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Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI USA: Prepare for Severe Weather Tuesday

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul cautioned New Yorkers in portions of Western and Central New York to prepare for severe weather that includes an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms expected to arrive Tuesday afternoon. Storms with strong winds are predicted along with a possible, isolated tornado for parts of Western New York, Southern Tier, North Country, Finger Lakes into Central New York. Wind gusts could exceed 70 MPH in these locations at times. There is also a possibility for hail up to one inch in diameter within thunderstorms, especially for western parts of the state. Rainfall is expected to be less than a half inch in most areas, but some isolated areas could see up to an inch of rain. There is also a marginal to slight risk for severe thunderstorms for much of the North Country, as well as portions of the Mohawk Valley, Capital Region, and Hudson Valley. Governor Hochul urged New Yorkers to closely monitor the weather and take any precautions necessary to stay safe through the storms.

    “As storm season approaches and severe weather makes its way to Western and Central New York, I am directing state agencies to be prepared to assist New Yorkers impacted by these storms,” Governor Hochul said. “My highest priority is the safety of New Yorkers, and I implore all those in the path of inclement storms to monitor weather conditions and take necessary precautions to stay safe.”

    For a complete listing of weather watches, warnings, advisories, and latest forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website.

    Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
    The Division’s Office of Emergency Management is in contact with their local counterparts and is prepared to facilitate requests for assistance. State stockpiles are staffed and ready to deploy emergency response assets and supplies as needed. The State Watch Center is monitoring the storm track and statewide impacts closely.

    Department of Transportation
    The State Department of Transportation is monitoring weather conditions and prepared to respond with 3,730 supervisors and operators available statewide. All field staff are available to fully engage and respond.

    Statewide equipment numbers are as follows:

    • 1,528 large dump trucks
    • 334 large loaders
    • 91 chippers
    • 90 tracked and wheeled excavators
    • 33 water pumps
    • 31 traffic and tree crew bucket trucks
    • 29 traffic tower platforms
    • 16 vacuum trucks with sewer jets

    The need for additional resources will be re-evaluated as conditions warrant throughout the event. For real-time travel information, motorists should call 511 or visit 511ny.org, New York State’s official traffic and travel information source.

    Thruway Authority
    The Thruway Authority has 660 operators and supervisors prepared to respond to any wind or flood related issues across the state with small to medium sized excavators, plow/dump trucks, large loaders, portable VMS boards, portable light towers, smaller generators, smaller pumps and equipment hauling trailers, as well as signage and other traffic control devices available for any detours or closures. Variable Message Signs and social media are utilized to alert motorists of weather conditions on the Thruway.

    Statewide equipment numbers are as follows:

    • 354 Large and Small Dump Trucks
    • 66 Loaders
    • 31 Trailers
    • 6 Vac Trucks
    • 15 Excavators
    • 8 Brush Chippers
    • 99 Chainsaws
    • 20 Aerial Trucks
    • 26 Skid Steers
    • 86 Portable Generators
    • 67 Portable Light Units

    The Thruway Authority encourages motorists to download the mobile app, which is available to download for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to live traffic cameras, real-time traffic information and navigation assistance while on the go. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert e-mails which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway, follow @ThruwayTraffic on X, and visit thruway.ny.gov to see an interactive map showing traffic conditions for the Thruway and other New York State roadways.

    Department of Public Service
    New York’s utilities have approximately 5,500 workers available statewide to engage in damage assessment, response, repair and restoration efforts across New York State, as necessary. Agency staff will track utilities’ work throughout the event and ensure utilities shift appropriate staffing to regions that experience the greatest impact.

    New York State Police
    State Police instructed all Troopers to remain vigilant and will deploy extra patrols to affected areas as needed. All four-wheel drive vehicles are in service, and all specialty vehicles are staged and ready for deployment.

    Department of Environmental Conservation
    The Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Emergency Management staff, Environmental Conservation Police Officers, Forest Rangers, and regional staff remain on alert and continue to monitor weather forecasts. Working with partner agencies, DEC is prepared to coordinate resource deployment of all available assets, including first responders, to targeted areas in preparation for potential impacts due to heavy rainfall and flooding.

    DEC reminds local officials to watch for potential flooding in their communities. Municipalities are encouraged to undertake local assessments of flood-prone areas and to remove any accumulating debris. DEC permits and authorization are not required to remove debris unless stream banks or beds will be disturbed by debris removal and/or the use of heavy equipment. Municipalities and local governments are advised to contact DEC’s Regional Permit Administrators if assistance is required and to help determine if a permit is necessary.

    If a permit is necessary, DEC can issue Emergency Authorizations to expedite approval of projects in place of an individual permit. DEC approves Emergency Authorizations for situations that are deemed an emergency based on the immediate protection of life, health, general welfare, property, or natural resources.

    Unpredictable weather and storms in the Adirondacks, Catskills, and other backcountry areas can create unexpectedly hazardous conditions. Visitors should be prepared with proper clothing and equipment for rain, snow, ice, and colder temperatures to ensure a safe outdoor experience. Trails have mixed conditions of snow, ice, slush, and mud.

    Hikers are advised to temporarily avoid all high-elevation trails, as well as trails that cross rivers and streams. Hikers in the Adirondacks are encouraged to check the Adirondack Backcountry Information webpages for updates on trail conditions, seasonal road closures, and general recreation information.

    Backcountry visitors should Hike Smart and follow proper safety guidelines. Plan trips accordingly. In an emergency, call 9-1-1. To request Forest Ranger assistance, call 1-833-NYS-RANGERS.

    Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
    New York State Park Police and park personnel are on alert and closely monitoring weather conditions and impacts. Park visitors should visit parks.ny.gov, check the free mobile app, or call their local park office for the latest updates regarding park hours, openings and closings.

    Thunderstorm Safety Tips

    Thunderstorms are dangerous storms that can produce 50+ mph winds, lightning, hail and cause flash flooding and tornadoes. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning. Go to a safe shelter immediately.

    • Move to a sturdy building. Do not take shelter in small sheds, under isolated trees, or in convertible automobiles.
    • If lightning occurs and sturdy shelter is not available, get inside a hard top automobile and keep windows up.
    • Get out of boats and away from water.
    • Telephone lines and metal pipes can conduct electricity. Unplug appliances not necessary for obtaining weather information. Avoid using the telephone or any electrical appliances.
    • Do not take a bath or shower.
    • Turn off air conditioners — power surges from lightning can overload compressors.
    • Get to higher ground if flash flooding or flooding is possible.
    • Do not attempt to drive to safety — most flash flooding deaths occur in automobiles.
    • If outdoors, find a low spot away from trees, fences, and poles.
    • If you are in the woods, take shelter under short trees.
    • If you feel your skin tingle or your hair stands on end, squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet; place your hands on your knees with your head between them; make yourself the smallest target possible; and minimize your contact with the ground.

    Tornado Safety Tips

    • If outdoors: Seek shelter in a substantial building immediately. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in a ditch or low spot with your hands shielding your head.
    • Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car; instead, leave it immediately.
    • If at home or in a small building: Go to the basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of the building. Stay away from windows. Closets, bathrooms, and other interior rooms offer the best protection. Get under something sturdy or cover yourself with a mattress.
    • If in a school, hospital, or shopping center: Go to a pre-designated shelter area. Stay away from large open areas and windows. Do not go outside to your car.
    • If in a high-rise building: Go to an interior small room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. Do not use the elevators. Use the stairs.
    • If in a mobile home or vehicle: Get out of mobile homes or vehicles – they are easily tossed about by strong winds in the tornado.
    • Take shelter in a substantial structure: If there is no shelter near-by, lie flat in a ditch or low spot with your hands shielding your head.

    Flood Safety

    • During flash flooding, never attempt to drive on a flooded road. Turn around and go another way. If water begins to rise rapidly around you in your car, abandon the vehicle immediately.
    • Do not underestimate the power of fast-moving water. Two feet of fast-moving flood water will float your car, and water moving at two miles per hour can sweep cars off a road or bridge.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney Ed Martin Jr. Credits President Trump’s First 100 Days with 25% Drop in D.C. Violent Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    35 Charged Under ‘Make D.C. Safe Again’ Initiative

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia is marking President Donald J. Trump’s first 100 days by highlighting a 25 percent drop year-to-date in violent crime across the District, credited in part to the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative and the U.S. Attorney’s partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Metropolitan Police Department.

    “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and the efforts of our ‘Make D.C. Safe Again’ initiative, the District has seen a significant decline in violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr.

    “We are proving that strong enforcement and smart policies can make our communities safer,” he said.

    “When President Trump chose me to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, he could have picked anybody, but he picked me, because he knew I am committed to preparing the nation’s capital for America 250, when we welcome the rest of the country and the rest of the world to celebrate America’s founding,” Martin said.

    Martin is also a member of the president’s “Making DC Safe and Beautiful” Task Force.

    “Violent crime often negatively impacts an entire community, and the victims are often left to pick up the broken pieces. It is our job to ensure that there are far fewer victims, and more people are held accountable for the crimes they commit,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood.

    “The safety of our communities is our number one priority, and our actions will continue to reflect just how committed we are. We remain in lockstep with our law enforcement partners as well as the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure that people who arbitrarily engage in acts of violence are prosecuted and held accountable for their actions.”

    According to data provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, total violent crime has declined by 25 percent year-to-date in 2025, with significant decreases in robberies, assaults with a dangerous weapon, and homicides.

    In March of 2025, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. launched ‘Make D.C. Safe Again’, a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought federal firearms charges against 35 defendants since the launch of the ‘Make D.C. Safe Again’ initiative. 

    Recent cases include:

    1. Defendant Charged with Illegal Gun Possession in Superior Court Now Faces Federal Firearm Charge.
    2. District Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession Following Arrest in Northeast D.C.
    3. Indictment Charges Maryland Man with Illegal Possession of a Firearm.
    4. Felon with Firearm Indicted After Arrest for Committing Lewd Act in Northeast.

    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 –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Arrests Alleged South Lake Tahoe Fentanyl Distributor

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

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Sacramento Field Office announces the arrest of Timothy Austin Pannell, 31, of South Lake Tahoe on a federal complaint for alleged distribution of fentanyl, a felony. An FBI special agent took Pannell into custody on Friday, April 25, 2025, in South Lake Tahoe. This arrest was made possible with assistance from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, El Dorado County Probation, and El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.

    On February 12, 2024, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI responded following a 911 call reporting multiple overdoses at a residence in South Lake Tahoe. Three men and one woman were found deceased in the residence. A fifth individual survived the overdose.

    According to court documents, Pannell, a.k.a. “Frog,” allegedly sold fentanyl that he represented as cocaine to two of the men in the parking lot of a church in South Lake Tahoe, California, on the night of February 11, 2024.

    The charge against Pannell is a mere allegation. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia Man Charged With Two Armed Carjackings, Two Commercial Robberies, and Gun Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Azzubayr Ibn Abdul Josey, 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with two counts of carjacking, two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, two counts of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.

    The defendant was arrested this morning and made his initial appearance in Magistrate Court before the Honorable Scott W. Reid.

    As alleged in the indictment, on November 9, 2024, Josey carjacked a 2011 Toyota Sienna in Philadelphia at gunpoint. Then on November 24, 2024, he is alleged to have carjacked a 2006 Honda Civic in Philadelphia, again at gunpoint. The same day, the defendant allegedly robbed a Family Dollar in West Philadelphia, where he simulated that he had a firearm. Finally, on November 25, 2024, Josey is alleged to have robbed a CVS in West Philadelphia, again simulating that he had a firearm.

    The indictment also alleges that the defendant possessed a stolen firearm on December 11, 2024.

    If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years’ imprisonment.

    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.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Osborne.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Corpus Christi man guilty of sexual exploitation of a child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 19-year-old Corpus Christi resident has admitted to distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The investigation began in December 2023, when Angel Valdez left a comment on a social media page supporting the work of an individual who had recently been sentenced to prison in Australia for animal cruelty.

    Australian law enforcement investigated further and began conversations with Valdez in an undercover capacity. In those communications, Valdez spoke about his interest in animal cruelty which later developed into child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    On Feb. 14, 2024, Valdez sent a video depicting CSAM which included a video of a nude prepubescent girl and a nude adult female wearing a mask. The depiction showed the young child being forced to perform oral sex on the adult female.

    Law enforcement executed a search warrant June 28, 2024, which resulted in the discovery of a laptop containing CSAM. Valdez also admitted he had participated in the online conversation and to distributing the CSAM.

    U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Aug. 12. At the time, Valdez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of authorities in Australia.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Phil Scott Appoints Brandon Thrailkill as Caledonia County Sheriff

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today announced he has appointed Brandon Thrailkill of Lyndonville as Caledonia County Sheriff following the passing of former Sheriff James Hemond earlier this spring.

