NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bloods Gang Leader Charged with Narcotics Distribution Resulting in One Death and Three Additional Poisonings

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Allegedly Distributed Narcotics throughout Long Island Over Seven Year Period

    Earlier today, Gary Johnson, a Bloods gang leader also known as “G Money,” was arraigned in federal court in Central Islip on new charges in a 26-count second superseding indictment charging him with distributing controlled substances, including fentanyl and cocaine base, that caused the death of a woman and caused serious bodily injury to three additional victims.  Johnson is also charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl in Long Island, additional narcotics distribution offenses, various firearms offenses and destruction of evidence.  Today’s arraignment was held before United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack. Johnson previously was detained pending trial.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the charges.

    “Our district has suffered terribly from the opioid epidemic, and as alleged in the superseding indictment, Johnson sold large amounts of dangerous narcotics for his own profit, without regard for the deadly consequences of his actions, even after a victim was fatally poisoned by the defendant’s drugs,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “With these new charges, this Office continues its tireless efforts, in conjunction with our federal and local law enforcement partners, to prosecute drug traffickers responsible for the opioid crisis. It is my hope that the charges will bring some measure of closure to the family members of the victim whose death was caused by the defendant.”

    “Gary Johnson, a Bloods gang leader, allegedly sold substantial quantities of illicit drugs, which resulted in a known death of one victim and poisonings of three others. These alleged actions threatened public safety by exposing neighborhoods to a supply of dangerous substances,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue its mission to assuage the flow of lethal narcotics from polluting our communities and apprehending those responsible for its pipeline.”

    “For years, Gary Johnson knew the poison he was selling posed deadly consequences, yet, his only concern was about making money,” stated SCPD Commissioner Catalina.  “We will continue to work with our federal partners to take down drug traffickers while undoubtedly saving lives in the process.”

    As alleged in court filings, Johnson is a leader of the G-Shine set of the Bloods gang. Between June 2013 and November 2020, when Johnson was arrested on federal charges, the defendant conspired to sell narcotics throughout Long Island. The drugs that Johnson sold – including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base – resulted in at least four victims suffering poisonings. Specifically, on March 3, 2020, Johnson distributed narcotics which were ingested by John Doe #1 and Jane Doe #1 in the parking lot of Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, New York.  John Doe #1 and Jane Doe #1 lost consciousness and were revived by emergency medical personnel who administered CPR and Narcan on both victims.  They were resuscitated and survived.  On May 1, 2020, Johnson distributed narcotics ingested by John Doe #2 and Jane Doe #2. John Doe #2 was found unconscious by coworkers in St. James, New York, and was revived with Narcan. Jane Doe #2, a 39-year-old mother of a three-year-old son, was found deceased in her home in Rocky Point, New York. Her cause of death was determined to be acute mixed drug intoxication caused by a combination of cocaine and fentanyl – these drugs were supplied by the defendant.

    The charges in the second superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment.

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

    The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Misorek, Meredith A. Arfa and Stephen Petraeus are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Dejah Turla.

    The Defendant:

    GARY JOHNSON
    Age:  41
    Bellport, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-518 (S-2)(JMA)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Durham Man Who Fled From Law Enforcement Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

    Source: US FBI

    GREENSBORO – A Durham man who pleaded guilty to a firearm charge has been sentenced, announced Sandra J. Hairston, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.

    MARIO DEANDRE TAYLOR, age 44, was sentenced yesterday, November 12, 2024, to 144 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release. Sentencing was held in Greensboro, North Carolina, before United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. 

    TAYLOR pleaded guilty in August to one count of felon in possession of a firearm, a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun.

    According to court documents, on October 5, 2023, members of the Durham County Sheriff’s Office patrol division attempted to apprehend TAYLOR, who had outstanding state warrants for armed robberies, felony larcenies, assault on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, and robbery with a dangerous weapon, among other alleged crimes that took place between July 28, 2023, and October 5, 2023.  Around 11:00 p.m. that night, TAYLOR, who had already eluded capture twice that day, led deputies on a high-speed chase through residential and business areas in Durham, driving at high rates of speed, running through stop signs and stop lights, side-swiping a truck, and nearly hitting a city bus. Eventually, TAYLOR slowed down on South Buchanan Boulevard in a residential neighborhood, jumped out of the vehicle with a loaded weapon in his possession, and ran.  After a short foot chase, TAYLOR was arrested but did not have a gun on his person.  Approximately fifteen to twenty feet from the location of TAYLOR’s arrest, a K-9 found the loaded .40 caliber handgun that TAYLOR had thrown during the pursuit.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Raleigh-Durham Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF) and the Durham County Sheriff’s Office.  The lead investigator was an FBI Task Force Officer from the Durham County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Jeanne Dildine.   

    Since 1992, the FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Crime Initiative has successfully aligned FBI Agents, state and local law enforcement investigators, and federal and state prosecutors onto SSTFs to reduce violent crime. This nationwide initiative brings resources together in a “force multiplier concept” and utilizes the expertise of each agency.  SSTFs focus primarily upon street gang and drug-related violence through sustained, proactive, coordinated investigations to obtain prosecutions on violations such as racketeering, drug conspiracy, and firearms violations.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Bern Bloods Gang Member Sentenced for Illegal Firearm

    Source: US FBI

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A New Bern man was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. On August 15, 2024, Kevin Martell Johnson a/k/a “Stoney J”, age 28, pled guilty to the charge.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on March 17, 2023, officers with the New Bern Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Johnson was a passenger after it ran a stop sign. The vehicle pulled into the Wells Fargo parking lot, and Johnson fled on foot. As Johnson was fleeing, he dropped a .40 caliber handgun. Officers discovered approximately five grams of crack cocaine stuffed in the trigger guard of the firearm. Johnson was eventually apprehended, and during a search of his person, officers found marijuana and eight oxycodone pills.

    Officers swabbed the firearm to obtain a DNA sample from Johnson, which was then sent to the lab for comparison. The lab confirmed that Johnson’s DNA was present on the firearm. Johnson is identified as an active member of the Bloods street gang in New Bern.

    “The New Bern Police Department is proud to be part of a partnership dedicated to addressing violent street gangs, felony drug offenses, and other acts of violence. Collaborating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and other local and state law enforcement agencies, we have combined personnel, technology, and resources to hold offenders accountable for these serious crimes. We remain committed to creating a safe, crime- and drug-free community where everyone can live without fear,” said New Bern Police Chief Patrick Gallagher.

    The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.

    Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The FBI and New Bern Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-20-FL.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Drug Trafficker with Gun Sentenced to 20 Years After Leading State Troopers on High-Speed Chase

    Source: US FBI

    RALEIGH, N.C. – Shoun Lamelle Wright Jr., 28, a resident of Sumter, South Carolina, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses after he led law enforcement on a high-speed chase. These charges included possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, as well as possession of a firearm by a felon. On August 4, 2024, he pled guilty to the charges.

    “This armed drug runner tried to flee from state troopers at 135 miles per hour before ditching his dope out the driver’s side door,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “Running from law enforcement never works, and puts innocent motorists at risk. Many thanks to the NC Highway Patrol and Jacksonville Police for taking this dangerous felon off the streets.”

    “This case not only highlights the risks that our members incur during the performance of their duties, but also the perilousness that hard-working North Carolinians can face as a result of such actions as they travel on our state’s highways,” said Colonel Freddy Johnson Jr., Commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. “Our mission is to ensure the safety of our state’s motorists and inhabitants, and we greatly value the partnership of the Department of Justice in their pursuit to place accountability of criminals at the forefront to help us accomplish this mission. The decisiveness of this sentencing is undoubtedly a victory for the people of North Carolina.”

    “Mr. Wright’s complete and utter disregard for the safety of others is disturbing.  Not only was he involved in activities that harmed our community, but he also deliberately put resident’s lives at risk with his actions.  I am thankful no one in the community was physically harmed by his actions.  I commend the members from the Jacksonville Police Department, N.C. State Highway Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their service to our community and for their excellent collaboration in bringing this case to a successful resolution,” said Jacksonville Police Chief Jarad Phelps.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, the N.C. State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Wright on July 21, 2021. Wright initially pulled over and then fled as the trooper approached his vehicle, driving up to 135 miles per hour. Law enforcement made a successful stop when the vehicle entered Jacksonville. Once stopped, Wright dropped a bag containing 26 grams of crack out of the driver’s door, and a search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of marijuana.

    On July 29, 2021, officers with the Jacksonville Police Department (JPD) responded to a call from a security guard at the Platinum Gentlemen’s Club who saw an armed individual bagging narcotics in the establishment’s parking lot. The security guard stated that the individual, later identified as Wright, had pointed a pistol at him as he approached the vehicle. Later that day, a JPD officer identified the vehicle driven by Wright parked at a residence known to law enforcement due to previous narcotics and violent crime investigations. After Wright left the residence, the JPD officer initiated a traffic stop on his vehicle. Officers returned to the residence and conducted a search where they seized a loaded 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, a 27-round magazine, a second 9mm pistol, and a loaded .380 caliber pistol. They also seized nearly 2,000 grams of marijuana, more than 55 grams of crack, more than eight grams of cocaine, and over $7,000 in cash. Wright claimed ownership of the drugs and guns found at the residence. As a previously convicted felon, Wright cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

    Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The NCSHP, the JPD, and the FBI investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Foxx and Leonard Champaign prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:21-CR-00100-BO.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Civil Disorder During January 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – An Ohio man pleaded guilty today to a felony charge stemming from his conduct during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

                Adrian Schmidt, 26, of Cincinnati, Ohio, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of civil disorder before U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes. Judge Reyes will sentence Schmidt on Sept. 10, 2024.

                According to court documents, Schmidt traveled from Cincinnati to Washington, D.C., to attend the former President’s rally on the National Mall. At about 12:50 p.m., Schmidt made his way to a line of barricades erected by U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers around the Capitol building near the Peace Circle Monument. Here, Schmidt was amongst a group of rioters pushing on the barricades, which eventually led to the breach of the outer perimeter of the Capitol.

                After breaching the Peace Circle Monument barricades, Schmidt and the mob of rioters surged toward the Capitol, into the restricted area. Schmidt then stood on top of a small wall and yelled towards other rioters, “Our House!” and “Whose House?” Schmidt then made his way to the front of the mob that had gathered near a black metal fence on the West Plaza and jumped over the fencing as the mob surged forward toward a line of USCP officers.

