NewzIntel.com

Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Previously unheard Nazi tapes released ahead of WW2 80th anniversary Digitized recordings of conversations with protagonists of 20th century conflict – including undercover conversations with high-ranking Nazis who fled to semi-hiding in South America – will be released ahead of the 80th anniversary of Germany’s surrender in World War Two.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Digitized recordings of conversations with protagonists of 20th century conflict – including undercover conversations with high-ranking Nazis who fled to semi-hiding in South America – will be released ahead of the 80th anniversary of Germany’s surrender in World War Two.
    They form part of the Gerd Heidemann collection held at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives at Stanford University, which  is described by University of Aberdeen historian and Hoover Visiting Fellow Professor Thomas Weber as ‘the most important private collection on the Third Reich and the inner lives of extremists acquired by a university archive’.
    Weber and his Hoover colleague Kathatina Friedla facilitated the acquisition of the archive by Hoover, which includes an abundance of conversations with Nazis spanning the 1960s to the 1990s. Friedla is the Taube Family Curator for European Collections at Hoover’s Library & Archives.
    Among those Heidemann interviewed – included in the material made available – is Bruno Streckenbach the head of personnel of the SS agency in charge of the Holocaust, who spoke about what Heydrich and Himmler had told him regarding Hitler’s role in the Holocaust.
    The release of the recordings and transcriptions in both German and English, will allow researchers to explore, understand, and learn from voices of the past.
    The conversations were conducted by German investigative journalist Gerd Heidemann – a contentious figure who accumulated an expansive trove of materials that document major world events, war, and dictatorship in the twentieth century. His reputation was sullied in 1983 by the acquisition of forged Hitler diaries but new research led by Weber and Friedla has shown that he played a crucial role hunting down Nazis, which included work over two decades for the Israeli intelligence services.
    The Hoover Institution, together with Weber, went to great lengths to authenticate Heidemann’s Collection, which included an authentication of Streckenbach’s voice recording by the former head of the voice recognition unit of the German Federal Police.
    Weber and Friedla say the release of the Heidemann tapes is an important landmark in understanding the inner lives of key Nazi perpetrators.
    “It is due to the tenacity and diligence of Gerd Heidemann as an investigative journalist that we now have at our hands a collection of more than seven thousand folders of papers and a hundred thousand photos in addition to the audio tapes pertaining to 20th century conflict,” they said.
    Professor Weber met Heidemann, who died in 2024 aged 93, more than 20 times over a ten-year period.
    “We long knew about the World Press Photo Award that Heidemann won in the 1960s for his coverage of colonial warfare. Through an interview I recorded with Gerd Heidemann two weeks prior to his death, we now also know much better about the trust Mossad’s Nazi war crime unit put in him in the 1970s in hunting down Nazi war criminals in hiding,” Professor Weber said.
    “Camouflaging as an aide to former SS-General Karl Wolff, Himmler’s liaison officer to Hitler, Heidemann managed to get in touch with the community of Nazis who had fled to South America, including Klaus Barbie, the ‘butcher of Lyon’, responsible for the deaths of many Jews and resistance fighters.
    Professor Weber added that the newly released tapes show that while being recorded by Heidemann, Barbie and other Nazi war criminals boasted perfectly openly of what they had done, assuming they were speaking among friends.
    “The recordings pull away the rug under the lies that Nazi perpetrators told in postwar court rooms. Back in Germany, Heidemann managed to get Bruno Streckenbach to reveal how SS perpetrators and their lawyers had lied in court rooms in a coordinated fashion about their role in the ‘Holocaust by Bullets’, which resulted in the death of 1.5 million Ukrainian Jews,” Weber said.
     “This is an enormous archive and we’ve only really begun to scratch the surface of the secrets like this that it may hold.
    Historians, alongside all those interested in the meaning and role of history, can now begin to sift through the ‘new trove of material’ that will allow them to study in greater detail than ever before the first-person perspective of the radicalization and crimes against humanity by extremists, something Professor Weber says is absolutely vital at a time at which the world once again is starting to give in to the lure of extreme political behaviour.
    “In line with new breakthroughs in the study of extremism, we need triangulate the inner lives of extremists against other evidence relating to their behaviour”, he said.
    “As Dutch scholar of extremism Rik Peels has said, ‘extremists are also people who act from convictions, for reasons, who have intentions and goals, who think and reflect and make difficult choices. To truly understand and explain radicalization, we must not only look at all kinds of factors that transcend them, but also at what they themselves bring to the table when they explain their beliefs and actions.
    “I have spent more than a decade working to ensure the Heidemann archive could be preserved, and with the wonderful work of Katharina and the Hoover Institution Library & Archives, it will now be opened up to researchers and the general public across the globe.”
    For more information about this collection, visit the Hoover Institution Library & Archives digital collections website and YouTube channel.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Durbin, Klobuchar, Colleagues to Trump Admin: No Refunds for January 6 Insurrectionists

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Durbin, Klobuchar, Colleagues to Trump Admin: No Refunds for January 6 Insurrectionists

    Senators to Attorney General Bondi: “To take the position that January 6 insurrectionists should now receive refunds is unacceptable”
    “The Department should direct Interim U.S. Attorney Martin to change course”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) led six of their Senate colleagues in strongly objecting to the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) misguided position that the federal government should refund restitution payments made by convicted January 6 insurrectionists for damage they caused to the Capitol building. In their letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Senators urged her to direct Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin to reverse course.
    “We write to strongly object to the Department of Justice’s argument in an April 8 court filing that the federal government should refund restitution payments made by some of the convicted January 6 insurrectionists. The arguments advanced by the government in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia under Interim U.S. Attorney Edward Martin’s leadership are both insulting to the American people and inconsistent with separation of powers principles,” wrote the Senators.
    The violent mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021 attempting to prevent the certification of the 2020 election results caused roughly $3 million in damages to the Capitol building, injured more than 100 law enforcement officers, and threatened members and their staff. Damage to the building included widespread vandalism, ruined furniture, shattered glass, broken doors, defaced artwork, and the desecration of the halls of Congress. Convicted January 6 insurrectionists paid about $400,000 in court-ordered restitution to cover the damages they caused, which has since been transferred to the Treasury Department, from where they can only be withdrawn by Congress.
    The DOJ argued in an April 8, 2025 court filing that the federal government should refund a convicted January 6 insurrectionist who paid $570 in restitution for his role in the insurrection after his case was vacated on appeal because of President Trump’s sweeping pardon of convicted January 6 insurrectionists. The Senators expressed serious policy and legal concerns with this position, including that it would violate the fundamental U.S. principle of separation of powers and that it would fully shift the cost of January 6-related repairs from the convicted insurrectionists to taxpayers.
    “The Department should direct Interim U.S. Attorney Martin to change course and forgo any attempt to use the pardon power as a basis to usurp the United States’ right to the January 6 restitution payments and impair Congress’ ability to use these funds to offset the cost to taxpayers of repairs from the January 6 insurrection,” continued the Senators.
    “We condemn the Justice Department’s position that the federal government should financially reward January 6 insurrectionists who ransacked the Capitol, attacked law enforcement officers, and threatened the lives of those who serve here,” concluded the Senators. “The roughly $400,000 received in restitution is little justice for the $3 million’s worth of damage done to the Capitol, the injuries sustained by Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officers serving on that day, and the terror inflicted on those trapped inside during the attack. To take the position that January 6 insurrectionists should now receive refunds is unacceptable.”
    In addition to Padilla, Durbin, and Klobuchar, the letter was also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
    Senator Padilla has repeatedly condemned the deadly January 6 Capitol insurrection and helped pass legislation to prevent similar attacks from threatening our democracy. He previously cosponsored and applauded the passage of the bipartisan Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, which modernized the outdated Electoral Count Act of 1887 to ensure the electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state’s vote for president.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Attorney General Bondi:
    We write to strongly object to the Department of Justice’s argument in an April 8 court filing that the federal government should refund restitution payments made by some of the convicted January 6 insurrectionists. The arguments advanced by the government in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia under Interim U.S. Attorney Edward Martin’s leadership are both insulting to the American people and inconsistent with separation of powers principles.
    On January 6, 2021, a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, attacking and injuring more than 100 law enforcement officers, causing nearly $3 million in damages, and threatening the lives of those who serve here. After violently overpowering law enforcement to illegally enter the Capitol, insurrectionists desecrated the halls of Congress by graffitiing the building, smashing windows and doors, damaging artwork, and destroying furniture, in an attempt to disrupt Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 election.
    While we can never undo the harm these insurrectionists caused to our nation and our Capitol, many of those convicted for their crimes were ordered to pay restitution to cover some of the physical damage they inflicted. Hundreds of individuals were convicted for their roles in the January 6 attack and paid about $400,000 in court-ordered restitution. The Justice Department’s assertion that the government should now offer refunds to insurrectionists and instead have the American taxpayer pay the full cost for the damage these offenders caused is offensive and flies in the face of legal precedent limiting the pardon power.
    As the Justice Department acknowledged in its April 8 court filing, a pardon does not affect the vested rights of others, and the United States’ right to restitution vests when the restitution has been sent to the Treasury Department. Once these funds are in the Treasury, only Congress has the power to withdraw the funds; the President cannot use his pardon power to do so. The Department should direct Interim U.S. Attorney Martin to change course and forgo any attempt to use the pardon power as a basis to usurp the United States’ right to the January 6 restitution payments and impair Congress’ ability to use these funds to offset the cost to taxpayers of repairs from the January 6 insurrection.
    We condemn the Justice Department’s position that the federal government should financially reward January 6 insurrectionists who ransacked the Capitol, attacked law enforcement officers, and threatened the lives of those who serve here. The roughly $400,000 received in restitution is little justice for the $3 million’s worth of damage done to the Capitol, the injuries sustained by Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officers serving on that day, and the terror inflicted on those trapped inside during the attack. To take the position that January 6 insurrectionists should now receive refunds is unacceptable.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff, Torres Slam DHS Immigration Enforcement in Pomona Harming Economy, CA Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Schiff, Torres Slam DHS Immigration Enforcement in Pomona Harming Economy, CA Communities