    “Brandon has a proven track record of public service in Caledonia County both as a law enforcement officer and as an active member in his community,” said Governor Phil Scott. “As a lifelong resident of Caledonia County, I believe Brandon will serve Vermonters well in this role.”

    Thrailkill has served as a law enforcement officer for over 13 years. He most recently served as the state transport deputy for the Caledonia County Sheriff’s Department where he rose to the rank of captain within the Department. Prior to that, Thrailkill worked at the Lyndonville Police Department as a patrol officer.

    “It’s an absolute honor to have been appointed sheriff to serve the people of Caledonia County. I have big shoes to fill but I look forward to bringing open communication, integrity and continue building trust within the communities we serve,” said Thrailkill. “Caledonia County is my home, and I will lead with purpose and with the community’s wellbeing as a top priority.”

    Thrailkill’s appointment is effective immediately.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Virginia Man Sentenced for Firearm and Ammunition Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Virginia man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  

    Ted Therrien, 54, of Newport News, Va., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to time served (356 days) plus two weeks in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. In November 2024, Therrien pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    According to court documents, on or around July 30, 2021, when boarding a commercial fishing vessel in Fairhaven, Mass., Therrien unlawfully possessed a Ruger .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and at least nine rounds of Remington .40 caliber ammunition. While on board the fishing vessel, after an argument with fellow crew members, Therrien discharged the firearm into the air. The U.S. Coast Guard was called and removed him from the fishing vessel. Therrien is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.  

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Steven Firth, Special Agent in Charge of Coast Guard Investigative Service, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Fairhaven Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prior felon arrested for illegal re-entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jhonser Rafael Coste-Morales, 38, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on May 26, 2024, a New York State Trooper in Painted Post, NY, arrested two individuals for possession of fentanyl. U.S. Border Patrol was contacted to assist in verifying foreign documents provided by the two individuals. Record checks determined that one of the individuals, Coste-Morales, was a citizen and national of the Dominican Republic and had been previously deported from the United States following an aggravated felony conviction. On April 14, 2025, Border Patrol agents received a call that Coste-Morales was going to be released from custody. Coste-Morales was subsequently arrested again and taken into custody.

    Coste-Morales legally entered the United States in April 2013 and became a Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident in August 2017. In April 2022, he was convicted of a felony drug charge in Montour County, Pennsylvania, and in October 2023, he was deported back to the Dominican Republic.

    Coste-Morales made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and was detained.

    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.

    The complaint is a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher.

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

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged Purse Thief Charged with Robbery, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Wire Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – Mario Bustamante Leiva, 49, a Chilean National who is in the U.S. illegally, was arrested on April 26, 2025, on a criminal complaint charging wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and robbery in connection with three purse snatchings in the District and the unauthorized use of victim credit cards.

    The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

    An initial appearance in U.S. District Court is pending. Bustamante Leiva appeared in Superior Court today on an unrelated fugitive warrant. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against him.

    According to court documents, on April 12, 2025, a victim reported to MPD that her purse was stolen from the back of her chair while she was dining at Nando’s restaurant, in the 800 block of F Street, NW. Law enforcement recovered video surveillance of the suspect who appeared to be acting in concert with a second individual (Suspect 2). An unauthorized transaction totaling more than $500 was made using the victim’s credit card.

    On April 17, 2025, a victim at the Westin Hotel, in the 900 block of 9th Street, NW, reported her purse had been stolen while it was hanging on the back of her chair, while she was having dinner. Two unauthorized transactions for more than $400 were made using the victim’s credit card.

    On April 20, 2025, a third victim, who was dining at the Capital Burger restaurant in the 1000 block of 7th Street, NW, reported that her purse, which she had placed at her feet while dining, had gone missing. Law enforcement recovered video surveillance of the suspect, who made unauthorized transactions, totaling more than $200, using the victim’s credit card. The victim also lost cash and personal documents.

    “Thanks to the efforts of the Secret Service working in concert with the Metropolitan Police Department, this alleged thief was quickly identified, arrested, and, with the deft management of the Assistant US Attorney, charged,” said U.S. Attorney Martin.  “He will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “We began this investigation with only a grainy security video of a masked offender,” said U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge, Matt McCool. “The subsequent arrests in this case are a testament to the extraordinary investigative work by the analysts and special agents of the Washington Field Office, the USSS Uniformed Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department.   We also received valuable assistance from our partners at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

    During the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned that on April 19, 2025, Bustamante Leiva had reported a robbery to Montgomery County (MD) Police, claiming a bag containing his belongings were stolen from him while he was asleep on a bench.

    On April 26, 2025, law enforcement from the U.S. Secret Service and MPD went to a location where Bustamante Leiva was staying, located him, and placed him under arrest. Following his arrest, law enforcement interviewed Bustamante Leiva in connection with the purse thefts.

    This case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Jackson County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mark Leslie Lively, 58, of Kenna, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

    A federal jury convicted Lively on July 17, 2024, following a two-day trial. Evidence at trial proved that Lively participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area from about November 2022 to in or about March 2023. Members of the DTO conspiracy commonly obtained their controlled substances on consignment, paying their suppliers with proceeds from distributing them to customers. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement officers watched Funderburk and Lively meet in an alley near Washington Street West in Charleston, where Funderburk provided approximately 138 grams of methamphetamine to Lively.

    As Lively drove away from the meeting place, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of Lively’s vehicle and requested the assistance of a police K-9 unit. The police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. The officer searched Lively’s vehicle and seized the methamphetamine hidden underneath the dashboard.

    The evidence at trial established that Lively intended to distribute the methamphetamine that he received from Funderburk.

    Lively has a long criminal history that now includes 34 criminal convictions, with at least eight of those prior convictions for felony offenses.

    “The defendant is a hardened criminal who has shown time and again that if he is on the streets, he is committing crimes,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “After decades of failing to curb his lawlessness, he participated in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that caused untold harm to the community. Today’s sentence will spare the community further harm by this defendant for an extended period of time.”

    Lively and Funderburk are among 31 individuals convicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.

    Funderburk, 39, of Charleston, was sentenced on October 3, 2024, to 13 years and six months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, and for violating supervised release. Funderburk is among 30 of the defendants who pleaded guilty.

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Connecticut Man Who Committed Narcotics Offense While on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Connecticut man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

    Hector Soto Gonzalez, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2024, Mercado Aponte was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute four hundred grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    Beginning at least as early as June 2023, while Soto Gonzalez was on federal supervised release after serving a 10-year sentence for a narcotics conviction in the District of Puerto Rico, Soto Gonzalez became a source of supply for fentanyl for co-defendant Jose Mercado Aponte. Mercado Aponte travelled from Massachusetts to the area of Soto Gonzalez’s residence in Hartford, Conn., on multiple occasions to pick up drugs that Mercado Aponte then provided to a cooperating witness (CW).  
        
    On Nov. 13, 2023, Mercado Aponte arranged to sell a kilogram of fentanyl to the CW. On that date, Mercado Aponte communicated with the CW to coordinate the deal and then made three calls to Soto Gonzalez. Later that afternoon, law enforcement conducting surveillance of the residence observed Soto Gonzalez leave his residence and put something in his trunk. Soto Gonzalez subsequently departed his residence in his truck and travelled from Connecticut to Massachusetts where a traffic stop was conducted and approximately one kilogram of fentanyl was located inside the vehicle. Soto Gonzalez was released from federal custody in May 2022 after being sentenced and serving 70 months in prison.
        
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police; and Commissioner Shawn Jenkins of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation New Haven Division, Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office and the Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson, Concord, Waltham, Fitchburg, Leominster and Hartford, Conn. Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadoran National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that STANLIN DANIEL VASQUEZ-SALINAS, also known as “Stalin Vasquez-Salinas” and “Stalin Vasquez,” 25, a citizen of Ecuador recently residing in Danbury, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with unlawful reentry of a removed alien.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2025, Danbury Police arrested Vasquez-Salinas and charged him with conspiracy to commit commercial sexual abuse of a minor between the ages of 15 and 17 years old.  Vasquez-Salinas identified himself as “Stalin D. Vasquez” at the time of his arrest.  Analysis of Vasquez-Salinas’ fingerprints confirmed his true identity, and the investigation revealed that Vasquez-Salinas had illegally entered the U.S. in December 2019 and was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas.  He was removed to Ecuador in May 2020.

    It is further alleged that, on March 14, 2025, Vasquez-Salinas was released from state custody on bond.  That same day, after a brief vehicle chase and subsequent foot pursuit, he was taken into ICE custody.

    Vasquez-Salinas has been detained since March 14, 2025.  He appeared today in Hartford federal court.  The charge of unlawful reentry of a removed alien carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj. N. Patel.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

    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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Youth Mobility Scheme for Uruguayan and British citizens: 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    Youth Mobility Scheme for Uruguayan and British citizens: 2025

    • English
    • Español de América Latina

    The Youth Mobility Scheme allows 500 visas, both for Uruguayan and British nationals, to live, study, work and travel in the UK and Uruguay respectively.

    In 2025, 500 British and 500 Uruguayan nationals aged 18 to 30 years old will be able to experience life and culture in each other’s country for up to 2 years, as established in the agreement that came into effect in both countries on 31 January 2024.

    Uruguayan citizens who would like to travel to the UK under this scheme need to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) visa. British citizens who would like to travel to Uruguay should apply for a Working Holiday temporary residency.

    The scheme desires to foster close relations between British and Uruguayan nationals, intending to promote and facilitate access to opportunities that enable youth to gain a better understanding of the other participant’s culture, society, and languages through travel, work, and life experience abroad.

    This is the first YMS between the UK and a South American Country. The agreement was signed in August 2023 at the Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the visit of FCDO Minister for the Americas and Caribbean David Rutley MP to Uruguay.

    UK has YMS agreements in place with Andorra, Australia, Canada, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Taiwan and Uruguay.

    Uruguay has Working Holiday programmes with Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

    Find below information about the scheme and how to apply, for British and Uruguayan nationals.

    Information for British nationals

    British citizens interested in applying for a Working Holiday temporary residency must attend the Uruguayan Consulate in London and submit the following documents:

    • valid passport in good condition, with an expiry date at least one year in the future
    • a medical certificate from the country of residence where it states that you do not have medical conditions that would make it impossible for you to reside in Uruguay
    • evidence of a Police Certificate from the country of origin and from any country that you have lived in for the past 5 years. This should be apostilled or legalised, whichever is appropriate. In the UK you can apply for this at: http://www.gov.uk/copy-of-police-records. The six must have been issued within the 6 months prior to the filing of the application
    • documents that demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources to meet their needs (such as salary payslips, bank statements, pensions, etc.) issued within 30 days of the application date
    • declaration of the intended time they will remain in Uruguay, which will be up to 2 years
    • apostille or legalised birth certificate (whichever is the case, if the person was born outside the UK) and translated (by a certified Uruguayan translator, by Consul or by consular intervention, depending on the case) will be required in Uruguay in order to obtain the Uruguayan National Identity card

    Once the documentation is submitted, the Consulate will inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Migration Direction, which will notify the National Migration Office. A decision will be made within a maximum of 15 working days.

    If the application is successful, the Consulate will let you will know. You will then need to enter Uruguay within 180 days from the notification day. If you need a visa, the Consulate will issue a tourist visa without consulting with the National Migration Office, referring to the temporary residency granted.

    Once you are in Uruguay, you will need to go in person to the National Migration Office and the National Civil Identification Office to apply for the National Identity card and pay the required fees. If youneed more information, please contact the Uruguayan Consulate or Uruguayan Embassy: cdlondres@mrree.gub.uy or urureinounido@mree.gub.uy, or call: +44 (0)207 584 4200

    Information for Uruguayan nationals:

    • applications to the Youth Mobility Scheme are online. You can apply from any country in the world, except from the UK
    • you can apply if you are a Uruguayan National aged 18-30 years old and hold a Uruguayan passport
    • you can spend up to 2 years in the UK, with multiple entries
    • you can work but it is not compulsory. You can travel, study short courses or volunteer
    • you do not need any language, job or skill requirements
    • you must apply for a visa and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge
    • you need to demonstrate you have the equivalent to £2,530 in a bank account for at least the past 28 days before applying
    • you need to get a Criminal Record Certificate. Please request it for Consulate- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the British Embassy
    • you cannot apply if you have any dependants living with you or who are financially dependent on you at the time of application
    • you must not have not previously taken part in the scheme

    Applicants will usually get a decision on their visa within 3 weeks.

    For more information, please go to Youth Mobility Scheme visa: Overview – GOV.UK or contact: public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 28 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

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

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Michael Vernon Pinson Jr., 30, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 20, 2024, law enforcement officers responding to reports of an unresponsive male in a vehicle in Huntington encountered Pinson in the vehicle’s driver’s seat. Officers searched the vehicle during the encounter and found a loaded Taurus model PT111 Millennium Pro 9mm pistol in the vehicle.

    Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Pinson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Cabell County Circuit Court on February 16, 2016.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

    United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-149.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for International Fraud Scheme that Defrauded Elderly U.S. Victims

    Source: US State of California

    A Nigerian national was sentenced on Friday to 97 months in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme.

    According to court documents, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, 36, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Ogbata and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Ogbata and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute, and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank our U.S. law enforcement partners, as well as those who assisted across the globe, including the Portuguese Judicial Police and Public Prosecution Service of Portugal, for their outstanding contributions to this case.”

    “The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long history of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the USPIS Miami Division. “Today’s sentencing is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, HSI and USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.”

    “It’s inconceivable to imagine any human being robbing from those who’ve spent a lifetime working and building a life, and then are duped out of it all,” said Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will not tolerate this kind of behavior – we will bring justice to those who have wronged and stolen from so many people.”

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. USPIS and HSI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. 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. 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 its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for International Fraud Scheme that Defrauded Elderly U.S. Victims

    Source: United States Attorneys General 6

    A Nigerian national was sentenced on Friday to 97 months in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme.

    According to court documents, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, 36, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Ogbata and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Ogbata and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute, and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank our U.S. law enforcement partners, as well as those who assisted across the globe, including the Portuguese Judicial Police and Public Prosecution Service of Portugal, for their outstanding contributions to this case.”

    “The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long history of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the USPIS Miami Division. “Today’s sentencing is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, HSI and USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.”

    “It’s inconceivable to imagine any human being robbing from those who’ve spent a lifetime working and building a life, and then are duped out of it all,” said Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will not tolerate this kind of behavior – we will bring justice to those who have wronged and stolen from so many people.”

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. USPIS and HSI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. 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. 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 its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Juggling dynamite? At 100 days in office, Donald Trump is no Franklin D. Roosevelt

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ronald W. Pruessen, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Toronto

    Watching United States President Donald Trump weave and chainsaw his way through the first 100 days of his second term in office, I’ve been reminded of what Anthony Eden, the United Kingdom’s foreign secretary in the 1930s and later its prime minister, once said about Franklin D. Roosevelt.

    FDR, Eden recalled in his memoirs, was “too like a conjurer, skilfully juggling balls of dynamite, whose nature he failed to understand.”

    The image fits the 47th president much better than the 32nd.

    The dynamite-wielding Trump

    Dynamite has certainly been exploding regularly since Trump took office in January. His actions include:

    • The firings (and sometimes re-hirings) of thousands of government employees.
    • The attack on government agencies doing work delegated by Congress.
    • Pardons for Jan. 6 rioters but deportations of asylum seekers and green card holders with no semblance of due process.
    • Campaigns against universities for their supposed dereliction in terms of antisemitism or extravagance in adhering to diversity, equity and inclusion principles, and towards law firms linked to earlier prosecutions of the now-resurrected president.
    • Cannonades of tariffs, tariff pauses and threats of re-imposition.



    Read more:
    How Project 2025 became the blueprint for Donald Trump’s second term

    For non-MAGA enthusiasts, it is easy to surmise — similar to Eden’s remarks on FDR — that Trump does not understand the potential damage of the dynamite he is not just juggling, but hurling.

    A case might be made that some lobs align with Trump’s personal penchant for retribution, or that the chainsaw is being wielded to make room in the federal budget for new tax cuts for the one per cent.

    But such calculations disregard deeply rooted American values like respect for the rule of law and the separation of powers.

    Trump’s actions could suggest a lust for mayhem apparently aimed at dismantling a century of efforts to shape a government that serves global security while also meeting the economic, social and health care needs of American citizens, including safety net provisions for senior citizens, children, farmers, veterans and others.

    Threats today, damage tomorrow

    His apparent fondness for dynamite is already having negative consequences, with seemingly little grasp of the likelihood of worse to come: today, he’s upending the lives of civil servants; tomorrow’s disruptions will likely include an attack on the services provided by agencies like the Social Security Administration and disruption of the flow of funds to many poor school districts.

    Today, the U.S. is struggling with a measles outbreak. But the personal beliefs of Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a notorious vaccination and public health skeptic, doesn’t bode well for a fight against a rapidly evolving avian flu threat on the near horizon.

    Today’s stock and bond market volatility creates the possibility of a trade war catastrophe and damage to economic stability as the U.S. appears poised to disregard its longtime status as the world economy’s “safe haven.”

    The current tensions in what were once ironclad partnerships with allies that include Canada, the European Union and Ukraine — along with the whiplash reversal of American-Russian dynamics — are reminiscent of the global disruption in the 1930s that featured the Great Depression and the eruption of the Second World War.

    How FDR coped with explosions around him

    If Eden’s image of FDR as a dangerous juggler of dynamite might also apply to Trump, it fails to capture the essential attributes of the 32nd president’s White House career. Eden’s ego seems to have undercut his appraisal of FDR — compounded by his own failure to understand the historical developments that profoundly weakened the British Empire and brought his own career to an end.

    There’s no question dynamite was exploding in 1933, the start of FDR’s 12 years in the White House. But the Depression and its evolving consequences, not FDR’s personal impulses and misconceptions, created a tinderbox decade.

    One of Roosevelt’s great strengths, in fact, was his ability to recognize the acute dangers emanating from a fearful cortege of flaming fuses. Another was his success in turning insights into meaningful actions.

    Roosevelt knew — far better than his predecessor, Herbert Hoover — that the onset of the Depression would require dramatic actions and fundamental reforms.

    His New Deal expanded the government’s role in stimulating the economy (for example, the Public Works Administration), regulation (the Securities Exchange Commission), social welfare initiatives (the Social Security program) and infrastructure development (for example, the Tennessee Valley Authority).

    The Depression wasn’t fully eradicated — that didn’t happen until after war broke out — but the lives of millions of Americans still improved significantly.

    Of equal importance, FDR’s creative thinking and government transformations created building blocks for further post-war reforms, including Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society efforts three decades later.



    Read more:
    The Great Society: the forgotten reform movement

    Roosevelt also knew that the devastation of the Depression and the unparalleled destruction of the Second World War required a transformation of the global arena. He believed technology — air power especially — had created an integrated world. In his January 1943 State of the Union address, he said:

    “Wars grow in size, in death and destruction, and in the inevitability of engulfing all nations, in inverse ratio to the shrinking size of the world as a result of the conquest of the air.”

    Sharing responsibilities

    FDR believed the world he worked to create would be safer and more prosperous because multilateral organizations would encourage greater emphasis on shared resources and responsibilities. The United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank took shape during FDR’s presidency — as did long-term plans for decolonization and human rights initiatives.

    Roosevelt knew too — better than many of his White House successors — that the U.S. needed to share leadership responsibilities. He believed emphatically in multilateralism, recognizing the limits of American resources and power, and the pragmatism of compromising with the priorities of others, whether they were powerful states or colonial peoples.

    His “Four Policemen” approach to maintaining peace — comprising the U.S., the U.K., the Soviet Union and China — would sometimes create unpalatable situations. He was criticized harshly, for example, for naively opening the door to Soviet domination of eastern Europe via the Yalta agreement. Nonetheless, FDR focused on efforts he believed would avert another destructive cataclysm.

    FDR was an imperfect leader in various ways — in not appreciating, for example, how global leadership could result in arrogance. He did, however, understand the explosive domestic and international developments of the 20th century and sought constructive solutions to grave challenges.

    Trump, on the contrary, is seemingly prioritizing destruction over construction. Propelled by a “move fast and break things” mantra, there’s little evidence that he understands its pain nor the damaging consequences of his impulses.

    Ronald W. Pruessen has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Juggling dynamite? At 100 days in office, Donald Trump is no Franklin D. Roosevelt – https://theconversation.com/juggling-dynamite-at-100-days-in-office-donald-trump-is-no-franklin-d-roosevelt-254773

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Truck Driver Sentenced to Eleven Years in Prison for Trafficking $2.5 Million Worth of Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCKFORD — A California truck driver was sentenced today to eleven years in federal prison for trafficking $2.5 million worth of cocaine that was destined for Chicago. 

    RONALD COLEMAN, 45, of Barstow, Calif., pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.  U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing in federal court in Rockford.

    Coleman admitted in a plea agreement that in April 2023 he was the driver of a semi-truck and trailer traveling through Whiteside County, Ill. on Interstate 88. Inside his semi-trailer, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute more than 91 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $2.5 million. Coleman was transporting the cocaine to a warehouse in Chicago, where he was to exchange the drugs for cash and transport the money back to California.  Inside his semi-truck, Coleman also possessed a firearm to protect himself, the cocaine, and the cash during the transport.  Coleman expected to be paid for transporting the cocaine from California to Chicago.

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Illinois State Police provided assistance in the investigation.

    The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ladd.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Felon who Fought Police Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWNAN, Ga. – Arthur Gene Young, a multi-convicted felon with a history of violence, has been sentenced to federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm while resisting police officers in a small west Georgia city.                                                                                                                                      

    “Armed felons cannot be allowed to terrorize the citizens of our district,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “After Young was arrested with a firearm for the third time in two years, local law enforcement wisely sought federal assistance to ensure he would be removed from the community. We will continue to work with our partners at all levels to protect the public from gun violence and repeat violent offenders.”

    “The law-abiding citizens of this community are safer because of today’s sentence which will ensure the incarceration of a dangerous criminal and contribute to the restoration of order and peace to this area,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons.  “This sentence sends a direct message to criminals that ATF and our local law enforcement partners will investigate violent criminals and protect citizens.”

    “The partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies is imperative to help local communities stay safe,” said Bremen Police Department Lieutenant Joshua Newman. “The Bremen Police Department would like to thank all the agencies and law enforcement officers that were involved in this case.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges and other information presented in court: On May 2, 2023, less than a month after his release from state prison for other criminal conduct, Arthur Gene Young shoplifted from a pharmacy located in Bremen, Georgia. He returned to the pharmacy the following morning and argued with the store manager. Police officers responded and, upon learning of the earlier shoplifting incident, escorted Young from the store to arrest him. Young refused to obey the officers’ commands and shouted that he would not go back to prison as he fled the scene. 

    As officers pursued Young through the center of town and towards a church preschool, Young exclaimed that he was armed and demanded to be left alone. As additional officers responded, Young crossed a highway, scaled a berm, and walked onto an active train track. There, he grabbed the wrist and arm of a deputy sheriff who attempted to detain him. Ultimately, Young tripped, giving officers an opportunity to place handcuffs around one of his wrists. But Young fought the officers and refused to comply as the officers attempted to fully cuff him. During the struggle, one of the officers noticed the grip of a loaded 7.65mm semiautomatic pistol in Young’s right pants pocket. The officer managed to secure the weapon before Young was finally handcuffed. 

    As a multi-convicted felon, Young was legally prohibited from possessing firearms. Young’s decade-long criminal record included convictions for crimes of violence, such as attempted robbery by intimidation and terroristic threats, as well as other offenses. Additionally, at the time of his arrest following the incident at the Bremen pharmacy, Young was under indictment and on pretrial release in three cases brought in 2021 and 2022 charging him with attempted armed robbery, attempted robbery by intimidation, and two counts each of felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated assault, and simple assault.

    Arthur Gene Young, 34, of Bremen, Georgia, was sentenced on April 22, 2025, by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. to 14 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Young was convicted of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on January 14, 2025, after he pleaded guilty in the middle of a jury trial.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bremen Police Department. The Haralson County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia State Patrol provided valuable assistance.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Amy M. Palumbo 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.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Syracuse Man Sentenced for Distribution, Transportation and Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Paul Mignacca, age 46, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to 78 months in federal prison for distribution, transportation, and possession of child pornography. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig R. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    Between September 2023 and February 2024, Mignacca uploaded several videos of child sexual abuse material to a social media application group chat dedicated to sharing child pornography files, as well as to Mignacca’s private account on an Internet-based filesharing application. Law enforcement arrested Mignacca in April 2024 and seized his electronic devices. Digital forensic analysis revealed that Mignacca possessed more than 3,400 files constituting child pornography.

    United States Chief District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Mignacca to serve a 10-year term of post-incarceration supervised release, to pay a total of $60,000 in restitution to children identified from the child pornography he possessed, and to forfeit the electronic device he used to commit the offenses. Mignacca will also be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison.

    The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marathon County Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine

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

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dustin P. Brunker, 37, Weston, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Brunker pleaded guilty to this charge on January 28, 2025.

    In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Marathon County area. Brunker was identified as a distributor for the group.

    Following a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine involving Brunker in March and April of 2024, task force officers executed a search warrant at a residence that Brunker shared with co-defendant Mercadys A. Perkins in Weston. Officers found over 300 grams of methamphetamine, over $2,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search.

    Further investigation revealed that between February 18, 2024, and April 12, 2024, a co-conspirator provided Brunker and Perkins approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 ounces of cocaine intended for further distribution.

    At the time of these events, Brunker was serving a term of state supervision for two felony cases and out on state bond for a felony drug charge. His state supervision was revoked, and he was sentenced to a total of 3 years in state prison, which he is currently serving. Judge Conley ordered the federal sentence run concurrently with the remainder of Brunker’s state prison sentences.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley called Brunker’s large quantity methamphetamine trafficking egregious. Judge Conley further observed that while Brunker had a lengthy prior record, the conduct in the present case showed an escalation in criminality.

    Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking conspiracy. Mercadys Perkins was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 6 years in federal prison on April 17, 2025. Joshua Lake and Jessica Colby have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks.

    The charge against Brunker was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Machinegun

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

    BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawful possession of a machinegun.  

    James Thelwell-Mullen, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun before U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs who scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2025. In July 2024, Thelwell-Mullen was indicted by a federal grand jury.

    On or around April 28, 2023, Thelwell-Mullen unlawfully possessed a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch” – a device designed to enable a Glock semi-automatic pistol to fire automatically. According to court documents, a machinegun conversion device, as well as two privately made firearms, ammunition, firearm magazines, other firearm accessories, and one plastic bag of fentanyl, were recovered during a search of Thelwell-Mullen’s Boston residence. Messages on Thelwell-Mullen’s phone indicated that he was also selling machinegun conversion devices.

    The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Hardin County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>FRANKFORT, Ky. –A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Hardin County to offer in-person support to Kentucky survivors who experienced loss as the result of the April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides. The new Disaster Recovery Center in Hardin County is located at:
     
    Kentucky State Police Post #4, 954 Cameron Ponder Drive, Elizabethtown, KY 42701 
    Working hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Saturday and 1 – 7 p.m. Eastern Time, Sunday.
    FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA, and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs. Representatives from the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance, the Kentucky Department of Insurance and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will also be available at the recovery centers to assist survivors.
    Click here to find centers that are already open in Kentucky. You can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed. 
    To find all other center locations, including those in other states, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. 
    FEMA is encouraging Kentuckians affected by the April storms to apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible. 
    If you are unable to visit a center, there are other ways to apply: online at DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA app for mobile devices or call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.
    When you apply, you will need to provide:

    A current phone number where you can be contacted.
    Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
    Your Social Security Number.
    A general list of damage and losses.
    Banking information if you choose direct deposit.
    If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.

    Apply Separately for Each Disaster

    When two or more disasters are declared in the same state, FEMA ensures survivors receive all eligible assistance while preventing a duplication of federal benefits. Disaster survivors affected by multiple disasters should apply with FEMA separately for each individual disaster. 
    When applying for FEMA assistance, be sure to specify the damage and the date it occurred to ensure you are applying under the correct declaration number.

    DR-4860-KY for the severe storms, straight-line winds, landslides and mudslides that occurred from Feb14 – March 7. Homeowners and renters in Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Simpson, Woodford counties may be eligible. The deadline to apply under DR-4860-KY is May 25.
    DR-4864-KY for the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred on April 2 and continuing. Homeowners and renters in the Anderson, Butler, Carroll, Christian, Clark, Franklin, Hardin, Hopkins, Jessamine, McCracken, Mercer, Owen and Woodford counties may be eligible. Survivors have 60 days from the date of the presidential major disaster declaration to apply for individual assistance under DR-4864-KY. 

    Homeowners and renters in Woodford County may be eligible for federal assistance under DR-4860-KY or/and DR-4864-KY. If you had property damage or loss in Woodford County from the February severe incident, and then again from the April severe incident, you will need to complete two separate disaster assistance applications.
    For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4860 and www.fema.gov/disaster/4864. Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x.com/femaregion4.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Smiths Settlement — RCMP arrests man for assaulting fishery officer

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment has arrested a man for assaulting a fishery officer in the lawful execution of their duties in Smiths Settlement.

    On April 26, at approximately 5 a.m., RCMP officers responded to a report of an assault near Hwy 7. RCMP officers learned that Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) was attempting to conduct an inspection at Eel Pond when a man driving an Acura TL collided with a uniformed fishery officer who was on foot and instructing the driver to stop.

    The fishery officer was not injured.

    The 36-year-old driver from Sipekne’katik was safely arrested at the scene by RCMP officers. During a search of the vehicle, an extendable baton and drug paraphernalia were seized.

    The man was later released. He’s scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on August 20, at 9:30 a.m., to face a charge of Assault with a Weapon.

    A second man who was present at the time of the incident was arrested by DFO in relation to a Fisheries Act investigation and later released.

    File #: 25-57781

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hammonds Plains — RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment investigates vehicle crash

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is investigating a vehicle crash involving a fatality in Hammonds Plains.

    Yesterday, at approximately 8:40 p.m., RCMP officers, fire services, and EHS responded to a report of a vehicle crash at the intersection of Kingswood Dr. and Terradore Ln. Investigators learned that a Ford Edge travelling on Terradore Ln. went through the intersection, struck a fire hydrant, and came to rest in the tree line.

    The driver, a 72-year-old Hammonds Plains man, who was pronounced deceased at the scene, is believed to have suffered a medical incident.

    The passenger, a 70-year-old Hammonds Plains woman, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital by EHS.

    The investigation remains ongoing.

    Our thoughts are with the man’s loved ones at this difficult time.

    File #: 25-58591

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas title company employee sent to prison for orchestrating $350,000 real estate wire fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 55-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Mayela Saby Cantu pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has ordered Cantu to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $350,000 in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed Cantu’s role in the scheme. The victim also reported the significant loss due to Cantu’s actions and asked the court for a sentence that would operate as a deterrent for others. In handing down the prison term, the court noted the complexity of the scheme and emphasized that Cantu’s role as an escrow officer allowed her to facilitate the scheme.

    At the time of her plea, Cantu admitted she knowingly participated in a scheme that used falsified lien payoff statements, fraudulent warranty deeds and deceptive emails to mislead lenders, title companies and property buyers.

    From November 2020 until her arrest, Cantu defrauded buyers and lenders in multiple property transactions while working at a McAllen title company. Using her position of trust, she facilitated closings backed by falsified documents. In one notable case, she directed others to create a fraudulent email address resembling that of a legitimate lienholder. Cantu then used the fake account to send false payoff amounts via interstate wires, leading a title company to improperly disburse more than $350,000.

    Cantu facilitated additional fraudulent property transactions, including arranging closing on properties that had already been sold and accepting undisclosed cash payments. By concealing the true nature of these deals, she caused significant financial harm to the affected parties.

    She was permitted to remain on bond pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The FBI, McAllen Police Department and Texas Department of Insurance conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Garcia prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three New Orleans Men Convicted for 2017 Edna Karr High School Double Homicide

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson announced that TERRAN WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Funky” (“WILLIAMS”), TYRONE BOVIA, a/k/a “Sixx” (“BOVIA “), and JAVONTA DOLEMAN, a/k/a “Dutt” (“DOLEMAN “), all from New Orleans, were found guilty on April 21, 2025 after a two-week jury trial before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo.  They were found guilty of various violations, including RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, firearms conspiracy and Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VCAR) murder.

    All three defendants were members of the Byrd Gang, which operated primarily out of the former Magnolia Housing Development, but additionally had ties to the Westbank.  Its members daily distributed drugs, including heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine and marijuana, and always possessed firearms. WILLIAMS, BOVIA and DOLEMAN participated in numerous drug trafficking activities and violent crimes and acted as gunmen for the Byrd Gang.

    On January 31, 2017, Lawrence Williams, IV, and Wynston Jackson, a/k/a “Ghost,” were shot and killed by the three defendants shortly after leaving an Edna Karr High School basketball game.  Jackson was a member of the rival group, Ghost Gang, while Williams was an associate. Byrd Gang member, Briyan Love, attended the basketball game, and when she saw Jackson enter the auditorium, she communicated with Terran WILLIAMS and informed him that Jackson was at the game. WILLIAMS, BOVIA and DOLEMAN, and other Byrd Gang members and associates, drove across the river to Edna Karr School to kill rival Jackson.

    When Williams and Jackson left the basketball game and sat in a car in front of the school,  WILLIAMS, BOVIA and DOLEMAN approached the car with two rifles and a handgun and unloaded a torrent of bullets.  Jackson attempted to return fire with his nine-millimeter handgun but was shot and killed on the scene.  Williams, who was also shot, later died at the hospital.

    TYRONE BOVIA was also convicted for his role in another shooting that he committed in May 2017 at the Bernmas Apartments, where M.I., another Ghost Gang member, resided and was the intended target. BOVIA’S companion and fellow Byrd Gang member, Terrence Augustine, was shot and killed during this incident by return fire.  Byrd Gang member, James Alexander, has additionally pled guilty to this shooting.

    During the trial, evidence was presented that showed back-and-forth retaliatory shootings between the Byrd Gang and the Ghost Gang, much of which was fueled by social media posts, rap music and videos.  Numerous individuals have been shot and killed on both sides, and many innocent bystanders have likewise been shot during these inner-city rivalries.

    During the investigation, dozens of firearms, most with large-capacity magazines, as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition, have been recovered from Byrd Gang members, including from the three defendants.   

    WILLIAMS, BOVIA and DOLEMAN all face a mandatory life sentence for the VCAR murders.  Sentencing in this matter will be held before Judge Milazzo on July 30, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, especially the New Orleans Gang Task Force, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Privitera, David Haller and Sarah Dawkins are in charge of the prosecution. 

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

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Grand Jury Indicts 12 on Drug Conspiracy and Firearm Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia has charged 12 individuals in a 24-count indictment in connection with narcotics, firearms, and conspiracy offenses. These charges stem from an investigation targeting individuals engaged in the illegal possession and distribution of narcotics in Richland and Lexington County. During this investigation, agents seized multiple firearms, ammunition, and large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, and marijuana.

    The individuals charged include:

    • William Larry Javis, 43, of Columbia
    • Demetrius Tyare Glenn, 34, of Columbia
    • Pearish Pierre Pretty, 41, of Columbia
    • Issac Christopher Bates, 53, of Columbia
    • Johnny Lee Dickerson, 44, of Columbia
    • Quinton Lamar Anderson, 32, of West Columbia
    • Miranda Ruth Garrett, 53, of Hopkins
    • Darwin Tramaine Sims, 34, of Columbia
    • Marsha Beth Gurwitch, 53, of Columbia
    • Maynard Felder Bartlett, 39, of Lexington
    • Douglas Steven Raley, 41, of West Columbia
    • Billy Joe Davis, 42, of Gaston

    The defendants are each charged with offenses carrying a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of up to life in federal prison. The defendants appeared for arraignment last week. Ten defendants waived their right to a bond and United States Magistrate Judge Shiva V. Hodges ordered them detained pending trial. Douglas Steven Raley and Marsha Beth Gurwitch have detention hearings scheduled for tomorrow. The remaining defendants retain the right to ask for a detention hearing at a later date.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, City of Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore is prosecuting the case. 

    All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Foreign National Indicted For Buying A Fraudulent Social Security Card And Possessing A Fake Green Card

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Carlos Alberto Urribarri Dominguez (34), a Venezuelan national, with knowingly buying a fraudulent Social Security card and possessing a fake U.S. Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as a “Green Card.” If convicted for the Social Security card offense, Urribarri Dominguez faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The Greed Card offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

    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 a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General, and the Veterans Affairs Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Queen Elizabeth Hospital announces incident of healthcare staff member suspected to have been assaulted

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Queen Elizabeth Hospital announces incident of healthcare staff member suspected to have been assaulted 
         An Operation Assistant (OPA) was assaulted around 9am while maintaining order on the second floor of the Ambulatory Care Centre. Hospital staff and security staff immediately arrived on the scene to assist, and called the Police for assistance. The injured OPA was sent to the QEH Accident and Emergency Department for treatment. The OPA’s left ear was injured and the staff member was discharged after treatment. The police arrested a male patient at the hospital later, who was suspected to be connected with the case.
     
         The hospital is highly concerned about the incident, expressed sympathy and rendered necessary support to the injured staff member. The hospital resolutely adopts a zero-tolerance attitude to any workplace violence and strongly condemns the violent act. The hospital will follow up and fully co-operate with the Police investigation.
     
         The hospital has long attached great concern to work safety for its staff under prevailing guidelines and measures to prevent workplace violence. The hospital appeals to patients and relatives to follow the advice of healthcare workers.
     
         The hospital has reported the incident to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System.
    Issued at HKT 18:58

    NNNN

    CategoriesMIL-OSI

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 29, 2025
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