                Schmidt again moved to the front of the mob and confronted the line of USCP officers on the West Plaza. He used his cellphone to record a video where he chanted, “Whose House?” Schmidt then turned towards the USCP officers guarding the West Plaza and said, “We’re right here (pointing at the ground). Whose platform? Our platform!”

                Court documents say that between 1:00 and 2:45 p.m., the mob on the West Plaza became more and more confrontational with the line of USCP officers. During this time, Schmidt again confronted the officers and, on several occasions, obstructed, impeded, and interfered with the USCP officers. Specifically, he pushed backward against police officers and their riot shields on the West Plaza.

                Following his confrontation with police, Schmidt made his way to the Upper West Plaza and, at about 2:45 p.m., entered the Capitol building via the Upper West Terrace Doors with his fist raised in the air as fire alarms from the doors were loudly ringing. Over the next two minutes, Schmidt traveled into the Rotunda, and entered Statuary Hall. At approximately 2:51 p.m., Schmidt exited the Capitol via the East Foyer Doors. He later reentered the building through the same doors at approximately 3:15 p.m.

                Schmidt remained in the East Foyer until he was forced out of the Capitol by officers at approximately 3:30 p.m. Schmidt remained on Capitol grounds, circling from the East Foyer to the West Plaza until the early evening of January 6th.

                The FBI arrested Schmidt on July 28, 2023, in Ohio.  

                The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio provided valuable assistance. 

               This case was investigated by the FBI’s Cincinnati and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

                In the 40 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,424 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 500 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

                Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Committing Two Armed Carjackings, Shooting at Police During Car Pursuit, and Assaulting a Federal Corrections Officer

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 23 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for two carjackings during which he brandished a firearm and shot at one victim, shooting at police officers during the vehicle pursuit, and for assaulting a federal officer while in custody.

    Justin Venegas (41) pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking, one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of assault on a federal officer which inflicts bodily injury.

    According to court documents, on August 11, 2022, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (“LVMPD”) was pursuing Venegas for a robbery/carjacking that occurred on May 20, 2022.   While at an intersection, Venegas pointed a firearm at the  driver of another vehicle and to into the vehicle. He then put the firearm into the victim’s stomach and forcibly removed the victim from their vehicle. Venegas drove away in the victim’s vehicle. During the pursuit, Venegas reached out the driver’s window and fired several rounds at the front windshield of the pursuing officers’ patrol vehicle. Later, Venegas attempted to carjack a second victim. He shot at and struck the second carjacking victim using a firearm. While the pursuit continued, Venegas collided head on with a K9 police vehicle. He was placed under arrest. A search of the vehicle revealed a Smith and Wesson M&P Shield with an obliterated serial number. A National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) analysis showed that the firearm was the same gun that was discharged during the pursuit and at a police officer. Venegas is a convicted felon, and he is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.

    Later, on October 1, 2022, at the Nevada Southern Detention Center, Venegas punched a detention officer in the face causing the officer to fall to the ground. The detention officer suffered facial fractures, lacerations, and a dislocated thumb.

    “The defendant will spend the next 23 years in prison for putting the public and police officers in danger with his senseless, violent actions in his attempt to evade apprehension, and for assaulting a detention officer while in custody,” said United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada. “In this case, NIBIN crime gun tracing connected the gun used in the first and second carjackings by the defendant. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to combine resources to protect our communities and to bring violent offenders to justice.”

    “The defendants’ sentence should serve as a deterrent to anyone who is considering terrorizing the safety and security of our community by committing armed carjackings,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI. “The sentence also reflects the severity of the crime and the commitment of the FBI, along with our federal, state, and local partners, to reduce the potential of future carjacking offenses, a major driver of violent crimes.”

    This case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Allison Reese prosecuted the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mercer County Man Charged with Multiple Armed Robberies of Business Owners and Causing the Death of One Victim Through Use of a Firearm

    Source: US FBI

    TRENTON, N.J. – A Mercer County man made an initial appearance on charges of three armed robberies of Trenton-area businesses, including one during which the man caused the death of a victim through use of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    Paul X. McNeil, 38, of Trenton, was charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of murder during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. McNeil made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni in Trenton federal court.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    McNeil targeted certain local businesses and/or business owners based upon the victims’ access to the businesses’ cash proceeds. On September 30, 2022, as an employee of an auto recycling shop in Ewing, New Jersey, was in the process of collecting the shop’s cash proceeds, McNeil and a coconspirator entered the shop. McNeil pointed a firearm at the employee before he and the coconspirator took from the employee approximately $150,000 of the shop’s cash proceeds and the employee’s lawfully registered firearm. Later that day, McNeil purchased a new car, paying $9,500 in a down payment, comprised of ninety-five $100 bills.

    On August 10, 2023, McNeil followed the owner of a Trenton cannabis shop from the shop to the owner’s residence in Lawrence Township. Moments after the cannabis shop owner entered the residence, McNeil followed the owner into the residence and robbed the owner of the cannabis shop’s cash proceeds which the owner had carried into the residence. As overheard by the cannabis owner’s spouse, who was in the residence, the owner stated to McNeil, “No, no, no … please, here, you can have it,” moments before McNeil shot and killed the owner with a firearm. In addition to taking from the owner the cannabis shop’s cash proceeds, McNeil also took from the owner jewelry the owner was wearing at the time of the robbery. Photographs recovered from McNeil’s cellphone depict McNeil wearing the owner’s jewelry, which was recovered later from McNeil’s vehicle.

    On September 23, 2023, McNeil entered the Ewing residence of an owner of a Trenton-area house-flipping business. Upon entering the residence, McNeil encountered three victims, including two minors. The owner of the business was not in the residence at the time.  McNeil pointed a handgun at the three victims and demanded money. McNeil then bound the victims’ hands behind their backs with zip ties and forced them at gunpoint into the basement, while he searched the residence. McNeil took approximately $4,500 in cash proceeds from the house- flipping business as well as some personal items belonging to the business owner and the three victims. Law enforcement later recovered from McNeil’s residence approximately $4,000 in cash and some of the personal items belonging to the business’s owner and the three victims.

    “These charges allege that the defendant targeted several local business owners for robbery and murdered one of them. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with its federal and local law enforcement partners, will spare no effort to investigate and prosecute violent offenders who target the businesses and residents of New Jersey.” 

    U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger 

    “We allege McNeil went into a Ewing business, held it up at gun point, and while the owner was attempting to hand over money McNeil shot and killed him. We also have evidence showing he also took part in several other brutal attacks and robberies. Violent offenders should take this investigation as a warning that the FBI Newark and our law enforcement partners are pursuing criminals who believe they can act with impunity and not face justice,” Acting SAC Nelson I. Delgado said.

    The count of murder during and in relation to a crime of violence is punishable by death, or a term of imprisonment up to life. The counts of Hobbs Act robbery and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison.  The brandishing and discharging of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, where the brandishing count has a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years in prison and the discharging count has a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 year in prison, which sentences must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting SAC Nelson I. Delgado, members of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force, under the direction of Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Theresa L. Hilton, and detectives with the Ewing Police Department, under the direction of Chief Albert Rhodes, with the investigation.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew and Special Assistant Laura Sunyak of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

    The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    24-447

    Defense counsel: Benjamin West, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Syracuse Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm Crimes

    Source: US FBI

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Anthony Beverly, age 34, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to serve 84 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person (convicted felon).

    United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Joseph L. Cecile, Chief of the Syracuse Police Department (SPD), made the announcement.

    As part of his previous guilty plea, Beverly admitted that on October 26, 2023, he knowingly possessed in his Onondaga County apartment three pistols, extended ammunition magazines, and approximately 615 rounds of ammunition of various calibers. Beverly further admitted that when he possessed the firearms and ammunition, he knew that he had previously been convicted of a felony. Specifically, in 2015 he was sentenced in Onondaga County Court to 2 to 6 years’ imprisonment as a result of his conviction of possession of a forged instrument in the first degree. Beverly further admitted that in his apartment he possessed various controlled substances which he intended to distribute to others, including cocaine base, powder cocaine, N,N-Dimethylpentylone (sold as “molly”), fentanyl, and methamphetamine.

    Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to follow his term of imprisonment.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man is Sentenced to Prison for Robbing a Convenience Store at Gunpoint

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jonah Terrell Bryant, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to seven years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for the armed robbery of a local convenience store, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.  

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and information presented at court hearings, on August 18, 2022, at approximately 6:19 a.m., CMPD officers were dispatched to an armed robbery call at the Circle K convenience store located at 10000 N. Tryon Street, in Charlotte. The store clerk had called 911 to report the crime. When CMPD officers arrived at the scene, they spoke with the store clerk who said that the robber had walked up to the counter and asked to buy a cigar. When the store clerk put the cigar on the counter and rang up the sale, the robber pointed a firearm at the clerk and demanded money.  The store clerk told the robber that he didn’t have access to the safe. The robber then ordered the store clerk to open the drawer and proceeded to come around the counter and grab the money that was in the register.

    According to filed court documents, during the investigation, law enforcement used video surveillance footage to identify Bryant’s white Dodge Charger and a fingerprint recovered from the scene to determine the robber’s identity. CMPD officers arrested Bryant on August 26, 2022, while he was driving the white Dodge Charger. In the front center console of the vehicle, law enforcement found a black 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a round in the chamber and rounds in the attached magazine.

    On October 26, 2023, Bryant pleaded guilty to possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Bryant is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    The FBI and CMPD investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Charlotte Men Are Sentenced to Prison for Bank Robbery and Third Defendant Has Pleaded Guilty

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Charlotte men were sentenced to prison today on bank robbery charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Sherrod Davidson, Jr., 33, was sentenced to 139 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Rashad Jackson, 44, was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. A third individual, Dominique Duggins, 33, has pleaded guilty for his role in the robbery and is awaiting sentencing.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and court proceedings, on September 9, 2020, two Garda World Cash Services employees were servicing a Bank of America ATM machine in Charlotte. Davidson, Jackson, and Duggins were sitting in a parked vehicle on a hill overlooking the ATM. Duggins and Davidson exited the vehicle while Jackson stayed behind as the getaway driver. Surveillance video recovered during the investigation shows Duggins approach the first employee who was standing at the ATM machine servicing it. Duggins put a gun to the employee’s back and forced him to the ground, while Davidson approached the Garda van where the other employee was refilling the ATM cassettes with cash. Davidson pointed a gun at the second employee and grabbed multiple bags of cash. Duggins and Davidson returned to the getaway vehicle and fled the scene. Over the course of the investigation, Duggins was identified as one of the three suspects. Duggins had worked from June to July 2020 at Garda World Cash Services before he was fired. Investigators later identified Davidson and Jackson as the other two accomplices.

    On April 29, 2022, Duggins pleaded guilty to bank robbery. On June 28, 2024, Davidson pleaded guilty to bank robbery and aiding and abetting, and Jackson pleaded guilty to possession and brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence.

    Davidson and Jackson are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. A sentencing date for Duggins has not been set.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Boykin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Centerville Man Who Made Online Threats to Commit School Shooting Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Possessing Machine Gun

    Source: US FBI

    DAYTON, Ohio – A Centerville, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court here today to 72 months in prison for possessing a machine gun. The defendant used an uzi-style weapon during a YouTube video in which he threatens to commit a mass shooting at a California school.

    The Court imposed an upward variance from the sentencing guidelines in the sentence imposed today against Alex Jaques, 23.

    According to court documents, on Nov. 15, 2022, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a tip about a video Jaques posted on YouTube.

    In the video, Jaques uses multiple firearms to shoot a Chromebook computer and threatens to attack Washington Middle School in Salinas, California. The Chromebook has a Washington Middle School sticker affixed to it.

    Before shooting the computer, Jaques stabs it multiple times with a screwdriver and uses a power drill on it. The video shows an uzi-style weapon being discharged in rapid succession and multiple shots fired from a rifle-style weapon.

    Law enforcement communicated with school officials in Salinas, California, and discovered that Jaques had been a student at a school within the same county. Jaques says in the video that he plans to return to the area to “fill out my list of duties” and has kept “names and addresses of people who have wronged me.” Just before shooting the computer, Jaques says, “yeah okay so Washington Middle School you are next.”

    Other videos on Jaques’s YouTube page depict the defendant driving while shooting a pistol at street signs.

    Jaques also commented publicly on a YouTube video of family members of the mass school shooting in Parkland, Florida in which 17 people were killed. Jaques commented “Bullies families get their final day in court” and “I will do my own parkland.”

    While executing a search warrant on Jaques’s residence, vehicle and person, FBI agents seized eight firearms, including an uzi-style weapon, hand grenades and other explosives equipment.

    Jaques was arrested in November 2022. He pleaded guilty to a superseding bill of information in March 2023.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Christina Mahy and Nicholas Dingeldein are representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Appointed by Governor DeWine to the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND, OH—FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen was recently appointed to the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.

    The Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission improves Ohio peace officers’ professional capabilities through the careful oversight of law enforcement training within the state. The commission has also been given the same responsibility regarding private security, local corrections, jail personnel, bailiffs, and public defender investigators.

    “I am honored to serve as the newest member of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission and help to uphold and improve law enforcement training in Ohio,” said Nelsen.

    Nelsen has served in the FBI for over 23 years, and prior to leading the Cleveland Division, he most recently was the deputy assistant director of the FBI Criminal Justice Information Service (CJIS) Division’s Operational Programs Branch. CJIS provides a range of state of-the-art tools and services to law enforcement, national security and intelligence community partners, and the public. Nelsen was a police officer prior to joining the FBI.

    Peace Officer Training Commission members are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Ohio Senate. Members serve three-year terms. The commission issues recommendations to the Attorney General about matters pertaining to law enforcement training.

    To fulfill its statutory responsibility and improve law enforcement training in Ohio, the commission may recommend to the Attorney General:

    • Rules for approving peace officer, private security, corrections, public defender investigator, bailiff, canine, and firearms training and certification.
    • The curriculum, minimum attendance, equipment and facility requirements necessary for approval of training programs.
    • Minimum qualifications required for instructors at approved training sites.
    • Categories or classifications of advanced in-service training programs for peace officers.
    • Minimum requirements for the certification of canines used by law enforcement agencies.

    The commission is also authorized to:

    • Recommend studies, surveys, and reports designed to evaluate its own effectiveness.
    • Visit and inspect any peace officer training school within the state.
    • Establish fees for the services the commission provides.
    • Make recommendations to the Attorney General or the General Assembly with respect to the fulfillment of its statutory responsibilities.
    • Report progress to the Attorney General throughout the year and to the governor and the General Assembly annually.

    Per the Ohio Revised Code, the commission also includes two incumbent sheriffs, two incumbent chiefs of police, one representative from the general public, a representative from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, a representative from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a member from the Ohio Department of Education, Trade and Industrial Education Services, and a representative of a Law Enforcement Fraternal Organization.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Durant Resident Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Hr’Lee Wayde Hisaw, age 23, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm, in Indian country.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Ada Police Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On September 26, 2024, Hisaw pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on February 18, 2024, Hisaw fired a semiautomatic handgun at the victim’s vehicle as it drove away from a residence.  The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  Hisaw will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Drug Dealers Convicted of Conspiring to Murder Federal Witness

    Source: US FBI

          LITTLE ROCK—After almost two weeks of trial, a federal jury has found two drug dealers guilty of their involvement in conspiracy that resulted in the murder of a federal informant. Don Smith, 38, of Malvern, Arkansas, and Samuel Sherman, 38, of Batesville, Arkansas, were found guilty when the jury returned their verdict late Tuesday evening. Chief United States District Judge D. Price Marshall, Jr., presided over the trial, and Judge Marshall will sentence Smith and Sherman later.

          Both Smith and Sherman were convicted of conspiracy to cause witness tampering resulting in death. Smith was also convicted of witness tampering resulting in death, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime resulting in first degree murder.

          Smith and Sherman were originally charged in September 2019 in connection with the death of Susan Cooper, who had bought methamphetamine from Sherman but had begun working as an informant for law enforcement. In May 2016, Sherman was arrested and charged with selling methamphetamine to Cooper. As his case progressed, Sherman was released and permitted to work as an informant himself.

          Though Sherman was supposed to be working as an informant, he had not provided enough information to help his case, and in September 2016, Sherman learned he was facing a significant federal prison sentence. Evidence at trial showed that upon learning this, Sherman called Smith, who was a methamphetamine dealer in the Malvern area. Smith had sold drugs to Rachael Cooper, who was Susan Cooper’s sister-in-law (they were married to brothers).

          Cellular tower data presented at trial showed that shortly thereafter, Smith drove from Malvern to Batesville, where Sherman lived, and stayed in Batesville for approximately 40 minutes before returning to Malvern. On the way back to Malvern, Smith called Rachael. Rachael had been communicating with Susan about making arrangements for Susan to trade some hydrocodone pills for methamphetamine. Susan did not know the trade was with Smith.

          That night, Rachael picked Susan up and drove her to meet Smith for the drug exchange. Rachael testified at trial that as they waited, she heard a gunshot followed by Susan crying out “I’m shot—get me out of here!” Rachael jumped in the driver’s seat and saw Smith shoot Susan several more times. Smith pulled Susan from the truck as Rachael sped away.

          For a year and a half, Susan Cooper’s body had not been found. In July 2018, Smith was charged in state court with the murder, and after his arrest, a witness came forward to disclose Smith had demanded he help bury the body. This witness took federal agents to the location of Cooper’s body.

          “Rest assured that any attempt to harm a federal witness will be met with swift and forceful justice,” said Jonathan D. Ross, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “Our entire system of justice is based on the ability of witnesses to speak truthfully in open court. Any attempt to prevent a witness from doing so—especially an attempt that results in a witness’s death—will be investigated and prosecuted. We appreciate the work of the many agencies who collaborated to bring this brutal crime to a resolution.”

          “The conviction of Sherman and Smith sends a clear message to all who conspire to commit murder in our district: we will work together with our federal, state, and local and law enforcement partners to see that anyone involved in this type of horrific crime is brought to justice. This case highlights the impact multiple agencies can have when they join forces,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jarad Harper.

          “Smith and Sherman callously planned the brutal execution of Susan Cooper in an effort to protect their criminal activity,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge James Dawson. “In response to the murder of a federal informant, FBI agents joined forces with DEA investigators, Malvern police detectives, and Hot Spring County Sheriff’s deputies to bring Smith and Sherman to justice. This case highlights the value of law enforcement partnerships and proves that the FBI and our partners will use every available resource to investigate and pursue criminals who harm or intimidate federal witnesses.”

          The statutory penalty for conspiracy to cause witness tampering resulting in death is life imprisonment, as is the penalty for witness tampering resulting in death. Neither Smith nor Sherman will be eligible for release.

          The investigation was conducted by the Hot Springs County Sheriff’s Office, Malvern Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the FBI. The case involved significant collaboration between the Hot Spring County Prosecutor’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anne Gardner and Bart Dickinson.

    # # #

    This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    Twitter:

    @EDARNEWS

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: River Valley Group Sentenced to More Than 206 Years Combined in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

    Source: US FBI

    FORT SMITH, Ark. – The final members of an Arkansas River Valley group have been sentenced to federal prison for the Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings for the United States District Court in Fort Smith.

    In the fall of 2019, Agents with the DEA and the FBI launched an investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering in the Western District of Arkansas. For approximately a year between September 2019 and September of 2020, agents conducted extensive investigative activities into a large, River Valley-based drug trafficking organization led by Manuel “Chuy” De Jesus Perez-Echeverria.

    This investigation resulted the arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of twenty-two (22) individual drug traffickers and money launderers and the seizure of approximately 6.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 15 firearms, and $146,687 in funds derived from drug trafficking.

    The sentencings of the drug trafficking organization members are as follows:

    WDAR Case No. 2:20 CR 20014 – 001-004 – (Indictment issued July 28, 2020)

    Alexis Tirado – age 27, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced April 8, 2021 to 180 months BOP and $100 special assessment for Aiding and Abetting in the Distribution of More Than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine.

    Emmanuel Miranda – age 25, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced April 1, 2021 to 78 months BOP and $100 special assessment for Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine.

    Israel Miranda-Zapata – age 30, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced April 1, 2021 to 108 months BOP and $100 special assessment for Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine.

    Brenda Golden Day – age 36, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced April 1, 2021 to 60 months BOP and $100 special assessment for Distribution of More Than Five Grams of Methamphetamine.

    WDAR Case No. 2:20 CR 20017-001-018 (Original Indictment issued August 26, 2020, Superseding Indictment issued October 7, 2020)

    Manuel “Chuy” De Jesus Perez-Echeverria – age 36, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced October 22, 2021 to 360 months BOP, $100 special assessment, and $20,000 fine for Conspiracy to Distribute More Than Five Hundred (500) Grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.

    Humberto “Beto” Acosta-Martinez – age 33, Poteau, Oklahoma – sentenced October 12, 2021 to 48 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $300 fine for Conspiracy to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.

    Shaun Michael Easton – age 40, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced November 9, 2021 to 108 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $900 fine for Distribution of More Than Five (5) Grams of Methamphetamine.

    Julio Ivan Enriquez-Munoz – age 41, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – sentenced November 8, 2021 to 51 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $400 fine for Conspiracy to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.

    Alberto Ledesma – age 43, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced October 18, 2021 to 188 months BOP, $100 special assessment and $2,900 fine for Distribution of More than Fifty (50) Grams of Methamphetamine.

    Efrain Maciel-Martinez – age 54, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced October 14, 2021 to 78 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $300 fine for Possession of More Than Fifty (50) Grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.

    Makayla Nicole Martin – age 22, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced October 15, 2021 to 63 months BOP, $100 special assessment and $1,400 fine for Money Laundering.

    Traye Everett Martin – age 26, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced October 14, 2021 to 57 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $1,400 fine for Conspiracy to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.

    Nicholas “Nico” Moron-Rivera – age 29, Fort Smith, Arkansas – plead guilty on September 16, 2021 to Distribution of Methamphetamine. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

    Julie Ann Pyles – age 42, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced October 13, 2021 to 78 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $1,400 fine for Money Laundering.

    Paula Lynne Rider – age 58, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced October 6, 2021 to 87 months BOP, $100 special assessment and a $900 fine for Conspiracy to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.           

    Ezequiel Rodriguez – age 43. Heavener, Oklahoma – sentenced October 21, 2021 to 210 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $14,653.19 in restitution to the DEA for methamphetamine laboratory cleanup/abatement for Conspiracy to Distribute More Than Five-Hundred (500) Grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.

    Ronal Salinas – age 24, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced October 5, 2021 to 33 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $900 fine for Distribution of More Than Five (5) Grams of Methamphetamine.

    Benjamin Valdez – age 38, Paris, Arkansas – sentenced October 21, 2021 to 262 months BOP, $100 special assessment and a $5,000 fine for Distribution of More Than Five (5) Grams of Methamphetamine.

    Amber Renee Vance – age 35, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced July 21, 2021 to 130 months BOP and a $100 special assessment for Conspiracy to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.

    Richard James Vineyard – age 33, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced November 9, 2021 to 120 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $900 fine for Conspiracy to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.

    Emily Elizabeth Williams – age 31, Fort Smith, Arkansas – sentenced October 5, 2021 to 70 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $900 fine for Conspiracy to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.

    Michael Dean Wilson – age 38, Hot Springs, Arkansas – sentenced October 13, 2021 to 110 months BOP, $100 special assessment, $1900 fine for Conspiracy to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing Methamphetamine.

    Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas, FBI Little Rock, Special Agent in Charge Jim Dawson, and DEA Little Rock, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jarad Harper made the announcement.

    DEA – Fort Smith, AR; McAllister, OK; Atlanta, GA, FBI – Fort Smith, AR; Oklahoma City, OK; Miami, FL, U.S. Marshals Service, ATF – Fort Smith, AR, State & Local Agencies – Logan County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Smith Police Department, Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office, Greenwood Police Department, Paris Police Department, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, 12th/21st Judicial District Drug Task Force, Arkansas State Police, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Carter prosecuted the case for the United States.

    Today’s announcement is part of the Western District of Arkansas’ Operation Bear Mountain Bingo, which is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program.  The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy.  OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.  Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illicit drug supply.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Project Safe Neighborhoods News for September 2024

    Source: US FBI

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence. At the core of PSN is setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announces the following actions in federal PSN cases.

    Indictments

    Anthony Carter, 22, of Elk Grove, and Isaiah Rowland, 28, of Antelope, were indicted on Aug. 15, 2024, each charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment was unsealed following their arrests on Sept. 5. According to court documents, Carter is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions for reckless evasion of a peace officer, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a person on probation. Rowland, too, is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions for robbery, failure to appear on a felony charge, and carrying a loaded firearm. This case is the result of the ongoing collaboration between the Sacramento Police Department and its local, state, and federal partners as part of a Public Safety Partnership (PSP) to address violent crime in the community. Started in 2022, the Sacramento PSP is a multi-faceted violence-reduction strategy that relies on innovative data-driven strategies to promote public and community safety. Participating PSP partners include: the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office, Sacramento FBI, Sacramento DEA, Sacramento ATF, the Sacramento U.S. Marshals, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zulkar Khan is prosecuting the case.

    Richard Lee Dazo, 38, of West Sacramento, was indicted on Sept. 12, 2024, charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to court documents, on Aug. 13, 2024, Dazo was found to be in possession of a loaded Remington 870 shotgun and a pellet gun loaded with live ammunition. Dazo is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions for assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and criminal street gang activity, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of metal knuckles, and possession of a concealed dirk or dagger. This case is the product of an investigation by the West Sacramento Police Department, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and Yolo County District Attorney’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, defendants Carter, Rowland and Dazo face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Guilty Plea

    Sean Arthur Robinson, 37, of Stockton, pleaded guilty on Sept. 10, 2024, to illegal possession of a firearm. According to court documents, law enforcement officers recovered a loaded Glock 27 semi-automatic firearm and a loaded magazine inside a vehicle while serving a search warrant at Robinson’s residence in Stockton in September 2022. The firearm had previously been reported stolen from Sacramento. Robinson is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior convictions for elder abuse and for carrying a loaded firearm in public. Law enforcement’s investigation into Robinson began at least as early as May 2021, when surveillance footage captured him engaging in a violent shootout at the Grand Hyatt Hotel near San Francisco International Airport. During this incident, Robinson and a compatriot attempted to carjack at least two other vehicles. Following the shootout, law enforcement officers seized a black duffel bag that surveillance footage captured Robinson carrying just before the firefight began and contained three illegal firearms. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Lee and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.

    Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

    Sentencings

    Jacob Harding-Abeyta, 31, of Vallejo, was sentenced on Sept. 10, 2024, to four years and nine months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of cocaine for sale. According to court documents, on Oct. 7, 2020, a parole search of Harding-Abeyta’s residence resulted in the discovery of a loaded .45-caliber Springfield XDS firearm in his bedroom. Harding-Abeyta is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he was previously convicted in Solano County for attempted murder in 2014. Officers also discovered 39 grams of powder cocaine, a digital scale, plastic baggies, and other drug paraphernalia. A search of the defendant’s phone revealed that he was selling this and other cocaine. Additionally, Harding-Abeyta also admitted in his plea agreement that he committed obstruction of justice by attempting to suborn perjury of a witness during a prior evidentiary hearing in this case. This case was the product of an investigation by the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the ATF, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Haddy Abouzeid, Jason Hitt, Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

    Sovan Leng, 34, of Stockton was sentenced on Sept. 10, 2024, to two years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Oct. 16, 2023, Leng was found to be in possession of a Glock-17 9 mm pistol. Leng is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to several prior felony convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a stolen vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a controlled substance. This case was the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alstyn Bennett and Zulkar Khan prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Garland Honors U.S. Department of Justice Employees and Others for Their Service at Annual Awards Ceremony

    Source: US FBI

    SAN DIEGO – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today announced the recipients of the annual Attorney General’s Awards recognizing extraordinary work of Justice Department employees and others. Recipients included several San Diego-based federal prosecutors and San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan.

    “Each of today’s recipients has served with distinction, and in so doing, they have enabled the Justice Department to advance its work on behalf of the American people,” said Attorney General Garland. “Their exceptional leadership, heroism, and dedication have benefited people and communities across the country.”

    San Diego recipients include:

    • Chief of National Security and Cybercrimes John Parmley; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred Sheppard and Sabrina Feve; FBI Special Agents Amy Poling, Adam James, Marina Shalfeyeva, Nicholas Arico, and Udell Hardy; and FBI Supervisory Special Agent Edison Constante. They received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security, which recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions toward protecting U.S. national security. They were singled out for their work on an espionage case. Please see https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/four-chinese-nationals-working-ministry-state-security-charged-global-computer.

      “This extraordinary team identified and exposed a worldwide computer-hacking campaign,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath.  “Their perseverance and dedication disrupted China’s efforts to steal trade secrets and sensitive data from universities, companies, and governmental organizations around the globe.”
       

    • First Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Ko, second-in-command of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was recognized for exemplary leadership over the course of his DOJ career. “Mr. Ko has demonstrated outstanding professionalism and commitment to justice for more than two decades,” McGrath said. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.”
       
    • San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan received the Attorney General’s Award for Meritorious Public Service. Each year the DOJ gives out just one award for meritorious public service nationwide. The award is designed to recognize significant contributions of citizens and organizations that have assisted the Department in accomplishing its mission and objectives.

      “During Summer Stephan’s tenure as DA, San Diego has remained one of the safest large cities in America,” McGrath said. “Collaborative law enforcement relationships have been a hallmark of DA Stephan’s leadership.  Her work with Department of Justice partners has resulted in dozens of high-impact cases, from fentanyl trafficking and elder fraud to illegal firearms and violent crime.”

    For a comprehensive list of all award winners, please see https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-honors-justice-department-employees-and-partners-70th-and.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Distribute Methamphetamine and Receiving Bribes

    Source: US FBI

    SAN DIEGO – Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent Hector Hernandez pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he used his official position to smuggle unauthorized immigrants and illegal drugs across the border in exchange for money.

    According to his plea agreement, Hernandez admitted to using his official position to open border fences and allowing undocumented immigrants and controlled substances to enter the United States from Mexico. Hernandez also admitted to moving the drugs from the Southern District of California to other locations within the United States.

    “Agent Hernandez betrayed his badge and his country,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Instead of providing protection from smugglers and drug traffickers, he joined them.”

    “Border Patrol Agent Hernandez broke the public’s trust and abandoned his oath,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Shelly Howe. “Law enforcement officers are required to uphold the law, not break it.”

    “It’s always disheartening when individuals misuse their positions of trust within our government for nefarious activities,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Let this be a clear message, that we are absolutely resolved with our partners to rigorously investigate and pursue justice in all cases—even when they involve one of our own.”

    “Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General is grateful for the continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners as we root out corruption and crime along the Southwest Border. Today’s plea agreement sends a clear message that federal employees will be held accountable for their actions,” said the DHS Inspector General, Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari.

    Hernandez admitted to taking Mexico-based smugglers on a tour of the US/Mexico border, identifying the best locations to sneak unauthorized immigrants into the United States, and sharing the locations of monitoring devices and cameras near the border to help them evade detection. Hernandez also admitted to opening restricted border fences on at least five occasions and allowing immigrants to enter the United States for cash payments of $5,000 each time.

    On May 9, 2023, Hernandez met with someone he believed to be a drug trafficker but who was, in fact, an undercover federal agent. During this meeting, Hernandez agreed to pick up a bag full of narcotics that would be hidden near the border fence and bring it to the undercover agent in exchange for $20,000. Undercover agents loaded the bag with 10 kilograms of fake methamphetamine, one pound of real methamphetamine, and a tracking device, before placing the bag in a storm drain near the border fence.

    Later that evening and while on duty, Hernandez drove his official vehicle to the storm drain and retrieved the bag. He drove the bag to his residence in Chula Vista and left it there for the remainder of his work shift. On May 10, 2023, after his shift was over, Hernandez returned home, retrieved the bag, and drove to meet with the undercover agent. He was arrested at that meeting. Upon arrest, investigators confirmed the bag still contained both the fake and real methamphetamine.

    After Hernandez was arrested, agents searched his residence and found close to $140,000 in cash and 9 grams of cocaine. By Hernandez’s own admission, at least $110,000 of the seized cash represented proceeds from narcotics trafficking and bribery.

    As part of his plea agreement, Hernandez forfeited his personal vehicle used to bring the drugs to the undercover agent; $110,000 of the seized cash; and his interest in the residence where the drugs were maintained.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Van Demark and Lawrence A. Casper.

    Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced on April 19, 2024 at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.

    DEFENDANTS                                Case Number 23cr1114-JLS                              

    Hector Hernandez                              Age: 55                          Chula Vista, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Attempted Distribution of Methamphetamine – 21 U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1) and 846

    Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment with a 10-year mandatory minimum

    Receiving Bribe by Public Official – 18 U.S.C., Section 201(b)(2)

    Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General

    Drug Enforcement Administration

    Federal Bureau of Investigation

    IRS Criminal Investigation

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nye County Captain Indicted for Federal Violations

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – Captain David E. Boruchowitz (42), a deputy Sheriff with the Nye County Sheriff’s Office, appeared in federal court today following his arrest on federal wire fraud, perjury and civil rights violations, arising from the February 2019 false arrest of the former CEO of Valley Electric Association (VEA), a Pahrump-based utility cooperative.

    United States Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler arraigned Boruchowitz on the charges contained in a federal indictment and set the date for trial to begin on October 16, 2023, before United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon.

    According to the indictment, Boruchowitz falsely arrested the former CEO without probable cause on charges that she embezzled services from VEA. The indictment further alleges that the false arrest was part of a larger scheme to defraud the former CEO of her job by falsely alleging in various court documents that the CEO embezzled services from the VEA. According to the indictment, Boruchowitz made false statements and omitted material facts in order to obtain the court documents under false pretenses as part of a broader plan to get the CEO fired from her job at VEA. The indictment alleges that Boruchowitz committed federal wire fraud when he caused press releases to be issued from the Nye County Sheriff’s Office that falsely alleged that the investigation and arrest of the CEO was the result of court authorized process when, in truth and in fact, he obtained the process under false and fraudulent pretenses and without probable cause.

    Lastly, the indictment charges that Boruchowitz perjured himself when he falsely testified during a federal civil deposition about his knowledge and level of involvement in the circumstances surrounding the arrest.

    A conviction on the civil rights charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year. The wire fraud and perjury violations each carry a 20-year and five-year term of imprisonment, respectively, for each count.  

    United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Myhre and Bianca Pucci are prosecuting the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Monmouth County Man Charged with Armed Bank Robbery

    Source: US FBI

    TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man made his initial court appearance today for an alleged armed bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

    Jeffrey L. Kniffin, 50, of Wall Township, is charged by complaint with one count of armed bank robbery. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court and was detained. A detention hearing is scheduled for November 25, 2024.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    On Oct. 23, 2024, Kniffin entered a bank in Wall Township, New Jersey, and demanded cash from a bank teller before grabbing and displaying for the teller a firearm. On several occasions during the robbery, Kniffin instructed the teller and other bank employees who were present, “Don’t do anything stupid.” After taking by force and intimidation cash from the teller, Kniffin fled the bank. He was apprehended and arrested by law enforcement several minutes later. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement recovered from Kniffin and his immediate surroundings a loaded firearm and more than $17,000 in cash.

    The count of armed bank robbery carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited officer of FBI Newark’s Jersey Shore Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Wall Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean O’Halloran, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, for their assistance.

    The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

    The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Police Officer Convicted of Committing Three Casino Robberies

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A federal jury today convicted a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officer of robbing three casinos and stealing approximately $164,000 in total.

    Caleb Mitchell Rogers (33) was found guilty of three counts of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon presided over the trial. A sentencing date has been scheduled for October 12, 2023.

    According to court documents and evidence presented during the four-day trial, Rogers stole approximately $73,810 from a casino in the western part of Las Vegas on November 12, 2021. A few months later, on January 6, 2022, he robbed a casino in North Las Vegas of approximately $11,500. In both robberies, he walked directly to the casino’s cashier cage and demanded money from the cashiers.

    The third robbery occurred on February 27, 2022, in which Rogers ran toward two casino employees in the sportsbook area and yelled: “Get away from the money. I’ve got a gun. I will shoot you!” Rogers climbed over the counter and shoved one of the employees to the floor, before grabbing approximately $78,898 and placing it into a bag. Rogers fled when the employees triggered an alarm. As Rogers ran toward the parking garage, a casino security officer tackled him. Rogers drew a .357 caliber revolver and, with his finger on the trigger, threatened: “I’m going to shoot you!” Security officers were able to disarm Rogers and restrain him until LVMPD officers arrived. The officers arrested Rogers and seized his firearm. Checking the revolver’s serial number, officers learned that it belonged to the LVMPD.

    The statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison for each count of interference with commerce by robbery, and life imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

    United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the LVMPD. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Cowhig and David Kiebler are prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Executive of Louisiana Compounding Pharmacy Admits Defrauding State Health Benefits Programs

    Source: US FBI

    CAMDEN, N.J. – The former vice president of sales of a Louisiana compounding pharmacy today admitted conspiring to use the Louisiana pharmacy to defraud New Jersey and military health benefits programs, Attorney for the United States Vikas Khanna announced.

    Christopher Casseri, 56, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud. Casseri was previously charged with Christopher Kyle Johnston, 45, of Mandeville, Louisiana, Trent Brockmeier, 62, of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in a 24-count indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and a second conspiracy to commit identity theft by using individuals’ personal identifying information without their consent. Johnston and Brockmeier were charged with additional charges of conspiring to commit money laundering and substantive counts of money laundering for transactions involving the over $43 million in illicit profits they realized from the scheme. The charges against Johnston and Brockmeier remain pending and they are scheduled to proceed to trial in January 2025.

    According to court documents and statements made in Court:

    Central Rexall was a retail pharmacy in Louisiana that prepared compounded medications, which are supposed to be specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. In 2013, Johnston and Brockmeier entered into an agreement with Central Rexall Chief Executive Officer Hayley Taff, who pleaded guilty on Aug. 12, 2020, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, to take over the management of the pharmacy and expand the compounding business in exchange for 90 percent of the profits.  Brockmeier became chief operating officer of Central Rexall and Johnston became general counsel. They hired Casseri as vice president of sales to manage Central Rexall’s outside sales force.

    Johnston, Brockmeier, and Casseri learned that certain insurance plans administered by an entity referred to in the indictment as the “Pharmacy Benefits Administrator” would reimburse thousands of dollars for a one-month supply of certain compounded medications – including pain, scar, and antifungal creams, as well as vitamin combinations. The health plans for New Jersey state and local government and education employees, including teachers, firefighters, municipal police officers, and state troopers, had this insurance coverage, as did TRICARE, which insures current and former members of the armed forces and their families.

    The three conspirators designed compounded medications and manipulated the ingredients in the medications in order to obtain high insurance reimbursements rather than serve the medical needs of patients. To determine which ingredients and combinations resulted in the highest insurance reimbursements, Johnston, Brockmeier, and Casseri had Central Rexall employees send the Pharmacy Benefits Administrator false prescription claims to test out different combinations of ingredients, but the prescriptions did not exist. By trial and error, Johnston, Brockmeier, and Casseri designed compounded medications with combinations of ingredients that were chosen solely based on the amount of money that insurance would pay rather than on the medications’ ability to serve the medical needs of patients. At their direction, Central Rexall sent compounded medications to patients based solely on financial gain, without any research or testing showing that the combination of ingredients was effective.

    When the Pharmacy Benefits Administrator would stop covering one combination, the conspirators would develop a compounded medication with a different combination of ingredients based solely on the insurance reimbursement and without considering the medical necessity or effectiveness of the new combination. Central Rexall then would send that new compounded medication to patients, even though the new combination of ingredients was not medically equivalent to the combination originally prescribed for the patients and without telling the patients or their doctor about the differences.

    The outside sales force retained and directed by Johnston, Brockmeier, and Casseri used various methods to get doctors to prescribe these medications and patients to accept them, including having prescriptions signed without the patient seeing a doctor or knowing about the medications, having medications or refills ordered with the patients’ knowledge, and paying patients to accept the medications and paying doctors to prescribe them.

    Casseri and his conspirators caused over $46 million in fraudulent insurance claims for compounded medications that were not medically necessary.

    Casseri faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 18, 2025.

    Attorney for the United States Khanna credited agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark; special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

    The charges and allegations against Johnston and Brockmeier are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The government is represented by R. David Walk Jr., Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the Criminal Division in Camden.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Defendants Charged Following Niagara Falls Drug Raids

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that four Niagara Falls men were arrested and charged in separate criminal complaints for their roles in a drug trafficking ring operating in Niagara Falls, NY.   

    • Paul Fields, 39, and Edward Rollie, 49, are charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carry a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $5,000,000 fine.
    • Rashawn Salmon, 39, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, which carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $10,000,000 fine.
    • Jermaine McQueen, 46, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carry a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaints, on August 28, 2024, search warrants were executed at multiple residences associated with all four defendants. During the searches, law enforcement recovered 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl, over a kilogram of cocaine, three firearms, and $25,000 in U.S. currency.

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

    The complaints are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Nick Ligammari, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Stanley Edwards, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.     

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three High-Ranking MS-13 Gang Members Plead Guilty to Racketeering Charges in Connection with Nine Murders

    Source: US FBI

    Two Defendants Were the New York Leaders of the Gang’s Hollywood and Sailors Cliques

    Earlier today and on January 16, 2025, in federal court in Central Islip, three members of the violent transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, pleaded guilty to multiple crimes, including nine murders committed on Long Island and elsewhere between 2016 and 2017.  David Sosa-Guevara, also known as “Risky,” the New York regional leader of the Hollywood Locos Salvatruchas (Hollywood) clique of MS-13, and Victor Lopez-Morales, also known as “Persa,” a high-ranking member of the Hollywood clique, pleaded guilty on January 16, 2025.  Kevin Torres, also known as “Inquieto” and “Quieto,” the New York regional leader of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of MS-13, pleaded guilty on January 17, 2025.  

    Collectively, the three defendants pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in connection with their respective roles in nine MS-13 driven murders: (1) the April 26, 2016 murder of Samuel Martinez-Sandoval in Freeport; (2) the April 29, 2016 murder of Oscar Acosta in Brentwood; (3) the May 21, 2016 murder of Kerin Pineda in Freeport; (4) the September 4, 2016 murder of Josue Amaya-Leonor in Roosevelt; (5) the September 5, 2016 murder of Marcus Bohannon in Central Islip; (6) the October 10, 2016 murder of Javier Castillo in Freeport; (7) the October 14, 2016 murder of Carlos Ventura-Zelaya in Roosevelt; (8) the July 21, 2017 murder of Angel Soler in Roosevelt; and (9) the August 29, 2017 murder of David Rivera in Maryland, as well as narcotics trafficking. Additionally, Sosa-Guevara and Lopez-Morales pleaded guilty to participating in an August 2017 conspiracy to kidnap an individual identified in the superseding indictment as “John Doe #3.”

    The three guilty plea proceedings were held before United States Magistrate Judge Lee G. Dunst.  When sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack, pursuant to the terms of their plea agreements, Sosa-Guevara and Torres each face up to 65 years in prison, and a minimum sentence of 40 years in prison.  Victor Lopez-Morales faces up to 60 years in prison and minimum sentence of 40 years. 

    Carolyn Pokorny, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Robert E. Waring, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) and Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney, announced the guilty pleas.

    “The defendants have admitted to their participation in numerous murders savagely committed with machetes and guns, all on behalf of the MS-13 and to increase their status in that depraved criminal organization,” stated Acting United States Attorney Pokorny.  “As a result of the guilty pleas, the defendants will be severely punished by serving decades in prison and provide some measure of relief and closure to the families of the many victims.” 

    FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy stated: “MS-13 callously used murder in an attempt to exert control over territory for their ruthless gang operations.   As demonstrated by the guilty pleas of these three, high-ranking MS-13 members for their roles in nine murders, this type of extreme and senseless violence will not go unpunished. The FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to bring to justice members of MS-13 or any other violent gang using violence and murder to terrorize our communities.”

    “These defendants used their rank in the gang to help orchestrate multiple brutal murders and other crimes,” stated SCPD Acting Commissioner Waring.  “We in law enforcement will never stop working to fight the pervasive violence sowed throughout these gangs.”

    “The charges brought forth is a clear example of the results when Law Enforcement Personnel from Federal and Local Agencies combine their efforts and resources,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.  “Their relentless and continued investigations resulted with the charging of these criminals who were responsible for committing these murders. This combined investigation demonstrates the diligence of the well trained and determined investigators.  The Nassau County Police Department remains committed in working with our law enforcement partners halting any gang activity on our streets and keeping our residents safe.  I would like to thank all of the assisting agencies and their investigators on a job well done.”

    “These defendants carried out vicious and senseless violence to instill fear and assert their dominance. Today’s guilty pleas bring us one step closer to ridding this dangerous gang activity from Nassau County communities,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly.  “Together with our partners, we remain committed to protecting Long Island from this criminal organization’s brutality and ensuring individuals involved in these devastating acts are held accountable for their crimes.”  

    According to court filings and statements made during the guilty plea proceedings, Torres was the New York regional leader of the Sailors clique, Sosa-Guevara was the New York regional leader of the Hollywood clique, and Lopez-Morales was a high-ranking member of the Hollywood clique.  The defendants admitted to committing the crimes set forth below in order to maintain and increase their membership and status within the gang, and to further the mission of the MS-13.

    April 26, 2016 Murder of Samuel Martinez-Sandoval

    The defendants pleaded guilty to the murder of 20-year-old Martinez-Sandoval, which was carried out in April 2016, by the defendants and other members from the Sailors, Hollywood and Normandie Locos Salvatruchas cliques, who planned a joint operation to lure and kill Martinez-Sandoval because they believed that he was a member of the rival Sureños gang.   

    On April 26, 2016, MS-13 members convinced Martinez-Sandoval to drive with them to a secluded, wooded area near Freeport Lake in Roosevelt, under the guise of smoking marijuana.  Separately, more than a half dozen MS-13 members, including the defendants, armed with machetes and other weapons, had gathered at a designated location along Freeport Lake where it was agreed that the other gang members would bring the victim.  When Martinez-Sandoval arrived, Sosa-Guevara, Torres, Lopez-Morales and the other MS-13 members surrounded and attacked the victim, each taking turns hacking him with a machete and other weapons.  After the victim was killed, the MS-13 members dug a shallow grave and buried the victim.  However, because the initial hole was not deep enough to conceal Martinez-Sandoval’s body, a group of MS-13 members went back the following day, reburied the victim and covered his body with cement and dirt.  Martinez-Sandoval’s body was not found until September 2024.

    April 29, 2016 Murder of Oscar Acosta

    Torres pleaded guilty to the murder of 19-year-old Acosta.  In early 2016, Torres, as leader, ordered a “greenlight” authorizing other gang members to murder Acosta because the gang suspected that he was associating with the rival 18th Street gang after previously aligning himself with the MS-13.  Torres assigned roles as to which members would take the lead in planning and carrying out the murder. 

     On April 29, 2016, MS-13 members met Acosta in a wooded area near an elementary school in Brentwood where he had been lured under the guise of smoking marijuana.  They brutally beat Acosta with tree limbs, knocking him unconscious. They bound Acosta’s hands and feet, wrapped an article of clothing around his mouth to prevent him from making noise and summoned other MS-13 members who arrived in two cars.  The MS-13 members loaded Acosta into the trunk of one of the cars and drove to a more secluded area in Brentwood near the abandoned Pilgrim State Psychiatric Hospital.  The MS-13 members then removed Acosta, who was still alive, from the trunk and carried him deeper into the woods where they took turns hacking him to death with a machete.  The murder was supervised by the local leaders of the Sailors clique who reported back to Torres once completed.  After killing Acosta, the MS-13 members buried his body in a shallow grave.

    Acosta’s body was discovered by law enforcement nearly five months later, on September 16, 2016, during a search for another MS-13 victim.  His cause of death was homicidal violence, including sharp and blunt force injuries to his head and torso.

    May 21, 2016 Murder of Kerin Pineda

    The defendants also pleaded guilty to the murder of 20-year-old Pineda, who, like Acosta, was killed because of his suspected membership in the 18th Street gang. Torres, again, ordered the “greenlight” for Pineda, marking him for death.  In response, MS-13 members from the Sailors and Hollywood cliques, including Sosa-Guevara and Lopez-Morales, devised a plan to kill Pineda.

    On May 21, 2016, MS-13 members, armed with machetes, lured Pineda to a secluded wooded area near the Merrick-Freeport border.  Torres, Lopez-Morales, and Sosa-Guevara acted as lookouts for police and coordinated the attack, staying in contact with the MS-13 members in the woods while they waited for Pineda.  When Pineda arrived, he was surrounded and violently attacked by the group of MS-13 members, each of whom took turns hacking and slashing him with the machetes. Pineda’s body was then buried in a hole that had been dug in the ground the day before, in anticipation of the murder. Before leaving the scene, the MS-13 members contacted the lookouts – Torres, Lopez-Morales, and Sosa-Guevara – who advised them that they could safely come out of the woods and drove them away from the scene.

    September 4, 2016 Murder of Josue Amaya-Leonor

    Sosa-Guevara and Lopez-Morales pleaded guilty for their roles in the murder of 19 year-old Amaya-Leonor on September 4, 2016.  Like the other victims, Amaya-Leonor was lured to a secluded wooded area and killed because of his perceived association with the 18th Street gang.  On the evening of the murder, MS-13 members convinced Amaya-Leonor to venture deep into the Roosevelt Preserve, in Roosevelt, to smoke marijuana.  Sosa-Guevara was in communication with the gang members by cell phone and was directing them on where to bring the victim.  Once there, Amaya-Leonor was surrounded by the MS-13 members who were armed with machetes; he was struck repeatedly, and killed.  Thereafter, Lopez-Morales, who was in the immediate area of the murder looking out for police, arrived on the scene and supervised the other MS-13 members as they dug a hole and buried Amaya-Leonor’s body, which was not found until May 2018 – over a year and a half after the murder had occurred.

