Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jennings Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Brandon James Willridge, 41, of Jennings, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 84 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    According to information presented in court, in January 2023, law enforcement officers were familiar with Willridge and aware of his drug trafficking activities in the area and had an active arrest warrant for him. On January 30, 2023, officers with the Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and Gueydan Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Willridge as the result of the active arrest warrant for him.

    During the traffic stop, officers found Willridge to be in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun underneath the driver’s seat of the vehicle. In addition, Willridge had a bottle containing several orange pills in the driver door console of the vehicle, which were confirmed to be Alprazolam, a controlled substance. Other evidence indicated Willridge had been trafficking in narcotics during this time in the Gueydan and Lake Arthur areas. Willridge pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information on October 18, 2024, charging him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Willridge has prior felony convictions for false representation of a controlled substance in 2003 and possession with intent to distribute marijuana in 2010. 

    The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and Gueydan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Myers P. Namie.

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects More than $4M in Civil and Criminal Actions Plus Nearly $2M in Forfeited Assets in Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson announced today that the Northern District of Oklahoma (NDOK) collected $4,029,804.93 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $2,572,450.48 was collected in criminal actions, and $1,457,354.45 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the NDOK worked with partner agencies and divisions to collect $1,726,442 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024.

    “The Asset Recovery Unit and Asset Forfeiture teams consist of federal prosecutors, investigators, and professional support staff. In 2024, they collected more than $4 million on behalf of victims and collected nearly $2 million in assets, said U.S. Attorney, Clint Johnson. “Both teams diligently work to recover court ordered restitution to victims and process court ordered forfeiture. This funding not only impacts the Crime Victims Fund, but also goes towards law enforcement programs.”   

    Examples of Asset Recovery…
    In March 2024, the Northern District recovered $106,994.94 in U.S. v. Shane Hannaford, 21-CR-111. A veteran of the U.S. Marines, Hannaford devised a fraudulent investment scheme, defrauding fellow veterans he had served with in Iraq. Hannaford pled guilty to Bank Fraud, and the Court ordered him to pay $806,607.14 in restitution to his victims. The Northern District captured a significant payment towards restitution by intercepting proceeds from Hannaford’s sale of his home.

    In September 2024, the Northern District recovered $287,521.53 in U.S. v. Keven Ellis Partin, 19-CR-121Partin pled guilty to Offering or Paying Healthcare Kickbacks. The Court ordered him to pay $338,805 in restitution to Department of Labor, TRICARE, Department of Veteran Affairs, and Medicare. Through liens and other enforcement tools, the Northern District recovered full restitution for these federal agencies.

    In May 2024, the Northern District of Oklahoma recovered $62,000 in U.S. v. Leslie Ellen Mansfield, 23-CR-170. Mansfield, an attorney, oversaw special needs trust accounts for intellectually challenged adults. Mansfield pled guilty to Bank Fraud, and the Court ordered her to pay $137,240.95 in restitution. The Northern District recovered full restitution for the living victims.

    Examples of Asset Forfeiture…
    In March 2024, the Northern District recovered $35,000 in U.S. v. Jesus Salazar-Lares, et al., 22-CR-339. In Aug. 2024, Salazar-Lares and others, traveled from Chicago to Tulsa and delivered more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine.  Salazar-Lares pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. The court authorized the seizure of $35,000 in cash.

    In April 2024, the Northern District recovered $84,788.42 in U.S. v. Melvin Brown, 22-CR-419. From July 2020 through May 2021, Brown conspired with others to distribute cocaine. Romero pled guilty to drug conspiracy. The court authorized the seizure of Romero’s bank account that had approximately $84,788.42.

    In June 2024, the Northern District recovered $620,000 in U.S. v. Jose Romero, et al., 22-CR-339. From Oct. 2019 through Oct. 2022, Romero conducted financial transactions with funds received through drug trafficking. Romero pled guilty to 18 counts of money laundering. The court authorized the forfeiture of $20,297 in cash, 18 vehicles, one firearm, approximately $50,076.31 from seized bank accounts, and four real estate properties.

    The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. 

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: BATON ROUGE MAN SENTENCED TO 211 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING AND FIREARMS VIOLATIONS

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Demarlo Brown, age 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 211 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Brown to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the proceeds from his drug trafficking crimes, as well as firearms and ammunition seized by law enforcement, be forfeited.

    This case was the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in East Baton Rouge Parish and surrounding areas.

    According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea,from March through September 2019, Brown operated a drug distribution organization in the Baton Rouge area where he and others distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. When law enforcement raided his home and other locations associated with Brown, they seized over 27 ounces of methamphetamine, 2.7 ounces of heroin, and 1.6 ounces of fentanyl.  Two firearms and 38 rounds of ammunition were also seized from Brown that he illegally possessed to protect himself, his drugs, and his cash proceeds from drug sales. In total, six firearms and 168 rounds of ammunition were seized in the raids.

    Brown was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing the firearms and ammunition. In April 2024, prior to possessing the two firearms and ammunition, he was convicted in the 19th Judicial District Court of armed robbery and was sentenced to 10 years at hard labor.   

    This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Baton Rouge City Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton, III and Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former University Professor Charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mohammad Ebrahim Torki Harchegani, 38, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor for sexual activity.

    During a contested bond hearing, an FBI special agent testified that on Dec. 3-4, 2024, multiple agencies participated in an online chat operation targeting child sex offenders where an officer posed as a 14-year-old female. Torki, a legal permanent resident of the United States and Iranian citizenship, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the alleged 14-year-old girl. Toriki ultimately traveled to the residence where he believed the girl was home alone to engage in sexual activities with her. He was arrested thereafter.

    Testimony was also presented that Torki was previously a professor at the University of South Carolina. Upon his arrest, his employment was suspended and his contract with the university was not renewed.

    The FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department participated in the online chat operation and investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.

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

    Torki was ordered detained at the hearing. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

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

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Thomaston Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a Machinegun and Possessing Controlled Substances

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Chandler Breen possessed a firearm augmented with a machinegun conversion device, equipped with a 50-round magazine

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Thomaston man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to unlawful possessing a machinegun and possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.

