NewzIntel.com

Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Collins Man Charged with Bank Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Isaac Meraz, age 21, of Fort Collins, has been charged with one count of bank robbery with forced accompaniment.  

    According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 2:00 p.m. on May 27, 2025, Meraz entered the Ent Credit Union on Drake Road in Fort Collins and robbed the credit union.  Wearing a full rubber mask with attached fake hair, Meraz approached several employees and told them he was there to “audit” the bank.  Meraz then used what appeared to be a handgun to force three employees to accompany him to the bank’s vault.  Meraz pointed the apparent handgun at a one of the employees and, out of fear and intimidation, that employee provided Meraz with money out of the vault.  As he fled the credit union, Meraz dropped a portion of the money and the apparent firearm used in the commission of the robbery.  The firearm was later determined to be a realistic-looking BB gun.  Meraz was arrested shortly after the robbery outside of the credit union.

    On May 30, 2025, Meraz made his initial appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Cyrus Y. Chung. 

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

    The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Denver Field Office and Fort Collins Police Services.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn.

    Case Number:  25-mj-00105-CYC

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  • MIL-OSI Security: District Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Deadly Drive-by Shooting in Southeast Washington

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Martinez Raynor, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 16 years in prison today for his part in a 2018 drive-by shooting of a man in front of a convenience store in Southeast Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                Raynor pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed on October 4, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan sentenced the defendant to 16 years in prison.

                According to court documents, on October 20, 2018, Raynor and two other men drove into the parking lot of Holiday Market and Liquor Store located at 3509 Wheeler Road SE at 1:56 p.m. Once there, they opened fire on a group of men standing in front of the store. In the hail of gunfire, the victim, Malik McCloud, was struck in the back by a bullet, and he fell to the ground paralyzed.  The defendant then fled on foot while the other two shooters drove off. Shortly after the initial shooting, the shooters returned to the area and opened fire on the group of men again, this time fatally striking Mr. McCloud in the chest as he laid helplessly on the ground.

                In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of those who provided valuable assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including, Paralegal Specialists LaShone Samuels and Lisa Speight, and Victim Assistant Jennifer Allen. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton and Joshua Hall, who prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Stolen Identity, Bank Fraud, and Armed Drug Distribution Net Defendant 60 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Deangelo Lorenzo Lewis, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison after being found guilty of defrauding banks by doctoring and depositing stolen checks, distributing marijuana, and illegally possessing a firearm. 

               At the time of his arrest, Lewis was using a stolen identity to rent an apartment in the Kalorama neighborhood, paying for it with funds from a stolen checking account, and using the apartment to distribute marijuana and operate his fraud scheme, all while armed with a semi-automatic assault pistol modeled after an AK47.

               The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Acting U.S. Marshal Ron Carter of the District Court for the District of Columbia.

               Lewis was found guilty by a federal jury on Feb. 28, 2025, of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan ordered Lewis to serve three years of supervised release.

               According to court documents, on October 3, 2023, Deputy United States Marshals and FBI agents executed an arrest warrant for Lewis at an apartment building on the 2400 block of 17th Street NW. Law enforcement breached the front door of the apartment with a battering ram and took Lewis into custody. During a security sweep the officers observed evidence of fraud in plain view. 

               The Marshals obtained a search warrant and recovered a Maryland driver’s license, three Visa debit cards, and numerous bank checks issued to persons other than Lewis. They also recovered stolen U.S. Postal Service uniforms in Lewis’ bedroom.                                    In addition, the Marshals recovered two laptop computers, three different types of printers, check paper, check writing software, 24 ounces of marijuana, small mylar bags, a digital scale, two loaded 9mm handgun magazines, and a Century Arms Micro Draco 7.62 x 39mm semi-automatic assault pistol loaded 25 rounds of ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, Lewis is prohibited from possessing firearms.

               The Marshals also obtained a search warrant for Lewis’ electronic devices and Instagram account. The United States’ trial evidence included photos and videos of Lewis holding firearms, including a Micro Draco assault pistol, pictures of stolen checks, pictures of marijuana advertised for sale, and numerous conversations related to marijuana distribution and bank fraud. According to the court documents, more than 10 individuals were victims of Lewis’s stolen check scheme, which involved the theft of checks worth more than $275,000. 

               Lewis has trials pending in D.C. Superior Court, the District Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland, and the United States District Court for the District of Maryland for similar conduct.

               This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force, the FBI Washington Field Office, and Arlington County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.

    24cr144    

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Murder in Broad Daylight Outside a Northeast Gas Station Leads to Guilty Plea

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Damon McQuarters, 45, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder for the 2024 shooting murder of Michael Simpson, on the sidewalk in front of the Citgo gas station at 3820 Minnesota Ave. NE, Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

               The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in Superior Court. The Honorable Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing on August 22, 2025. At sentencing, he faces between 21 and 25 years of incarceration, followed by five years of supervised release. 

               According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, at approximately 5:35 p.m., on August 24, 2024, McQuarters approached Mr. Simpson, who was sitting in a tree box in front of the Citgo gas station socializing with friends. McQuarters retrieved a handgun from his pocket and shot Mr. Simpson a single time in the head. The defendant placed the handgun back into his pocket and walked away.  Mr. Simpson was transported from the scene of the shooting to an area hospital where he died the following day.

    McQuarters has been in custody since his arrest on September 26, 2024.

               This case was investigated by Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Coronado.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: District of Arizona Charges 257 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from May 24, 2025, through May 30, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 257 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 125 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States.  In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

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

    Recent matters of interest include:

    United States v. Hugo Antonio Martinez-Lopez: On May 24, 2025, an Integrated Fixed Tower operator observed an individual come out of the brush and enter a truck, driven by Hugo Antonio Martinez-Lopez, on Federal Route 19 near mile marker 1 in Newfield, Arizona, on the Tohono O’odham Nation. BPAs located the truck and attempted a stop, but Martinez-Lopez failed to yield. While BPAs were pursuing the truck, Martinez-Lopez abruptly stopped on the right shoulder of the road and an individual exited the passenger’s side of the vehicle and ran into the brush. Martinez-Lopez then fled at a high rate of speed. After a foot chase, BPAs apprehended the individual who had run into the bush and determined that they were a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Other BPAs continued to pursue Martinez-Lopez and successfully deployed a vehicle immobilization device (VID), which punctured one of the truck’s tires. The truck then came to a stop and Martinez-Lopez fled from the vehicle. BPAs also apprehended Martinez-Lopez after a short foot pursuit. Martinez-Lopez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: MJ-25-2029]

    United States v. Jesus Fernando Jimenez Rodriguez: On May 28, 2025, Mesa Police Department executed a search warrant on a residence in Mesa, Arizona. Jesus Fernando Jimenez Rodriguez, a citizen of Mexico, was one of the occupants of the residence. Inside the residence, readily visible in the living room and stacked against the wall, law enforcement found 10,000 rounds of PMC 5.56 ammunition and 25,000 rounds of Wolf .223 ammunition. Jimenez Rodriguez was charged by complaint with one count of Alien in Possession of Ammunition and Illegal Re-entry. [Case Number: MJ-25-9221]

    United States v. Nicholas Anthony Lawrence: On May 28, 2025, Nicholas Anthony Lawrence, a citizen of Jamaica and illegal alien, was charged by indictment with Aggravated Identity Theft, Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, and Reentry of Removed Alien. Lawrence was previously convicted on or about December 4, 2017, of Attempt to Commit Molestation of Child, and Attempt to Commit Sexual Conduct with Minor, both felony offenses, in the Superior Court of Arizona, County of Maricopa. Lawrence was sentenced to seven years in prison, and lifetime probation, respectively. Lawrence was previously removed from the United States in November 2022. [Case Number: CR-25-00817-PHX-GMS]

    Criminal complaints and indictments are methods by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raise no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-087_May 30 Immigration Enforcement

    # # #

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Major drug redistributor for ring connected to Aryan prison gang sentenced to 10+ years in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Bought and sold multiple pound quantities of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills

    Tacoma – A major redistributor for a South Sound-based drug trafficking ring that was connected to Aryan prison gangs was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 126 months in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. 46-year-old Joseph Hempel, of Burien, Washington, was a high-volume drug redistributor for Jesse James Bailey, the leader of one of three branches the drug distribution organization. On March 29, 2024, Hempel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm. At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “The quantities you were involved in distributing were unimaginable…. It’s pretty amazing the amount of drugs we’re talking about.”

    “At various times on the wiretap law enforcement heard Mr. Hempel order as much as 25 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Distributing such large loads of narcotics meant that both the reach and the damage from Mr. Hempel’s drug activity was widespread in our community.”

    The three interconnected drug trafficking rings in this case were identified over an 18-month wiretap investigation. The three distribution cells were working together as the Aryan Family/Omerta Drug Trafficking Organization, one of which was led by Hempel’s co-defendant Jesse Bailey. Bailey has pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on June 13.

    On March 22, 2023, Law enforcement made two dozen arrests on federal charges. The coordinated takedown involved ten swat teams and more than 350 law enforcement officers. On that day, law enforcement seized 177 firearms, more than ten kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills and more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and over $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona. Earlier in the investigation, law enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, 5 pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms.

    At the time of the takedown, Hempel’s residence contained 1,003 fentanyl pills 1.6 kilograms of heroin, three kilograms of marijuana, 11 drug scales, a drug ledger, and $14,799 of drug proceeds. Near the drugs, law enforcement found body armor, ammunition, and the following firearms: a 12-gauge Iver Johnson shotgun with an obliterated serial number, a Harrington Richardson Model 088 Rifle, a Halsan Escort Shotgun, and a Marlin Firearms Glenfield 60 Rifle. Hempel has prior convictions for car theft and possession of stolen property that make him ineligible to possess firearms.

    In asking the court for the 126-month prison term prosecutors noted the impact such drug trafficking has on the community and community safety. “Hempel ordered and distributed large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, for the purpose of redistributing it throughout the community. These drugs have a devastating impact. Users of these drugs frequently resort to stealing—from family members, friends, and complete strangers—to feed their addictions. No doubt, drug users are responsible for a large percentage of these crimes, as well as the violent crimes, in our communities,” prosecutors wrote to the court.

    This case 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.

    This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Max Shiner, and Jehiel Baer.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Admit to Roles in Drug Trafficking Organization

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

    MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three people have admitted to working in a large-scale drug operation in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.  

    Juan Carlos Suarez-Lugo, age 55, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Alexis Alvarado, age 38, of Ranson, West Virginia, each pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Mauricio Antonio Alvarado-Flores, age 38, a citizen of El Salvador, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and illegal reentry.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Suarez-Lugo, Alvarado, and Alvarado-Flores were working together and with others to sell drugs for the drug trafficking organization.

    Suarez-Lugo, Alvarado, and Alvarado-Flores each face at least five years and up to 40 years in federal prison for the drug charge. Alvarado-Flores faces up to two years in prison for the illegal reentry charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.

    The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force was the lead investigative unit. Other investigative agencies that assisted include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the Pittsburgh, San Francisco, San Juan, and Philadelphia Field Offices; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisville and Chicago Divisions; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Martinsburg Police Department; Ranson Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; West Virginia Air National Guard; Mineral County Sheriff’s Office; Grant County Sheriff’s Office; Hampshire County Sheriff’s Department; Keyser Police Department; Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia; Pennsylvania State Police; Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania; Winchester Police Department, Virginia; Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia; Virginia State Police; Sunnyvale Police Department, California. 

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Concern for welfare – Search and Rescue Operation – Darwin Harbour

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Search and Rescue Section are actively searching for Brendon Doherty, a 55-year-old male, who voluntarily jumped off the Channel Island Bridge last night accompanied by work mates.

    About 9:42pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of the male drifting away after several minutes of him laughing and active within the water after jumping off the bridge. It is alleged Mr Doherty was unable to swim back to shore, despite his friends’ attempts to encourage him. He was last seen in the middle of the channel, drifting toward Darwin City in strong tidal currents. Witnesses observed him for approximately two minutes before losing sight of him.

    He was last seen wearing steel cap boots, shorts and a dark shirt.

    The Search and Rescue Section deployed and overnight have done an extensive search of the Elisabeth River in the East Arm area. Police are urging anyone who may witnesses a male floating or along the shore in the harbour to provide aid and call Triple Zero immediately.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Member of Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Pleads Guilty for Involvement in Theft of Firearm from Rival Club Member

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in the armed theft of a firearm from a member of a rival motorcycle club.

    Michael R. Browell, also known as “Dirtbag,” 35, of Savannah, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of aiding and abetting in the possession of a stolen firearm.