    September 5, 2016 Murder of Marcus Bohannon

    Torres pleaded guilty to authorizing the murder of 27-year-old Marcus Bohannon.  On September 4, 2016, members of the Sailors clique met at the house of local clique leaders Alexi Saenz and Jairo Saenz, in Central Islip, where Torres directed the gang members to go out hunting for rival gang members to kill.  The MS-13 members separated into several cars and drove around Central Islip and Brentwood, until one of the cars spotted Bohannon walking along Lowell Avenue in Central Islip in the early morning hours of September 5.  Suspecting that Bohannon was a member of the rival Bloods gang, two MS-13 members, carrying firearms, got out of the vehicle, approached him and started shooting. Bohannon was struck nine times, including in his head, neck, and chest, and died from his wounds.

    October 10, 2016 Murder of Javier Castillo

    Torres also pleaded guilty to the murder of 15-year-old Javier Castillo.  In October 2016, the MS-13 targeted Castillo because he was believed to be a member of the 18th Street gang.  On October 10, 2016, members of the Sailors clique in Brentwood convinced Castillo, who lived in Central Islip, to go with them to Freeport – approximately 30 miles away – to smoke marijuana.  Torres authorized the members of the clique operating in Brentwood to bring Castillo to his territory in Freeport to be killed.  The MS-13 members took Castillo to an isolated marsh area along the water in Cow Meadow Park, in Freeport, where they attacked and killed him, taking turns hacking him with a machete.  Torres also served as the lookout for police in the area during the murder. Thereafter, the MS-13 members dug a hole and buried Castillo’s body, which was not recovered until one year later, in October 2017.

    October 14, 2016 Murder of Carlos Ventura-Zelaya

    Sosa-Guevara and Lopez-Morales pleaded guilty to the murder of 24-year-old Ventura-Zelaya, who had been marked for death by the MS-13 because of his suspected membership in the rival 18th Street gang.  On the day of the murder, Ventura-Zelaya was observed at a deli in Roosevelt by a member of the Hollywood clique. Sosa-Guevara mobilized other members of the clique to kill Ventura-Zelaya and conducted surveillance of the victim until the other gang members arrived.  The gang members tasked with carrying out the murder first drove to pick up a gun from Lopez-Morales.  After obtaining the weapon, the group drove in the direction of the deli to look for and kill the victim.  Once they spotted Ventura-Zelaya walking on Hudson Street in Roosevelt, two MS-13 members got out of the car, approached him and one

    of them fired multiple times, striking and killing the victim.  They then ran back to the car and drove away from the scene.  

    July 21, 2017 Murder of Angel Soler

    Sosa-Guevara and Lopez-Morales also pleaded guilty to the murder of 15-year-old Soler. The MS-13 suspected Soler was an 18th Street gang member, and Sosa-Guevara ordered his murder. Lopez-Morales and other MS-13 members carried out the murder, luring Soler to wooded lot near Milburn Creek in Roosevelt to smoke marijuana.  The group attacked Soler with machetes and a pickaxe, and buried his body in a shallow grave.  The following day, MS-13 members went back to lay cement over Soler’s body, in order to better conceal it.  Soler’s remains were recovered in October 2017.

    August 2017 Conspiracy to Kidnap John Doe #3

    Lopez-Morales and Sosa-Guevara also admitted that, just weeks after the Soler murder, they and other MS-13 members planned the kidnapping, assault, and/or murder of John Doe #3, an MS-13 member who had violated the rules of the gang. Specifically, Sosa-Guevara assigned Lopez-Morales and two other MS-13 members to carry out the kidnapping and attack. Lopez-Morales was instructed that, once they had John Doe #3, to wait for further guidance from MS-13 leadership as to whether to kill or brutally assault him.  On August 6, 2017, Lopez-Morales and the other gang members’ plan to kidnap John Doe #3 was foiled by law enforcement, who had been intercepting the calls arranging the attack, pursuant to court-ordered wiretaps of certain MS-13 members’ cell phones, and Lopez-Morales was taken into custody.

    August 29, 2017 Murder of David Rivera

    Sosa-Guevara also admitted to his participation in the murder of 16-year-old Rivera in Maryland.  To avoid law enforcement in New York, Sosa-Guevara and another Hollywood member from Long Island relocated to Maryland where they connected with the local Hollywood clique.  After arriving, Sosa-Guevara learned of a plan to kill a rival gang member and directed the other Long Island member of his clique to participate.  On August 29, 2017, Sosa-Guevara drove the other gang member to a park outside of Edgewater, Maryland, for him to participate in the Rivera murder.  The victim was brought to that location by other MS-13 members, attacked with machetes and killed.  After the murder, Sosa-Guevara drove the member of his clique away from the scene. Rivera’s body was not found until June 7, 2024.

    Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracies

    Finally, Torres pleaded guilty to conspiring with the members of the Sailors clique to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and Sosa-Guevara and Lopez-Morales pleaded guilty to conspiring with members of the Hollywood clique to distribute marijuana. These charges stemmed from the MS-13 cliques’ street-level sales of cocaine and marijuana on Long Island, the proceeds of which were used to help finance the MS-13’s criminal operations.

                                                                  *          *          *          *

    These guilty pleas are the latest achievements in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization.  The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.  With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island.  Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults.  Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 70 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders.  These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, NCPD, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

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

    The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Jared Rosenblatt of the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office and Paralegal Specialist Kerry Ucci and Automated Litigation Specialist Michael Compitello.

    The Defendants:

    VICTOR LOPEZ-MORALES (also known as “Persa”)
    Age:  36
    Roosevelt, New York

    DAVID SOSA-GUEVARA (also known as “Risky”)
    Age:  33
    Roosevelt, New York

    KEVIN TORRES (also known as “Quieto” and “Inquieto”)
    Age:  29
    Freeport, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-251 (S-1)(JMA)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Defendants Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearms

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Three defendants charged in separate cases with illegal possession of a firearm were sentenced today in federal court, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney presided over the hearings.

    The cases are being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence and making communities safer for everyone.

    Tyree Lashawn May, 31, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents filed in the case, in 2015, May was convicted of robbery. As a result of that conviction, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. Court records show that, on October 6, 2022, two individuals reported to law enforcement that someone they knew as “Scooter” had stolen their vehicle. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Scooter was May. The next day, on October 7, 2022, officers found the stolen vehicle and observed May carry a black bag to the car and place it in the trunk. The officers stopped May who falsely claimed his name was Jerome Drummond and he was from Virginia. Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and found a 9mm firearm in the bag May had put in the trunk.

    Victor Angel Ortiz, 42, of Matthews, N.C., was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court records, in April 2023, law enforcement began an investigation into Ortiz, after the defendant made reference to a “strap,” which is a slang term for a firearm, during a conversation with an inmate in the North Carolina Department of Correction. On May 4, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ortiz’s residence, where they located a 9mm firearm hidden behind the oven in the defendant’s home. Ortiz is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior criminal convictions.

    Zaire Edreece Lucky, 24, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents and proceedings, on November 22, 2023, Lucky was arrested on outstanding state arrest warrants by CMPD officers at the train station in Charlotte. During the arrest, Lucky was found to be in possession of a Glock firearm with a loaded 17-round magazine. At the time,CMPD detectives were investigating Lucky for his role in motor vehicle thefts in the region. In addition to the firearm, Lucky also possessed an Autel handheld key programmer, frequently used in vehicle thefts, as well as three key fobs. Lucky has multiple criminal convictions and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    The ATF and CMPD investigated the cases against May and Lucky. The FBI handled the investigation into Ortiz. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Sielaff is in charge of the prosecution of May and Ortiz. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin is handling Lucky’s prosecution.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Durham Man Sentenced for Robbery and Firearms Offenses

    Source: US FBI

    GREENSBORO – A Durham, North Carolina man was sentenced today in Winston-Salem to more than 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to robbery and a related firearm charge, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).   

    ABDUL KAREEM RASHEED, age 47, was sentenced to consecutive sentences of 51 months imprisonment (Count One) and 84 months imprisonment (Count Two), plus 3 years supervised release, by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison and supervision, RASHEED was ordered to pay $538 in restitution and to forfeit a 9mm pistol.

    According to court records, on October 12, 2022, RASHEED entered a BP gas station on Roxboro Road in Durham wearing a black ski mask and armed with a handgun.  During the robbery, RASHEED pointed the gun at the clerk and threatened to shoot him.  RASHEED collected money from two cash registers and took four packs of cigarettes before fleeing. The clerk called 911 and Durham Police Department (DPD) officers responded. Within minutes, officers were able to track RASHEED to the residence where he was staying, and where he was ultimately arrested. After obtaining a search warrant, DPD officers searched the residence and found evidence linked to the robbery including a ski mask, 9 mm handgun, and currency matching the denominations stolen from the BP gas station.

    RASHEED pleaded guilty on June 3, 2024, to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii).

    The case was investigated by the Durham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Assistant United States Attorneys Robert A. J. Lang and Lindsey A. Freeman.   

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Local Nail Salon Owner Sentenced to Prison for Placing Arson Device in Competing Salon

    Source: US FBI

    CINCINNATI – A local nail salon owner was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 46 months in prison for attempting to set a competing nail salon in Monroe, Ohio, on fire.

    Kim Lien Vu, 46, of Liberty Township, Ohio, admitted in her guilty plea in September 2023 that she conspired to commit malicious destruction via fire.

    Vu, who owns her own nail salon, developed animosity towards individuals at a competing nail salon and, beginning in December 2022, approached her employee about a plot to exact revenge on the competing salon.

    Vu and her employee, co-defendant Cierra Marie Bishop, 30, of Hamilton, Ohio, eventually discussed the idea of setting the other salon on fire. Bishop began work to design a remote-controlled incendiary device that could start a fire within a small box. The two women frequently texted about the plan, which they referred to as Job 1.

    On Feb. 5, surveillance camera footage shows Bishop and a friend, co-defendant Makahla Ann Rennick, 19, of Hamilton, Ohio, entering the competitor salon. Rennick had made an appointment for a pedicure under the name “Katelynn,” at the direction of Vu for Rennick to get the latest nail appointment she can and to “Just use another name. Sound white.” Rennick is shown receiving her nail services.

    Vu was traveling to or already at a property she owned in Virginia to have a ready alibi.

    During Rennick’s appointment, Bishop entered and exited the salon, looking for a place to plant the device. Eventually, Bishop walked to the restroom area in the rear of the salon and tucked the device under a salon desk before leaving.

    A salon employee then found the suspected device, which smelled like gasoline. The employee opened the package, seeing that it looked like an explosive device, and took it outside near the salon’s dumpsters. The employee later went back outside to check on the device and noticed that box had begun to catch on fire.

    Monroe police officers and fire department responded to a call reporting a dumpster fire near the salon.

    Vu was in constant contact with Bishop throughout the planning of the device.

    The three women were indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2023. Bishop has pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Monroe Police Chief Bob Buchanan announced the sentence imposed on April 24 by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fifteen Gang Members Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Possession

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND – Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials announce the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging 15 members of the Fully Blooded Felons, a criminal street gang that was active in Northeast Ohio and in the Ohio prison system. The gang members were charged for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving their importing and distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and buprenorphine in Northeast Ohio, and their illegal possession of firearms. Three defendants have been in federal custody since December 2023. Authorities have arrested several newly charged defendants. They transported several of them to federal court in Cleveland, while the others are in custody elsewhere.

    This announcement is made by United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory Nelsen, and Cleveland Division of Police Chief Dorothy Todd.

    “The indictment alleges that Raven Mullins and other members of the Fully Blooded Felons operated an open-air drug market, distributing the deadliest types of drugs sold on Cleveland’s streets. This organization is charged not only with peddling such poisons in Cleveland’s Cedar Estates neighborhood, but also with actively plotting to recruit persons to infiltrate the Ohio prison system to distribute drugs there so gang members could reap the profits,” said United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko. “This indictment and these arrests are a product of the dedication, cooperation, and tireless efforts of Northern District of Ohio federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who, working together, identified and disrupted this criminal organization. Because of these efforts, the many law-abiding members of the Cedar Estates neighborhood have a real opportunity to come together and make positive changes.”

    “This operation and subsequent arrests underscore the FBIs mission to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle gangs not only in the larger cities across America, but also right here in northern Ohio,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Identifying criminal networks takes careful coordination and collaboration. We are proud to partner with the agencies that make up the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the Cleveland Division of Police, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. In addition, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Cleveland’s Third District played a major role in this operation. We thank them as well as our other federal, state, and local partners who work seamlessly together to protect our communities and keep offenders off the streets.”

    The following defendants are charged in the 33-count superseding indictment:

    Raven Mullins, aka Dunny, aka Dun, 34, Cleveland, Ohio
    Henry Burchett, aka Noodles, aka Noo, 39, Cleveland, Ohio
    Cortez Tyree, aka Seed, 34, Cleveland, Ohio
    Rodney Linson, aka Scrap, 37, Willoughby Hills, Ohio
    Elijah Johnson, aka Loon, 36, Unknown
    Demarcus Elliott, aka Moo, 37, Westlake, Ohio
    Dontez Hammond, aka Donny, 35, Cleveland, Ohio
    Jeffrey Lee, aka Fatty, 23, Cleveland, Ohio
    Jerrell Jones-Ferrell, aka Ruga, 25, Cleveland, Ohio
    Jerry Mullins, aka B. Money, 32, Cleveland, Ohio
    Devonte Johnson, aka D Nut, aka Nut, 31, Cleveland, Ohio
    Jerome Williams, aka Jay, 29, Cleveland, Ohio
    Christepher Horton, aka Cam, aka Killa, 40, Erie, Pennsylvania
    Deeundra Perkins, aka Drizzy, 32, Unknown
    Deon Blackwell, aka White Boy, 37, Cleveland, Ohio

    The defendants were all charged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Additionally, six defendants were charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances offenses, five defendants were charged with illegal possession of firearms, and five defendants were charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. One defendant was charged with interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and 11 defendants were charged with using a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.

    The superseding indictment alleges that between as early as January 2022, and continuing through April 2, 2024, the defendants did knowingly and intentionally conspire with each other to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine base (“crack”), a Schedule II controlled substance, and buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance.

    According to court documents, Raven Mullins and other defendants operated an organized gang hierarchy that committed violent acts, possessed and transferred firearms, and distributed controlled substances in Northeast Ohio. The Fully Blooded Felons used two apartments at the Cedar Estates in Cleveland, Ohio, to store controlled substances and firearms and to distribute different controlled substances to customers. Subordinate gang members used a grassy area immediately adjacent to the Cedar Estates, and the area surrounding the 28th Street Liquor Store, to distribute controlled substances to customers at the direction of Raven Mullins and other high-ranking members. The superseding indictment alleges that Elijah Johnson travelled to Texas and Arizona to obtain kilogram quantities of pills containing fentanyl, which he then supplied to Fully Blooded Felon members for distribution in Northeast Ohio. Additionally, the superseding indictment alleges that the Fully Blooded Felons operated a drug smuggling and distribution ring inside numerous Ohio state prisons and federal detention centers.

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

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

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

    The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force consists of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Cleveland Division of Police. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

    The investigation preceding the superseding indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Safe Streets Task Force, the Cleveland Division of Police’s Third District and Gang Impact Unit, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and the Ohio Investigative Unit. The United States Marshals Service coordinated the arrests of those defendants apprehended.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Kolansky and Paul E. Hanna, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Brian W. Lynch and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Swift action by environment officer and fire service averts major wild 23 May 2025 Swift action by environment officer and fire service averts major wildfire in Sandown

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    A potentially devastating wildfire in Sandown was swiftly brought under control last week, thanks to the quick thinking of a local environment officer and the rapid response of Island firefighters.

    While on a routine inspection last Friday, Davide Fossa spotted smoke rising from the undergrowth near to Browns Golf and Dinosaur Isle.

    Recognising the danger, he immediately called 999 and began directing people away from the area to ensure their safety.

    “I knew every second counted,” said Davide. “I made the call, then focused on keeping people at a safe distance until the fire crews arrived. It could have spread so quickly.”

    Within minutes, firefighters arrived and launched what Davide described as a “military-style operation.”

    “They knew exactly what to do,” he said. “It was like watching a well-drilled unit in action. They moved with precision, coordinated their efforts seamlessly, and brought the fire under control before it had a chance to spread. It was incredibly impressive.”

    Thanks to their swift and strategic response, the blaze was contained and extinguished before it could threaten nearby homes, businesses, or the wider nature reserve.

    Davide is one of four dedicated environment officers working for the Isle of Wight Council. This small but highly skilled team play a vital role in safeguarding the Island’s natural environment and making the Island a cleaner, greener place to live and visit.

    The environment officers undertake a number of duties, including inspection of playgrounds, parks and open spaces, and enforcing Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).

    The team also enforces a range of environmental regulations, including those related to waste management, fly-tipping and littering, helping to maintain standards and prevent harm to the environment.

    In addition to their enforcement duties, they work closely with the community to promote sustainable practices, offering guidance and education to encourage greater environmental awareness and responsibility among residents and visitors alike.

    Their work often takes them into remote or ecologically sensitive areas, where early detection of issues like wildfires can make a critical difference.

    Some town, parish, and community councils — including Sandown — invest in an enhanced environment officer service, supplementing the core provision offered by the Isle of Wight Council.

    This enhanced service can include additional patrols, one of which led to the early discovery of the fire.

    Natasha Dix, service director for waste, environment and planning, said: “Davide’s vigilance and calm response under pressure made all the difference. And we are deeply grateful to the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service for their swift and professional response.

    “Their teamwork ensured this incident didn’t escalate into something far more serious.”

    Sandown Mayor, Councillor Alex Lightfoot, said: “We are grateful for the actions taken by Sandown’s environment officer, and the swift response from our fire service.

    “This just demonstrates the value of our partnership working between Sandown Town Council and the Isle of Wight Council.”

    A spokesperson from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) added: “Our crews worked extremely hard in the hot weather to contain and extinguish the fire and protect neighbouring heathland.

    “This fire destroyed a large area of grassland, and is just one example of the devastation these outdoor fires can have, damaging our green spaces.

    “Although we don’t know what caused this blaze, we ask that when you’re out enjoying the countryside that you do so responsibly and help prevent wildfires by following our safety guidance.”

    Authorities are reminding residents and visitors to remain vigilant during dry weather and to report any signs of smoke or fire immediately.

    Staying Safe During Dry Weather: Fire Prevention Tips

    With warmer, drier summers becoming more common, the risk of wildfires increases. Here are some simple but important steps everyone can take to help prevent fires:

    • Never leave barbecues and campfires unattended, and ensure they are fully extinguished after use.
    • Avoid using disposable barbecues in parks, nature reserves, or near dry grass.
    • Download the What3Words app on your phone to help the fire service pinpoint incidents.
    • Do not discard cigarettes or matches on the ground — use proper bins or take them with you.
    • Keep glass bottles out of direct sunlight, as they can magnify heat and ignite dry grass.
    • Report any signs of smoke or fire immediately by calling 999.
    • By staying alert and acting responsibly, we can all help protect our beautiful landscapes and communities.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Passaic County Man Sentenced to 82 Months in Prison for Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Ammunition Charges

    Source: US FBI

    CAMDEN, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 82 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and possessing ammunition by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

    Kadeem Coleman, 31, of Paterson, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée M. Bumb to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and was sentenced to 70 months in prison on those counts. At the time Coleman committed these offenses, he was on federal supervised release; for violating the terms of his supervised release, Judge Bumb sentenced Coleman to an additional 12 months in prison to run consecutively. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence on Nov. 7, 2024, in Camden federal court.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    On October 15, 2021, law enforcement arrested Coleman and searched his residence pursuant a search warrant. Law enforcement recovered fentanyl and cocaine, which was subsequently confirmed through laboratory testing, and over 120 rounds of ammunition.  Coleman had previously been federally convicted in the District of New Jersey for unlawful possession of a firearm.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Coleman to five years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado, Newark Field Division; the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Acting Sheriff Gary Giardina; and the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Officer in Charge Isa Abbassi with the investigation leading to the sentencing.

    This case is part of the Paterson Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in 2020 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Paterson’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Paterson. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Paterson Department of Public Safety, the Paterson Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Bergen County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, and N.J. Department of Corrections.

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

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.

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