NewzIntel.com

Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eugene Man Pleads Guilty to Three Federal Hate Crimes for Defacing Synagogue

    Source: US FBI

    EUGENE, Ore.—A Eugene man pleaded guilty to three federal hate crimes today for intentionally defacing a Eugene synagogue on multiple occasions.

    Adam Edward Braun, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of intentionally defacing a synagogue and one count of attempting to deface religious property because it was a place of religious worship for Jewish people.

    According to court documents, between September 2023 and January 2024, Braun intentionally defaced Temple Beth Israel, a Jewish synagogue in Eugene, by repeatedly targeting the synagogue with graffiti, some of which used antisemitic symbols and phrases. Braun’s pattern of behavior culminated in the early morning hours of January 14, 2024, when he traveled to Temple Beth Israel with a hammer and prepared to swing at the glass doors of the synagogue. Braun stopped when he saw he was being recorded by a surveillance camera, and then moved to a different area of the property and used spray paint to write “White Power” in large letters on the building’s exterior.

    On January 31, 2024, officers from the Eugene Police Department, with assistance from the FBI, executed a state search warrant on Braun’s Eugene residence. Investigators located multiple pieces of evidence connecting Braun to the attacks on Temple Beth Israel, along with several items and writings belonging to Braun that were consistent with antisemitic beliefs and biases.

    Braun was initially charged by criminal complaint on March 4, 2024. Later, on May 9, 2024, Braun was charged by criminal information with five counts of defacing and attempting to deface religious property because it was a place of religious worship for Jewish people.

    Braun faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, and one year of supervised release for each count. He will be sentenced on February 18, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane.

    As part of the plea agreement, Braun has agreed to pay restitution in full to the victim.

    This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Cameron A. Bell, Trial Attorney for the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section, are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Sacramento Celebrates 2024 Graduates of the FBI National Academy

    Source: US FBI

    Did you know that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began providing standardized, professional training to law enforcement professionals in 1935? Since its founding, the FBI National Academy has trained 55,797 law enforcement professionals from across the globe. This training aims to enhance the administration of justice in police departments and agencies both domestically and abroad, raising law enforcement standards, knowledge, and cooperation worldwide.

    The FBI Sacramento Field Office referred 16 law enforcement professionals to this program in 2024. They represent law enforcement agencies based within the 34-county region the FBI Sacramento Field Office serves. FBI National Academy graduates in 2024 include:

    • Deputy Division Chief Luke Blehm
      California Alcoholic Beverage Control
    • Captain Andrew Beasley
      California Highway Patrol
    • Lieutenant Noah Hawkins
      California Highway Patrol
    • Captain Anthony Horner
      California Highway Patrol
    • Lieutenant Lou Wright
      Folsom Police Department
    • Captain Brandon Pursell, Jr.
      Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
    • Lieutenant Jerardo “Charlie” Chamalbide
      Fresno Police Department.
    • Chief Deputy Erik Levig
      Kern County Sheriff’s Office
    • Captain Ray Reyna
      Modesto Police Department
    • Chief Brandon Gillespie
      Modesto Police Department
    • Chief Investigator Mary Green
      Placer County District Attorney’s Office
    • Lieutenant Mark Lopez
      Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office
    • Captain Vance Chandler
      Sacramento Police Department
    • Chief Rudolfo Alcaraz
      Selma Police Department
    • Lieutenant Craig Collins
      Solano County Sheriff’s Office
    • Octavio Lopez
      Tracy Police Department.

    Following graduation, each officer may join the FBI National Academy Associates, Inc., a dynamic organization of more than 14,000 law enforcement professionals who continue improving the level of competency, cooperation, and integrity among the global law enforcement community.

    Courses during the rigorous, 10-week program include intelligence theory, terrorism and terrorist mindsets, management science, law, behavioral science, law enforcement communication, and forensic science. Students and their respective law enforcement agencies receive tuition, books, equipment, meals, lodging, or travel to and from the training facility at no cost.

    The FBI National Academy program was originally launched as the “FBI Police Training School” in response to the 1930 Wickersham Commission report recommending standardization and professionalization of law enforcement in the United States through centralized training. At the time, courses included scientific aids in crime detection, preparation of reports, and criminal investigation techniques as well as administration and organization. To learn more about the FBI National Academy, visit https://www.fbi.gov/services/training-academy/national-academy.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Security – Sensible Sentencing Trust Slams Police for Dangerous Shift in Shoplifting Investigations

    Source: Sensible Sentencing Trust

    The Sensible Sentencing Trust is appalled by the disturbing reports that New Zealand Police have issued a directive to staff to avoid investigating shoplifting cases under $500, or online fraud under $1,000, among other crime thresholds.

    Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesperson Louise Parsons condemned the directive as “an outrageous and dangerous move,” saying it sends the wrong message at a time when retailers are struggling under rising crime rates and financial pressure.

    “The past five or six years, retailers have been hit with an onslaught of crime, and now they’re being told that crimes under certain thresholds are essentially not worth investigating. This is a green light to criminals,” Parsons said.

    The directive, which could well include ram raids, has sparked widespread outrage. Parsons pointed out that in a climate where petrol drive-offs under $150 have effectively been decriminalised, this move could further embolden offenders. “This is an absurd, reckless approach that puts businesses and communities at risk. It’s madness!” she stated.

    She added, “Do the Police not realise that the Government changed 18 months ago? We have a new Police Commissioner, and the era of ‘policing by consent’ is over. We need strong leadership and a zero-tolerance approach to all crime, particularly when retail crime is spiralling out of control.”

    Parsons also drew attention to the disastrous effects of similar policies in other cities, such as San Francisco, which recently raised the shoplifting threshold to $950, only to witness an explosive rise in retail crime. “The chaos in San Francisco was swift and devastating. Retailers had to shut down because they couldn’t operate safely or profitably. We cannot afford to let that happen here.”

    She also warned that this directive undermines critical efforts being made by the Ministerial Advisory Group on Retail Crime. “This approach flies in the face of their work to combat retail crime and protect local businesses. If we let this stand, it could undo all the progress we’ve worked so hard to achieve.”

    While Parsons acknowledged the frustration of frontline Police officers who are overwhelmed by repeat offenders and lenient judicial outcomes, she firmly stated that setting “de-facto legal theft thresholds” is unjustifiable. “It’s unacceptable. Criminals cannot be allowed to operate with impunity just because the Police aren’t investigating their crimes.” 

    The Sensible Sentencing Trust is calling on the Government to step in and reassert a tough stance on crime, ensuring that no theft—no matter the size—is left unpunished.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colchester County / Fall River — RCMP Southeast Traffic Services and Colchester County District RCMP investigations lead to arrest

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Multiple RCMP investigations from two regions of the province have led to charges against a Dartmouth man.

    On May 5, Colchester County District RCMP responded to a report of a theft from a business in Onslow. Investigators learned that a lawn tractor had been stolen from the yard in the early morning of May 4. Review of surveillance video showed a vehicle of interest, believed to be a black Ford Ranger, accessing the yard.

    On May 10, Colchester County District RCMP responded to a report of a theft from a business in Stewiacke where a lawn tractor was stolen from an enclosed yard overnight.

    On May 15, a third similar incident was reported to Colchester County District RCMP from a business in Brookfield. In this third incident there was damage to gates and locks in the business’s enclosed yard, but no items taken. Based on items left behind at the scene and surveillance video, officers identified a person of interest from Dartmouth.

    Later that day at approximately 10:30 a.m., officers with RCMP Southeast Traffic Services in Fall River were approached by a member of the public who reported a suspected impaired driver. Officers located the vehicle, a black Ford Ranger, on Hwy. 2 at Fletchers Lake and attempted a traffic stop. Due to significant safety concerns, officers used their police vehicles to direct the truck into the ditch when the driver attempted to flee the traffic stop.

    The driver, Ryan Fleet, 40, of Dartmouth, was safely arrested at the scene and is facing nine charges related to the Colchester County investigations, including Theft Over $5000 (two counts) and Break and Enter (two counts). He is charged with Flight from Peace Officer, Dangerous Operation, Failure to Comply with Probation Order, and Forcible Confinement associated to his arrest in Fletchers Lake. In addition, he was issued summary offence tickets for offences under the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act and Revenue Act. Fleet had a first court appearance on May 16 at Dartmouth Provincial Court and remains in custody.

    Fleet was assessed for impairment and passed the tests for alcohol and drugs administered by officers.

    A passenger who was in the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop was arrested and released without charges.

    Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Colchester County District RCMP at 902-893-6820 or police of jurisdiction in your area. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Dakota Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Mandan, North Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death. The sentencing took place on May 19, 2025.

    Carlin Mellette, age 29, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit the firearm, pay a $1,000 fine, and pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Mellette was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 30, 2024.

    This conviction stemmed from events that occurred during the early morning hours of February 26, 2023, when the victim and friends were socializing with a co-defendant and others at a residence in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Mellette arrived at the residence and provided the co-defendant with three pills containing fentanyl. The co-defendant took the pills inside the residence where the pills were then ingested by the co-defendant and the victim, who ingested only half of a pill, resulting in the fentanyl overdose death of the victim. Later that day, Walworth County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to conduct an unrelated traffic stop of Mellette’s vehicle for speeding in an area west of Aberdeen. Mellette led law enforcement on a 26-mile pursuit with speeds in excess of 100 mph. Mellette was apprehended after getting his vehicle stuck in a snowbank. A search of his vehicle revealed 99 grams of methamphetamine, additional fentanyl pills, drug ledgers, scales, other drug paraphernalia, and a Ruger .45 caliber pistol.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Aberdeen Police Department, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office, the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gettysburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.

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

    Mellette was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Harvard Morgue Manager Pleads Guilty To Trafficking Stolen Human Remains

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cedric Lodge, age 57, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, pled guilty yesterday before Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to interstate transport of stolen human remains. 

    According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Lodge admitted that, from 2018 through at least March 2020, he participated in the sale and interstate transport of human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School morgue, located in Boston, Massachusetts.  Lodge, who was then employed as the manager of the Harvard Medical School Morgue, removed human remains, including organs, brains, skin, hands, faces, dissected heads, and other parts, from donated cadavers after they had been used for research and teaching purposes but before they could be disposed of according to the anatomical gift donation agreement between the donor and the school. Lodge took the remains without the knowledge or permission of his employer, the donor, or the donor’s family, and transport the remains to his home in New Hampshire.  After he and his wife Denise Lodge sold the remains, they would ship the remains to the buyers in other states or the buyer would take possession directly and transport the remains themselves.  Remains stolen and sold by Lodge were transported from the morgue in Boston to locations in Salem, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.

    Lodge admitted to having sold remains to Joshua Taylor and Andrew Ensanian, among others.  Many of the remains purchased from Lodge were resold for a profit, including to Jeremy Pauley, who previously entered a guilty plea to conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen human remains.

    Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas in related cases, including Lodge’s wife, Denise Lodge, Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, and Angelo Pereyra.  Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months.  Denise Lodge and Joshua Taylor are still awaiting sentencing.  Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan Martin is prosecuting the case. 

    The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn Center Woman Pleads Guilty for Her Role in a Black-Market Travel Agent Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Reginae Calhoun of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota has pleaded guilty to access device fraud and aggravated identify theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, from at least April 2024 to June 2024, Reginae Calhoun, 23, operated as a black-market travel agent.  She  purchased credit card information—including name, address, card numbers, expiration date, and CV2 code—of approximately 216 different victims on the dark web, which she used to book hotel rooms and rental cars for others.  Calhoun’s customers paid her a fraction of the actual booking costs through peer-to-peer payment applications or in cash.

    According to court documents, on June 2, 2024, Calhoun attempted to purchase airline tickets by using several different credit cards until the purchase was successful.  Due to the several attempts, the airline reported suspected credit card fraud to the airport police.  Airport police confirmed with the credit card owners that Calhoun was not authorized to use their cards.

    “The ingenuity of Minnesota’s fraudsters seems to know no bounds,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  “Calhoun stole hundreds of victim identities and used them to conduct a black-market travel agent fraud scheme—stealing from others to enrich herself. She will now be held accountable in federal court.”     

    “Criminals who turn to the dark web to buy and sell stolen information are part of a growing threat to our digital security,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “This defendant built a business by exploiting the stolen identities and financial information of over 200 of innocent victims. The anonymity of the internet does not protect offenders from detection. The FBI and our partners will continue to find and expose these schemes and hold offenders accountable.”

    Calhoun pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025, in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the MSP Airport Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shakopee Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime and Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Yancy Hall of Shakopee, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 144 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, in October 2023, a search warrant was executed at Hall’s two apartments and vehicle. The execution of the search warrant resulted in the seizure of three guns, over $75,000 in cash, and a large amount of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

    In August 2024, Hall, while dealing drugs near a mosque, got into an argument with a mosque congregant who had just left prayer services. Hall escalated the argument by shooting the congregant multiple times, as well as at another mosque congregant. Though Hall fled the scene, he was quickly apprehended by law enforcement.

    “Everyone in Minnesota deserves the ability to practice their religion, free from violence and threats of violence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  “The attack by Hall on two congregants was vicious, violent, and unacceptable.  I appreciate the hard work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department in bringing Hall to justice.”  

    On January 2, 2025, Hall pleaded guilty to one count of discharging a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and one count of felon in possession. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge David S. Doty. 

    This case is a result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Massage Therapist Indicted for First Degree Sexual Abuse of a Client

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Andrew Ramirez, 42, of Jefferson, MD, was arraigned in Superior Court yesterday on one count of first-degree sexual abuse of a client and one count of second-degree sexual abuse of a client, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                The case is currently scheduled for a status hearing on July 11, 2025. 

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 12:15 p.m. on July 2, 2023, the victim arrived at the Salamander Hotel in Washington, D.C. to receive spa services. The victim met the defendant, who was a masseuse at the hotel, in the spa room. During the massage and with a towel covering his back, the defendant asked him to turn around. As the victim turned over, the towel fell off, leaving the victim naked on his back, with a towel covering his head. Ramirez continued the body oil massage. The victim reported feeling what he believed to be the defendant performing oral sex on him. He reported what had happened to members of the hotel team and called 911.   The defendant as linked to the alleged sexual assault of the victim through DNA testing and other investigative tools.

                This case is being investigated by the MPD. Anyone with information on this matter, or who believes they were assaulted by the defendant, can call the MPD Sex Assault Unit at 202-727-3700.

                This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Kelley of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts South Boston Man on Drug and Gun Charges

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

    ROANOKE, Va. – A federal jury sitting in Roanoke convicted a man from South Boston, Virginia, yesterday of federal drug and gun charges.

    Following a two-day trial, the jury found Richard Elijah Jacobs, 27, guilty of possessing cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute it, possessing machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing firearms as a convicted felon.

    According to the evidence presented at trial, on February 3, 2024, police received a report that two men brandished guns from a newer white Jaguar in downtown South Boston.  An officer saw the Jaguar park in a shopping center, and he approached as Jacobs exited the driver’s side of the car.  Meanwhile, the passenger, James Alexander Hiett, evaded the officer and quickly walked away.  Hiett was later identified by store surveillance cameras.

    Other officers arrived on scene and spotted a gun protruding from the backseat of the car, prompting them to search it.  Ultimately, officers found three loaded guns: a Glock 21 pistol with a 40-round drum magazine beneath the driver’s floormat; a Radical Firearms RF-15 pistol behind the driver’s seat; and a Glock 19 pistol under the passenger seat.  The Glock 21 and RF-15 pistols were equipped with machinegun conversion devices that allowed for fully automatic fire.

    Inside the Jaguar’s trunk, officers also found thousands of dollars’ worth of cocaine powder, cocaine base, and marijuana, as well as paraphernalia for packaging and selling the drugs.

    Hiett previously pled guilty to related charges and was sentenced to 33 months in prison. 

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The South Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Halifax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Drew Inman and Kelly McGann prosecuted the case for the United States. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, Europol, law enforcement partners, dismantle major illicit drug networks in global Darknet crackdown

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in collaboration with Europol, the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement Team, and various national and international partners, announced the results of Operation RapTOR May 22. This historic takedown, led by Europol, resulted in the highest number of seizures in JCODE’s history.

    The seizures, to which ICE Homeland Security Investigations significantly contributed, include more than $200 million in currency and digital assets, over two metric tons of drugs, comprised of 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and over 180 firearms. In addition, the United States and international law enforcement partners made 270 arrests of dark web vendors, buyers, and administrators in Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.

    Led by Europol’s European Cyber Crime Centre Operation RapTOR united the FBI-led JCODE team — comprised of ICE HSI and law enforcement partners from the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia — to disrupt fentanyl and opioid trafficking, as well as sale of other illicit goods and services on the Darknet. Building on the successes of prior years’ operations, Operation RapTOR furthered global efforts to dismantle darknet marketplaces, resulting in the seizure of darknet infrastructure from Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Markets. These actions provided investigators across the globe with invaluable leads and evidence, strengthening the ongoing fight against cybercrime and illicit activities on the darknet.

    “This record-breaking operation sends a clear message to every trafficker hiding behind a screen — your anonymity ends where our global reach begins,” said ICE acting Director Todd Lyons. “Thanks to the unwavering efforts by ICE HSI, Europol and our international partners, we’re cracking the code of the so-called ‘safe spaces’ for cybercriminals — they are in our sights and we’re not backing down.”

    The Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, Edvardas Šileris, commented: “Operation RapTor shows that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement. Through close cooperation and intelligence sharing, officers across three continents identified and arrested suspects, sending a clear message to those who think they can hide in the shadows. Europol will continue working with our partners to make the internet safer for everyone.”

    In furtherance of Operation RapTOR and in their first action as a JCODE member agency, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) additionally sanctioned Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national, for his role as the founder and operator of Nemesis Market following seizure of the market.

    “This historic international seizure of firearms, deadly drugs, and illegal funds will save lives,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Criminals cannot hide behind computer screens or seek refuge on the dark web — this Justice Department will identify and eliminate threats to the American people regardless of where they originate.”

    “By cowardly hiding online, these traffickers have wreaked havoc across our country and directly fueled the fentanyl crisis and gun violence impacting our American communities and neighborhoods. But the ease and accessibility of their crimes ends today,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI could not do this work without our partners both at home and abroad, and the staggering success of this year’s record-breaking amount of fentanyl, guns, and drugs seized prove that our efforts are working. Anyone looking to anonymously harm our citizens through illicit darknet trafficking: your days of recklessness are numbered.”

    “These predators who peddled poison on the dark web might have thought they are untouchable — hiding behind screens, pushing fentanyl, fueling overdoses, and cashing in on misery. However, Operation RapTor just proved them wrong,” said DEA acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “DEA and our global partners reached across borders, across platforms, and across currencies to rip their networks apart. Let this stand as a warning: no mask, no marketplace, and no digital wallet can hide you from facing justice.”

    “This unprecedented operation is a testament to the power of global partnership and the unwavering dedication of our team,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Working through the JCODE initiative, IRS Criminal Investigation and our international partners led the largest and most impactful takedown to date — seizing over $200 million in assets, removing deadly drugs and weapons from circulation, and holding more than 270 individuals accountable. This critical strike against dark web networks fueling the fentanyl crisis marks a proud moment in our ongoing effort to protect communities worldwide.”

    “Operation RapTor shows what’s possible when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our partners around the world stand united. No matter where criminals hide, we will find them, dismantle their operations, and bring them to justice. This operation was about protecting innocent people from predatory criminals who profit from violence, addiction, and fear. Our commitment is unwavering,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale, United States Postal Inspection Service.

    “The FDA is committed to continuing its work to disrupt and dismantle the illegal sales of drugs on the dark web, where such sales far too often have tragic consequences,” said Chad Menster, Deputy Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA OCI). “We will continue to monitor, investigate and bring to justice those who misuse the internet in a quest for profits with reckless disregard for the risk to public health and safety.”  

    The impact of Operation RapTOR builds on years-long legacy of dark web enforcement and the tireless work of HSI and our U.S. and international law enforcement partners, as seen in the following cases:

    • “Incognito Market” Owner Pleads Guilty For Operating One Of The Largest Illegal Narcotics Marketplaces On The Internet
      • Incognito Market sold more than $100 million of narcotics — including hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine as well as heroin, cocaine, LSD, MDMA, oxycodone, methamphetamine, ketamine, and alprazolam, and misbranded prescription medication. Incognito Market was available globally to anyone with internet access and was designed to foster seamless narcotics transactions across the world. It incorporated many features of legitimate e-commerce sites such as branding, advertising, and customer service. While concealing their identities users were able to search thousands of listings for narcotics of their choice. Prescription medication was also listed that was advertised as being authentic but was not, as seen in November 2023, when an undercover federal agent purchased and received several tablets that purported to be oxycodone, but were in fact, fentanyl pills.
    • Central District of California | Two Southern California Men Who Supplied Fentanyl Sold to Darknet Customers in All 50 States Sentenced to Federal Prison | United States Department of Justice
      • Ruiz of Orange County was sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison, and Omar Navia of South Los Angeles was separately sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in January 2025 for supplying fentanyl-laced pills to a drug trafficking ring that sold these drugs to more than 1,000 customers nationwide via the Darknet Navia and Ruiz admitted that at least August 2021 to December 2022, they supplied fentanyl-laced pills to Michael Ta, 26, of Westminster, and Rajiv Srinivasan, 38, of Houston, who used the Darknet and encrypted messaging applications to sell more than 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and other drugs directly to more than 1,000 customers in all 50 states, causing several fatal overdoses in the process.
    • In February 2024, the Eastern District of Virginia issued a criminal complaint charging Joshua Vasquez, Joseph Vasquez, and Rafael Roman with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
      • Joshua Vasquez, Joseph Vasquez, and Rafael Roman conspired to sell counterfeit Adderall containing methamphetamine on darknet markets such as Bohemia and Tor2Door. The defendants allegedly sold drugs on darknet marketplaces in exchange for cryptocurrency. Collectively, these prolific darknet vendors were responsible fulfilling over 13 thousand drug orders shipped throughout the United States, ranging in size from user quantities, e.g., 5 pills, to “reseller” quantities, e.g., 10 thousand pills. While executing search warrants in New Jersey and New York, Federal Law Enforcement officers seized more than $330 thousand, close to 80 thousand counterfeit Adderall pills, one firearm, and two industrial pill press machines. FBI, FDA, and USPIS investigated this matter with significant contributions from HSI and our law enforcement partners.
    • Van Nuys Man Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine via Darknet Marketplaces and Possessing Guns
      • A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced to 20 plus years in federal prison for using darknet marketplaces to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fentanyl-laced pills and cocaine to buyers nationwide. He admitted in court documents to causing one fatal fentanyl overdose. From at least April 2021 to May 2023, McDonald and others conspired to sell fentanyl and cocaine via multiple darknet marketplaces. Specifically, McDonald purchased bulk quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and then directed the activities of other coconspirators to carry out hundreds of drug sales involving the distribution of large quantities of both fentanyl and cocaine, including hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced pills. The FBI and the DEA investigated this matter as part of JCODE.

    “Cybercriminals think the Darknet makes them untouchable — we just proved they’re dead wrong,” said ICE HSI acting Executive Associate Director Robert Hammer. “HSI is on the front lines of a digital battlefield, deploying cutting-edge tech, relentless enforcement, and global coordination to hunt down these predators. Cybercrime is a global threat, and that’s why we’re committed to working hand-in-hand with our partners at Europol and across the world to dismantle these networks together. If you profit from pain online, we’re looking for you — and you’ll soon learn that no corner of the internet is beyond our reach.”

    Operation RapTOR includes law enforcement actions taken by JCODE member agencies, to include ICE HSI; the DEA; FBI; FDA-OCI; IRS-CI; and USPIS; in addition to foreign partners listed below. Credible reporting from the referenced agencies, in addition to contributions from ATF; Army CID; CBP; Department of Treasury’s FinCEN and Office of Foreign Assets Control; and NCIS enabled domestic law enforcement actions in support of Operation RapTOR. Local, state, and other federal agencies also contributed to investigations through task force participation and regional partnerships. The investigations leading to Operation RapTOR were significantly aided by support and coordination from the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, with additional support from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces; multi-agency Special Operations Division; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section’s Digital Currency Initiative, and Fraud Section; the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; Europol and its Dark Web team; and international partners.

    The international partners include Europol; Eurojust; Austria’s Criminal Intelligence Service with various Provincial Criminal Police Departments (Bundeskriminalamt und Landeskriminalämter); Brazil’s Civil Police of the State of Pará (Polícia Civil do Estado do Pará) and Civil Police of the State of São Paulo (Polícia Civil do Estado do São Paulo); France’s French Customs (Douane), National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale); Germany‘s Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), Prosecutor’s Office in Cologne – Central Cybercrime Contact Point (Staatsanwaltschaft Köln, Zentral- und Ansprechstelle Cybercrime), Central Criminal Investigation in Oldenburg (Zentrale Kriminalinspektion Oldenburg) various police departments (Dienststellen der Länderpolizeien), German Customs Investigation (Zollfahndungsämter); The Netherlands’s National Police (Politie), Post Interventie Team; Spain’s National Police (Policía Nacional); South Korea’s Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office – Darknet Investigations Unit; Switzerland’s Zurich Cantonal Police (Kantonspolizei Zürich) and Public Prosecutor’s Office II of the Canton of Zurich (Staatsanwaltschaft II); and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, National Police Chiefs’ Council.

    HSI is a worldwide law enforcement leader in Darknet and other cyber-related criminal investigations. The DHS Cyber Crimes Center (C3) combats cybercrime, online child sexual exploitation, and criminal exploitation of the internet with state-of-the-art forensic technology. The Center investigates large-scale cybercrime threats and provides expertise on cybercrime investigations to the field. It also uses global law enforcement networks, like Europol, to combat cybercrime threats.

    C3 delivers computer and cyber-based technical services in support of HSI cases — including investigations into underground online marketplaces selling illegal drugs, weapons and other contraband; enabling the trade of images of child exploitation materials; and facilitating the theft of intellectual property, trade secrets, and export-controlled technology and data.

    Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 866-DHS-2-ICE. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Law Enforcement Seize Record Amounts of Illegal Drugs, Firearms, and Drug Trafficking Proceeds in International Operation Against Darknet Trafficking of Fentanyl and Opioids; 270 Arrested Across Four Continents

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    WASHINGTON — Today, the Attorney General and the Department of Justice’s Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team, and international law enforcement partners announced the results of Operation RapTor, including the arrests of 270 dark web vendors, buyers, and administrators in Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Operation RapTor resulted in the highest number of seizures of any JCODE operation, including more than $200 million in currency and digital assets, over two metric tons of drugs, 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and over 180 firearms.

    Operation RapTor was a global, coordinated effort by law enforcement in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia to disrupt fentanyl and opioid trafficking, as well as the sales of other illicit goods and services, on the darknet, or dark web. Operation RapTor builds on the successes of prior years’ operations and takedowns of marketplaces, which resulted in the seizure of darknet infrastructure from Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Markets, providing investigators across the world with investigative leads and evidence. JCODE and Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) continue to compile intelligence packages to identify entities of interest. These leads allow U.S. and international law enforcement agencies to identify darknet drug vendors and buyers, resulting in a series of coordinated, but separate, law enforcement investigations, reflected in the statistics announced today. In furtherance of Operation RapTor and in its first action as a JCODE member agency, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) additionally sanctioned Iranian national Behrouz Parsarad for his role as the founder and operator of Nemesis Market following seizure of the market. Parsarad was also indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges related to the illegal business he ran on the dark web.

    “This historic international seizure of firearms, deadly drugs, and illegal funds will save lives,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Criminals cannot hide behind computer screens or seek refuge on the dark web – this Justice Department will identify and eliminate threats to the American people regardless of where they originate.”

    “By cowardly hiding online, these traffickers have wreaked havoc across our country and directly fueled the fentanyl crisis and gun violence impacting our American communities and neighborhoods. But the ease and accessibility of their crimes ends today,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI could not do this work without our partners both at home and abroad, and the staggering success of this year’s record-breaking amount of fentanyl, guns, and drugs seized prove that our efforts are working. Anyone looking to anonymously harm our citizens through illicit darknet trafficking: your days of recklessness are numbered.”

    “These predators who peddled poison on the dark web might have thought they are untouchable — hiding behind screens, pushing fentanyl, fueling overdoses, and cashing in on misery. However, Operation RapTor just proved them wrong,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “DEA and our global partners reached across borders, across platforms, and across currencies to rip their networks apart. Let this stand as a warning: no mask, no marketplace, and no digital wallet can hide you from facing justice.”

    “Operation RapTor shows that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement,” said Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, Edvardas Šileris. “Through close cooperation and intelligence sharing, officers across three continents identified and arrested suspects, sending a clear message to those who think they can hide in the shadows. Europol will continue working with our partners to make the internet safer for everyone.”

    “This unprecedented operation is a testament to the power of global partnership and the unwavering dedication of our team,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Working through the JCODE initiative, IRS Criminal Investigation and our international partners led the largest and most impactful takedown to date—seizing over $200 million in assets, removing deadly drugs and weapons from circulation, and holding more than 270 individuals accountable. This critical strike against dark web networks fueling the fentanyl crisis marks a proud moment in our ongoing effort to protect communities worldwide.”

    “This record-breaking operation sends a clear message to every trafficker hiding behind a screen—your anonymity ends where our global reach begins,” said Acting Director Todd Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “Thanks to the unwavering efforts by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Europol and our international partners, we’re cracking the code of the so-called ‘safe spaces’ for cybercriminals—they are in our sights and we’re not backing down.”

    “Operation RapTor shows what’s possible when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our partners around the world stand united,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “No matter where criminals hide, we will find them, dismantle their operations, and bring them to justice. This operation was about protecting innocent people from predatory criminals who profit from violence, addiction, and fear. Our commitment is unwavering.”

    “The FDA is committed to continuing its work to disrupt and dismantle the illegal sales of drugs on the dark web, where such sales far too often have tragic consequences,” said Deputy Director Chad Menster of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA OCI). “We will continue to monitor, investigate and bring to justice those who misuse the internet in a quest for profits with reckless disregard for the risk to public health and safety.”  

    The impact of Operation RapTor can be attributed to the tireless work of U.S. and international law enforcement partners. For example:

    On Dec. 16, 2024, Rui-Siang Lin pleaded guilty to charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York of narcotics conspiracy, money laundering, and conspiracy to sell adulterated and misbranded medication for owning and operating Incognito Market, one of the largest narcotics marketplaces on the internet.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Incognito Market was an online narcotics bazaar that started on the dark web in October 2020. Until it shut down in March 2024, Incognito Market sold more than $100 million of narcotics—including hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine. Incognito Market was available globally to anyone with internet access using the Tor web browser on the “dark web” or “darknet.” Incognito Market was designed to facilitate seamless narcotics transactions, incorporating many features of legitimate e-commerce sites such as branding, advertising, and customer service. Upon visiting the site, users were met by a splash page and graphic interface, which is pictured below:

    Figure 1: Incognito Market homepage

    While concealing their identities with a unique username or “moniker,” users were able to search thousands of listings for narcotics of their choice. Incognito Market sold illegal narcotics including heroin, cocaine, LSD, MDMA, oxycodone, methamphetamine, ketamine, and alprazolam, as well as misbranded prescription medication. An example of listings on Incognito market is below:

    Figure 2: Listings for various drugs on the Incognito Market.

    Listings included offerings of prescription medication that was falsely advertised as being authentic. For example, in November 2023, while operating in an undercover capacity on Incognito Market, a law enforcement agent purchased and received several tablets purported to be oxycodone. Testing revealed that these tablets were not oxycodone and were, in fact, fentanyl pills.

    The FBI, HSI, DEA, FDA OCI, and the New York Police Department investigated the case.

    In a second example, in January 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California secured a 17-year sentence for Adan Ruiz, of Orange County, and a 15-year sentence for Omar Navia, of Los Angeles, for supplying fentanyl-laced pills to a drug trafficking ring that sold these drugs to more than 1,000 customers nationwide via the darknet. In imposing the sentences, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter called this case “the most sophisticated fentanyl distribution ring that this court has seen.”

    Navia and Ruiz admitted in their plea agreements that, from at least August 2021 to December 2022, they supplied fentanyl-laced pills to Michael Ta, 26, of Westminster, and Rajiv Srinivasan, 38, of Houston, who used the darknet and encrypted messaging applications to sell more than 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and other drugs directly to more than 1,000 customers in all 50 states, causing several fatal overdoses.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Srinivasan and Ta used the “redlightlabs” darknet account to advertise and sell counterfeit M30 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and other illicit drugs. Srinivasan also used the encrypted messaging application Wickr to communicate with and sell drugs to customers. Srinivasan received virtual currency as payment for the drugs and then routed that virtual currency through cryptocurrency exchanges.

    The court record also shows that Ta communicated with Srinivasan about drug orders, obtained fentanyl-laced pills and methamphetamine from sources of supply, stored those drugs in his residence, and mailed out packages with drugs to customers who had ordered them from Srinivasan on the “redlightlabs” account.

    Ta and Srinivasan admitted in their plea agreements to causing the fentanyl overdose deaths of three victims. Both defendants further admitted to distributing fentanyl-laced pills to two additional victims, both of whom suffered fatal drug overdoses shortly after they received the pills from Ta and Srinivasan. Prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum, “The five victims of defendants’ crimes ranged in age from 19 to 51. They lived across the country, from California to Florida, Colorado to Arkansas. Each of the five victims leaves behind a family that has been forever and fundamentally changed by defendants’ actions. [Ta and Srinivasan] also victimized countless others as part of an epidemic of addiction and despair plaguing our district and our country.”

    The FBI investigated this case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the DEA’s Fayetteville Resident Office, and the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force.

    In a third example, in February 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia charged Joshua Vasquez, Joseph Vasquez, and Rafael Roman by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Joshua Vasquez, Joseph Vasquez, and Roman conspired to sell counterfeit Adderall containing methamphetamine on darknet markets such as Bohemia and Tor2Door. The defendants allegedly sold drugs on darknet marketplaces in exchange for cryptocurrency under the monikers “NuveoDelux,” “Mrjohnson,” and “AllStateRx.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, these three prolific darknet vendors were collectively responsible for fulfilling over 13,000 drug orders shipped throughout the United States, ranging in size from user quantities, e.g., 5 pills, to “reseller” quantities, e.g., 10,000 pills. Joshua and Joseph Vasquez collectively ran the NuveoDeluxe and AllStateRx accounts. A fourth co-conspirator, Gregory Castillo-Rosario, who was arrested in October 2024, ran the Mrjohnson account. Roman assisted his co-conspirators by pressing counterfeit Adderall pills, packaging them, and distributing drug orders into the mail using the U.S. Postal Service. The conspiracy also laundered funds associated with darknet drug proceeds.

    While executing search warrants in New Jersey and New York, federal law enforcement officers seized more than $330,000, close to 80,000 counterfeit Adderall pills, one firearm, and two industrial pill press machines. Additionally, two vehicles and several pieces of property were seized during the search warrants. An additional 30 kilograms of suspected counterfeit Adderall pills were seized on May 2, 2024, in New York. Photographs of some of the seized items are below: 

    Figure 3: Counterfeit Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine stored in 5-gallon buckets

    Figure 4: Bags ready to be shipped to customers nationwide.

    Figure 5: Illegal pill press machines used by drug traffickers to make counterfeit pharmaceutical pills.

    Figure 6: Trash bags full of counterfeit Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine.

    Joshua Vasquez pleaded guilty on April 24, 2024, and was sentenced on July 25, 2024, to 12 years in prison. Joseph Vasquez pleaded guilty on April 15, 2024, and was sentenced on Aug. 8, 2024, to 10 years in prison. Roman pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024, and was sentenced on Nov. 14, 2024, to 10 years in prison. They all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to create a counterfeit substance and distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

    The FBI, FDA, and USPIS investigated this matter with significant contributions from DEA, HSI, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, the Howell Township Police Department, the Lakewood Township Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Arlington County Police Department, and the New York Police Department.

    In a fourth example, a San Fernando Valley man, Brian McDonald, 23, was sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison in the Central District of California for using darknet marketplaces to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fentanyl-laced pills and cocaine to buyers nationwide. He admitted in court documents to causing one fatal fentanyl overdose.

    From at least April 2021 until May 2023, McDonald and others conspired to sell fentanyl and cocaine via multiple darknet marketplaces. McDonald operated under the monikers “Malachai Johnson,” “SouthSideOxy,” and “JefeDeMichoacan.” McDonald created, monitored, and maintained the darknet vendor profiles, including by updating drug listings and shipment options, tracking drug orders, and offloading Monero cryptocurrency received as drug deal payments into cryptocurrency wallets that McDonald controlled.

    McDonald recruited and hired accomplices to help package and ship the narcotics they sold on the darknet. McDonald directed and helped these accomplices package and ship the narcotics. McDonald purchased bulk quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and then directed others to complete hundreds of drug sales involving large quantities of both fentanyl and cocaine.

    The FBI and DEA investigated this matter.

    Operation RapTor involves law enforcement actions taken by JCODE member agencies, including the DEA, FBI, FDA OCI, HSI, IRS-CI, and USPIS. Credible reporting from the referenced agencies, in addition to contributions from ATF, Army Criminal Investigation Division, Customs and Border Protection, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and OFAC, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, enabled domestic law enforcement actions in support of Operation RapTor. State, local, and other federal agencies also contributed to Operation RapTor investigations through task force participation and regional partnerships, as well as the multi-agency Special Operations Division.

    The investigations leading to Operation RapTor were significantly aided by support and coordination from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, with valuable assistance from the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Fraud Section, and Office of International Affairs.

    Key international partners include Europol; Eurojust; Austria’s Criminal Intelligence Service with various Provincial Criminal Police Departments (Bundeskriminalamt und Landeskriminalämter); Brazil’s Civil Police of the State of Pará (Polícia Civil do Estado do Pará) and Civil Police of the State of São Paulo (Polícia Civil do Estado do São Paulo); France’s French Customs (Douane), National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale); Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), Prosecutor’s Office in Cologne – Central Cybercrime Contact Point (Staatsanwaltschaft Köln, Zentral- und Ansprechstelle Cybercrime), Central Criminal Investigation in Oldenburg (Zentrale Kriminalinspektion Oldenburg) various police departments (Dienststellen der Länderpolizeien), and German Customs Investigation (Zollfahndungsämter); the Netherlands’ Team High Tech Crime (National Investigations and Special Operations (NIS) and Post Interventie Team (PIT), National Intelligence, Expertise and Operational Support (NIEO);  Spain’s National Police (Policía Nacional); South Korea’s Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office – Darknet Investigations Unit; Switzerland’s Zurich Cantonal Police (Kantonspolizei Zürich) and Public Prosecutor’s Office II of the Canton of Zurich (Staatsanwaltschaft II); and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

    Federal investigations spanned the United States, and 26 United States Attorneys’ Offices are prosecuting cases, including the Central District of California, the Northern District of California, the Southern District of California, the District of Colorado, the District of Connecticut, the District of Columbia, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Middle District of Georgia, the District of Hawaii, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Indiana, the Eastern District of Kentucky, the District of Massachusetts, the Eastern District of Michigan, the Western District of Michigan, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of New Jersey, the Southern District of New York, the District of North Dakota, the Northern District of Ohio, the Southern District of Ohio, the Northern District of Oklahoma, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Western District of Washington.

    The Justice Department established the FBI-led JCODE team to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt, and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics, along with identifying and dismantling their supply chains.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Matt Jukes takes on role as Deputy Commissioner

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Matt Jukes has been confirmed as the Met’s new permanent Deputy Commissioner.

    Assistant Commissioner Jukes is currently acting in the role since the retirement of Dame Lynne Owens earlier this month.

    He will now formally step into the substantive role of Deputy Commissioner on Monday, 26 May.

    Acting Deputy Commissioner Jukes said: “I am honoured to be appointed as Deputy Commissioner. I’ve had the privilege of serving communities across the UK throughout my career, including here in London since 2020.

    “I have seen the incredible difference local policing can make to communities, and in recent years, the progress we’ve made in ensuring the Met is an organisation our people and London can be proud of. I’ve seen first-hand the efforts of tens of thousands of dedicated officers and staff, all working day and night to continue building the public’s confidence in us.

    “We have much more still to do, but I am looking forward to building on the work of my brave colleagues across the Met and building on the legacy of my predecessor Dame Lynne, who was pivotal in driving forward our mission of reform.”

    Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “I am delighted Matt has been formally appointed as Deputy Commissioner.

    “He is an exceptional leader with a wealth of experience from his time across South Yorkshire, South Wales and of course here in the Met as head of National Counter Terrorism Policing.

    “He has lived the realities of neighbourhood policing right through to some of the most complex counter-terror issues we’ve faced in decades. He has a proven track record of reducing crime and increasing confidence in communities right across the UK. His skills and experience will be pivotal in our ongoing work to reform our service to London.

    “Matt is held in incredibly high esteem by all those who have already worked alongside him. I look forward to seeing how he shapes this role and continues to build on the legacy left by Dame Lynne.”

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I know how determined Matt Jukes is to help deliver a New Met for London, build on the progress we have achieved tackling crime in the capital and improve the confidence and trust London’s communities have in the police.

    “His experience as an officer, detective and across a variety of senior roles will be invaluable as the Met continues to reform, modernise and improve the service it delivers. I’m looking forward to working with him and keeping the momentum of change going to deliver a safer London for all.”

    Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention Dame Diana Johnson said: “The role of Deputy Commissioner is one of the most demanding and important in policing, so I am delighted that Matt has been appointed to take on that challenge.

    “I also want to thank Matt for his vision and leadership as head of CT Policing since 2021.

    “Matt’s experience, leadership and dedication to duty, which he has demonstrated throughout his career, proves he is the right person to help lead the charge in reducing crime, restoring confidence in policing and making our streets safer.

    “His skills, track record of delivery and understanding of what’s needed to protect the public and keep communities safe, will be indispensable when it comes to policing the capital.”

    After Dame Lynne announced her intention to retire in February, a process to recruit her successor was launched. That process concluded, with AC Jukes recommended as the successful candidate.

    As is standard procedure, Home Secretary and Royal Household approval of that recommendation was required and has now been received.

    Bio

    Deputy Commissioner Jukes joined policing in 1995 as a constable with South Yorkshire Police.

    From patrolling Sheffield’s East End, he worked as a detective, and in a variety of other roles, working his way up to the position of Chief Superintendent, Borough Commander.

    He joined South Wales Police in 2010 as an Assistant Chief Constable leading on Specialist Crime and served as Deputy Chief Constable before being appointed Chief Constable in January 2018. He was awarded the Queen’s Policing Medal in that year’s Honours.

    He held the post until November 2020 when he joined the Met as Assistant Commissioner, leading and overseeing transformation programmes, moving to the post of Head of UK Counter Terrorism Policing and the Met’s Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations (ACSO) in July 2021. This continued a longstanding focus on intelligence and security, that began with a first role in counter terrorism in 2001 and saw him perform the role of counter-terrorism Commander in a number of significant operations.

    As ACSO and Head of CTP, his responsibilities included countering threats from domestic and international terrorism and the protection of the Royal Family, Ministers and Parliament. He oversaw the CTP investigation and response to the murder of Sir David Amess MP and contributed to security at the funeral of HM The Queen and HM The King’s Coronation. Most recently, he led responses to the recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

    As the national lead on security policing, he oversaw a four-fold increase in operations emanating from espionage, foreign interference and war crimes over almost four years.

    This 30-year career has been split between periods in specialist areas of policing, and others at the heart of local policing, delivering for communities and supporting frontline colleagues, including a focus on their wellbeing. He is a former Chair, and now Vice Chair, of Police Sport UK, and a Patron of the Police Roll of Honour Trust.

    He became acting Deputy Commissioner in May 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Law Enforcement Seize Record Amounts of Illegal Drugs, Firearms, and Drug Trafficking Proceeds in International Operation Against Darknet Trafficking of Fentanyl and Opioids; 270 Arrested Across Four Continents

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    WASHINGTON — Today, the Attorney General and the Department of Justice’s Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team, and international law enforcement partners announced the results of Operation RapTor, including the arrests of 270 dark web vendors, buyers, and administrators in Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Operation RapTor resulted in the highest number of seizures of any JCODE operation, including more than $200 million in currency and digital assets, over two metric tons of drugs, 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and over 180 firearms.

    Operation RapTor was a global, coordinated effort by law enforcement in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia to disrupt fentanyl and opioid trafficking, as well as the sales of other illicit goods and services, on the darknet, or dark web. Operation RapTor builds on the successes of prior years’ operations and takedowns of marketplaces, which resulted in the seizure of darknet infrastructure from Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Markets, providing investigators across the world with investigative leads and evidence. JCODE and Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) continue to compile intelligence packages to identify entities of interest. These leads allow U.S. and international law enforcement agencies to identify darknet drug vendors and buyers, resulting in a series of coordinated, but separate, law enforcement investigations, reflected in the statistics announced today. In furtherance of Operation RapTor and in its first action as a JCODE member agency, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) additionally sanctioned Iranian national Behrouz Parsarad for his role as the founder and operator of Nemesis Market following seizure of the market. Parsarad was also indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges related to the illegal business he ran on the dark web.

    “This historic international seizure of firearms, deadly drugs, and illegal funds will save lives,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Criminals cannot hide behind computer screens or seek refuge on the dark web – this Justice Department will identify and eliminate threats to the American people regardless of where they originate.”

    “By cowardly hiding online, these traffickers have wreaked havoc across our country and directly fueled the fentanyl crisis and gun violence impacting our American communities and neighborhoods. But the ease and accessibility of their crimes ends today,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI could not do this work without our partners both at home and abroad, and the staggering success of this year’s record-breaking amount of fentanyl, guns, and drugs seized prove that our efforts are working. Anyone looking to anonymously harm our citizens through illicit darknet trafficking: your days of recklessness are numbered.”

    “These predators who peddled poison on the dark web might have thought they are untouchable — hiding behind screens, pushing fentanyl, fueling overdoses, and cashing in on misery. However, Operation RapTor just proved them wrong,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “DEA and our global partners reached across borders, across platforms, and across currencies to rip their networks apart. Let this stand as a warning: no mask, no marketplace, and no digital wallet can hide you from facing justice.”

    “Operation RapTor shows that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement,” said Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, Edvardas Šileris. “Through close cooperation and intelligence sharing, officers across three continents identified and arrested suspects, sending a clear message to those who think they can hide in the shadows. Europol will continue working with our partners to make the internet safer for everyone.”

    “This unprecedented operation is a testament to the power of global partnership and the unwavering dedication of our team,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Working through the JCODE initiative, IRS Criminal Investigation and our international partners led the largest and most impactful takedown to date—seizing over $200 million in assets, removing deadly drugs and weapons from circulation, and holding more than 270 individuals accountable. This critical strike against dark web networks fueling the fentanyl crisis marks a proud moment in our ongoing effort to protect communities worldwide.”

    “This record-breaking operation sends a clear message to every trafficker hiding behind a screen—your anonymity ends where our global reach begins,” said Acting Director Todd Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “Thanks to the unwavering efforts by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Europol and our international partners, we’re cracking the code of the so-called ‘safe spaces’ for cybercriminals—they are in our sights and we’re not backing down.”

    “Operation RapTor shows what’s possible when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our partners around the world stand united,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “No matter where criminals hide, we will find them, dismantle their operations, and bring them to justice. This operation was about protecting innocent people from predatory criminals who profit from violence, addiction, and fear. Our commitment is unwavering.”

    “The FDA is committed to continuing its work to disrupt and dismantle the illegal sales of drugs on the dark web, where such sales far too often have tragic consequences,” said Deputy Director Chad Menster of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA OCI). “We will continue to monitor, investigate and bring to justice those who misuse the internet in a quest for profits with reckless disregard for the risk to public health and safety.”  

    The impact of Operation RapTor can be attributed to the tireless work of U.S. and international law enforcement partners. For example:

    On Dec. 16, 2024, Rui-Siang Lin pleaded guilty to charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York of narcotics conspiracy, money laundering, and conspiracy to sell adulterated and misbranded medication for owning and operating Incognito Market, one of the largest narcotics marketplaces on the internet.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Incognito Market was an online narcotics bazaar that started on the dark web in October 2020. Until it shut down in March 2024, Incognito Market sold more than $100 million of narcotics—including hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine. Incognito Market was available globally to anyone with internet access using the Tor web browser on the “dark web” or “darknet.” Incognito Market was designed to facilitate seamless narcotics transactions, incorporating many features of legitimate e-commerce sites such as branding, advertising, and customer service. Upon visiting the site, users were met by a splash page and graphic interface, which is pictured below:

    Figure 1: Incognito Market homepage

    While concealing their identities with a unique username or “moniker,” users were able to search thousands of listings for narcotics of their choice. Incognito Market sold illegal narcotics including heroin, cocaine, LSD, MDMA, oxycodone, methamphetamine, ketamine, and alprazolam, as well as misbranded prescription medication. An example of listings on Incognito market is below:

    Figure 2: Listings for various drugs on the Incognito Market.

    Listings included offerings of prescription medication that was falsely advertised as being authentic. For example, in November 2023, while operating in an undercover capacity on Incognito Market, a law enforcement agent purchased and received several tablets purported to be oxycodone. Testing revealed that these tablets were not oxycodone and were, in fact, fentanyl pills.

    The FBI, HSI, DEA, FDA OCI, and the New York Police Department investigated the case.

    In a second example, in January 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California secured a 17-year sentence for Adan Ruiz, of Orange County, and a 15-year sentence for Omar Navia, of Los Angeles, for supplying fentanyl-laced pills to a drug trafficking ring that sold these drugs to more than 1,000 customers nationwide via the darknet. In imposing the sentences, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter called this case “the most sophisticated fentanyl distribution ring that this court has seen.”

    Navia and Ruiz admitted in their plea agreements that, from at least August 2021 to December 2022, they supplied fentanyl-laced pills to Michael Ta, 26, of Westminster, and Rajiv Srinivasan, 38, of Houston, who used the darknet and encrypted messaging applications to sell more than 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and other drugs directly to more than 1,000 customers in all 50 states, causing several fatal overdoses.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Srinivasan and Ta used the “redlightlabs” darknet account to advertise and sell counterfeit M30 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and other illicit drugs. Srinivasan also used the encrypted messaging application Wickr to communicate with and sell drugs to customers. Srinivasan received virtual currency as payment for the drugs and then routed that virtual currency through cryptocurrency exchanges.

    The court record also shows that Ta communicated with Srinivasan about drug orders, obtained fentanyl-laced pills and methamphetamine from sources of supply, stored those drugs in his residence, and mailed out packages with drugs to customers who had ordered them from Srinivasan on the “redlightlabs” account.

    Ta and Srinivasan admitted in their plea agreements to causing the fentanyl overdose deaths of three victims. Both defendants further admitted to distributing fentanyl-laced pills to two additional victims, both of whom suffered fatal drug overdoses shortly after they received the pills from Ta and Srinivasan. Prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum, “The five victims of defendants’ crimes ranged in age from 19 to 51. They lived across the country, from California to Florida, Colorado to Arkansas. Each of the five victims leaves behind a family that has been forever and fundamentally changed by defendants’ actions. [Ta and Srinivasan] also victimized countless others as part of an epidemic of addiction and despair plaguing our district and our country.”

    The FBI investigated this case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the DEA’s Fayetteville Resident Office, and the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force.

    In a third example, in February 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia charged Joshua Vasquez, Joseph Vasquez, and Rafael Roman by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Joshua Vasquez, Joseph Vasquez, and Roman conspired to sell counterfeit Adderall containing methamphetamine on darknet markets such as Bohemia and Tor2Door. The defendants allegedly sold drugs on darknet marketplaces in exchange for cryptocurrency under the monikers “NuveoDelux,” “Mrjohnson,” and “AllStateRx.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, these three prolific darknet vendors were collectively responsible for fulfilling over 13,000 drug orders shipped throughout the United States, ranging in size from user quantities, e.g., 5 pills, to “reseller” quantities, e.g., 10,000 pills. Joshua and Joseph Vasquez collectively ran the NuveoDeluxe and AllStateRx accounts. A fourth co-conspirator, Gregory Castillo-Rosario, who was arrested in October 2024, ran the Mrjohnson account. Roman assisted his co-conspirators by pressing counterfeit Adderall pills, packaging them, and distributing drug orders into the mail using the U.S. Postal Service. The conspiracy also laundered funds associated with darknet drug proceeds.

    While executing search warrants in New Jersey and New York, federal law enforcement officers seized more than $330,000, close to 80,000 counterfeit Adderall pills, one firearm, and two industrial pill press machines. Additionally, two vehicles and several pieces of property were seized during the search warrants. An additional 30 kilograms of suspected counterfeit Adderall pills were seized on May 2, 2024, in New York. Photographs of some of the seized items are below: 

    Figure 3: Counterfeit Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine stored in 5-gallon buckets

    Figure 4: Bags ready to be shipped to customers nationwide.

    Figure 5: Illegal pill press machines used by drug traffickers to make counterfeit pharmaceutical pills.

    Figure 6: Trash bags full of counterfeit Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine.

    Joshua Vasquez pleaded guilty on April 24, 2024, and was sentenced on July 25, 2024, to 12 years in prison. Joseph Vasquez pleaded guilty on April 15, 2024, and was sentenced on Aug. 8, 2024, to 10 years in prison. Roman pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024, and was sentenced on Nov. 14, 2024, to 10 years in prison. They all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to create a counterfeit substance and distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.

    The FBI, FDA, and USPIS investigated this matter with significant contributions from DEA, HSI, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, the Howell Township Police Department, the Lakewood Township Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Arlington County Police Department, and the New York Police Department.

    In a fourth example, a San Fernando Valley man, Brian McDonald, 23, was sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison in the Central District of California for using darknet marketplaces to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fentanyl-laced pills and cocaine to buyers nationwide. He admitted in court documents to causing one fatal fentanyl overdose.

    From at least April 2021 until May 2023, McDonald and others conspired to sell fentanyl and cocaine via multiple darknet marketplaces. McDonald operated under the monikers “Malachai Johnson,” “SouthSideOxy,” and “JefeDeMichoacan.” McDonald created, monitored, and maintained the darknet vendor profiles, including by updating drug listings and shipment options, tracking drug orders, and offloading Monero cryptocurrency received as drug deal payments into cryptocurrency wallets that McDonald controlled.

    McDonald recruited and hired accomplices to help package and ship the narcotics they sold on the darknet. McDonald directed and helped these accomplices package and ship the narcotics. McDonald purchased bulk quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and then directed others to complete hundreds of drug sales involving large quantities of both fentanyl and cocaine.

    The FBI and DEA investigated this matter.

    Operation RapTor involves law enforcement actions taken by JCODE member agencies, including the DEA, FBI, FDA OCI, HSI, IRS-CI, and USPIS. Credible reporting from the referenced agencies, in addition to contributions from ATF, Army Criminal Investigation Division, Customs and Border Protection, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and OFAC, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service, enabled domestic law enforcement actions in support of Operation RapTor. State, local, and other federal agencies also contributed to Operation RapTor investigations through task force participation and regional partnerships, as well as the multi-agency Special Operations Division.

    The investigations leading to Operation RapTor were significantly aided by support and coordination from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, with valuable assistance from the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Fraud Section, and Office of International Affairs.

    Key international partners include Europol; Eurojust; Austria’s Criminal Intelligence Service with various Provincial Criminal Police Departments (Bundeskriminalamt und Landeskriminalämter); Brazil’s Civil Police of the State of Pará (Polícia Civil do Estado do Pará) and Civil Police of the State of São Paulo (Polícia Civil do Estado do São Paulo); France’s French Customs (Douane), National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale); Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), Prosecutor’s Office in Cologne – Central Cybercrime Contact Point (Staatsanwaltschaft Köln, Zentral- und Ansprechstelle Cybercrime), Central Criminal Investigation in Oldenburg (Zentrale Kriminalinspektion Oldenburg) various police departments (Dienststellen der Länderpolizeien), and German Customs Investigation (Zollfahndungsämter); the Netherlands’ Team High Tech Crime (National Investigations and Special Operations (NIS) and Post Interventie Team (PIT), National Intelligence, Expertise and Operational Support (NIEO);  Spain’s National Police (Policía Nacional); South Korea’s Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office – Darknet Investigations Unit; Switzerland’s Zurich Cantonal Police (Kantonspolizei Zürich) and Public Prosecutor’s Office II of the Canton of Zurich (Staatsanwaltschaft II); and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

    Federal investigations spanned the United States, and 26 United States Attorneys’ Offices are prosecuting cases, including the Central District of California, the Northern District of California, the Southern District of California, the District of Colorado, the District of Connecticut, the District of Columbia, the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the Middle District of Georgia, the District of Hawaii, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Indiana, the Eastern District of Kentucky, the District of Massachusetts, the Eastern District of Michigan, the Western District of Michigan, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of New Jersey, the Southern District of New York, the District of North Dakota, the Northern District of Ohio, the Southern District of Ohio, the Northern District of Oklahoma, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Western District of Washington.

    The Justice Department established the FBI-led JCODE team to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt, and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics, along with identifying and dismantling their supply chains.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Middle Sackville — RCMP investigating suspicious incident in Middle Sackville

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is asking for the public’s help in identifying a person of interest following a suspicious incident that occurred in Middle Sackville.

    On May 20, RCMP officers received a report of a suspicious incident that had occurred the previous day at approximately 1 p.m. on Rafting Dr. Investigators learned that a man wearing a ski mask and ski goggles had been taking photos of children playing at the playground.

    The man fled on foot when one of the children asked him what he was doing.

    The person of interest is described as a white male, approximately 5-foot-10. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans and white and blue sneakers.

    As the investigation continues, officers are looking to speak with the man involved.

    Anyone with information about this incident, or with security camera footage of the area, is asked to contact police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    Members of the public are encouraged to report suspicious activity immediately. In an emergency, call 911.

    File # 25-70607

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Vuk Talks Episode 39 Thulani Sibuyi Director General of the Civilian Secretariat of Police Service

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)

    Vuk Talks Season 2 Episode 39 Thulani Sibuyi Director General of the Civilian Secretariat of Police Service

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQMIeIJDsv8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Schumer, Padilla, Schiff, Raskin, Swalwell, and Johnson Introduce Bicameral Bill to Move US Marshals Service to Judicial Branch

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced legislation that would address the potential for weaponization of the U.S. Marshals Service (“Marshals” or “USMS”) by President Trump and the executive branch. The Maintaining Authority and Restoring Security to Halt the Abuse of Law Act (MARSHALS Act) would move the Marshals from the operation and direction of the executive branch to the judiciary, ensuring that USMS can perform its primary mission of protecting federal judges and to obeying, executing, and enforcing federal court orders without political interference. U.S. Representatives Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14), House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), and House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts Ranking Member Hank Johnson (D-GA-04) introduced companion legislation in the House.

    President Trump and members of his Administration are systematically undermining judicial independence and the rule of law: the President himself called for impeachment of a federal judge who ruled against him, the Vice President has suggested that the executive branch does not need to follow court orders, and a federal judge has found that the Trump Administration demonstrated a “willful disregard” for its court order. Against the backdrop of Trump’s attacks on the rule of law, serious threats of violence against federal judges and their families have risen to alarming levels. Hundreds of unsolicited pizza deliveries have been sent to the homes of federal judges and their relatives across seven states in an apparent attempt to intimidate the judiciary. Many of the deliveries have been sent to judges who ruled against the Trump Administration and some have been placed in the name of Daniel Anderl, the son of New Jersey District Judge Esther Salas, who was fatally shot by an attorney who appeared in her courtroom.

    The USMS, the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency, risks being ensnared in Trump’s efforts to upend our constitutional order. While the USMS’s “primary role and mission” is to protect the federal judiciary and obey and enforce its court orders, the USMS is under the control of the executive branch, specifically the U.S. Attorney General who in turn answers to the President. The potential conflict looming between the USMS’s duty to provide security for and carry out the orders of the federal judiciary and the Attorney General’s control of the Marshals will put our democracy to the test if the Administration directs the USMS to ignore a court order or otherwise prevents the USMS from carrying out its duties. For example, at a recent meeting of the Judicial Conference of the United States, a federal judge expressed concern that the President could order the USMS to stop protecting judges.

    “President Trump has made it abundantly clear through his words and actions that he does not respect the law, court orders, the safety of our judges, or our institutions,” said Senator Booker. “Since 1789, the U.S. Marshals have valiantly protected our nation’s judges and enforced court orders. But their dual accountability to the executive branch and the judicial branch paves the way toward a constitutional crisis. To ensure these necessary functions are carried out, Congress must act to move the bureau into the judicial branch. Our U.S. Marshals are critical to protecting the rule of law, and they must be able to do their jobs without political interference.”

    “Trump’s tenure has been marked by corruption, chaos, and abuse, with his administration waging a war against the rule of law,” said Leader Schumer. “We will not allow Trump and Pam Bondi to interfere with the marshals as they enforce court orders, or weaponize them to intimidate government employees or American citizens. This legislation would protect the U.S. Marshals Service from abuse by the executive branch and ensure that law enforcement officers perform their essential duties.”

    “The Trump Administration has repeatedly undermined judicial independence and misused the U.S. Marshals Service for political gain,” said Senator Padilla. “They’ve politicized the Marshals Service by intimidating the former pardon attorney, threatening USAID officials, and potentially risking the security of federal judges. Our bill restores the Marshals Service’s independence by placing it within the judicial branch so it can fulfill its core mission of protecting judges and enforcing court orders without political interference.” 

    “We’ve seen threats against judges escalate as the president has threatened impeachment of those who rule against him. We have also seen the administration pull security from former officials who are still at risk because the president views them as enemies. And we have also seen the president ignore court orders he doesn’t like. The U.S. Marshals are central to preserving our democracy and upholding the rule of law. Marshals must be able to protect all judges, enforce all court orders and have the independence necessary to do their jobs,” said Senator Schiff.

    “We’re seeing a rise in outrageous attacks on federal judges simply for doing their jobs. Congress must act to make sure that our courts have reliable personal, physical and electronic security to count on, and that means security not subject to the discretionary whims of a president who may disrespect judicial independence and the rule of law. This legislation is necessary to fortify the independence of the judicial branch which is essential to the survival of strong democracy. Our legislation will ensure that the U.S. Marshals can perform their duties without political interference or coercive pressure from the president or anyone else in the executive branch,” said Ranking Member Raskin.

    “Judges should be in charge of their own security. Today, they’re not. And they’re facing more death threats than ever in the history of the judiciary. Today, independent judges must rely upon the executive branch, whose cases are often in front of them, for personal security. We’re in a constitutional crisis that necessitates a structural change to protect judges from political violence and intimidation,” said Congressman Swalwell. “I have seen how threats of violence to members of Congress pressure them into staying silent or influence their votes on the House floor. We cannot allow the same calculations to creep into the deliberations of independent judges. That is why I’m proud to introduce the MARSHALS Act to prevent political interference in the courts. In a time when we face a lawless president, giving the defendant command and control over the security of their judges is indefensible. That’s why my colleagues and I are moving forward to realign the U.S. Marshals Service under the judicial branch—the very institution they are sworn to protect.”

    “The independence of the judicial branch and the rule of law itself are under assault by Donald Trump and his MAGA cronies,” said Representative Johnson, ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet. “Putting control of the U.S. Marshals Service squarely within the judiciary goes a long way towards protecting the judicial branch from continued abuse by the Trump Administration.”

