NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Indicts Honduran National for Illegal Reentry, Social Security Fraud, and Identity Theft Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned a superseding indictment this week charging an illegal alien with illegal reentry after deportation or removal, social security number fraud, and aggravated identity theft.   

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement made the announcement.

    According to the original indictment, Vidal Ricardo Murillo-Zuniga, age 34, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about January 22, 2025,Murillo-Zuniga was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about May 29, 2013.

    According to the superseding indictment, on or about June 13, 2024, Murillo-Zuniga committed social security number fraud in Nelson County, Kentucky when he used another person’s social security number to obtain employment at Mammy’s Kitchen. On that same date, he committed aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory 2-year prison sentence, when he used another person’s name, date of birth, and social security number during and in relation to the social security number fraud to obtain employment.

    The defendant previously made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on a federal complaint and arrest warrant. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years and a maximum sentence of 9 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE ERO.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: MS-13 Member Sentenced to Over 12 Years for Kidnapping, Witness Retaliation, and a Firearms Offense

    Source: United States Attorneys General 2

    An MS-13 member and Honduran national, illegally in the United States, was sentenced today to 147 months in prison for kidnapping, retaliating against a federal witness, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on Nov. 5, 2023, Bayron Wuifredo Santos-Recarte, 27, of Honduras, together with other associates of La Mara Salvatrucha 13, better known as MS-13, kidnapped a former federal witness at gunpoint in the parking lot of a laundromat in Nashville, Tennessee. The witness was kidnapped because, eight months prior, he had testified during a federal racketeering trial against MS-13 members. Specifically, the witness testified that MS-13 members tried to shoot and murder him on two occasions over a drug dispute.

    During the kidnapping, the victim was held in a truck for hours while being assaulted with a firearm, hammer, and machete. While Santos-Recarte and others assaulted the witness, they also questioned him about why he testified against MS-13 and threatened him with death. After the victim was finally able to escape and call for help, he was treated at a local hospital for serious injuries, which included fractured bones, internal bleeding, and an injury to his kidney.

    “The defendant, an MS-13 member, kidnapped a former federal witness and tortured him with a machete, hammer, and gun. This violence and obstruction of the American legal system is core MS-13 conduct and exemplifies why MS-13 has been designated a foreign terrorist organization,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department remains focused on eliminating this organization. There is more to come. Thank you to the prosecutors, ATF, and our local law enforcement partners for their relentless pursuit of justice.”

    “We will do whatever it takes to protect witnesses from harm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “If a witness is retaliated against, our office will bring the full might of federal law enforcement to bear on holding those responsible accountable for their crimes.”

    “On numerous occasions, individuals are silenced from ‘speaking out’ due to threats, intimidation, or the risks of serious harm,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Nashville Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “In this case, the victim/witness was kidnapped, terrorized, and physically assaulted by relentless, gang-affiliated criminals. Witness intimidation is a serious federal offense and anyone who retaliates against a government witness will be held fully accountable under the law. ATF remains committed to working alongside our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime and diminish the presence and influence of these dangerous and deadly criminal organizations in the communities that we serve.”

    When identified as one of the kidnappers and confronted by law enforcement, Santos-Recarte admitted driving the truck used in the kidnapping and knowing that the witness testified against MS-13 members during a trial. Santos-Recarte also admitted helping others force the witness into the truck at gunpoint and being present while others assaulted the victim. When federal agents arrested Santos-Recarte, he was in possession of an assault rifle.

    In December 2024, Santos-Recarte pleaded guilty to kidnapping, retaliation against a federal witness, unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and conspiracy charges. After he serves his sentence, he will be deported from the United States.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms investigated the case with assistance from the Metro Nashville Police Department.

    Trial Attorneys Matthew Hoff and Christopher Matthews of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Safeeullah of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Glock

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

    WASHINGTON – Damani Lamont Carmon, 31, of the District, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison for being in possession of a Glock firearm when he was pulled over by police during an April 2024 traffic stop.

                The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                Carmon pleaded guilty on Dec. 6, 2024, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge James E. Boasberg ordered Carmon to serve three years of supervised release. 

                According to court papers, on April 30, 2024, uniformed MPD officers were patrolling the 1800 block of Benning Road Northeast when they stopped Carmon’s vehicle for a traffic violation. After observing an open container of tequila in the vehicle, officers searched the car and recovered from its center console a Glock 23 .40 caliber firearm loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition. Subsequent DNA testing and analysis linked the firearm to Carmon.

                Federal law prohibits Carmon from possessing a firearm because he is a previously convicted felon. Specifically, in 2021, Carmon was convicted in Superior Court of assault with intent to kill and carrying a pistol without a license, arising from a 2019 shooting at a gas station in Washington, D.C. Carmon was on supervised release for that offense at the time he possessed the firearm charged in this case.

                Carmon has been held without bond since his Oct. 1, 2024, arrest.

                The case was investigated by ATF and MPD as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Va.

                The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Craft with valuable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul V. Courtney and Kyle R. Mirabelli.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 378 Immigration Cases Filed in the Western District of Texas This Week

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

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 378 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from April 11 through April 17.

    Among the new cases, a Mexican national named Cristo Jesus De Nasareth was arrested April 14 by U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Horse Patrol Unit along FM 170 near the U.S.-Mexico border. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that when asked if he had any weapons on his person, Jesus De Nasareth told the agents he had a pistol inside one of his pockets underneath multiple layers of clothing. Jesus De Nasareth made his initial appearance in a federal court in Pecos on April 17, charged with one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of illegal entry.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE ERO) agents in San Antonio received notification that Mexican national Netsai Moreno-Suarez was arrested for a traffic violation on April 11. Moreno-Suarez was transferred into ICE ERO custody, charged with illegal re-entry. She was previously removed from the United States in August 2023 after being convicted for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and being sentenced to five years of probation. If convicted, Moreno-Suarez faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

    On April 12, Janet Amanda Gonzales, of San Antonio, was arrested in Kinney County for allegedly transporting five illegal aliens further into the United States. A criminal complaint alleges that U.S. Border Patrol agents observed several individuals laying on top of each other on the backseat of Gonzales’s vehicle as she arrived at an immigration checkpoint near Brackettville. Gonzales allegedly admitted that she was conspiring with other subjects to transport the illegal aliens for monetary gain. A convicted felon, Gonzales was sentenced in April 2021 to two years of probation for exploitation of child/elderly/disabled.

    The following day, April 13, a USBP agent observed multiple people running away from the brush and enter a pickup truck on the side of Highway 277 near Texas Loop 79. The agent performed an immigration inspection on the individuals, allegedly discovering four illegal aliens and U.S. Citizen Roberto Hernandez. A criminal complaint alleges that Hernandez was contacted by a co-conspirator and asked to pick up a group of illegal aliens to transport them to a residence in Del Rio.

    USBP agents arrested Mexican national Arturo Mendoza-Yerbafria near Sanderson on April 15 for illegal re-entry. Mendoza-Yerbafria has been thrice deported, most recently on May 15, 2024 through Laredo Columbia Bridge. He was convicted in March 2018 and sentenced to 366 days in prison for one count of bringing in and harboring aliens.

    Honduran national Efrain Antonio Corroto-Herrera was arrested near Eagle Pass after records indicated he had been previously deported twice, the most recent removal being to Honduras on March 12 through Laredo. Corroto-Herrera was convicted in Austin on Feb. 26 for assault causing bodily injury, for which he received a sentence of 180 days confinement.

    Mexican national Zacarias Bautista-Emiliano was arrested by USBP agents for being an alien illegally present in the U.S, having been previously deported as recently as October 2024 through San Ysidro, California. The October removal was Bautista-Emiliano’s fifth deportation and his criminal history includes a felony conviction in 2013 for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14. His criminal record also includes two additional felony convictions: illegal re-entry in New Mexico in 2014 and illegal re-entry in Arizona in 2022. Bautista-Emiliano received sentences of 46 months in prison and 40 months in prison, respectively, for those convictions.

    In Austin, Honduran national Elvin Alexis Canelas-Morillo was placed into federal custody April 17. He pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury in a 2023 Travis County case and was sentenced to 179 days confinement. Canelas-Morillo has four prior removals, most recently in April 2022, and a lengthy criminal history that includes multiple immigration convictions, burglary of a building, and evading arrest. He now faces a charge of illegal re-entry.

    Mexican national Heber Vivero-Martinez was also transferred to federal custody in Austin on April 17. Along with three prior convictions for illegal entry, Vivero-Martinez was convicted in 2019 for assault causing bodily injury. At the time of his transfer, he was serving 20 days in the Travis County Jail for a DWI charge. Vivero-Martinez’s immigration record includes two removals in 2013 and four voluntary returns between 2007 and 2009.

    In El Paso, Mexican national Adolfo Martinez-Padron was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry. He has been previously removed six times, most recently March 27 through Del Rio. Martinez-Padron’s extensive criminal history includes two felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, two DWIs, and assault causing bodily injury to a family member.

    Mexican national Santa Cruz Garcia-Morales was arrested in El Paso as well, having been previously removed from the U.S. four times and granted two voluntary removals. In 2023, Garcia-Morales was convicted in Salt Lake, Utah and sentenced to 180 days in jail for domestic violence in the presence of a child. In May 2024, he was sentenced to 18 months of probation in West Jordan, Utah for aggravated assault.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Bacon Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Support Youth Leadership Organizations

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

    Bacon Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Support Youth Leadership Organizations

    Washington – Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) along Reps. Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02), Don Davis (D-NC-01), Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19),  Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), and David Valadao (R-CA-22) last week introduced the bipartisan Youth Lead Act.

    This bill allows the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants to support the operations of Future Farmers of America (FFA), 4-H, and the Scouts. These are preeminent youth leadership organizations in the United States with approximately eight million youth taking part. Participation in these organizations helps children make lifelong friendships and learn leadership and life skills. The grant program authorizes $5 million annually from 2024 to 2028. 

    “Every year I meet with youth involved in FFA, 4-H, and Scouts,” said Rep. Bacon. “They are always impressive and possess a strong work ethic, valuable life skills, and a commitment to teamwork. Ensuring our youth can participate in these great organizations helps to secure our country’s future leadership in agriculture and numerous other industries.”

    “As an Eagle Scout, I know firsthand the transformative impact youth organizations have—instilling discipline, purpose, and a deep commitment to service. The Youth Lead Act strengthens that impact by expanding access to proven programs like the Scouts, 4-H, and FFA. When we equip young people with these lifelong values and leadership skills, we’re not just preparing them for success—we’re preparing our nation for a stronger future,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.

    “In the Hudson Valley, youth organizations like the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H, and FFA have long helped shape the next generation of leaders,  teaching kids the value of service, responsibility, and community. The Youth Lead Act will ensure that young people in rural towns and small communities get the opportunity to grow and thrive. I’m proud to support the effort to expand access to these formative youth programs in New York state and nationwide,” said Rep. Lawler. 

    “Youth organizations like FFA, 4-H Council, and Scouting play a vital role in developing the leaders and citizens of tomorrow,” said Rep. Panetta.  “By expanding federal investments in these programs, we can support their critical work in equipping young people with the skills they need to succeed in their careers and contribute to their communities.  Congress must continue to invest in the next generation, and I’m proud to co-lead this effort to shape a brighter future.”

    “Growing up, I learned how important it is to work hard, be part of a team, and help others—and that’s exactly what programs like FFA, 4-H, and the Scouts teach,” said Rep. Sorensen. “The Youth Lead Act helps support these awesome groups so more kids in our community can build confidence, learn new skills, and become great leaders. When we believe in our young people, we believe in a brighter future for everyone.” 

    “As someone who grew up in a rural town, I know firsthand the positive impact youth organizations can have on our community,” said Rep. Valadao. “From teaching leadership skills to providing volunteer opportunities, programs like Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H, and FFA are an important outlet for young people in rural America. I’m proud to support this bipartisan effort to ensure our youth can participate in these programs no matter where they live.”  

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $30 Million More Now Available For Electric Vehicles

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced $30 million is now available for consumers to lease or purchase new electric vehicles (EVs) in New York through the State’s Drive Clean Rebate program, which provides point-of-sale rebates for more than 60 new EVs. In addition, incentives for EV chargers through the Charge Ready NY 2.0 program have been updated to expand consumer access to convenient, easy charging at multifamily buildings and workplaces, including hotels. Today’s announcement helps to make driving electric more affordable, increases the number of chargers available, and reduces pollution from the transportation sector in New York State.

    “New York’s leadership in driving the adoption of electric vehicles is helping consumers stay within their budget when purchasing or leasing a new electric car,” Governor Hochul said. “Along with increased savings, we are building out the infrastructure needed to provide hard-working New Yorkers convenient access to charging, helping to reduce range anxiety and make it easier to drive electric. These investments are key to building a cleaner future, lowering emissions and creating good-paying jobs.”

    The Drive Clean Rebate Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), offers a point-of-sale rebate up to $2,000 off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of an EV at participating car dealerships in New York State. The rebate is available in all 62 counties, with higher rebates available for longer range, all-electric vehicles.

    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Converting to EVs reduces the total cost of vehicle ownership through lower fuel and vehicle maintenance costs and NYSERDA is proud to help provide New Yorkers with more purchasing power through these rebates. And by supporting organizations seeking to install charging stations at their place of business, the State is ensuring that more new and existing drivers have a variety of options to power up their vehicle at easy-to-access locations for longer periods of time.”

    Also announced today to help make EV charging more accessible to New Yorkers, NYSERDA’s Charge Ready NY 2.0 program, which helps reduce equipment installation costs for Level 2 chargers, is increasing the incentive amount available to install EV chargers at multifamily buildings and workplaces, including hotels, from $2,000 to $3,000 per port. For locations in disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate Justice Working Group, the amount has also increased to $4,000 per port.

    Additionally, $3 million is being dedicated to locations that hold educational “ride and drive” community events, purchase or lease EVs, or offer free charging. The program also accepts new equipment and network eligibility applications from EV charger vendors.

    New York Department of Public Service CEO Rory M. Christian said, “Promoting electric car ownership and use is a win for consumers and a win for the environment. Congratulations to Governor Hochul for supporting the installation of charging stations and helping to ensure drivers have increased options to charge their vehicles.”

    The Drive Clean Rebate program has issued over 190,000 rebates to consumers since 2017, contributing to the more than 280,000 EVs on the road statewide. In the last year alone, Charge Ready NY 2.0 has supported the installation of more than 1,000 Level 2 chargers. There are more than 17,000 public chargers installed statewide – more public chargers than any other state except for California – and more than 4,000 semi-public charging stations at workplaces and multifamily buildings across the state.

    New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “New York State has made significant progress in developing the infrastructure to enable the electric vehicle transition, promoting cleaner transportation and reducing emissions statewide. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, this effort is being done with a focus on affordability and reliability. The Power Authority supports this work by aiding in fleet vehicle transitions and expanding the EVolve NY fast charging network, which currently offers 240 charging stations with more to come later this year.”

    Additionally, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) has undertaken significant efforts to build out high-speed chargers along New York State’s major travel corridors through its EVolve NY network, which include:

    • EVolve NY Fast Charging Network. The New York Power Authority’s EVolve NY fast charging network offers 240 chargers at 56 locations along major corridors and routes (I-87, I81, I-384, I-90, I-88, and I-86) and in all 10 economic development regions of the state. NYPA has surpassed the halfway mark of its goal to install 400 EVolve NY fast chargers by 2026. Battery-powered EVs equipped with fast charging capability can power up in as little as 20 minutes at EVolve NY fast chargers. See map here for locations throughout New York State.
    • Fast Chargers Coming to LaGuardia. Construction is beginning this month on NYPA’s largest EVolve NY site – LaGuardia Airport. The station, which will have 12 high-speed chargers, will be in a parking lot between terminals A and B, just off the Grand Central Parkway, and is expected to be completed by August. The site is for use by the public as well as rideshare vehicles. The airport currently has 13 public Level 2 chargers at Terminal B and C.
    • Federal Funding Allows Further Expansion. New York has completed eleven four-charger EVolve NY sites with National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program funding with two more to be completed this month. Nine more will be constructed over the next year. NEVI support to states is meant to close gaps between existing stations and the EVolve NY team has been steadily closing those range anxiety gaps.
    • New York City Adds Fast Charging Sites. NYPA is working with the state and city Department of Transportation to install hundreds of fast charging and Level 2 ports in New York City. Five new EVolve NY sites at municipal parking lots are expected to go into construction in 2025 and six more in 2026. The hubs will offer a total of 70 fast chargers and electrical connections for 280 future Level 2 chargers. NYPA is also supporting the construction of five fast charging hubs for the PlugNYC program, with two of these projects currently in construction in the Bronx and Brooklyn.

    Today’s announcement comes as the 2025 New York International Auto Show kicks off in New York City, which runs from April 18 through April 27 at the Javits Center. Visitors can stop by the NYSERDA and NYPA booth, located on level 1, to learn about incentives for purchasing EVs and programs that support charger growth throughout New York.

    In addition, the New York State Office of General Services (OGS), in collaboration with its GreenNY Council partners, is leading the way on converting the state fleet and building out the electric charging infrastructure that will support this transformation. Today, there are nearly 600 charging ports on state owned property, with another 600 in the pipeline.

    New York State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy said, “The OGS team is proud to be leading the implementation of Governor Hochul’s mandate to convert the state’s fleet to 100 percent zero-emission vehicles. The investment announced by the Governor today will increase New Yorkers’ access to EVs and EV chargers and contribute to creating a greener, cleaner, and healthier future for our state.”

    New York State is investing nearly $3 billion in electrifying its transportation sector and rapidly advancing measures to ensure that all new passenger cars and trucks sold are zero-emission vehicles, along with all school buses being zero emissions. There are a range of initiatives to grow access to EVs and improve clean transit for all New Yorkers including EV Make Ready, EVolve NY, the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program (NYTVIP), the New York School Bus Incentive Program, and the Direct Current Fast Charger Program.

    The Drive Clean Rebate and Charge Ready NY 2.0 programs are funded through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the State’s Clean Energy Fund.

    New York State’s Climate Agenda
    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    Source: US State of California

    Friday, April 18, 2025

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

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

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ), pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), is investigating and will independently review an officer-involved shooting (OIS) that occurred in Newport Beach, California on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at approximately 9:15 p.m. The OIS incident resulted in the death of one individual and involved personnel from the Newport Beach Police Department. 

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

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

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Gun Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on April 15, 2025 to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.

    According to public court documents, Rafael Partida, 47, attempted to elude law enforcement while armed with a loaded pistol. On May 19, 2024, an Iowa State Patrol Trooper attempted to stop Partida on his motorcycle. Partida eventually crashed the motorcycle, fled on foot, tossed his backpack, and was apprehended. In Partida’s backpack was a loaded handgun and 23 additional rounds of ammunition.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Partida will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety—Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Iowa State Patrol.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Arrest Nicaraguan Illegal Wanted for Grooming, Enticement of a Minor and Dissemination of Obscene Materials to a Minor

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Des Moines, IA – Members of the U.S. Marshals Southern District of Iowa Fugitive Task Force, assisted by U.S. Marshals in the Northern District of Iowa, arrested April 10 in Cedar Rapids a man wanted by the Iowa City Police Department on charges of grooming, enticement of a minor and dissemination of obscene materials to a minor. 

    Hanier Ivan Ramirez-Garcia, 29, is accused of arranging to meet with a person he believed was a teen for sex on Oct. 27, 2024, and sending her a sexually explicit photo of himself.

    Ramirez-Garcia was arrested in the 900 block of 3rd Street SE. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers determined Ramirez-Garcia, a Nicaraguan national, was in the United States unlawfully and immediately placed an ICE detainer on him.  ICE will take custody of Ramirez-Garcia upon his release from the Johnson County Jail.  

    “The Marshals Service is proud of the working relationship which has been formed with our federal, state and local partners,” said U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Iowa Ted Kamatchus. “Working together we have established a cohesive unit, dedicated to holding fugitives accountable, regardless of who they are or where they are from.” 

    The Southern District of Iowa Fugitive Task Force was assisted during this arrest by the Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brookfield — Update: Man wanted on province-wide warrants arrested

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Police have arrested Tayshawn Maloney and a second man following a motor vehicle crash near Brookfield.

    At approximately 1 a.m. on April 18, Colchester County District RCMP and Truro Police Service responded to a motor vehicle crash at Hwy. 102, Exit 12, near Brookfield. Officers learned that two vehicles, a pick-up truck and an SUV, had crashed off the exit and three males had fled the scene on foot into a wooded area. The two vehicles had fled from a traffic safety check point conducted by Truro Police Service on McLures Mill Rd. earlier the same morning.

    RCMP Police Dog Services and Emergency Response Team were dispatched to assist.

    Truro Police Service officers arrested one of the males, 27-year-old Tayshawn Maloney, after a short foot pursuit. Maloney was wanted on province-wide arrest warrants for several offences in Halifax and Millbrook, including aggravated assault and attempted murder. A short time later, RCMP officers arrested a second male, a 17-year-old of Eastern Passage, nearby. The youth was armed and wearing body armour at the time of his arrest. Efforts to locate and arrest the third male are ongoing.

    Truro Police Service seized three firearms, two sets of body armour, ammunition, and the two vehicles, one of which is believed to have been stolen, at the scene.

    The investigation in relation to the crash and firearms is ongoing, led by Truro Police Service with assistance of the Nova Scotia RCMP.

    File #: 2024-1254792

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Executive Vice President of Insurance Brokerage Pleads Guilty in $133M Affordable Care Act Fraud Scheme

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Florida executive pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to submit fraudulent applications to enroll consumers in Affordable Care Act insurance plans (ACA plans) that were fully subsidized by the government. The purpose of the scheme was to obtain millions of dollars in commission payments from the insurance company that operated the ACA plans. The federal government paid at least $133,900,000 in subsidies for fraudulently enrolled individuals.

    According to court documents, Dafud Iza, 54, an executive vice president of an insurance brokerage firm, participated in a scheme to fraudulently enroll ineligible individuals into ACA plans that offered tax credits to eligible enrollees. These tax credits, or “subsidies,” could be paid by the federal government directly to insurance plans as a payment toward the plan’s monthly premium. The scheme involved submitting false and fraudulent applications for individuals whose income did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the subsidies. Iza and his accomplices deceptively marketed subsidized ACA plans to ineligible consumers and falsely inflated consumers’ incomes to obtain the federal subsidies.

    In furtherance of the scheme, Iza and his accomplices targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and knew that “street marketers” working on their behalf offered bribes to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans. Marketers working for Iza’s accomplices coached consumers on how to respond to application questions to maximize the subsidy amount paid by the federal government and provided addresses and social security numbers that did not match the consumers purportedly applying. 

    Iza pleaded guilty to one count of major fraud against the United States and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the case.

    Assistant Chief Jamie de Boer and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    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 USA: United States Files Complaint Against Barco Uniforms and Its Suppliers, Alleging False Claims Act Violations in Connection with Underpaid Customs Duties

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: United States Files Complaint Against Barco Uniforms and Its Suppliers, Alleging False Claims Act Violations in Connection with Underpaid Customs Duties

    The United States has filed a complaint against Barco Uniforms Inc. (Barco), Kenny Chan, David Chan, and companies operated and controlled by the Chans, alleging that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly and improperly underpaying customs duties owed on imported apparel. Barco sells apparel, including uniforms, to restaurants and healthcare providers, among others. Kenny and David Chan operate various companies that supply Barco with apparel manufactured overseas, including in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington Jury Finds Mexican National with Ties to the Jalisco Cartel Guilty of Trafficking in Hundreds of Pounds of Fentanyl, Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine in Eastern Washington and Montana

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict in the trial of Luis Esquivel-Bolanos (a/k/a “Colorado”), age 45, of Guerrero, Mexico. Esquivel-Bolanos was found guilty on multiple drug trafficking and firearms charges.

    United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice presided over Esquivel-Bolanos’s trial, which began April 14, 2025. At sentencing, which is set for July 16, 2025, Esquivel-Bolanos faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life in prison. He may also face removal from the United States.

    The evidence presented at trial established that in January 2023, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) identified Esquivel-Bolanos as a member of a drug trafficking organization, which had flooded the Eastern District of Washington, including the Oroville area and the Colville Indian Reservation, with methamphetamine and fentanyl. The organization spread as far as central Montana, where many of the illegal drugs were being sold on Tribal land, including on the Crow, Northern Cheyenne, Rocky Boy’s, Fort Belknap, and Flathead Reservations. Within Eastern Washington, the organization was run by Esquivel-Bolanos and his co-defendant, Erubey Arciga Medrano. Esquivel-Bolanos was directly below Medrano, who previously pled guilty to his role in the drug trafficking conspiracy.

    The evidence at trial further established that the organization used threatening tactics to maintain control over their drug-distribution activities.  In one instance, the organization threatened that the Jalisco Cartel, who supplied drugs to Esquivel-Bolanos and his associates, would kill a confidential informant, who was strip searched when the informant was accused of being a “snitch.” On a separate occasion – not long before police were able to intervene and shut down the organization – Esquivel-Bolanos and others arranged for members of the organization to go to the home of a person suspected of stealing more than thirty pounds of methamphetamine from the organization and to threaten to kill that the suspected thief.     

    On April 19, 2023, BIA, DEA, the North Central Washington Narcotics Task Force, and other Federal, State, Local, and Tribal law enforcement, executed a series of federal search warrants at a number of homes in rural Okanogan County, near Oroville, Washington. In total, investigators seized approximately 161,000 fentanyl-laced pills (to include Mexi-blues and rainbow-colored pills), approximately 80 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 6 pounds of heroin, and more than 2 pounds of cocaine. The BIA, DEA, and their partners also seized approximately 12 firearms. Many of these drugs were obtained inside a trailer, where Esquivel-Bolanos was living at the time.  

    “I was able to work on this case and the investigation from the outset,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker, who tried the case along with his colleagues Nowles Heinrich and Echo Fatsis. Acting U.S. Attorney Barker continued, “The volume of drugs removed from Eastern Washington and Montana communities, including from Tribal land, is staggering.  At the time of Mr. Esquivel-Bolanos’s arrest, and even now, the seizure from the Medrano-Bolanos drug trafficking organization was one of the largest ever in rural Washington. I am grateful for the tremendous law enforcement efforts by the BIA, DEA, and others, who put an end to the dangerous and threatening tactics used by Mr. Esquivel-Bolanos and his associates.” 

    “Those who traffic drugs into our tribal communities need to know that they will be caught and prosecuted to full extent of the law.  I want to thank Acting U. S. Attorney Barker, the BIA Division of Drug Enforcement, the DEA, and all of the law enforcement agencies and AUSAs in Montana and Washington for their dedicated work on these cases,” said Kurt Alme, U. S. Attorney for Montana.

    “The conviction of this drug trafficker, who was part of a Mexican Cartel, is the result of intense collaboration and coordination between many Tribal, Federal, State, and Local law enforcement agencies.  These agencies came together to address the drug trafficking occurring across many communities in Eastern Washington and Montana, including seven different Indian Reservations,” said Deputy Associate Director Tom Atkinson of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division of Drug Enforcement.  “This investigation revealed the purposeful and specific exploitation of Indian Country by the members of this criminal network, illustrating the importance of continued vigilance and cooperation among law enforcement agencies.  This conviction sends a strong message that drug trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable communities will not be tolerated.  The Bureau of Indian Affairs remains committed to empowering tribal law enforcement and to working with its partners to ensure the safety and well-being of all communities affected by drug trafficking.”

    “Mr. Esquivel- Bolanos was second in command of the drug trafficking ring responsible for flooding the Oroville area and Colville Indian Reservation with deadly fentanyl and meth,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Drug traffickers who purposely prey on our tribal communities are the worst offenders, and with the help of the jury this Mexican National will be held accountable.”

    This case was prosecuted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program provides supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the investigation of transnational drug trafficking and related offenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for these drug related offenses in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the North Central Washington Narcotics Task Force.  The investigation team was assisted by the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Okanogan County Sheriff, Colville Tribal Police Department, and the Kalispel Tribal Police Department. The Eastern Washington cases are being prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker, Assistant United States Attorney Nowles H. Heinrich, and Contractor Echo D. Fatsis. Twenty-seven defendants were charged and convicted through a parallel prosecution handled by AUSAs and support staff in the District of Montana.  

    2:23-cr-00047-TOR

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USAO Charges Multiple Defendants with Immigration-related Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that federal grand juries in the Northern District of Ohio have returned indictments for the following individuals on charges of immigration-related law violations. These are separate cases and are not related.

    Ana Alvarez-Limonche, 20, a citizen of Venezuela, was indicted on two charges of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents for having fraudulent permanent resident and Social Security cards. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP).

    Gildardo Alvarez-Rodriguez, 59, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Sept. 24, 2020. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CBP.

    Franklin Calix-Romero, 34, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person for possessing a Ruger 9mm semiautomatic pistol and 9mm ammunition. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by a joint FBI/State/Local Task Force.

    Jose Cruz-Aguilar, 41, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Feb. 27, 2017. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by a joint FBI/State/Local Task Force.

    Carlos Garcia-Garcia, 45, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Feb. 19, 2005. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CBP.

    Jhofran Andres Laya-Gutierrez, 28, a citizen of Venezuela, has been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer; destruction, alteration, or falsification or records; fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents; and misrepresentation of a Social Security number. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CBP and the FBI Toledo Field Office.

    Jeyson Martinez, aka, Jayson Martinez-Juarez, 32, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Nov. 23, 2018. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by CBP.

    Jose Maximiliano Zepeda-Gutierrez, 45, a citizen of Guatemala, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being July 10, 2019. The defendant was previously convicted in 2018 for conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI Toledo Field Office.

    An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

    A team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the USAO’s criminal division are prosecuting these cases.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisville Man Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – This week the last of three defendants charged in a conspiracy involving federal methamphetamine trafficking offenses was sentenced.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Kelvin Watkins, 41, of Louisville, was sentenced on April 17, 2025, to 13 years and 4 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Additionally, Watkins was on federal supervised release at the time of the above offenses. His term of supervised release was revoked, and Watkins was ordered to serve an additional 2 years and 4 months in prison, for a total combined sentence of 15 years and 8 months.

    Courtney Martin, 38, of Louisville, was sentenced on March 27, 2025, to 12 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and four counts of distribution of methamphetamine

    Durelle Clayton, 35, of Louisville, was sentenced on August 1, 2024, to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.

    There is no parole in the federal system.   

    This case was investigated by the ATF and LMPD.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Emily Lantz prosecuted the case.

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

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Seven-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced To 15 Years For Possession Of A Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States District Court Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Martez Manning (27, St. Petersburg) to 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Manning was subject to an enhanced penalty based on his prior convictions. Manning pled guilty on December 20, 2024.

    The indictment charged that, on January 2, 2023, Manning knowingly possessed a Beretta model 21A Bobcat semiautomatic pistol and two rounds of CCI 22 Long Rifle ammunition. According to court documents, Manning had previously been convicted of seven felonies, including possession of cocaine, tampering with physical evidence, and five convictions for either sale or delivery of cocaine. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Honduran national pleaded guilty on April 16, 2025 in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

    Manuel A. Padilla, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 18, 2025. In February 2025, Padilla was indicted by a federal grand jury.

    Padilla was previously deported twice, on March 15, 2010 and on June 28, 2013. According to the indictment, sometime after his 2013 removal, Padilla unlawfully reentered the United States.

    The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez and David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Files Complaint Against Barco Uniforms and Its Suppliers, Alleging False Claims Act Violations in Connection with Underpaid Customs Duties

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    The United States has filed a complaint against Barco Uniforms Inc. (Barco), Kenny Chan, David Chan, and companies operated and controlled by the Chans, alleging that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly and improperly underpaying customs duties owed on imported apparel. Barco sells apparel, including uniforms, to restaurants and health care providers, among others. Kenny and David Chan operate various companies that supply Barco with apparel manufactured overseas, including in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

    “Those who import and sell foreign-made goods in the United States must comply with all trade laws,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will hold accountable parties who evade or underpay duties owed on imported merchandise.”

    “We will not allow parties engaging in fraudulent schemes to underpay rightful customs duties to profit at the expense of the American public,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California.

    “CBP is proud of the investigative work and analysis done on this case and will continue to work collaboratively with interagency stakeholders to safeguard our nation’s economic security,” said Director of Field Operations David Salazar of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) San Francisco Field Office.

    To import merchandise into the United States, the party making the entry must declare, among other things, the value of the goods, whether the goods are subject to duties, the applicable duty rate, and the amount of duties owed. CBP relies on these representations to levy and collect duties on imported merchandise. A commercial invoice reflecting the value of the goods is required to support the declarations submitted to CBP.

    The United States’ complaint alleges that the defendants conspired to knowingly and improperly avoid or decrease the payment of customs duties by undervaluing imported garments Barco purchased from foreign suppliers. Among other things, the government’s complaint alleges that the defendants used a double-invoicing scheme featuring false entry summaries presented to CBP that undervalued imported goods purchased by Barco, thereby reducing the duties paid on the merchandise. The government further contends that the defendants continued to underpay customs duties even after a third-party auditor advised Barco of risks associated with the underpayment of duties and recommended that Barco “double-check” duty calculations underlying prices that Barco agreed to with its foreign suppliers. In addition to Barco, Kenny Chan, and David Chan, the government’s complaint asserts claims against the following entities operated and controlled by the Chans: Able Allied Limited, Nathan Global Direct Inc., J&K Garment Inc., Mega Goodwill Ltd., JS Garment Co., and Superway Import & Export Inc. 

    The lawsuit was originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Toni Lee, the former director of product commercialization at Barco Uniforms. The act permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in any recovery. The act also permits the United States to intervene in and take over responsibility for such an action, as it has done in this case.

    Senior Trial Counsel Elspeth A. England of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Thiess for the Eastern District of California are handling the matter, with assistance provided by CBP and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is United States ex rel. Lee v. Barco Uniforms Inc., et al., No. 2:16-CV-1805 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

    The claims asserted by the United States are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Charged with Possession of Stolen Firearm and Oxycodone Following U Street Arrest

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – Don Diego Chase, 25, of the District has been indicted on federal firearms and drug charges as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

                Chase is charged in a three-count indictment unsealed in federal court with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to distribute Oxycodone, and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

                According to court documents, on July 24, 2024, officers from the Third District Crime Suppression Unit were patrolling the U Street Corridor when they encountered an individual, later identified as Chase. When officers attempted to engage Chase, Chase fled on foot, leading to a brief pursuit. It is alleged that during the pursuit, officers observed a black, L-shaped object fall from Chase.  The object was recovered and subsequently confirmed to be a 9mm HS Product (imported by Springfield Armory) XDM firearm, which had been reported stolen out of Atlanta, Georgia.  At the time of Chase’s arrest, the firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber and fifteen additional rounds in a large-capacity magazine.

                A search incident to arrest revealed that Chase was also carrying over 500 Oxycodone pills and $11,621.96 in U.S. currency.   

                Officers determined that Chase did not have a license to carry a firearm in the District of Columbia and that Chase had prior convictions which prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.  Authorities also discovered that Chase had several outstanding arrest warrants for carjacking and armed robbery.

                This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti. 

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To More Than Five Years In Federal Prison For Possessing A Loaded Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States District Court Judge Virginia M. Covington has sentenced Darrius Lovett (28, St. Petersburg) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Lovett pled guilty on January 14, 2025.

    According to court documents, on November 2, 2023, the St. Petersburg Police Department Surveillance Unit located Lovett to arrest him on a felony warrant. A police officer who located Lovett told him to get on the ground, and Lovett refused and ran away from the officer. During the short pursuit, the officer observed Lovett toss a firearm from his right hand. The firearm was located in the area of Lovett’s arrest. A second witness, who was working construction in the area, also observed Lovett toss the firearm. Lovett has numerous felony convictions, including a prior felony conviction for felonious possession of a firearm. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Navy servicemember sentenced to 10 years in prison after attempting to meet a 14-year-old for sex

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor.

    According to court documents, on April 28, 2024, Michael Andrew Cook, 42, using the Whisper social media app, contacted another user who identified herself as a 14-year-old female in Virginia named Brittney. Cook identified himself as Mike and acknowledged Brittney’s age. In reality, Brittney was a special agent from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) working in an undercover capacity.

    From April 28, 2024, to July 12, 2024, Cook engaged with Brittney by text messages, telephone conversations, and social media messaging. At the time, Cook was a U.S. Navy servicemember assigned to a Naval Command at Naval Station Norfolk.

    Brittney stated that she was staying with her mother in Carrollton, but also stayed with her father in Hampton. Cook and Brittney discussed her father being a U.S. Navy servicemember who was currently deployed. Cook suggested he could be “a kind of father figure” to Brittney.

    From June 27, 2024, through July 12, 2024, Cook initiated sexually explicit conversations with Brittney. Cook requested multiple pictures of Brittney and, on July 10, 2024, Cook asked Brittney when she would be in the Hampton area. Cook offered to pick up Brittney down the road from where she was staying and called her to discuss him travelling to meet her.

    On July 12, 2024, Cook drove from Virginia Beach to Hampton to meet Brittney. Cook was arrested upon arrival after he messaged Brittney that he was parked in the circle in front of the house.

    At the time of the arrest, Cook had in his possession sexual toys, a pair of women’s underwear in a plastic bag, and human collars used in sexual fetishes.

    In addition to contacting the agent identified as Brittney, Cook contacted two other undercover agents posing as 14-year-old girls on July 9, 2024, and July 10, 2024.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Emily Schmid, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-106.

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  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘I never issued a criminal contempt citation in 19 ½ years on the bench’ – a former federal judge looks at the ‘relentless bad behavior’ of the Trump administration in court

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By John E. Jones III, President, Dickinson College

    ‘You just didn’t mess around with federal judges,’ says a former federal judge. ‘It was a good way to get your head handed to you.’ sesame, DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

    Legal battles between the Trump administration and advocates for deportees flown to prison in El Salvador have turned into conflicts between the government and the judges overseeing those cases. One federal judge, James Boasberg, accused Trump administration lawyers of the “willful disregard” of his order in March to halt those flights, saying there was “probable cause” to hold officials in criminal contempt. Another federal judge, Paula Xinis, strongly chastised government lawyers for their failure to follow her order – affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court – to “facilitate” the return of a man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, wrongly deported to El Salvador. Xinis cited the government’s “repeated refusal to provide even the most basic information as to any steps they have taken.”

    All this happened as administration officials made public statements disparaging the judges. Trump aide Stephen Miller described Xinis as a “Marxist judge” who “now thinks she’s president of El Salvador.” President Donald Trump had earlier called Boasberg a “Radical Left Lunatic Judge” in a social media post and demanded his impeachment.

    Politics editor Naomi Schalit interviewed Dickinson College President John E. Jones III about this extraordinary conflict. Jones is a former trial lawyer, former federal judge, and a one-time GOP candidate for the U.S. House.

    Right now we’re seeing two judges have a tough time with attorneys from the government. What governs behavior in the courtroom?

    For all the time that I was on the bench, and certainly before that, it was a pretty awe-inspiring thing to go into federal court. The federal court was the big leagues; you just didn’t mess around with federal judges. It was a good way to get your head handed to you, not because judges have hair triggers, but simply because there is a certain decorum that obtains in federal court, a gravity about the proceedings. It’s deference to the court and working within the boundaries of professional ethics. It’s being respectful when the court asks you a question. It involves never criticizing that judge in a personal way outside the courtroom, no matter how much you may disagree with the judge.

    I’m struck by the discourteousness of the government attorneys. They’re treating life-appointed district judges like they’re just impediments to what they want to do. It is something that has not ever happened, I think, in the annals of federal jurisprudence.

    Judge James E. Boasberg, chief judge of the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia.
    Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images

    Attorney General Pam Bondi said Boasberg was “trying to protect terrorists who invaded our country over American citizens.” Is this unusual coming from a U.S. attorney general?

    I think we’re seeing unusual behavior from the Department of Justice in every single high-profile instance. I have never seen anything like it.

    Even in the most strident disputes, I do not recall an attorney general of the United States or the DOJ senior leadership team so personalizing their criticisms of individual district judges. It borders on unethical, and these are, in many cases, contrived and ad hominem attacks on the integrity of these judges.

    Besides professionalism and ethics, one of the reasons you’ve not seen it before is because it puts the DOJ attorneys who are out there on the line in a very difficult spot in front of the judges. You need only look to the unfortunate DOJ career attorney who was suspended and fired when he essentially did nothing more than fulfill his duty of candor to the court in answering questions.

    What is expected of an attorney in the courtroom?

    In federal court, attorneys need to bring their A game. The proceedings move more quickly. The requirements to be well-versed in the law and the facts are much greater. The judges are of a different caliber than in some state courts and county courts. So you you have to be on the ball.

    What judges really don’t like are circumstances where attorneys are being disrespectful to them, where they’re blatantly being disingenuous and where they are unresponsive to the court’s entreaties. Judges practice law before they get on the bench; they understand that lawyers have a duty to zealously advocate for their client. But when lawyers appear to be misrepresenting what is taking place, that is a cardinal sin in federal court.

    Paula Xinis at the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing on her nomination to be a U.S. district judge for the District of Maryland on July 22nd, 2015.
    U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary

    Can you connect what’s going on with Judge Xinis to Judge Boasberg’s finding that probable cause existed to hold the Trump administration in contempt?

    Judge Boasberg tied it up beautifully in the memorandum opinion he wrote – the whole panoply from when the president’s Alien Enemies Act proclamation was signed in the middle of the night but not published until the next day, to the fact that three airplanes flew deportees to El Salvador after Boasberg had ordered them not to.

    It’s one big show of contempt for the court, rife with dishonest behavior, and I think Boasberg is entirely right to vindicate the authority of the court and commence these contempt proceedings.

    In the case of Judge Xinis, she’s not there yet. What she’s doing, in stages, is attempting to test the government’s compliance with the word “facilitate.” The Supreme Court had upheld her earlier order, saying “The order properly requires the Government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego García’s release from custody in El Salvador.”

    I don’t think the government’s going to do anything. The government’s position now is, if they don’t like any single thing that a federal judge does, they immediately appeal it with the idea that they want to get it to the Supreme Court. Assuming that the appeal is denied, or is granted, that means that down the road, there’s a showdown.

    Unfortunately, in Xinis’ case, I think the situation calls for some clarification. The government’s going to just be obdurate and they’re going to continue to be difficult and espouse their definition of “facilitate” versus what I think is a commonsense reading of the Supreme Court’s opinion.

    I don’t think the Supreme Court in any way meant for the government not to bring Abrego Garcia back. But in writing the opinion they were too soft, afraid of traipsing into the executive’s power to run foreign affairs.

    You have two judges seriously considering holding someone in the Trump administration in contempt, possibly even criminal contempt. What does it mean for a judge to be in that specific position?

    I never issued a criminal contempt citation in 19 ½ years on the bench against anyone or any entity. Never.

    The only contempt that I was ever in the business of issuing was civil contempt. Typically it would happen in a civil case when somebody wouldn’t produce a particular record.

    But in Boasberg’s case, I think it’s the relentless bad behavior of the government, as he details amply in his opinion, that has gotten him to this point. He’s not going to allow the bad behavior of the government to go unpunished. It’s a signal to the government that he sees their behavior in the worst possible light.

    Could the president pardon anyone Boasberg convicts of criminal contempt?

    I think he probably could. We’ll see. I think from Boasberg’s standpoint, he can play that out in his mind and say, “This might be an exercise in futility.” But I don’t think that’s the point. I think that the point is that he’s got to vindicate the authority of the court – and that happens even if the executive chooses to exercise the pardon power.

    John E. Jones III does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘I never issued a criminal contempt citation in 19 ½ years on the bench’ – a former federal judge looks at the ‘relentless bad behavior’ of the Trump administration in court – https://theconversation.com/i-never-issued-a-criminal-contempt-citation-in-19-1-2-years-on-the-bench-a-former-federal-judge-looks-at-the-relentless-bad-behavior-of-the-trump-administration-in-court-254877

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal to identify victim of hit and run collision in Wembley

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are appealing to identify a woman, who is believed to have been injured following a hit and run collision near Wembley Arena on Thursday, 17 April.

    The incident took place at Engineers Way at around 23:10hrs. The area was busy with many people having just left a concert by the artist Alkaline.

    Footage filmed by a member of the public shows the woman dancing in the road and narrowly avoiding passing vehicles.

    A car can then be seen driving into her and carrying her around 30 yards on the bonnet before she is thrown to the floor.

    The car did not stop at the scene. Members of the public called an ambulance but the woman was no longer there when officers and paramedics arrived.

    Officers carried out a search of the area and arrested a 33-year-old woman on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving whilst over the prescribed alcohol limit.

    She has since been released on bail to a date in early June.

    Investigating officers want to identify the woman in the footage to speak to her about the incident, to ensure she is okay and that she gets appropriate medical attention.

    Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or message @MetCC on X giving the reference 8317/17APR.

    To remain 100% anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Prison

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    TOLEDO, Ohio – Hershel Winbush, 68, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced to prison by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary after he pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery in Lucas County, Ohio, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release for a prior conviction. Imprisonment will be for a total term of 140 months (more than 11 years) for each count to run concurrently and pay $8,210 in restitution. Upon release from imprisonment, the defendant was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release.

    According to court documents and court records, Winbush entered several financial institutions in the Toledo, Ohio, area from 2019 through 2024 and threatened bank employees with violence by presenting notes such as “I have a gun, give me all the cash available,” and “This is a hold up. I have a gun.” Federally insured banking institutions that were affected included:

    • Woodforest National Bank, Glendale Ave., Oct. 24, 2019
    • Woodforest National Bank, Glendale Ave., Nov. 5, 2019
    • Jeep Federal Credit Union, Manhattan Blvd., April 8, 2024
    • Key Bank, Secor Rd., April 22, 2024

    During the investigation, authorities discovered that Winbush had a decades-long pattern of bank robberies and had multiple incarcerations and prior convictions for crimes of violence in Michigan. Winbush was classified as a Career-Offender by Judge Jack Zouhary.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Toledo Field Office and the Toledo Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Simko for the Northern District of Ohio.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gladbrook Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    A man who received child pornography was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison.

    John Thomas Carstensen, age 50, from Gladbrook, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 12, 2024 guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography.

    In a plea agreement, Carstensen admitted that, between August 2021 and August 2022, he knowingly received depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Carstensen has a prior felony conviction from 1993 for sexual exploitation of a minor.  

    Carstensen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Carstensen was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment.  He was ordered to make $27,000 in restitution to the victims in the case.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

    Carstensen is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-33.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prairieburg Man Who Sexually Exploited Children Pleads Guilty

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    A man who used Snapchat, Instagram, and text messages to persuade children to engage in sexually explicit conduct and send him photographs and videos of this conduct, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Bryce Hans Plower, age 37, from Prairieburg, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.  

    In a plea agreement, Plower admitted that he persuaded, induced, and enticed multiple children to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves.  At least two children under the age of 16 did so.  Plower paid the children, sometimes as little as $1, so that they would continue to send him sexually explicit images.  Plower also possessed photographs and videos of child pornography on his phone, including images of sadistic or masochistic conduct. 

    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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

    Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Plower remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Plower faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $77,200 in special assessments, and a life of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-91.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Executive Vice President of Insurance Brokerage Pleads Guilty in $133M Affordable Care Act Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    A Florida executive pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to submit fraudulent applications to enroll consumers in Affordable Care Act insurance plans (ACA plans) that were fully subsidized by the government. The purpose of the scheme was to obtain millions of dollars in commission payments from the insurance company that operated the ACA plans. The federal government paid at least $133,900,000 in subsidies for fraudulently enrolled individuals.

    According to court documents, Dafud Iza, 54, an executive vice president of an insurance brokerage firm, participated in a scheme to fraudulently enroll ineligible individuals into ACA plans that offered tax credits to eligible enrollees. These tax credits, or “subsidies,” could be paid by the federal government directly to insurance plans as a payment toward the plan’s monthly premium. The scheme involved submitting false and fraudulent applications for individuals whose income did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the subsidies. Iza and his accomplices deceptively marketed subsidized ACA plans to ineligible consumers and falsely inflated consumers’ incomes to obtain the federal subsidies.

    In furtherance of the scheme, Iza and his accomplices targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and knew that “street marketers” working on their behalf offered bribes to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans. Marketers working for Iza’s accomplices coached consumers on how to respond to application questions to maximize the subsidy amount paid by the federal government and provided addresses and social security numbers that did not match the consumers purportedly applying. 

    Iza pleaded guilty to one count of major fraud against the United States and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the case.

    Assistant Chief Jamie de Boer and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    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 Security: Omaha Woman Sentenced for Purchasing Firearms for Convicted Felon

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Stephanie Kessel, 41, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 16, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Kessel to three years of probation

    On July 28, 2023, Kessel met with an individual cooperating with law enforcement in the parking lot of Cabela’s in La Vista, Nebraska. The cooperator told Kessel that the cooperator was a convicted felon and the cooperator could not buy firearms legally. After hearing about the cooperator’s criminal history, Kessel walked into Cabela’s and purchased two Taurus 9mm handguns. After the sale, she walked back out to the parking lot and sold the guns to the cooperator for $1,000. To purchase the handguns, Kessel filled out a mandatory ATF firearms purchase form indicating that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms even though the firearms were actually purchased by the cooperator.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lincoln County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Waynesburg, Ky., man, Steven Fellmy, 46, was sentenced on Thursday, to 300 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine.

    According to the evidence at trial, on August 8, 2023, a Simpsonville Police Department Detective relayed an anonymous tip to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, which concerned the transport of a large quantity of methamphetamine from Anderson County into Mercer County.  As a result, Fellmy was traffic stopped in Mercer County, by a Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy.  At the scene, a Harrodsburg Police Department K9 positively alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle.  Law enforcement then searched the vehicle, which led to the recovery of 193.5 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine.  On his person, Fellmy also had 9.439 grams of methamphetamine and 22.529 grams of heroin.

    Under federal law, Fellmy must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. 

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Chief Scott Elder, Harrodsburg Police Department; Chief Thomas Brummer, Simpsonville Police Department; and Sheriff Ernie Kelty, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by DEA, Harrodsburg Police Department, Simpsonville Police Department, and Mercer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Baker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    – END –

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boone County Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Machinegun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COVINGTON, Ky. – A Burlington, Ky., man, Juan Velazquez-Rodriguez, 48, was sentenced on Thursday to 85 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for illegal possession of a machine gun. 

    According to his plea agreement, in January 2024, a law enforcement source reported that Rodriguez offered to sell the source, who was a convicted felon, a machinegun conversion device (MCD). Law enforcement searched Rodriguez’ residence and found a MCD in his dresser. The MCD was not marked with a serial number, and Rodriguez admitted he knew it was designed to convert a firearm into a machinegun.

    A search of Rodriguez’ social media and cell phone revealed messages between Rodriguez and another individual about 3D printing firearm parts.  Rodriguez later messaged this same associate from jail, and instructed him to remove everything that had to do with the 3D printer from the associate’s apartment. Rodriguez also offered to sell MCDs to multiple other individuals, explaining that the “switch,” or MCD, would convert a Glock handgun or AR-15 rifle to fully automatic. 

    Under federal law, Rodriguez must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. 

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Sheriff Les Hill, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by HSI and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel King is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    – END –

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –