NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI USA: 27 Members or Associates of Tren de Aragua Charged with Racketeering, Narcotics, Sex Trafficking, Robbery and Firearms offenses

    Source: US State of California

    Note: A copy of the Anti-Tren indictment can be found here.

    Today, two superseding indictments were unsealed charging 27 individuals currently or formerly associated with the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA) with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, robbery, and firearms offenses. The first superseding indictment (the “TdA Indictment”) charges six alleged members of TdA. The second superseding indictment (the “Anti-Tren Indictment”) charges 19 alleged members of “Anti-Tren,” a splinter faction comprised of former TdA members, along with two additional associates of Anti-Tren. Of the 27 defendants, 21 are in federal custody, including 16 who were already in federal criminal, immigration, or state custody and five who were arrested last night and today in operations in New York and other jurisdictions.

    “As alleged, Tren de Aragua is not just a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that has destroyed American families with brutal violence, engaged in human trafficking, and spread deadly drugs through our communities,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s indictments and arrests span three states and will devastate TdA’s infrastructure as we work to completely dismantle and purge this organization from our country.”

    “Today, we have filed charges against 27 alleged members, former members, and associates of Tren de Aragua, for committing murders and shootings, forcing young women trafficked from Venezuela into commercial sex work, robbing and extorting small businesses, and selling ‘tusi,’ a pink powdery drug that has become their calling card,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky for the Southern District of New York.  “Today’s Indictments make clear that this Office will work tirelessly to keep the law-abiding residents of New York City safe, and hold accountable those who bring violence to our streets.”“Tren de Aragua is one of the most dangerous gangs in the country, and the NYPD has taken significant action to shut down their operations in New York City,” said New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.  “For the first time ever, TdA is being named and charged as the criminal enterprise that it is. This isn’t just street crime—it’s organized racketeering, and this gang has shown zero regard for the safety of New Yorkers. As alleged in the indictment, these defendants wreaked havoc in our communities, trafficking women for sexual exploitation, flooding our streets with drugs, and committing violent crimes with illegal guns.  Thanks to the dedicated members of the NYPD and the important work of our federal partners, their time is up.”

    According to the allegations contained in the Indictments:[1]

    The TdA Indictment

    TdA is a criminal organization that operated throughout New York City, including the boroughs of the Bronx and Queens, as well as internationally in Venezuela, Peru, and elsewhere. The purposes of TdA included:

    • Preserving and protecting the power and territory of TdA and its members and associates through acts involving murder, assault, robbery, other acts of violence, and threats of violence, including acts of violence and threats of violence directed at former members and associates of TdA who associated with a splinter organization known as Anti-Tren.
    • Enriching the members and associates of TdA through, among other things:
      • The unlawful smuggling of individuals, including young women from Venezuela, into Peru and the United States;
      • The sex trafficking of young women (whom members and associates of TdA often refer to as “multadas”) who had been unlawfully smuggled into Peru and the United States;
      • The trafficking of controlled substances, including a mixed substance called “tusi” that contains ketamine; and
      • Armed robberies.
    • Keeping victims and potential victims in fear of TdA and its members and associates through threats and acts of violence.
    • Promoting and enhancing TdA and the reputation and activities of its members and associates.
    • Providing assistance to members and associates of TdA who committed crimes for and on behalf of TdA, such as lodging and interstate transportation for members and associates of TdA to flee prosecution.
    • Protecting TdA and its members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities through acts of intimidation, threats, and violence against potential witnesses to crimes committed by members of TdA.

    Members and associates of TdA transported “multadas” from Venezuela into Peru and the United States in exchange for debts that the “multadas” would pay back to TdA by engaging in commercial sex work. Members of TdA enforced compliance among “multadas” by, among other things:

    • Threatening to kill “multadas” and their families,
    • Assaulting “multadas,”
    • Shooting or killing “multadas,” and
    • Tracking down and kidnapping “multadas” who tried to flee.

    Members of TdA also committed and conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit, acts of violence, including acts involving murder and assault, to protect and expand TdA’s criminal operations; resolve disputes within TdA; to retaliate against rival organizations, including Anti-Tren; and to maintain control over sex trafficking victims. TdA members and associates also trafficked controlled substances, committed robberies, and obtained, possessed, trafficked, and used firearms and ammunition.

    The TdA Indictment charges Jarwin Valero-Calderon, also known as “La Fama,” 29; Samuel Gonzalez Castro, also known as “Klei” and “Kley, ” 28; Eferson Morillo-Gomez, also known as “Jefferson” and “Efe Trebol,” 20; Brayan Oliveros-Chero, 28; Sandro Oliveros-Chero, 25; and Armando Jose Perez Gonzalez, also known as “Biblia,” 30, (the “TdA Defendants”) with conspiring to participate in the TdA racketeering enterprise. Various of the TdA defendants are also charged with participating in offenses relating to drug trafficking, carjacking, robbery, and extortion, as well as firearms offenses. This case is assigned U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote for the Southern District of New York.

    If convicted of racketeering conspiracy, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, Morillo-Gomez, Brayan Oliveros-Chero, Sandro Oliveros-Chero, and Perez Gonzalez face up to life in prison. If convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy, Valero-Calderon, Brayan Oliveros-Chero, Sandro Oliveros-Chero, and Perez Gonzalez face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of carjacking conspiracy, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to five years in prison. If convicted of carjacking, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to 15 years in prison. If convicted of Hobbs Act robbery, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of firearm use, carrying, and possession, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison. If convicted of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, and Morillo-Gomez face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of firearm use, carrying, and possession – conspiracy, Valero-Calderon, Gonzalez Castro, Morillo-Gomez, Brayan Oliveros-Chero, and Sandro Oliveros-Chero face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of possession of ammunition by an illegal alien, Brayan Oliveros-Chero faces up to 15 years in prison. If convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, Sandro Oliveros-Chero faces up to 15 years in prison. If convicted of firearm use, carrying, and possession, Perez Gonzalez faces up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. If convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, Perez Gonzalez faces up to 15 years in prison.

    The Anti-Tren Indictment

    Anti-Tren is a criminal organization almost exclusively comprised of former members and associates of TdA. Anti-Tren operated throughout New York City, including the boroughs of the Bronx and Queens, and in New Jersey, and elsewhere. Like TdA, the purposes of Anti-Tren included:

    • Preserving and protecting the power and territory of Anti-Tren and its members and associates through acts involving murder, assault, other acts of violence, and threats of violence, including acts of violence and threats of violence directed at members and associates of TdA.
    • Enriching the members and associates of Anti-Tren through, among other things:
      • The unlawful smuggling of individuals, including women and girls from Venezuela, into the United States;
      • The sex trafficking of “multadas” who had been unlawfully smuggled into the United States;
      • The trafficking of controlled substances, including “tusi”; and
      • Armed robberies.
    • Keeping victims and potential victims in fear of Anti-Tren and its members and associates through threats and acts of violence.
    • Promoting and enhancing Anti-Tren and the reputation and activities of its members and associates.
    • Providing assistance to members and associates of Anti-Tren who committed crimes for and on behalf of Anti-Tren, such as lodging and interstate transportation for members and associates of Anti-Tren to flee prosecution, or bail money for members or associates of Anti-Tren who are detained.
    • Protecting Anti-Tren and its members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities through acts of intimidation, threats, and violence against potential witnesses to crimes committed by members of Anti-Tren.

    Like TdA, Anti-Tren engaged in human smuggling and sex trafficking of “multadas,” into the United States in exchange for debts that the “multadas” would pay back by engaging in commercial sex work. And like TdA, members of Anti-Tren enforced compliance among “multadas” by, among other things:

    • Threatening to kill “multadas” and their families,
    • Assaulting “multadas,”
    • Shooting or killing “multadas,” and
    • Tracking down and kidnapping “multadas” who tried to flee.

    Members of Anti-Tren also committed and conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit, acts of violence, including acts involving murder and assault, to protect and to expand Anti-Tren’s criminal operations, resolve disputes within Anti-Tren, to retaliate against rival organizations, including Tren de Aragua, and to maintain control over sex trafficking victims. Anti-Tren members and associates also trafficked controlled substances, committed robberies, and obtained, possessed, trafficked, and used firearms and ammunition.

    The Anti-Tren Indictment charges Reinaldo Rafael Gonzales-Valdez, also known as “Mariguana” and “Marijuana,” 41; Jose Manuel Guerrero-Zarate, also known as “Mantequilla,” 29; Jose David Valencia-De La Rosa, 27; Johan Carlos Mujica-Urpin, also known as “Sobrino,” 27; Luis Jose Velasquez-Hurtado, also known as “Chito,” 30; Stefano Said Pachon-Romero, 21; Guillermo Freites Velazquez, 26; Jesus David Barrios Garcia, also known as “Morocho,” 27; Giovanny Valentin Blanco Luciano, also known as “Cachorrito,” 20; Anderson Jesus Duran Berroteran, also known as “Cachorro, ” 22; Roiman Noe Bello Ferrer, 37; Luis Miguel Rodriguez-Tapia, 25; Mario Andres Pereda, also known as “Cara de Hombre,” 44; Anderson Smith Zambrano-Pacheco, 26; Yeferson Alejandro Prieto Galviz, also known as “Flaco T” and“Flacote,” 24; Jhonkennedy Bravo-Castro, also known as  “Negrito,” 27; Yender Maykier Mata, 36; Kellen Alejandro Jaspe Bustamante, 20; and Luis Andres Bello-Chacon, also known as  “Care de Peo,” 31 (the “Anti-Tren Defendants”) with conspiring to participate in an Anti-Tren racketeering enterprise. Various of the Anti-Tren Defendants, along with co-defendants Wilfredo Jose Avendaño Carrizalez and Carlos Gabriel Santos Mogollon, are also charged with participating in offenses relating to sex trafficking, conspiracy to import and harbor aliens, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, and firearms offenses. This case is assigned U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil of the Southern District of New York.

    If convicted of racketeering conspiracy, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Valencia-De La Rosa, Mujica-Urpin, Velasquez-Hurtado, Pachon-Romero, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Blanco Luciano, Duran Berroteran, Bello Ferrer, Rodriguez-Tapia, Pereda, Zambrano-Pacheco, Prieto Galviz, Bravo-Castro, Maykier Mata, Jaspe Bustamante, and Bello-Chacon face up to life in prison. If convicted of sex trafficking conspiracy, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Valencia-De La Rosa, Mujica-Urpin, Velasquez-Hurtado, Pachon-Romero, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Duran Berroteran, Rodriguez-Tapia, Pereda, Zambrano-Pacheco, and Bravo-Castro face up to life in prison. If convicted of alien importation and harboring for immoral purpose – conspiracy, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Valencia-De La Rosa, Mujica-Urpin, Velasquez-Hurtado, Pachon-Romero, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Duran Berroteran, Rodriguez-Tapia, Pereda, Zambrano-Pacheco, and Bravo-Castro face up to five years in prison. If convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Mujica-Urpin, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Blanco Luciano, Duran Berroteran, Prieto Galviz, Maykier Mata, Jaspe Bustamante, and Bello-Chacon face up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of firearm use, carrying, and possession, Gonzales-Valdez, Guerrero-Zarate, Mujica-Urpin, Freites Velazquez, Barrios Garcia, Blanco Luciano, Zambrano-Pacheco, Prieto Galviz, Maykier Mata, Jaspe Bustamante, and Bello-Chacon face up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. If convicted of obstruction of justice, Velasquez-Hurtado faces up to 20 years in prison. If convicted of unlicensed dealing of firearms, Pachon-Romero faces up to five years in prison. If convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a fugitive from justice and illegal alien, Zambrano-Pacheco, faces up to 15 years in prison. If convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, Bravo-Castro, Avendaño Carrizalez and Santos Mogollonface up to 15 years in prison.

    The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

    Attorney General Bondi and Acting U.S. Attorney Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and NYPD. They also thanked the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office in Colorado; the Aurora Police Department in Aurora, Colorado; the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); the HSI National Gang Unit and New York Human Intelligence Division; ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations New York; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and the New York City Crime Analysis Center at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

    This case received significant support from Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua, and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including the Southern District of New York; the Eastern District of New York; the District of New Jersey; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of Utah; the District of Massachusetts; the Eastern District of Texas; the Southern District of Florida; the Eastern District of Virginia; the Southern District of California; the District of Nevada; the District of Alaska; the Southern District of Texas; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division.  Additionally, the FBI; DEA; HSI; ATF; USMS; and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). In February 2025, Tren de Aragua was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jun Xiang, Kathryn Wheelock, and Timothy Ly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit are in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    [1] The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 22, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 22, 2025.

    How will a new pope be chosen? An expert explains the conclave
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University Following the death of Pope Francis, we’ll soon be seeing a new leader in the Vatican. The conclave – a strictly confidential gathering of Roman Catholic cardinals – is due to meet in a matter of weeks to elect

    Haka in the House: what will Te Pāti Māori’s protest mean for tikanga in parliament?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic O’Sullivan, Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University and Adjunct Professor Stout Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington and Auckland University of Technology., Charles Sturt University Te Pāti Māori’s Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke lead a haka with Eru Kapa-Kingi outside parliament, November 19, 2024. Getty

    Pope Francis has died, aged 88. These were his greatest reforms – and controversies
    ANALYSIS: By Joel Hodge, Australian Catholic University and Antonia Pizzey, Australian Catholic University Pope Francis has died on Easter Monday, aged 88, the Vatican announced. The head of the Catholic Church had recently survived being hospitalised with double pneumonia. Cardinal Kevin Farrell’s announcement began: “Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the

    Fossil fuel companies ‘poisoned the well’ of public debate with climate disinformation. Here’s how Australia can break free
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science, Harvard University President Donald Trump has issued an executive order that would block state laws seeking to tackle greenhouse gas emissions – the latest salvo in his administration’s campaign to roll back United States’ climate action. Under Trump, the

    Is a corporation a slave? Many philosophers think so
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Duncan Ian Wallace, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Monash University f11photo/Shutterstock If you’ve ever heard the term “wage slave”, you’ll know many modern workers – perhaps even you – sometimes feel enslaved to the organisation at which they work. But here’s a different way of thinking about it:

    Rates will never be enough – councils need the power to raise money in other ways
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guy C. Charlton, Adjunct Associate Professor at Auckland University of Technology and Associate Professor, University of New England Getty Images You might have recently received voting papers for your local body elections. Going by our historically low participation rates, many of those envelopes will remain unopened. This

    Early voting opens in the federal election – but it brings some problems for voters and parties
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zareh Ghazarian, Senior Lecturer in Politics, School of Social Sciences, Monash University More than 18 million Australians are enrolled to vote at the federal election on May 3. A fair proportion of them – perhaps as many as half – will take advantage of early voting, which

    ‘I’m a failure’: how schema therapy tackles the deep-rooted beliefs that affect our mental health
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Houlihan, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, University of the Sunshine Coast Jorm Sangsorn/Shutterstock If you ever find yourself stuck in repeated cycles of negative emotion, you’re not alone. More than 40% of Australians will experience a mental health issue in their lifetime. Many are linked to

    Parents delay sending kids to school for social reasons and physical size. It’s not about academic advantage
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Penny Van Bergen, Associate Professor in the Psychology of Education, Macquarie University If you have a child born at the start of the year, you may be faced with a tricky and stressful decision. Do you send them to school “early”, in the year they turn five?

    Since its very conception, Star Wars has been political. Now Andor will take on Trump 2.0
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Golding, Professor and Chair of the Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology Lucasfilm Ltd™ Premiering today, the second and final season of Star Wars streaming show Andor seems destined to be one of the pop culture defining moments of the second Trump presidency.

    Election Diary: Albanese government stays mum over whatever Russia may have said to Indonesia
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The imbroglio over the reported Russian request to Indonesia to base planes in Papua initially tripped Peter Dutton, and now is dogging Anthony Albanese. After the respected military site Janes said a request had been made, the Australian government quickly

    How the next pope will be elected – what goes on at the conclave
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross Cardinals attend Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, before they enter the conclave to decide who the next pope will be, on March 12, 2013, in Vatican City. Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Image With the death of

    Twinkling star reveals the shocking secrets of turbulent plasma in our cosmic neighbourhood
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Reardon, Postdoctoral Researcher, Pulsar Timing and Gravitational Waves, Swinburne University of Technology Artist’s impression of a pulsar bow shock scattering a radio beam. Carl Knox/Swinburne/OzGrav With the most powerful radio telescope in the southern hemisphere, we have observed a twinkling star and discovered an abundance of

    Pope Francis has died, aged 88. These were his greatest reforms – and controversies
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joel Hodge, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Theology and Philosophy, Australian Catholic University Pope Francis has died on Easter Monday, aged 88, the Vatican announced. The head of the Catholic Church had recently survived being hospitalised with a serious bout of double pneumonia. Cardinal Kevin Farrell’s announcement began:

    Pope Francis tried to change the Catholic Church for women, with mixed success
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracy McEwan, School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences, University of Newcastle Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. On Easter Sunday, he used his message and blessing to appeal for peace in Middle East and

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 21, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 21, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sanctions imposed on US individuals

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China has decided to impose sanctions on some United States lawmakers, government officials and heads of NGOs for their egregious actions on issues related to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

    The move is in response to Washington’s abuse of illegal and unilateral sanctions on officials representing the central government in Hong Kong and officials of the SAR government, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

    On March 31, the US Department of State announced its sanctions against six Chinese officials for allegedly “undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy”. The sanctions block any transactions on property, funds or deals within the US made by these individuals.

    “The US’ unilateral sanctions gravely interfere in China’s internal affairs, including Hong Kong affairs, and violate the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations. China strongly condemns this despicable move,” Guo said.

    According to the spokesman, China’s decision was made in accordance with the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, which was passed in 2021 to counter foreign sanctions. It gives China legal support and guarantee to counter discriminatory measures by a foreign country in accordance with the law.

    Guo reminded the US that Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs, which “brook no US interference”.

    “Any wrong action taken by the US on Hong Kong-related issues will be met with a resolute response and reciprocal countermeasures by China,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appeal for information after assault incident, Poukawa

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are currently investigating an assault that occurred during a Council-sanctioned cycling race in Poukawa at the weekend and are seeking information from the public.

    At around 2:45pm on Saturday 19 April, the occupants of a black Ford Ranger ute were seen throwing bottles from their vehicle towards participants of the cycle race on Munity Road.

    A young person was hit by a bottle and fell off their bike, fortunately the injuries sustained were not serious.

    The vehicle then drove towards Middle Road and continued travelling south. The vehicle had large off-road tyres and a roll bar on the back.

    If anyone has information in relation to the vehicle involved, or the incident itself, please contact Police on 105, either over the phone or online.

    Please reference file number 250419/9446.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: St Johns homicide: Police seek witnesses in a white ute

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are continuing to follow several lines of enquiry in the homicide investigation launched in St Johns during Easter Weekend.

    Detectives have been working over recent days to piece together the violent events that unfolded on the night of 19 April.

    Police have had several members of the public come forward with information.

    Today, Police are appealing for witnesses in a vehicle to come forward in the investigation.

    Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin says Police are seeking the driver of a white Toyota ute who may have been cut off by a vehicle carrying the offenders.

    It has been established that prior to the fatal attack, the dark coloured SUV turned around further down St Johns Road at around 9.51pm.

    “While doing so, a member of the public has had to bring their vehicle to an abrupt stop,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

    “This vehicle was a white Toyota ute with a black sports bar attached on the back, heading in a westerly direction towards the Meadowbank Shops from College Road.

    “I would like to stress that the occupants of this white ute are witnesses, and they are not involved in the homicide.”

    Police urge those occupants to come forward.

    “I’m confident that someone will remember being cut off while they drove along St Johns Road,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

    “I urge any occupants of that vehicle to contact us as you may have crucial information to our investigation.”

    •  Investigation continues:

    Meanwhile, Police are still piecing together the victim’s movements throughout Saturday.

    Police can confirm the victim had purchased items from a nearby supermarket at around 9.40pm.

    He then walked on foot to the bus shelter on St Johns Road, about 400 metres away, before the assault occurred just before 10pm.

    Detective Inspector Baldwin says: “The victim was subjected to a senseless attack, leaving him with multiple head injuries.

    “No one should be subjected to the appalling level of violence that the victim suffered on Saturday night.

    “As yet, the weapon used in the assault has not been located.”

    Detective Inspector Baldwin says Police are keeping an open mind about why the attack occurred.

    “We have had a number of people contact us in recent days with information, and the investigation team are working through this with some urgency.

    “I acknowledge them for coming forward, and I continue to ask anyone with additional information to get in touch.”

    • The victim:

    Police are not yet in a position to formally release the victim’s name.

    “We are still working through the formal identification process with the Coroner’s Office and are speaking to his family who live overseas,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

    “The family are still in the process of notifying loved ones of what has occurred.

    “It’s the news no one should have to receive, so out of respect for them I won’t be releasing further information today.”

    • Police seeking sightings of vehicle of interest:

    Police would still like any information on a black SUV that was at the scene and left at speed following the fatal attack.

    “This vehicle came to a stop near the bus shelter, with at least two offenders exiting the vehicle,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

    “There is possibly a third offender and or other occupants may have been driving this vehicle at the time, and this is forming part of the investigation.”

    The vehicle fled the scene at speed towards College Road.

    Anyone who saw this vehicle around the St Johns area on Saturday night is asked to contact Police.

    Please contact Police online or call 105 using the reference number 250419/9858.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Minister condemns mining protest

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Protesters camping at a West Coast mining site should be condemned for their selfish and dangerous actions that put themselves and others at risk, Resources Minister Shane Jones says.
    “I cannot fathom the mentality of these blow-ins from other parts of the country to think that they have a right to speak for the hundreds of people who derive their living from mining.
    “They turn up, reportedly with an eight-month-old child in tow, to protest what is a legitimate industry going about its lawful business. In the process they are putting themselves in danger and sapping the resources of Police and other agencies.
    “I’m not sure if they have realised New Zealand is probably the only country transitioning from renewables to coal as Kiwis face down an economic downturn and rising power prices at the onset of winter.
    “This lack of awareness and consideration for others is mind-boggling. New Zealand is relying on a stockpile of 1.2 million tonnes of coal to keep the lights on this winter. Where do these activists think it comes from if not from mines?”
    “Mining brings in millions of dollars in royalties, and in wages and spending on infrastructure, plant and supplies. It is an industry with a proud history on the West Coast. It is incredibly insulting to the people of the West Cost who rely on this industry for a few protesters from outside the region to fossil-fuel their way, presumably, to the West Coast to vilify those people.
    “And to the stragglers who plan on protesting outside the office of Bathurst Resources in Wellington today, shame on you. Don’t think for a minute you are striking at the heart of the company. All you are doing is intimidating the people who work in the building and preventing them from going to work to put food on the tables of their families.
    “Businesses have a legal right, under a law passed by the New Zealand Parliament, to apply for fast-track approval. I’m confident in its robustness to ensure guard rails are in place for projects to ensure they comply with our environmental and conservation laws. These protesters should too,” Mr Jones says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Step into Canberra’s time machine

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Cover art: Lake Burley Griffin tourist brochure from ArchivesACT

    In Brief:

    • The ArchivesACT Reading Room has moved to a new location.
    • This story outlines some of the records that have been discovered at ArchivesACT.
    • It details how to visit or book an appointment at the Reading Room.

    “Experience the elegant charm of the old Lanyon Homestead.”

    “Try an English counter lunch and a Guinness in Tudor surrounds at the George Harcourt Inn.”

    “Go dancing at Juliana’s disco at the Lakeside International.”

    Can you guess where these phrases might have been published?

    The first two could easily be from a VisitCanberra Instagram post. The third might be a giveaway – especially if you were of nightclubbing age in the ‘80s.

    These recommendations are straight from a 1982 Canberra Tourist Bureau brochure. It was called Canberra: for Romantics. It serves as a window back in time to what our city was like in the early ‘80s.

    Tips from other brochures in the series include:

    • booking a stay at Gowrie Hostel
    • trying a grill-your-own steakhouse, like the Stockade
    • dining at Emma’s at “the Civic” or “the Kingston”.

    The brochures are the November 2024 find of the month from ArchivesACT. It’s just one example of the many pieces of Canberra’s history you’ll find within their records.

    What is the Reading Room?

    The ArchivesACT Reading Room is like Canberra’s very own time machine. It is open to the public and holds most ACT Government records that are more than 20 years old.

    The records offer more than just a moment of nostalgia. These are some of the community members who’ve recently used the Reading Room:

    • a group of Spence locals organising a party to celebrate the suburbs 50th birthday
    • a researcher looking into the history of Wyabalena Grove in Cook
    • a curator from ACT Historic Places investigating the history of Mugga Way.

    What sort of records can I find?

    ArchivesACT are a great source of information if you’ve ever wanted to find out more about:

    • the history of your home, street, or suburb
    • historic events or festivals
    • the background of a Canberra organisation
    • information about the development or history of a cultural institution.

    How can I visit the Reading Room?

    The Reading Room has recently moved to Building 6, 9 Sandford Street Mitchell. You can organise a visit by contacting Archives ACT or visiting on one of their ‘Walk In’ service days. These are on Mondays and Thursdays from 9am to 3pm.

    Find out more or book an appointment.

    Read more about these brochures and explore previous Find of the Month.

    Read more like this:

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rockford Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm

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

    ROCKFORD — A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to eight years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.

    CHARLES JACKSON, 26, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.  U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Rockford. 

    Jackson admitted in a plea agreement that in May 2022, while fleeing from the Rockford Police Department, he possessed a modified handgun loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber. As a previously convicted felon, Jackson was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. 

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson.

    Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Statement regarding Jason Doig

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Statement from Commissioner of Police, Grant Stevens:

    The death of Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig has had a profound impact on his family, the community and every member of South Australia Police.

    This is particularly so amongst his colleagues in the South-East of the state where his loss is still deeply felt. Jason was a valued friend and colleague to many. He was also a respected member of the local community.

    Jason’s death has also tragically highlighted the dangers frontline police face serving the community each day.

    Police officers start their shift not knowing what their day will entail or what possible dangers they may face, but they confront each tasking knowing that danger is ever present.

    While police are highly trained for all operational situations, unfortunately, more and more taskings now involve mental illness and have the potential to escalate, just like the incident that claimed Jason’s life.

    This fact is not lost on every police officer involved in serving their community.

    Jason’s family has been kept apprised of the discussions between the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Martin Hinton KC and counsel for the man charged with Jason’s murder and the attempted murder of Sergeant Michael Hutchinson. They were advised last month of the decision taken by the DPP and his reasons that the accused’s mental state was such that he was mentally incompetent at the time of the incident.

    While the Supreme Court will now decide his custodial future, it is important to that note the offender has taken responsibility for his actions and admitted he committed the violent acts he was charged with.

    South Australia Police appreciate the significant consideration this matter has been subject to.

    Regardless of the outcome of this tragedy, it will be of little solace to Jason’s family, friends and colleagues who still mourn his senseless loss.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, Charles Upham Drive, Rangiora

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police can confirm one person has died following a serious crash this morning.

    At around 7am, Police were notified of the single vehicle crash on Charles Upham Drive in Rangiora.

    Despite efforts by emergency services, one person died at the scene.

    A scene examination has been completed and the road has reopened.

    While enquiries into the crash are ongoing, initial indications suggest this is a suspected medical event and the death will be referred to the Coroner.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police seeking information after alleged assault

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Please attribute to Senior Sergeant Gareth Barnes:

    Police are seeking information from the public after an alleged assault in Wairarapa late last week.

    The incident occurred in the Upper Plain Rd/Upper Waingawa Rd area on Thursday 17 April around 6pm.

    Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, but Police are working to establish what happened. We would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time, specifically the driver of a ute which stopped and may have observed the events that unfolded.

    We urge anyone with information to contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.

    Please use the reference number: 250417/4922

    You can also provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 27 Members Or Associates Of Tren De Aragua Charged With Racketeering, Narcotics, Sex Trafficking, Robbery And Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Pamela Bondi, the Attorney General of the United States; Kristi Noem, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”); Todd M. Lyons, the Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Jessica S. Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today two Superseding Indictments charging 27 individuals currently or formerly associated with the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (“TdA”) with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, robbery, and firearms offenses.  The first Superseding Indictment (the “TdA Indictment”) charges six alleged members of TdA.  The second Superseding Indictment (the “Anti-Tren Indictment”) charges 19 alleged members of “Anti-Tren,” a splinter faction comprised of former TdA members, along with two additional associates of Anti-Tren.  Of the 27 defendants, 21 are in federal custody, including 16 who were already in federal criminal, immigration, or state custody and five who were arrested last night and today in operations in New York and other jurisdictions.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Today, we have filed charges against 27 alleged members, former members, and associates of Tren de Aragua, for committing murders and shootings, forcing young women trafficked from Venezuela into commercial sex work, robbing and extorting small businesses, and selling ‘tusi,’ a pink powdery drug that has become their calling card.  Today’s Indictments make clear that this Office will work tirelessly to keep the law-abiding residents of New York City safe, and hold accountable those who bring violence to our streets.”

    Attorney General Pam Bondi said: “As alleged, Tren de Aragua is not just a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that has destroyed American families with brutal violence, engaged in human trafficking, and spread deadly drugs through our communities.  Today’s indictments and arrests span three states and will devastate TdA’s infrastructure as we work to completely dismantle and purge this organization from our country.” 

    NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said: “Tren de Aragua is one of the most dangerous gangs in the country, and the NYPD has taken significant action to shut down their operations in New York City.  For the first time ever, TdA is being named and charged as the criminal enterprise that it is.  This isn’t just street crime—it’s organized racketeering, and this gang has shown zero regard for the safety of New Yorkers.  As alleged in the indictment, these defendants wreaked havoc in our communities, trafficking women for sexual exploitation, flooding our streets with drugs, and committing violent crimes with illegal guns.  Thanks to the dedicated members of the NYPD and the important work of our federal partners, their time is up.”

    According to the allegations contained in the Indictments:[1]

    The TdA Indictment

    TdA is a criminal organization that operated throughout New York City, including the boroughs of the Bronx and Queens, as well as internationally in Venezuela, Peru, and elsewhere.  The purposes of TdA included:

    • Preserving and protecting the power and territory of TdA and its members and associates through acts involving murder, assault, robbery, other acts of violence, and threats of violence, including acts of violence and threats of violence directed at former members and associates of TdA who associated with a splinter organization known as Anti-Tren.
    • Enriching the members and associates of TdA through, among other things:
      • The unlawful smuggling of individuals, including young women from Venezuela, into Peru and the U.S.;
      • The sex trafficking of young women (whom members and associates of TdA often refer to as “multadas”) who had been unlawfully smuggled into Peru and the U.S.;
      • The trafficking of controlled substances, including a mixed substance called “tusi” that contains ketamine; and
      • Armed robberies.
    • Keeping victims and potential victims in fear of TdA and its members and associates through threats and acts of violence.
    • Promoting and enhancing TdA and the reputation and activities of its members and associates.
    • Providing assistance to members and associates of TdA who committed crimes for and on behalf of TdA, such as lodging and interstate transportation for members and associates of TdA to flee prosecution.
    • Protecting TdA and its members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities through acts of intimidation, threats, and violence against potential witnesses to crimes committed by members of TdA.

    Members and associates of TdA transported “multadas” from Venezuela into Peru and the U.S. in exchange for debts that the “multadas” would pay back to TdA by engaging in commercial sex work.  Members of TdA enforced compliance among “multadas” by, among other things:

    • Threatening to kill “multadas” and their families,
    • Assaulting “multadas,”
    • Shooting or killing “multadas,” and
    • Tracking down and kidnapping “multadas” who tried to flee.

    Members of TdA also committed and conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit, acts of violence, including acts involving murder and assault, to protect and expand TdA’s criminal operations; resolve disputes within TdA; to retaliate against rival organizations, including Anti-Tren; and to maintain control over sex trafficking victims.  TdA members and associates also trafficked controlled substances, committed robberies, and obtained, possessed, trafficked, and used firearms and ammunition.

    The TdA Indictment charges JARWIN VALERO-CALDERON, a/k/a “La Fama”; SAMUEL GONZALEZ CASTRO, a/k/a “Klei,” a/k/a “Kley”; EFERSON MORILLO-GOMEZ, a/k/a “Jefferson,” a/k/a “Efe Trebol”; BRAYAN OLIVEROS-CHERO; SANDRO OLIVEROS-CHERO; and ARMANDO JOSE PEREZ GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Biblia” (the “TdA Defendants”) with conspiring to participate in the TdA racketeering enterprise.  Various of the TdA Defendants are also charged with participating in offenses relating to drug trafficking, carjacking, robbery, and extortion, as well as firearms offenses.  This case is assigned U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote.

    The Anti-Tren Indictment

    Anti-Tren is a criminal organization almost exclusively comprised of former members and associates of TdA.  Anti-Tren operated throughout New York City, including the boroughs of the Bronx and Queens, and in New Jersey, and elsewhere.  Like TdA, the purposes of Anti-Tren included:

    • Preserving and protecting the power and territory of Anti-Tren and its members and associates through acts involving murder, assault, other acts of violence, and threats of violence, including acts of violence and threats of violence directed at members and associates of TdA.
    • Enriching the members and associates of Anti-Tren through, among other things:
      • The unlawful smuggling of individuals, including women and girls from Venezuela, into the U.S.;
      • The sex trafficking of “multadas” who had been unlawfully smuggled into the U.S.;
      • The trafficking of controlled substances, including “tusi”; and
      • Armed robberies.
    • Keeping victims and potential victims in fear of Anti-Tren and its members and associates through threats and acts of violence.
    • Promoting and enhancing Anti-Tren and the reputation and activities of its members and associates.
    • Providing assistance to members and associates of Anti-Tren who committed crimes for and on behalf of Anti-Tren, such as lodging and interstate transportation for members and associates of Anti-Tren to flee prosecution, or bail money for members or associates of Anti-Tren who are detained.
    • Protecting Anti-Tren and its members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities through acts of intimidation, threats, and violence against potential witnesses to crimes committed by members of Anti-Tren.

    Like TdA,  Anti-Tren engaged in human smuggling and sex trafficking of “multadas,” into the U.S. in exchange for debts that the “multadas” would pay back by engaging in commercial sex work. And like TdA, members of Anti-Tren enforced compliance among “multadas” by, among other things:

    • Threatening to kill “multadas” and their families,
    • Assaulting “multadas,”
    • Shooting or killing “multadas,” and
    • Tracking down and kidnapping “multadas” who tried to flee.

    Members of Anti-Tren also committed and conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit, acts of violence, including acts involving murder and assault, to protect and to expand Anti-Tren’s criminal operations, resolve disputes within Anti-Tren, to retaliate against rival organizations, including Tren de Aragua, and to maintain control over sex trafficking victims.  Anti-Tren members and associates also trafficked controlled substances, committed robberies, and obtained, possessed, trafficked, and used firearms and ammunition.

    The Anti-Tren Indictment charges REINALDO RAFAEL GONZALES-VALDEZ, a/k/a “Mariguana,” a/k/a “Marijuana”; JOSE MANUEL GUERRERO-ZARATE, a/k/a “Mantequilla”; JOSE DAVID VALENCIA-DE LA ROSA; JOHAN CARLOS MUJICA-URPIN, a/k/a “Sobrino”; LUIS JOSE VELASQUEZ-HURTADO, a/k/a “Chito”; STEFANO SAID PACHON-ROMERO; GUILLERMO FREITES VELAZQUEZ; JESUS DAVID BARRIOS GARCIA, a/k/a “Morocho”; GIOVANNY VALENTIN BLANCO LUCIANO, a/k/a “Cachorrito”; ANDERSON JESUS DURAN BERROTERAN, a/k/a “Cachorro”; ROIMAN NOE BELLO FERRER; LUIS MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ-TAPIA; MARIO ANDRES PEREDA, a/k/a “Cara de Hombre”; ANDERSON SMITH ZAMBRANO-PACHECO; YEFERSON ALEJANDRO PRIETO GALVIZ, a/k/a “Flaco T,” a/k/a “Flacote”; JHONKENNEDY BRAVO-CASTRO, a/k/a “Negrito”; YENDER MAYKIER MATA; KELLEN ALEJANDRO JASPE BUSTAMANTE; and LUIS ANDRES BELLO-CHACON, a/k/a “Care de Peo” (the “Anti-Tren Defendants”) with conspiring to participate in an Anti-Tren racketeering enterprise.  Various of the Anti-Tren Defendants, along with co-defendants WILFREDO JOSE AVENDAÑO CARRIZALEZ and CARLOS GABRIEL SANTOS MOGOLLON, are also charged with participating in offenses relating to sex trafficking, conspiracy to import and harbor aliens, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, and firearms offenses.  This case is assigned U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil.

    *                *                *

    A chart containing the names, ages, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants is set forth below.

    The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) and NYPD.  He also thanked the Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office in Colorado; the Aurora Police Department in Aurora, Colorado; the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force of the U.S. Marshals Service (“USMS”); the Homeland Security Investigations National Gang Unit and New York Human Intelligence Division; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s New York Enforcement and Removal Operations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”); and the New York City Crime Analysis Center at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

    This case received significant support from Joint Task Force Vulcan (“JTFV”), which was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua, and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including the Southern District of New York; the Eastern District of New York; the District of New Jersey; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of Utah; the District of Massachusetts; the Eastern District of Texas; the Southern District of Florida; the Eastern District of Virginia; the Southern District of California; the District of Nevada; the District of Alaska; the Southern District of Texas; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division.  Additionally, the FBI; DEA; HSI; ATF; USMS; and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). In February 2025, Tren de Aragua was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jun Xiang, Kathryn Wheelock, and Timothy Ly are in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The Tren de Aragua Indictment

    COUNT

    CHARGE

    DEFENDANTS

    MAX. PENALTIES

    1

    Racketeering

    conspiracy

    18 U.S.C. § 1962(d)

    JARWIN VALERO-CALDERON,

         a/k/a “La Fama,” 29;

    SAMUEL GONZALEZ CASTRO,

         a/k/a “Klei,” 

         a/k/a “Kley,” 28;

    EFERSON MORILLO-GOMEZ,

         a/k/a “Jefferson,” 

         a/k/a “Efe Trebol,” 20;

    BRAYAN OLIVEROS-CHERO, 28;

    SANDRO OLIVEROS-CHERO, 25; and

    ARMANDO JOSE PEREZ GONZALEZ,

               a/k/a “Biblia,” 30

    		 Life in prison

    2

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    21 U.S.C. §  846

    JARWIN VALERO-CALDERON,

         a/k/a “La Fama,”

    BRAYAN OLIVEROS-CHERO,

    SANDRO OLIVEROS-CHERO, and

    ARMANDO JOSE PEREZ GONZALEZ,

               a/k/a “Biblia”

    		 20 years in prison

    3

    Carjacking conspiracy

    18 U.S.C. § 371

    JARWIN VALERO-CALDERON,

         a/k/a “La Fama,”

    SAMUEL GONZALEZ CASTRO,

         a/k/a “Klei,” 

         a/k/a “Kley,” and

    EFERSON MORILLO-GOMEZ,

         a/k/a “Jefferson,” 

         a/k/a “Efe Trebol”

    		 5 years in prison

    4

    Carjacking

    18 U.S.C. § 2119

    JARWIN VALERO-CALDERON,

         a/k/a “La Fama,”

    SAMUEL GONZALEZ CASTRO,

         a/k/a “Klei,” 

         a/k/a “Kley,” and

    EFERSON MORILLO-GOMEZ,

         a/k/a “Jefferson,” 

         a/k/a “Efe Trebol”

    		 15 years in prison

    5

    Hobbs Act robbery

    18 U.S.C. §§  1951 and 2

    JARWIN VALERO-CALDERON,

         a/k/a “La Fama,”

    SAMUEL GONZALEZ CASTRO,

         a/k/a “Klei,” 

         a/k/a “Kley,” and

    EFERSON MORILLO-GOMEZ,

         a/k/a “Jefferson,” 

         a/k/a “Efe Trebol”

    		 20 years in prison

    6

    Firearm use, carrying, and possession

    18 U.S.C. §§  924(c)(1)(A)(i) and (ii), and 2

    JARWIN VALERO-CALDERON,

         a/k/a “La Fama,”

    SAMUEL GONZALEZ CASTRO,

         a/k/a “Klei,” 

         a/k/a “Kley,” and

    EFERSON MORILLO-GOMEZ,

         a/k/a “Jefferson,” 

         a/k/a “Efe Trebol”

    Life in prison

    Mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years in prison

    7

    Attempted Hobbs Act extortion

    18 U.S.C. §§  1951 and 2

    JARWIN VALERO-CALDERON,

         a/k/a “La Fama,”

    SAMUEL GONZALEZ CASTRO,

         a/k/a “Klei,” 

         a/k/a “Kley,” and

    EFERSON MORILLO-GOMEZ,

         a/k/a “Jefferson,” 

         a/k/a “Efe Trebol”

    		 20 years in prison

    8

    Firearm use, carrying, and possession – conspiracy

    18 U.S.C. §  924(o)

    JARWIN VALERO-CALDERON,

         a/k/a “La Fama,”

    SAMUEL GONZALEZ CASTRO,

         a/k/a “Klei,” 

         a/k/a “Kley,” and

    EFERSON MORILLO-GOMEZ,

         a/k/a “Jefferson,” 

         a/k/a “Efe Trebol”

    		 20 years in prison

    9

    Firearm use, carrying, and possession – conspiracy

    18 U.S.C. §  924(o)

    BRAYAN OLIVEROS-CHERO, and

    SANDRO OLIVEROS-CHERO

    		 20 years in prison

    10

    Firearm use, carrying, and possession

    18 U.S.C. §  924(c)(1)(A)(i) and 2

    BRAYAN OLIVEROS-CHERO, and

    SANDRO OLIVEROS-CHERO

    		 20 years in prison

    11

    Possession of ammunition by an illegal alien

    18 U.S.C. §§  922(g)(5) and 2

    		 BRAYAN OLIVEROS-CHERO 15 years in prison

    12

    Possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien

    18 U.S.C. §§  922(g)(5) and 2

    		 SANDRO OLIVEROS-CHERO 15 years in prison

    13

    Firearm use, carrying, and possession

    18 U.S.C. §§  924(c)(1)(A)(i) and 2

    ARMANDO JOSE PEREZ GONZALEZ,

               a/k/a “Biblia,”

    Life in prison

    Mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison

    14

    Possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien

    18 U.S.C. §§  922(g)(5) and 2

    ARMANDO JOSE PEREZ GONZALEZ,

               a/k/a “Biblia,”

    		 15 years in prison

    The Anti-Tren Indictment

    COUNT

    CHARGE

    DEFENDANTS

    MAX. PENALTIES

    1

    Racketeering

    conspiracy

    18 U.S.C. § 1962(d)

    REINALDO RAFAEL GONZALES-VALDEZ, 

         a/k/a “Mariguana,” 

         a/k/a “Marijuana,” 41;

    JOSE MANUEL GUERRERO-ZARATE,

         a/k/a “Mantequilla,” 29;

    JOSE DAVID VALENCIA-DE LA ROSA, 27;

    JOHAN CARLOS MUJICA-URPIN,

          a/k/a “Sobrino,” 27;

    LUIS JOSE VELASQUEZ-HURTADO,

         a/k/a “Chito,” 30;

    STEFANO SAID PACHON-ROMERO, 21;

    GUILLERMO ENRIQUE FREITES-VELAZQUEZ, 26;

    JESUS DAVID BARRIOS GARCIA,

         a/k/a “Morocho,” 27;

    GIOVANNY VALENTIN BLANCO LUCIANO,

         a/k/a “Cachorrito,” 20;

    ANDERSON JESUS DURAN BERROTERAN,

         a/k/a “Cachorro,” 22;

    ROIMAN NOE BELLO FERRER, 37;

    LUIS MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ-TAPIA, 25;

    MARIO ANDRES PEREDA,

         a/k/a “Cara de Hombre,” 44;

    ANDERSON SMITH ZAMBRANO-PACHECO, 26;

    YEFERSON ALEJANDRO PRIETO GALVIZ,

         a/k/a “Flaco T,” 

         a/k/a “Flacote,” 24;

    JHONKENNEDY BRAVO-CASTRO,

         a/k/a “Negrito,” 27;

    YENDER MAYKIER MATA, 36;

    KELLEN ALEJANDRO JASPE BUSTAMANTE, 20; and

    LUIS ANDRES BELLO-CHACON,

        a/k/a “Care de Peo,” 31

    		 Life in prison

    2

    Sex trafficking conspiracy

    18 U.S.C. § 1594(c)

    REINALDO RAFAEL GONZALES-VALDEZ, 

          a/k/a “Mariguana,” a/k/a “Marijuana,”

    JOSE MANUEL GUERRERO-ZARATE, 

          a/k/a “Mantequilla,”  

    JOSE DAVID VALENCIA-DE LA ROSA,

    JOHAN CARLOS MUJICA-URPIN, 

          a/k/a “Sobrino,”

    LUIS JOSE VELASQUEZ-HURTADO,

          a/k/a “Chito,”

    STEFANO SAID PACHON-ROMERO, GUILLERMO FREITES VELAZQUEZ,

    JESUS DAVID BARRIOS GARCIA, 

          a/k/a “Morocho,”

    ANDERSON JESUS DURAN BERROTERAN,        a/k/a “Cachorro,”

    LUIS MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ-TAPIA,

    MARIO ANDRES PEREDA, 

          a/k/a “Cara de Hombre,”

    ANDERSON SMITH ZAMBRANO-PACHECO, and

    JHONKENNEDY BRAVO-CASTRO,

          a/k/a “Negrito”

    		 Life in prison

    3

    Alien importation and harboring for immoral purpose – conspiracy

    18 U.S.C. § 371

    REINALDO RAFAEL GONZALES-VALDEZ, 

          a/k/a “Mariguana,” a/k/a “Marijuana,”

    JOSE MANUEL GUERRERO-ZARATE, 

          a/k/a “Mantequilla,” JOSE DAVID VALENCIA-DE LA ROSA,

    JOHAN CARLOS MUJICA-URPIN, 

          a/k/a “Sobrino,”

    LUIS JOSE VELASQUEZ-HURTADO,

          a/k/a “Chito,”

    STEFANO SAID PACHON-ROMERO, GUILLERMO FREITES VELAZQUEZ,

    JESUS DAVID BARRIOS GARCIA, 

          a/k/a “Morocho,”

    ANDERSON JESUS DURAN BERROTERAN,        a/k/a “Cachorro,”

    LUIS MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ-TAPIA,

    MARIO ANDRES PEREDA, 

          a/k/a “Cara de Hombre,”

    ANDERSON SMITH ZAMBRANO-PACHECO, and

    JHONKENNEDY BRAVO-CASTRO,

          a/k/a “Negrito”

    		 5 years in prison

    4

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    21 U.S.C. §  846

    REINALDO RAFAEL GONZALES-VALDEZ,

          a/k/a “Mariguana,” a/k/a “Marijuana,”

    JOSE MANUEL GUERRERO-ZARATE, 

          a/k/a “Mantequilla,”  

    JOHAN CARLOS MUJICA-URPIN, 

          a/k/a “Sobrino,”

    GUILLERMO FREITES VELAZQUEZ,

    JESUS DAVID BARRIOS GARCIA, 

          a/k/a “Morocho,”

    GIOVANNY VALENTIN BLANCO LUCIANO, 

          a/k/a “Cachorrito,”  

    ANDERSON SMITH ZAMBRANO-PACHECO,

    YEFERSON ALEJANDRO PRIETO GALVIZ,        a/k/a “Flaco T,” a/k/a “Flacote,”

    YENDER MAYKIER MATA,

    KELLEN ALEJANDRO JASPE BUSTAMANTE, and

    LUIS ANDRES BELLO-CHACON, 

          a/k/a “Care de Peo”

    		 20 years in prison

    5

    Firearm use, carrying, and possession

    18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c)(1)(A)(i) and 2

    REINALDO RAFAEL GONZALES-VALDEZ,

          a/k/a “Mariguana,” a/k/a “Marijuana,”

    JOSE MANUEL GUERRERO-ZARATE, 

          a/k/a “Mantequilla,”  

    JOHAN CARLOS MUJICA-URPIN, 

          a/k/a “Sobrino,”

    GUILLERMO FREITES VELAZQUEZ,

    JESUS DAVID BARRIOS GARCIA, 

          a/k/a “Morocho,”

    GIOVANNY VALENTIN BLANCO LUCIANO, 

          a/k/a “Cachorrito,”  

    ANDERSON SMITH ZAMBRANO-PACHECO,

    YEFERSON ALEJANDRO PRIETO GALVIZ,        a/k/a “Flaco T,” a/k/a “Flacote,”

    YENDER MAYKIER MATA,

    KELLEN ALEJANDRO JASPE BUSTAMANTE, and

    LUIS ANDRES BELLO-CHACON, 

               a/k/a “Care de Peo”

    Life in prison

    Mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison

    6

    Obstruction of justice

    18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(c) and 2

    LUIS JOSE VELASQUEZ-HURTADO,

          a/k/a “Chito,”

    		 20 years in prison

    7

    Unlicensed dealing of firearms

    18 U.S.C. §§   922(a)(1)(A) and 2

    		 STEFANO PACHON-ROMERO 5 years in prison

    8

    Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a fugitive from justice and illegal alien

    18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(2) and (5), and 2

    		 ANDERSON SMITH ZAMBRANO-PACHECO 15 years in prison

    9

    Possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien

    18 U.S.C. §§  922(g)(5) and 2

    JHONKENNEDY BRAVO-CASTRO,

               a/k/a “Negrito,”

    		 15 years in prison

    10

    Possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien

    18 U.S.C. §§  922(g)(5) and 2

    WILFREDO JOSE AVENDAÑO CARRIZALEZ, 26; and

    CARLOS GABRIEL SANTOS MOGOLLON, 31

    		 15 years in prison

    [1] The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Suspected Murderer Wanted in Mexico Arrested in Spokane

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Spokane, WA – On April 18, 2025, at approximately 9:30 a.m., Jesus Salas-Rubio was arrested near the 1000 block of E Mission Ave in Spokane, Washington. Salas-Rubio was wanted on an outstanding federal arrest warrant in connection to a homicide in Mexico.

    The U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) made the arrest without incident in coordination with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Spokane Police Department, and the Washington State Department of Corrections. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs coordinated with the Eastern District of Washington United States Attorney’s Office to issue a warrant and for the U.S. Marshals to execute an arrest warrant on April 16, 2025.

    Salas-Rubio was booked into the Spokane County Jail for his federal warrant. Mexican authorities have been notified that he is currently in custody.

    Salas-Rubio has a documented history of violence, including prior offenses involving shootings, assaults, and being a felon in possession of firearms.

    “The U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force prioritizes working with the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and our global law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims, no matter where the crime occurred. This arrest also reflects the continued collaboration among local, state, and federal agencies in identifying, locating, and apprehending the most dangerous fugitives,” said U.S. Marshal Craig Thayer.

    The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The task force’s primary mission is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives.

    Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or USMS Tips.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police monitoring gang movements, Wellington region

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Please attribute to Inspector Wade Jennings, Hutt Valley Area Commander

    Police are monitoring gang movements through the Wellington region for a funeral today.

    Motorists can expect to see a large number of gang members add associates travelling around the wider Wellington region.

    Police will have a visible presence as vehicles travel from Moera towards Foxton at around 11am.

    We remind those travelling on our roads to not act in a way that puts anybody’s safety at risk.

    Any unlawful behaviour where Police cannot take action at the time will be investigated and followed up with enforcement action.

    If you have concerns for your safety, or witness illegal behaviour happening now, please call 111 immediately.

    To report or send in any video footage of anyone causing concern, we encourage you to make a 105 report, either online or over the phone.

    Information can also be anonymously provided via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police urge public to prepare following two land rescues in the Kaimai Ranges

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Sergeant Anna Plowman:

    Police are urging the public to prepare for the worst before heading outdoors this long holiday period following two land rescues in the Kaimai Ranges.

    The first call for help came around 3.30pm on Friday 18 April, when Police were notified of two people having not returned from their hike.

    The pair were located at around 7pm near a river that had flooded and blocked their exit.

    Police kept in contact with the pair overnight before Search and Rescue, and Swift Water Rescue teams assisted them in getting back home safe the next day.

    On Monday 21 April at around 6.45pm, Police were called to an area near Rataroa Stream where a hiker got stuck while walking a four hour hike. The person was located around two hours later.

    Although we are pleased to have provided a swift response in both these incidents and help the three people return home safe, these incidents are a reminder to the public to prepare for any situation that may arise.

    New Zealand’s environment and weather can be unpredictable, and with the recent wet weather, our rivers and streams are flooded, fast flowing, and high. It will take a few days for the rivers to return back to normal levels once the rain has completely stopped.

    Your safety is your responsibility in the outdoors, by preparing for the worst-case scenario, you can enjoy your trip knowing you will be okay if anything goes wrong.

    Even the most experienced people can get caught up in situations where they need assistance, and any day trip has the potential to turn into an overnight situation.

    If you are going outdoors, no matter if it is hiking, hunting, or climbing, please follow the five simple steps of the Land Safety Code,

    1. Choose the right trip for you. Learn about the route and make sure you have the skills for it. It is important to choose a trip that suits everyone in your group. When you are looking at options, make sure to think about everyone’s fitness levels and experience in the outdoors.
    2. Understand the weather. New Zealand weather can change fast. Check the forecast and change your plans if needed. Weather can make or break a trip. It is one of the most important things to consider when going into the outdoors.
    3. Park warm clothes and extra food. Prepare for bad weather and an unexpected night out. Any trip, even if it is short and easy, need preparation. Packing the right things can make trips safer and more enjoyable.
    4. Share your plans and take ways to get help. Telling a trusted person about your trip details and taking a personal locator beacon can save your life. We all want our trips to go as planned – but sometimes they don’t. If you get hurt or lost on your trip, how would you get help?
    5. Take care of yourself and each other. East, drink, and rest, stick with your group and make decisions together. The best way to enjoy your experience in the outdoors and make it home safely is to look out for one another.

    Distress beacons can be hired for as little as $10 from many Department of Conservation Visitor Centres, and outdoor tramping and hunting stores.

    If you have purchased a beacon, make sure to register it at www.beacons.org.nz.

    For more information on outdoor safety, helpful free resources and videos, head to Know Before You Go – AdventureSmart – NZ Search & Rescue Council | AdventureSmart.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Missing person located, Christchurch

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police can confirm the 50-year-old woman reported missing from the Addington area on 16 April has been located safe and well.

    We would like to thank the members of the public who provided information that assisted in locating her.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Media advisory: St Johns homicide

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Media are advised that Police will hold a stand-up this afternoon regarding the ongoing homicide investigation in St Johns.

    Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin will speak to media at the scene on St Johns Road, at 1.30pm.

    We ask those media interested in attending to RSVP to media@police.govt.nz so we know who to expect.

    We will advise if there are any changes to timings.

    If you have issues, you can contact 021 191 3315.

    ENDS

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road Closed, Charles Upham Drive, Rangiora

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Charles Upham Drive is closed following a serious crash this morning in Rangiora.

    Police received a report of a single vehicle crash near Oxford Road at around 7am.

    Initial indications suggest there are serious injuries.

    The Serious Crash Unit have been advised.

    Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advocacy – PSNA appeals to government to initiate international call for a “no-fly” zone over Gaza

    Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

     

    The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa has this morning written to the Foreign Minister Winston Peters requesting New Zealand initiate the call for an internationally enforced “no-fly” zone over Gaza.

     

    PSNA Co-Chair John Minto says this would be a small but practicable step to blunt Israel’s continuing genocidal attacks on Palestinians.

     

    “Gaza is recognised under international law, and by the New Zealand government, as part of the illegally Occupied Palestinian Territory. As such, Israel’s intrusion into Gaza airspace is illegal, and is elevated to a war crime when its aircraft attack Palestinian civilians there to further what the International Court of Justice has described as a “plausible genocide”.

     

    John Minto says the United Nations has repeatedly said there are no safe places in Gaza for Palestinian civilians, where even so-called “safe zones” are systematically attacked as Israel terrorises the population to flee from the territory.

     

    “Suggestions for a no-fly zone have been made in the past but there has never been a better time for a concerted international effort to enforce such a zone over Gaza”.

     

    “In the week leading up to Anzac Day there is no better time for New Zealand to stand up and be counted.

     

    “New Zealanders from past conflicts, including in that very region in 1917 and 1918, have died in vain if today’s politicians refuse to speak out to end the death and destruction in Gaza.” 

     

     

    John Minto

    Maher Nazzal

    National Co-Chairs

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Haka in the House: what will Te Pāti Māori’s protest mean for tikanga in parliament?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic O’Sullivan, Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University and Adjunct Professor Stout Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington and Auckland University of Technology., Charles Sturt University

    Te Pāti Māori’s Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke lead a haka with Eru Kapa-Kingi outside parliament, November 19, 2024. Getty Images

    Time is apparently running out for the three Te Pāti Māori MPs whose haka in parliament during the Treaty Principles Bill debate last year attracted huge international attention.

    Parliament’s Privileges Committee has summoned the MPs to appear on Wednesday (April 23). But given their previous resistance to fronting up, it seems unlikely they will.

    The committee is investigating whether the haka broke parliament’s rules. The MPs say they don’t think they’ll get a fair hearing because the committee won’t allow legal representation or evidence from an expert in tikanga Maori.

    According to Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngawera-Packer, this “is a display of power designed to silence us”.

    But the case is about more than possible breaches of parliamentary protocol and standing orders. It also asks serious questions about our liberal democracy in general.

    Everybody needs to express themselves freely and without fear. So, when MPs leave their seats and come close to their opponents, does it cross a line? That was certainly the ruling last year when Green MP Julie Anne Genter was censured for crossing the floor and confronting another MP.

    Perhaps there is still good reason for New Zealand following the British parliamentary tradition of the government and opposition benches being two and a half sword lengths apart.

    But it has already been established that haka are allowed in parliament. The real questions are how, when, why and according to which rules or tikanga?

    The problem with ‘partnership’

    According to the political philosopher Nancy Fraser, democracy should support every citizen to participate in public life equally:

    [Justice] requires social arrangements that permit all members to participate in social interaction on a par with one another. So that means they must be able to participate as peers in all the major forms of social interaction.

    If parliament and the democratic system belong equally to everyone, then everyone should be able to say this ideal matches their experience. In other words, people have one voice of equal value, not just one vote.

    This is why the appropriate use of haka in parliament needs to be worked out. At one level it is about people being able to express their ideas in ways that make sense to them and the people they represent.

    At a deeper level, the issue revolves around who actually “owns” parliament. Everyone? Or everyone except Māori people and their representatives? Does everyone have a voice of equal value?

    Part of the problem is the notion of “partnership” between Māori and the Crown proposed by the Court of Appeal in 1987. Well intentioned as it might have been, this also created an “us and them” way of thinking.

    In this sense, the Crown and its institutions are seen as separate or foreign to Māori – as belonging to other people. If that’s the case, parliament can’t then belong to everybody or reflect everybody’s customs and ways of being.

    But if parliament belongs to everyone and sovereignty is not simply the oppressive authority of a distant king, but rather the shared property of every citizen, then the haka belongs as a distinctive form of political expression. It becomes part of the tikanga of the parliament.

    Tikanga Māori in practice

    However, tikanga is not simply about how parliamentary procedure deals with haka, waiata or the Māori language itself.

    As an authority on tikanga, Hirini Moko Mead, put it, the concept is

    a set of beliefs and practices associated with procedures to be followed in conducting the affairs of a group or an individual. These procedures, as established by precedents through time, are held to be ritually, are validated by usually more than one generation and are always subject to what a group or an individual is able to do.

    Like parliamentary standing orders, tikanga is procedural and grounded in broader principles of justice and ethics.

    Legal scholars Māmari Stephens and Carwyn Jones describe how tikanga prioritises relationships, collective obligations and inclusive decision-making. The Māori concept of wānganga or “active discussion”, Jones has written, is a framework for robust debate to enhance mutual understanding, but which doesn’t necessarily require consensus.

    Tikanga Māori and deliberative democracy

    The idea that political decisions should be based on reasoning, listening and serious reflection is known as deliberative democracy. It’s basically the opposite of outright majority rule based on “having the numbers”, which sometimes happens without any debate at all.

    Political theorists Selen Ercan and John Dryzek define deliberative democracy as being about

    putting communication at the heart of politics, recognising the need for reflective justification of positions, stressing the pursuit of reciprocal understanding across those who have different frameworks or ideologies.

    If that is true, then shouting across the parliamentary debating chamber doesn’t help. Nor does using the haka to intimidate.

    But using it to make a fair and reasonable point, to which others may respond, is essential to a parliament that is genuinely a “house of representatives”. Tikanga Māori and deliberative democratic processes offer complementary ways of working out what this could mean in practice.

    Dominic O’Sullivan 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. Haka in the House: what will Te Pāti Māori’s protest mean for tikanga in parliament? – https://theconversation.com/haka-in-the-house-what-will-te-pati-maoris-protest-mean-for-tikanga-in-parliament-254772

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Wisconsin Couple for Forced Labor

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    An indictment was unsealed today in Madison, Wisconsin charging a Wisconsin man with seven counts of forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and seven counts of alien harboring for private financial gain; the indictment further charged the man’s wife with seven counts of forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor.

    According to the indictment, between September 2015 and March 2018, Luis Abreu, 50, and his wife, Cybell Abreu, 50, used threats of serious harm and abuse of the law and legal process to coerce seven minor males and young men to perform labor and services. The indictment further alleges that Luis Abreu harbored the seven boys and young men, who he knew or recklessly disregarded to be unlawfully present in the United States.

    The defendants made their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Wisconsin on April 21. The charge of forced labor carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of alien harboring carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when done for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin, and Homeland Security Investigations Resident Agent in Charge Eric Rice of the HSI Milwaukee Office made the announcement.

    The HSI Milwaukee Office of the Resident Agent in Charge conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

    If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Paul S. Atkins Sworn In as SEC Chairman

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Paul S. Atkins was sworn into office today as the 34th Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Chairman Atkins was nominated by President Donald J. Trump on January 20, 2025, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 9, 2025.

    “I am honored by the trust and confidence President Trump and the Senate have placed in me to lead the SEC,” said Chairman Atkins. “As I return to the SEC, I am pleased to join with my fellow Commissioners and the agency’s dedicated professionals to advance its mission to facilitate capital formation; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and protect investors. Together we will work to ensure that the U.S. is the best and most secure place in the world to invest and do business.” 

    Prior to returning to the SEC, Chairman Atkins was most recently chief executive of Patomak Global Partners, a company he founded in 2009. Chairman Atkins helped lead efforts to develop best practices for the digital asset sector. He served as an independent director and non-executive chairman of the board of BATS Global Markets, Inc. from 2012 to 2015. 

    Chairman Atkins was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a Commissioner of the SEC from 2002 to 2008. During his tenure, he advocated for transparency, consistency, and the use of cost-benefit analysis at the agency. Chairman Atkins also represented the SEC at meetings of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets and the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council. From 2009 to 2010, he was appointed a member of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Troubled Asset Relief Program. 

    Before serving as an SEC Commissioner, Chairman Atkins was as a consultant on securities and investment management industry matters, especially regarding issues of strategy, regulatory compliance, risk management, new product development, and organizational control. 

    From 1990 to 1994, Chairman Atkins served on the staff of two chairmen of the SEC, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt, ultimately as chief of staff and counselor, respectively.

    Chairman Atkins began his career as a lawyer in New York, focusing on a wide range of corporate transactions for U.S. and foreign clients, including public and private securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. He was resident for 2½ years in his firm’s Paris office and admitted as conseil juridique in France.

    A member of the New York and Florida bars, Chairman Atkins received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1983 and his A.B., Phi Beta Kappa, from Wofford College in 1980.

    Originally from Lillington, North Carolina, Chairman Atkins grew up in Tampa, Florida. He and his wife Sarah have three sons.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Wisconsin Couple for Forced Labor

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    An indictment was unsealed today in Madison, Wisconsin charging a Wisconsin man with seven counts of forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and seven counts of alien harboring for private financial gain; the indictment further charged the man’s wife with seven counts of forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor.

    According to the indictment, between September 2015 and March 2018, Luis Abreu, 50, and his wife, Cybell Abreu, 50, used threats of serious harm and abuse of the law and legal process to coerce seven minor males and young men to perform labor and services. The indictment further alleges that Luis Abreu harbored the seven boys and young men, who he knew or recklessly disregarded to be unlawfully present in the United States.

    The defendants made their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Wisconsin on April 21. The charge of forced labor carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of alien harboring carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when done for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin, and Homeland Security Investigations Resident Agent in Charge Eric Rice of the HSI Milwaukee Office made the announcement.

    The HSI Milwaukee Office of the Resident Agent in Charge conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

    If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Columbia Man Sentenced in $1.2 Million Insurance Fraud and $30,000.00 COVID-19 Relief Fraud Cases

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man who ran a scheme to defraud insurance companies through staged accidents and who fraudulently applied for COVID-19 relief funds was sentenced in federal court today for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

    Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosanne Ketchmark to a total of 21 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Lawhorn to pay $187,109.75 in restitution to be divided among insurance companies, medical providers, and the Small Business Administration.

    Beginning in 2017, Lawhorn staged automobile accidents in the mid-Missouri area.  Lawhorn participated in three staged accidents and recruited other people, including family members to participate in the staged accidents.  Lawhorn and the participants would go to various hospitals complaining of fake injuries thereby increasing the medical billing. As a result, the cost of a potential settlement with the insurance companies would increase. During one staged accident, Lawhorn spoke to the insurance company while pretending to be a person with settlement authority.

    Lawhorn’s operation spread to the Kansas City, Missouri and St. Louis, Missouri areas. In total, Lawhorn either participated in or managed 10 total staged automobile accidents between 2017 until his arrest in 2020.  The total loss for all staged accidents was approximately $1.2 million.  In court, it was determined Lawhorn pocketed approximately $105,721.17 either through his direct participation or by requiring the other participants to pay him money.

    In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lawhorn, along with another person, Tina Battie, submitted applications for Economic Disaster Relief Loans that were available to small businesses during the pandemic. Lawhorn and Battie submitted applications to the Small Business Administration for the loans using fake businesses.  Lawhorn obtained $10,000.00 from his personal application and another $20,000.00 was obtained through two other fraudulent applications.  The loans were later forgiven.  Tina Battie was sentenced last year for her actions in the case.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aaron M. Maness.  It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Columbia, Missouri Police Department, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California State Prisoner Indicted for Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — Nathaniel Ray Diaz, 21, of Greenfield, was arraigned today after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment that charged him with sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and obstruction of justice, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Diaz was serving a three-year sentence at Avenal State Prison in Kings County for committing lewd acts against a 12-year-old and making criminal threats with a gun. Between July 5, 2024, and Nov. 25, 2024, Diaz used prison phones, a CDCR-issued tablet, and prison-monitored ViaPath messaging equipment to communicate with the victim. Although Diaz had a 10-year no contact order for a minor, he placed thousands of calls to the minor. He instructed the minor to create and transmit to him images of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. When Diaz learned that someone had contacted law enforcement about the communications, he directed people to delete evidence.

    This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Special Service Unit, and the Salinas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower from the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Diaz faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 50 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the sexual exploitation of a child, a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for attempted receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted of the obstruction of justice charge, Diaz faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Nationals Accused of Possessing and Distributing Fentanyl Face Federal Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging two Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally, with drug crimes.

    Jorge Luis Hernandez-Valle, 36, and Luis Alfredo Hernandez, 35, both Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally in Salt Lake County, Utah, were charged by complaint on April 10, 2025. 
        
    According to court documents, since March 2025, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating an alleged drug trafficking organization. During the investigation, detectives purchased narcotics during a controlled buy. During this time, two alleged drug runners involved with the organization and two vehicles were identified. On April 8, 2025, one of the vehicles, a Toyota 4-Runner, was stopped in Kearns, Utah, and a search warrant was executed. From the vehicle, detectives seized approximately 4,500 individual field-tested positive fentanyl pills. Hernandez and Hernandez-Valle were subsequently taken into custody. According to court documents, Hernandez was previously removed from the United States in July 2009 and September 2018. Hernandez-Valle was previously removed from the United States on three occasions, December 2007, September 2010, and May 2019.

    Hernandez-Valle and Hernandez are charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Their initial appearance on the indictment was April 18, 2025 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

    Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXANDER KOLITSAS, 31, of Wolcott, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for operating a catalytic converter theft and trafficking ring.  Judge Nagala also ordered Kolitsas to pay a $50,000 fine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into the theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles across Connecticut.  A catalytic converter contains precious metals, can easily be removed from its vehicle, and is difficult to trace, making it a desirable target for thieves.  The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component.

    Kolitsas owned and operated Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”), which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford.  From approximately January 2021 to June 2022, Kolitsas used Downpipe Depot to purchase stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves.  Kolitsas instructed his suppliers on the types of converters that would obtain the most profit upon resale, and he would often meet with them and transact business at his home late at night or behind a family member’s restaurant in Middlebury after hours.  Analysis of records seized from Downpipe Depot revealed that many of Kolitsas’s suppliers were selling thousands to tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen converters to Kolitsas each week.

    Starting in January 2022, Kolitsas maintained electronic invoices reflecting the purchase of stolen catalytic converters from his suppliers.  In several of the invoices, Kolitsas permitted his suppliers to use fictitious names or business names in order to create the appearance of proper recordkeeping while obscuring from his records the true source of the stolen converters.  The invoices show that between approximately January 26, 2022, and May 31, 2022, which was only a portion of the time period that Kolitsas operated Downpipe Depot and trafficked stolen catalytic converters, Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot paid more than $3.3 million to purchase converters from his suppliers.

    Kolitsas regularly transported and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey.  Some of these trips yielded payments in excess of $200,000.  In an interview with law enforcement, the owner of the New York recycling business estimated that he paid Kolitsas a total of approximately $10 million in cash for catalytic converters.

    The investigation also revealed that Kolitsas used proceeds from the theft and sale of catalytic converters to purchase a Ford Transit Van and other items.

    Kolitsas was arrested on August 24, 2022.  On October 7, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of promotional money laundering.

    Judge Nagala ordered Kolitsas to forfeit the Ford Transit Van, a 2016 Polaris Slingshot, $91,581 held in a Downpipe Depot bank account, and $75,127 in cash, all of which was seized by law enforcement during the investigation.

    Kolitsas, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 14.

    This investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the East Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Manhattan Man Convicted Of Raping And Sexually Abusing Two Teenage Girls And Distributing Methamphetamine To Minors

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict against SHYMELL EPHRON, a/k/a “Shy,” on two counts of enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and two counts of distributing methamphetamine to a minor, in a trial before U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett.  EPHRON is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As a unanimous jury found, Shymell Ephron lured two runaway teenagers back to his apartment in Harlem, where he repeatedly raped and sexually abused them for five days while plying them with methamphetamine and alcohol.  Thanks to the FBI and the NYPD, the girls were eventually found and returned to their parents.  I commend these young women for the bravery they showed by testifying at trial.  This Office is committed to keeping the children of New York City safe from sexual predators, and thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, the support of victim services specialists of this Office, and the willingness of the victims to speak up, Ephron has now been convicted for his egregious conduct and will face justice for the harm he caused.” 

    As reflected in the evidence presented at trial:

    Between approximately May 2024 and July 2024, EPHRON worked with others to distribute narcotics, including methamphetamine and cocaine, in Times Square and other locations in New York City.  On or about May 17, 2024, EPHRON approached two teenage girls in Times Square while he was selling drugs.  The girls had run away from home.  EPHRON convinced the two girls to follow him to his residence in Harlem, where they stayed with EPHRON for several days.

    EPHRON engaged in multiple acts of forcible rape, forcible touching, sexual abuse, and illegal sex with a minor while the girls were staying in EPHRON’s apartment.  EPHRON repeatedly provided the girls with methamphetamine, marijuana, and alcohol.  EPHRON also provided a cellphone to the girls to monitor their whereabouts, communicate with them about narcotics, and to persuade, induce, and entice them to return to his apartment each night so he could engage in unlawful sex with them.  Law enforcement agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) eventually rescued the two girls and returned them to their parents.

    *                *               *

    EPHRON, 35, of New York, New York, was convicted of two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and two counts of distributing narcotics to a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum potential sentence of 40 years in prison.

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

    Mr. Podolsky praised the work of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD.  Mr. Podolsky also thanked the New York State Police and the Yorktown Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison, Lisa Daniels, Michael R. Herman, and Andrew W. Jones are in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Albanian National Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Illegal Aliens into the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Fatjon Shytani, an Albanian national and resident of the Bronx, New York, with a scheme to smuggle illegal aliens from Canada into the United States for financial gain.  Shytani was arrested yesterday morning and was arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and indictment.

    “As alleged, Shytani conspired to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States to benefit himself financially, but was thwarted by the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “These types of schemes represent a significant threat to our national security and will not be tolerated.  This case demonstrates our Office’s continued dedication to protect our border security and the integrity of the immigration process.”

    Mr. Durham also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the New York City Police Department, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Albanian State Police for their valuable assistance during the investigation.

    Fatjon Shytani, an Albanian national, allegedly facilitated the illegal entry of foreign nationals into the United States in exchange for cash payments.  This alleged conspiracy established unauthorized border access designed to circumvent proper protocols and evade authorities.  The FBI remains dedicated to apprehending any individual who profits from violating the borders and security of our nation.

    As alleged in court filings, Shytani and his co-defendants conspired to smuggle foreign nationals from to enter the United States via illegal border crossing at the U.S. border with Canada.  During the course of the investigation, Shytani accepted cash from an undercover agent (UC-1) in exchange for arranging to have the agent’s significant other, who purportedly was from the Republic of Kosovo, smuggled across the Canadian border into the United States.  In reality, the agent’s significant other was another undercover law enforcement agent (UC-2).  Between March 12, 2024 and March 13, 2024, Shytani and UC-1 exchanged phone calls and text messages during which they agreed to meet in person on March 14, 2024, at a coffee shop on Long Island, New York.  On March 14, 2024, Shytani met UC-1 at the agreed-upon location where they discussed details regarding UC-2’s illegal crossing from Canada into the United States. At the conclusion of the meeting, UC-1 paid Shytani $14,000 in cash for the planned smuggling service.  On March 16, 2024, Shytani’s co-conspirators then attempted to smuggle UC-2 and two other aliens from Canada into the United States before being apprehended and later released by Canadian law enforcement.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of alien smuggling and transportation conspiracy, Shytani faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

    Assistant United States  Attorneys Andrew Roddin, Stephanie Pak, and Kate Mathews are in charge of the prosecution.  This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

    The Defendant:

    FATJON SHYTANI (also known as “Fati”)
    Age:  41
    Bronx, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-133 (SJB)

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Maryland Attorney Pleads Guilty to Not Paying Employment Taxes

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A Maryland attorney pleaded guilty today for not paying employment taxes withheld from the employees of his law firm.

    The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: James E. McCollum Jr. was an attorney licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia. From 1998 to 2024, McCollum was the sole proprietor of a law firm based in College Park, Maryland, which he operated using a series of business names, including McCollum P.C.; McCollum & Associates LLC; and The McCollum Firm LLC. Nevertheless, McCollum was always the sole owner and operator of the business.

    As such, McCollum exercised financial control over the firm, including hiring and supervising employees, operating the payroll, and maintaining signature authority over the business bank accounts. From at least 2000 onward, McCollum was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the government each quarter. McCollum was also obligated to pay over the employer’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes.

    The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.

    Over the last 24 years, McCollum, however, was frequently not compliant with his obligations to pay these taxes to the government or to file the necessary tax returns.

    Beginning in 2010, the IRS attempted to collect the unpaid employment taxes, issuing numerous notices and levies to the law firm. When the IRS was unable to collect the outstanding taxes from the firm, it assessed them against McCollum personally and tried to collect them from him as well.

    In 2020, instead of paying the taxes that were due, McCollum sought to thwart the IRS’s ongoing collection efforts by transferring his business and its employees to a new entity, The McCollum Firm. Yet, even after the transfer, McCollum continued to not file the requisite tax returns or pay the employment taxes over. McCollum acknowledged that from 2000 through 2024, he did not pay over at least approximately $2,174,992.83 in employment taxes.

    McCollum also acknowledged that he did not file his own individual income tax returns and did not pay $220,515 in individual income taxes due for the tax years 2020 through 2022.

    The court scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29. McCollum faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the failure to pay over employment taxes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. McCollum also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Assistant Chief Jorge Almonte and Trial Attorney Mark McDonald of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –