NewzIntel.com

Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI China: Inter leaves it late as Dortmund, Flu hit four

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Fluminense, Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund all recorded crucial wins on Saturday at the FIFA Club World Cup, while River Plate was held to a goalless draw by Monterrey.

    At the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Brazil’s Fluminense recovered from 2-1 down to beat South Korean side Ulsan 4-2.

    Bayern Munich’s Konrad Laimer (L) vies with Boca Juniors’ Lautaro Blanco (C) during the group C match between Bayern Munich of Germany and CA Boca Juniors of Argentina at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, the United States, June 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ming)

    Colombian midfielder Jhon Arias opened the scoring for Fluminense with a fizzing 25-yard free-kick but Lee Jin-hyun equalized from a tight angle after Um Won-sang’s cross.

    Lee returned the favor as his pass from the left wing allowed Um to score with a diving header just before halftime.

    Gustavo Nunato levelled with a low finish after intercepting Milosz Trojak’s clearance and Juan Pablo Freytes made it 3-2 by slotting home from the edge of the six-yard box.

    Keno put the result beyond doubt with a looping stoppage-time header following Arias’ cross.

    Fluminense is now top of Group F with four points, ahead of Borussia Dortmund on goal difference. Ulsan is last and has no chance of progressing.

    “We lost our focus at the end of the first half and they made us pay,” Fluminense manager Renato Gaucho told reporters. “We came back with a different attitude in the second half and the win gives us peace of mind. Tomorrow we’ll start thinking about the last match [against Mamelodi Sundowns], which we need to win.”

    In Seattle, Lautaro Martinez and Valentin Carboni scored for Inter Milan as the Italian side rallied late to overcome Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds 2-1.

    Ryoma Watanabe gave the J1 League outfit an early lead by sweeping home from 10 yards after Takuro Kaneko’s clever run and cross from the right flank.

    It took until the 78th minute for Inter to equalize as Martinez struck with an acrobatic volley following Nicolo Barella’s corner.

    The Serie A club suddenly had the momentum and Carboni gave his side the lead in the 92nd minute by pouncing on a loose ball and drilling a low effort past Shusaku Nishikawa.

    “The result is almost secondary,” Carboni said. “It was difficult out there. They defended in a very compact fashion and we had few opportunities. But We have the three points, and it is important to move on.”

    The victory leaves Inter second in Group E with four points while Urawa is last and cannot qualify for the knockout stage.

    In Cincinnati, Germany’s Borussia Dortmund stayed in contention for a place in the last 16 with a 4-3 win over South African side Mamelodi Sundowns.

    Lucas Ribeiro, Iqraam Rayners and Lebo Mothiba were on target for the Pretoria-based side while Felix Nmecha, Serhou Guirassy and Jobe Bellingham scored for the Bundesliga outfit, which also benefitted from a Khuliso Mudau own goal.

    Borussia Dortmund is now second in Group F with four points, one ahead of third-placed Mamelodi.

    “I was expecting more, to be honest,” Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac said. “We gave the ball away too easily and played too slowly. On the positive side, we scored four goals. We’re satisfied with the result given the difficult conditions. As a top team, you have to aim to score plenty of goals, but you also can’t afford to concede so many. That annoys me, but I try to stay pragmatic.”

    In Saturday’s late match, Argentina’s River Plate drew 0-0 with Mexican side Monterrey at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

    River Plate looked more likely to score but could not find a way past Monterrey’s Argentine goalkeeper Esteban Andrada, who made six saves.

    The Buenos Aires outfit finished the match with 10 men after Colombian midfielder Kevin Castano was sent off for a second bookable offense.

    River remains top of Group E with four points, ahead of Inter Milan on goal difference, while Monterrey is third, two points further back.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Neymar ‘close’ to extend Santos deal

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Veteran forward Neymar is close to extending his contract with Santos, the Brazilian Serie A club’s president said on Sunday.

    The 33-year-old’s current deal is set to expire on June 30 and local media have linked him with a possible move to Major League Soccer.

    Brazil’s Neymar reacts before a friendly soccer match between Brazil and Qatar in Brasilia, Brazil, June 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Ming)

    But Santos has intensified efforts to retain the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star in recent days and is confident a deal will be finalized soon.

    “We are talking to Neymar’s representatives,” club president Marcelo Teixeira told Radio Bandeirantes. “We are making great progress with our negotiations and are very close to a new agreement that would allow Neymar to stay for a new period.”

    Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, has struggled for form and fitness since returning from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament sustained in October 2023.

    He has made just 12 appearances across all competitions for Santos this year, scoring three goals and providing three assists, after rejoining his boyhood club on a six-month contract in January.

    Teixeira defended the attacker from criticism that his off-field behavior and celebrity lifestyle were affecting his game.

    “Off the pitch, he has his issues that are always very controversial,” Teixeira said. “His profile means that everything he does has worldwide repercussions. We understand that.”

    Teixeira added that his goal was to help Neymar recover in time to play for Brazil at next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

    “We all want to see Neymar there, and he wants to play,” he said. “He’s going through a recovery process and we want to help him through it so that he can come back better and stronger very soon.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s decision to bomb Iran exposes fissures in US politics

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Lester Munson, Non-Resident Fellow, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney

    US President Donald Trump’s strike on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, which he foreshadowed on and off for the past few days, has revealed a surprisingly broad middle ground in US politics, even as it has provoked controversy in the international community.

    Almost immediately after news of the US military action broke, John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, blasted out a statement of support, calling the attack the “correct move”.

    Steny Hoyer of Maryland, who spent decades in House Democratic Leadership roles, said the strike “was essential to preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon”.

    Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro, a likely presidential candidate in 2028, gave a thoughtful evaluation of the attack, calling Iran’s nuclear weapons program “dangerous”.

    Other Democrats were more muted. Leading Senators, including Leader Chuck Schumer, complained about the lack of congressional authorisation and the administration’s failure to consult Congress before the strike, but didn’t specifically oppose the US action.

    In the US system, only Congress can declare war, but the president has broad power as commander-in-chief to respond to threats. Most defenders of presidential authority acknowledge his authority to act militarily – particularly when the US’s role is highly limited, such as in the Iran strike. Should US involvement deepen, the calls for a congressional role in authorising the war will become louder and more legitimate.

    Some on the far left, including Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, openly opposed the strike and even called for Trump’s impeachment. Ocasio-Cortez said:

    The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.

    On the Republican side, there has also not been unanimous support for the strike.

    Even within the president’s coalition, some isolationists have been opposed to any US strike on Iran. They rightly pointed out that Trump campaigned on ending wars, not starting them.

    Media personalities Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon openly urged the president not to strike Iran. Carlson’s interview on the issue with hawkish Republican Ted Cruz gathered huge attention on social media.

    Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s Director of National Intelligence and a member of his cabinet, went so far as to make a video about the horrors of nuclear conflict.

    Trump’s reaction to Gabbard’s video was furious. He even suggested he might eliminate her office, which is charged with coordinating America’s many intelligence agencies.

    Trump also called Carlson, whose millions-strong following on X is a key component of Trump’s political base, “kooky” for opposing a strike on Iran. Trump later walked that back, saying Carlson had called to apologise, and that Carlson “is a nice guy”.

    In Congress, one notable Trump ally opposed the Iran attack. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the controversial congresswoman from Georgia, said:

    Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war […] This is not our fight. Peace is the answer.

    Trump’s decision has wide cross-party support

    It is certainly fair to look closely at Trump’s base and explore divisions and disagreements. However, it is highly likely that Trump’s dominant personality means he will keep the vast majority of his base together.

    More revealing about US politics is the support across the aisle for his Iran policy.

    Trump’s brash manner and divisive rhetoric make it difficult for Democrats to support him in any circumstance, but the US people’s disdain for Iran appears to be much stronger.

    In 1979, Iranian revolutionaries took 52 US diplomats hostage. The image of those captive hostages blindfolded and at the mercy of Iranian radicals is burned into older Americans’ brains.

    A generation later, Iran-backed militias killed more than 600 Americans in the war in Iraq. There are other sins Iran has committed against the US, included the attempted assassination of Trump. In this context, Trump’s policy is in the US mainstream.

    Why didn’t Trump consult Congress?

    It has been the standard practice of US presidents to brief the bipartisan leadership of Congress on key national security initiatives, such as a strikes on adversaries. While not a hard-and-fast rule, the practice can produce more bipartisan support for a president’s actions that he might otherwise have. It’s not unreasonable to think senior congressional Democrats might be more openly supportive of the Iran strike if they had been consulted in this manner.

    However, Trump and his administration did not do this, for a reason. There is little value in open bipartisanship in America today. Even though both parties are very close on Iran policy, neither wants that to be seen in public as cooperating across the aisle. Each party would much rather make the case to its base that it represents their interests and is not willing to compromise with the other party. Support from Democrats does not strengthen Trump, as his base is highly suspicious of the opposition party.

    The reverse is true for elected Democrats, including those in leadership. They will be more vulnerable from progressives in next year’s primary contests if they are seen as insufficiently resisting Trump. There is no Trump-like figure in their party to protect them from this base.

    In US politics today, nothing is more dangerous than agreeing with the other party. There is a premium value on publicly opposing your political adversaries, no matter what the issue. It makes for a foreign policy that appears more fractured than it actually is.

    Lester Munson receives funding from the U.S. Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He is affiliated with the Republican Party.

    – ref. Trump’s decision to bomb Iran exposes fissures in US politics – https://theconversation.com/trumps-decision-to-bomb-iran-exposes-fissures-in-us-politics-259446

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Breaking: China’s UN Ambassador Condemns US Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    UNITED NATIONS, June 22 (Xinhua) — China’s permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong condemned the United States at an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Sunday for attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

    “Yesterday (Saturday) the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. China strongly condemns the US attacks on Iran and the bombing of nuclear sites under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards,” the Chinese diplomat said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Breaking: China’s UN Ambassador Condemns US Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    UNITED NATIONS, June 22 (Xinhua) — China’s permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong condemned the United States at an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Sunday for attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.

    “Yesterday (Saturday) the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. China strongly condemns the US attacks on Iran and the bombing of nuclear sites under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards,” the Chinese diplomat said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Presidential Message on the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa

    Source: US Whitehouse

    On this day 80 years ago, victory was wrested from the depths of hell when American forces triumphed over the Imperial Japanese Army in the Battle of Okinawa—a brutal and blood-soaked triumph that was the single costliest victory in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

    On April 1, 1945, American forces approached the Japanese island of Okinawa expecting a hard-fought but swift battle to secure the island as a vital airbase for the Allies.  Instead, they were met with what was later termed the “Typhoon of Steel”—kamikaze attacks from the air and sea, and Japanese soldiers deeply entrenched in a system of caves, tunnels, and mountain redoubts, committed to fight to the bitter end.  For weeks, our Soldiers, Marines, and Sailors endured a prolonged and gruesome battle of attrition, punctuated by relentless ambushes in the rain and mud and unthinkable psychological torment.  The Battle of Okinawa demonstrated to the world that, while on the back foot, the Japanese would not easily surrender, and that victory would come at an astounding cost.

    Throughout nearly 3 months of grueling warfare, more than 180,000 American service members withstood horrors beyond imagination to secure Okinawa Island.  By the time the Allies prevailed on June 22, 1945, more than 12,000 Americans had perished, with tens of thousands more wounded.  Months later, on September 2, Japan surrendered unconditionally—finally ending the bloodiest war in the history of the world.

    Today, we honor the grit, courage, and unwavering tenacity of every American warrior who withstood unbearable carnage to bring the Allied forces to victory over the forces of imperialism.  Their service and sacrifice, along with that of their fellow brothers in arms, are a tribute to the selflessness and stalwart bravery of their generation—the Greatest Generation. The legacy of that sacrifice includes our alliance with Japan—forged after that terrible conflict—that embodies our shared commitment to freedom and openness, which is a beacon for the world. In southern Okinawa, the Cornerstone of Peace monument rests on the site where the fighting ended, serving as a somber reminder that the shared tragedy of war and loss of life touches every generation.  Every American soul inscribed on that black granite wall will be forever remembered as an immortal champion of valor, liberty, and sacrifice.

    On this 80th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa, our Nation pays tribute to the fearless young warriors who endured unimaginable devastation—and we honor those who valiantly laid down their lives for the sacred causes of freedom, sovereignty, and human dignity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Larsen Releases Statement on U.S. Strikes Against Iran

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

    Larsen Releases Statement on U.S. Strikes Against Iran

    Washington, D.C., June 22, 2025

    Today, Representative Rick Larsen released the following statement on the U.S. strikes against Iran:

    “The history of military conflict in the Middle East is that conflicts are difficult to contain and never seem to end. The Administration’s decision to unilaterally intervene in the Israel-Iran war by bombing Iran’s nuclear program sites will drag the United States deeper into the Middle East without a clear end game.

    “The United States must now focus on protecting U.S. forces in the region, coordinating with allies to share intelligence regarding Iranian or proxy retaliation, and seeking a return to diplomacy.

    “Diplomacy has always been the best way to impose long-term limits on the Iranian nuclear program, like the multilateral agreement President Obama achieved before Trump unwisely pulled out of it. It remains unclear how much damage the strike did to the Iranian nuclear program infrastructure.

    “Congress must reassert its authority and oversight over Trump’s military decisions and not be cowed into approving a bloated Pentagon budget using this attack as a pretext.

    “The women and men in the U.S. armed forces deserve our prayers for their continued safety.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mason City Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Sutton attempted to conceal approximately 1.5 ounces of methamphetamine while being booked at the Cerro County Jail for a driving while barred charge

    A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced June 18, 2025, to more than 7 years in federal prison.

    Todd Aaron Howard Hamilton Sutton, Jr., age 34, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 12, 2025, guilty plea.

    In a plea agreement, Sutton admitted that on July 27, 2024, he was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation in Cerro Gordo County.  He was arrested for driving while barred and taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail.  While being booked into the jail, law enforcement found a plastic baggie containing approximately 45 grams of methamphetamine Sutton had discretely hidden on his person.  Previously, Sutton had attempted to conceal drugs on his person on two prior occasions when being processed at the Cerro Gordo County Jail for other offenses.  Sutton has an extensive criminal history involving, amongst others, violence and drug convictions. 

    Sutton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Sutton was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Sutton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Greenwood and investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.  

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

    The case file number is 24-CR03037.  

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 13 Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine as well as Illegal Possession of Machine Guns

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ten Mexican nationals, one Guatemalan national, and two United States citizens have been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine as well as numerous counts of distribution of those controlled substances, illegal possession of machine guns, alien in possession of firearms, felon in possession of firearms, and illegal reentry of removed aliens.

    The investigation began in January of 2024 and continued through June of 2025, during which time investigators seized approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and 11 firearms, three of which had been equipped with machine gun conversion devices and functioned as fully automatic weapons.

    A law enforcement operation conducted on June 18, 2025, resulted in nine arrests. Three defendants were already in custody, and one defendant remains at large. More than a dozen law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation which also resulted in the seizure of nine additional firearms.

    Uriel Lopez-Farias, 31, a Mexican national; Jesus Adrian Meza-Meza, 42, a Mexican national; Walter Fernandez, 34, of Kansas City, Mo.; Carlos R. Lepe-Virgen, 52, a Mexico national; Pedro Ivan Roldan-Minjares, 44, a Mexican national; Joel Armando Guillen-Rodriguez, 31, a Mexican national; Jose Rodriguez-Vasquez, 44, a Mexican national; Jose Aroldo Troches-Reyes, 33, a Guatemalan national; Adalberto Meza-Meza, 37, a Mexican national; Maximiliano Oliva-Verdin, 30, a Mexican national; Osvaldo Chiapas-Aguilar, 38, a Mexican national; Jesus Alvarez-Giron, 23, a Mexican national; and Kenneth Baez, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a forty-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on June 11, 2025.  The federal indictment was unsealed and made public today following the initial appearances of those in custody.

    Lopez-Farias is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a machine gun, distribution and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    J. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Fernandez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Lepe-Virgen is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Roldan-Minjares is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Guillen-Rodriguez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Rodriguez-Vasquez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Troches-Reyes is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    A. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Oliva-Verdin is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Chiapas-Aguilar is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Alvarez-Giron is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Baez is charged with illegal possession of a machine gun and felon in possession of a firearm. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole for this charge.

    The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan A. Baker and Heather Siegele.  It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Jackson County Drug Task Force in conjunction with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

    Wednesday’s law enforcement operation included the FBI, DEA, ATF, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service, Jackson County (MO) Drug Task Force, Johnson County (KS) Drug Task Force, Kansas City Missouri Police Department, Kansas City Kansas Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Lee’s Summit Police Department, Sugar Creek Police Department, Wyandotte County (KS) Sheriff’s Department, St. Joseph (MO) Police Department, Buchanan County (MO) Drug Strike Force, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas.

    The investigation and arrest operation were part of the Kansas City Regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) which is dedicated to identifying and prosecuting criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

    Operation Take Back America

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chesterfield Doctor Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Healthcare Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Friday sentenced a doctor who committed healthcare fraud schemes to five years in prison and ordered him to repay $2.87 million.

    Dr. Stanley L. Librach, now 64, of Chesterfield, pleaded guilty in August in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy, one count of illegally prescribing controlled substances, one count of paying illegal kickbacks for referrals and one count of health care fraud. He admitted participating in healthcare fraud schemes involving both kickbacks and the illegal prescribing of controlled substances.

    In one scheme, Dr. Librach, Dr. Asim Muhammad Ali, and chiropractor Jerry Dale Leech agreed to send urine samples for testing to Central Diagnostic Laboratory (CDL) in exchange for illegal kickbacks that went to business entities owned by Leech and Denis J. Mikhlin. CDL then sought reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid for the testing. Dr. Librach also sent urine samples directly from his own separate private practice clinic to CDL. In exchange, Dr. Ali paid the wages of Dr. Librach’s employees.

    In another scheme, Dr. Librach, Dr. Ali and Leech wrote prescriptions for the powerful pain medication oxycodone and other controlled substances when there was no legitimate medical purpose and while acting outside the usual course of professional conduct. Drs. Librach and Ali had not examined the patients at the pain clinics with which they were associated. They did not determine that the patients whose names appeared on prescriptions had a medical need for the controlled substances. Instead, they spent several hours one day a week pre-signing prescriptions that would be used for patients at upcoming visits. The doctors did not examine or evaluate the patients and rarely looked at patient charts before signing prescriptions. The doctors signed prescriptions for patients whose test results indicated that they were selling or otherwise diverting the controlled substances and did not address that obvious drug diversion. The conspirators knew that pharmacies would seek reimbursement for the medications from Medicare and Medicaid.

    “This provider was involved in multiple elaborate healthcare fraud schemes that involved accepting kickbacks and illegally prescribing dangerous and addictive opioids for financial gain,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG).  “HHS-OIG remains committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect patients and protect the integrity of federal healthcare programs.”

    Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Davis heads the Drug Enforcement Administration division that leads DEA investigations in Kansas and Missouri. “Because opioids are highly addictive, doctors have a duty to ensure they are prescribing controlled medications according to law to protect their patients’ health and safety,” said Davis.

    Eleven defendants were indicted in 2020, including three doctors, their staff and purported patients. A twelfth was added in 2022. All have pleaded guilty.

    Dr. Ali, 54, of Creve Coeur, pleaded guilty in May of 2024 to charges similar to the ones to which Dr. Librach pleaded. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August. Leech, 52, of Creve Coeur, pleaded guilty in 2021 to one count of conspiracy, one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, one count of paying illegal kickbacks for referrals and one count of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September. Mikhlin, 46, of Chesterfield, was sentenced in 2021 to nine years in prison and ordered to repay $181,265.

    The HHS-OIG, the DEA, the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Sestric, Derek Wiseman and Jonathan Clow are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Florida Medical Providers Agree to Pay $810,301 to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulently Billing Medicare

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – Vascular and Interventional Specialists, LLC (VIS); Vascular and Spine Institute, Inc. (VSI); Oscar Sosa, M.D.; and Osmany DeAngelo, D.O. have agreed to pay $810,301 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims for medically unnecessary percutaneous transluminal angioplasties (PTA)—a procedure that is performed to increase blood flow through a diseased or abnormally narrowed vessel.

    The United States alleged that from 2015 to 2024, VIS, VSI, Sosa, and DeAngelo performed hundreds of PTAs without conducting any diagnostic inquiry or making a clinical diagnosis to support the medical necessity of the PTAs they performed. VIS, VSI, Sosa, and DeAngelo subsequently submitted claims to federal healthcare programs, including Medicare, for the PTAs that were not reasonable or medically necessary.

