures of fentanyl and cocaine destined for the United States,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “Their drugs not only destroy lives and communities, but also threaten our national security. The law enforcement efforts against the Noriegas reaffirms our commitment to dismantling and disrupting this very dangerous narco-terrorist group and combating narco-trafficking.”

According to court documents, since its inception the Beltran Leyva faction has been considered one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations to operate in Mexico, engaging in shootouts, murders, kidnappings, torture and violent collection of drug debts to sustain its operations. The Beltran Leyva faction controls numerous territories and plazas throughout Mexico – including Tijuana – and operates with violent impunity, trafficking in deadly drugs, threatening communities, and targeting key officials, all while making millions of dollars from their criminal activities.

Pedro Inzunza Noriega works closely with his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, to produce and aggressively traffic fentanyl to the United States, the government has alleged. Court documents indicate that together the father and son lead one of the largest and most sophisticated fentanyl production networks in the world. Over the past several years, they have trafficked tens of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl into the United States. On December 3, 2024, Mexican law enforcement raided multiple locations in Sinaloa that are controlled and managed by the father and son and seized 1,500 kilograms (more than 1.65 tons) of fentanyl – the largest seizure of fentanyl in the world.

These indictments follow a notable tradition in the Southern District of California for targeting leadership and operations of powerful Mexican cartels – from the dismantling of the Arellano Felix Cartel to major strikes against today’s most dangerous, powerful and violent cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel and now the Beltran Leyva Organization. It is the first indictment from the newly formed Narco-Terrorism Unit which was established upon the swearing in of U.S. Attorney Gordon on April 11, 2025.

The indictment of Pedro Inzunza Noriega reflects the Southern District of California’s pursuit of the Sinaloa Cartel. Federal drug trafficking indictments are pending against all alleged leaders of its Beltran Leyva faction, including:

Fausto Isidro Meza Flores aka “Chapo Isidro,” case number: 19-CR-1272 in the Southern District of California and 12-116BAH in the District of Columbia
Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe aka “El Musico,” case number 19-CR-3736 in the Southern District of California; 09-CR-00672 in the Northern District of Illinois; 15-CR-00195 in the District of Columbia, and
Pedro Inzunza Noriega aka “Sagitario,” case number 25cr1505.

The Southern District of California also has indictments pending against other leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, including:

Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar aka “El Chapito,” case number 14-cr-00658 in the Southern District of California and 09-CR-383 in the Northern District of Illinois
Ismael Zambada Sicairos aka “Mayito Flaco,” case number: 14-cr-00658 in the Southern District of California; and
Jose Gil Caro Quintero aka “El Chino,” case number 22-cr-00036 in the District of Columbia

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton.

Defendants for Case Number 25cr1505

Name	Age	Location
Pedro Inzunza Noriega \| aka “Sagitario,” aka “120,” aka “El De La Silla”	62	Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Pedro Inzunza Coronel \| aka “Pichon,” Aka “Pajaro”, aka “Bird”	33	Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
David Alejandro Heredia Velazquez \| aka “Tano,” aka “Mr. Jordan”	50	Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Oscar Rene Gonzalez Menendez \| aka “Rubio”	45	Guatemala City, Guatemala
Elias Alberto Quiros Benavides	53	San Jose, Costa Rica
Daniel Eduardo Bojorquez \| aka “Chopper”	47	Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Javier Alonso Vazquez Sanchez \| aka “Tito”, aka “Drilo”	31	Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

Summary of Charges

Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 960a and 841 – Narco-Terrorism
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years in prison; $20 million fine
Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 2339B – Providing Material Support to Terrorism
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 848(a) -Continuing Criminal Enterprise
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 959, 960, and 963 – International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 – Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years in prison; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960 and 963 – Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a fine of the greater of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved

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

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

This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Honors Nebraska Law Enforcement During National Police Week

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

Senate passes Fischer cosponsored resolution honoring fallen Ceresco Police Officer Ross Bartlett

Today, after the U.S. Senate passed a resolution recognizing National Police Week, which included honoring fallen Ceresco Police Officer Ross Bartlett, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement:

“Nebraska’s police officers risk their lives every day to make the ‘Good Life’ we all cherish a safer place to live, work, and raise a family. During National Police Week, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the men and women in blue who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe,” said Fischer.

Fischer continued, “Last year, Nebraskans mourned the loss of one of our own, Police Officer Ross Bartlett. I am proud to cosponsor this Senate passed resolution honoring his courage and selflessness. We are forever grateful for his service and sacrifice.”

Fischer’s Work with Law Enforcement:

Last year, Fischer’s Recruit and Retain Act, which provides law enforcement across the country with resources to combat staffing shortages, was signed into law.

This Congress, Fischer joined her colleagues in introducing the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Reauthorization Act, to reauthorize the nationwide law enforcement program that uses evidence-based and data-driven approaches to reduce violent crime.

Additionally, Fischer cosponsored the Protect and Serve Act, which would give federal prosecutors more tools to go after those who deliberately target law enforcement officers by creating a federal crime to knowingly cause, or attempt to cause, bodily injury to a law enforcement officer.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Lee Honors Law Enforcement Officers for National Police Week

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) honored Utah’s law enforcement officers this week supporting two resolutions recognizing their service and the observance of National Police Week.
“The courageous men and women of law enforcement put their lives on the line every day to protect our families and our communities,” said Senator Mike Lee. “In the face of outrageous attacks against these American heroes, we salute them, we thank them, and we pray for them.”

Badges from each of Utah’s police departments are displayed in honor of National Police Week.
Senator Lee cosponsored two pieces of legislation honoring the work of law enforcement officers. A resolution introduced Tuesday recognizes the sacrifices and impact made by police officers across the country – particularly those whose lives were lost in the line of duty – and calls for increased support for officers’ work and wellbeing. Another resolution passed unanimously on Tuesday with a large bipartisan coalition calling for the observance of National Police Week on May 11-17, 2025.
Approximately 800,000 law enforcement officers in the United States – and over 5,000 in Utah – risk their lives every day to protect and serve their communities. Utah’s dedicated police departments have decreased the rates of violent crime, homicide, property crime, and vehicle theft at a faster pace than the national average since 2020. Yet while police forces have successfully brought crime rates down, increasing partisan hostility puts them in more danger than ever. Over the past 10 years, over 2,500 American law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty, with assaults peaking in 2023 as 79,000 officers suffered attacks by criminals. These resolutions reaffirm Congress’s commitment to support law enforcement officers in their service to Americans.
Read the resolution in support of law enforcement here.
Read the resolution on National Police Week here.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
Amit Shah lauds security forces for eliminating 31 Maoists

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

In a major breakthrough in the country’s fight against Maoist insurgency, security forces have eliminated 31 Naxalites in what has been termed the biggest-ever anti-Naxal operation in India. The 21-day-long joint operation was carried out at Karreguttalu Hill (KGH), situated along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border—a region long considered a formidable stronghold of Naxal activity.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the security forces for the historic success. In a post on X, he said the area once ruled by red terror now proudly hoists the Indian tricolour. He informed that KGH was previously the unified headquarters of major Naxal outfits including the PLGA Battalion 1, Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), Telangana State Committee (TSC), and the Central Regional Committee (CRC). It served as a critical center for Naxal training, strategy formulation, and arms production.

The Home Minister highlighted that the operation, successfully concluded within 21 days, did not result in any casualties among the security personnel. He congratulated the CRPF, Special Task Force (STF), and District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel for their courage in carrying out the mission under challenging weather and terrain conditions. He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to root out Naxalism under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reiterated that India is on track to become Naxal-free by March 31, 2026.

Senior officials, including CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh, Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam, and Additional Director General (Anti-Naxal Operations) also briefed the media in Bijapur on the operation’s details. According to officials, 31 uniformed Naxalites—including 16 women—were killed, and 35 weapons were recovered following 21 encounters during the course of the mission. So far, 28 of the deceased have been identified, and a total bounty of ₹1.72 crore had been announced for them.

The operation, which took place between April 21 and May 11, was the result of detailed intelligence gathering and strategic planning. Inputs received from multiple agencies led to the formation of a multi-agency team tasked with collecting and analyzing technical and human intelligence. Based on this intelligence, security forces were able to detect Maoist hideouts, locate arms caches, and recover a large cache of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), BGL shells, and other materials. Officials stated that the use of real-time information helped prevent multiple IED-related casualties.

Karreguttalu Hill, a vast and difficult terrain measuring around 60 kilometers in length and up to 20 kilometers in width, had become a refuge for 300–350 armed Maoist cadres, including members of the PLGA’s technical department and allied units. Over the past two and a half years, the Naxalites had entrenched themselves in the area, prompting a need for a large-scale and carefully executed security response.

During the course of the operation, security forces destroyed 214 hideouts and bunkers and recovered 450 IEDs, 818 BGL shells, 899 bundles of codex wire, detonators, and nearly 12,000 kilograms of food supplies. Additionally, four Naxal technical units engaged in the production of weapons and explosives were dismantled. Authorities believe that several senior Naxal cadres may have been killed or seriously injured, though the difficult terrain has hindered full recovery of all bodies.

Despite daytime temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius and treacherous terrain, the morale of the troops remained high. Eighteen personnel from the CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit, STF, and DRG sustained injuries, mostly due to IED blasts, but all are currently in stable condition and receiving treatment.

The operation also reflects the broader success of the government’s ‘whole-of-government’ approach to combating Maoism, which combines robust security action with focused development initiatives in affected regions. Under the Home Ministry’s Joint Action Plan, new security camps have been established in strategic areas, and several central schemes are being implemented to bring development and governance to previously neglected regions.

According to official data, 197 hardcore Naxalites have been neutralized in the first four months of 2025 alone. The number of most-affected districts has dropped from 35 in 2014 to just 6 in 2025. Naxal-related incidents have significantly declined from 1,080 in 2014 to 374 in 2024. Meanwhile, the number of security personnel killed annually in Maoist violence has decreased from 88 in 2014 to 19 in 2024. In the same period, the number of Naxalites killed in encounters has risen sharply, and the number of surrenders remains high, with 928 surrendering in 2024 and 718 so far in 2025.

Infrastructure in affected areas has also seen considerable enhancement. Since 2019, over 320 security camps have been set up, along with 68 night-landing helipads. The number of fortified police stations has increased from 66 in 2014 to 555 by 2025.

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador Announces 12 Arrests in Statewide Crackdown on Child Exploitation

Source: US State of Idaho

Home Newsroom AG Labrador Announces 12 Arrests in Statewide Crackdown on Child Exploitation

BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced the completion of Operation Unhinged, a statewide initiative led by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in April 2025. The operation resulted in 12 arrests for internet crimes against children, doubling the 6 arrests made last April. Additional arrests may follow pending forensic reviews of seized devices.
Operation Unhinged involved the execution of 17 residential search warrants. Three cases were accepted for federal prosecution and the rest will be prosecuted in state court.
“Because of the structural changes we’ve made within the Attorney General’s Office—along with the dedication of our investigators and strong partnerships with law enforcement across the state—the ICAC Task Force is achieving results like never before,” stated Attorney General Labrador. “We are identifying more offenders, rescuing more victims, and sending a clear message: anyone who targets children in Idaho online will be found, and our office will use every tool available to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
The following individuals were arrested during Operation Unhinged:

Joseph Bingham, 25, Ada County
Alexander Buttle, 30, Ada County
William Strength, 43, Bannock County
Zachary Gilbert, 39, Bannock County
Connor Robinson, 28, Bonneville County
Luke Hughes, 38, Bonneville County
Alfred Brown, 61, Canyon County
Hector Martinez- Cabrerra, 34, Jerome County
Adam Tyler,34, Kootenai County
Shandon Singer, 33, Kootenai County
Dustin Angele, 21, Kootenai County
Jake Baptista, 25, Madison County

“We’re seeing incredible results with the number of arrests we are making across the state,” stated Nicholas Edwards, Chief Investigator in the Attorney General’s Office. “We are going to keep arresting those who commit these crimes, but we also need to focus on outreach, training, and education to protect Idaho’s children.”
Operation Unhinged resulted in a spike in public presentations and education. The Task Force conducted 53 community outreach events with approximately 1,390 attendees. The Task Force also had an opportunity to showcase its newest weapon in the fight against online sexual exploitation: Badger the ESD K9.
“It’s a privilege to serve as the first K9 officer in the Attorney General’s Office, and Badger has already proven himself an incredible asset to the Task Force,” stated Investigator Lauren Lane. “Badger is a triple threat: he helps us find electronic devices on search warrants, the public—especially kids—love seeing him at our presentations, and he supports the mental wellness of our officers and other staff who have to view terrible images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.”
Badger attended 7 public presentations and helped investigators find electronic storage devices on 8 search warrants during April’s Operation Unhinged.
The Task Force also trained 106 law enforcement professionals in April and will continue to direct substantial resources to training law enforcement throughout the state.
Operation Unhinged was Idaho’s contribution to the national Operation Safe Online Summer, a joint effort of all 61 ICAC Task Forces throughout the country to arrest those engaged in the online sexual exploitation of children.
The operation was supported by a coalition of agencies, including the Idaho State Police, Boise Police Department, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Idaho Falls Police Department, Meridian Police Department, Post Falls Police Department, Pocatello Police Department, Nampa Police Department, Chubbuck Police Department, Rexburg Police Department, Bonners Ferry Police Department, Moscow Police Department, Fruitland Police Department, Spirit Lake Police Department, Homedale Police Department, Twin Falls Police Department, Sun Valley Police Department, Jerome Police Department, Wilder Police Department, Middleton Police Department, Rupert Police Department, Heyburn Police Department, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office, Benewah County Sheriff’s Office, Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office, Idaho Probation and Parole, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The Idaho ICAC Task Force urges the public to report suspected online exploitation to local law enforcement, the ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or www.cybertipline.com. For more information or to access resources, visit ICACIdaho.org.
To learn more about ESD K9 Badger or to request a demonstration, visit the Idaho ICAC Task Force’s website: https://www.icacidaho.org/esd-k9-badger/.
About the Idaho ICAC Task Force: The Idaho ICAC Task Force, led by the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, is a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies dedicated to investigating and prosecuting internet crimes against children while promoting community education to prevent exploitation.
The charges listed above are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Directs Flags To Half-Staff Thursday for Peace Officers Memorial Day

Source: US State of Connecticut

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing U.S. and state flags in Connecticut lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in recognition of Peace Officers Memorial Day, a national observance paying tribute to local, state, and federal law enforcement officials who have died in the line of duty. It is recognized annually during National Police Week.

“Entering a career in law enforcement takes a special kind of person who is so dedicated to their community that they are prepared at a moment’s notice to run into harm’s way in the name of public safety and for the protection of complete strangers,” Governor Lamont said. “Every single person in our state and our country benefits from the protection of police officers, and we owe it to them to show how grateful we are for their service and how much we respect them. On Peace Officers Memorial Day, we salute those law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, and we keep in our hearts their families and loved ones. I urge everybody in Connecticut to thank our law enforcement officials and keep those we’ve lost in your prayers.”

“Law enforcement officials epitomize what it means to be a public servant, working tirelessly to protect and serve their communities,” Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said. “As we observe Peace Officers Memorial Day, let us remember those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Their heroism will not be forgotten, and we owe a great debt of gratitude.”

In accordance with the governor’s directive, flags will be at half-staff on the Connecticut State Capitol building and all other state-operated buildings, grounds, and facilities statewide. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, and any other private entities and government subdivisions are encouraged to lower their flags for this same duration of time. Since no flag should fly higher than the U.S. flag, all other flags, including state, municipal, corporate, or otherwise, should also be lowered.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Sues Capital One for Bait-and-Switch Tactics That Cost Customers Millions

Source: US State of New York

EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today sued Capital One N.A. and Capital One Financial Corporation (Capital One) for cheating its online savings account customers out of millions of dollars in interest payments. The lawsuit alleges that Capital One marketed its “360 Savings” accounts as “high interest” accounts with “one of the nation’s best savings rates” that would earn its customers more than an average savings account. In reality, while interest rates rose nationwide, Capital One kept the interest rates for its 360 Savings accounts artificially low. Instead, Capital One created “360 Performance Savings,” a nearly identical type of savings account that provided much higher interest rates than 360 Savings – at one point, more than 14 times higher. Capital One intentionally misled its 360 Savings customers about the existence of its 360 Performance Savings product to avoid paying them millions of dollars in interest. With this lawsuit, Attorney General James seeks to hold Capital One accountable and provide restitution to consumers who were cheated out of the interest they thought they were earning.

“New York families work hard to save money for their futures, and they deserve every dollar of interest they are promised,” said Attorney General James. “Capital One assured high returns with no catches, then pulled the rug out from under their customers and hoped nobody would notice. Big banks are not allowed to cheat their customers with false advertising and misleading promises. I will always fight to protect New Yorkers’ wallets and prevent banks from ripping off consumers to boost their own bottom lines.”

A high-interest savings account is a bank account that pays depositors a higher interest rate than a traditional savings account. Capital One marketed 360 Savings as its “high interest” savings account product with “a great everyday rate,” promising customers: “Your money will earn much more than what it would in an average savings or money market account…What’s the catch? There is none.”

However, beginning in September 2019, Capital One introduced a new type of savings account called 360 Performance Savings that paid much higher interest rates. As interest rates rose nationwide beginning in 2022, Capital One froze its 360 Savings rate at 0.3 percent and increased its 360 Performance Savings rate to as high as 4.35 percent, leaving 360 Savings customers with a below average interest rate. Instead of encouraging 360 Savings customers to upgrade their existing accounts, Capital One worked to keep them in the dark about the availability of the new product.

As Attorney General James alleges in the lawsuit, while Capital One promoted its 360 Performance Savings accounts to existing customers, it did not notify its 360 Savings customers of the chance to earn more interest. Capital One even instructed its employees not to tell 360 Savings customers about the new product unless they explicitly asked.

Capital One removed 360 Savings from its website and completely replaced it with 360 Performance Savings, concealing that 360 Savings and 360 Performance Savings existed as separate and distinct products with different interest rates. By doing so, Capital One created a secret, two-tier system of savings accounts in which only new accounts received the high interest rates that Capital One advertised.

With compound interest, even a small difference in rates adds up over time to create large differences in savings, meaning customers who stayed in 360 Savings accounts lost out on significant interest payments. A customer who put $10,000 in a 360 Savings account in September 2019 would have earned $186 of interest after five years. If the same customer had switched to a 360 Performance Savings account, they would have earned $1,090 of interest over the same period. Collectively, New York customers lost out on millions of dollars of interest compared to what they would have received with 360 Performance Savings accounts, while Capital One pocketed the difference.

Attorney General James alleges Capital One’s actions violate state and federal law by misleading customers about whether 360 Savings was Capital One’s only high-interest savings account, and about the interest rate for 360 Savings accounts. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued Capital One in January over similar allegations, but voluntarily dropped its lawsuit, along with a slew of other lawsuits, after a change in leadership. The action brought by Attorney General James seeks to ensure that Capital One does not escape accountability, by seeking restitution and damages for all affected Capital One customers, disgorgement of profits Capital One made by illegally misleading its customers, and penalties.

This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Jason E. Meade with the Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau. The Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau is led by Bureau Chief Jane M. Azia and Deputy Bureau Chief Laura J. Levine, and is a part of the Division of Economic Justice, which is overseen by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D’Angelo and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

Source: US State of California

Defendant’s Scheme Caused $3M Loss to the U.S. Treasury

Last week, a Florida man pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge David A. Baker for the Middle District of Florida to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns for clients. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.

The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Diandre Mentor, of Miami, worked for a tax return preparation company between January 2017 and 2019 named Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT). Mentor and his co-conspirators operated a dozen offices throughout Florida that fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricated deductions on their returns. Mentor and his co-conspirators also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns.

In 2020, Mentor and his co-conspirators started their own tax return preparation business named Smart Tax & Finance that eventually expanded to 12 franchise locations throughout South and Central Florida. As with Neighborhood Advance Tax, Mentor and his co-conspirators prepared false tax returns for clients, including by fabricating deductions. As before, Mentor and his co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients.

In total, Mentor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $3,090,077.

Several of Mentor’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty. Abryle Y De La Cruz and Emmanual Almonor pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States. Adon Hemley pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. Isaiah Hayes pleaded guilty to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. The two remaining co-conspirators, Franklin Carter Jr. and Jonathan Carrillo, are scheduled to go to trial on June 2.

Mentor will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Releases New Resources to Protect Servicemembers’ Rights

Source: US State of California

The Justice Department announced today that it has issued two fact sheets on the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The first explains how servicemembers, recent veterans, and their spouses can exercise their right to the six percent interest rate benefit under the SCRA. The second generally summarizes some of the most common protections and benefits under the SCRA for the military community.

“Servicemembers make great sacrifices to protect and advance our nation’s safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that servicemembers are afforded their rights and benefits under the law.”

The SCRA was enacted to enable servicemembers to devote their entire energy to the defense needs of the nation. When our servicemembers cannot focus on their mission because they are distracted by financial issues, our national security suffers. These fact sheets seek to help the military community by enabling them to learn more about and affirmatively assert their rights under the SCRA. They cover a wide variety of topics including housing rights, lending rights, property rights, and the portability of professional licenses.

It is more imperative than ever that military families be able to access benefits that can ease their financial burdens. Today’s fact sheet on the six percent interest rate benefit will help more servicemembers, especially members of the Guard and Reserves, apply to their lenders for a successful reduction of their interest rates on eligible accounts.

The Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, housed in the Department’s Civil Rights Division, works to ensure that the rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and the veterans who have served in the past, are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment.

Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s enforcement efforts under the SCRA and other laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and their families, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatoon Correctional Centre Expansion Reaches Substantial Completion

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on May 14, 2025

The Government of Saskatchewan has substantially completed the expansion of the Saskatoon Correctional Centre (SCC), with the centre scheduled to open this summer.

The modern expansion will securely house individuals in custody, enhancing both safety and capacity in the provincial correctional system. Having started construction in 2021, the project remained on schedule and within budget, aligning with the government’s broader infrastructure investment strategy.

“We are very pleased to announce that this project has reached substantial completion,” SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister David Marit said. “This is one of the many investments into infrastructure projects reflecting our commitment to building stronger communities that will serve future generations.”

The $135 million project will increase the capacity of adult men in custody by 312 beds. This facility will include a medical unit and clinic, additional program space, upgraded video court suites and a kitchen that will provide services to all of SCC.

“Saskatchewan is committed to building safe and secure facilities that support staff, inmates and the public,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod, K.C., said. “Adding more beds for offenders will help alleviate pressures in the provincial correctional system. This expansion will also provide the SCC with additional space for rehabilitation programming to help offenders find a better path in life and never return to custody.”

“Strategic Prairie Region Alliance (SPRA) and the consulting engineers are proud to have collaborated with the entire project team in the design and successful delivery of this much needed facility that addresses immediate safety and security needs while allowing for long range operational flexibility and future expansion,” Strategic Prairie Region Alliance project director and architect Patrick Kelly said. “The design incorporates best practices and lessons learned relative to safety and security in a rehabilitative correctional environment while maximizing efficiencies of the integrated building systems.”

Infrastructure projects like this one are essential for ensuring Saskatchewan’s public safety. The SCC expansion reflects the province’s ongoing efforts to maintain a balanced approach between enforcement, rehabilitation and community protection.

“All of us here at PCL are proud of the facility we have delivered to the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement (SBP) and pleased to be able to do so on time and on budget,” PCL Vice President and District Manager Mike Staines said. “The SCC expansion is going to be a significant piece of infrastructure within our community and its successful delivery was made possible as part of a true collaboration between all project partners, including the ownership team, design team and trade contractors.”

SBP will continue to handle the day-to-day building maintenance of the facility.

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For more information, contact:

MIL OSI Canada News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Releases New Resources to Protect Servicemembers’ Rights

Source: United States Attorneys General 2

The Justice Department announced today that it has issued two fact sheets on the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The first explains how servicemembers, recent veterans, and their spouses can exercise their right to the six percent interest rate benefit under the SCRA. The second generally summarizes some of the most common protections and benefits under the SCRA for the military community.

“Servicemembers make great sacrifices to protect and advance our nation’s safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that servicemembers are afforded their rights and benefits under the law.”

The SCRA was enacted to enable servicemembers to devote their entire energy to the defense needs of the nation. When our servicemembers cannot focus on their mission because they are distracted by financial issues, our national security suffers. These fact sheets seek to help the military community by enabling them to learn more about and affirmatively assert their rights under the SCRA. They cover a wide variety of topics including housing rights, lending rights, property rights, and the portability of professional licenses.

It is more imperative than ever that military families be able to access benefits that can ease their financial burdens. Today’s fact sheet on the six percent interest rate benefit will help more servicemembers, especially members of the Guard and Reserves, apply to their lenders for a successful reduction of their interest rates on eligible accounts.

The Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, housed in the Department’s Civil Rights Division, works to ensure that the rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and the veterans who have served in the past, are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment.

Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s enforcement efforts under the SCRA and other laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and their families, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

Source: United States Attorneys General 2

Defendant’s Scheme Caused $3M Loss to the U.S. Treasury

Last week, a Florida man pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge David A. Baker for the Middle District of Florida to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns for clients. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.

The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Diandre Mentor, of Miami, worked for a tax return preparation company between January 2017 and 2019 named Neighborhood Advance Tax (NAT). Mentor and his co-conspirators operated a dozen offices throughout Florida that fraudulently inflated client tax refunds by fabricated deductions on their returns. Mentor and his co-conspirators also held periodic training sessions at which they taught other NAT employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns.

In 2020, Mentor and his co-conspirators started their own tax return preparation business named Smart Tax & Finance that eventually expanded to 12 franchise locations throughout South and Central Florida. As with Neighborhood Advance Tax, Mentor and his co-conspirators prepared false tax returns for clients, including by fabricating deductions. As before, Mentor and his co-conspirators also taught franchise owners and employees how to prepare false returns for clients.

In total, Mentor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $3,090,077.

Several of Mentor’s co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty. Abryle Y De La Cruz and Emmanual Almonor pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States. Adon Hemley pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. Isaiah Hayes pleaded guilty to aiding the preparation and filing of false returns. The two remaining co-conspirators, Franklin Carter Jr. and Jonathan Carrillo, are scheduled to go to trial on June 2.

Mentor will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Lower Northfield — Alert issued for Lunenburg County

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The following alert has been issued for Lunenburg County:

Dangerous man who may be armed. RCMP responding.

Area of Northfield Rd., Lower Northfield, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia.

Residents: Seek immediate shelter or stay inside and close and lock doors and windows. Do not leave a secure location. Suspect Richard MacInnis last seen on foot. Six feet, 175 pounds. Auburn hair. Green eyes. Nova Scotia RCMP is responding.

Do not provide a ride to anyone asking for one. Do not pick up hitch hikers. Do not disclose police locations. Call 911 to report emergencies or tips. Updates will be posted to RCMPNS social media accounts.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: News 05/14/2025 Blackburn, Blumenthal, Thune, and Schumer Introduce the Kids Online Safety Act
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal(D-Conn.) were joined by U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in introducing the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Last July, the Senate approved KOSA – the first major reform to the tech industry since 1998 – in an overwhelming 91-3 bipartisan vote.

“Big Tech platforms have shown time and time again they will always prioritize their bottom line over the safety of our children, and I’ve heard too many heartbreaking stories to count from parents who have lost a child because these companies have refused to make their platforms safer by default,” said Senator Blackburn. “We would never allow our children to be exposed to pornography, sexual exploitation, drugs, alcohol, and traffickers in the physical space, but these platforms are allowing this every single day in the virtual space. Congress must not cave to the wills and whims of Big Tech, and we must not be bullied into submission. Now is the time to stand up and protect future generations from harm by passing KOSA.”

“Senator Blackburn and I made a promise to parents and young people when we started fighting together for the Kids Online Safety Act – we will make this bill law. There’s undeniable awareness of the destructive harms caused by Big Tech’s exploitive, addictive algorithms, and inescapable momentum for reform,” said Senator Blumenthal. “I am grateful to Senators Thune and Schumer for their leadership and to our Senate colleagues for their overwhelming bipartisan support. KOSA is an idea whose time has come – in fact, it’s urgently overdue – and even tech companies like X and Apple are realizing that the status quo is unsustainable. Our coalition is bigger and stronger than ever before, and we are committed to seeing this measure protecting children on the internet signed into law.”

“I have been a longtime advocate for holding Big Tech accountable for its manipulative algorithms,” said Majority Leader Thune. “Consumers deserve more transparency about how these platforms amplify and suppress content, which is why I’m proud to support the Kids Online Safety Act. Senator Blackburn has done a tremendous amount of work to deliver a bill that takes real steps to empower families and mitigate the harm social media can do to children, and I’m grateful for her leadership on the issue.”

“I am proud to support this bipartisan legislation which provides necessary guardrails to protect our kids. Too many kids have had their personal data collected and used nefariously. Too many families have lost kids after they took their own lives because of what happened to them on social media,” said Minority Leader Schumer. “I thank these brave parents and families for sharing their stories. Keeping our kids safe from online threats should not be a partisan issue, I thank my Senate colleagues for championing these bills and I look forward to swift passage.”

BACKGROUND
- Last month, bombshell reporting revealed Meta’s latest failure to protect minors from harm after AI-powered digital chatbots engaged in sexually explicit discussions with underaged users on its platforms. Following this report, Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal sent a letter demanding accountability.
- Earlier this month, an additional report revealed Instagram’s automated software systems recommended child groomers connect with minors on the app and made it easier for them to find victims, according to a 2019 internal document presented by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The report noted that minors made up 27% of the follow recommendations that the social media app surfaced to groomers, and about one-third of the reports flagging inappropriate comments to the company came from minors.
- The bill text introduced today was first announced in December and is the same language approved by the Senate with several changes to further make clear that KOSA would not censor, limit, or remove any content from the internet, and it does not give the FTC or state Attorneys General the power to bring lawsuits over content or speech.
- KOSA is strongly supported by a broad coalition of parents who have tragically lost their children or whose kids have been severely harmed by Big Tech, young people who want to regain control over their online lives, and hundreds of advocacy groups and experts who study and see the negative effects of social media firsthand in their communities.
ENDORSEMENTS

This legislation has been endorsed by more than 250 national, state, and local organizations. Today, Appleannounced its endorsement of the legislation, and the bill has also garnered broad conservative support from key advocates like Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr., Kellyanne Conway, Harmeet Dhillon, Richard Grenell, Sebastian Gorka, and more.

“Apple is pleased to offer our support for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Everyone has a part to play in keeping kids safe online, and we believe [this] legislation will have a meaningful impact on children’s online safety,” said Timothy Powderly, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Americas, Apple.

“I lost my 16-year-old son Mason in November of 2022 when he took his own life. This was only after he was inundated for several weeks by TikTok videos promoting suicide. There are no words to express the pain my family now lives with every single day. Big Tech will always put their profits over the safety of American children and it is my hope that this bipartisan legislation will quickly pass through the current Congress. Unlike Big Tech there is nothing more important to American families than our children and we need help to protect them from these dangerous platforms.” said Jennie Deserio, mother of Mason James Edens, forever 16.

“We are so grateful to Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal for reintroducing the Kids Online Safety Act as the need for this bill remains profound. . We have waited and fought long enough, yet our children continue to face severe harms in online spaces where they should feel safe. This legislation is a collective plea from parents, like me, and in remembrance of my daughter Annalee, for meaningful social media reform. Another Mother’s Day and another full year has passed without my daughter and with our children’s futures at stake. It’s past time for change. Children deserve to have their voices heard, their rights protected, and their well-being prioritized by Congress,” said Lori Schott, mother of Annalee Schott, forever 18.

“I am so relieved today that Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal have reintroduced the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Yet, it’s only a small victory – we still desperately need Congress to actually act on this popular, bipartisan bill and make it law. My daughter, Emily, died by suicide after a year of intense cyberbullying when she was only 17. Last year, we were so close to protecting other children from the same unthinkable fate when the Senate passed this bill and it was heartbreaking when it later stalled in the House. Too many parents like me have paid the ultimate price because of Big Tech’s greed and recklessness towards children’s lives. Our lawmakers must no longer allow this to continue unchecked. This must end now by passing KOSA,” said Erin Popolo, mother of Emily Michaela Murillo, forever 17.

“I am so thankful for brave leaders like Senator Marsha Blackburn and Senator Richard Blumenthal who are willing to stand-up to Big Tech and support the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a popular bipartisan bill that will provide important protections for youth online. My 17-year-old son, Alex Peiser, died by suicide after he was bullied online and sent pro-suicide memes on his private Instagram account, three days after a break-up. If KOSA had been in effect, protections would have been in place that might have prevented his death. Congress had a remarkable opportunity last year to make KOSA law and implement the first reforms of social media in more than 25 years. They can stand together now for children’s online safety by passing KOSA this session without delay,” said Sharon Winkler, mother of Alex Peiser, forever 17.

“I lost my son Walker December 1, 2022, to suicide after he became a victim of sextortion. Walker was attacked through Instagram where a man from Nigeria was able to extort him over a sexually explicit video. Today, I attended Walker’s school where we honored the seniors. Walker’s classmates are graduating this week and he should be there. As long as tech companies have the ability to self-regulate we will continue to lose other teens just like Walker. Thank you Senator Blackburn and Blumenthal for standing up to this industry,” said Brian Montgomery, father of Walker Montgomery, forever 16.

“For years, grieving parents have shown up to tell their stories, and Congress has promised to act. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) has been vetted, revised, and supported by both parties—and it would give families the tools they desperately need to protect their children. After coming so close last year, there’s no excuse for letting this moment slip away, KOSA’s reintroduction is a second chance we cannot afford to waste,” said Maurine Molak, mother of David Molak, forever 16, co-founder of David’s Legacy Foundation & ParentsSOS.

“Thank you Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal for your leadership with the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Our son, Devin Norring, died at the age of 19 to fentanyl poisoning after a drug dealer connected with him on Snapchat. Devin was just trying to manage his pain during the COVID lockdown from a cracked molar, but instead he was targeted and lost his life. No parent should ever have to endure this immense pain that we are now forced to live with every day. KOSA is a vital step toward giving families the tools they need to protect their children online while also holding tech companies accountable. Your efforts mean more than we could ever express to families like ours who are fighting every single day to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” said Bridgette & Tom Norring, parents of Devin Norring, forever 19.

“We are so proud of and encouraged by Senator Blumenthal’s and Senator Blackburn’s reintroduction of KOSA. This legislation is timely and needed for America’s children and families. We still feel the loss of our son, Matthew E. Minor, every day. Matthew was a bright and loving child who, at age 12 was exposed to a viral online challenge sent to him by social media’s relentless algorithms. Tragically, he tried it, and accidentally asphyxiated himself. Every delay in passing this bill means putting more of our precious children’s lives at risk. We live with the overwhelmingly tragic memories of losing our child constantly and want to keep other families from experiencing the same pain . As a nation, we are as complicit as Big Tech if we do nothing to improve the safety of social media. Regulations, like those required in KOSA, should be in place to help mitigate online harms. It’s time that Congress says yes to keeping our children safe online. Pass KOSA Now!!” said Todd & Mia Minor, Parents of Matthew E. Minor, forever 12, co-founders of the Matthew E. Minor Awareness Foundation.

“The shattering loss of my joyful daughter Grace thirteen years ago compelled me to repeatedly speak out about social media dangers to anyone who would listen. Smartphones and social media were new then and I felt I had an alarm bell to ring. That bell is still clanging and though risk and harm to our children is now clear, rescue has failed to arrive and children are still dying. Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn bring hope with the reintroduction of Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Last year, Senators of all stripes sat down with parents, shared our grief, learned about the many and varied harms our children suffered, and then passed KOSA by a resounding 91 to 3 vote. It should have been smooth sailing through the U.S. House as well, but Leadership wouldn’t even meet with parents or bring this lifesaving legislation to the floor for a vote. If they fail once more, it won’t be for lack of evidence. It will be because they chose Big Tech’s money over the lives of American children again,” said Christine Pfister McComas, mother of Grace, forever 15, Grace McComas Memorial.

“I lost my son, Erik Robinson to accidental asphyxiation 15 years ago when he was just 12-years-old because of a viral challenge that others had promised was “safe.” Back then we had no idea that algorithms targeted kids with such dangerous material. However, we now know that these platforms are only out to make money and do not care how their platforms target and affect children. It breaks my heart that thousands of other kids have also died since Erik’s death as a result of an immense menu of harms that target kids online. Legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) would help mitigate many of these harms and save lives. I urge Congress to say “yes” and help keep kids safe with KOSA,” said Judy Rogg, mother of Erik Robinson, forever 12, Co-founder and Director of Erik’s Cause.

“It’s been more than four years since I lost my son, Riley, to suicide when he was only 15 years old after a sinister stranger found him on Facebook and sextorted him. One of the few ways I’ve found to cope since then is to advocate for social media reforms that will protect other children from the abuse Riley experienced. Which is why the reintroduction of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is so critical. This transformative legislation will finally hold Big Tech accountable for the algorithms and designs they use to prey on the most vulnerable among us simply because it adds to their hefty bottom line. It’s unconscionable and Congress must step in now to require they create a safer product, because we know they can. KOSA will do just that,” said Mary Rodee, mother of Riley Basford, forever 15.

“My world imploded in May 2019 when my 15-year-old son Mason died of accidental asphyxiation. The cause? The ‘blackout challenge,’ a viral social media trend. No child should die because they were innocently scrolling online and no product manufacturer, in this case Big Tech, should be allowed to peddle such harmful products. Cars have to have seat belts. Milk has to have an expiration date. Social media platforms should be required to have meaningful, effective, safety features as well. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) includes those necessary guardrails by mandating a change to the algorithms that send kids such destructive content unsolicited. If Congress would finally pass this bill and make it law, it would be a complete game-changer for children and families across America.” said Joann Bogard, mother of Mason Bogard, forever 15.

“There’s a lie going around that vigilant parents – the ones who regularly check their children’s phones, read their texts, are “friends” on their feeds – can keep their kids safe online. I learned in the absolute worst way how untrue this is. I lost my daughter Coco, just 17, after an Instagram drug dealer sold her counterfeit Percocet laced with fentanyl. We parents are no match for Big Tech and their multi-million-dollar lobbying arm working tirelessly to keep their products unregulated so they can earn billions off of our kids, no matter the harm caused along the way. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), would finally put an end to this uncontrolled greed and I know it would have saved Coco’s life. It came so close to passage last year and I am so grateful to Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal for not giving up and reintroducing it again now. I can only hope this time around their Congressional colleagues will see fit to choose kids over Big Tech’s profits and make KOSA law once and for all,” said Julianna Arnold, mother of Lucienne “Coco” Konar, forever 17.

“My daughter McKenna was an accomplished athlete and scholar, kind to her core, and deeply loyal to those she loved. She had such a promising, rich, life ahead of her. But three years ago she died by suicide after being horribly cyberbullied on social media. She was only 16. Had the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) been law, I am certain she would still be with us today. This bill requires that social media platforms take a safety-by-design approach, which is the precise opposite of their profits-at-any-cost approach right now. KOSA would make sure that too-often lethal harms like cyberbullying are no longer allowed to run rampant, ruining children’s and family’s lives forever. Thank you to Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn for reintroducing this life-saving bill. I urge every lawmaker in D.C. to pass KOSA without delay,” said Cheryl Brown, mother of McKenna Brown, forever 16.

“My son Bubba was just 13 years old when he died by accidental asphyxiation after trying a so-called viral ‘challenge’ he saw online. He was a brilliant student, full of promise, and he never should have been exposed to content that could cost him his life. That responsibility lies with Big Tech CEOs who have built business models that exploit our children’s attention with no regard for their well-being. Last year, the Senate overwhelmingly passed KOSA, proving that protecting kids online is not a partisan issue. But the House failed to act. That’s why I’m incredibly grateful to Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn for reviving this critical bill. KOSA is long overdue. I truly believe my son would still be here today if these safeguards had been in place. My plea to lawmakers is simple: Congress hasn’t passed a single meaningful law to protect kids online in 25 years. How many more children have to die before you finally hold Big Tech accountable?” said Annie McGrath, mother of Griffin “Bubba” McGrath, forever 13.

“I have sat across from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and told Becca’s story time and again. And still, there are no meaningful protections in place to prevent this from happening to another child. That is why the Kids Online Safety Act is so important. KOSA would finally require companies to design for safety instead of profit and give parents a fighting chance to protect their kids. I urge every member of Congress: do not let another year pass without action. Our children deserve better,” said Deb Schmill, mother of Becca Schmill, forever 18, Founder of the Becca Schmill Foundation.

“Selena was just 11 when she died by suicide after being exploited and overwhelmed on social media. I tried everything to protect her, but social media platforms like Snapchat were designed to pull her in and shut me out. KOSA would give parents a fighting chance. It would force companies to put safety first, and finally make them answer for the harm they’ve caused to families like mine through exposure to harmful cyberbullying. The reintroduction of KOSA represents a vital opportunity for Congress to finally implement necessary safeguards, ensuring that no other child falls victim to the same preventable dangers that took Selena from us,” said Tammy Rodriguez, mother of Selena Rodriguez, forever 11.

“My son Alexander was 14 when he died from fentanyl poisoning after a drug dealer on Snapchat sold him counterfeit oxycontin that had enough fentanyl to kill four adults. There should have been social restrictions in place to prevent his death and there should be such restrictions in place now. Congress had an opportunity to stop further online harms from happening by passing KOSA in 2024, the Senate prevailed and the House failed us and America’s children. I commend Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal for stepping up to the plate again and only hope that House Leadership will follow suit this time around and stop making profits a priority over children’s lives,” said Amy Neville, mother of Alexander Neville, forever 14.

“My son Ethan was 13 when he died as a result of accidental asphyxiation after participating in the online ‘Blackout Challenge.’ Had KOSA been in place, there is no doubt that my son would still be alive. Congress had an opportunity to save more children’s lives last year by passing KOSA, the Senate stepped up, but the House failed to do so. Now is the time for Congress to redefine the narrative and to stop allowing Big Tech to win and to stop them from killing more children. It is time for Congress to do the right thing and pass KOSA this year,” said Jeff Van Lith, father of Ethan Burke Van Lith, forever 13.

“KOSA is the first bill that would make these companies, like iFunny and Snapchat, responsible for preventing the kinds of harm that took my son from me. Congress has a second chance to do something real. We need them to take it,” said Michelle Servi, mother of Jack Servi, forever 16.

“The Kids Online Safety Act gives parents the tools they need—and have long pleaded for—to effectively oversee their children’s social media use. The legislation rightfully requires platforms to prioritize the well-being of young users over algorithms and design features that maximize user engagement. While some platforms have elected to implement varying degrees of safeguards, the Kids Online Safety Act creates consistency, fosters transparency, and critically, holds platforms accountable for profiting from addictive features and child exploitation,” said Annie Chestnut Tutor, Policy Analyst, Center for Technology and the Human Person, The Heritage Foundation.

“Our children need online protection plain and simple. The amount of victimization that occurs online is staggering. Law enforcement cannot protect our children in the current online environment, that is why KOSA is so important to our children,” said John Pizzuro, CEO of Raven.

“Every day, catastrophic numbers of children are exploited on social media platforms that have no protective guardrails. The proliferation of adult content and bad actors make the internet a perilous place for kids. The Kids Online Safety Act would introduce basic, commonsense protection that make these platforms safer for minors. Internet protections have not been updated by Congress since 1998, long before many of these platforms existed. It’s imperative that Congress act now to protect America’s kids,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee.

“I’m pleased the Senate has re-introduced the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). There is indisputable harm happening to children at an industrial scale—reaching literally millions of children. KOSA would begin to address those harms. Parents say this is the #1 issue, above school violence, drugs, and bullying. Free speech protections are enshrined in explicit language in the bill. I look forward to lauding the efforts of all who see this bill through,” said Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation.

“The reintroduction of KOSA is a test of whether Congress will finally stand with families instead of Big Tech. This bill has withstood years of scrutiny, has enormous bipartisan support, and is the only federal legislation that addresses the wide range of design-caused harms experienced by children every day online. Lawmakers must seize this moment and finally deliver the protections children need,” said Josh Golin, Executive Director of Fairplay.

“Protecting children is the most basic human decency. The technology world that has come into being over the last 20+ years has been strip-mining the minds of our next generation for profit. They have been darkening their souls. They have been playing to their fears and walling them up in their anxieties. And their vision is now to use the very isolation and instability that they have created and catalyzed to create dependence on them through AI. The Kids Online Safety Act will stop this. It will turn the page on the harms many kids have suffered and protect the next generation. It will hold the companies that have done this accountable,” said Tim Estes, Founder & CEO of AngelQ.

“The Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action remains committed to the passage of KOSA. We are encouraged to see the bill being reintroduced in the Senate and look forward to working with Congressional members to protect vulnerable young people against online harms,” said Christine Peat, PhD, FAED, LP, President of the Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy, & Action.

“Street Grace is honored to support KOSA. We envision a world where no child is exploited and KOSA puts America on that path by adding transparency and accountability to the sites and platforms which are currently advertising to children with zero safeguards in place,” said Bob Rodgers, CEO of Street Grace.

“The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) represents a vital and overdue step toward protecting our children from the growing threat of online exploitation. These predators are not abstract threats – they are in our homes, on our children’s phones, in their games, and across every digital platform they use daily. We need KOSA because our current system is failing our children. This legislation provides essential guardrails to ensure tech companies are accountable for the safety of minors and are required to design their platforms with the well-being of children in mind – not profit,” said Tammy Sneed, Director of Engage Together.

“This bill is a critical step toward holding tech companies accountable for designing online platforms with child safety in mind. For too long, predators have exploited the internet’s blind spots to target children for grooming and trafficking. By requiring platforms to proactively mitigate these harms and provide greater transparency and control to families, this legislation puts the safety of children first. We urge lawmakers to swiftly pass this bill and send a clear message: protecting children online is not optional—it’s a responsibility,” said Linda Smith (U.S. Congress 1995-99, Washington State Senate/House 1983-94), Founder & President of Shared Hope International.

“Parents have been left on their own to try to fend off a massive tech-induced crisis in American childhood from online platforms that are engineered to be maximally addictive. And the tech companies face zero accountability for how their products harm children, like how their algorithms help connect predators with child victims online. KOSA offers a needed solution by making social media platforms responsible for preventing and mitigating certain objective harms to minors, like sexual exploitation, in their product design and empowering authorities to hold them accountable if they don’t. It’s time to end Big Tech’s total impunity,” said Clare Morell, Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

“In this digital age, the number of cybertips has skyrocketed from 1 million in 2012 to 36 million in 2023. Now more than ever, it is crucial to protect our children by ensuring they receive online safety training and by enacting legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act to hold tech platforms accountable and implement necessary safeguards,” said Ashlie Bryant, CEO of the 3Strands Global Foundation.

“Count on Mothers fully endorses KOSA. After surveying mothers across the political spectrum and all U.S. regions, and conducting a nationally representative focus group, we found overwhelming support for KOSA’s protections. Mothers are demanding accountability and a clear duty of care from tech companies. Across backgrounds and beliefs, they agree: it’s time for the federal government to require social media platforms to offer minors the tools to protect their privacy, safety, and mental health from addictive and harmful product designs,” said Count on Mothers.

“The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) demands that the sanctity of family and the sacredness of childhood be treated as national priorities. American families cannot withstand this digital crisis without real protections and accountability for an industry that has gone unchecked for far too long. KOSA offers an indispensable shield for children, guarding them against corporate greed and reckless harm through a commonsense approach to online safety,” said Jason Frost, CEO of Wired Human.

“KOSA supports Digitally Intentional’s mission by prioritizing protection over profit, empowering families and safeguarding children from the manipulative corporate practices of Big Tech. Passing KOSA renews our nation’s commitments to another generation and for our country’s future,” said Harrison Haynes, Founder of Digitally Intentional and Chair of End OSEAC Survivors Council.

“We are grateful to the United States Senators that they are unflagging in their efforts to get the Kids Online Safety Act passed. This is no time for politics. America’s children are suffering from the worst mental health crisis in recorded history, and the literature is increasingly clear that the main driver is digital addiction. Social media are rife with abusive environments for children who get swept down dark rabbit holes by opaque algorithms. To make matters worse, the rise of A.I. chatbots that trick kids into friendships and romantic relationships with artificial corporate products that are perfectly attuned to their shifting moods, will only make it more critical than ever that we pass the Kids Online Safety Act. The time is now,” said Michael Toscano, Director of the Family First Technology Initiative.

“Passing KOSA is a significant step forward toward protecting kids from the harms of Big Tech.KOSA’s targeted, bipartisan approach ensures that parents have the ability to protect their kids online from those features and designs that hurt their development and mental health. This is simply a win for parents, children, and consumers all around,” said Joel Thayer, President of the Digital Progress Institute.

“When companies like Meta enable a new AI chatbot to have sexually explicit conversations with child accounts, or when TikTok provided a platform for adults to pay teens to strip on its LIVE feature, it is clear that it is past time to hold Big Tech accountable. Congress has a major role in ensuring tech platforms prioritize child safety by reintroducing and passing the Kids Online Safety Act,” said Melissa Henson, Vice President of Parents Television and Media Council.

“We strongly support the Kids Online Safety Act as a critical step toward protecting the health, safety, and well-being of children and teens in the digital age. Online platforms play an increasingly central role in the lives of young people, it is imperative that we hold technology companies accountable for the environments they create and maintain. We commend the bipartisan leadership behind the Kids Online Safety Act and urge lawmakers to pass this legislation without delay. Protecting children online is not a partisan issue—it is a moral imperative,” said the Paving The Way Foundation.

“Social media companies continue to abjectly fail the most basic test of any society: protecting children. Big Tech has consistently shown that it cares more about its profit margins than about child safety. The harm needs to stop. It’s past time that Congress pass the Kids Online Safety Act,” said Chris Griswold, Policy Director of American Compass.

“Online exploitation is a borderless crime that transcends jurisdictions and preys on the most vulnerable—our children. KOSA is a critical step towards safeguarding digital spaces and setting an example for other governments to combat this global threat. Protecting children online is not just a policy imperative; it is a moral obligation,” said Anne Basham, Chair of the Interparliamentary Taskforce on Human Trafficking.

“In light of the disturbing reality that some social media services and platforms have become increasingly addictive and even toxic to kids, The Kids Online Safety Act is common sense and necessary legislation that when enacted, will hold platforms accountable to restrict targeted advertising to children, disable addictive online platform features, provide the option to opt out of algorithmic recommendations, and enforce the highest privacy settings for accounts used by minor children. Enough Is Enough applauds the leadership of KOSA cosponsors Senator Blackburn and Senator Blumenthal for reintroducing this critical bill and the overwhelming bi-partisan support of the U.S. Senate last session. We join our allies in urging both the Senate and the House to prioritize the passage of KOSA soonest. The human cost of delay is severe. Kids are dying. Protecting the lives, innocence and dignity of children online is a non-partisan issue with wide bi-partisan support,” said Donna Rice Hughes, CEO/President, Enough Is Enough.

“These platforms fail to disclose their addictive nature or the harms associated with their use. Our children deserve transparency, safety measures, and tools, not exploitation, by default. Why is this so hard? Thank you, Senator Blackburn, for consistently standing in the gap with parents. This time, let’s get it done!” said Chris McKenna, Founder of Protect Young Eyes.

Click here for bill text.

RELATED
MIL OSI USA News –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lord Chancellor and MOJ Permanent Secretary Prison Capacity Press Conference

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Speech

Lord Chancellor and MOJ Permanent Secretary Prison Capacity Press Conference

The Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP and Amy Rees CB spoke in a briefing at Downing Street about the extent of the prison capacity crisis and plans to counter it.

Political content has been removed from this transcript.

Good afternoon, everyone.

We are here today to talk about the situation in our prisons.

When I took office, nearly a year ago, I inherited prisons on the brink of collapse.

Despite the immediate measures we took to avert disaster, this crisis has not gone away.

David Gauke will soon publish his sentencing review.

It will set out how we end this cycle of crisis once and for all.

But today, I will talk about the situation that we face now…

And further measures that we must take to stabilise the prison population.

To do so, I would first like to turn to Amy Rees.

Until recently, Amy was Chief Executive of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service – having started out, 24 years ago, as a Prison Officer on the wings.

Now the Department’s interim Permanent Secretary, Amy will set out the scale of the challenge we face today.

[AMY REES]

Thank you, Lord Chancellor.

The total prison population is 88,087 – and the adult male estate is operating at approximately 99 percent of its capacity.

Every year, on our current trajectory, the prison population rises by 3,000.

And we now expect to hit zero capacity – to entirely run out of prison places for adult men – in November of this year.

The population has been rising, rapidly, for many years.

In 1993, the population was less than half its current level – at around 40,000 prisoners.

When I first joined the Service, in 2001, it was 65,000.

In recent years, it has accelerated rapidly to its current levels, and is forecast to be more than 100,000 by 2029.

The primary cause of this is clear.

Sentence lengths have increased considerably.

In 2005, the average custodial sentence was 13 months.

By 2023, it was 21 months – a 66 percent increase.

We now have a larger population of sentenced prisoners in our prisons – serving longer sentences than they used to.

While this is the primary cause, it is not the only cause.

The number of offenders brought back to prison after being released – known as recall – is a significant, though lesser, contributing factor.

In 1993, this ‘recalled’ population in prison was virtually non-existent at just 100 prisoners.

By 2018, it was 6,000.

And since then, levels have soared – more than doubling to 13,600 in March this year.

Until now, successive governments have attempted to manage prison capacity primarily by carrying out early releases.

In late 2023, the prison system was running at around 99 percent of its capacity.

Faced with the prospect of running out of prison places altogether, the End of Custody Supervised Licence Scheme was introduced in October 2023.

This meant eligible prisoners were automatically released up to 18 days before their scheduled released date, later increased to 35 days and then up to 70 days in May 2024.

This measure prevented prisons from running out of places entirely, but it only bought the service time.

By July last year, prisons were again operating close to maximum capacity.

Ministers announced plans for some prisoners serving standard determinate sentences to be released automatically at the 40 percent point of their sentence, rather than 50 percent.

A surge of these releases took place over two tranches in the autumn and again prevented prisons from filling up entirely.

In parallel, we have brought in other smaller-scale measures to manage capacity.

This includes moving some risk-assessed offenders out of prison and onto Home Detention – tagged and curfewed for a longer period.

These measures are important, but they do not address the scale of the challenge we face.

As I have said, the prison population is rising by around 3,000 a year – the equivalent of two large prisons every single year.

Even with these measures in place, we will run out of places in just five months’ time.

Let me return to my first slide on the growth of the prison population to explain what that means in practice.

The operational reality of running prisons so close to their maximum capacity is that it creates a set of interconnected and escalating problems.

Even before you run out entirely, our prisons become more dangerous places.

With limited space, it becomes harder to manage prisons, and the challenges of violence and drugs grow.

This makes prisons less safe, and it leaves staff with less time to get prisoners to work and education – vital to ensuring that they leave prison less likely to reoffend.

We are already reliant on a small number of police cells in some parts of the country, where we hold offenders temporarily.

If capacity gets even tighter, as an exceptional measure we would activate ‘Operation Early Dawn’.

This means we convene a team at 05:30 am every day to track each individual potentially coming into custody, so that we can make sure there will be a space available for them.

Early Dawn was activated between 19 August to 9 September 2024, prior to the implementation of early releases.

It was also previously activated in October 2023, March 2024, and May 2024.

In recent weeks, we have come close to activating Early Dawn once again.

If Operation Early Dawn is unable to manage the flow of prisoners, the situation becomes intolerable.

We would, at this stage, see the managed breakdown of the criminal justice system.

Police holding cells would be full, and the police would be faced with being unable to make arrests.

Courts would need to consider bail for offenders they would normally consider dangerous enough to remand to prison.

If the system reaches that point, there would be a clear risk to public safety and the only solution would be rapid emergency releases.

This would mean offenders being let out of prison without time for probation officers and other services to put in place release plans designed to protect the public.

And even this would only buy us time.

The prison population will keep rising.

Without a long-term plan, sooner or later we would run out of places once more.

That is the situation in the prison service as it stands today.

And I’m now going to hand back to the Lord Chancellor to talk about the path forward from here.

[LORD CHANCELLOR]

This Government will end the cycle of crisis.

We will bring order and control back to our prisons.

That starts by building more of them.

Last December, we published a long-term building strategy, setting out our aim to open up 14,000 prison places by 2031.

This is the largest expansion of the prison estate since the Victorians.

And we are not wasting time.

We have already committed £2.3 billion to prison expansion.

And since taking office, we have delivered 2,400 new places.

We will now go further.

While the spending review is ongoing, I can announce today that the Treasury will fund our prison expansion plans, in full, across the spending review period.

This is a total capital investment of £4.7bn.

It allows us to start building three new prisons…

Including breaking ground on a site near HMP Gartree later this year.

This investment will also fund new cells at existing prisons…

With new houseblocks and rapid deployment cells opened across the country.

This is a record prison expansion.

We are building at breakneck pace.

But we must be honest.

Prison building is necessary…

But it is not sufficient.

We cannot build our way out of this crisis.

Despite record prison building, the population is simply rising too fast.

By Spring 2028, even with the funding I have announced today, we will be 9,500 places short.

The conclusion is clear:

We have to do things differently.

In October, I appointed David Gauke to lead an independent review of sentencing.

He has been ably supported by a panel that draws together expertise from across the criminal justice system.

I cannot and will not get ahead of their recommendations.

But let me be clear about the task that they have been set.

The sentencing review must ensure there is always space in prison for dangerous offenders.

To achieve this, the panel will have to recommend a reduction in the length of some custodial sentences…

And an expansion of punishment outside prison, for those offenders who can be managed in the community.

At the same time, I have set David a clear condition:

We must protect the public in whatever measures we pursue.

Too often today, our prisons do the opposite.

They create better criminals and not better citizens…

With 80% of offenders now reoffenders.

Across the world, there are models that we can learn from.

David and I both visited Texas earlier this year.

There, offenders who comply with a strict regime earn an earlier release…

While those who behave badly are locked up for longer.

Crime there is now at a 50-year low, reoffending is down, and the prison population is under control.

Meanwhile, technology – both existing and emerging – clearly has the potential to transform community punishment.

A study published last week shows our radio frequency tagging is cutting reoffending by around 20 percent.

And emerging technology presents us with further opportunities.

We are entering a world where tech has the potential to impose a digital prison outside of prison, surveilling offenders even more closely than they can be watched in jail.

To make our streets safer, we must seize on these opportunities.

While the Sentencing Review offers us our path to ending the capacity crisis in our prisons, for good, it will take time to take effect.

The impact of sentencing reforms will not be felt before Spring next year.

On our current trajectory, hitting zero capacity in November, we simply do not have that time.

There will be no return to the releases we saw late last year.

But I have always been clear that, if further measures are required, I am willing to take them.

Today, I am announcing a measure that will target the recall population, which has more than doubled in seven years.

We will bring legislation in the coming weeks that means those serving sentences of between one and four years can only be returned to prison for a fixed, 28-day period.

Some offenders will be excluded from this measure…

Including any offender who has been recalled for committing a serious further offence.

We also exclude those who are subject to higher levels of risk management by multiple agencies, where the police, prisons and probation services work together.

This measure builds on previous legislation introduced by the last Government, who mandated 14-day recalls for those serving sentences of under a year.

And, crucially, it buys us the time we need to introduce the sentencing reforms that – alongside our record prison building plans – will end the crisis in our prisons for good.

The consequences of failing to act are unthinkable, but they must be understood.

If our prisons overflow…

Courts cancel trials…

Police halt their arrests…

Crime goes unpunished…

And we reach a total breakdown of law and order.

I was confronted by that prospect when I took office.

I am confronted by it again now.

But I will never let it happen.

This Government is building new prisons, more than any other in the modern era.

But we are also facing into the fact that we cannot just build our way out of this crisis.

This Government will do whatever it takes to ensure we never run out of prison places again.

Updates to this page

Published 14 May 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Deep Brook — Deep Brook man facing child pornography charges

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The RCMP’s Provincial Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit has charged a Deep Brook man for child pornography offences.

On April 24, the RCMP’s ICE Unit, with assistance from Annapolis District RCMP, executed a search warrant at a home on Hwy. 1 in Deep Brook. Electronic devices, including laptops, tablets and a smartphone were seized and later forensically examined.

Investigators were directed to the residence after an electronic service provider notified law enforcement that child pornography was uploaded to their service.

As a result of the search and subsequent investigation, Miles Graham, 59, was arrested on May 6. He has been charged with Possession of Child Pornography, Transmitting Child Pornography, and Accessing Child Pornography.

Graham was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in Annapolis Royal Provincial Court on July 14.

In Nova Scotia, it’s mandatory for citizens to report suspected child pornography; anyone who comes across child pornography material or recordings must report it to the police. Failure to report could result in penalties similar to those for failure to report child abuse under the Child and Family Services Act. Be a voice for children who are victims of sexual exploitation by reporting suspected offences to your local police or to Canada’s national tip line: www.cybertip.ca.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan national and prior felon receives over 15 years for three gunpoint robberies

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

HOUSTON – A 29-year-old legal permanent resident from Guatemala who lived in Houston has been sentenced for multiple counts of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Josue Castro-Gomez pleaded guilty Oct. 1, 2024.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Castro-Gomez to 98 months in federal prison for the robberies as well as a consecutive 84 months for the firearms conviction. He is also expected to lose his status in the United States and face removal proceedings following his total 182-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard how Castro-Gomez would commit the robberies by first pretending to be a customer and then taking the store employees by surprise.

In November and December 2023, Castro-Gomez robbed two gas stations and one Houston-area smoke shop at gunpoint.

On Nov. 25, 2023, Castro-Gomez entered a Korner Food Mart located in Houston, brandished a firearm and demanded the store clerk give him cash from the register. He proceeded to discharge the firearm, shooting above the clerk’s head, but fled from the scene without taking any money.

On Dec. 11-12, 2023, Castro-Gomez went to a Circle K gas station and a Vape City, respectively, and demanded cash from the register. He received money on both occasions and fled the scenes.

On Dec. 12, law enforcement located Castro-Gomez and found him to be in possession of a .32 caliber handgun.

During the investigation, authorities matched a spent shell casing from the Nov. 25 robbery to the firearm in Castro-Gomez’s possession at the time of his arrest.

Castro-Gomez has prior felony convictions from 2015 and 2017 for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance, respectively. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez prosecuted the case.

This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballisticinformation-network-nibin.

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Carver Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Oxycodone Conspiracy

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

BOSTON – A Carver man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in an oxycodone conspiracy.

Michael Atwood, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 35 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2024, Atwood pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills. Campbell was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023 along with five co-conspirators.

Between approximately November 2023 and June 2023, Atwood obtained oxycodone pills from co-defendant John Campbell that he redistributed to others. The amount of oxycodone pills that the defendant obtained from Campbell ranged from hundreds to more than a thousand at a time. On July 12, 2023, during a search of Atwood’s residence approximately $63,000 in cash was seized.

In January 2025, Campbell was sentenced to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Mashpee, Yarmouth, Sandwich and Falmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy, and Samuel R. Feldman of the Criminal Division and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit prosecuted the case.

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

MIL Security OSI –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Antelope Valley Man Arrested on Indictment Alleging He and Two Others Participated in Two Gang Murders Last Year in Lancaster
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

LOS ANGELES – A reputed member of the Pasadena Denver Lanes (PDL) Bloods street gang was arrested today on a four-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he and two other PDL members took part in a one-night shooting spree in Lancaster last year that claimed two lives and almost claimed a third.

Jerry Wimbley III, a.k.a. “Baby Poppa Ckrab,” 20, of Lancaster, was arrested this morning and is expected to be arraigned and make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

Wimbley III is charged with two counts of murder in aid of racketeering.

Also charged in the indictment unsealed today are:
- Vionnie Richardson, 37, a.k.a. “Big Poppa Ckrab,” of Lancaster, who is charged with one count of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition; and
- Jerry Wimbley Jr., 22, a.k.a. “Poppa Ckrab” and “Little Poppa Ckrab,” of Lancaster, who is charged with two counts of murder in aid of racketeering, and who is Wimbley III’s brother.
Richardson is in state custody in Nevada. He is not legally permitted to possess ammunition because his criminal history includes multiple felony convictions in Los Angeles Superior Court, including for second-degree robbery in September 2020, assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury in March 2020, and identity theft in January 2014.

Wimbley Jr. has been in custody on federal robbery and money laundering charges since September 2024.

Richardson and Wimbley Jr. are expected to be arraigned in Los Angeles federal court in the coming weeks.

According to the indictment, on the night of June 25, 2024, Richardson took part in three successive shootings in Lancaster – an attempted murder followed by two murders – and was joined by the Wimbley brothers for the latter two shootings. After each shooting, the defendants gathered at a deceased gang member’s gravesite on the two-year anniversary of that gang member’s death.

Richardson allegedly first attempted to murder victim W.S. in Lancaster and then traveled to the deceased gang member’s gravesite where he met the Wimbley brothers and others. Richardson and the Wimbley brothers next traveled to the area of Whit Carter Park in Lancaster, where they murdered victim E.G. They again returned to the gravesite and then drove to a gas station in Lancaster. As captured on surveillance footage, the defendants murdered victim D.M. and then returned to the gravesite. Throughout the night, defendants allegedly took to Instagram to honor the deceased gang member and pledge allegiance to the PDL Bloods.

The indictment alleges that the murders and attempted murder were committed to enhance the power and influence of the PDL Bloods street gang, which is described as a violent criminal enterprise that has existed since the 1970s and operates in and around Pasadena and the Antelope Valley. The indictment further alleges that PDL engages in murder, robbery and money laundering, among other criminal racketeering activities.

“As alleged in the indictment, these defendants engaged in violent and senseless acts,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Their alleged shooting spree is intolerable. Today’s charges reflect our Office’s continued commitment to eradicating gang violence and to keeping our communities safe.”

“Bringing violent offenders to justice is one of ATF’s top priorities,” said Kenny Cooper, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division. “This case is a testament to the strength of collaboration among law enforcement agencies at every level. We remain committed to reducing violent crime and ensuring the safety of our communities.”

“The brutality of these alleged crimes reflects a complete disregard for human life and public safety,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna. “Gang violence has no place in our communities. The individuals that engage in ruthless crimes that endanger our residents will be pursued and held accountable. Our dedicated homicide detectives, along with our federal partners, have diligently worked to identify, arrest, and dismantle these violent gang networks and protect our communities.”

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

If convicted, the defendants would face a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison and a possible death sentence.

The ATF and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Gregg E. Marmaro of the Major Frauds Section, Suria M. Bahadue of the General Crimes Section, and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.

MIL Security OSI –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Final defendant in local drug conspiracy sentenced to 10 years for trafficking meth to Anchorage
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Ohio man was sentenced May 8, 2025, to 10 years in prison for trafficking multiple pounds of meth to Anchorage.

According to court documents, Christian Landry, 32, of Shaker Heights, Ohio, repeatedly traveled to Alaska from out-of-state to distribute meth in 2022 and 2023.

The investigation started in late 2022, when an undercover officer began purchasing methamphetamine from Elzie Isley, 47, of Anchorage. Isley was a local drug dealer. Law enforcement officers identified Landry as one of Isley’s drug sources, allegedly responsible for trafficking over 20 pounds of meth from the Lower 48 to Alaska to sell.

On Feb. 9, 2023, law enforcement served a search warrant on the residence where Landry was staying with another co-defendant and recovered a loaded pistol, more than $20,000 in cash and several pounds of meth.

Throughout the course of the investigation, officers seized and forfeited over $34,000 and 23 firearms connected to the drug trafficking conspiracy.

“This case is yet another example of a drug trafficking organization flooding Anchorage with dangerous narcotics from the Lower 48,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “My office will work with our law enforcement partners across the state to ensure that anyone who threatens the safety of our communities with these poisonous substances will serve years, and for this man, a decade, in prison.”

“Drugs and guns are always a losing combination,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “This and the other lengthy sentences are commensurate to the damage they caused the community. Mr. Landry chose to endanger Alaskans, and now he faces the consequences.”

Co-conspirators in this case are as follows:
- Isley pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2023, and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on April 25, 2024;
- Antonio Wallace, 32, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on Oct. 18, 2023, and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on Feb. 5, 2024;
- Ricky Lokeni, 38, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2024, and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on April 24, 2024;
- Ryann Hobert, 27, of Anchorage, pleaded guilty on Nov. 8, 2023, and was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment on March 27, 2024; and
- Jaron Steele, 34, of Paramount, California, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served (235 days’ imprisonment) on May 7, 2024.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Beausang prosecuted the case.

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MIL Security OSI –
May 15, 2025

Category: Law

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Bumpy road ahead

Defendants for Case Number 25cr1505

Summary of Charges

Lord Chancellor and MOJ Permanent Secretary Prison Capacity Press Conference

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