    According to court records, in April 2024, the Thomaston Police Department received a tip that Chandler Breen, 34, was selling drugs behind a local business. A search of Breen’s vehicle revealed a firearm modified with a machinegun conversion device, 9mm ammunition, a large amount of cash, approximately 62 grams of cocaine, approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine, and at least 6 grams of fentanyl.

    Breen faces up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release on the firearms charge; and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million and a minimum of three years of supervised release on the drug charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Thomaston Police Department.

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fairbanks man sentenced to 12 years for attempted production of child pornography, enticement of minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and will serve 25 years on supervised release for attempting to produce child pornography and entice a minor.

    According to court documents, on July 7, 2023, a law enforcement official, acting in an undercover capacity and posing online as a 12-year-old girl, posted an ad in an Alaskan chat group on a social media application known to law enforcement to be utilized by individuals seeking sexual encounters with minors.

    A short time after the posting, Dahkota Mitchell, 32, messaged the undercover official. Between July 7 and Nov. 28, 2023, Mitchell and the undercover official discussed multiple things, including Mitchell’s requests that the undercover official send him explicit content, plans to meet in-person, and sexual interactions if an in-person meeting occurred.

    Mitchell decided to meet with the undercover official for sex and requested she bring an 11-year-old friend for the sexual encounter. Mitchell made plans with the undercover official to meet in Anchorage on Nov. 17, 2023, but the defendant abruptly stopped communicating with the official and the meeting did not occur.

    On Nov. 25, 2023, Mitchell resumed communicating with the undercover official and explained that his mother had found out about their communications. Mitchell made another plan to meet with the undercover official and the alleged minor friend on Nov. 28, 2023, and provided the address of his hotel and his room number.

    Mitchell was arrested at an Anchorage hotel on Nov. 28, 2023. He pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor on Oct. 25, 2024.

    “Child predators target Alaska’s most vulnerable, leaving lasting harm in their wake. Mr. Mitchell attempted to meet with an individual he thought was a 12-year-old girl and encouraged her to bring a minor friend for an in-person sexual encounter,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “His actions were both dangerous and reprehensible. This sentence ensures that he will be closely monitored for many years, safeguarding our communities. Our office remains committed to working with law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable and protect Alaska’s children.”

    “Protecting children from online predators is a priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners across Alaska,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “As demonstrated in this case, predators using the Internet for sexual exploitation of children will be identified and held accountable for their reprehensible crimes.”

    The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fighting Recidivism and Holding Perpetrators Accountable

    Source: US State of New York

    January 31, 2025

    Albany, NY

    Governor Kathy Hochul today, joined by District Attorneys from across New York State, announced a series of improvements and essential changes to streamline New York’s Discovery Laws. Governor Hochul proposed these common sense reforms as part of her 2025 State of the State and are intended to end procedural delays and prevent automatic dismissals of cases. The District Attorneys Association of the State of New York or DAASNY overwhelmingly voted yesterday to endorse the Governor’s plan during their annual winter conference as it would give their offices the tools and resources needed to protect the rights of victims and hold perpetrators accountable, while safeguarding the right to a fair and speedy trial. This proposal aligns with the Governor’s record investments in recent years in proven crime prevention initiatives as efforts continue to see lowering crime rates across the State.

    “Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority, and working together with our District Attorneys from across the State we are taking steps to fight crime and hold perpetrators accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Governor Hochul said. “My common sense proposal to streamline New York’s discovery laws will close fatal loopholes that have delayed trials and led to cases being thrown out on minor technicalities, which will ultimately help crack down on recidivism and provide justice for victims. I am honored to have the full support of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York as we go about making these changes.”

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    Taking effect in 2020, New York’s discovery reform introduced essential changes to enhance fairness in criminal cases, but led to unintended consequences. Currently, if a prosecutor’s discovery compliance is later challenged successfully, the time between certification and challenge is retroactively counted against the prosecution, often resulting in dismissals unrelated to the merits of the case or the legality of the investigation.

    This loophole inadvertently incentivizes delaying discovery challenges, in order to have cases easily thrown out on technicalities. To address this, Governor Hochul proposes changes to eliminate the incentive to delay discovery challenges and to ensure that a discovery error is addressed in a manner proportional to the discovery error itself rather than as a technical mechanism to have an entire case dismissed.

    These changes will promote timely review that will improve case processing times, reduce delays that keep individuals incarcerated pre-trial, and prevent dismissals based on technicalities that can prohibit justice to victims and the people of the State of New York.

    My common sense proposal to streamline New York’s discovery laws will close fatal loopholes that have delayed trials and led to cases being thrown out on minor technicalities, which will ultimately help crack down on recidivism and provide justice for victims.”

    Governor Kathy Hochul

    Staten Island District Attorney and President of DAASNY Michael E. McMahon said, “From Richmond County to Chautauqua County and everywhere in between, the unintended consequences of the 2020 Discovery Statute have led to the dismissal of thousands of felony and misdemeanor cases or the dramatic reduction of charges across our State. This reality robs the victims of crime from ever receiving justice and is the direct cause of the rampant recidivism we all know and loathe today as dangerous criminals escape accountability and consequence for their criminal action. If New Yorkers want to know why there is a perpetual and revolving door of recidivism plaguing our State then look no further — our current discovery statutes are to blame. Now is the time to amend New York’s broken Discovery laws and we thank Governor Hochul for recognizing this fact and for working with our fellow district attorneys and legislators to draft a proposal which restores common sense and accountability to our criminal justice system.”

    Rensselaer County District Attorney and President-Elect of DAASNY Mary Pat Donnelly said, “Governor Hochul has acknowledged that New York State’s discovery statute has unintentionally resulted in an increase in case processing times and case delays, and actually keeps people incarcerated for longer periods of time. The current system continues to result in cases being dismissed on technicalities. The discovery proposal in the Governor’s proposed Budget would improve the discovery process and streamline case processing time while also ensuring that defendants are provided with the information they need in order to defend themselves. I support Governor Hochul in her efforts to improve the discovery process.”