    Lawmakers urge DHS to “focus enforcement against those who pose a legitimate risk to public safety and to work with Congress on a pathway to citizenship for the immigrants who are essential to our economic success.”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Representative Norma Torres (D-Calif.-35) condemned the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) indiscriminate immigration enforcement raids in Pomona, California as part of President Trump’s cruel mass deportation agenda that are terrorizing California communities and harming the economy. The lawmakers demanded answers on recent egregious DHS enforcement actions — without notice or coordination — including the arrest of at least 10 day laborers outside of a Home Depot, the detainment of a small business owner at gunpoint outside of his barbershop, and an enforcement raid at a Pomona auto body shop conducted with the Riverside County Sherriff’s department.
    Padilla, Schiff, and Torres underscored the deep distrust and economic chaos these enforcement raids foster, hurting entire communities and national supply chains and keeping consumers at home out of fear.
    “We write with deep concern regarding recent immigration enforcement actions conducted in Pomona, California, that have caused widespread fear, disrupted local businesses, and harmed community trust in law enforcement,” wrote the lawmakers.
    “Enforcement actions that indiscriminately disrupt immigrant communities – particularly without transparency or local coordination – threaten not only individual rights but also the economic stability and public safety of entire cities like Pomona,” continued the lawmakers. “Pomona’s small businesses are already feeling the impact. Customers are afraid to shop. Workers are afraid to show up for work.”
    The lawmakers highlighted that California’s economy — now the fourth largest in the world — relies on the contributions of immigrant labor, as immigrants and their children make up the majority (55 percent) of California’s workforce, with immigrants alone comprising 34 percent of the state’s population. Last year, undocumented immigrants contributed $87 billion in household income, $66 billion in spending power, $50 billion to Social Security, and $14 billion to Medicare. They emphasized that immigrant workers make up a significant portion of California’s leading agriculture, health care, and construction sectors. Immigrant construction workers comprise over 40 percent of California’s construction workforce, and are already doing essential work to help Los Angeles County rebuild from the devastating wildfires earlier this year.
    The lawmakers stressed that rather than indiscriminately targeting long-term residents with no criminal records, DHS should work with Congress to help provide these immigrants with a pathway to citizenship. Senator Padilla previously introduced the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, which would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrant essential workers, including Dreamers, as his first bill in Congress.
    “While no one disagrees with targeting violent criminals for deportation, the enforcement actions in Pomona demonstrate that the Department is indiscriminately targeting all noncitizens for removal — including those who have no criminal records and who have been living in and contributing to our communities for decades,” added the lawmakers. “These actions do not make us safer and are contrary to the ideals that we all stand for. We urge you to instead focus enforcement against those who pose a legitimate risk to public safety and to work with Congress on a pathway to citizenship for the immigrants who are essential to our economic success.”
    The lawmakers concluded their letter by demanding information on the raids, including why local officials were not notified and what steps DHS is taking to rebuild trust with immigrant communities.
    “We urge your Department to review these operations carefully and to recommit to an immigration enforcement strategy that prioritizes public safety, upholds civil rights, and reflects the economic realities and moral values of our nation,” concluded the lawmakers.
    Senator Padilla blasted the Pomona immigration raids last week, emphasizing that indiscriminate immigrant enforcement hurts our communities and economy.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary Noem,
    We write with deep concern regarding recent immigration enforcement actions conducted in Pomona, California, that have caused widespread fear, disrupted local businesses, and harmed community trust in law enforcement.
    According to press reports, the City of Pomona in our home state of California has been at the epicenter of recent immigration enforcement activity, much of which has been conducted without giving notice to local officials:
    On Tuesday, April 22, Martin Majin-Leon, a long-time resident and small business owner, was detained at gunpoint in front of his barbershop, terrorizing his family and community. He was released after 30 hours, but the trauma persists. Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval expressed frustration, commenting to federal officials that they were “terrorizing our community.” Reports suggest DMV records may have played a role in his targeting, raising concerns about data-sharing between state agencies and federal immigration authorities.
    Meanwhile, that same day, federal immigration enforcement agents detained as many as 20 day laborers outside a Home Depot in Pomona, where witnesses saw agents arrive in marked and unmarked vehicles around 8 a.m. The Pomona Police Department had no prior knowledge of the operation, and conflicting reports have persisted regarding whether U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or other federal law enforcement entities were responsible for the detentions.
    Later that week, on Friday, April 25, another major enforcement action occurred at Moon Auto Collision in Pomona, executed jointly by Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies and Homeland Security Special Response Teams under the auspices of a narcotics warrant. Pomona city officials, including Mayor Tim Sandoval, were given no prior notice. Mayor Sandoval, upon visiting the scene, underscored the devastating impact these operations have had on community trust and the economic health of local businesses.
    Enforcement actions that indiscriminately disrupt immigrant communities – particularly without transparency or local coordination – threaten not only individual rights but also the economic stability and public safety of entire cities like Pomona. Pomona’s small businesses are already feeling the impact. Customers are afraid to shop. Workers are afraid to show up for work. One local business owner told reporters, “Customers are scared. They are not coming to buy anything. They are not coming to get repairs done.”
    While no one disagrees with targeting violent criminals for deportation, the enforcement actions in Pomona demonstrate that the Department is indiscriminately targeting all noncitizens for removal — including those who have no criminal records and who have been living in and contributing to our communities for decades. These actions do not make us safer and are contrary to the ideals that we all stand for. We urge you to instead focus enforcement against those who pose a legitimate risk to public safety and to work with Congress on a pathway to citizenship for the immigrants who are essential to our economic success.
    California’s economy – now the fourth largest in the world – demonstrates the strength and contributions of immigrant labor. Immigrants and their children comprise 55 percent of California’s workforce. Immigrants alone account for 34 percent of the state’s population and paid $168 billion in taxes last year, while generating over $400 billion in spending power. Undocumented immigrants contributed $87 billion in household income and $66 billion in spending power, alongside $50 billion to Social Security and $14 billion to Medicare.
    Additionally, in the wake of the destructive wildfires that devastated Los Angeles County earlier this year, immigrant construction workers—who make up more than 40 percent of the workforce in California—are essential to the community’s ability to rebuild and recover. Put simply, in critical sectors such as agriculture, construction, and health care, immigrant workers are indispensable to our community.
    Accordingly, we respectfully request answers to the following:
    1. Why weren’t local officials in Pomona notified about recent enforcement actions?
    2. Which federal law enforcement entities were involved in or aware of these enforcement actions?
    3. Has DHS responded to local law enforcement’s request for answers?
    4. What protocols exist to coordinate with local law enforcement and elected officials before conducting large-scale enforcement actions?
    5. How does DHS plan to comply with the April 29, 2025 court order from the Eastern District of California barring Border Patrol agents from detaining or arresting individuals without reasonable suspicion of illegal presence, as required by the Fourth Amendment?
    6. Was California Department of Motor Vehicles data accessed in the case of Martin Majin-Leon?
    7. What safeguards exist to prevent improper use of state data for immigration enforcement purposes?
    8. What steps is DHS taking to rebuild trust with immigrant communities that have been traumatized by these events?
    We urge your Department to review these operations carefully and to recommit to an immigration enforcement strategy that prioritizes public safety, upholds civil rights, and reflects the economic realities and moral values of our nation.
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Foreign Nationals Indicted For Selling Drugs And Unlawful Possession Of Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – Two foreign nationals unlawfully residing in the United States made their initial court appearances Wednesday to face a 12-count indictment in connection to an alleged drug trafficking conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, and unlawful possession of firearms, including a privately made firearm, in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes.

    According to allegations contained in court documents, from September 2024 to March 27, 2025, Jose Luis Castillo-Alvarez, also known as “Celso Ramses Ibarra-Angulo” and “Oscar,” and Kevin Omar Cruz-Lima, also known as “Kevin Omar Lima-Cruz” and “Cesar,” conspired with each other to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; 10 grams or more of fentanyl; and cocaine. Furthermore, on March 27, 2025, Castillo-Alvarez and Cruz-Lima allegedly possessed an AM15 5.56x45mm semiautomatic rifle and a privately made 9x19mm semiautomatic pistol in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes. Castillo-Alvarez and Cruz-Lima were unlawfully in the United States at the time of the alleged crimes. Castillo-Alvarez had been previously deported from the United States.

    Heroin is a Schedule I controlled substance; and methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine are Schedule II controlled substances.

    Castillo-Alvarez and Cruz-Lima are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; two counts of distribution of heroin; one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm; and two counts of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

    Additionally, Castillo-Alvarez is charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Castillo-Alvarez was previously deported and removed from the United States on April 20, 2020, and reentered the country illegally. Cruz-Lima is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin; one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

    United States Magistrate Judge Youchah scheduled a jury trial before United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to begin on June 30, 2025.

    If convicted, both Castillo-Alvarez and Cruz-Lima face the total maximum statutory penalty of confinement for life.

    United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement.

    This case was investigated by ATF, the ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig and Special Assistant United States Attorney Clay Plummer are prosecuting the case.

    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, 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 and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, has indicted a local man with a drug conspiracy involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine.  

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, and Sheriff John Aubrey of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.

    According to the indictment, Jordan Watkins, 34, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, over 40 grams of fentanyl, and cocaine for an offense occurring between September 24, 2023, and March 9, 2025, in Jefferson County, Kentucky.

    On April 25, 2025, Watkins made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. A detention hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2025. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case is being investigated by the FBI and LMPD, with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting this case.

    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).

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: D.C. Felon Indicted After Officers Find Firearm in Vehicle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Charged as Part of Make D.C. Safe Again Initiative

    WASHINGTON – Jerone D. Robinson, 48, a resident of the District of Columbia, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the Make D.C. Safe Again initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

    Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. The initiative prioritizes federal firearms violations, seeks tougher penalties for offenders, and aims to detain dangerous individuals facing federal firearms charges.

    Robinson is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.

    According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2024, MPD officers were conducting proactive patrols on Benning Road NE when they observed an unattended, running vehicle. Officers noted a sole occupant, later identified as Robinson, sitting in the driver’s seat. Through the windshield, an officer spotted a firearm on the floorboard in front of the driver’s seat.

    Robinson was detained without incident. Officers secured the firearm, which was identified as a loaded, Glock-style semi-automatic handgun.

    Officers also observed a Styrofoam cup containing a yellow liquid with the odor of alcohol in the center console. When questioned, Robinson admitted it was “a mixed drink.” He was arrested and transported to the Fifth District Station.

    A background check confirmed the firearm was not legally registered, that Robinson lacked a license to carry, and that he is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction.

    This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman is prosecuting the case.

    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: ATF Louisville host press conference on combatting firearms trafficking to Mexico

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

    LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Louisville Field Division hosted a joint press conference to showcase recent efforts to combat the trafficking of firearms to Mexico. ATF was also joined by the IRS, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Louisville Metro Police Department and Jeffersontown Police Department.

    “ATF is on the frontline in the fight against gun-related violence associated with organized gangs and drug trafficking organizations,” said ATF Louisville Field Division Special Agent in Charge John Nokes. “These crimes present a grave threat to public safety, and our law enforcement partnerships are critical as we work together to stop firearms trafficking by criminal groups.”

    In response to the growing threat posed by Transnational Criminal Organizations and the administration’s emphasis on combating them, ATF has been working swiftly and diligently with partners to effectively combat the flow of illegal firearms trafficked to Mexico.

    Over the past four years, Cartels have infiltrated the United States through the southern border and are operating within our communities. These Cartels have established and expanded their networks throughout the United States to carry out their illicit activities such as, fentanyl trafficking and human smuggling.

    Cartels rely on specific firearms to facilitate, expand and protect their criminal enterprise, including large caliber and/or belt fed rifles such as, the Ohio Ordinance M2 .50 caliber, FN M240 7.6mm, FN M249 5.56, and the Barrett M82 .50 semi-automatic rifle.

    Under President Trump’s and Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, ATF has prevented nearly 9,700 firearms from falling into the hands of dangerous criminals or terrorist. In Fiscal Year to Date 2025, ATF initiated 15,825 violent crime cases and seized 18,286 firearms, 13,031 firearms parts and accessories, 1,161,501 rounds of ammunition and 13,304 assorted explosives.

    ATF is the only federal law enforcement agency whose mission is to reduce violent crime. While our mission is clear and concise, it is also immense and dangerous. And, as a small agency with just about 5,000 employees, we can only succeed with our local, state, and federal partners. These partnerships, including the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), other government agencies, state and local law enforcement, help to stem the flow of illegal firearms being trafficked to Mexico.

    ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating firearms, fires and crimes of arson. More information on ATF can be found at www.atf.gov

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee against Torture Concludes Eighty-Second Session

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee against Torture this morning closed its eighty-second session, after adopting concluding observations on the reports of Armenia, France, Mauritius, Monaco, Turkmenistan and Ukraine, which were reviewed during the session. The session was held from 7 April to 2 May.

    Claude Heller, Committee Chairperson, read out a summary of the concluding observations for each country reviewed this session under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment . The concluding observations will be available on the webpage of the session as of 1 p.m. this afternoon.

    Mr. Heller said that the Committee had still not been informed whether its next two sessions scheduled for 2025 would take place. Sixteen treaty body sessions were at stake, and the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture had had to postpone four of its eight visits planned for 2025. As soon as more information became available, the Committee would announce the dates of its upcoming sessions and the country reviews planned for each session.

    Mr. Heller also noted that the sudden cessation of hybrid meetings would continue to negatively impact the work of the Committee members, civil society organizations, national human rights institutions, national preventive mechanisms and other stakeholders.

    In conclusion, he said that the Committee now came to the end of yet another session, held with professionalism, independence, and a constructive spirit to fully adhere to its mandate.

    Peter Vedel Kessing, Committee Rapporteur, presented the annual report, which covered the period from 11 May 2024 to 2 May 2025, including the eightieth session, which was held from 8 to 26 July 2024; the eighty-first session which was held from 28 October to 22 November 2024; and the eighty-second session which was held from 7 April to 2 May 2025.

    Documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties and the concluding observations of the Committee, will be available on the website of the session. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, and webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.

    The dates and details of the next session of the Committee will be communicated at a later date.
     

    Statements

    PETER VEDEL KESSING, Committee Rapporteur, presented the Committee’s annual report, which covered the period from 11 May 2024 to 2 May 2025, including the eightieth session, which was held from 8 to 26 July 2024; the eighty-first session which was held from 28 October to 22 November 2024; and the eighty-second session which was held from 7 April to 2 May 2025.

    As of today, there were 175 States parties to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Since the adoption of the Committee’s previous annual report, Dominica had acceded to the Convention, on 5 December 2024. The Committee called upon all States that had not ratified the Convention to do so and called upon those that were already parties to accept all the procedures of the Convention in order to enable the Committee to fulfil all aspects of its mandate. As of today, there were 94 States parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention. 

    The Committee held a joint meeting between the members of the Committee and the Chair of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture. The Committee adopted a joint statement with the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, and the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture to mark the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, which was commemorated on 26 June.

    To mark the fortieth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention, the Committee, jointly with the other United Nations anti‑torture mechanisms held a high-level event in Geneva on 14 November 2024.

    The Committee expressed its appreciation to non-governmental organizations, with special thanks to the World Organization against Torture. The Committee requested that all multilingual hybrid meetings be maintained as a feature of an adequately resourced session and called upon States parties to support this request. 

    Concerning complaints under article 22 of the Convention, as of today, the

    the Committee had registered, since 1989, 1,260 complaints concerning 45 States parties. Of those, 449 complaints had been discontinued and 152 had been declared inadmissible. The Committee had adopted final decisions on the merits in 524 complaints and found violations of the Convention in 220 of them. Considering the adopted communications during the current session, some 133 complaints were pending consideration. All the Committee’s decisions could be found in the updated treaty body case law database, on the website of the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, and in the Official Document System of the United Nations.

    At its eightieth session, the Committee adopted decisions on the merits in respect of 10 communications. The Committee further found two communications inadmissible and it discontinued the consideration of 19 complaints. At its eighty-first session, the Committee adopted decisions on the merits in respect of six communications. The Committee found three communications inadmissible and discontinued the consideration of 12 communications. At its eighty-second session, the Committee adopted decisions on the merits in 12 communications. It found 2 communications inadmissible and it discontinued the consideration of 12 cases. One communication was postponed.

    CLAUDE HELLER, Committee Chairperson, read out a summary of the concluding observations on the reports of the States parties that were reviewed during the session.

    Armenia

    Concerning Armenia, the Committee commended the State party on the adoption of its new Criminal Code, which established an expanded definition of torture, along with the adoption of a new Criminal Procedure Code, introducing a number of new procedural safeguards against torture and increasing the availability of non-custodial measures. The Committee recommended that Armenia ensure that the penalties for torture were commensurate with the gravity of the crime. It also recommended that the State party train prosecutors and judges on the use of non-custodial measures, provide sufficient material and financial resources for their application, and adopt the necessary regulations to ensure that they may be applied in practice.

    With regard to psychiatric and social care institutions, the Committee recommended that the State party guarantee sufficient legal and procedural safeguards for residents in psychiatric institutions and social care facilities, both in law and in practice. It also recommended that the State party reduce recourse to coercion in psychiatric settings, and ensure that physical or chemical means of restraint were used in accordance with domestic law and international standards. 

    France

    As for France, the Committee expressed its deep concern about the numerous allegations of excessive use of force, including lethal force, and ill-treatment by law enforcement officials, and was seriously concerned that such cases reportedly disproportionately affected members of certain minority groups, in particular persons of African descent, persons of Arab origin or Muslim religion, indigenous peoples and non-nationals. The Committee recommended that the State party ensure that all allegations of excessive use of force and ill-treatment were investigated promptly, thoroughly and impartially by an independent body, that those responsible were held accountable, and that victims or their families obtain adequate redress.

    The Committee recommended that France continue its efforts to improve living conditions in all places of deprivation of liberty and to reduce overcrowding in prisons and other places of detention. It also recommended that the State party ensure that all allegations of ill-treatment were thoroughly investigated, that alleged perpetrators were prosecuted and, if found guilty, sentenced to appropriate penalties, and that victims or their families received redress, including adequate compensation. It recommended that the State party improve the monitoring and control of violence among prisoners. The Committee recommended that the State party take all necessary measures to encourage the reporting of hate crimes motivated by racist, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, xenophobic or homophobic prejudice, and to ensure that such crimes were thoroughly investigated, that perpetrators were prosecuted and punished, and that victims had access to effective remedies.

    Mauritius

    Concerning Mauritius, the Committee acknowledged the State party’s commitment to develop a code of practice for police officers and to strengthen their training to address those shortcomings. The Committee recommended that Mauritius strengthen its efforts to further ensure that the Independent Police Complaints Commission was properly resourced and equipped to carry out its functions, and guarantee that acts of torture and ill-treatment were promptly, impartially and effectively investigated and prosecuted, as appropriate. The Committee also asked the State party to take all appropriate measures to prevent acts of intimidation and reprisals against alleged victims, their legal representatives, and relatives.

    The Committee recommended that Mauritius ensure that all deaths in custody were promptly and impartially investigated by an independent entity, including through independent forensic examinations, with due regard to the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death. Where appropriate, the Committee recommended that the corresponding sanctions be applied. It also asked the State party to compile and provide it with detailed information on all incidents of death in all places of detention, the causes, and the outcomes of the investigations.

    Monaco

    As for Monaco, the Committee voiced its concern about reports that the “maison d’arrêt de Monaco” and its facilities were structurally incompatible with their current purpose, as they remained unsuitable for prolonged deprivation of liberty. While it was aware of the State party’s land-use constraints, the Committee encouraged the State party to consider transferring prisoners to a new prison facility that better complied with international standards on deprivation of liberty and the prevention of ill-treatment. Meanwhile, it recommended that the State party continue its efforts to improve living conditions in the “maison d’arrêt de Monaco”, including by ensuring that persons in pretrial detention were allowed visits or telephone calls without specific authorisation from the judicial authorities.

    The Committee expressed its concern about reports of precarious working conditions affecting many migrant domestic workers and undeclared migrant workers, particularly in the construction, hotel and catering sectors, as well as on private yachts. The Committee recommended that the State party strengthen the capacity and resources of the labour inspectorate to enable it to monitor more effectively the situation of migrant workers, in particular domestic workers, including with regard to their recruitment and working conditions. It also recommended the State party to redouble its efforts to inform migrant workers, including undeclared workers, of their rights and the complaint mechanisms available to them, and facilitate their access to those mechanisms.

    Turkmenistan

    With regard to Turkmenistan, the Committee expressed grave concern about the persistent reports of widespread torture and ill-treatment of detainees in the State party. Despite the installation of audio-visual equipment in some detention facilities across the country, such measures appeared insufficient in preventing and curbing abuse. The Committee had further expressed serious concern about the lack of accountability, which reflected a worrying pattern of institutional impunity. The Committee urged the State party to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards torture, including a clear public statement from the highest levels of Government, and to ensure that all allegations were promptly and independently investigated, perpetrators held accountable, and victims granted full redress.

    The Committee noted and welcomed the adoption of the Ombudsman Act and the recent “B” status accreditation of Turkmenistan’s Ombudsperson by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. However, it expressed concern about the reported lack of independence and limited authority of the Ombudsperson’s office, particularly its failure to address serious and systemic human rights violations. The Committee recommended that the State party fully implement the recommendations of the Alliance’s Subcommittee on Accreditation and take all necessary steps to establish an independent national monitoring body capable of conducting unannounced visits to all places of detention, engaging with detainees in private, and responding effectively to allegations of abuse in line with the Paris Principles.

    Ukraine

    Concerning Ukraine, the Committee acknowledged the challenges faced by the State party in fully implementing its obligations under the Convention due to the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation against it. It recalled, nevertheless, that the Convention was applicable in the State party’s entire territory and Ukraine should therefore take all possible steps to implement it.

    The Committee noted Ukraine’s commitment and measures taken to abide by international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the context of the ongoing armed conflict and occupation, but expressed concerns about reports indicating allegations of torture and ill-treatment, threats, humiliation, and other violations of Russian prisoners of war, allegedly committed by the Ukrainian armed forces and military police, as well as the inadequate recording and reporting of their visible injuries sustained by torture or ill-treatment, among other concerns. The Committee underscored that the prohibition of torture was non-derogable, that no exceptional circumstances whatsoever may be invoked as a justification of torture, and that the obligations stemming from this prohibition were not subject to reciprocity.

    The Committee also recommended that Ukraine ensure that all fundamental legal safeguards were guaranteed in practice for all detained persons from the outset of the deprivation of their liberty, including the right to request and receive a medical examination by an independent doctor, free of charge, or a doctor of their choice, that was conducted out of hearing and sight of police officers, unless the doctor concerned explicitly requested otherwise, as the access to an initial confidential medical examination did not appear to be routinely granted in Ukraine, and if it was granted, it was reportedly performed in the presence of a police officer.

    Other

    Mr. Heller said that during the session, the Committee also adopted lists of issues for Pakistan and Tajikistan and lists of issues prior to reporting for Antigua and Barbuda, Botswana, Iceland, Iraq, Kenya, Montenegro, State of Palestine and Uruguay.

    The Committee had still not been informed whether its next two sessions scheduled for 2025 would take place. Sixteen treaty body sessions were at stake, and the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture had had to postpone four of its eight visits planned for 2025. As soon as more information became available, the Committee would announce the dates of its upcoming sessions and the country reviews planned for each session. Mr. Heller noted that the sudden cessation of hybrid meetings would continue to negatively impact the work of the Committee members, civil society organizations, national human rights institutions, national preventive mechanisms and other stakeholders.

    Concerning the individual complaints procedure, he said the Committee this session examined 26 individual complaints. Of the examined cases, two were deemed inadmissible. Additionally, 12 cases were decided on the merits: in one case the Committee found no violations, while in 11 cases the Committee determined there was a violation by the State party. Furthermore, the Committee adopted 12 discontinuance requests. 

    Mr. Heller read out the results of the work of the Committee Rapporteurs on follow-up to concluding observations, individual cases, and reprisals. A summary of the meeting that was held on these results can be found here.

    In conclusion, Mr. Heller said that the Committee now came to the end of yet another session, held with professionalism, independence, and a constructive spirit to fully adhere to its mandate.

    __________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CAT.009E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State Police, Governor Shapiro Honor Fallen Troopers, Commemorate 120 Years of Service to Pennsylvania

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    May 02, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA

    State Police, Governor Shapiro Honor Fallen Troopers, Commemorate 120 Years of Service to Pennsylvania

    Governor Josh Shapiro joined the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) today to honor the sacrifice of all department members who lost their lives in the line of duty. The memorial service at Department Headquarters commemorated the 120th anniversary of the establishment of the Pennsylvania State Police.

    “Our fallen troopers make the ultimate sacrifice for Pennsylvania – and it’s important that we take days like today to gather and honor their life in service – and to reaffirm that we never, ever forget,” saidGovernor Josh Shapiro. “The men and women of the Pennsylvania State Police go to work every single day to protect and serve our communities. Policing is a noble profession, and we need to continue to have the backs of our police. That’s why my Administration is working to make historic investments in our State Police. I am committed to ensuring our troopers and their families have the help and support they deserve all across our Commonwealth.”

    “For 120 years, the women and men of Pennsylvania State Police have dedicated their lives to serving our Commonwealth,” saidColonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the PSP. “Today, we remember those who gave their lives. Our Memorial Wall bears witness to their unfaltering courage and unwavering integrity. May their legacies never fade, and may we forever strive to be worthy of their sacrifices.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Peruvian National Extradited for Overseeing Call Center That Threatened and Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. Consumers

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A resident of Lima, Peru, accused of operating a large fraud and extortion scheme, was extradited to the United States and made her initial appearance in Miami federal court, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

    Carla Magaly Alcedo Mendoza (Alcedo), 43, of Lima, Peru, will face federal charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion. Alcedo was arrested on March 27, 2023, by Peruvian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request.

    According to the indictment, the defendant managed and operated Peruvian call centers from January 2013 through December 2018. The defendant and her co-conspirators in Peru allegedly used Internet-based telephone calls to contact Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States. These call centers falsely told victims they worked on behalf of universities, Hispanic help centers, and government entities and that the victims had been selected to receive financial assistance for English language programs. Many consumers expressed interest in receiving the products. In later calls, Alcedo and her co-conspirators falsely claimed the victims were required to pay storage and other fees related to the materials. When victims refused to pay, Alcedo and her co-conspirators pressured and extorted these victims, including by claiming they would be taken to court or even arrested if they failed to make payments.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank the Republic of Peru, including the Peruvian National Police, for assisting in extraditing this individual to face charges here in the United States. The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”

    “The reach of American justice is boundless in pursuing fraudsters who target the elderly and other vulnerable groups,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Transnational criminals who use scams, fear, and intimidation to steal from victims will be held accountable.”

    “Today marks the fourteenth arrest and tenth extradition in this investigation, which was made possible by the outstanding collaboration between federal and international partners. We have proven that when we work together, no criminal is beyond our reach,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division.

    Alcedo is charged in an 18-count federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Alcedo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges are prosecuting the case. USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Peruvian National Police, and the Peruvian Attorney General’s Office provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition.

    The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.

    For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peruvian National Extradited for Overseeing Call Center That Threatened and Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. Consumers

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A resident of Lima, Peru, accused of operating a large fraud and extortion scheme, was extradited to the United States and made her initial appearance in Miami federal court, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

    Carla Magaly Alcedo Mendoza (Alcedo), 43, of Lima, Peru, will face federal charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion. Alcedo was arrested on March 27, 2023, by Peruvian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request.

    According to the indictment, the defendant managed and operated Peruvian call centers from January 2013 through December 2018. The defendant and her co-conspirators in Peru allegedly used Internet-based telephone calls to contact Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States. These call centers falsely told victims they worked on behalf of universities, Hispanic help centers, and government entities and that the victims had been selected to receive financial assistance for English language programs. Many consumers expressed interest in receiving the products. In later calls, Alcedo and her co-conspirators falsely claimed the victims were required to pay storage and other fees related to the materials. When victims refused to pay, Alcedo and her co-conspirators pressured and extorted these victims, including by claiming they would be taken to court or even arrested if they failed to make payments.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank the Republic of Peru, including the Peruvian National Police, for assisting in extraditing this individual to face charges here in the United States. The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”

    “The reach of American justice is boundless in pursuing fraudsters who target the elderly and other vulnerable groups,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Transnational criminals who use scams, fear, and intimidation to steal from victims will be held accountable.”

    “Today marks the fourteenth arrest and tenth extradition in this investigation, which was made possible by the outstanding collaboration between federal and international partners. We have proven that when we work together, no criminal is beyond our reach,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division.

    Alcedo is charged in an 18-count federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Alcedo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges are prosecuting the case. USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Peruvian National Police, and the Peruvian Attorney General’s Office provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition.

    The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.

    For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New recycling facility contract announced

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    An artist’s impression of the new materials recovery facility to be built in Hume.

    In brief:

    • A new recycling facility for the ACT will be built in Hume.
    • Veolia will partner with the ACT Government to design, build and operate the new facility.
    • The facility will have world-leading technology to recover and sort recyclable materials.
    • It is expected to be operational in 2028.

    A new recycling facility for Canberra is on the way.

    Veolia will partner with the ACT Government to design, build and operate the new facility.

    This will be built within the current bounds of the Hume Resource Recovery Estate on Recycling Road in Hume.

    Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

    World-leading technology

    The Government selected Veolia as its industry partner after a competitive procurement process last year.

    Veolia is a leader in water, energy, and waste management. It will bring world-leading technology to Canberra to build one of the country’s most advanced materials recovery facilities.

    Veolia will run the facility under a long-term contract for 20 years, once it is operational.

    A state-of-the-art facility

    The new facility will be able to sort paper and cardboard, glass, plastic, steel and aluminium.

    Its sophisticated technology will increase recovery rates, producing high purity in materials for recycling and resource recovery.

    Technology includes:

    • a glass purification plant
    • sophisticated automatic recognition
    • screens to separate paper
    • laser optical identification with air jets to separate plastics
    • powerful magnets to extract metals.

    Supporting Canberra and its future

    The new, larger facility will be able to process up to 115,000 tonnes of mixed recyclables per year.

    This supports a growing Canberra and changing consumer behaviour that is contributing to increases in recoverable material over time.

    Additional benefits

    The project will create more than 130 new jobs.

    Removing the need to transport the ACT’s recyclable materials interstate will have a further environmental impact.

    A new education space will also be built. This will allow the community and school groups to visit and learn about how recyclable products are processed, to be transformed into renewed items.

    Capabilities and features of the new facility include:

    Improved recycling facilities

    • Sorting: advanced optical sorting to better separate, identify, sort and segregate recycling to higher purity levels, reducing contaminants for better quality end market products.
    • Glass recycling: glass crushing and washing facilities to provide better quality crushed glass that can be used in a wider range of products.
    • Container recycling: improved and expanded baling processes for Container Deposit Scheme materials.

    Improved environmental aspects

    • Greenstar rating: the building will be designed to meet specific Greenstar requirements to reduce the facility’s carbon footprint.
    • Wastewater management: wastewater capture treatment and reuse with stormwater management infrastructure to achieve environmental compliance.

    Advanced management systems

    • Fire management: advanced fire detection and suppression systems.
    • Data collection: sophisticated data collection, management, and analysis systems.
    • Flexibility to incorporate new innovations, improvements in technology and adapt to changing recycling priorities and materials.

    State-of-the-art fire detection, mitigation and control systems will safeguard the site from fires. These can be caused by items such as lithium batteries or gas bottles finding their way into the recycling stream.

    Non-recyclable or flammable items should not be put in recycling bins. This does happen from time to time, though, warranting the need for these extra safety measures.

    Interim recycling

    Canberrans can rest assured that the items they put in their yellow household bins are still being recycled.

    Until the new facility is complete, recycling services will continue to be delivered by the current contractor, Re.Group.

    The new recycling facility is funded via a joint investment of $26 million from the ACT and Australian governments.

    The construction program includes the demolition of the previous material recovery facility, which is expected to commence around mid-2025.

    The facility is expected to be operational in 2028.

    Read more like this

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Butler Man Indicted for Threats to Assault and Murder President Trump and Other U.S. Officials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh with making threats to assault and murder President Donald J. Trump, other United States officials, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The eight-count Indictment named Shawn Monper, 32, currently detained in the Butler County Prison, as the defendant. Monper was previously charged by federal criminal complaint with making the threats that are charged in the Indictment (read the criminal complaint news release here).

    On April 9, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with the assistance of the Butler Township Police Department, arrested Monper on the federal criminal complaint, with law enforcement at that time seizing three handguns purchased by Monper between February and March 2025. After preliminary and detention hearings on April 14, 2025, the Court found that Monper was a danger to the community and ordered that he be detained pending trial.

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence on each count of up to five or 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The FBI and the Butler Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Over 13 Years In Prison For Coercion And Enticement Of Multiple Children

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced Thursday by Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 160 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Denzel Renyal Michael Loyd’s sentence follows his conviction for four counts of coercion and enticement after he solicited multiple children to engage in prostitution. The defendant utilized Facebook to contact the minors and solicit them to engage in sexual acts, send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, and prostitute themselves on his behalf.

    “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense,” said United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Over the span of a few months, the defendant, a self-described pimp, solicited numerous minors to send him sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves, induced them to engage in various sex acts – at least one victim complied to his sex demands in exchange for food, and attempted to convince the victims to engage in prostitution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to work closely with the FBI to protect our youth from predators, and we will seek justice for victims.”

    “Denzel Renyal Michael Loyd deserves each and every day of his 13-year prison term,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI. “This sentence delivers a message to anyone intent on harming children. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting children from the clutches of offenders like Loyd. Every time a child predator is brought to justice, potential victims are spared immeasurable harm.”

    In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Loyd must register as a sex offender and keep the registration current.

    United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.

    The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Jean Ripley and Supriya Prasad prosecuted the case with the assistance of the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).

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

    Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

    ###

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: More than 350 New Immigration Cases Filed in the Western District of Texas

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 352 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from April 25 through May 1.

    Among the new cases, David Ysturiz-Villalobos and Yilber Gabriel Caldera-Espinoza were arrested by the San Antonio Police Department during an April 22 traffic stop. Both were identified as Venezuelan nationals unlawfully present in the United States. Ysturiz-Villalobos was observed in possession of a .40 caliber pistol with a loaded magazine and one chambered round. Caldera-Espinoza later admitted the pistol was his. Ysturiz-Villalobos and Caldera-Espinoza are each charged with one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and, if convicted, face up to 10 years in federal prison.

    Mexican national Rogelio Cruz-Ramirez was federally charged with illegal re-entry in Austin after being encountered at the Hays County Jail, where he was serving a 271-day sentence for possession of a controlled substance. Cruz-Ramirez has three prior removals from the United States and two voluntary returns to Mexico. In 2015 he was convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member, adding to an unlawful carry conviction and fraudulent use/possession of identifying information in 2007. Cruz-Ramirez also has three unlawful entry convictions on his record.

    Jesus Soto-Reyes, a Mexican national, was encountered at the Bastrop County Jail, where he was being held for an alleged aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault causing bodily injury to a family member. Soto-Reyes has five previous removals from the United States in addition to two voluntary returns.

    Angel Navarro-Miranda, also of Mexico, was encountered at the Travis County Jail, where he was being held for an alleged DWI and collision involving damage. Navarro-Miranda’s criminal record includes four additional DWI charges dating back to August 2000.

    Near Eagle Pass, Honduran national Alicia Lourdes Mendoza-Fuentes was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents on April 23. Mendoza-Fuentes is charged with illegal re-entry, having been deported three times before. Mendoza-Fuentes was convicted May 15, 2024 for a smuggling of persons offense and was subsequently deported to Honduras May 29, 2024.

    USBP agents arrested a Salvadoran national, Daniel Isai Gonzalez-Martinez, near Eagle Pass on April 24. Gonzalez-Martinez also has three prior removals, the most recent being Dec. 13, 2024. Gonzalez-Martinez is a three-time convicted felon with two illegal re-entry convictions and one conviction in 2018 for bringing in and harboring certain aliens.

    Mexican national Jose Torres-Galaviz was arrested by USBP agents near Eagle Pass on April 28. Torres-Galaviz has multiple felony convictions that include resisting law enforcement, auto theft and battery by bodily waste in January 2024, along with possession of cocaine and battery by bodily waste convictions in August 2021. He was recently deported through El Paso on Feb. 22 and now faces an illegal re-entry charge.

    Jose Luis Padron Arredondo, also a Mexican national, was arrested by USBP agents on April 25 for an illegal re-entry offense. Padron Arredondo has been deported four times, the last one being Oct. 17, 2024 through Del Rio. His criminal record includes a felony conviction for illegal re-entry in 2013 and two convictions for improper entry by an alien in 2009 and 2010.

    In El Paso, Eddie Gonzalez Jr., a U.S. citizen, was arrested April 28 and charged with smuggling illegal aliens. USBP agents were responded to reports of three individuals making an illegal entry within five miles of the Tornillo Port of Entry when they noticed a vehicle speed away. Gonzalez Jr. is alleged to have been the driver and fled from USBP agents multiple times at a high rate of speed. A criminal complaint alleges that Gonzalez Jr. eventually exited his vehicle, ran on foot, and boarded a second vehicle driven by a juvenile. Agents were able to pull the second vehicle over and arrest both Gonzalez Jr. and the juvenile. One of the individuals apprehended in the area of the reported illegal entry was also apprehended and allegedly admitted to being a Mexican citizen. The criminal complaint alleges Gonzalez Jr. admitted to entering into an agreement with a smuggler and was expecting to be paid $1,800 for picking up illegal aliens.

    USBP agents at Fort Hancock also arrested Yonni Rios-Ibarra, a Mexican national who allegedly served as a foot guide for two other Mexican nationals entering the U.S. illegally. Agents allegedly observed the three aliens attempting to high in the brush alongside a canal. Rios-Ibarra is charged with bringing in and harboring certain aliens.

    Mexican national Francisco Reyna-Espinosa was transferred to federal custody in Odessa after being convicted April 25 of driving while intoxicated, for which he was sentenced in the 161st Judicial District Court to 10 years of confinement. Reyna-Espinosa was previously convicted in federal court on Jan. 30, 2014, for illegal re-entry after deportation and sentenced to three years of probation. Reyna-Espinoza has two additional DWI convictions on his criminal record.

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

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

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

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

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hawaii Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Elderly Orange County Victim Out of Nearly $2 Million that Cost the Victim His Home and His Yacht

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SANTA ANA, California – A Hawaii man has pleaded guilty to a federal criminal charge for defrauding a 78-year-old Orange County victim out of nearly $2 million by false promises of brokering the sale of the victim’s yacht, the Justice Department announced today.

    John Tamahere McCabe, 42, of Kailua, Hawaii, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of wire fraud.

    According to his plea agreement, McCabe offered to help the victim sell his yacht. What the victim didn’t know was McCabe used fabricated documents to change the ownership of the yacht to McCabe’s name. Once in his name, McCabe then diverted the proceeds to his own personal bank account and used most of the proceeds for his own personal purposes.

    McCabe further convinced him to transfer his million-dollar Irvine residence into a McCabe-controlled limited liability company (LLC), claiming that it would protect the victim’s most-valuable asset and provide tax benefits. Without the victim’s knowledge or consent, McCabe caused himself to be the sole manager of the LLC and caused $1 million in loans to be taken out and secured by the victim’s residence, draining all its equity.

    Once McCabe spent the loan proceeds, he defaulted on the loans and the victim’s residence was sold at a foreclosure sale, leaving the victim homeless. Through this scheme, McCabe defrauded the victim out of approximately $1,814,000.

    United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter scheduled an October 16 sentencing hearing, at which time McCabe will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

    The FBI investigated this case with the help of the Irvine Police Department.   

    First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Waier is prosecuting this case.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. English, Spanish and other languages are available. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Minors

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – Harrison James Miller, 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and the commissioning of a felony crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Gina M. Cirincion, State’s Attorney for Washington County; and Chief Paul Kifer, Hagerstown Police Department.

    According to court documents and the guilty plea, Miller was ordered to register as a sex offender after a conviction in Pennsylvania involving an 8-year-old child.  In August 2022, upon release from prison, Miller moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, but did not register as a sex offender as required by law.

    He then gained access to two children, ages 4 and 5, and sexually abused them over a period of several months. Additionally, Miller took images of the minors which he stored in a password protected folder on his cell phone. Miller was arrested and charged after one of the minors disclosed the abuse to his mother. Through a search of Miller’s phone, law enforcement uncovered the hidden images and other evidence.

    Miller faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years and a maximum of 80 years in federal prison followed by up to lifetime of supervised release for these offenses. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2025, at 2 p.m.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Click the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page to learn about Internet safety education.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office, and Hagerstown Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal 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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  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Peruvian National Extradited for Overseeing Call Center That Threatened and Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. Consumers

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    A resident of Lima, Peru, accused of operating a large fraud and extortion scheme, was extradited to the United States and made her initial appearance in Miami federal court, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today.

    Carla Magaly Alcedo Mendoza (Alcedo), 43, of Lima, Peru, will face federal charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion. Alcedo was arrested on March 27, 2023, by Peruvian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request.

    According to the indictment, the defendant managed and operated Peruvian call centers from January 2013 through December 2018. The defendant and her co-conspirators in Peru allegedly used Internet-based telephone calls to contact Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States. These call centers falsely told victims they worked on behalf of universities, Hispanic help centers, and government entities and that the victims had been selected to receive financial assistance for English language programs. Many consumers expressed interest in receiving the products. In later calls, Alcedo and her co-conspirators falsely claimed the victims were required to pay storage and other fees related to the materials. When victims refused to pay, Alcedo and her co-conspirators pressured and extorted these victims, including by claiming they would be taken to court or even arrested if they failed to make payments.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “I thank the Republic of Peru, including the Peruvian National Police, for assisting in extraditing this individual to face charges here in the United States. The Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners across the globe to bring to justice criminals who attempt to defraud U.S. victims from outside the United States.”

    “The reach of American justice is boundless in pursuing fraudsters who target the elderly and other vulnerable groups,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Transnational criminals who use scams, fear, and intimidation to steal from victims will be held accountable.”

    “Today marks the fourteenth arrest and tenth extradition in this investigation, which was made possible by the outstanding collaboration between federal and international partners. We have proven that when we work together, no criminal is beyond our reach,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division.

    Alcedo is charged in an 18-count federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, Alcedo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Speare Hodges are prosecuting the case. USPIS investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Peruvian National Police, and the Peruvian Attorney General’s Office provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition.

    The Justice Department continues to investigate and bring charges in other similar matters. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Consumer complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at https://www.ovc.gov.

    For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. 

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Auslan service now at Access Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website.

    You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Stephenville — Bay St. George RCMP seeks public’s assistance locating stolen vehicle that fled from police

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Bay St. George RCMP is seeking assistance from the public in locating a stolen vehicle that fled from police in Stephenville on the evening of May 1, 2025.

    Shortly before 8:30 p.m. last night, Bay St. George RCMP attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Gallant Street in Stephenville. The vehicle failed to stop for police and fled the area in a dangerous manner. In the interest of public safety, police did not pursue the vehicle.

    A short time later, at approximately 9:15 p.m., police received a report of a stolen vehicle from a residential property on Hillview Avenue in Stephenville which occurred sometime earlier that day. The stolen vehicle, a 2018 brown Mazda CX5 SUV, with NL licence plate JHC530, matched the vehicle that fled from police. An image of a similar vehicle is attached.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Bay St. George RCMP asks the public to check for possible surveillance footage of the vehicle on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Anyone having information about the current location of the stolen vehicle, the driver, or any other information about this incident is asked to contact police at 709-643-2118. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

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  • MIL-OSI Canada: SIRT Concludes Investigation into Death Following RCMP Interaction in Swift Current

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 2, 2025

    On May 5, 2024, the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) was notified of an in-custody death that took place following an arrest by members of the Swift Current Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). SIRT’s Civilian Executive Director accepted the notification as within SIRT’s mandate and directed SIRT to investigate. 

    SIRT has completed its investigation into this matter and the Civilian Executive Director’s public report can now be accessed online. 

    https://publications.saskatchewan.ca:443/api/v1/products/126102/formats/147667/download.

    SIRT’s mandate is to independently investigate incidents where an individual has died or suffered serious injury arising from the actions of on and off-duty police officers, or while in the custody of police, as well as allegations of sexual assault or interpersonal violence involving police.

    For additional information, visit:
    SIRT Investigating Death in Swift Current RCMP Custody | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marystown — Prohibited driver arrested by Burin Peninsula RCMP, refuses roadside breath test

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Seventy-two-year-old Alvin Roff of Mortier was arrested by Burin Peninsula RCMP on April 30, 2025, for driving while prohibited.

    On Wednesday evening, as part of an ongoing investigation into a previous report of prohibited driving involving Roff, Burin Peninsula RCMP attended his residence in Mortier. Roff was prohibited from driving as part of his sentencing for a previous conviction of an impaired driving offence.

    While in the area of the home, police observed a vehicle pull into the driveway and observed Roff as he exited the driver seat. He was arrested for prohibited driving. During the arrest, the officer observed signs of alcohol impairment and provided Roff with a demand for a roadside screening test. He refused to provide a breath sample. His vehicle was seized and impounded.

    Roff was held in police custody overnight and attended court on May 1, 2025. He is charged with prohibited driving and refusing to provide a breath sample. Roff was released by the court on a number of conditions and is scheduled to appear in court again at a later date.

    RCMP NL continues to fulfill its mandate to protect public safety, enforce the law, and ensure the delivery of priority policing services in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Revere Man Pleads Guilty to Role in International Money Laundering Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    More than 16 kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine seized during the investigation

    BOSTON – A Revere man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds for drug suppliers based in Central and/or South America and possessing over 17 kilograms of various controlled substances.

    Jason Hunter, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of cocaine and other controlled substances; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2025.

    According to court documents, law enforcement received information from a confidential source about large-scale international money laundering organizations that used money brokers in Colombia as liaisons between drug suppliers based in Central and/or South America and their drug customers in the United States. The money brokers arrange contracts with U.S.-based money launderers to conduct pickups of drug proceeds on behalf of the drug suppliers in Latin America. As part of the investigation, law enforcement agents – posing as money launderers – conducted controlled pickups in connection with contracts offered by the money brokers in cities throughout the United States, including Boston.

    Over the course of the investigation, Hunter delivered drug proceeds to undercover investigators on multiple occasions, including on Feb. 28, 2024, when he delivered $140,000 of bulk cash drug proceeds. On April 3, 2024 Hunter was arrested on his way to a money pickup that had been arranged by a broker. At the time of his arrest $100,000 in drug proceeds was seized from Hunter’s possession. A subsequent search of his residence and vehicle resulted in the seizure of over 16 kilograms of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine, thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, additional pills containing oxycodone, as well as over a kilogram of cocaine and multiple kilograms of marijuana.

    The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered funds, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.  

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

    The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Ohio Men For Conspiring To Distribute More Than Five Kilograms Of Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Virgil Cooper (42, Cleveland, OH) and Angelo Jordan (49, Euclid, OH) guilty of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and attempting to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Each faces a minimum penalty 15 years’ imprisonment, due to prior serious drug or violent felonies, and a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The sentencing hearings have not yet been set. 

    According to testimony and evidence presented during the four-day trial, Cooper established contact with a former federal prison cellmate who had been deported to his native country of Colombia after serving his sentence. Cooper wanted to purchase multiple kilograms of cocaine directly from Colombia at a discount rate. The former cellmate introduced Cooper to a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source who helped arrange for a viewing of 10 kilograms of cocaine with undercover officers in Tampa in February 2023. Because Cooper was still serving the remainder of his sentence in a halfway house, he sent his friend, Jordan, to view the cocaine. After repeated communications and Cooper’s release from the halfway house, Cooper and Jordan traveled from Cleveland to Tampa on August 3, 2023, to deliver a down payment of $120,000 for an initial 30 kilograms of cocaine, and they were arrested.

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney David Rehfuss and Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Passaic County Man Admits Embezzling More Than $3 Million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey man admitted his role in embezzling approximately $3.2 million from a New Jersey couple, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Charles Gallo, 34, of Hawthorne, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court to an Information charging him with wire fraud.

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

    In 2018, Gallo began working as the part-time personal assistant for the victims.  Gallo’s duties included managing the victims’ monthly bills and assisting them with banking, email, and other computer/technology-related issues.  From March 2022 through March 2023, Gallo, abused this position of trust by engaging in a fraudulent scheme to misappropriate approximately $3,200,000 from the victims’ accounts.  Gallo accomplished this fraud by routinely using the victims’ ATM card to withdraw large amounts of money, opening a line of credit, and cashing checks made payable to himself drawn on the victims’ bank accounts.  He also used the victims’ credit cards to purchase for his personal use computer equipment, gaming systems, collectible items from online retailers, and other unauthorized transactions.

    The wire fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.  She also thanked the Ridgewood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Forest R. Lyons, and the Hawthorne Police Department under the direction of Chief James Knepper, for their assistance.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

                                                               ###

    Defense counsel: Dennis S. Clearly, Esq., West Orange, New Jersey.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: BATON ROUGE MAN SENTENCED TO 120 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR A FIREARM VIOLATION

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Ledale Deanthony Sawyer, age 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 120 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of a stolen firearm. The Court further sentenced Sawyer to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered the firearm seized by law enforcement be forfeited.

    According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on July 16, 2023, Baton Rouge Police officers were dispatched to a residence in Baton Rouge in response to a domestic disturbance. The caller, identified as Victim-1, told dispatch that Sawyer was inside her residence armed with an AR-15 rifle. Upon arrival, officers spoke with Victim-1, who stated that Sawyer possessed a firearm. Victim-1 said that she hid the firearm from Sawyer and showed officers its location. Officers recovered the firearm, identified as a Wise Arms, Model WA-15B rifle. Shortly thereafter, officers located an individual matching Sawyer’s description at a house approximately one block from Victim-1’s residence. The individual was positively identified as Sawyer by both Victim-1 and by the distinctive tattoo on his neck with the name “Sawyer” at which time Sawyer was arrested.

    A trace on the firearm indicated that the firearm had previously been reported stolen on June 22, 2023. In that case, the victim, identified as Victim-2, stated that she met an individual to sell him a television. The individual pulled a firearm from his waistband, pointed it at Victim-2 and her partner, and took the firearm from the backseat of her vehicle.

    ATF agents also located pictures of Sawyer in possession of a firearm that were posted on his public social media profile on June 30, 2023. Agents compared these images to photos of the firearm seized in this case. Based on the markings and distinctive scratch marks, agents determined the firearm from Sawyer’s social media photos was the same firearm seized upon his arrest on July 16, 2023.

    This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Baton Rouge Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Met releases CCTV of missing 17-year-old in urgent witness appeal

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Met is releasing CCTV of a 17-year-old boy who’s been missing for more than a month as his family appeal for information about his whereabouts.

    Deante James left his home in Enfield at around 23:00hrs on Monday, 31 March and was reported missing to the Met the following morning.

    Officers began an investigation and recovered CCTV which identified a sighting in The Courtfield Pub in Earl’s Court Road in Earl’s Court at around 20:00hrs on Thursday, 3 April. Further footage showed he had also visited a nearby McDonald’s.

    In the footage, Deante is seen wearing a black ‘Trapstar’ cap, a blue jacket, black tracksuit and black trainers. He was carrying a Nike backpack and Nike cross body bag.

    As part of our investigation, officers have already viewed over 18 hours of CCTV footage, including multiple cameras across the public transport network. Officers are still awaiting further CCTV which officers will review once it becomes available.

    While officers believe that Deante is not carrying a mobile phone, enquiries have been carried out to obtain historic mobile phone date, in order to identify and associates that could know about Deante’s whereabouts.

    As well as Enfield, Deante has links to Romford, Dagenham, Hackney, Ilford and Earl’s Court. He may have also travelled to Brighton.

    Deante’s mum, Vandana Bhogowoth, said:

    “To Boo (Darell Deante, sun son) wherever you are please know that we love you unconditionally and just want you home safe. You are not in any trouble, you are missed beyond words! We are desperate to know you are okay, and all your family are waiting with wide open arms and heart!

    “If anyone has seen my son or has any information please contact the police or us immediately. We are desperate for your help. Every piece of information matters. He is very vulnerable as of recent and just want him home so he can get the love, help and support he desperately needs. All our lives are on standstill until he is home safe.”

    Detective Chief Inspector Elsa Mak, from the missing person’s team in north London, said:

    “Deante has been missing for more than a month as we are increasingly concerned for his welfare. He has not been in contact with any of his family or friends and left without any traceable items which means we have limited opportunity to identify his movements.

    Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to call 101 quoting the reference 01/7330181/25. Report immediate sightings by calling 999.

    You can also contact the Missing People charity online or by calling 116 000.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Nature in the City grants now open

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Plants and natural materials help cool urban areas.

    In Brief:

    • The Nature in the City: Cooling Your Suburb grants program is now open for applications.
    • The program supports projects that make urban areas cooler using plants and natural materials.
    • This story describes eligibility criteria and projects that have secured funding from previous rounds.

    Grants are now open for the ‘Nature in the City: Cooling Your Suburb’ program.

    What is the program for?

    The grants support innovative projects to make the hottest areas in Canberra cooler.

    A total of $150,000 in grant funding is now available for local projects that:

    • use plants and natural materials to make urban areas cooler
    • protect suburbs from the harsh impacts of climate change.

    As the heat continues to rise, Canberrans are more likely to suffer from ‘urban heat island effect’. This is when surfaces and infrastructure like pavement, roads and buildings soak up the heat from the sun. It then radiates back into suburbs.

    What kind of projects are eligible for funding?

    Up to $50,000 per project is available for projects that will benefit the community through:

    • providing natural shade
    • capturing rainwater
    • improving water absorption
    • showcasing creative ways to keep suburbs cool.

    These projects may include:

    • replacing hard and hot surfaces with plants and natural materials
    • installing a combination of shade structures and plants, or
    • installing landscaping features that retain water, like swales.

    Up to $10,000 is also available for eligible organisations to conduct feasibility studies that explore new ways to make an area cooler with nature-based solutions.

    Which projects have received grant funding before?

    Three Mills Bakery is a local business that received funding in the last round of the program. They are working to transform an urban concrete hotspot in Woden into a publicly accessible oasis.

    They are installing canopy trees and other plants in planter boxes. The vegetation and planters will reduce urban heat and retain water.

    “The external environment plays a huge role in creating remarkable hospitality experiences”, Jarrod Deaton, founder of Three Mills Bakery said.

    “The Nature in the City: Cooling Your Suburb grant will help us to transform a harsh concrete environment into a softer, greener space that people can enjoy.”

    How can I find out more?

    An online information session will be held on 12 December 2024 for those who are interested in applying for a grant and wish to find out more about the program and application process. 

    Applications for the 2024-25 ‘Nature in the City: Cooling Your Suburb’ grants program are now open until midnight 9 February 2025.

    For more information on the grant program and how to apply, visit the Everyday Climate Choices website.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Healthcare facility incident probed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government has set up an inter-departmental team to ensure cases concerning the recent suspected closure of a private healthcare facility are handled as soon as possible and people affected by it are provided with assistance.

    The dedicated team comprises representatives from the Security Bureau, the Commerce & Economic Development Bureau, the Customs & Excise Department, Police, the Department of Health and the Consumer Council.

    The Department of Health said that the parents of children affected by the incident that have been registered with Maternal & Child Health Centres (MCHCs) may make an appointment by calling the registered MCHCs for advice on the vaccinations the children need to receive.

    For a small number of children who have not been registered with MCHCs, parents may call 2125 1188, which will operate from tomorrow from 9am to 5pm daily until further notice. Parents can also send emails or messages to 6170 8006 for enquiries.

    Meanwhile, the Customs & Excise Department is conducting investigations into offences under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance regarding unfair trade practices. If there is any violation of the ordinance, Customs will take enforcement action.

    As at 4pm today, Customs and Police received 312 reports and the Consumer Council received 157 complaints on the incident. The Consumer Council urges those responsible for the private healthcare facilities to provide an explanation as soon as possible to address consumers’ concerns. Consumers can call the council’s hotline at 2929 2222 if in doubt.

    Members of the public may report any suspected violation of the ordinance to Customs on the 24-hour hotline 182 8080, email its crime-reporting account or fill out an online form.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bloomsburg Man Convicted of Drug Distribution Resulting in Death

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tysheem Dunlap, age 28, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was convicted of drug delivery resulting in death after a four-day jury trial in front of Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, on August 20, 2022 in Bloomsburg, PA, Dunlap delivered a substance to four individuals who were current or recent students at Bloomsburg University and were seeking to use cocaine that night.  The substance delivered by Dunlap, however, was fentanyl and not cocaine.  After using it, three of the four individuals overdosed.  The fourth individual called 911.  Emergency responders were able to revive two of the overdose victims, but the third victim’s overdose was fatal.

    Laboratory analysis of the substance sold to the victims by Dunlap revealed it contain fentanyl.  Autopsy and post-mortem toxicology confirmed the presence of fatal levels of fentanyl in the deceased victim’s bloodstream.  During the trial, expert testimony established that but for the toxic level of fentanyl, which is 50-100 times more potent than morphine, the otherwise healthy victim would not have died.  At the conclusion of trial, the jury returned a verdict finding Dunlap guilty on one count of drug distribution resulting in death; two counts of drug delivery resulting in serious bodily injury; and two counts of distribution of cocaine.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bloomsburg Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Geoffrey W. MacArthur and Alisan V. Martin 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.

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    MIL Security OSI –