    VIS is an endovascular surgery center in Miami, which provides vascular and interventional radiology services with a specialty in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease as well as the management and maintenance of dialysis access. VSI submitted bills to federal healthcare programs for services provided by VIS and its individual practitioners. DeAngelo and Sosa are individual practitioners who provided medical services, including PTAs, on behalf of VIS.

    The allegations arose from a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower, Emilio Lopez, M.D., under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and share in any recovery. Dr. Lopez will receive approximately $186,369 from the recovery announced today.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office announced the settlement.

    HHS-OIG investigated the matter.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Feeley handled the litigation.

    Note: See the settlement agreement here.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cv-22046.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 83 Border-Related Cases This Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 83 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).

    In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.

    A sample of border-related arrests this week:

    • On June 14, Guillermo Navarro Cinco and Daniel Vazquez Mijares, both Mexican citizens and alleged captains of a smuggling boat, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain after they were intercepted by the U.S. Coast guard 25 miles off Point Loma. Librado Lopez Ramirez, who was also aboard the boat and had been previously deported to Mexico, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry After Deportation. According to a complaint, Navarro Cinco and Vazquez Mijares attempted to smuggle nine people – including Lopez Ramirez – on a small boat; some passengers said they didn’t know how to swim and feared for their lives as the boat faltered under excessive weight.
    • On June 17, Erik Quintero Baez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, when the defendant attempted to cross the border in his tractor-trailer at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection Officers found three 20-liter jugs containing 167 pounds of liquid methamphetamine concealed in the cab.
    • On June 18, Jose Julian Ugalde Ramos and Luis Adrian Carrillo Sandoval, Mexican citizens, were arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents found the defendants hiding in large bushes less than a mile north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

    Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:

    • On June 20, Alejandro Arellano-Mejia, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony attempted murder, was sentenced to 15 months in custody for re-entering the U.S illegally. In 2014, a Frenso jury found Arellano-Mejia guilty of attempted murder for shooting another man in the chest with a shotgun following an altercation at an outdoor gathering.
    • On June 20, Baltazar Mendoza-Giron, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 15 months in custody for illegally re-entering the United States. Part of his sentence was imposed for violating supervised release after a 2024 conviction for illegal reentry. Mendoza-Giron also has previous convictions for harassment, for attempting to elude a pursuing police officer in a vehicle, and for criminally negligent homicide.
    • On June 20, Alejandro Arellano-Mejia, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, was sentenced to 15 months in custody for illegally reentering the U.S.
    • On June 20, Josue Roberto Suarez Ruiz of Honduras and Jesus Ernesto Peinado Armenta of Mexico were sentenced to 14 months and 12 months and one day, respectively, for transporting undocumented immigrants in an incident that became a high-speed chase. The defendants failed to stop for Border Patrol agents and were ultimately apprehended after fleeing the vehicle and attempting to hide near trash cans on residential properties.
    • On June 20, Victor Armando Pena was sentenced to 12 months and one day in custody for illegally reentering the United States. After serving a 17-year sentence for attempted murder with an enhancement for committing the act while actively participating in a criminal street gang, he was removed to Mexico on January 17, 2025, only to return illegally less than two weeks later on January 30, 2025. He was arrested by Border Patrol in Imperial Beach after he had illegally entered the U.S. via Jet Ski.

    Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 251 New Immigration Cases Filed in Western District of Texas, Fewest Since March

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO –United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 251 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 13 through 19.

    Among the new cases, U.S. citizens Derrick Eugene Huntington, 39, and Michael Jerear Smith Jr., 39, of Arlington, along with Christina Elena Duggan-Rankin, 42, of Huffman, were arrested at an immigration checkpoint near Carrizo Springs after they were allegedly discovered conspiring to transport four illegal aliens concealed in two separate vehicles. A criminal complaint alleges that Huntington and Smith occupied a sedan carrying an illegal alien in the trunk, while Duggan-Rankin drove an SUV with one illegal alien hidden on the floorboard in the passenger compartment and two others in the rear of the vehicle. The complaint further alleges that the three Americans admitted to conspiring with a facilitator to transport the aliens to a location near San Antonio for monetary gain, and that cell phone evidence revealed photos of the smuggled aliens and communications with the facilitator, along with a pin-drop of the pick-up location. Huntington, Smith and Duggan-Rankin are each charged with bringing in and harboring aliens.

    In a separate case, U.S. citizens Raul Hilario Alvarado, 24, and Timothey Nathan Easterling, 40, were arrested during a vehicle stop on Highway 85 near Big Wells for allegedly transporting two illegal aliens. During an immigration inspection, a criminal complaint alleges, one backseat passenger was determined to be illegally present in the U.S., while a second illegal alien was found in the trunk of the vehicle. According to the criminal complaint, both defendants admitted to conspiring with a facilitator and that they were going to be paid up to $2,500 for transporting the illegal aliens.

    Mexican nationals Israel Moreno-Salgado, 38, and Jose Hector Ramirez Roman, 43, were arrested near Maverick and charged with illegal re-entry felonies. Moreno-Salgado has been previously removed from the U.S. eight times, the most recent being April 1. Ramirez Roman has been removed from the U.S. five times, the latest being Jan. 22. Honduran national Delmar Sanchez-Zuniga, 42, was also arrested near Maverick for illegal re-entry. The three-time felon, with convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a felon, and a previous illegal re-entry conviction, has been deported twice before, the last being Dec. 13, 2024.

    Mexican national Jose Rodolfo Cruz-Lopez was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in El Paso. Court documents reveal that, in May 2023, Cruz-Lopez was convicted of three felonies related to child abduction in Elizabethtown, North Carolina. He was removed from the U.S. to Mexico in October 2023. Also a Mexican national, Edwin Enrique Carpio-Lopez was arrested for illegal re-entry, having been removed from the U.S. five times, the last being on Feb. 11. Additionally, immigration records show Carpio-Lopez has been granted four voluntary returns and has been expelled 17 times under Title 42.

    On June 14, U.S. Border Patrol agents in El Paso attempted a traffic stop after they allegedly observed multiple individuals enter a pick-up truck near the border. A criminal complaint alleges that the driver of the truck, identified as Mexican national Ruben Alfredo Carrillo-Castruita¸ fled at a high rate of speed in a reckless manner, running several red lights before exiting the vehicle at an intersection and fleeing on foot. An assisting Texas Department of Public Safety trooper was able to apprehend Carrillo-Castruita, while the two passengers who fled from the pick-up were located by Border Patrol agents. The complaint alleges that Carrillo-Castruita admitted to being hired by a smuggler and was going to be paid $300 per illegal alien. The defendant was previously convicted for transporting illegal aliens in New Mexico in May 2023.

    Heriberto Betancourt-Morales, a Mexican national, was charged in a criminal complaint for conspiracy to bring in aliens as the result of a U.S. Border Patrol investigation that identified him as a person involved in human smuggling. The complaint alleges that Betancourt-Morales was previously removed from El Paso to Ciudad Juarez on Sept. 21, 2024, and had transported multiple illegal aliens in May 2025. In one victim account, Betancourt-Morales allegedly carried a makeshift ladder for an alien to climb the border fence and pushed them over the fence causing the alien to fall and sustain injuries. Another victim cited in the complaint alleged that Betancourt-Morales and other smugglers transported her to multiple stash houses in Mexico prior to making illegal entry using a makeshift ladder to climb the fence. A third victim also identified Betancourt-Morales as an individual who conducted random checkups and gave orders at a stash house in Ciudad Juarez, where she was harbored with more than 10 other subjects.