    On April 25, 2023, a member of the Border Saints Motorcycle Gang was chased down and confronted by Pagan’s Saint Joseph Chapter President Jeremiah Z. Hahn, a/k/a “Pass Out,” and former Pagan’s St. Joseph Chapter Sergeant at Arms Michael Browell, in Saint Joseph, Mo.  The Border Saints member (“victim”) had previously been requested by Hahn and other Pagan’s members to set up a meeting with the Outlaws Motorcycle Gang over their possible presence in the Saint Joseph area. The Border Saints were a support club for the Outlaws and the victim was deemed responsible by the Pagan’s for arranging the meeting.  After the victim said that he had failed to do so, Hahn and Browell told the victim to remove his Outlaws support shirt.  The victim refused.  Browell then got an axe handle from his motorcycle and threatened the victim with it. As the victim was giving up his support shirt, Hahn took the victim’s firearm from him.  The firearm was a Smith & Wesson, model M&P Shield, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Thereafter, Hahn and Browell left with the firearm and support shirt.  Hahn was later found in possession of the firearm when arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on May 3, 2023.

    On May 20, 2025, Hahn pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the firearm, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.

    Under federal statutes, Browell is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

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

    Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Defendants Plead Guilty to Two Murders and a Third Non-Fatal, Drive-By Shooting in Southeast, Washington D.C.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Each of the Defendants, who are members of a Henson Ridge Crew called “Get Back Gang” and/or “the Z,” also pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Murder or Armed Crime of Violence

               WASHINGTON – Derrico Johnson, 21, Ronald Henderson, 19, Daveon Robinson, 18, and Demarco Robinson, 22, each pleaded guilty today in connection with three different day-time shootings that occurred in Southeast Washington, D.C. between April 2022 and January 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

               Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for September 12, 2025. Each of the four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder or armed crime of violence, after admitting to their membership in a Henson Ridge based crew referred to by many names, including “Get Back Gang” and “the Z.” This crew is part of a broader group driving violence in Washington, D.C. over the past several years, known as “Fox 5 Gang.”

               Additionally, Derrico Johnson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for the killing of Clayton Marshal and assault with a dangerous weapon for the shooting of a second person, in connection with a drive-by shooting at Shipley Market at approximately 12:20 p.m. on April 12, 2022. Neither Clayton Marshall nor the second victim appear to have been the intended target.

               Derrico Johnson and Ronald Henderson also both pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed for the May 26, 2022, killing of 16-year-old Justin Johnson, also known as “23 Rackz.” This shooting occurred at approximately 11:20 a.m. on May 26, 2022, in the Savannah Circle located in the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace SE.

               Finally, Ronald Henderson and Daveon Robinson both pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with a third, non-fatal, drive-by shooting at Alabama Convenience Store, which injured two bystanders and occurred at approximately 4:48 p.m. on January 2, 2023.

               These pleas, which are contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing, call for an agreed-upon sentence between 19.5 and 23 years for Derrico Johnson; an agreed-upon sentence between 18 and 23 years for Ronald Henderson; and an agreed-upon sentence between six and 10 years for Daveon Robinson, while Demarco Robinson will be sentenced to a concurrent sentence in relation to a federal firearms case he was previously sentenced for in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Case Number 23-cr-250.

               This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Sellinger.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Franklin County Couple Admit Recording Sexual Abuse of Toddler

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A couple from Franklin County, Missouri have admitted producing pictures and videos containing child sexual abuse material, including the sexual abuse of a one-year-old.

    William Burns, 41, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography, three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. His wife, 34-year-old Rachel Burns, pleaded guilty on May 22 to the conspiracy count and two counts of production of child pornography.

    On July 30, 2023, William and Rachel Burns were arrested by the University City Police Department with two small children in their car. They were charged in St. Louis County Circuit Court with attempted enticement of a child. Rachel Burns told investigators that her husband had child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices, leading to a court-approved search by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies found electronic devices, as well as whips, numerous sexual devices and a 3-foot-7-inch tall silicone sex doll made to resemble a prepubescent female, their plea agreements say.

    Investigators found 13,954 image and video files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a computer and digital storage devices. William Burns used a WhatsApp social media account to exchange CSAM with other WhatsApp users. Investigators then found a 2022 video showing the couple sexually abusing a one-year-old. They also found other videos and images from 2022 and 2023 showing that victim, the couple admitted in their plea agreements.

    Rachel Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend no more than 35 years in prison. William Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend between 35 and 40 years for him.

    The University City Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Elder Fraud Prevention Forum

    Source: US FBI

    MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida hosted a public outreach event and interactive discussion, in partnership with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), focused on preventing crimes against senior citizens on May 15, 2025 at Century Village in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Participants included the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation, Broward State Attorney’s Office, the Wilton Manors Police Department, and AARP Florida.

    The program discussed common schemes affecting senior citizens, investment fraud, lottery, and inheritance fraud, along with a local law enforcement panel with local fraud and abuse case examples.

    This program is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida’s Elder Justice Initiative. For more information about the Justice Department’s efforts to help American seniors please visit the Elder Justice Initiative webpage at justice.gov/elderjustice and for information regarding how the FBI can help the public, visit https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud.

    To report an elder fraud scam, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit a tip at  https://www.ic3.gov/Home/EF, or contact your local field office. The National Elder Fraud Hotline is also available for reports at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Amherst — Cumberland County District RCMP charges man with 18 offences after police car stolen in New Brunswick

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Cumberland County District RCMP has charged a man with more than 20 offences after an RCMP police car was reported stolen in New Brunswick and driven into Nova Scotia.

    On May 16, at approximately 2:32 p.m., Cumberland County District RCMP and Amherst Police Department (APD) responded to a report by New Brunswick RCMP dispatch that a stolen RCMP police car was entering Nova Scotia.

    The movements of the car were being monitored through the car’s GPS system by the RCMP operational communications centre (OCC) in New Brunswick. The RCMP OCC in Nova Scotia took over monitoring the vehicle’s movements once it entered the province.

    APD officers attempted to stop the vehicle on Hwy. 2 in Upper Nappan, but the driver fled towards Amherst Point on the Southampton Rd. APD and RCMP officers pursued the car. Minutes later, officers deployed a spike belt on Southampton Rd., damaging the suspect vehicle.

    The suspect entered onto Hwy. 104 westbound as officers followed. At approximately 2:49 p.m., officers safely forced the car off the highway near the Fort Lawrence overpass and took the suspect into custody.

    No one was injured during the arrest.

    Highway 104 was closed for approximately six hours in support of the operation.

    The RCMP police car was stolen on May 16 while an RCMP officer responded to a report of an unwanted person at a hotel in Sackville, New Brunswick.

    Kyle Douglas Smith, 37, of Moncton, has been charged in Nova Scotia with:

    • Assaulting a Peace Officer with a Weapon
    • Assaulting a Peace Officer
    • Operation While Prohibited
    • Flight from a Peace Officer
    • Dangerous Operation
    • Operation while Impaired
    • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
    • Failure to Comply with a Release Order
    • Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose (two counts)
    • Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
    • Possession of a Firearm Knowing Its Possession is Unauthorized (two counts)
    • Unauthorized Possession in Motor Vehicle (two counts)
    • Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Firearm with Ammunition
    • Possession of Weapon Obtained by Commission of Offence
    • Mischief

    Smith appeared in Amherst Provincial Court on May 21 and was remanded into custody. He’s scheduled to next appear in Amherst Provincial Court on June 16.

    Smith is also facing charges in New Brunswick.

    The RCMP in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were prepared to issue an alert through the Alert Ready system; the suspect, however, was then apprehended quickly and safely.

    File #: 2025-662879

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Head of Jeddore — RCMP charges a man with sexual offences against a youth victim

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment (HRD) has charged a man with sexual offences committed against a youth victim known to him.

    Yesterday evening, in relation to an ongoing sexual assault investigation, RCMP officers, assisted by the RCMP/HRP Integrated Criminal Investigation Division and the RCMP Emergency Response Team, executed a warrant to enter a residence near the 9500 block of Hwy. 7.

    Inside the home, officers located and safely arrested a 30-year-old Dartmouth man involved in a sexual assault, and two other men for unrelated matters. At the scene, a stolen motorcycle was also recovered.

    Codie Kenneth Bruce Horne has been charged with:

    • Uttering Threats
    • Sexual Assault
    • Sexual Interference
    • Invitation to Sexual Touching
    • Failure to Comply with a Release Order (two counts)
    • Intimidation of a Justice System Participant

    Horne was held in custody and will appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court today.

    File: 25-47019, 25-74832

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Leads Senate Democrats Urging Additional Funding to Keep Communities Safe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) led 29 Senate Democrats in urging the Senate Committee on Appropriations to fund the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program at a minimum of $270 million for Fiscal Year 2026. Amid a nationwide shortage of police officers, the COPS Hiring Program is critical for keeping communities safe and reducing taxpayer costs related to crime by providing funding directly to law enforcement agencies to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts.
    “The COPS Hiring Program represents a fiscally responsible solution to ensure that our communities remain safe. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers and to increase their community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts,” the lawmakers wrote.
    “When officers establish a presence on their patrols using community-policing principles, they can develop positive relationships with the communities they serve.  In turn, these relationships increase law enforcement’s ability to solve local crimes and resolve public safety problems,” the lawmakers continued. “This proactive approach to policing prevents crime from occurring, saving taxpayers the high societal costs associated with crime, incarceration, and services for victims.”
    Led by Senator Luján, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
    The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below: 
    Dear Chairman Moran and Ranking Member Van Hollen:
    As you consider funding levels for Fiscal Year 2026, we urge you to fund the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program at a minimum of $270 million.
    The COPS Hiring Program represents a fiscally responsible solution to ensure that our communities remain safe. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers and to increase their community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts. When officers establish a presence on their patrols using community-policing principles, they can develop positive relationships with the communities they serve.  In turn, these relationships increase law enforcement’s ability to solve local crimes and resolve public safety problems.  This proactive approach to policing prevents crime from occurring, saving taxpayers the high societal costs associated with crime, incarceration, and services for victims.
    To date, the COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing including grants awarded to more than 15,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 136,000 officers. In 2024, the program awarded 235 grants across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In total, the program allowed for the funding of 1193 officer positions. COPS Hiring plays an essential role in our federal government’s support for local law enforcement and should therefore receive the highest possible level of funding.
    We are supported in this request by law enforcement organizations including the National Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, and the Major Cities Chiefs Association.  We appreciate the hard work and leadership that you have shown on these issues. Ongoing crime and violence across the country demonstrates the vital need for increased police protection in our communities.  Therefore, as you determine the funding levels for this program, we ask that you support funding for the COPS Hiring Program at the highest possible level.
    Thank you for your consideration of this request.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illinois Man Admits Sexual Assault on Grounds of Gateway Arch National Park

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man from Fairview Heights, Illinois on Friday admitted sexually assaulting a woman in Gateway Arch National Park in 2023.

    Monte Derrell Boatman, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of aggravated sexual abuse. He admitted assaulting the victim on Dec. 6, 2023, at about 5:30 p.m. Boatman took the Metro from Fairview Heights and exited at Laclede’s Landing at about 5:15 p.m. He was captured on video passing the victim near 4th Street and Washington Avenue at about 5:19 p.m. Roughly one minute later, Boatman turned and began following the victim.

    Boatman later grabbed the victim from behind, wrapped his arms around her and then, with a razor to her neck, forced her into the bushes, where he assaulted her while threatening her life multiple times.

    Boatman was arrested two days later by rangers with the National Park Service after a struggle that resulted in one ranger seeking medical treatment. At the time, Boatman had an active arrest warrant for violating his probation in a 2009 armed robbery case in the Southern District of Illinois.

    Boatman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12. The sexual abuse charge is punishable by up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Boatman’s lawyer have agreed to recommend a sentence of 28 years in prison to be followed by supervised release for life.

    The case was investigated by the National Park Service and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lansdowne Station — Pictou County missing persons investigation continues with ground search this weekend

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Ground search efforts are planned for tomorrow (May 31) as the missing persons investigation into the disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan continues.

    In an effort to advance the ongoing investigation and locate Lilly and Jack, searchers from ground search and rescue teams and the RCMP will focus on specific areas around Gairloch Rd. and the nearby pipeline trail, where a boot print was previously located.

    We continue to ask that the public avoid the search area to allow trained searchers to do their work.

    Any future searches will be determined based on the course of the investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Westville — Pictou County Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit charges two people with multiple firearms offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Pictou County Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit (PCISCEU) has charged two people with multiple offences following a search warrant execution in Westville.

    On May 28, as part of an ongoing firearms investigation, the PCISCEU attended a residence on Picken St. Two people were safely arrested at the property after a man pointed a loaded rifle at officers and tried to flee the area on an all-terrain vehicle. A woman, who was also at the residence, attempted to flee on foot.

    During the search of the home, three firearms, several replica firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, knives, and swords were seized.

    Darren Brent Snell, 41, and Sherri Lynn Hallam, 39, both of Westville, have been charged with:

    • Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose (nine counts)
    • Careless Use of Firearm (four counts)
    • Unauthorized Possession of Firearm (three counts)
    • Unauthorized Possession of Prohibited Weapon
    • Resist Arrest

    Snell has also been charged with:

    • Pointing a Firearm
    • Possession Contrary to Order (12 counts)

    Snell has been remanded into custody pending future court appearances. Hallam was released on conditions and is due to appear in Pictou Provincial Court on July 21.

    Several teams assisted with the search warrant execution, including the Nova Scotia RCMP Emergency Response Team and Critical Incident Command, Pictou County District RCMP, Westville Police Service and Stellarton Police Service.

    Note: The PCISCEU is made up of police officers from Pictou County District RCMP, Westville Police Service, and Stellarton Police Service.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florissant Man Charged with Felon in Possession of Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Florissant, Mo., man appeared in court today on an indictment alleging that he possessed firearms after a prior felony conviction.

    Jerald Cortez Harris, Jr., 27, was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms in an indictment returned on May 13, 2025, by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. The indictment, which was unsealed upon Harris’s arrest and appearance in court, alleges that between March 14, 2025, and March 27, 2025, Harris possessed two firearms: a Glock, model 30, .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, and a Beretta, model APX A1 Compact, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. Harris has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.

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

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo. Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Denver Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Federal Prison for Fentanyl, Gun Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Derris Mayberry, 37, of Denver, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison after being convicted by federal juries in two trials of one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

    According to the facts established at the trials, on the evening of March 22, 2024, a woman approached an officer conducting surveillance for an undercover operation and offered the officer “dope.”  She then told the officer that she knew someone who could get “blues,” meaning fentanyl pills.  The woman ultimately led undercover police officers to an alley near the Colorado State Capitol where Mayberry was waiting.  An audio recording captured the undercover officer negotiating the price and amount of fentanyl pills.  The officers then observed the woman make a hand-to-hand exchange with Mayberry, immediately after which the woman handed four fentanyl pills to the undercover officer in exchange for $20.  Law enforcement contacted Mayberry shortly thereafter at a bus stop only feet away from where the deal had taken place.  During a pat down, law enforcement found a loaded .22 caliber revolver in his shorts pocket.  Mayberry had previously been convicted of multiple felonies and, therefore, was prohibited from possessing the loaded revolver.  During a search incident to his arrest, law enforcement found additional fentanyl pills and the $20 used by the undercover officer to purchase the drugs.

    “Illicit fentanyl destroys lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “Our office will continue to prioritize putting fentanyl traffickers behind bars.”

    “Felons illegally possessing firearms and distributing deadly drugs like fentanyl pose a serious and immediate threat to public safety,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. “We are grateful for our local and federal partners who are unified in our commitment to pursue these violent criminals and hold them accountable for their actions.”

    “What began as great, proactive police work ended with an armed dealer of dangerous narcotics being sentenced to prison to a lengthy term,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. “The Denver Police Department, in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and U.S. Attorney’s Office, remain committed to stopping the availability of dangerous drugs in Denver.”

    United States District Judge Daniel D. Domenico presided over the sentencing. The Denver Police Department VICE unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives handled the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore O’Brien and Celeste Rangel handled the prosecution.

    Case Number:  24-cr-00110-DDD

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rhode Island Man Charged with Assaulting Border Patrol Agents by Discharging Machine Gun

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

    Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on May 29, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Brenden Sackal, 32, of Rockville, Rhode Island, with assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, possessing and discharging a machine gun in furtherance of the assault on federal officers, possessing an unregistered machine gun, and possessing a machine gun lacking an identification number as required by the National Firearms Act. Sackal’s federal arraignment date has not yet been set. Sackal also faces charges related to the shooting in Caledonia Superior Court.

    According to court records, Sackal is alleged to have assaulted five U.S. Border Patrol agents with a deadly weapon by discharging a privately manufactured 5.56 caliber AR-type pistol, on July 14, 2024. This AR-type pistol is alleged to have been a machine gun, which the National Firearms Act requires to be registered and bear a serial number. Sackal’s weapon was not registered and did not bear a serial number.

    The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Sackal is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted of all counts in the superseding indictment, Sackal faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years, and up to imprisonment for life. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Vermont State Police. Acting United States Attorney Drescher stated “Anyone who discharges a firearm at a federal law enforcement officer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I commend the U.S. Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, the Vermont State Police, and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department personnel who pursued and apprehended Sackal on July 14, 2024.”

    The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Sackal is represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province strengthens response to combat downtown street crime, disorder

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Businesses in British Columbia will be better protected against property crimes with the launch of a new public-safety initiative focused on addressing street disorder and non-violent offences.

    The new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement (C-STEP) program will boost police efforts tackling public-safety challenges that are affecting businesses and communities. Through C-STEP, police can strengthen operations that address street crimes, such as robbery, shoplifting, theft and property damage, and the associated impacts on public safety, community well-being and the growth of B.C.’s economy.

    “Businesses that have been the victims of theft rings and shoplifting are understandably frustrated by the losses they have suffered,” said Terry Yung, Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services. “Building on the proven success of other public-safety initiatives, we are implementing C-STEP to further strengthen these efforts that support safer downtown cores, so people can build a good life in a safe community.”

    The Province is allocating as much as $5 million in new funding for the initiative, which will provide police with enhanced tools, technology and investigative resources to curb property crimes.

    In addition to enforcement, C-STEP will also support police initiatives to develop co-ordinated operational plans that unite law enforcement, businesses, outreach teams and social services to deliver a strategic, preventive approach to tackling street disorder.

    “Our downtown communities are more than just economic hubs. They are the heartbeat of our cities, bringing people together to work, explore, create and connect with culture,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “Our downtowns reflect the energy and diversity that makes our Province unique, and the new C-STEP program is laying the groundwork for safer, more dynamic downtowns, ensuring they remain vibrant spaces for everyone.”

    Funding provided through C-STEP can also support proactive patrols and increased police presence to improve physical and social conditions of public spaces by addressing disruptive or unlawful behaviours, such as open drug use or trafficking, disturbances, obstruction, indecent acts and/or public intoxication.

    Additionally, the initiative will enhance police capacity to effectively work alongside front-line social-service providers, ensuring individuals in crisis are connected to the appropriate and available services.

    “The B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police supports the C-STEP initiative and funding directed toward addressing street disorder across our province,” said Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat, president of the B.C. Associations of Chiefs of Police. “Police leaders continue to raise concerns about repeat offending and the impacts of chronic street-level crime on public safety and community well-being. We recognize that a co-ordinated, multi-agency response is essential, and we are committed to working alongside government and community partners to develop long-term, sustainable solutions. Our shared goal is safer, healthier communities for all British Columbians.”

    C-STEP builds on the existing Specialized Investigation and Targeted Enforcement (SITE) program, with the B.C. RCMP administering the funding to police on behalf of government. Together, these programs will help police agencies implement comprehensive public-safety strategies to tackle violent and non-violent crime, adapt to emerging policing needs and stay responsive to evolving crime trends.

    Quotes:

    Garry Begg, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General –

    “B.C. businesses are the backbone of our province, and it’s essential that they’re supported to deal with public-safety challenges such as theft, vandalism and shoplifting, which threaten their prosperity. C-STEP will prioritize high-incident hot spots, including major shopping corridors and areas where public-safety concerns exist, so law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to address crime and help to build safer, more vibrant downtowns for everyone.”

    Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation –

    “Small businesses are the foundation of B.C.’s economy, and ensuring people and businesses can thrive in safe, welcoming downtown areas is a priority for our government. This new program is a great step forward in the Province’s ongoing commitment to building safer communities, while helping our local businesses to prosper.”

    Deputy Chief Const. Howard Chow, Vancouver Police Department –

    “Open drug use, street disorder and criminal activity has negatively impacted the health of our downtown core and surrounding neighbourhoods, making people feel less safe. Addressing these challenges requires support from all levels of government, and we welcome any new initiative that will help our officers prevent crime, arrest offenders and make Vancouver a safer city.”

    Jane Talbot, president and CEO, Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association –

    “This initiative reflects a clear recognition of the urgent public-safety challenges facing downtown cores, including the growing impact of non-violent and repeat offenders on small businesses. Any step forward is important, and we see this as a significant and encouraging move in the right direction. Downtown Van is committed to continued collaboration with the province and all partners to build a safer, more vibrant city for everyone.”

    Tony Hunt, general manager of loss prevention, London Drugs –

    “We welcome the C-STEP initiative as a meaningful step forward, supporting local projects that address prolific and repeat offenders. Across British Columbia, communities and businesses are facing rising levels of violence, organized retail crime and abuse targeting workers. This growing disorder is eroding safety and public confidence — especially in our downtowns, which are vital to our economy. It’s essential that we track its impact, and we look forward to seeing and celebrating the positive outcomes this program can deliver.”

    Quick Facts:

    • Budget 2025 invests $235 million in new funding over the next three years to help improve community safety through various public-safety and justice programs.
    • The SITE program introduced under the B.C. government’s Safer Communities Action Plan provides operational funding for police departments to enhance proactive enforcement and investigative techniques to target repeat violent offending.
    • The Vancouver Police Department reported that between October 2024 and January 2025, the SITE initiative led to a 27% drop in violent crime in Hastings Crossing and a 45% drop in weapon-related assaults in Gastown, with January 2025 recording the lowest violent- and property-crime rates in Hastings Crossing in over two years.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about government’s action to keep communities safe and strong, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/safer-communities/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: SIRT Investigating Officer Involved Shooting Near Canwood

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 30, 2025

    On Wednesday May 28, 2025 at approximately 1:10 p.m., the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) received a notification from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding an officer-involved shooting that had just taken place in a rural area near the village of Canwood. 

    SIRT’s Civilian Executive Director accepted the notification as within SIRT’s mandate and directed an investigation by SIRT.

    On May 28, members of the RCMP’s Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Team (WEST) located a vehicle associated with an individual wanted in relation to recent firearms incidents on the James Smith Cree Nation. RCMP members attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, a dark-coloured SUV, but the vehicle failed to stop for police and a pursuit was commenced. 

    At various points during the pursuit, the SUV left the road and traveled through fields.  At approximately 12:42 p.m., the SUV again left the road and the pursuit continued through a field into a pasture east of Canwood. At approximately 12:44 p.m., the SUV collided with an embankment in the pasture and came to an abrupt stop. Immediately after the SUV came to a stop, a male exited the driver’s side of the vehicle, and a confrontation took place with the RCMP member operating the lead police vehicle in the pursuit. During that confrontation, the RCMP member discharged two rounds from a service pistol, striking the man in the arm.

    Immediately after being struck, the man went to the ground and was arrested without further incident. A female passenger of the SUV exited the vehicle and was also arrested without incident. RCMP members provided first aid, and both occupants of the SUV were conveyed to hospital where they were treated. The 32-year-old man was treated for a gunshot wound to the left arm, and the 30-year old woman was treated for potential injuries sustained during the SUV’s collision with the embankment. 

    Following the notification, a SIRT team consisting of six SIRT investigators was deployed to Shellbrook and the incident scene to begin their investigation. A community liaison will also be appointed pursuant to S.91.12 (1) (a) of The Police Act, 1990. A handgun was recovered from the ground at the scene of the incident and has been secured as an exhibit for both the SIRT and RCMP investigations. 

    SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man’s arrest. The RCMP will maintain responsibility for the investigation of the original firearms incident as well as the actions of the occupants of the vehicle during the incident. No further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.

    SIRT’s mandate is to investigate alleged cases of serious injury, death, sexual assault or interpersonal violence arising from the actions or omissions of on and off-duty police officers, or while an individual is in police custody.

    For updates on SIRT investigations, follow SIRT on X, formerly known as Twitter, at: Serious Incident Response Team – Saskatchewan (@SIRT_SK) / X

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial rapist sentenced to life in prison

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    An investigation led by specialist detectives at the Metropolitan Police has resulted in a 22-year-old man who raped two teenage girls and a woman being given a life sentence.

    Levi Bancroft, 22, (11.06.02) of Hanson Close, West Drayton, was sentenced on Friday, 30 May at Southwark Crown Court for four counts of rape involving three victims.

    Bancroft was convicted on Thursday, 31, October 2024, following a three-week trial at the same court.

    The court heard how over a period of five years, Bancroft raped three women, targeting them as they were alone and vulnerable. He was also convicted of actual bodily harm, after he physically assaulted one of the women.

    He was arrested and charged following a Met investigation, working closely with Thames Valley Police, where officers used CCTV and DNA evidence to put Bancroft at the scene of the crimes.

    Detective Constable Lloyd Leech, who led the Met’s investigation, said:

    “A serial sexual offender has been taken off the streets, protecting women across the country.

    “Bancroft repeatedly targeted vulnerable women and followed a sinister pattern of behaviour. His abhorrent offending would have very likely continued if it wasn’t for this arrest and conviction.

    “I commend the bravery of the three victims to come forward and report what had happened to them. Justice has now been served.”

    The first allegation against Bancroft was made in 2018, but subsequently closed due to the victim not feeling able to proceed. A second report was made in 2020 and the case went to trial.

    During this trial, a third report from Thames Valley Police came to light and the trial was adjourned as the CPS worked to join the three cases together, after the first victim was willing to come forward again.

    Detectives were able to identify Bancroft as the suspect in the first and second case through DNA samples collected during medical examinations of the victims. CCTV also placed him at the scene of the second and third case, as well as data from his electronic tag from a previous knife possession offence.

    He repeatedly preyed on women who were alone. In September 2018, Bancroft, then 16-years-old, took a 15-year-old into a stairwell of a block of flats in Westminster in the late evening. He prevented her from leaving the block, forced her down in the stairwell and raped her.

    Bancroft’s pattern of offending included using threats of violence to instil fear into his victims, going on to rape them. This was shown again in January 2020, when Bancroft, then 17-years-old, followed a 15-year-old girl late at night off a tube at Royal Oak Underground Station. He forced her into a nearby stairwell of a block of flats and raped her.

    In November 2023, Bancroft raped a transgender female in Oxford. After approaching her in the street, Bancroft followed her into a cul-de-sac. Bancroft then raped her behind a parked car. As the victim ran away after the attack, Bancroft chased her while shouting transphobic and threatening comments. When he was able to catch up with her, he went on to violently assault her. The victim managed run to a local venue to seek shelter where the police were called.

    Detective Constable Rebekah Routh, who led the Thames Valley investigation, added:

    “I wish to commend all three victims in this case for their immense bravery in coming forward and having trust in both the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley police to bring this dangerous individual to justice.”

    Under the New Met for London Plan, our mission is to deliver More Trust, Less Crime and High Standards. Central to this is transforming how we prevent harm and tackle violence against women and girls, most often committed by predatory men like Bancroft.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Announce the Arrest of William Marshall III

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Baltimore, MD – The United States Marshals Service (USMS), in coordination with the Howard County Police Department (HCPD), MD, the New York Police Department, NY, and task force partners, has arrested William Marshall III, 18, in connection with the July 2024 murder of Angelo Little, 17, inside the Mall in Columbia, Maryland.

    Following a coordinated 10-month, multi-agency fugitive investigation, Marshall was apprehended without incident at approximately 6:30 a.m. on May 29, 2025, at a residence in Brooklyn, New York. A tip developed from a video posted on social media led investigators to the location.

    “This arrest is the result of intensive investigative man hours,” said John Wormley, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force in Baltimore. “The United States Marshals Service is committed to improving the safety of our communities. We could not be as effective as we are without partner agencies like the Howard County Police Department.”

    Marshall, also known as “Junior,” is facing charges in Howard County, Maryland, including first-degree murder and firearms offenses. Detectives believe he specifically targeted Little, who was pronounced dead at the scene on July 27, 2024. The two were known to each other, and investigators are continuing to explore a motive.

    “I am proud of the outstanding, tireless work of everyone involved in this search, including HCPD officers, U.S. Marshals, and our HCPD social media team,” said Howard County Police Chief Gregory Der. “There was true creativity and ingenuity that resulted in this apprehension. We aren’t immune from crime in Howard County, but if you commit a crime here, we will catch you and bring you to justice — no matter how long it takes.”

    Howard County Executive Calvin Ball also praised the collaborative effort:

    “This was a team effort backed by months of diligence, long nights, and strong communication,” Ball said. “After a long road, our hard work has led us to the arrest of William Marshall. We remain committed to ensuring accountability and taking violent offenders off our streets. I commend the Howard County Police Department for making public safety the utmost priority.”

    The search for Marshall involved hundreds of tips, extensive digital evidence reviews, long-term surveillance, and interstate operations across multiple jurisdictions. Officials are also investigating whether any individuals may have assisted Marshall in avoiding capture. If warranted, additional criminal charges will be pursued.

    Marshall is currently in custody in New York, pending extradition to Maryland under applicable state laws. Authorities continue to evaluate eligibility for a combined reward of up to $30,000 offered by the HCPD and USMS for information leading to his apprehension.

    The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force focuses resources and efforts on the enhancement of public safety and the reduction of violence within the National Capital Region, through the identification, investigation, and apprehension of fugitives wanted for egregious crimes against the community, while ensuring the equal application of Justice, Integrity, and Service for all.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Gastonia Police Officer Charged With Straw Purchasing A Firearm Appears In Federal Court After Arrest

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

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Charlotte charging Xana Dayanae Dove, a former Gastonia police officer, with straw purchasing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Dove, 28, of Charlotte, was arrested on Thursday, and was released on bond following her initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler.

    James C. Barnacle, Jr., Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    According to allegations in the indictment, on May 25, 2023, Dove knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement to Shooters Express, a licensed firearms dealer in Belmont, North Carolina, in connection with the acquisition of a Springfield Hellcat Pro, 9mm pistol. The indictment alleges that Dove falsely stated on ATF’s Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm when the defendant knew this statement was false and fictitious.

    Dove is charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and causing a false report during a firearm purchase. If convicted, Dove faces a combined maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI and ATF for their work on the investigation, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s Community Supervision, and the Gastonia Police Department for their assistance with Dove’s apprehension.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant fled to El Salvador following 2010 murder, illegally reentered U.S. and planned second murder

    BOSTON – A member of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to participating in a racketeering enterprise, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy.

    William Pineda Portillo, a/k/a “Humilde,” 31, of Everett, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct racketeering affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity. Senior U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025. In September 2024, Pineda Portillo was charged by a second superseding indictment along with co-defendant Jose Vasquez, who pleaded guilty last week to one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering.

    MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization with tens of thousands of members located in the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and elsewhere. MS-13 branches, or “cliques,” operate throughout the United States, including in Massachusetts. In furtherance of its mission, MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, specifically against rival gang members; kill informants; and support and defend fellow MS-13 members in attacks. MS-13 members maintain and enhance their status in the gang and the overall reputation of the gang by participating in such violent acts.

    Pineda Portillo was a member of the Trece Locos Salvatrucha, or TLS, clique of MS-13, which operated in Somerville. Pineda Portillo personally participated in racketeering activity and acts of violence on behalf of MS-13.

    Specifically, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez conspired with others to murder a 28-year-old man on Dec. 18, 2010, in Chelsea, Mass. That evening, law enforcement responded to a 911 call in the vicinity of the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1 in Chelsea. There, law enforcement found the victim with approximately 10 stab wounds to his chest and back, along with injuries to his head. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. A recent reexamination of evidence collected during the initial investigation identified members of MS-13, including Vasquez, as having committed the murder.  

    In the week leading up to the incident, Vasquez and other MS-13 members conspired to murder the victim because they believed the victim belonged to a rival gang. Evidence revealed that on the day of the murder, Pineda Portillo picked up Vasquez, other MS-13 members and the victim in Allston. Driving a green SUV registered to his father, Pineda Portillo took the MS-13 members and the victim to Chelsea where Vasquez and the other gang members led the victim to an area under the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1. Once in the secluded area under the highway, an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock and another MS-13 member stabbed the victim with a machete. During the attack, Vasquez stabbed the victim with a knife. Vasquez’s palm print was identified on the handle of a silver kitchen knife recovered from the murder scene. The victim’s blood also was found on the knife.

    Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador before investigators could interview him about his role in the murder. On or about April 29, 2015, after Pineda Portillo returned to the United States, he arranged to sell a firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition to another MS-13 member, who was, in reality, a cooperating witness working with law enforcement, in exchange for money.

    On or about June 1, 2015, Pineda Portillo conspired to murder an MS-13 member he incorrectly believed had been arrested and was cooperating with law enforcement. Specifically, in a conversation recorded by law enforcement, Pineda Portillo said, among other things: “I want that son of a bitch killed, man. . . . You will see, homeboy! We are going to do a complete thing to that son of a bitch, dude.”

    Pineda Portillo originally was indicted in 2017. However, shortly before the indictment was returned, he was deported to El Salvador. Approximately five years later, on May 10, 2022, Pineda Portillo was arrested as he tried to return to the United States, illegally crossing the border into Texas from Mexico. According to court documents, after being arrested at the border, Pineda Portillo admitted that he was a member of MS-13. A fingerprint analysis indicated that there was a warrant for his arrest. Pineda Portillo was then returned to the District of Massachusetts where he remained in custody.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Shumeane Benford of the Somerville Police Department; and Chief Keith Houghton of the Chelsea Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; United States Customs and Border Protection; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty and Meghan C. Cleary of the Office’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

    The charge of racketeering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    This operation 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. 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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Tampa Man Pleads Guilty To Temple Terrace Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Kavar Young (32, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit that robbery, and brandishing a firearm during the robbery. Young faces up to 20 years in prison on both the robbery and conspiracy counts. For the firearms count, he faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence. A date for sentencing has not yet been set. One of Young’s co-defendants, Leanna Bryant (28, Tampa), previously pleaded guilty.

    According to court documents and proceedings, in August 2023, Young conspired with others to commit robbery. Specifically, on August 12, 2023, Young robbed a Temple Terrace convenience store, during which he brandished a firearm, pointing it at the victim’s head while demanding money from the register. Young also pointed the firearm at a second employee of the store and a store customer. 

    Young’s DNA was found on a potato chip bag inside the store that he had touched. His DNA was also found on a firearm located during the investigation that is visually consistent with the firearm used in the robbery.

    This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, the Temple Terrace Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, and the North Port Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ocala Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Machinegun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Sean Rayvon Hubbard, Jr. (19, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun. Hubbard faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court documents, on July 28, 2024, officers from the Ocala Police Department approached Hubbard to place him under arrest for outstanding warrants. Hubbard fled from the officers on foot but was ultimately apprehended. On August 7, 2024, officers received a call from an apartment complex about a firearm that had been discovered along the path where Hubbard had been running. The firearm, a black handgun with a tan extended ammunition magazine, had been modified with a “switch” that allowed it to fire more than one round of ammunition with a single pull of the trigger. Officers obtained a search warrant for Hubbard’s cellphone and recovered a video that Hubbard had filmed of himself handling the same modified handgun prior to his arrest on July 28, 2024. 

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

    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: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 110 Months for Smuggling Fentanyl from California to the DMV

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON— Lamin Sesay, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 110 months in federal prison for participating in a wide-spread narcotics trafficking conspiracy that distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills purchased in Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including the District of Columbia. 

               The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                Sesay was one of 24 co-defendants arrested during 2023 in the District, Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.

                On Feb. 7, 2025, Sesay pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Sesay to serve three years of supervised release.

               According to court documents, Sesay entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, co-defendant Hector David Valdez, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Sesay was introduced to Valdez by an unindicted co-conspirator, Mathias Tsegaye, a D.C.-based fentanyl trafficker who died in January 2023 from the combined toxic effects of codeine, fentanyl, and oxycodone. At the time of Tsegaye’s death, a shipping box containing several thousand fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills was discovered in his residence.

                Sesay’s role was to have fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills shipped by Valdez to the District of Columbia. Sesay then conspired with one or more D.C.-area-based co-conspirators to redistribute the pills. Sesay also communicated with Valdez about Tsegaye flying to Los Angles to obtain pills for Tsegaye and Sesay to resell in D.C.

                The impetus for the investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death resulting case, law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.

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

                The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with MPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.

                The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie, of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.

    DEFENDANT

    AGE

    LOCATION

    CHARGES/SENTENCE

    Hector David Valdez,

    aka “Curl”

     

    27

    		 Santa Fe Springs, California

    Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

    Craig Eastman

     

    21

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
    Charles Jeffrey Taylor

    21

    		 Washington, D.C. Pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Raymond Nava, Jr.

    21

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Ulises Aldaz

    28

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Max Alexander Carias Torres

    27

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
    Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”

    35

    		 Washington, D.C. Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    Marvin Anthony Bussie,

    aka “Money Marr”

    22

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Marcus Orlando Brown

    29

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Columbian Thomas, aka “Cruddy Murda”

    27

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden

    35

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Andre Malik Edmond,

    aka “Draco”

    23

    		 Temple Hills, Maryland Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Treyveon James Johnson,

    aka “Treyski”

    21

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Karon Olufemi Blalock,

    aka “Fat Bags”

    30

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    Ronte Ricardo Greene,

    aka “Cardiddy”

    29

    		 Washington, D.C. Pleaded guilty Feb. 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”

    39

    		 Washington, D.C. Pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Darius Quincy Hodges,

    aka “Brick”

    34

    		 Glen Allen, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Lamin Sesay,

    aka “Rock Star”

    28

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Sentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Paul Alejandro Felix

    26

    Glendale,

    California

    		 Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Omar Arana,

    aka “Frogs”

    27

    Cudahy,

    California

    		 Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”

    27

    San Diego,

    California

    		 Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Raul Pacheco Ramirez

    31

    Long Beach,

    California

    		 Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Giovani Alejandro Briones

    31

    		 Victorville, California Sentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez

    26

    		 Rosarito, Mexico

    Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

    23cr73

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