    Specifically, the MARSHALS Act would: 

    1. Create a U.S. Marshals Board modeled on the Board of the U.S. Capitol Police, the federal law enforcement agency that protects Congress. The Board would consist of the Chief Justice of the United States and the Judicial Conference of the United States.
    2. Authorize the Chief Justice, in consultation with the Board, to select a Director of the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Marshals in each judicial district of the United States and its territories.
    3. Allow the Marshals to continue their existing work of protecting judges and enforcing judicial subpoenas and court orders without political interference and preserve their other law enforcement functions (pursuing fugitives, seeking missing children, etc.) at the request of the Attorney General and with the consent of the Director of the Marshals

    The MARSHALS Act is endorsed by the following organizations: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Court Accountability, Demand Justice, Fix the Court, People for the American Way, and Public Citizen.

    “As a co-equal branch of government the judiciary should be responsible for the security of judges and should not have to rely on the benevolence of the executive branch to enforce court decisions,” said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “But under our current system the courts rely almost exclusively on the executive branch for judicial security with the Attorney General overseeing the U.S. Marshals Service, the Department of Justice bureau responsible for protecting judges and enforcing court orders. With threats against judges both from litigants and public officials reaching historic highs, it is past time for this to change. We thank the lead sponsors for introducing the MARSHALS Act and encourage all senators to work together to ensure that the judiciary can fulfill its constitutional and statutory functions safely and without fear of political interference.”

    “This legislation is a critical bolster for checks and balances at a time when the Trump administration is defying court orders and leveling threats against judges simply for doing their jobs. If we want fair-minded judges to be able to defend the rule of law, it’s essential that we empower the judiciary to ensure compliance with its orders and protect judges from a dangerous surge in violent threats,” said Alex Aronson, co-founder and executive director, Court Accountability.

    “Trump has shown us that virtually nothing is out-of-bounds when it comes to eliminating checks on his dangerous, unpopular agenda. The Marshals must be able to carry out their duties without political interference and judges deserve to have protection regardless of how they rule on cases. This has been made even clearer by Trump and his allies’ threats and intimidation tactics against federal judges and others they view as their political enemies. We applaud the bill sponsors for introducing this bill and taking this important first step,” said Maggie Jo Buchanan, Interim Executive Director of Demand Justice.

    “Presidents supervise more than a dozen law enforcement agencies, but the fact that the primary mission of one of them is to protect members of another branch has never made a whole lot of structural sense. I applaud the bill’s sponsors for crafting a bill to move that agency, the U.S. Marshals Service, from Article II to Article III, thereby ensuring that judges’ safety isn’t subject to interbranch politics or other distractions — all the more important today, as both Democratic and Republican appointees face unprecedented threats,” Fix the Court executive director Gabe Roth said.

    “The US Marshals Service plays an essential role in enforcing federal court orders and protecting federal judges. Now, with a president who is undermining the rule of law and challenging courts’ authority,  coupled with a rising tide of threats against federal judges, the integrity of the Marshals Service is more important than ever. Without fair and independent courts, our freedom to speak our minds and challenge those in power will come to an end. Judges must be able to freely and fairly interpret the law and the constitution without fear for theirs and their families’ safety. We cannot wait until it’s too late to protect our courts. We congratulate Senator Booker, Leader Schumer, Senator Schiff, and Senator Padilla on introducing this important legislation and lifting up the need for robust protections for the safety and sanctity of our federal courts,” said People For the American Way, President Svante Myrick.

    “This commonsense legislation from Leader Schumer, Senator Booker, Senator Schiff, and Senator Padilla will simply ensure that the judiciary’s decisions are followed. In this era of executive branch court defiance, a repositioning of the marshals within the judiciary branch is a sensible move to protect the prerogatives of our coequal branches of government. Public Citizen applauds this smart policy,” said Lisa Gilbert, Public Citizen, Co-President.

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: UPDATE: Man arrested following stabbing in Brent

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating the death of a 26-year-old man in Brent have made an arrest.

    On Thursday, 22 May, officers arrested a man in his 20s, from Barnet, on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody.

    Ali Faris Muhammad, who lived in Harrow, sadly died following an altercation in the early hours of Sunday, 18 May.

    At 03:31hrs, police were called to reports of the incident in Kingsbury Road, NW9.

    Ali was taken to hospital with a stab wound. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he died.

    His next of kin are being supported by specially trained officers.

    An investigation is ongoing.

    Detective Chief Inspector Allam Bhangoo, who is leading the investigation, said:

    “Our thoughts are with Ali’s family and loved ones. They have asked for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time.

    “Our team of detectives and forensic specialists are working at pace to establish the full circumstances that led to his tragic death. We urge anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information that could assist us, to come forward as soon as possible.

    “We understand this incident may cause concern within the Kingsbury community, and we’re grateful for their continued patience and co-operation as we carry out our investigation.”

    Anyone who can help is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference: 1052/18May. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    Or please visit the Major Incident Police Portal (MIPP) – https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X74-PO1

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jefferson County man sentenced for possessing machinegun conversion device

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

    BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing a machinegun in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Aaron Charles Hill, 22, pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 21, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on July 15, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to an apartment complex on Pinchback Road in Beaumont in reference to a disturbance with a firearm.  The victim reported being chased by multiple armed persons trying to shoot him.  Hill was apprehended attempting to leave the scene with two stolen pistols, one of which was equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device, also referred to as a Glock switch.  A Glock switch is a small device that can be attached to the rear of the slide of a handgun, converting a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic machinegun. Federal law defines a machinegun as a weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.

    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).

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • President Murmu confers Gallantry Awards at Rashtrapati Bhawan

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    President Droupadi Murmu honored the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of India’s bravehearts by conferring six Kirti Chakras and 33 Shaurya Chakras to personnel from the Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), and State/Union Territory Police at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Defence Investiture Ceremony 2025, held on Thursday, celebrated the heroism of these individuals who risked their lives in service to the nation, with a significant number of the awards bestowed posthumously to recognize those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

    The Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra rank among India’s highest peacetime gallantry awards, reserved for acts of raw courage, unparalleled bravery, and a selfless disregard for personal safety in the line of duty. This year’s ceremony spotlighted the valor of 39 personnel, including Major Malla Rama Gopal Naidu of the Maratha Light Infantry and Major Manjit of the Punjab Regiment, both commended for their exceptional bravery. Four posthumous Kirti Chakras were awarded to Rifleman Ravi Kumar, Colonel Manpreet Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police Himayun Muzzammil Bhat, and Naik Dilwar Khan, each recognized for their unmatched valor in counter-terror operations that safeguarded the nation.

    The Shaurya Chakra recipients, numbering 33 in total, included Major (now Lt Col) Vijay Verma of the Rajput Regiment, honored for his gallant actions on October 5, 2022, as well as Deputy Commandant Vikrant Kumar and Inspector/GD Jeffrey Hmingchullo of the CRPF, celebrated for their bravery on April 2, 2023. Seven of these awards were conferred posthumously, with Major Aashish Dhonchak and Captain Deepak Singh among those who laid down their lives during operations, their sacrifices immortalized through this recognition.

    These awardees distinguished themselves across a range of high-stakes missions, showcasing heroism in diverse and perilous circumstances. In counter-terrorism operations in Jammu & Kashmir and the North-East, personnel neutralized dreaded terrorists, apprehended insurgents, and recovered arms and ammunition, often under extreme duress. Notably, Colonel Manpreet Singh and Rifleman Ravi Kumar earned their posthumous honors for heroic efforts in Jammu and Kashmir on September 12-13, 2023, exemplifying the courage required in such volatile regions.

    The Indian Navy also shone brightly, with officers like Commodore Sharad Sinsunwal and Lieutenant Commander Kapil Yadav leading successful anti-piracy operations that forced the surrender of pirates and secured the rescue of hostages. Navy personnel further demonstrated their bravery during firefighting efforts aboard a burning oil tanker, risking their lives to avert disaster. Meanwhile, in the Indian Air Force, Wing Commander Vernon Desmond Keane and Squadron Leader Deepak Kumar exhibited remarkable courage in life-threatening situations, skillfully rescuing aircraft while ensuring no civilian casualties, a testament to their precision and valor.

    The CRPF’s relentless fight against Left-Wing Extremism was equally commendable, with officers such as Deputy Commandant Lakhveer and Constable/GD Pawan Kumar, the latter honored posthumously, recognized for apprehending Maoist insurgents and recovering weapons in affected areas. Their efforts underscored the critical role of the CAPF in maintaining internal security amidst persistent threats.

  • MIL-OSI Security: Canoncito Man Sentenced for Role in 2022 Fatal Assault

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Canoncito man was sentenced to three years’ probation for his role in the violent 2022 assault that led to the death of John Doe.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on May 27, 2022, Landen Toledo, 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, along with Cole Ray Shorty, confronted John Doe at his residence to retrieve Shorty’s backpack. During the confrontation, John Doe exited his vehicle with a baseball bat. Toledo grabbed John Doe by the wrists, threw him to the ground, and kicked him in the stomach several times, causing him to drop the bat. Shorty then struck John Doe on the head with the bat. John Doe was left unconscious at the scene and later died from blunt head trauma.

    Shorty pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 72 months in prison.

    Toledo pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced To More Than 17 Years In Federal Prison

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

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Ataire Carl Ray (30, Tampa) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Ray qualified as an Armed Career Criminal after having committed at least three prior serious violent or drug offenses. 

    According to the evidence presented at trial, on April 1, 2022, Ray got into an argument during which he waived around a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine, while making various threats. Tampa Police Department officers were called to the scene and approached Ray, who ran and threw the loaded gun into a neighboring property, where it was quickly recovered. Ray was apprehended about a block away from where he threw the firearm. 

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ‘Machine Gun-Trafficking’ Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than Fifteen Years in Federal Prison

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

    PROVIDENCE – Jose Marrero, 36, of Woonsocket, describe in court documents as a “violent, machine gun-trafficking, kilogram-level drug dealer” was sentenced today to more than fifteen years in federal prison, having pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, announced acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Court documents illustrate that Jose Marrero, 36, previously convicted twice in Rhode Island state court on drug trafficking charges, freely displayed photographs and videos on social media of himself in possession of drugs and firearms, notably semi-automatic pistols, AR-15 style rifles, and semi-automatic pistols that have been modified with machinegun conversion devices. Marrero displayed himself and others in possession of the weapons in his apartment, while watching TV, playing video games, drinking alcohol, and driving around the streets of Rhode Island. He also made social media posts demonstrating himself and others actively firing the modified fully automatic weapons.

    Additionally, court documents reveal videos of the defendant in possession of multiple kilos of cocaine and of numerous messages between Marrero and others that “not only convey his leadership but just how active, eager, and dangerous of a drug trafficker he is.”  Text messages illustrate conversations between Marrero and a drug supplier, and how he, Marrero, organized people to move two kilograms of drugs per week. In some of his messages, Marrero discusses having drug runners, complaining about their behavior and demanding higher productivity from them, directing them to locations to provide certain quantities of drugs to customers, and discussing debts owed to him.

    Marrero made it well known, to his drug trafficking counterparts and otherwise, that he possessed numerous firearms. He prominently displayed himself and others with an array of firearms on his social media account. Excerpts from Marrero’s text messages demonstrate that he enlisted his girlfriend and other acquaintances to purchase firearms for him, as he was unable to do so himself due to his past felony convictions; that he accepted firearms as payment for drug sales; and that he solicited an associate to obtain guns for him, notably “any glocks” that he could get his hands on.

    Marrero was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. to 181 months of incarceration to be followed by 5 years of federal supervised release.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell, Stacey A. Erickson, and Sandra R. Hebert.

    The matter was investigated by ATF, with the assistance of Massachusetts State Police, Woonsocket Police Department, Central Falls Police Department, and West Warwick Police Department.

    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).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Indictment Charges Rockford Man with Arson

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

    ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly maliciously destroying – by means of fire and explosive materials – a building at 201 15th Ave. in Rockford.

    JAMES PURIFOY, 50, committed the arson on Jan. 22, 2023, according to an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Rockford.  Arraignment has not yet been scheduled.

    The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  The Rockford Fire Department and Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.

    The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  The minimum sentence for the arson count is five years in federal prison, while the maximum sentence is 20 years.  If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Chicago Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Kidnapping, Carjacking, and Firearm Offenses

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

    CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for kidnapping three drivers and sexually assaulting two of them at gunpoint.

    ANDREW ANANIA, 29, kidnapped an Uber driver on March 8, 2021, in Darien, Ill.  Anania showed the driver a gun and forced her to drive to Chicago and park in alleys, where he sexually assaulted her before fleeing on foot.  On March 10, 2021, Anania and another man, WALTER MORAN, kidnapped a woman who was on her way to work in Cicero, Ill.  Anania pointed a gun at the driver and instructed her to drive to Chicago, where Moran exchanged gunfire with others on the street.  The pair eventually released the victim and took her car.  A jury earlier this year convicted Anania on kidnapping, carjacking, and firearm charges in connection with those incidents.

    Anania pleaded guilty prior to trial to another kidnapping and carjacking.  That incident occurred on Feb. 27, 2021, in Chicago, when Anania got in a vehicle with the driver, claimed he had a gun, and sexually assaulted her.  The woman escaped when the car stopped at an intersection.  Anania fled in the vehicle and crashed it a short time later.

    Anania committed all of the offenses while awaiting trial in a separate, unrelated federal firearm case not assigned to the sentencing judge in this matter.  Anania had been released on bond in that case after multiple court hearings at which the government repeatedly sought pre-trial detention.

    U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the 50-year prison sentence during a hearing on May 13, 2025, in federal court in Chicago.

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  Substantial assistance was provided by the Cicero, Ill. Police Department, Darien, Ill. Police Department, Summit, Ill. Police Department, Stickney, Ill. Police Department, Chicago Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cornelius Vandenberg, Megan Donohue, and Hayley Altabef.

    Moran, of Cicero, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to kidnapping and carjacking charges.  Judge Chang sentenced Moran in April to 15 years and eight months in federal prison.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Judge Sentences Chicago Street Gang Member to 34 Years in Prison for Murdering a Man and Threatening a Witness

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

    CHICAGO — A member of a violent Chicago street gang has been sentenced to 34 years in federal prison for murdering a man to maintain and increase his position in the gang.

    DIONTAE HARPER, 25, of Chicago, admitted in a plea agreement that he murdered Paul Harris on May 13, 2020.  Harper and another man fired multiple shots at Harris as he sat in a vehicle at a gas station in the 8600 block of South Halsted Street in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. Harper stated in the plea agreement that he committed the murder to maintain and increase his position in the Faceworld street gang, a criminal organization based on the South Side of Chicago whose members engaged in violent crimes and trafficked narcotics.

    While Harper was detained in law enforcement custody earlier this year, he made threatening statements directed toward a witness.

    Harper pleaded guilty in January to a federal charge of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, causing Harris’s death.  U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah imposed the 34-year prison sentence during a hearing on May 8, 2025, in federal court in Chicago.

    Harper’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia Schwartz, Sushma Raju, and Matthew Moyer.

    Two other individuals – the other shooter of Harris and the getaway driver – pleaded guilty to committing murder in aid of racketeering and are awaiting sentencing.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Twelve Years in Prison for Suburban Chicago Man Who Trafficked Fentanyl and Illegally Possessed Handgun

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

    CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man who trafficked fentanyl and cocaine and illegally possessed a loaded handgun has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.

    WILLIAM FILLYAW possessed the drugs and gun on Oct. 28, 2022, in the parking lot of his apartment complex in Gurnee, Ill.  Fillyaw carried a backpack that contained the cocaine packaged in quarter-ounce quantities, the fentanyl wrapped in three square bricks, and the handgun.  Fillyaw intended to sell the fentanyl and cocaine on the streets, and he acknowledged possessing the gun in connection with his drug trafficking activities. The firearm had no serial number and had been assembled from a gun kit, making it an untraceable “ghost gun.”

    Fillyaw, 47, pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal drug and firearm charges.  U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed the 12-year prison sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Chicago.

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michael E. Hensle, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Milwaukee, Wis., Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Milwaukee Police Department, Cudahy, Wis. Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol.

    “Narcotics distribution and firearm offenses are serious crimes that adversely impact the people who live and work in the Northern District of Illinois,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.  “The increased presence of ghost guns in Chicago, and the country in general, is troubling, as they are often used in crimes and are difficult to trace.”

    Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Romanians Admit Bank Fraud Involving ATM Skimming Devices

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

    ST. LOUIS – Five Romanian nationals have admitted installing skimming devices on St. Louis area ATMs to harvest bank account information from customers and commit fraud.

    Mihai Vlaicu, 48, and Mihai Florin Marinescu, 37, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Courtin St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

    Laurentiu Miguel Ivan, 33, pleaded guilty to the same charge in March and Nelu Nae, 37, and Venera Isabelle Dumitru, 28, pleaded guilty to the charge in April. A sixth person indicted in the case, Ianus Nita, 53, has not yet been arrested.

    In their plea agreements, the five admit stealing bank account information via skimming devices and then using, or attempting to use, that information to withdraw money from ATMs.

    Around January of 2024, Vlaicu and Marinescu installed skimming devices on at least two bank ATMs, one in Clayton and one in Frontenac. They obtained the information of at least six victims, and then used cloned cards to try and withdraw cash.

    On five days in April, Dumitru and Ivan used account information from two other victims to withdraw cash from ATMs in St. Louis. Ivan obtained $1,421 and Dumitru obtained $1,070.50.

    On April 25, Dumitru and Ivan tried to withdraw cash from a St. Louis County ATM using an account number belonging to another victim. On April 30, Vlaicu tried to withdraw money from a St. Louis County ATM using the banking information of six victims.

    On May 2, Marinescu unsuccessfully tried to install a skimming device on an ATM in south St. Louis County. Nae retrieved the device the next day.

    On May 9, Marinescu installed a skimming device on an ATM in Wildwood. On May 11, Nita withdrew cash belonging to two victims from a St. Louis County ATM.

    On May 28, Marinescu and Nae installed a skimming device on an ATM in St. Louis, which was located and removed by law enforcement before Nita and Vlaicu could retrieve it.

    The conspirators were using an Airbnb in St. Louis County as a base for their criminal activity. Investigators found a laptop computer there containing hundreds of videos of customers entering their PINs when they used an ATM outfitted with a skimming device. They also found skimming devices, installation tools, a large amount of cash and numerous gift cards at the rented residence.

    Ivan is scheduled to be sentenced June 25, Dumitru on July 10, Nae on July 23 and Marinescu and Vlaicu on August 20. The charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine.

    Ivan, Dumitru, Marinescu are not legally in the United States.

    The FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Webster Groves Police Department, the Clayton Police Department and the Frontenac Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Convicted in St. Louis of Laundering Drug Proceeds for Sinaloa Cartel

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

    ST. LOUIS – Two men were convicted Wednesday of all charges related to their laundering of money in the St. Louis area for the Sinaloa drug cartel.

    Carl Von Garrett, 54, of St. Charles, Missouri and Tobiyyah Israel, 38, of Ohio, were each found guilty by a jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering. Von Garrett was also found guilty of one additional count of money laundering. The trial began on May 12.

    Two others have already pleaded guilty and been sentenced in the case. Luis Miguel Hernandez, 38, of Phoenix, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and two counts of money laundering and Antonio Jones, 51, of Florissant, Missouri, pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering. Hernandez was sentenced in January to 87 months in prison and Jones was sentenced to 37 months in prison.

    As part of his plea agreement, Hernandez admitted being driven by Von Garrett to a meeting with an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer in St. Louis on March 1, 2021, to deliver $100,095 in drug proceeds. Hernandez then arranged a series of meetings between Jones and the task force officer. On March 8, 2021, Jones handed over $100,000. Jones delivered $150,030 on March 17 and $100,000 on March 31. On April 8, Jones delivered $109,740 and $100,100 on May 18. On May 25, 2021, Jones delivered $100,100.

    During closing arguments Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Delworth told jurors that Von Garrett was the “focal point” of the conspiracy and Israel was a courier, like Jones. On April 14, Israel picked up $221, 020 from Von Garrett. Von Garrett was stopped by investigators, who found six phones and a ledger that contained dates and amounts of money roughly corresponding to cash drops, Delworth said. Israel told investigators that he’d been promised $1,000 to pick up the cash, and that he’d done so once before.

    The money drops continued. On May 18, Jones delivered $110,100 and $100,100 one week later.

    Both men are scheduled to be sentenced on August 21.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the FBI, the St. Louis County Police, the Bridgeton Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the St. Charles County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim Delworth and Ricardo Dixon are prosecuting the case.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by Prohibited Person

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant possessed firearm and ammunition while engaging in drug trafficking activity

    Baltimore, Maryland – Brandon Carroll, 32, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

    According to the guilty plea, on April 25, 2023, BPD officers observed Carroll engaging in multiple hand-to-hand drug exchanges. When an arrest team approached Carroll, he attempted to flee on a dirt bike but fell.  Law enforcement then took him into custody.

    While searching Carroll, officers recovered 32 gelcaps — containing a mixture of fentanyl and oxycodone pills — and a key to a nearby Hyundai vehicle. After officers found the vehicle, a trained K-9 detected the presence of narcotics inside.

    A search of the vehicle yielded a Beretta Nano 9mm pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition; 35 additional rounds of 9mm ammunition; and a Smith & Wesson magazine for a .40 caliber handgun. Additionally, law enforcement discovered 844 units of a fentanyl mixture packaged for distribution; eight units of cocaine packaged for distribution; 14 Suboxone strips; two digital scales with white residue; two plastic bags of packaging material; $2,443 in cash; and mail that belonged to Carroll and the vehicle’s registered owner. Due to a prior felony conviction, Carroll is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

    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.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James O’Donohue who prosecuted the case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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