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

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

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

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National With Three Prior Deportations And Two Prior Felony Convictions Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national made his initial court appearance today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.

    Jaime Eduardo Gonzalez-Camacho, 29, is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 3, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts.

    According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Gonzalez-Camacho is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on November 2, 2017, November 10, 2017, and June 9, 2020, and reentered the United States illegally.

    On April 23, 2023, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned that Gonzalez-Camacho had been arrested by officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for three-counts drug trafficking, three-counts sell transport-controlled substance, one-count possess to sell controlled substance, and one-count conspiracy to violate uniform controlled substances act. On June 17, 2025, after serving a 26-to-72-month sentence in State prison, Gonzalez-Camacho was remanded to ICE custody from the Nevada Department of Corrections, based on an immigration detainer. Gonzalez-Camacho has two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking.

    If convicted, Gonzalez-Camacho faces the maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.

    United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Jason Knight made the announcement.

    The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.

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

    A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Six Defendants Charge with Assaulting Federal Offices, Other Offenses During Protests Near Local ICE Office

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Ore.—Six defendants made their first appearances in federal court today after committing various offenses—including assaulting federal officers and creating a hazard on federal property—during ongoing protest gatherings near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.

    Samuel Tate Berry, 29, who has recently resided in Gearhart and Seaside, Oregon, as well as Kelso, Washington, has been charged by criminal complaint with the misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a federal officer and failure to comply with official signs and directions.

    Juniper Perry Weed, 21, of Jackson, Michigan, has been charged by criminal complaint with the misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a federal officer and failure to comply with official signs and directions.

    Eduardo Diaz Guardado, 22, of Vancouver, Washington, has been charged by criminal complaint with the misdemeanor offense of assaulting a federal officer.

    Andrew James Beason, 53, of Beaverton, Oregon, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of failing to obey a lawful order.

    Nokomis Lee, 22, of Grand Ronde, Oregon, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of failing to obey a lawful order.

    Liam Harry Houpis, 22, also of Vancouver, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of creating a hazard on federal property.

    According to court documents and information shared in court, on June 18, 2025, several hundred people gathered near an ICE office in South Portland where, for more than week, individuals have repeatedly targeted the building and various federal law enforcement officers with mortar fireworks, rocks, bricks, glass bottles, signs, and makeshift shields. At approximately 6:38pm, federal officers on site were informed that six official vehicles were en route and needed to enter the property via a vehicle gate blocked by the crowd.

    After issuing warnings and asking the group to move, federal officers opened the vehicle gate and advanced on the crowd to clear the driveway for the arriving vehicles. Defendants Berry and Weed failed to comply with the officers’ directions and, while being placed under arrest, assaulted officers. Later the same evening, a crowd again blocked the building’s vehicle gate and, after being warned a second time, were cleared to allow law enforcement vehicles to exit the property. During this second clearing, at approximately 10:55pm, defendants Beason and Lee failed to obey lawful orders issued by law enforcement. A fifth defendant, Guardado, was observed possessing a high-powered laser pointer that he pointed at a federal officer, striking the officer in the eye and temporarily blinding him.

    The following evening, on June 19, 2025, several dozen individuals again gathered at the South Portland ICE office, when, at approximately 10:20pm, defendant Houpis was observed using a drill and screws on plywood doors affixed to the building’s exterior in an attempt to prevent federal officers from exiting the building.

    All six defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and were released on conditions pending future court proceedings.

    Misdemeanor assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to one year in federal prison. Failure to obey a lawful order, failure to comply with official signs and directions, and creating a hazard on federal property are all Class C misdemeanors and carry a maximum penalty of 30 days in prison.

    These cases are being investigated by the FBI and Federal Protective Service (FPS), and are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

    Criminal informations and complaints are only accusations of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Buffalo man convicted by a federal jury of murdering a federal informant

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal jury has found Alphonso Payne, a/k/a Ajay, 29, of Buffalo, NY, guilty of conspiracy to murder a federal informant, murdering a federal informant, conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine, possessing with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine, conspiring to retaliate against a federal informant, retaliating against a federal informant, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence and a drug trafficking crime, and discharge of a firearm causing death in furtherance of crimes of violence and a drug trafficking crime. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch, Michael J. Adler, and Stacey Jacovetti, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that between approximately 2016 and August 20, 2019, Payne, co-defendant Gregory Hay and others conspired to sell cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin. The conspiracy began with Hay selling drugs in the Salamanca, NY, area, before moving his operation to the Olean area, where Payne assisted him with selling drugs. After Gregory Hay’s house was searched on May 7, 2019, by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Buffalo Police Department, and illegal firearms were seized, Hay and Payne suspected Joshua Jalovick was a police informant. In the early evening of July 1, 2019, Payne and Hay lured Jalovick into the backyard of 87 Freund, where Payne used to live. Once Jalovick was in the backyard, Payne shot him multiple times with a semi-automatic pistol, in front of multiple witnesses. Hay then stood over Jalovick and shot him an additional five times with a revolver. Payne and Hay murdered Joshua Jalovick to prevent him from testifying about their alleged drug trafficking crimes and Hay’s firearm crimes. 

    Gregory Hay was previously convicted of narcotics conspiracy, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and discharge of firearm causing death in furtherance of crimes of violence and a drug trafficking crime and is awaiting sentencing. In addition to defendants Payne and Hay, defendants Daeshawn Stevenson, Raejah Blackwell, Eric Brooks, and Roland Eady were also convicted for their roles in obstructing a grand jury’s investigation into Joshua Jalovick’s murder. 

    The verdict is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright. Additional assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Charles Perras, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler.

    Sentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara who presided over the trial. 

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: District of Arizona Charges 177 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 14, 2025, through June 20, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 177 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 80 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 87 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 9 cases against 10 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

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

    Recent matters of interest include:

    United States v. Heriberto Medina: On June 16, 2025, Heriberto Medina drove a Toyota Camry from Mexico into the United States through the Douglas Port of Entry. At the port, Customs and Border Protection Officers asked Medina to open his trunk. As officers were inspecting the trunk, they noticed a speaker box that seemed out of place. When officers moved the speaker box, they found an individual hiding behind it who was a Mexican citizen, illegally present in the United States. Medina was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08110]

    United States v. Carlos Barrera-Aguilar: On June 17, 2025, Border Patrol Agents arrested Carlos Barrera-Aguilar near Wellton, Arizona. At the time of his arrest, Barrera-Aguilar was illegally present in the United States, and had previously been removed from the United States on three occasions. He also has a prior felony conviction for burglary. Barrera-Aguilar was charged by criminal complaint with Illegal Re-entry. [Case Number: 25-MJ-1674]

    United States v. Juan Carlos Morales-Chavez: On June 18, 2025, law enforcement officers were arresting Juan Carlos Morales-Chavez for an administrative immigration violation when they found him in possession of a handgun. Morales-Chavez was charged by criminal complaint with Alien in Possession of a Firearm. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9270]

    A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-097_June 20 Immigration Enforcement

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Statement on US Military Action Against Iran

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement:

    “The Iranian regime is the most destabilizing force in the Middle East and the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. A nuclear-armed Iran would pose a grave threat to global security and US national security. Allowing Iran to obtain nuclear weapons is an outcome that must never be allowed. 

    “President Trump has not eliminated Iran’s nuclear threat. 

    “Despite his boasts of ‘completely and totally obliterating’ Iran’s nuclear facilities, his administration has already begun to shift its tone—acknowledging uncertainty about what was actually accomplished. 

    “The American people and Congress still do not know how significantly Iran’s nuclear program was destroyed, degraded, or disrupted or what the Administration’s strategy, if any, is going forward to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon in the months or years ahead. 

    “Instead, President Trump’s decision to strike Iran is a consequential, dangerous gamble. He has put American lives at risk, particularly servicemembers in the region; increased the likelihood of Iranian attacks against the US; and dramatically heightened the danger of an expanded US military entanglement potentially pulling us into another protracted conflict in the Middle East. 

    “Congress should have been involved in this decision and the American people deserve to understand clearly how such action would lead to a nuclear-free Iran and a safer world. 

    “We do not know the full consequences of the President’s actions. And there are too many unanswered questions — answers to which the president owes Congress and the American people. 

    “What we do know is that Iran remains committed to pursuing nuclear capabilities — and that adversaries like Russia are already blustering that they may now more directly assist them. 

    “This is also a glaring failure of President Trump’s diplomacy. He promised to resolve the Iran crisis through negotiation and has often bragged about his dealmaking prowess. Instead, Trump walked away from the Iran nuclear agreement in his first term without any plan, leaving Iran to develop its nuclear program without restriction or restraint. Donald Trump’s diplomatic and strategic errors have directly led to this present crisis. 

    “This military escalation was ordered unilaterally, without Congressional authorization or meaningful consultation. There are important Constitutional implications that must be addressed going forward. 

    “President Trump must immediately brief Congress on any new intelligence,  his reasoning and objectives for this strike, what the military operation has accomplished, and what his strategy is going forward. 

    “This should be a time for leadership; for bipartisan cooperation and for the President and Congress to work together toward a comprehensive plan to ensure American security and safety, the security of Israel and other regional allies, and progress towards a lasting and just peace in the region. This is not a moment for more of Donald Trump’s bluster, exaggeration, and lies. 

    “Finally, I am thankful for the safety of all US military personnel involved in this mission. And I pray for the continued safety and security of all US service members currently in harm’s way.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Statement on U.S. Strikes in Iran

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement in response to President Trump’s attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities:

    “I have been clear-eyed that Iran is a threat to the safety of people across the world and cannot have a nuclear weapon, and that’s exactly why I was proud to support the 2015 deal that restricted Iran’s nuclear capability. But, President Trump’s reckless decision to leave that deal allowed Iran’s nuclear program to flourish and got us into this whole situation.

    President Trump’s bombing of Iran without Congress’s approval ignores the Constitution, is putting our men and women in uniform at grave risk, and puts us on the verge of an all-out war. President Trump owes the American people some answers on why he thinks he can flout the law and what the path forward is to find a peaceful solution. We should be learning lessons from our war in Iraq and what it means to engulf us in a conflict across the globe. I did not support that war, and I don’t support this one.

    Diplomacy, not war, is the answer here. I stand with the people of Wisconsin who do not want to get into another war in the Middle East and put service members at risk. This administration must choose to do the hard work and come to the table to negotiate in good faith with Iran to rein in their nuclear program.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump’s decision to bomb Iran exposes fissures in US politics

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lester Munson, Non-Resident Fellow, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney

    US President Donald Trump’s strike on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, which he foreshadowed on and off for the past few days, has revealed a surprisingly broad middle ground in US politics, even as it has provoked controversy in the international community.

    Almost immediately after news of the US military action broke, John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, blasted out a statement of support, calling the attack the “correct move”.

    Steny Hoyer of Maryland, who spent decades in House Democratic Leadership roles, said the strike “was essential to preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon”.

    Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro, a likely presidential candidate in 2028, gave a thoughtful evaluation of the attack, calling Iran’s nuclear weapons program “dangerous”.

    Other Democrats were more muted. Leading Senators, including Leader Chuck Schumer, complained about the lack of congressional authorisation and the administration’s failure to consult Congress before the strike, but didn’t specifically oppose the US action.

    In the US system, only Congress can declare war, but the president has broad power as commander-in-chief to respond to threats. Most defenders of presidential authority acknowledge his authority to act militarily – particularly when the US’s role is highly limited, such as in the Iran strike. Should US involvement deepen, the calls for a congressional role in authorising the war will become louder and more legitimate.

    Some on the far left, including Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, openly opposed the strike and even called for Trump’s impeachment. Ocasio-Cortez said:

    The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.

    On the Republican side, there has also not been unanimous support for the strike.

    Even within the president’s coalition, some isolationists have been opposed to any US strike on Iran. They rightly pointed out that Trump campaigned on ending wars, not starting them.

    Media personalities Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon openly urged the president not to strike Iran. Carlson’s interview on the issue with hawkish Republican Ted Cruz gathered huge attention on social media.

    Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s Director of National Intelligence and a member of his cabinet, went so far as to make a video about the horrors of nuclear conflict.

    Trump’s reaction to Gabbard’s video was furious. He even suggested he might eliminate her office, which is charged with coordinating America’s many intelligence agencies.

    Trump also called Carlson, whose millions-strong following on X is a key component of Trump’s political base, “kooky” for opposing a strike on Iran. Trump later walked that back, saying Carlson had called to apologise, and that Carlson “is a nice guy”.

    In Congress, one notable Trump ally opposed the Iran attack. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the controversial congresswoman from Georgia, said:

    Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war […] This is not our fight. Peace is the answer.

    Trump’s decision has wide cross-party support

    It is certainly fair to look closely at Trump’s base and explore divisions and disagreements. However, it is highly likely that Trump’s dominant personality means he will keep the vast majority of his base together.

    More revealing about US politics is the support across the aisle for his Iran policy.

    Trump’s brash manner and divisive rhetoric make it difficult for Democrats to support him in any circumstance, but the US people’s disdain for Iran appears to be much stronger.

    In 1979, Iranian revolutionaries took 52 US diplomats hostage. The image of those captive hostages blindfolded and at the mercy of Iranian radicals is burned into older Americans’ brains.

    A generation later, Iran-backed militias killed more than 600 Americans in the war in Iraq. There are other sins Iran has committed against the US, included the attempted assassination of Trump. In this context, Trump’s policy is in the US mainstream.

    Why didn’t Trump consult Congress?

    It has been the standard practice of US presidents to brief the bipartisan leadership of Congress on key national security initiatives, such as a strikes on adversaries. While not a hard-and-fast rule, the practice can produce more bipartisan support for a president’s actions that he might otherwise have. It’s not unreasonable to think senior congressional Democrats might be more openly supportive of the Iran strike if they had been consulted in this manner.

    However, Trump and his administration did not do this, for a reason. There is little value in open bipartisanship in America today. Even though both parties are very close on Iran policy, neither wants that to be seen in public as cooperating across the aisle. Each party would much rather make the case to its base that it represents their interests and is not willing to compromise with the other party. Support from Democrats does not strengthen Trump, as his base is highly suspicious of the opposition party.

    The reverse is true for elected Democrats, including those in leadership. They will be more vulnerable from progressives in next year’s primary contests if they are seen as insufficiently resisting Trump. There is no Trump-like figure in their party to protect them from this base.

    In US politics today, nothing is more dangerous than agreeing with the other party. There is a premium value on publicly opposing your political adversaries, no matter what the issue. It makes for a foreign policy that appears more fractured than it actually is.

    Lester Munson receives funding from the U.S. Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He is affiliated with the Republican Party.

    – ref. Trump’s decision to bomb Iran exposes fissures in US politics – https://theconversation.com/trumps-decision-to-bomb-iran-exposes-fissures-in-us-politics-259446

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China strongly condemns US attacks on Iran: FM spokesperson

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China strongly condemns the U.S. attacks on Iran and bombing of nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Sunday.

    The spokesperson made the remarks when asked to comment on U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States carried out strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran.

    The actions of the United States seriously violated the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East, the spokesperson said.

    China calls on the parties to the conflict, Israel in particular, to reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, ensure the safety of civilians, and start dialogue and negotiation, the spokesperson said.

    China stands ready to work with the international community to pool efforts together and uphold justice, and work for restoring peace and stability in the Middle East, the spokesperson said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Israel on Iran and USA – Security Council Media Stakeout

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    Media Stakeout by Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, on Iran and the USA.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ve9K1wsnsw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Israel on Iran and USA – Security Council Media Stakeout

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    Media Stakeout by Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, on Iran and the USA.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ve9K1wsnsw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UN Chief: “Bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the US marks a perilous turn” | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    Remarks to the Security Council by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on threats to international peace and security.
    —
    Madam President,

    I would like to make a small introduction and then my two colleagues will brief the Council.

    Excellencies,

    Two days ago, in this very chamber, I made a direct appeal: Give peace a chance.

    That call was not heeded.

    Instead, the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling.

    From the outset of the crisis, I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East.

    The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction.

    And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.

    To avoid it, diplomacy must prevail. Civilians must be protected. Safe maritime navigation must be guaranteed.

    We must act – immediately and decisively – to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme.

    We need a credible, comprehensive and verifiable solution – one that restores trust – including with full access to inspectors of the IAEA, as the United Nations technical authority in this field.

    The Non-Proliferation Treaty is a cornerstone of international peace and security.

    Iran must fully respect it.

    And all Member States must act in accordance with their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law, including international humanitarian law.

    The United Nations stands ready to support any and all efforts toward a peaceful resolution.

    But peace cannot be imposed – it must be chosen.

    Madam President,

    We face a stark choice.

    One path leads to wider war, deeper human suffering, and serious damage to the international order.

    The other leads to de-escalation, diplomacy and dialogue.

    We know which path is right.

    I urge this Council – and all Member States – to act with reason, restraint, and urgency.

    We cannot – and must not – give up on peace.

    Thank you.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ps3Eg8qIWE

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  • MIL-OSI Video: US strikes against nuclear facilities in Iran mark “dangerous escalation” -Security Council briefing

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    Remarks to the Security Council by Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, on threats to international peace and security.
    —
    Madam President,

    On the evening of 21 June, the President of the United States announced that the US military conducted strikes against the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities in Iran.

    Shortly thereafter, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran confirmed that the attacks around the nuclear sites had taken place. Iranian state media indicated the three sites had been evacuated and the highly enriched uranium stockpile transferred in advance. Iran has said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes.

    The Crisis Management Bureau of Qom, where Fordow is located, stated that the perimeter of the Fordow nuclear site had been targeted. Iranian state media said only two tunnels—for entry and exit—were destroyed at Fordow. Preliminary open-source satellite imagery shows damage at various points at the facility.

    I urge Iran to allow IAEA inspectors access to the sites to conduct damage assessments as soon as safety conditions allow. I also note that this Council will shortly hear from IAEA Director-General Grossi.

    I reiterate the Secretary-General’s grave alarm over the use of force by the United States against Iran.

    This latest development must be viewed with the utmost seriousness. It marks a dangerous escalation in a conflict that has already devastated many lives in both countries, in a region on the edge. It is a direct threat to international peace and security.

    Madam President,

    Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo opted before this Council only two days ago that we were teetering on the edge of a full-blown conflict. I fear we are now in that dangerous moment.

    Meanwhile, the hostilities between Israel and Iran continue and are now in their 10th day.

    Hours after the US strikes, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched some 40 missiles at Israel.

    Israeli authorities reported that more than 85 people were injured in the barrage, and numerous structures in Tel Aviv and its southern suburbs sustained heavy damage, including many residential buildings and an elder care home.

    Israel also said it had launched a series of strikes against military targets in Iran, including in Tehran, Tabriz and Yazd. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said 30 fighter jets had struck dozens of military targets across Iran. Iranian media reported several civilian fatalities, including children, and damage to homes and other civilian infrastructure. Earlier on 21 June, Israel attacked, for a second time since 13 June, the Isfahan nuclear complex, hitting six buildings.

    According to Iran’s Ministry of Health, as of 21 June, 430 people have been killed and more than 3,500 others injured due to Israeli strikes across Iran. Most have been civilians.

    According to Israeli authorities, 25 Israelis have been killed and 1,300 more have been injured since the beginning of exchanges with Iran.

    Madam President,

    The conflict risks engulfing the region in further instability and volatility. Some nonstate armed groups aligned with Iran warned against US involvement. The Houthis in Yemen and some armed groups in Iraq vowed to attack if the US intervened in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

    Iran’s parliament unanimously expressed support for measures to close the Strait of Hormuz – a vital maritime route for global energy transit. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council would need to take the final decision.

    I recall the rights and obligations of all States under international law in relation to maritime navigation.

    Madam President,

    The Middle East cannot afford yet another violent conflict where civilians pay the price of military confrontations. And the world will also not be spared from the ramifications of this dangerous conflict.

    I echo the Secretary-General’s call on Member States, and on the members of the Security Council, to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter, notably the obligation to settle their international disputes by peaceful means and other rules of international law. All states must live up to their nuclear commitments.

    All parties to the conflict must also comply with the relevant rules of international humanitarian law in the conduct of their military operations.

    There is no military solution to this conflict. We need diplomacy, de-escalation and confidence-building is now.

    Thank you, Madam President.
    —

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg162TAYuzs

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  • MIL-OSI Video: Israel/Iran: “Give peace a chance” – UN Chief, Security Council Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    Secretary-General António Guterres today (20 Jun) called on the parties to the Israel – Iran conflict, as well as potential parties to the conflict, to “give peace a chance,” and said, “let us act — responsibly and together — to pull the region, and our world, back from the brink.”

    Addressing the Security Council, Guterres said, “there are moments when the choices before us are not just consequential — they are defining. Moments when the direction taken will shape not only the fate of nations, but potentially, our collective future. This is such a moment.”

    Guterres said, “the world is watching with growing alarm. We are not drifting toward crisis – we are racing toward it. We are not witnessing isolated incidents — we are on course to potential chaos. The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire that no one can control. We must not let that happen.”

    He said, “the only thing that is predictable is that the consequences of continuing this conflict are unpredictable. Let us not look back on this decisive moment with regret.”

    Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, for her part said, “the intensifying cycle of attacks and counterattacks has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties, including fatalities, in both Iran and Israel,” reporting to the Council official Iranian figures of 224 people killed and more than 2,500 others injured in Israeli strikes across Iran as of 19 June, 90 percent of them civilians.

    Other estimates, she said, “based on local non-governmental organizations and human rights groups, suggest the death toll is at least double the official figure.”

    In Israel, DiCarlo continued, “the Office of the Prime Minister stated that, as of 19 June, Iran’s strikes have killed 24 people and injured 915 others, the vast majority civilians. The strikes have also damaged homes, leading to the displacement of Israelis.”

    IAEA Director-General Mariano Grossi briefing the Council via video teleconference, said, “attacks on nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic of Iran have caused a sharp degradation in nuclear safety and security in Iran. Though they have not so far led to a radiological release affecting the public, there is a danger this could occur.”

    Grossi said, “in case of an attack on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant a direct hit could result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment. Similarly, a hit that disabled the only two lines supplying electrical power to the plant could cause its reactor’s core to melt, which could result in a high release of radioactivity to the environment. In their worst-case, both scenarios would necessitate protective actions, such as evacuations and sheltering of the population or the need to take stable iodine, with the reach extending to distances from a few to several hundred kilometres.”

    He said, “any action against the Tehran Nuclear Research Reactor could have severe consequences, potentially for large areas of the city of Tehran and its inhabitants.”

    Shea told the Council that “while the United States was not involved in Israel’s strikes, let there be no doubt that the United States continues to stand with Israel and supports its actions against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.”

    She said, “Iran’s leaders could have avoided this conflict had they agreed to a deal that would have prevented them from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, but they refused to do so – choosing instead to delay and deny.”

    Iranian Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani for his part said Israeli airstrikes were “an assault on the global non-proliferation regime,” and called on the Council to “implement its resolution.”

    Iravani said, “if the Council fails to act now, it will send a message that international law and resolutions apply selectively. If the non-proliferation regime collapses, this Council will share responsibility with the Israeli regime.”

    The Iranian Ambassador said, “Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and under the world’s most extensive inspections. Iran has long advocated for a nuclear-weapon-free-zone in the Middle East. Israel is the only possessor of undeclared nuclear weapons in the region. It’s refused to accede to the NPT and blocked regional disarmament efforts.”

    Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon, addressing Iravani directly, said, “you are not a victim. You are not even a diplomat. You are a wolf pretending to be a diplomat. And we are done pretending otherwise.”

    Danon told the Council that “Iran has already enriched uranium to new weapon-grade levels,” and “has built deep underground facilities designed to survive bunker busting bombs.”

    He said Iran “has advanced missile delivery systems, and it has lied to the IAEA and the world at every step,” stressing that “there must finally be an acknowledgment that there is no greater threat to international peace and security than a nuclear Iran.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRMXSd_nADg

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Israel on Iran – Security Council Media Stakeout | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    Media stakeout by Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, on Iran.

    ——-

    Talking to reporters outside the Council before the meeting, Danon said, “the same regime whose Supreme Leader calls for the extermination of Israel and the United States, whose operatives have plotted assassinations of elected leaders, now sends its ambassador to cry victim before the Security Council. This week alone, the ambassador over Iran submitted five letters within a week, five letters, not to condemn terrorism, not to announce it is dismantling its nuclear program, but to seek sympathy for a regime that funds, arms, and orchestrates terror across the globe. Iran is not under attack. Iran is being stopped.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kKUcGNrGjE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT PRESENTS U.S. FLAG TO RAYMOND WILLIAMS AND FAMILY IN HONOR OF DECADES OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
    June 18, 2025                                                    202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT PRESENTS U.S. FLAG TO RAYMOND WILLIAMS AND FAMILY IN HONOR OF DECADES OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

    St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – This week, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett presented a U.S. flag that flew over the United States Capitol to Raymond Williams of Grove Place, and his family in recognition of their extraordinary dedication to preserving Virgin Islands history and culture through their work with the Grove Place Action Committee. While the Congresswoman originally intended to present it to the family during the 2024 Liberty Day ceremony, the event’s cancellation due to inclement weather led to her presenting it to the Williams’ family this week.

    The presentation ceremony honored Mr. Williams’ tireless efforts in organizing and promoting Liberty Day and D. Hamilton Jackson Day celebrations, events that have become cornerstones of Virgin Islands cultural heritage and historical remembrance.

    “Raymond and the Williams family embody the spirit of service and cultural preservation that makes our Virgin Islands community so special,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. “His family’s work with the Grove Place Action Committee ensure that the stories and struggles of our ancestors, particularly the legacy of D. Hamilton Jackson, will never be forgotten. This flag represents not just the gratitude of Congress, but the appreciation of an entire community that benefited from his and his family’s dedication.”

    Mr. Williams and his family have devoted many years to organizing Liberty Day observances and celebrations, honoring D. Hamilton Jackson, the labor leader and newspaper publisher who fought for workers’ rights and press freedom in the early 20th century Virgin Islands.

    The U.S. flag presented to Raymond Williams and his family flew over the Capitol on November 1, 2o24—recognized as Liberty Day in the Virgin Islands—at the request of Congresswoman Plaskett and honors D. Hamilton Jackson’s contribution to the freedom of the press in the Danish West Indies and the Virgin Islands’ continued quest for self-determination. The presentation reflects Congress’s acknowledgment of the vital role that community leaders like Mr. Williams and his family play in preserving American history and culture in all corners of our nation.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard, partner agencies search for 2 missing people at Lake Tahoe

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 06/22/2025 06:30 PM EDT

     

    06/22/2025 01:59 AM EDT

    The Coast Guard and local partner agencies responded to a capsized vessel in the vicinity of D.L. Bliss State Park at Lake Tahoe Saturday afternoon.  

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  • MIL-OSI Security: UPDATE: Coast Guard suspends search for 2 missing people at Lake Tahoe

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    06/22/2025 05:58 PM EDT

    The Coast Guard suspended its search at 10:55 a.m., Sunday, pending further developments, for two missing people in the vicinity of D.L. Bliss State Park at Lake Tahoe after their boat capsized Saturday afternoon.

    MIL Security OSI –