    Embedded Flickr Album

    Governor Hochul also proposed a series of improvements to streamline the State’s discovery process. First, the Governor proposes clarifying that information requiring subpoenas in order to obtain is not necessary for certifying discovery compliance and that prosecutors may certify once they have disclosed all relevant materials in their actual possession. Next, Governor Hochul proposes expanding the scope of automatic redaction to include sensitive details such as witnesses’ physical addresses and personal data unrelated to the case, eliminating the need to engage in lengthy litigation to redact such material.

    Governor Hochul also proposes reducing the requirement for providing 48-hour notice before a defendant’s statements can be presented to a grand jury to 24 hours. This will help relieve the burden of counties that lack five-day grand juries and which, during extended weekends, do not have 48 hours before a case needs to be presented to a grand jury. These changes will ensure procedural fairness, streamline case processing and safeguard sensitive information.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hazard Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

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

    LONDON, Ky. – A Hazard, Ky., man, Herbert Allen, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 126 months, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

    According to his plea agreement, on May 30, 2023, Allen knowingly possessed with the intent to distribute a kilogram of methamphetamine.  Specifically, based on an investigation, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Allen’s residence.  Upon their arrival, Allen was in his vehicle.  When approached, Allen admitted to police that a backpack containing a large amount of methamphetamine was in the vehicle.  A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 1,084 grams of methamphetamine, plastic baggies, and a large quantity of cash.

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

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Middle School Teacher and Basketball Coach Sentenced for Online Enticement of a Minor

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

    LONDON, Ky. – An Antioch, Tennessee, man, and former South Laurel Middle School teacher and basketball coach, William Goodson, 32, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 246 months, for online enticement of a minor. 

    According to his plea agreement, from August 2023 through February 23, 2024, while he was a teacher at the Middle School, Goodson persuaded a minor to engage in sexual activity. Specifically, Goodson communicated many sexually explicit messages with the victim, through text messages and Snapchat. When questioned, Goodson told police that his relationship with the minor was like that of a boyfriend, and he further admitted to buying the victim gifts and communicating daily, via Snapchat.  Ultimately, Goodson convinced the minor victim to engage in sexual contact, on multiple occasions, within his classroom.

    Under federal law, Goodson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon Goodson’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years. 

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Jerry Hollon, London Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI and London Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

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

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced to 45 Months for Federal Gun Control and Controlled Substances Acts Violations

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LOUIS HANDY (“HANDY”), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 16, 2025, by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon after previously  pleading guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm, violations of the Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

    According to court records, the FBI’s New Orleans Violent Crime Task Force, in conjunction with the New Orleans Police Department, observed HANDY carrying a concealed handgun.  When uniformed officers approached him to conduct an investigatory stop, HANDY discarded the gun under a nearby vehicle, ran but was caught after a brief chase.  After seizing the handgun HANDY discarded, officers searched HANDY’s person and vehicle, finding fentanyl, marijuana, oxycodone, suboxone films, a digital scale, latex gloves, and several hundred dollars in cash.  HANDY had several prior felony convictions, that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

    Judge Fallon sentenced HANDY to 45 months imprisonment on both the drug trafficking count and the felon in possession of a firearm count, to run concurrently, and ordered that HANDY be placed on supervised release for three years after his release from prison.  The Court also ordered HANDY to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.

    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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Extradition Hearing for Alleged Exxon Linked Hacker Underscores Big Oil’s War to Avoid Accountability

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    WASHINGTON, DC (January 31, 2025) — In response to ongoing legal developments regarding the Department of Justice’s effort to extradite an alleged hacker linked to cyberattacks against climate organizations including Greenpeace USA, Greenpeace USA Deputy Climate Program Director, John Noël said:

    “The latest bombshell revelations in the hack-for-hire case expose a brazen attack on democracy. Defense documents submitted to the court now allegedly link the DCI Group—a lobbying firm hired by Exxon—to a covert hacking operation aimed at undermining climate advocacy organizations, campaigners, journalists and derailing momentum for climate liability lawsuits by stealing private communications.

    “This apparent corporate espionage scandal is staggering—millions of dollars, international intelligence firms, shadowy hackers, and apparently Big Oil at its center. As one of the key suspects faces extradition to the U.S., even more revelations could still emerge. Those responsible must be fully pursued to expose the depths of this scheme and deliver justice.

    “Big Oil is escalating its playbook of manipulation and intimidation—deploying hacking schemes, SLAPP lawsuits, and a tidal wave of disinformation—to silence demands for accountability and climate justice. The fossil fuel industry’s relentless attempts to suppress the truth and crush legal efforts to hold them responsible must not be allowed to stall or derail the urgent fight for a livable future for working families everywhere.”


    Contact: Gigi Singh, Communications Manager at Greenpeace USA
    (+1)  631-404-9977, [email protected]  

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Body found on Bethells Beach believed to be missing swimmer

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police were notified about 8:10pm yesterday that a body had washed up on Bethells Beach.

    Although formal identification is ongoing, Police believe it is likely the body of the man who got into difficulty in the water at Piha on Tuesday evening.

    The man’s family has been advised and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

    The death will be referred to the Coroner.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Security: MS-13 Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murders in Virginia and Massachusetts

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

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national and member of the Uniones Locos Salvatrucha (ULS) clique of the violent Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) gang was sentenced today to six concurrent life prison sentences and additional terms of years following his conviction on charges relating to his participation in the gang’s criminal enterprise, including six murders and additional murder conspiracies.

    According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2018, Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray, aka German Alexander Ramirez Lopez, Buky, and Desquiciado, 27, met other MS-13 members in New Bedford, Massachusetts, to murder an associate of MS-13’s Directos Locos Salvatrucha clique, identified in court records as K.A.C. MS-13 leadership in El Salvador had approved the murder because they believed K.A.C. had betrayed MS-13. That evening, they met K.A.C. at the residence of an MS-13 member in New Bedford. After the group ate dinner together, they beat and strangled K.A.C. to death. The conspirators then dismembered K.A.C.’s body, placed his remains in trash bags, and buried the remains in a wooded area near New Bedford. Alas Candray and other conspirators were promoted in the MS-13 ranks for their participation in the murder.

    In June 2019, Alas Candray and others conspired to murder individuals who frequently gathered to drink in a wooded area in the clique’s perceived territory in Reston. On June 23, 2019, Alas Candray and other members and associates armed themselves with a 9mm firearm, a .45 caliber firearm, and two machetes and traveled to the Hunters Woods area of Reston. The group murdered an individual, identified as J.L.G.M., shooting him and slashing him with a machete.

    On Sept. 17, 2020, Alas Candray and others devised a plan to lure a young woman, identified as I.J.P.G., to Colts Neck Road in Reston under false pretenses and kill her because they believed she was associated with a rival gang and had disparaged MS-13 on social media. A co-conspirator exchanged messages with I.J.P.G. via Snapchat, pretending to be a member of MS-13’s rival gang. He and another co-conspirator later picked up I.J.P.G. and drove her to Colts Neck Road, where Alas Candray and another MS-13 member were waiting for them. The four co-conspirators killed I.J.P.G. by taking turns shooting her, primarily in the face.

    In March 2021, MS-13 members and associates conspired to murder an individual, identified as S.A.T.L., because they believed he was a member of a rival gang. On March 11, 2021, Alas Candray and other MS-13 members and associates, surveilled S.A.T.L. in Fairfax County and waited for an opportunity to murder him. Alas Candray and his co-conspirators went to an apartment complex on Winterthur Court in Reston where Alas Candray fatally shot S.A.T.L.

    On May 30, 2022, Alas Candray and co-conspirators travelled to the Lerner Springs at Reston Apartment Homes and joined others on a footpath behind the complex to patrol the clique’s perceived territory. Shortly thereafter, the conspirators encountered an individual, identified as R.A.P.S., on the footpath. Alas Candray and others murdered R.A.P.S. by kicking him and dropping a large rock on his head as he lay on the footpath.

    On June 18, 2022, Alas Candray and a co-conspirator picked up an individual, identified as F.R.A.R., from Reston and drove him to Seneca Regional Park in Fairfax County. Alas Candray, and his co-conspirators believed that F.R.A.R. had disrespected MS-13 and violated its rules. After arriving at a pre-selected location in the park, Alas Candray and several co-conspirators murdered F.R.A.R. by beating him with a baseball bat and stabbing him. They then dismembered F.R.A.R.’s body and buried F.R.A.R.’s remains in a clandestine grave.

    On Aug. 17, 2022, Alas Candray instructed a relative to relay a message to other ULS members and associates. Using coded language, Alas Candray instructed a co-conspirator to get rid of ammunition, warned ULS members and associates that law enforcement had pictures of them, and advised them to move. The relative relayed the message the following day.

    The jury convicted Alas Candray of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, five counts of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, five counts of murder in aid of racketeering, and three counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence causing death.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

    Assistant U.S. AttorneysJohn Blanchard, Megan Braun, and Natasha Smalky prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-1789.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Introduces the SHUSH Act to Simplify Suppressor Rules

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Congressman Michael Cloud (TX-27) have introduced the Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing (SHUSH) Act in the Senate and House, a bill to eliminate the excessive regulation of firearm suppressors. The bill seeks to simplify the purchase process for law-abiding citizens and reduce unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles. Senate cosponsors of the SHUSH Act include Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and John Curtis (R-UT). The SHUSH Act has garnered the support of the National Association for Gun Rights, Gun Owners of America, the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

    “Despite what Hollywood may lead you to believe, silencers aren’t silent, and they aren’t just for secret agents,” said Senator Lee. “They are a vital tool for hearing protection for countless marksmen and gun enthusiasts across America, and making them prohibitively difficult to obtain is an assault on the 2nd Amendment. The SHUSH Act eliminates federal regulation of silencers and treats them as the non-lethal accessory that they are.”

    “Suppressors are a vital tool for responsible gun owners that protect hearing, enhance safety, and reduce firearm noise—but thanks to Hollywood and federal overreach, they’ve been unfairly vilified,” said Congressman Cloud. “Law-abiding Americans shouldn’t have to endure months of red tape and pay an additional tax just to access a safety accessory. The SHUSH Act puts an end to this unnecessary bureaucratic red tape, eliminates the federal tax, and prevents state overreach by treating suppressors like any other firearm accessory.”

    “Suppressors are accessories and should be treated just like magazines, scopes, or gun stocks,” said Hunter King, National Association for Gun Rights. “Treating an accessory the same as a gun sets a bad precedence for anti-gun legislators to further regulate other accessories in the future. There’s no reason they should be subjected to the Brady registration scheme. We’re happy and privileged to be able to work with Sen. Lee and Rep. Cloud on this legislation,”

    “Gun Owners of America applauds the introduction of the ‘Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing Act’ (SHUSH) Act. The SHUSH Act would not only remove suppressors from the federal regulations of the National Firearms Act, but also treat suppressors as any other firearm accessory – free from the infringing background check process. Senator Lee’s bill will not only benefit hunters and sport shooters, but also take much needed steps for gun owners to restore the rights protected by the Second Amendment,” said Aidan Johnston, Director of Government Affairs, Gun Owners of America.

    Background

    Suppressors, commonly known as silencers, are non-lethal firearm accessories widely used by hunters, sportsmen, and marksmen. These devices enhance safety by reducing noise, recoil, and muzzle blast. Contrary to popular belief, they do not completely silence firearms.

    Currently, the process to legally acquire a suppressor involves an extensive and burdensome procedure through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), including:

    • Completing two copies of ATF Form 4
    • Filling out ATF Form 5330.20 Certification of Compliance
    • Obtaining certification from a local chief law enforcement officer and two copies of fingerprints
    • Submitting two passport photos and a $200 check to the ATF
    • This approval process can take 9-12 months, making the purchase of a suppressor prohibitively complex and costly for many consumers.

    The SHUSH Act aims to:

    • Eliminate federal regulation of suppressors as firearms under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and the Gun Control Act (GCA).
    • Remove existing taxes, fees, and registration requirements associated with suppressors.
    • Allow current or retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms with suppressors.
    • Preempt state regulations on the manufacture, transfer, transport, or possession of suppressors.
    • Strike provisions requiring mandatory minimum sentences for suppressor possession in certain cases.
    • Exempt suppressors from regulation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
    • Provide a provision for a refund of the $200 transfer tax for anyone who purchased a suppressor within two years prior to the enactment of the bill.
    • If passed, the SHUSH Act will work alongside the Hearing Protection Act to further deregulate suppressors and remove them from the Gun Control Act of 1968.

    SHUSH Act: Bill Text | One-Pager

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, DEA, and EPA Announce Indictment in Massive Marijuana Cultivation Scheme

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals for their alleged roles in a large-scale marijuana cultivation and distribution operation. The indictment charges Dineh Benally, 48, his father, Donald Benally, 74, and Irving Rea Yui Lin, 73, a California resident, with multiple offenses related to the illegal marijuana operation.

    The charges include conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, manufacture of 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants, possession with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants, maintaining drug-involved premises, and two counts of knowingly discharging pollutants into waters of the United States without a permit.

    According to the indictment, the operation involved:

    • 25 farms covering approximately 400 acres in the Shiprock area
    • Construction of approximately 1,107 cannabis greenhouses
    • Solicitation of Chinese investors to fund the operation
    • Recruitment of Chinese workers to cultivate the marijuana

    The defendants are also accused of violating the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants into the San Juan River, filling in a channel along the San Juan River dam, and installing a sandbag dam along the San Juan River. These actions potentially caused significant environmental damage to the area.

    The sandbag dam was installed so that water would pool at a separate location to be used to irrigate the marijuana crops.

    In November 2020, law enforcement seized approximately 60,000 pounds of marijuana and approximately 260,000 marijuana plants from the twenty-five marijuana farms allegedly operated and controlled by the defendants.

    On January 23, 2025, during a raid on two additional marijuana farms operated by Dineh Benally in Estancia, New Mexico (as well as his residence), law enforcement identified 10 Chinese workers and seized approximately 8,500 pounds of marijuana, $35,000 cash, illegal pesticides, 43 grams of methamphetamine, two firearms, and a bullet proof vest, among many other things.

    Benally’s illegal marijuana growing operation that spans two farms in Estancia, New Mexico

    “The Department of Justice will protect the sanctity of the ancestral lands and waters of our Tribal partners from those who would exploit them for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez.

    “The FBI remains committed to continue to dismantle criminal organizations operating in New Mexico.” said Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division. “Effective law enforcement requires strong partnerships at every level. This operation is a testament to the power of collaboration between state, local, tribal, and federal agencies to ensure justice is served and our communities are protected.

    If convicted, the defendants each face no less than 10 years and up to life in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and Kim Bahney, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Area Office of the EPA Criminal Investigation Division, made the announcement today.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and the Navajo Nation Police Department. In addition, the following law enforcement agencies participated in the law enforcement operation: Torrance County Sheriff’s Office, Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, United States Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, New Mexico Department of Justice, New Mexico State Police, and the FBI El Paso Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    25-43

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Manassas man sentenced to 18 years in prison for sex trafficking a child and possession of child sexual abuse material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for providing drugs and alcohol to a child in exchange for sex acts and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the same victim as well as other children.

    According to court documents, Olajide Benjamin Ayilaran, 24, met a 14-year-old girl during the summer of 2023 and began communicating with the victim via iMessage. In the messages, Ayilaran offered to provide the victim drugs, alcohol, and nicotine products in exchange for sex acts. Between at least Nov. 21, 2023, and Feb. 29, 2024, Ayilaran met the victim nine times, usually in the morning before the victim went to school, to exchange the products for sexual acts. Ayilaran would wait for the victim in his car in a nearby park. When the victim arrived, he gave her the drugs and alcohol and then had the victim perform sex acts on him in the car.

    Ayilaran recorded the sex acts on his cellphone. A forensic examination of Ayilaran’s phone revealed 73 sexually explicit images and videos of the victim and approximately 1,000 images and videos depicting other minors, including prepubescent children, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Ayilaran kept the majority of his CSAM in a folder that he titled with a smiley face emoji.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Vanessa Strobbe 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-164.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dartmouth — Statement from Chief Superintendent Dan Morrow, Criminal Operations Officer, Nova Scotia RCMP, in response to RCMP member charged with Assault

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Earlier today the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) charged one of our members, Cst. Reece Smith, with Assault in relation to an off-duty incident involving a woman known to him.

    This criminal charge is disconcerting, and undoubtedly alarming to those we serve. The RCMP takes all allegations of misconduct seriously; our employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that not only meets, but exceeds, the rightfully high expectations of Canadians.

    Cst. Smith, who’s been an RCMP member since February 2024, is currently on administrative duties. An internal code of conduct investigation has been initiated and is ongoing. Cst. Smith’s duty status will be continuously assessed throughout both the court and internal processes.

    Media release issued by SiRT:

    SiRT Charges RCMP Officer with Assault

    —————————————————————————————————————–

    The Director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that an off-duty RCMP Officer committed a criminal offence in relation to an incident involving a female known to him.

    SiRT received the referral on December 22, 2024, from the Bridgewater Police Service regarding an incident that took place on December 20, 2024. SiRT began its investigation into the matter that day. As a result of the SiRT investigation, on January 31, 2025, Constable Reece Smith was charged with assault contrary to s. 266 of the Criminal Code.

    Constable Smith will appear before the Nova Scotia Provincial Court at 141 High Street, Bridgewater, NS, on February 19, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.

    As the matter is before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, SiRT will not provide further comment on the investigation.

    SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

    Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation.

    -30-

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $22,332,003.82 In Criminal And Civil Actions, And $5,043,741 In Asset Forfeiture Actions In Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III announced today that the Eastern District of Tennessee collected $22,332,003.83 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $10,674,477.21 was collected in criminal actions and $11,657,526.62 was collected in civil actions.  Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, working with partner agencies, collected $5,043,741 in asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2024.

    The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.  Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

                                                                                                                   ###

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Convicted At Trial

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Ataire Carl Ray (30, Tampa) guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The jury further found that Ray is an Armed Career Criminal after having committed at least three prior serious violent or drug offenses. Ray faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. 

    According to evidence presented at trial, on April 1, 2022, Ray got into an argument during which he waived around a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine, while making various threats. Officers from the Tampa Police Department were called to the scene and approached Ray, who ran and threw the loaded firearm into a neighboring property, where it was quickly recovered. Ray was apprehended about a block away from where he had thrown the firearm. At the time, Ray had multiple prior felony convicts and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.  

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.

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

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pinellas County Man Indicted for Attempting to Entice a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

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

    Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging David Araujo (57, St. Petersburg) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Araujo faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Araujo is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal case. 

    According to the indictment, between July 26 and 27, 2024, Araujo attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.          

    This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Chiefland Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

    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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Operation Rimu – Homicide, Ōpōtiki

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Varnam:

    A man has died after a violent altercation in central Ōpōtiki overnight, and Police have launched a homicide investigation.

    Emergency services were notified that a group of around six people were fighting on Church Street about 12:20am.

    One of those involved had received an injury to the chest consistent with a stab wound.

    Despite medical attention, the man died at the scene.

    While no arrests have been made, Police are following lines of inquiry to identify and locate those involved.

    It is believed gang members were involved.

    If anyone has any information on what happened, who has not yet spoken to Police, we would urge you to do so.

    Get in touch via 105 over the phone or online.

    You can also give information anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Highlights Potential Cost Spikes for Seniors Due to Trump Administration Policies in Senate Aging Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Highlights Potential Cost Spikes for Seniors Due to Trump Administration Policies in Senate Aging Hearing

    During a Wednesday Senate Aging committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock highlighted the dangers of the temporary federal funding freeze issued by the Trump Administration and its impact on health care costs for seniors
    Senator Reverend Warnock also focused on the federal funding freeze’s potential negative impact on food affordability and accessibility
    Senator Reverend Warnock during the hearing: “This Trump freeze will hurt Georgia’s seniors, make life more expensive for them, including our veteran seniors who need care” 
    Hearing expert witness Alex Lawson: “The price of prescription drugs for decades, pharmaceutical corporations have been able to raise the prices year after year, enormously above the rate of general inflation. They do it because they can. They do it for greed alone and seniors pay the consequence of this”

    Watch video of Senator Reverend Warnock’s questioning at Wednesday’s Senate Aging committee hearing HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, during a Senate Aging Committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock continued to highlight the importance of lowering costs for seniors and working-class Georgians. The hearing, called Making Washington Work for Seniors: Fighting to End Inflation and Achieve Fiscal Sanity, brought attention to several Trump Administration policies and executive orders that are likely to increase everyday costs for seniors, making their medication, utility bills, and other everyday needs more expensive.
    “Seniors, particularly those of modest means, rely on these funds [vouchers programs] to help pay for food, medicine, in-home care, rent, energy and heating bills in the dead of winter, and many other federal programs that ensure dignity throughout a person’s life,” said Senator Reverend Warnock during the hearing. 
    During the hearing, Senator Warnock also addressed the importance of extending Premium Tax Credits, which were established through the Affordable Care Act, citing by example that a senior Georgia couple, with a household income of $80,000, would see their annual premium go up by nearly $17,000 if the credits aren’t extended.
    “Mr. Lawson, how would extending the enhanced PTC support the fiscal sanity of seniors?” Senator Warnock asked Alex Lawson.
    “It would be fiscal insanity not to extend it and think that it’ll do anything other than drive millions of older Americans into poverty because you can’t just increase a bill $16,000 and expect that money to just come from nowhere,” said Lawson.
    Senator Warnock has long championed efforts to expand affordable health care access, starting with his advocacy to close the health care coverage gap in Georgia. In the Inflation Reduction Act, Senator Warnock secured two of his proposals in the law capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month for Medicare patients and capping the cost of prescription drugs for seniors at $2,000 a year. The Senator also pushed for solutions to close the coverage gap. Last year, Senator Warnock introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act,legislation to expand the cap of annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families. Senator Warnock remains committed to preserving and protecting access to health care for all Georgians.
    Watch the Senator’s full remarks and line of questioning HERE.
    See below the transcript the exchanges between Senator Warnock and the Aging Committee witness.
    Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): “Today’s hearing, discussing the consequences of high prices on seniors, could not be more timely. On Monday evening, the Trump Administration ordered a total illegal freeze of federal taxpayer funds going out to communities and Georgians. This illegal funding freeze includes programs that are essential to seniors with lower and fixed incomes. I’m thankful that a federal judge temporarily halted this illegal freeze yesterday afternoon, but these programs are still at risk. The Trump Administration, to be very clear, has rescinded the OMB memo. They have not rescinded the executive order.” 
    “Mr. Lawson will the pauses to payments for nutrition programs or the Older Americans Act make food more affordable and accessible for seniors?”
    Alex Lawson (AL): “No, Senator, it would do the opposite.”
    SRW: “So what they did on Monday night won’t help?”
    AL: “It will hurt.”
    SRW: “How about a pause on payments for federal housing vouchers? Will that help?”
    AL: “That will not help. That will also hurt.”
    SRW: “And what about a pause on energy assistance funds?”
    AL: “Same answer. This won’t help at all. It will only hurt seniors.”
    SRW: “I would agree with that. Seniors, particularly those of modest means, rely on these funds to help pay for food, medicine, in-home care, rent, energy and heating bills in the dead of winter, and many other federal programs that ensure dignity throughout a person’s life.”
    “This Trump freeze will hurt Georgia’s seniors, make life more expensive for them, including our veteran seniors who need care.”
    “Mr. Lawson, how can the federal government help bring down costs for seniors?”
    AL: “One of the best ways is to focus in on one of the key drivers, that is really the rock, in the rock and the hard place, that seniors are in.”
    “The price of prescription drugs, for decades, pharmaceutical corporations have been able to raise the prices year after year, enormously above the rate of general inflation.” 
    “They do it because they can. They do it for greed alone and seniors pay the consequence of this.”
    “That’s too often having to cut their pills in half, or forgo their prescriptions, or face the choice of am ‘I going to pay my rent, or my heating bill, or be able to afford my drugs this month.” 
    “That is the reality that millions of Americans face. Now, President Biden and Democrats in Congress passed a bill that allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time ever, and there will be a reduction in the prices of some specific drugs. But what we could do is expand that to all drugs. Why get ripped off on any drugs?”
    SRW: “Absolutely. And I’m proud that in that provision which caps the cost of prescription drugs, my insulin bill, which caps the cost of insulin to no more than $35 of out-of-pocket costs per month for seniors.”
    “Insulin shouldn’t be expensive, and the fact that it is, prior to our engagement in this area, speaks to the outsized influence of Big Pharma in our politics.”
    “On his first day in office, President Trump signed a wave of executive orders, and one of these executive orders rolled back an initiative that would empower Medicare prescription drugs to offer generic drugs that treat chronic conditions for a flat $2 co-pay.”
    “Mr. Lawson, would capping the cost of medication at $2 help with seniors’ ability to afford other essentials like groceries?”
    AL: “Absolutely. There’s no doubt at all on that.”
    SRW: “How do high prescription drug costs affect seniors also dealing with inflation?”
    AL: “When a senior [is] forced to try to go get groceries and they can’t afford those groceries on the $1900 average Social Security cost per month, if their drug prices are going up month after month, 13 percent, they’re going be less able to afford those groceries. And we know that this price cap works because there is now a $2000 price cap on prescription drugs in the same bill that put in negotiation and the freedom that gives seniors the anxiety of ‘will I be able to afford my next bag of groceries’ is enormous.”
    SRW: “Absolutely.”
    “The Affordable Care Act established a premium tax credit to help everyday Americans afford their healthcare costs. Several years ago, Democrats in Congress passed legislation increasing the value of the premium tax credits to help families better afford health care while dealing with inflation. But if Congress fails to extend these tax credits before the end of the year, a 60-year-old couple in Georgia with a household income of say $80,000 will see their annual premium go up by $16,798.”
    “Mr. Lawson, how would extending the enhanced PTC support the fiscal sanity of seniors?”
    AL: “It would be fiscal insanity not to extend it and think that it’ll do anything other than drive millions of older Americans into poverty because you can’t just increase a bill $16,000 and expect that money to just come from nowhere.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: President’s Cabinet

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    Q: Why does the nation’s chief executive have a team of advisors known as the President’s Cabinet?

    A: During the Constitutional Convention in 1787, delegates hashed out how to organize the executive branch and whether the president would act independently or collaborate with a council of ministers. One proposal suggested a council comprised of the Speaker of the House, the President of the Senate and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Ultimately, the delegates vested theexecutive power in a single person: the President of the United States. However, they also included constitutional guardrails unique to our system of checks and balances, granting the power of “advise and consent” to the Senate on appointments and treaties. So, while the president’s “Cabinet” is not spelled out in the Constitution, Article II, Section 2, clause 1 authorizes the president “may require the Opinion … of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Officers.” In other words, the president has the power to surround himself with a team of people to carry out the laws of the land.

    President George Washington created the first Cabinet and nominated four individuals for Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of State, Secretary of War and Attorney General. Washington met regularly with his Cabinet to discuss core functions of the new federal government: money supply, diplomacy, defense, enforcement of laws and administration of justice. His successors followed this precedent to surround themselves with trusted advisors to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.” The Cabinet has expanded over the years, most recently with creation of the Department of Homeland Security post-9/11. Today, the Cabinet includes the Vice President and heads of 15 executive departments, including the U.S. Attorney General; Secretaries of Agriculture; Commerce; Defense; Education; Energy; Health and Human Services; Homeland Security; Housing and Urban Development; Interior; Labor; State; Treasury; Transportation; and, Veterans Affairs. Also serving in Cabinet-level positions are the Administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency and Small Business Administration; Directors of the Central Intelligence Agency; National Intelligence; and, Office of Management and Budget; U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; and the U.S. Trade Representative. Since the 113th Congress, Cabinet nominees are confirmed by a simple majority in the U.S. Senate. If approved, nominees are sworn in before beginning their duties.

    Q: What is the Senate’s role in the confirmation process?

    A: The Constitution gives the president and the Senate shared authority to make appointments to high-level positions in the federal government, including the federal judiciary and the president’s Cabinet. History shows the Senate extends deference to presidents selecting advisors to help them carry out the operations of the executive branch of government. In the 19th century, the Senate revised its rules to require the referral of nominations to the appropriate committees. A century later, Senate committees held public hearings and questioned nominees in person. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 119th Congress, I’ve led confirmation hearings for President Trump’s nominees to serve as the Attorney General and the Director of the FBI. From my assignments on the Senate Agriculture, Finance and Budget Committees, I’ve participated in confirmation hearings for the Secretaries of Agriculture, Treasury, Health and Human Services and Director of the Office of Management and Budget. It’s my policy to wait until after these hearings conclude to make my final decision on the nomination. The Senate’s “advise and consent” authority is one tool to keep check on the executive branch and has factored into the rejection or withdrawl of Cabinet nominees for centuries. At the same time, the Senate has a compelling interest not to impede the continuity of government from one administration to the next. It’s critical to the functioning of government to have these high-level officials in place. For Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, 84 percent of Cabinet secretaries nominated before Inauguration Day received quick Senate approval, an average of 2.4 days. After passing background checks, answering questions in writing, in private meetings and under the Senate microscope in public confirmation hearings and being referred favorably by the committees of jurisdiction, the president’s nominees deserve a timely vote in the U.S. Senate. The devastating collision on Jan. 29 over the Potomac River – the worst aviation crash in America in a quarter century – underscores the urgency to get the president’s team in place.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Shaheen Seek to Prevent Youth Opioid Abuse

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today introduced the Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act. The bipartisan bill would combat youth opioid abuse by enabling school partnerships with current or former Drug-Free Communities to educate students about the dangers of synthetic opioids. Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

    “Stamping out drug abuse in our communities and schools demands an all-hands approach. One piece of the puzzle is supporting drug prevention programs that educate young people about synthetic opioids and preventable resources,” Grassley said. “I’m glad to support this vital and fiscally responsible bill to protect our next generation from the dangers of addiction.” 

    “Our bipartisan bill will help save lives by educating students and young people across the country about the dangers of synthetic opioids,” Shaheen said. “We’ve made progress in recent years to stem the substance use epidemic, but there’s more we can and should do to ensure kids know just how deadly opioids can be. Our bipartisan Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act would help do just that.”  

    Find bill text HERE.

    Background:

    The Keeping Drugs out of Schools Act establishes a five-year grant program that would allow elementary, middle and high schools to apply for up to $75,000 in federal funding to plan, implement and evaluate effective drug prevention initiatives. Eligible schools could renew their grant eligibility for up to three more years. 

    Grassley helped create the Drug-Free Communities program in 1998, after establishing Iowa’s “Face It Together,” or FIT – a first-of-its-kind, statewide anti-drug effort. Today, the Drug-Free Communities program serves 751 communities across the nation and supports 6.1 million middle and high school students. 

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Happy Valley-Goose Bay — Excessive speeder ticketed by RCMP Traffic Services Labrador

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A 21-year-old man was ticketed by RCMP Traffic Services Labrador for excessive speeding yesterday.

    On Thursday, January 30, 2025, police observed a vehicle travelling 141 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on Route 520, commonly known as the North West River highway. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was ticketed for excessive speeding. His license was suspended and the vehicle was seized and impounded.

    RCMP NL continues to fulfill its mandate to protect public safety, enforce the law, and ensure the delivery of priority policing services in Newfoundland and Labrador. We thank the public for continuing to report incidents of excessive speed, dangerous driving and crimes within their communities.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Poplar Bluff Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Recording His Rape of Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man who recorded his rape of a minor with an intellectual disability to 30 years in prison.

    In March of 2024, the 17-year-old victim’s mother contacted the Poplar Bluff Police Department about Jason R. Hicks-Simpson. The victim told investigators that Hicks-Simpson had been sexually abusing her since she was five, his plea agreement says. She also said Hicks-Simpson threatened to kill her and her kittens if she did not keep the secret. Hicks-Simpson told police that it had only happened once several months earlier. Investigators found videos dating back to May of 2023 on his phone, the plea agreement says.

    Hicks-Simpson, of Poplar, Bluff, 46, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in October to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

    Hicks-Simpson will now be transferred to state court to face charges there.

    The Poplar Bluff Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Nearly $3M for Taxpayers and Victims in 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee collected $2,932,631.57 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of that amount, $2,635,982.75 was collected in criminal actions and $296,648. 82 was collected in civil actions.

    Additionally, the Western District of Tennessee worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $23,145.23 in cases pursued jointly by these offices.

    “The federal government has a responsibility to collect restitution for victims of crime. Our Criminal and Civil Divisions, including the Financial Litigation Program, work diligently to ensure that this mission is met,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tennessee’s Western District, working with partner agencies and divisions, also collected $2,688,743 in asset forfeiture actions in fiscal year 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

    Several cases generated significant collection efforts in fiscal year 2024, including:

    U.S. v. Rosemary Covey and Morgan Stanley, 06-cr-20408 and 24-cv-2257. Covey was convicted of Bank Fraud and Access device fraud and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,034,105.49. After years of minimal restitution payments, the USAO learned of a retirement account at Morgan Stanley. The USAO filed a Writ of Garnishment on defendant’s IRA and received $73,843.54 in proceeds that were applied to the restitution.

    U.S. v. Teresa T. Parsley, 07-cr-20035. Parsley was convicted of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. As a result, she was ordered to pay $3,829,605.29 in restitution. After she made only minimal payments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered $143,845 from the proceeds of the sale of her home, which was applied to her restitution.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    ###

    For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Buchanan Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROANOKE, Va. – A Buchanan, Virginia, man, who exposed the genitals of a minor female during a party at his residence and took pictures of the victim on his cellphone, pled guilty last week to related federal charges.

    Christopher Buono, 45, pled guilty to one count of child sexual exploitation and one count of possession of child pornography.

    According to court documents, in January 2024 a party was hosted the defendant’s home in Buchanan, Virginia. At one point in the evening, Buono and a minor female, who was approximately six-years-old at the time, went to Buono’s game room, and either the minor victim or Buono pulled down her pants and underwear, exposing her genitals.

    Buono then used his cellphone to take sexually explicit photographs of the minor victim. Later that night, Buono used a messaging application to send one of these photos to another individual with a sexual interest in minors.

    At sentencing, Buono faces a maximum of forty years in federal prison.

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee announced the guilty plea.

    The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security with assistance from the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff is prosecuting the case.

    The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sin City Deciples Member Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HAMMOND- Yesterday, Brandon Romand Parks “Baywatch,” age 46, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after being found guilty of racketeering conspiracy following an 18-day jury trial, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Parks was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. 

    According to the Second Superseding Indictment, the Sin City Deciples, originally formed in 1967 in Gary, Indiana, is an outlaw motorcycle organization in which its members and associates engaged in acts of violence, extortion, and narcotics distribution in the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere. 

    Parks served as a National President of the entire club and was involved in the conspiracy to commit acts of racketeering activity between 2016-2018.  As National President, Parks was 2nd in command behind the founder of the club.

    The agencies involved in this prosecution were: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Griffith Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents, the Merrillville Police Department, the Munster Police Department, and the Schererville Police Department.   Also providing assistance were the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Indiana, the Western District of Kentucky, and the Western District of Pennsylvania.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick and Michael J. Toth.  

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    This case was also 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: St. Johns Man Sentenced To Over Eleven Years In Federal Prison For Traveling To Meet A Minor For Sex

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Chad Michael Sadlowski (34, St. Johns) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Sadlowski was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty in October 2024.  

    According to court records, from April 25 through April 28, 2024, an undercover detective with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office posed online on a messaging application as the uncle of an eight-year-old female “child.” Sadlowski engaged the undercover in a variety of sexually explicit messages and expressed a desire to have sex with the “child.” Sadlowski agreed to meet up at a local gas station to engage in sex prior to him going to work as a respiratory therapist at a local hospital. Sadlowski was arrested as he was traveling to the gas station and was in his hospital scrubs when he was taken into custody. After his arrest, Sadlowski admitted to traveling to meet the eight-year-old “child” for sex. In addition, he also admitted to talking to minors on the application by asking them for sexually explicit photos and videos. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators searched Sadlowski’s phone and found additional child exploitation materials in his possession.

    “This investigation highlights the ever-present threat for children online, and this predator’s reprehensible actions demonstrate a coldhearted disregard for the life and well-being of a child,” said Tim Hemker, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “HSI, alongside our partners with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the rest of Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force are committed to protecting our children from harm.”  

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. This case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.

    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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI