NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Presses Agency Leaders on DOGE Access to Federal IT Systems and Data Repositories

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Gary Peters, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, demanded answers from 24 federal agencies on how the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and DOGE-affiliated individuals, many of whom do not possess security clearances, have accessed and used data in federal information technology systems. Peters is requesting information on how individuals accessing these systems are complying with federal cybersecurity and privacy laws to protect sensitive information.  
    “Since January 23, 2025, employees working on behalf of the U.S. Digital Service (USDS), which the Administration is referring to as DOGE, have gained access to systems and databases at multiple federal agencies,” Senator Peters wrote. “Federal agencies, as part of their authorized activities, collect, maintain, and utilize an enormous amount of sensitive data to carry out their missions. This data can include personally identifiable information (PII) collected from the public, federal and contractor employee data, law enforcement sensitive data, and confidential commercial information, including from critical infrastructure operators. Failure to appropriately control access to this data creates significant privacy and security risks and may violate federal law.” 
    Recent reports indicate that individuals claiming to be DOGE employees have allegedly threatened federal agency staff with dismissal when seeking unauthorized access to federal systems and data repositories. The Trump Administration has not yet provided information about whether DOGE personnel are following legal requirements for privacy and security, including the Privacy Act, E-Government Act, and Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA). There are also no details about how DOGE-affiliated individuals with system access are being vetted. 
    Given the sensitive nature of federal agency data, this lack of transparency raises concerns about the potential for data misuse. Moreover, reports suggest DOGE plans to apply artificial intelligence to agency systems and collected data. However, little is known about which AI tools may be used, what agency data will be processed, how data will be combined, or the cybersecurity consequences of allowing sensitive data to be processed with artificial intelligence tools.
    In the letters, Peters requested more information about the positions, employment details, security clearances, and reporting structures of all DOGE-affiliated individuals working at these federal agencies, along with details about which systems and data repositories were accessed by DOGE personnel, whether the systems contained sensitive or classified information, how data was transferred, and which security measures were in place. Finally, Peters pushed for information about any AI tools or models that DOGE-affiliated individuals have applied to agency data, including procurement details, use cases, and security and privacy assessments.
    Peters sent letters to the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of the Interior, Department of the Treasury, Environmental Protection Agency, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Personnel Management, Small Business Administration, Social Security Administration, and U.S. Agency for International Development. 
    Peters also sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting an audit of DOGE’s activities, focusing on whether they are complying with established privacy and cybersecurity laws for federal agency data and systems. 
    Text of the letter to the Department of Homeland Security can be read here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police catch up with wanted man

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    A wanted man with more than 20 warrants for his arrest has been taken into custody following a fleeing driver incident across Auckland this morning.

    Just before 8am, Auckland Airport Police spotted a vehicle of interest and approached it to speak with the occupants.

    Acting Waitematā East Area Prevention Manager, Acting Inspector Tim Williams, says the vehicle then fled at high speed.

    “Officers have elected not to pursue the vehicle and a short time later Eagle has observed it travelling at speed on State Highway 20.

    “The driver has continued on through Auckland and into the North Shore, where it exited and briefly went into a nearly underground carpark where it’s believed passengers were dropped off.”

    Acting Inspector Williams says the vehicle continued driving dangerously, overtaking traffic, running red lights and driving on the footpath.

    “At about 8.50am the vehicle was successfully spiked on Wairau Road, Totara Vale however, it has continued on driving in a dangerous manner and collided with another member of the public’s vehicle.

    “It’s incredibly lucky no one was injured and the damage was minor.

    “The tyres have then disintegrated and armed units, including Delta, have taken the man into custody.

    “ Other road users should not expect to have their safety put at risk like it was this morning during peak hour traffic, it’s completely unacceptable.

    “Great teamwork and a coordinated approach led to this man being apprehended and held to account for his behaviour.”

    A 38-year-old man will appear in North Shore District Court tomorrow facing a number of charges including aggravated failing to stop, dangerous driving, assault with a blunt instrument and possession of methamphetamine.

    Police will be opposing the man’s bail.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Venezuela Man Charged With Assaulting a Federal Officer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – Abraham Gonzalez Romero, 23, a citizen of Venezuela, was charged with forcibly assaulting a federal officer with physical contact and made his initial appearance in federal court today.

    According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Gonzalez Romero last entered the United States unlawfully at or near Eagle Pass, Texas, on or about September 20, 2023.

    On February 28, 2025, ICE Denver Fugitive Operations Unit and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver encountered Gonzalez Romero upon his release from the Denver County jail.  The officers present had ICE badges and placards clearly visible as they approached Gonzalez Romero.  As one of the officers attempted to contact Gonzalez Romero, he jumped over a nearby handrail and began to run.  Officers pursued him, and one officer positioned himself to block his exit. Gonzalez Romero continued running and ran straight at the officer rather than swerve to avoid him.  The two collided, the officer was knocked backwards from the impact, and both fell to the ground.  The officers subsequently subdued and arrested Gonzalez.

    The prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office.

    The charges in the complaint and indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Case Number:  25-cr-00106-REB

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Marshall Push for Roll Back of Biden Anti-Gun Rule

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) in reintroducing the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act. This legislation would remove the unconstitutional taxation, registration, and regulation of short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons under the National Firearms Act (NFA). 
    Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation in the 118th Congress. 
    “For too long, unelected bureaucrats have misplaced their priorities by overregulating the use of firearms that Americans are legally entitled to own,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Every American has a right to bear arms to protect themselves and their families. I’m proud to join legislation that cuts red tape and protects law-abiding gun-owners.”
    “‘Shall not be infringed’ is crystal clear – and the Biden-era abuses of the Constitutionally protected rights of gun owners across the country need to be undone,” said Sen. Marshall.“The SHORT Act takes a step toward rolling back nonsensical regulations that the National Firearms Act has placed upon gun owners. I challenge my colleagues in both chambers to pass this legislation and join me in fully restoring and protecting our God-given Second Amendment rights.”
    Sens. Tuberville and Marshall were joined by Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) in cosponsoring the legislation.
    Congressman Andrew Clyde (R-GA-09) led the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    Gun owners of America and the National Association of Gun Rights endorsed the legislation.
    Read full text of the legislation here.
    BACKGROUND:
    Using the NFA, the Biden Administration argued that people who own pistols with stabilizing braces are in possession of illegal short-barreled rifles. The ATF used that argument to facilitate a ban, forcing gun owners to violate their rule or participate in an unconstitutional registry titled “Amnesty Registration of Pistol Brace Weapons,” to keep their firearms. Eliminating unconstitutional and unnecessary restrictions, taxation, and registration placed on NFA firearms will ensure that the ATF does not enact any future version of this ban.
    In addition to removing the unconstitutional taxation, registration, and regulation of firearms, this legislation would also require the ATF to destroy all records relating to the registration, transfer, or manufacture of these NFA firearms, preventing the ATF from further harassing owners or confiscating these firearms.
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Portland Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition

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

    Tyson Dyer had previously been convicted of drug trafficking, illegally possessing a firearm

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of ammunition.

    U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Tyson Dyer, 38, to 24 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

    According to court records, in January 2023, officers from the Portland Police Department responded to a 911 call about two people smoking something inside a vehicle and something lit on fire inside the vehicle. When the officers arrived, Dyer was alone in the vehicle, which was registered to him. The officers observed an empty black gun holster on the front seat and after searching the vehicle, located five loaded magazines beneath some items on the seat. In all, officers recovered 103 rounds. Dyer was precluded from possessing ammunition due to previous convictions, including for drug trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.

    ATF investigated the case with assistance from the Portland Police Department.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods: 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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jefferson County man sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for armed robbery spree

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

    BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Jahmir Jacobi Riley, 19, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on March 31, 2025.

    According to court documents, an investigation determined Riley was responsible for convenience store robberies in Jefferson County in the fall of 2024.  On September 24, 2024, the Checkpoint gas station on Gulfway Drive in Port Arthur was robbed and the clerk was pistol-whipped.  On September 29, 2024, the Exxpress Mart gas station on Interstate-10 South in Beaumont was robbed and on October 3, 2024, the Hamshire Quick Mart gas station on Hwy 73 was also robbed.  Riley was identified through witnesses and surveillance video as the suspect.  Riley can be seen on one surveillance video brandishing a firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device, also known as a glock switch.  Riley was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 4, 2024.

    This case was sentenced as 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).

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Beaumont Police Department; the Port Arthur Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Quinn.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Will End Price-Gouging by Middlemen in the Entertainment Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    SUPPORTING AMERICA’S LIVE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to protect fans from exploitative ticket scalping and bring commonsense reforms to America’s live entertainment ticketing industry.
    The Order directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to:
    Work with the Attorney General to ensure that competition laws are appropriately enforced in the concert and entertainment industry.
    Rigorously enforce the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act and promote its enforcement by state consumer protection authorities.
    Ensure price transparency at all stages of the ticket-purchase process, including the secondary ticketing market.
    Evaluate and, if appropriate, take enforcement action to prevent unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive conduct in the secondary ticketing market.

    The Order directs the Secretary of the Treasury and Attorney General to ensure that ticket scalpers are operating in full compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and other applicable law.
    Treasury, the Department of Justice, and the FTC will also deliver a report within 180 days summarizing actions taken to address the issue of unfair practices in the live concert and entertainment industry and recommend additional regulations or legislation needed to protect consumers in this industry.
    ADDRESSING UNFAIR PRACTICES IN THE TICKET MARKETPLACE: President Trump is committed to making arts and entertainment that enrich Americans’ lives as accessible as possible.
    America’s live concert and entertainment industry has a total nationwide economic impact of $132.6 billion and supports 913,000 jobs. But it has become blighted by unscrupulous middle-men who impose egregious fees on fans with no benefit to artists.
    Ticket scalpers use bots and other unfair means to acquire large quantities of face-value tickets, then re-sell them at an enormous markup on the secondary market, price-gouging consumers and depriving fans of the opportunity to see their favorite artists without incurring extraordinary expenses.
    By some reports, fans have paid as much as 70 times the face value of a ticket price to obtain a ticket.
    When this occurs, the artists do not receive any additional profit—it goes solely to the scalper and the ticketing agency.

    While the BOTS Act—meant to stop scalpers from using bots to purchase tickets—has been on the books for over 8 years, the FTC has only once taken action to enforce this law.
    PROTECTING AMERICAN CONSUMERS: President Trump believes that Americans shouldn’t be subjected to exploitative pricing and unfair fees.
    This Executive Order tackles an issue President Trump highlighted on the campaign trail, where he vowed to work on combating high ticket prices and described the current climate, where fans are priced out, as “very unfortunate.”
    It builds on other actions President Trump has already taken since returning to office to protect American consumers.
    He terminated New York City’s congestion pricing scheme that hurt everyday Americans such as workers and small business owners. 
    He signed an Executive Order to empower patients with clear, accurate, and actionable healthcare pricing information.  
    He formally directed the whole administration to focus on price relief for American families to defeat the cost-of-living crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Placer County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Randy Anger, 57, of Carnelian Bay, was sentenced today to five years in prison and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and $10,200 in special assessments for distribution and receipt of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, in May 2021, Anger distributed and received child sexual abuse material on the Kik Messenger app while communicating with Brent Hooton. Hooton was separately charged and convicted in the Eastern District of California with production and distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. In November 2021, Anger also received several images of child sexual abuse material on the Wickr app.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance by Homeland Security Investigations and the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 2025 Prescribed Burn program commences

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services



    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 01/04/2025

    The ACT Parks and Conservation Service (PCS) 2025 prescribed burn program commences today and will run until the beginning of winter.

    The ACT Government undertakes an annual prescribed burn program each year which enhances the ecological and cultural values our local environment, while reducing the risk of bushfires and helping keep Canberrans safe.

    Cultural burns also take place during this period, which provides the opportunity for traditional owners to lead, share, and pass on cultural fire knowledge while achieving the program’s ecological or hazard reduction goals.

    Extensive planning and on-ground fire management occurs to protect sensitive ecological values within burn areas and contain operations.

    The following locations have been identified as part of this year’s program, noting that burns are only undertaken in suitable weather conditions:

    • Hardy Range
    • Bullen Range
    • Googong
    • Black Mountain
    • Uriarra
    • Pinnacle Reserve
    • O’Connor Ridge
    • Kowen
    • Mt Taylor
    • Mcquoids Hill Nature Reserve
    • Denman Prospect
    • Gungahlin
    • Old Mill Road
    • Molonglo
    • Jerrabomberra Grasslands Reserve
    • Jerrabomberra Wetland Reserve
    • Urambi Hills
    • Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
    • Crace Grassland Reserve
    • Gubur Dhaura
    • Mount Pleasant
    • Pialligo

    Additional burns may also be conducted during the season as appropriate. All burns are notified on the ACT Parks website.

    All safety precautions will be in place throughout the duration of the program. This includes buffer zones, signage and sweeps of the area prior to all operations.

    Fire crews will be on the ground monitoring and patrolling each of the prescribed burns to its conclusion, so the public do not need to be alarmed of any additional emergency vehicles or aircraft operating in these impacted areas.

    Smoke, flame, and glowing embers may be seen at these sites, which is normal for these types of operations. The public are asked not to call emergency triple-zero unless they see any unattended fire.

    Prescribed burns are an important part of the ACT’s annual Bushfire Operations Plan to enhance ecological quality, reduce the risk of bushfires and help keep Canberrans safe. Read more about bushfire management including the Bushfire Operations Plan on the ACT Government website.

    For more information on the locations of the prescribed burns this year and to stay up to date on the upcoming prescribed burns in your location, visit the ACT Parks website.

    – Statement ends –

    ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate | Media Releases

    Media Contacts

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Directorate Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Mike Lawler Demands Answers From the Jacob Burns Film Center After Refusal to Screen October 8th

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 3/31/2025… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler demanded answers from the Jacob Burns Film Center after news emerged that they have refused to screen October 8th – an important documentary that explores antisemitism on campuses, social media, and the streets since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack against Israel.

    The decision is called even further into question given that the Jacob Burns Film Center has had no issue screening No Other Land, a pro-Palestinian documentary that has proved controversial.

    This comes on the heels of the Jacob Burns Film Center’s hiring of Eric Hynes as Director of Film Curation and Programming. Hynes holds incredibly anti-Israel views, having signed a petition saying Israel is committing genocide and calling for the release of all Palestinian prisoners, including terrorists. He also signed another petition asking for the US to cease providing military support to Israel and calling Israel’s actions “apartheid.”

    Hynes has tweeted that Israel is committing “genocide,” claimed Israel was using the Super Bowl as “cover” to engage in military operations in the Gaza strip and were guilty of “supervillainy,” and stated that Israel is “deliberately starving Palestinians.”

    In addition, Hynes also expressed support for the antisemitic protests on Columbia and CUNY’s campuses last spring, claiming they were “peaceful” – despite their seizing of buildings by force.

    “I am appalled that the Jacobs Burns Film Center did not engage in due diligence in their hiring process, choosing to hand over the reins of curation at their esteemed institution to someone with deeply radical and anti-Israel views,” said Congressman Lawler. “This is a complete slap in the face to the Jewish community in the Hudson Valley.”

    “Unfortunately, this hiring decision has reared its ugly head in the biased choice to refuse screening of October 8th, a critical film that highlights the challenges faced by Jews in the US following the horrific October 7th attacks,” continued Congressman Lawler. “Given Mr. Hynes’ praise for the antisemitic protests at Columbia University and at CUNY, one doesn’t have to wonder if his personal anti-Israel bias factored into his decision to refuse screening this important film.”

    “The choice to screen No Other Land, while simultaneously denying screening of October 8th, calls directly into question Mr. Hynes’ intent, and given his long track record of being anti-Israel and supporting antisemitic protests, I fear the worst,” concluded Congressman Lawler. “The Jacob Burns Film Center should reflect on its choices and step in to ensure that there is a balanced set of films being offered to residents in Northern Westchester, not just one worldview pushed by someone with an axe to grind.”

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

    ###


    Screengrabs of the tweets referenced earlier can be found attached to this release from Hynes’ account.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, Sheffield

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    One person has died after the earlier crash involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on SH73, Sheffield.

    Diversions remain in place while the Serious Crash Unit examines the scene.

    Motorists should please continue to avoid the area.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Woman charged with drink driving following crash on West Tamar Highway

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Woman charged with drink driving following crash on West Tamar Highway

    Tuesday, 1 April 2025 – 9:02 am.

    A West Launceston woman has been charged with drink driving after she allegedly returned a breath analysis reading more than twice the legal limit following a single vehicle crash on the West Tamar Highway last night. 
    Emergency services were called to the crash about 9.45pm, where a black Subaru had crashed. 
    A 55-year-old woman who was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was not injured and was conveyed to the Launceston Police Station where she allegedly returned a breath analysis reading of.109 – more than twice the legal limit. 
    She was charged and bailed to appear in court at a later date. 
    Anyone who saw the vehicle in the area around the time is asked to contact police on 131 444 or provide information through Crime Stoppers Tasmania at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000 (information can be provided anonymously) – quote ESCAD 460-31032025.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Special Superior Court Nomination

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Special Superior Court Nomination

    Governor Stein Announces Special Superior Court Nomination
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein announced the following judicial nomination:

    Stephanie Brennan as a Special Superior Court judge. Brennan is filling the vacancy created after the Hon. Louis A. Bledsoe, III, retired. 

    • Brennan currently serves as a Special Deputy Attorney General and Section Head for Special Litigation at the North Carolina Department of Justice. She received her B.A. from Dartmouth College and her J.D. from Yale Law School.

    “Stephanie is an exceptional litigator, and I witnessed her legal acumen and leadership firsthand during my time as Attorney General,” said Governor Josh Stein. “She is committed to excellence and fairness, and I look forward to her service on the court.”

    Governor Stein sent the nomination to the General Assembly, which must confirm the appointment by joint resolution. 

    Mar 31, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lowndes County Man Sentenced in OCDETF Illegal Gun Possession Case

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

    Oxford, MS – A Lowndes County man was sentenced today to five years in prison for possessing a firearm while being a previously convicted felon.

    According to court documents, John Alan Glover, Jr., of Columbus, Mississippi pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Glover was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson on Monday to 60 months in prison for the illegal gun charge. He was further sentenced to three years supervised release following his release from prison.

    “We will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner.

    “The illegal possession of firearms by convicted felons is often intertwined with other criminal activities, including drug trafficking,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw.  “The involvement of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in this case underscores our commitment to targeting the nexus between firearms and drug offenses to enhance public safety.”

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.

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

    This case is also a 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: Five Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Money Launderers Charged

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Two federal grand jury indictments were unsealed in San Diego today against five alleged Sinaloa Cartel money launderers, including Alberto David Benguiat Jimenez, Israel Daniel Paez Vargas, Salvador Diaz Rodriguez, Christopher Ortega-Lomeli, and Christian Noe Amador Valenzuela. The indictments, returned in September and October 2022, charge the defendants with multiple drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. All defendants remain fugitives.

    To date, these money laundering investigations have resulted in charges against 51 defendants and the seizure of more than $4.1 million dollars and approximately 1,304 kilograms of methamphetamine, 34 kilograms of heroin, 11 kilograms of cocaine, and 14 kilograms of fentanyl.

    Four of the defendants – Benguiat Jimenez, Paez Vargas, Diaz Rodriguez and Amador Valezuela – along with Enrique Dann Esparragoza Rosas, who was previously charged, were also the target of sanctions imposed today by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

    OFAC has identified the defendants and others as members of a money laundering network supporting the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most notorious and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world, and a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The Sinaloa Cartel is responsible for a significant portion of the illicit fentanyl and other deadly drugs trafficked into the United States and has exploited multiple ports of entry along the southern border for its criminal activities. Please see https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0064.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Imperial Country District Office and Mexico City Country Office, along with the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation San Diego Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Calexico Office, and San Diego – Imperial County HIDTA are investigating these cases with assistance from the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

    These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Sutton, Joshua Mellor, Victor White, and Paul Benjamin. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Owen Roth provided substantial assistance in these cases.

    DEFENDANTS                                            

    Case Number 22-cr-02386-TWR

    Israel Daniel Paez Vargas                                                     Age: 45                         Mexicali, MX

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963.

    Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine.

    Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846.

    Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine.

    Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h).

    Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved.

    Case Number 22-cr-02387-TWR

    Alberto David Benguiat Jimenez                                           Age: 43                      Mexico City, MX

    Salvador Diaz Rodriguez                                                       Age: 39                      Mexicali, MX

    Christian Noe Amador Valenzuela                                        Age: 36                      Mexicali, MX Christopher Ortega-Lomeli                                                       Age: 38                     Mexicali, MX

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §1956(h).

    Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved.

    Case Number 22-cr-02185-BAS                                         

    Enrique Dann Esparragoza Rosas                                          Age: 39                        Culiacan, MX

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §1956(h).

    Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved.

    Hobbs Act Extortion, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a)

    Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Drug Enforcement Administration

    Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    Homeland Security Investigations

    San Diego – Imperial County HIDTA

    Imperial Valley Law Enforcement Coordination Center – Intelligence

    Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs

    Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control

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

    This investigation 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).

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

    The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides coordination and assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Executive Office of the President – Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Illegal Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on March 25, 2025, CARESSES PERIQUE (“PERIQUE”), age 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 92 months imprisonment, after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).  Following imprisonment, PERIQUE will be placed in supervised release for three (3) years.

    According to court documents, on Sunday, November 27, 2022, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) personnel were monitoring the 2600 block of Monroe Street during the annual Lady Buck Jumpers second line at which time PERIQUE was observed in possession of a concealed firearm in his waistband.  When approached by officers, PERIQUE immediately put his hands inside his front waistband.  The officers gained control of his hands and removed a loaded black Ruger P95, nine-millimeter handgun, from his front waistband. The handgun had one live  round in the chamber and nine  live rounds in the magazine.  Officers subsequently learned that PERIQUE had several felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

    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.

    The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy backs Grassley bill to curb judicial overreach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and colleagues in introducing the Judicial Relief Clarification Act, a bill that would address judicial overreach by prohibiting federal courts from granting relief to anyone except the parties before them. 
    “Some courts in this country have chosen to weaponize universal injunctions to stop the Trump administration from delivering on its promises to the American people. This bill will make sure that judges can only rule on the cases before them, rather than imposing their will on the entire country,” said Kennedy.
    “For a number of years, but particularly in the last few months, we’ve increasingly seen sweeping orders from individual district judges that dictate national policy. Our Founders saw an important role for the judiciary, but the Constitution limits judges to exercising power over ‘cases’ or ‘controversies.’ Judges are not policymakers, and allowing them to assume this role is very dangerous. The Judicial Relief Clarification Act clarifies the scope of judicial power and resolves illegitimate judicial infringement upon the executive branch. It’s a commonsense bill that’s needed to provide long-term constitutional clarity and curb district courts’ growing tendency to overstep by issuing sweeping, nationwide orders,” said Grassley. 
    Background: 
    A universal injunction is a court order that prohibits the government from implementing a law or policy against anyone, including those not involved in the case.
    Federal courts issued universal injunctions against the Trump administration at least 86 times during its first term in office. The current Trump administration is already facing a flood of universal injunctions—many of which originated in liberal states such as New York and California.
    By contrast, the Biden administration faced 28 universal injunctions in four years. The Obama administration only faced 12.
    In addition to dealing with universal injunctions, the bill amends the Administrative Procedure Act to prohibit courts from using the Act to grant universal relief to non-parties who are challenging an agency action—a practice that closely resembles universal injunctions. 
    Courts have also weaponized Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO), which similarly halt the federal government from implementing laws or policies. TROs are not appealable, meaning district judges can use TROs to avoid appellate review of their decisions. To address this, the bill would make TROs against federal or state governments immediately appealable. 
    By limiting the ability of district courts to grant relief to non-parties, the Judicial Relief Clarification Act would restore federal district courts to their constitutional role under Article III of deciding only the cases before them. 
    Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) also cosponsored the bill. 
    The full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER REVEALS: THIS WEEK CONGRESS WILL TAKE FINAL VOTE TO RAISE ‘JUNK’ BANK FEES—STARTING WITH OVERDRAFT FEES—FROM $5 TO $35, COSTING CONSUMERS HUNDREDS; CHAIRS OF HOUSE FINANCE & SENATE BANKING…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer Exposes Final Leg Of Quiet Plan In House Financial Services & Senate Banking To Overturn CFPB Rule Limiting Excessive Bank Fees, That Would Cost New York Households More—Because Most Upstate NY Residents Have Bank Account 
    Plan To Overturn CFPB Overdraft Fee Rule Would Allow Banks To Extract $5 Billion In Excessive Fees – But, WORSE, Would Open Door To Even More Fees Across NY; Schumer Announces Full Opposition, Urges NY House Republicans To Vote “NO” On Tuesday 
    Schumer: Quiet Plan To Side With Big Banks Over Families Could Mean A Waterfall Of Fees That Would Drown New Yorkers With More Costs
    Amidst the anti-consumer, pro-big bank effort to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed and exposed the FINAL leg of Congressional Republicans’ quiet plan to raise Americans’ bank fees, that will drive up unwanted fees for millions of Upstate New Yorkers. Schumer explained that Congressional Republicans will try to seal the deal to protect financial special interests with a vote on Tuesday when the House will vote to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) overdraft fee rule that caps most big bank overdraft fees at just $5.
    “Republicans’ quiet plan to side with big banks against the little guy and working families could mean a waterfall of fees for Upstate New Yorkers already struggling to make ends meet,” said Senator Schumer. “Working families have been ripped off by abusive bank fees and practices in the past, and the CFPB’s rule is about protecting hard-working families, not charging them more. So I urge my GOP colleagues to reverse course here and reject overturning this overdraft rule to put money back in people’s pockets and out of the hands of big predatory banks. If the Republicans let this one fee fly, a waterfall of fees will follow, and it is New Yorkers that will feel the brunt.”
    Schumer railed against this effort because it could hurt middle-class New Yorkers the hardest, given the number of consumer bank accounts in New York, which is higher than the national average. The rule would save upwards of $5 billion in excessive overdraft fees that millions of households pay. Overturning the rule, as proposed by the Republicans, would cost households an average of at least $225 each year, but MUCH more in New York, Schumer emphasized. Schumer said that some banks take billions of dollars a year from families and seniors that can least afford it. He said the banks don’t need to charge fees like this and that this effort to let fees run wild will open the door to even more excessive bank fees across Upstate New York.
    Schumer announced his opposition and is sounding the alarm on the clandestine pro-big bank GOP plan. Schumer said that the CFPB’s overdraft fee rule is designed to protect regular people from being ripped off by predatory bank fees. He urged the House Republicans to reject overturning the CFPB’s overdraft rule and to protect hard-working families instead of taking their hard-earned money to benefit big banks quietly and behind their backs.
    Last month, House Financial Service Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AR) and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions to overturn the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) rule capping overdraft fees, and the Senate GOP green-lit it last week. 
    The rule caps most bank overdraft fees at just $5, down from the typical $35 charge per transaction, according to National Consumer Law Center (NCLC). With these fees, banks take billions of dollars a year from families that can least afford it, and the Republican chairmen are moving to give big banks this ability, Schumer explained. Banks, which are already profitable, don’t need to charge these fees and some banks, including Capitol One and Citibank, have completely eliminated overdraft fees and they continue to cover overdrafts. However, other banks take about $1 billion a year in overdraft and nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees, and Wells Fargo is one of the biggest offenders.
    The CFPB’s overdraft fee rule stops predatory practices that allow the biggest banks to earn billions in profits from the most vulnerable families and seniors. The rule doesn’t stop big banks from covering overdrafts—it caps fees for “overdraft coverage” at $5 or the bank’s costs. Banks can still offer overdraft lines of credit without any price cap, though they are required to provide the same annual percentage rate (APR) pricing disclosure that credit cards provide and to give people adequate time to repay, NCLC explained. 
    Schumer explained how the rule helps everyone—especially New York families as New York is more ‘banked’ compared to other states. Schumer explained that by lowering most big bank overdraft fees from $35 to $5, consumers save $5 billion per year, reducing manipulative practices, and increasing transparency and fair competition, according to economists.
    “Now that the word is out on Tuesday’s vote, you’ll see the banks, lobbyists, and the people that want to protect the banks’ ability to charge excessive fees start to scramble, and devise a plan to defend it. But it’s indefensible. Who is for excessive bank fees?” Schumer said. “Show me a politician that wants to run an ad on increasing all your bank fees. I am blowing the lid on this disastrous plan and so what happens next? Watch them try to run away from this issue, while siding with big banks over working families and the middle class.”
    Schumer warned that other fee increases and gaps in consumer protection could soon follow with:
    ATM fees 
    Minimum balance fees for checking and savings accounts
    Outlandish cashier’s check fees
    Notary fees 
    Account “inactivity” fees
    The removal of $8 cap on credit card late fees
    No more Fair Credit Reporting (excluding medical bills from consumers credit score)
    Selling consumer data without consent
    No regulator for consumers to report predatory products
    The New York Federal Reserve Bank’s Credit Insecurity Index may shed light on the number of people with access to mainstream financial services, such as a bank account, who will possibly be exposed to higher fees if Congressional Republicans wipe away this protection. An Upstate New York county-by-county breakdown of percentage of New Yorkers with credit and Credit Insecurity Index Scores for 2023 can be found below:

    Capital Region

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Albany County

    77.4%

    22.6%

    Columbia County

    77.9%

    22.1%

    Greene County

    74.0%

    26.0%

    Rensselaer County

    78.9%

    21.1%

    Saratoga County

    88.8%

    11.2%

    Schenectady County

    81.3%

    18.7%

    Schoharie County

    73.7%

    26.3%

    Warren County

    82.4%

    17.6%

    Washington County

    72.2%

    27.8%

    Western New York

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Cattaraugus County

    75.4%

    24.6%

    Chautauqua County

    76.2%

    23.8%

    Erie County

    80.0%

    20.0%

    Niagara County

    83.2%

    16.8%

    Rochester-Finger Lakes

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Genesee County

    82.5%

    17.5%

    Livingston County

    76.3%

    23.7%

    Monroe County

    82.1%

    17.9%

    Ontario County

    82.6%

    17.4%

    Orleans County

    70.2%

    29.8%

    Seneca County

    76.0%

    24.0%

    Wayne County

    84.4%

    15.6%

    Wyoming County

    78.6%

    21.4%

    Yates County

    69.5%

    30.5%

    Central New York

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Cayuga County

    75.5%

    24.5%

    Cortland County

    69.5%

    30.5%

    Madison County

    79.5%

    20.5%

    Onondaga County

    81.1%

    18.9%

    Oswego County

    79.1%

    20.9%

    Hudson Valley

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Dutchess County

    82.30%

    17.7%

    Orange County

    81.50%

    18.5%

    Putnam County

    90.10%

    9.9%

    Rockland County

    86.80%

    13.2%

    Sullivan County

    70.10%

    29.9%

    Ulster County

    78.40%

    21.6%

    Westchester County

    85.00%

    15.0%

    Southern Tier

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Allegany County

    65.3%

    34.7%

    Broome County

    74.0%

    26.0%

    Chemung County

    77.2%

    22.8%

    Chenango County

    78.7%

    21.3%

    Delaware County

    73.0%

    27.0%

    Otsego County

    70.85%

    29.15%

    Schuyler County

    77.95%

    22.05%

    Steuben County

    81.2%

    18.8%

    Tioga County

    83.2%

    16.8%

    Tompkins County

    69.6%

    30.4%

    North Country

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Clinton County

    74.8%

    25.2%

    Franklin County

    76.8%

    23.2%

    Hamilton County

    85.3%

    14.7%

    Jefferson County

    74.5%

    25.5%

    Lewis County

    78.3%

    21.7%

    St. Lawrence County

    70.9%

    29.1%

    Essex County

    75.05%

    24.95%

    Mohawk Valley

    County

    Percentage With Credit

    Credit Insecurity Index Score

    Fulton County

    79.1%

    20.9%

    Herkimer County

    80.7%

    19.3%

    Montgomery County

    74.5%

    25.5%

    Oneida County

    75.4%

    24.6%

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick Introduces Bill to Identify and Remove Barriers to Affordable Housing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Florida 20th district))

    WASHINGTON, D.C. ─ Today, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) introduced the Lower Housing Costs Study Act of 2025, which would identify and remove barriers to affordable housing in South Florida. 

    “Outdated local and state laws often remain a barrier to the development of affordable homes,” said Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL). “My bill cuts the red tape that comes in the form of antiquated ordinances, which stifle construction and drive-up housing prices. Homeownership should be attainable for every South Florida family — and this legislation takes us a step closer to making that reality.”

    There is an overwhelming consensus among experts that antiquated zoning and ordinance laws at the local and state levels make it extraordinarily difficult for housing developers to construct new homes. 

    The Lower Housing Costs Study Act of 2025 would require U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary to issue an annual report outlining successful strategies that promote affordable housing at the state and local levels. These policy recommendations would be developed using state and local housing regulations data collected by the Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse (RUC), providing lawmakers with key insights on outdated or burdensome regulations that hinder the construction of new homes.

    South Florida and the nation are experiencing a widespread housing affordability crisis. The lack of supply has caused a record surge in housing prices — with the median U.S. housing price reaching $426,900 — the highest price on record since the year 1999. In South Florida, the problem is particularly acute, with the average sales price of a single-family home in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area reaching $640,000.

    The bill is endorsed by the National Neighborworks Association and the National Housing Law Project.

    The full text of the bill can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Leads Letter To AG Bondi On Appointment Of Kash Patel As ATF Acting Director

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    March 31, 2025
    Durbin, Senators to AG Bondi: “Mr. Patel is, quite simply, not the right person to lead the ATF.”
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led 15 Senate Democrats in a letter to U.S. Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi inquiring into what policies and procedures she will commit to implementing in her capacity as AG to ensure that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will continue to meaningfully function in its intended capacity under Kash Patel’s stewardship.
    In February, President Trump announced that Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel would also serve as Acting Director of ATF, the primary federal law enforcement agency responsible foraddressing gun-related crime and violence in America. However, the Senators’ letter to AG Bondi argues that Mr. Patel threatens to undo the significant gains made in recent years to ensure Americans’ safety as he lacks the relevant experience to lead ATF and has ties to the gun industry.
    “As the primary federal law enforcement agency dedicated to curbing illegal firearm use and enforcing federal firearms laws and regulations, it is critical that ATF be led by an experienced Director who has been confirmed by the Senate for this role and is dedicated to upholding the agency’s mission. For the reasons outlined below, Mr. Patel is not that person,” the Senators wrote. “We therefore write to inquire into what policies and procedures you will implement to ensure that ATF will continue to meaningfully function in its intended capacity.”
    Gun violence in the United States is a public health crisis. In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory listing firearm violence—including homicide, suicide, nonfatal injuries, and unintentional injuries and deaths—as a “significant public health challenge[] that require[s] the nation’s immediate awareness and action.” Though under the Trump Administration, the Surgeon General has since removed the advisory, the report analyzed data from 2002 to 2022, finding that since 2020 the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in America has been gun violence, with rates higher than car crashes, poisoning, and cancer. In 2022 alone, 48,204 people died in the United States of gun-related injuries. 
    That said, following passage of the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and coordinated, nationwide efforts to curb gun violence during the Biden Administration, the United States is starting to see positive results. In 2023, provisional data indicates gun-related deaths totaled 46,728—representing a decline from 2022 by three percent or 1,476 fewer deaths. Violent crime has also declined significantly, due in part to ATF’s data collection, investigation, and enforcement efforts. 
    “While the decrease in violent crime and gun-related deaths is encouraging, 2023 still had ‘the third-highest number of gun-related deaths ever recorded in the United States,’ evidencing that significant challenges to America’s gun violence crisis remain,” the Senators wrote. “The Department of Justice must do everything within its power to sustain this downward trend, including ensuring ATF is empowered to carry out its mandate and keep firearms from falling into the hands of those who should not have them. Now is not the time to pull back on ATF leadership and practices that helped bring about this progress.”
    The Senators’ letter went on to explain why Mr. Patel is not the right person to lead ATF.
    “As an Acting Director, Patel’s appointment has not been subject to Senate confirmation, a crucial process for vetting those nominated by the President for significant leadership roles in the Executive, including ATF Director. Disturbingly, Mr. Patel would not affirm that firearm background checks—a well-established procedure for keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals—are constitutional during his confirmation hearing for FBI Director. Notably, Mr. Patel’s appointment has been applauded by extreme gun advocacy groups seeking to rollback commonsense gun regulations,” the Senators wrote. “Mr. Patel’s appointment threatens to undo the lifesaving progress ATF has made to reduce gun violence in America.”
    The Senators’ letter concludes, “Attorney General Bondi, you have served as a prosecutor for much of your career. During your Senate confirmation hearing, you testified about the importance of keeping Americans safe, prosecuting criminals and gunrunners, reducing recidivism, and enforcing existing gun laws. During one exchange, you assured the Committee: ‘I will do everything in my power to prevent illegal gunrunners in our country.’ In discussing your time as Florida Attorney General and mass shooting responses, you reiterated: ‘I am an advocate for the Second Amendment, but I will enforce the laws of the land.’” 
    To better understand how AG Bondi intends to accomplish these goals, the Senators asked that she promptly respond to a series of questions.
    Along with Durbin, today’s letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    Full text of today’s letter is available here and below:
    March 31, 2025
    Dear Attorney General Bondi:
    We write with great concern regarding President Trump’s appointment of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel as Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  As the primary federal law enforcement agency dedicated to curbing illegal firearm use and enforcing federal firearms laws and regulations, it is critical that ATF be led by an experienced Director who has been confirmed by the Senate for this role and is dedicated to upholding the agency’s mission. For the reasons outlined below, Mr. Patel is not that person. We therefore write to inquire into what policies and procedures you will implement to ensure that ATF will continue to meaningfully function in its intended capacity. 
    Gun violence in the United States is a public health crisis. In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory listing firearm violence—including homicide, suicide, nonfatal injuries, and unintentional injuries and deaths—as a “significant public health challenge[] that require[s] the nation’s immediate awareness and action.”  Analyzing data from 2002 to 2022, the Surgeon General reported that since 2020 the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in America has been gun violence, with rates higher than car crashes, poisoning, and cancer.  In 2022 alone, 48,204 people died in the United States of gun-related injuries. 
    That said, following passage of the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and coordinated, nationwide efforts to curb gun violence during the Biden Administration, we were starting to see positive results. In 2023, provisional data indicates gun-related deaths totaled 46,728—representing a decline from 2022 by three percent or 1,476 fewer deaths.  Violent crime has also declined significantly, due in part to ATF’s data collection, investigation, and enforcement efforts. 
    For example, ATF’s crime gun intelligence tools eTrace, which “is used to trace the purchase and/or use history of firearms used in violent crimes,” and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, which “is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in operation in the United States,” together “have transformed crime-solving by generating over 1.1 million investigative leads from ballistic evidence and linking suspects to major crimes within hours.”  ATF has also worked to increase DNA matches from cartridge casings and has expanded Crime Gun Intelligence Centers, which use “data-driven strategies” to foster “cross-agency collaboration.”
    ATF has also focused on eliminating firearms trafficking networks that unlawfully smuggle guns from the United States to Mexico, arming dangerous cartels which, in turn, send illicit drugs such as fentanyl into the United States.  And ATF created an Emerging Threats Center, which among other things, has focused on the proliferation of privately-made firearms, or ghost guns, and machine-gun conversion devices, or Glock switches.  These represent only some examples of ATF’s nationwide initiatives to reduce gun violence and keep Americans safe.
    While the decrease in violent crime and gun-related deaths is encouraging, 2023 still had “the third-highest number of gun-related deaths ever recorded in the United States,” evidencing that significant challenges to America’s gun violence crisis remain.  The Department of Justice must do everything within its power to sustain this downward trend, including ensuring ATF is empowered to carry out its mandate and keep firearms from falling into the hands of those who should not have them. Now is not the time to pull back on ATF leadership and practices that helped bring about this progress.
    Mr. Patel is, quite simply, not the right person to lead the ATF. As an Acting Director, Patel’s appointment has not been subject to Senate confirmation, a crucial process for vetting those nominated by the President for significant leadership roles in the Executive, including ATF Director. Disturbingly, Mr. Patel would not affirm that firearm background checks—a well-established procedure for keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals—are constitutional during his confirmation hearing for FBI Director.  Notably, Mr. Patel’s appointment has been applauded by extreme gun advocacy groups seeking to rollback commonsense gun regulations.  Last year, Mr. Patel spoke at the inaugural summit for group Gun Owners of America, a “no-compromise gun lobby” that has announced it “look[s] forward to dismantling gun control with Kash.”  Mr. Patel’s appointment threatens to undo the lifesaving progress ATF has made to reduce gun violence in America.
    Attorney General Bondi, you have served as a prosecutor for much of your career. During your Senate confirmation hearing, you testified about the importance of keeping Americans safe, prosecuting criminals and gunrunners, reducing recidivism, and enforcing existing gun laws.  During one exchange, you assured the Committee: “I will do everything in my power to prevent illegal gunrunners in our country.”  In discussing your time as Florida Attorney General and mass shooting responses, you reiterated: “I am an advocate for the Second Amendment, but I will enforce the laws of the land.”  To better understand how you intend to accomplish these goals, please promptly respond to the following questions:
    Recently, we have seen notable success in curtailing gun violence. While the United States experienced a spike in gun-related crimes and deaths during the pandemic, through bipartisan congressional action and the previous Administration’s efforts, that trend has begun to reverse. Given ATF’s central role in curbing violent crime, it is of paramount importance that the agency be staffed by experienced leaders, agents, and others who support ATF’s core mission, without the appearance of or actual conflict, in order to continue this downward trend. By contrast, firearm-industry personnel advocate for gun companies’ bottom lines by pushing for the repeal of commonsense gun regulations in order to sell more weapons and weapons accessories. Hiring such individuals for critical public-safety positions at ATF would endanger the agency’s core mission and Americans’ safety while prioritizing increases in private company profits.
    Will you place constraints on the hiring of firearm-industry personnel for ATF positions? If not, why?
    ATF must comply with all existing legal obligations. This includes exercising statutorily-required regulatory authority over the firearms industry, fully implementing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and complying with the Administrative Procedures Act if changing existing ATF regulations. However, Acting Director Patel lacks experience with ATF’s core responsibilities, including ATF’s regulatory oversight of the gun industry. Moreover, Acting Director Patel was only temporarily appointed under the Vacancies Reform Act and has not been subject to the Senate’s advice and consent process for this role. It is therefore particularly important that you exercise your authority as Attorney General to give final approval of all actions ATF takes under Acting Director Patel’s stewardship, including all policy changes.
    Will you commit to personally reviewing for approval all new or revised ATF policies and actions? If not, why?
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.
    Sincerely,
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police investigating Roseneath deaths

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Please attribute to Detective Inspector Haley Ryan:

    Police are making enquiries after two people were located deceased in a residential address in Roseneath overnight.

    About 10pm last night, Police received a request for a welfare check for a concerned family member who had not heard from their loved ones.

    On arriving at the property, Police located two people deceased.

    A scene examination is underway at the property today and enquiries into the circumstances of their deaths are ongoing.

    I want to provide assurance that there is no ongoing risk to the Roseneath community. 

    The Roseneath community can expect to see a high presence of Police while our enquiries are carried out. 

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash, SH73, Sheffield

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash in Sheffield that has closed State Highway 73, West Coast Road.

    The crash involves a truck and pedestrian; it was reported to Police about 6.40am and happened between Malvern Hills Road and Duke Street.

    Diversions will be in place for some time and members of the public are asked to avoid the area.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast Leads GOP in Demanding UN Reject Francesca Albanese’s Reappointment

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-226-8467

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast led several members of the panel in demanding that UN Human Rights Council President Jürg Lauber reject Francesca Albanese’s reappointment to another three-year term as special rapporteur for the “occupied palestinian territories.” 

    Mast and his fellow Republicans specifically outlined that Albanese has repeatedly failed to uphold the UNHCR code of conduct and made inflammatory and offensive comments about Israel in the wake of the October 7th attacks.  

    “[Albanese] has consistently aligned herself with Hamas terrorists, accused Israel of genocide, likened the Government of Israel to the ‘Third Reich,’ and compared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Lauber. “The Council has allowed antisemitism and anti-Americanism to thrive within, with a seeming unwillingness to hold the most egregious violators of human rights to account.”

    In addition to Chairman Mast, the letter was co-signed Reps. Young Kim (R-CA), Michael Lawler (R-NY), Keith Self (R-TX), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Cory Mills (R-FL), and Ryan Zinke (R-MT).

    Read the full letter here and below.

    Dear Mr. President,

    We are writing to strongly object to the renewal of UN Special Rapporteur for the “occupied Palestinian territories,” Francesca Albanese, for a second three-year term. As you are well aware, UN Special Rapporteurs have a duty to uphold the code of conduct as written in Council Resolution 5/2. The code of conduct expressly asserts that Special Rapporteurs must act in an independent capacity with a professional, impartial assessment, and maintain the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity through impartiality, equity and honesty. Based on the following, Special Rapporteur Albanese has failed to uphold the code. Consequently, her term must not be renewed.

    Ms. Albanese has repeatedly violated the code of conduct since she took the position on May 1, 2022. She has consistently aligned herself with Hamas terrorists, accused Israel of genocide, likened the Government of Israel to the “Third Reich,” and compared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler. Ms. Albanese unapologetically uses her position as a UN Special Rapporteur to purvey and attempt to legitimize antisemitic tropes, while serving as a Hamas apologist. Moreover, she has erroneously accused the United States Congress and our Executive of being bought and paid for by the Israel lobby. In her malicious fixation, she has even called for Israel to be removed from the United Nations while likening Israel to apartheid South Africa.

    Since the abhorrent and cowardly October 7th attacks, Ms. Albanese’s inflammatory rhetoric has only increased in atrociousness. For example, following Hamas’ murder of over 1,200 people, 250 hostages taken – 59 of whom are still held by Hamas terrorists – and irreversibly changed the lives of countless others, Ms. Albanese wrote that the “violence must be put in context,” and that the attack occurred in response to Israeli “aggression.” In a statement that was rightfully condemned by the United States, France, and Germany, Ms. Albanese attempted to justify that the October 7th massacre was “in response to Israel’s oppression.” Such comments alone violate several provisions within the code of conduct.

    Regrettably, Ms. Albanese’s rhetoric has perverted the very institution and its foundational principles in which she was appointed to serve. Her comments above, and many others she has made, are case in point as to why President Trump rightfully withdrew the United States from the Human Rights Council (Council). The Council has allowed antisemitism and anti-Americanism to thrive within, with a seeming unwillingness to hold the most egregious violators of human rights to account. Notably, in January 2023, I, along with many of my colleagues, sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary General and High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for Ms. Albanese’s removal. We were not alone in our requests for her admonishment. Several governments, including France, Germany, Canada and the Netherlands, have all condemned her statements as antisemitic, as well. To this day, no action has been taken.

    Francesca Albanese’s service as a UN Special Rapporteur must end at the conclusion of her first term. Given the numerous instances provided above, but certainly not limited to, her behavior is not only reprehensible, but most unbecoming of a UN Special Rapporteur. As such, it is the view of the undersigned that Ms. Albanese must face serious consequences. As the new President of the Human Rights Council, it is your sworn duty to utilize your authority as stated in Presidential Statement 8/2 (PRST/8/2) to “convey to the Council any information brought to [your] attention of concerning cases of persistent non-compliance by a mandate-holder with the provisions of Council Resolution 5/2, especially prior to the renewal of mandate holders in office.” By rejecting the renewal of Ms. Albanese’s term, the Council would bring much needed credibility, integrity, and accountability back to the institution – attributes of which it has been severely lacking in recent years.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Firearm Possession to Further Drug Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Today, Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSHUA WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”), age 21, was sentenced on March 27, 2025 by Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to 75 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i).

    According to court documents, on April 4, 2022, New Orleans Police Department officers executed a search warrant at WILLIAMS’s residence. Officers recovered marijuana that WILLIAMS intended to sell and a digital scale. Officers also recovered two firearms—a Glock Model 22, .40 caliber firearm and a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter firearm—that WILLIAMS possessed, in furtherance of his possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

    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.

    The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to over 16 Years in Prison for Trafficking 10 Pounds of Fentanyl Pills and over 60 Pounds of Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — Adolfo Montiel, 46, of Lancaster, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 16 years and four months in prison for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Montiel’s case arose out of Operation Toxic Waste, an investigation into a sophisticated drug trafficking ring, that resulted in the seizure of more than 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 50 pounds of fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. As evidenced by thousands of recorded communications, the organization smuggled methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl (powder and pills) in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also secreted thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi‑trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars and brought it across the border. The Mexican-based organization monitored the narcotics with the use of GPS tracking devices hidden with the smuggled drugs. Montiel was sentenced for his role in storing, packaging, and redistributing drugs on behalf of the larger organization. When law enforcement officers searched his residence in 2023, they found over 10 pounds of fentanyl pills and over 60 pounds of methamphetamine, as well as several firearms.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted felon sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Belleville man to 240 months’ imprisonment after he was caught with a firearm as a convicted felon after a police chase in Washington County.

    In December, a federal jury convicted Michael Oliver, 46, of one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

    “This 20-year sentence delivers an unmistakable warning: felons who arm themselves, flee justice, and threaten our officers’ safety will confront the full, unwavering strength of our commitment to protect those who serve—accountability isn’t just a word, it’s our mission,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nashville Police Department officers tried to conduct a traffic stop on Oliver’s vehicle on July 5, 2024, but Oliver kept driving and tried to evade law enforcement.

    “The Nashville Police Department would like to thank the assistance received during this investigation. The ATF was extremely resourceful to our agency during this investigation, and the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois did an excellent job with the prosecution of this case,” said Nashville Police Lt. Brock Styninger. “We look forward to working with these agencies again in the future to help bring dangerous individuals to justice.”

    Oliver took officers on a chase through the grass of the Perry County Courthouse. Deputies with the Perry County Sheriff’s Office tried to cut off Oliver in the roadway, and Oliver struck the police vehicle. Oliver then proceeded to flee on foot until his arrest.

    Along the police chase route, officers located a Lorcin model L380 firearm Oliver discarded from his vehicle.

    “ATF has no greater mission than working with our law enforcement partners to bring those who blatantly disregard the safety of our communities, to justice. As this sentence shows, those who choose to put the lives of our citizens and police officers at risk, will be held accountable,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Special Agent in Charge, Bernard Hansen.

    Following imprisonment, Oliver will serve four years of supervised release.

    The Nashville Police Department and ATF contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Hudson prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Connecticut Man Charged with Murder-for-Hire and Drug Distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on March 27, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Tremaine Knight, also known as “Brody,” 43, of Hartford, Connecticut, with murder-for-hire and distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base.

    Knight’s arraignment will occur on April 3, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, in Burlington. Knight was ordered detained pending further proceedings on March 25, 2025, following issuance of a complaint charging him with drug distribution on March 20, 2025.

    According to court records, law enforcement, working with a confidential informant (“CI”), conducted five controlled purchases of drugs from Knight between February and March 2025. The first three buys occurred in Massachusetts, and the last two buys occurred in Brattleboro, Vermont, with Knight traveling from Hartford to meet the CI. During the first Vermont buy, Knight sold to the CI approximately 140 grams of powder cocaine and over 40 grams of fentanyl, and during the second, Knight sold the CI approximately 150 grams of powder cocaine, 30 grams of cocaine base, and 85 grams of fentanyl.

    During one of the Massachusetts buys, Knight asked the CI if the CI would be willing to kill a man who had disrespected and stolen from Knight. Knight offered $10,000 for the man’s death. In subsequent conversations and during the subsequent buys, Knight provided the CI with additional details regarding the man’s identity and the plan for the murder. During one of the Vermont buys, Knight paid the CI a $1,000 deposit for the murder by canceling a drug debt. Knight was taken into custody following that buy.

    The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Knight is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. For the murder-for-hire charge, Knight faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Because the charged drug distributions involved 40 or more grams of fentanyl, Knight faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police-Vermont Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police Westminster Barracks, the Western Massachusetts FBI Gang Task Force, the Northern Connecticut FBI Gang Task Force, the Brattleboro, Vermont Police Department, and the Hartford, Vermont Police Department.

    The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith. Knight is represented by Sarah Star, Esq., and the Office of the Federal Public Defender.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Luxury car tax rate and thresholds

    Source:

    Luxury car tax rate

    Cars with a luxury car tax (LCT) value over the LCT threshold attract an LCT rate of 33%. You only pay LCT on the amount that is over the threshold.

    For the LCT rate before 3 October 2008, refer to A New Tax System (Luxury Car Tax Imposition – General) Act 1999.

    Luxury car tax thresholds

    The following table lists the LCT thresholds for the financial year the car was imported, acquired or sold.

    If you import or sell a car with a GST-inclusive value above these LCT thresholds, you must pay LCT except in certain circumstances. In general, the LCT value of a car includes the value of any parts, accessories or attachments you supplied, or imported, at the same time as the car.

    From 1 July 2025, as part of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Incentives and Integrity) Bill 2025External Link, which amended A New Tax System (Luxury Car Tax) Act 1999:

    • the definition of a fuel-efficient vehicle will change
    • indexation rates applying to the thresholds for fuel-efficient vehicles and other vehicles will be aligned.
    LCT thresholds

    Financial year

    Fuel-efficient vehicles

    Other vehicles

    2024–25

    $91,387

    $80,567

    2023–24

    $89,332

    $76,950

    2022–23

    $84,916

    $71,849

    2021–22

    $79,659

    $69,152

    2020–21

    $77,565

    $68,740

    2019–20

    $75,526

    $67,525

    2018–19

    $75,526

    $66,331

    2017–18

    $75,526

    $65,094

    2016–17

    $75,526

    $64,132

    2015–16

    $75,375

    $63,184

    2014–15

    $75,375

    $61,884

    2013–14

    $75,375

    $60,316

    2012–13

    $75,375

    $59,133

    The indexation factor for the 2024–25 financial year for:

    • fuel-efficient vehicles is 1.023
    • other vehicles is 1.047.

    Find out what defines a fuel-efficient car prior to, and from, 1 July 2025.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Energys Group Announces Pricing of $10.125 Million Initial Public Offering and Nasdaq Listing

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    UNITED KINGDOM, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Energys Group Limited (NASDAQ: ENGS) (“Energys Group” or the “Company”), a vertically integrated energy efficiency and decarbonization solutions provider for the build environment, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 2,250,000 ordinary shares (the “Ordinary Shares”) at a public offering price of US$4.50 per Ordinary Share, for total gross proceeds of US$10,125,000 before deducting underwriting discounts and other offering expenses.

    The Ordinary Shares have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market and are expected to commence trading on April 1, 2025, under the ticker symbol “ENGS.”

    The Company has granted the underwriters an option, within 45 days from the date of the prospectus, to purchase up to an additional 337,500 Ordinary Shares at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, to cover the over-allotment option, if any.

    The Offering is being conducted on a firm commitment basis. American Trust Investment Services, Inc. (“American Trust”) is acting as the representative of the underwriters for the Offering. Schlueter & Associates, P.C. acted as U.S. counsel to the Company, and DeMint Law, PLLC acted as U.S. counsel to American Trust, in connection with the Offering.

    The Offering is expected to close on April 2, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

    The Company intends to use the proceeds from this Offering 1) to expand its operating network in the United Kingdom; 2) for inventory procurement; 3) to establish operating subsidiaries in the United States; 4) to identify and pursue merger and acquisition opportunities; 5) to expand research and development capabilities; 6) to repay certain bank borrowings; and 7) to use as general working capital.

    A registration statement relating to the Offering, as amended, (File No. 333-275956) has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and was declared effective by the SEC on March 14, 2025.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. 

    The Offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus related to the Offering may be obtained from American Trust, Attn: Syndicate Department, 1244 119th Street, Whiting, IN 46394, via email at ib@amtruinvest.com or via telephone at (219) 473-5542. In addition, a copy of the final prospectus can be obtained via the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    About Energys Group

    Founded in 1998 as an energy conservation consultancy, Energys Group Limited (NASDAQ: ENGS) (“Energys Group” or the “Company”) has since transitioned into a vertically integrated energy efficiency and decarbonization solutions provider for the build environment. Serving organizations from both the private and public sectors, including schools, universities, hospitals and offices, primarily in the UK, the Company’s vision is to deliver innovative solutions that reduce carbon emissions, lower costs and support Net Zero agenda – alongside improving the wellbeing of building users within the built environment.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and in its other filings with the SEC.

    For more information, please contact:
    DLK Advisory
    Phone: +852-2857-7101
    Email: ir@dlkadvisory.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man arrested after riding motorcycle at police at Walkerville

    Source: New South Wales – News

    A man was arrested after allegedly riding a motorcycle at police officers in Walkerville overnight.

    Police were called by reports of a suspicious motorbike loitering in Queen Street, Walkerville just after 3am on Tuesday 1 April.

    When the patrol started speaking with the rider, he became aggressive and additional officers arrived to assist.

    It will be alleged the rider then rode the motorcycle down the narrow one-way street at police.  One officer accidentally put his hand through a window as he leapt out of the way.  The police officer sustained a laceration to the hand and was treated in hospital.  Fortunately, his injury does not appear serious at this time.

    The Kawasaki rode off.

    Police were later called to a Clearview address about 4.15am and located the man at the property.

    The 27-year-old Para Hills man was arrested and charged with riding in a manner dangerous to the public, acts to endanger life, riding unlicensed, unregistered and uninsured, with no number plates or helmet, and breach of bail.

    He was refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court later today.

    MIL OSI News –