NewzIntel.com

Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Memphis Bank Robbers Convicted at Trial

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A federal jury in Memphis, Tennessee, convicted three men today for their roles in a violent bank robbery conspiracy, involving five bank robberies and an attempted sixth, in which the robbers shot two people. The defendants were found guilty of four bank robberies and using firearms during some of those robberies. Four of their co-defendants have pleaded guilty.

    “The bank robberies committed by these seven defendants included gun-point threats, instilling fear and chaos in innocent victims going about their days,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their actions terrorized bank employees and customers alike. We are grateful to our prosecutors, the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners for bringing these dangerous individuals to justice and helping make the Memphis community safer.”   

    “The hard work and determination of the FBI and its partners cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, “We are proud that our actions held these criminals accountable for their harm to the Memphis community.”

    Evidence at trial proved that between April 2023 and December 2023, the defendants, Courtney Trenell, 34; Devin Hinds, 36; and Joshua Cribbs, 33, all of Memphis, conspired to rob banks in and around Memphis. Four of the co-conspirators, Robert Haley, Travis Drain, Marquarius Trenell, and Monterrio Trenell, already pleaded guilty to bank robbery and using a firearm during the robberies.

    During the Aug. 11, 2023, robbery of a branch of Truist Bank, Hinds raised a gun and shook it back and forth at a bank customer to instill fear and deter her from notifying law enforcement. He then served as a getaway driver. Hinds also drove a getaway car during the Dec. 22, 2023, robbery of a branch of the Independent Bank where a co-defendant pointed a semi-automatic military-style rifle at bank employees.

    Courtney Trenell and Cribbs helped rob branches of the Bank of Bartlett and First Horizon Bank on Oct. 20, 2023. The defendants planned to rob the banks, which are directly across the street from each other, at the same time to confuse law enforcement and evade capture. Cribbs entered the Bank of Bartlett with a trash bag and threatened bank employees into handing over money. Cribbs unknowingly took at least one dye pack, which exploded after the robbers fled, releasing red dye that stained the stolen cash. During the Bank of Bartlett robbery, Courtney Trenell operated a second getaway vehicle stationed about a mile from the robbery, aiding one of the robbers in fleeing the area.

    At trial, an FBI special agent testified that the defendants spoke over conference calls before and after the robberies, which the government argued was to coordinate the crimes. An FBI analyst testified that DNA evidence from Courtney Trenell and Hinds was found inside their respective getaway vehicles.

    In total, the group stole over $170,000 cash from five bank robberies. The sixth robbery attempt was unsuccessful and ended in a shoot-out between the co-defendants and an armed security guard where the robbers shot two victims. Co-defendants Haley and Drain coordinated the five robberies and one attempted robbery throughout the conspiracy, while Marquarius Trenell robbed the Truist Bank on Aug. 11, 2023, as well as the Bank of Bartlett with Monterrio Trenell, and others, on Oct. 20, 2023. 

    Defendants Travis Drain and Mario Patterson accost bank employees on Dec. 22, 2023, while Devin Hinds waits outside in a getaway car.

    Cribbs is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22, and Courtney Trenell and Hinds are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23. Their co-defendants who earlier pleaded guilty will face sentencing later this year. A federal district judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hinds faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for his use of a firearm during a bank robbery; Courtney Trenell and Cribbs each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for their roles in the robberies.

    A grand jury indicted an eighth co-defendant, Mario Patterson, 45, of Memphis, for his role in the conspiracy, as well as the individual bank robberies and firearm crimes he committed. He faces trial later this year and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    The FBI and the Memphis Police Department Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory A. Wagner, Stephen Hall, and Tony Arvin for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of the Safe Streets Task Force’s efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Thirteenth Defendant Pleads Guilty in Transnational Scheme to Defraud U.S. Consumers

    Source: US State of California

    A Peruvian national pleaded guilty yesterday for his participation in transnational mail and wire fraud schemes that targeted vulnerable United States consumers.

    According to court documents, David Cornejo Fernandez, 36, of Lima, Peru, facilitated fraud schemes that stole millions of dollars from Spanish-speaking victims across the United States. Cornejo provided Internet-based telephone lines, caller-ID spoofing services, and recording capabilities to a network of fraudulent call centers based in Peru. Relying on Cornejo’s services, those call centers defrauded and extorted thousands of Spanish-speaking victims by falsely threatening them with court proceedings, fines, and other consequences. Cornejo further provided the call centers with the technology – and, at times, the training – to convincingly impersonate federal agents, police officers, attorneys, court personnel, and other government officials in order to extort payments from victims. Cornejo was extradited from Peru in November 2024 to face charges related to the scheme.        

    Cornejo is the 13th defendant to be convicted in connection with a $15 million transnational fraud scheme that defrauded and threatened Spanish-speaking U.S. consumers. These fraudsters falsely claimed the victims would suffer severe legal, financial and other consequences if they did not pay for English-language products. Collectively, the scheme was responsible for defrauding more than 30,000 United States consumers, many of whom were vulnerable.

    “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting vulnerable U.S. consumers from fraud, especially schemes carried out by criminals impersonating U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Those who target American consumers from abroad will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable for their crimes. We thank the Republic of Peru for their assistance in arresting and extraditing this defendant and others involved in these scams.”

    “The defendant thought he could hide behind borders and phone lines, but the Postal Inspection Service is relentless when it comes to protecting American consumers,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “Setting up fake call centers to harass and intimidate innocent victims, Cornejo and his co-conspirators, crafted a campaign of fear designed to rob people of not only their savings but their peace of mind. If you target Americans, no matter where you are in the world we will find you.”

    In pleading guilty, Cornejo admitted that he provided his co-conspirators with the technology to manipulate the phone numbers on victims’ caller IDs, which enabled them to place threatening calls that appeared to be coming from U.S. federal agencies, court officials or law enforcement agencies. Cornejo also placed recordings on his co-conspirators’ inbound phone lines that appeared to be recordings from actual U.S. courts, police departments and federal agencies. These recordings enhanced the apparent legitimacy of the threatening calls and were used to extort payments from vulnerable consumers in the Southern District of Florida and across the United States. Cornejo also regularly replaced telephone numbers that victims reported as fraudulent, thus enabling his co-conspirators to continue with the fraudulent scheme. 

    Yesterday, Cornejo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. A sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Senior U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola in Miami on Sep. 25.  Cornejo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    USPIS and the Consumer Protection Branch investigated the case.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Carolyn Rice of the Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Peruvian National Prosecutor General’s Office and Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance.

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Logan County Brothers Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Timothy Ray Gravley, 41, of Bruno, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and his brother Jessie Joe Gravley II, 42, of Bruno, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and quantities of fentanyl and heroin.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 17, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residences of each brother. At Timothy Ray Gravley’s residence, officers seized a total of 559.69 grams of fentanyl found in multiple bags, a Ruger model LCP .380-caliber pistol, a Umarex/FN model 502 .22-caliber pistol, and $20,131. At Jessie Joe Gravley’s residence, officers seized 250.1 grams of methamphetamine “ice,” 40.18 grams of heroin, 53.7 grams of cocaine, and $19,243.

    As part of his guilty plea, Timothy Ray Gravley admitted that he possessed the fentanyl seized at his residence and that he intended to distribute it in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. He further admitted to selling a total of 6.64 grams of fentanyl for a total of $700 in two separate transactions, one on October 10, 2024, and the other on October 15, 2024, each time to a confidential informant in Bruno.

    As part of his guilty plea, Jessie Joe Gravley admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine seized at his residence and that he intended to distribute it in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. He further admitted to selling controlled substances to a confidential informant on two occasions in Bruno. On October 9, 2024, he sold 1.81 grams of fentanyl, 24.99 grams of methamphetamine “ice,” and 1.05 grams of cocaine for $680. On October 14, 2024, he sold 2 grams of fentanyl and 29.03 grams of methamphetamine “ice” for $620.

    Timothy Ray Gravley and Jessie Joe Gravley are scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2025. Each faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff’s Office, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia State Police.

    United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the cases.

    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 Nos. 2:25-cr-37 (Jessie Joe Gravley II) and 2:25-cr-38 (Timothy Ray Gravley).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Robbing Five Suburban Chicago Financial Institutions

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A man who robbed four banks and a credit union in the Chicago suburbs has been sentenced to more than seven and a half years in federal prison. 

    CHARLES LAWLER entered the financial institutions and presented demand notes while his friend, TARANDLE LEE, waited outside as the getaway driver.  Together, the pair robbed three banks and a credit union, while Lawler also robbed an additional bank by himself.

    The robberies were as follows:

    • Sept. 22, 2021: Lawler robbed BMO Harris Bank in Naperville, Ill.
    • Sept. 28, 2021: Lawler and Lee robbed Old Second Bank in Lisle, Ill.
    • Oct. 6, 2021: Lawler and Lee robbed Bank Financial in Westmont, Ill.
    • Jan. 3, 2022: Lawler and Lee robbed BMO Harris Bank in Woodridge, Ill.
    • April 14, 2022: Lawler and Lee robbed DuPage Credit Union in Downers Grove, Ill.

    Lawler, 54, of Villa Park, Ill., was arrested in 2023 and has remained detained in law enforcement custody.  He pleaded guilty to the first three robberies and stipulated to his role in the final two.  On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman sentenced Lawler to seven years and eight months in federal prison.

    Lee, 45, of Bolingbrook, Ill., was arrested in 2023 and has remained detained in law enforcement custody.  A federal jury in Chicago earlier this year convicted Lee on all four robbery counts against him.  Lee’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

    Lawler’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Downers Grove, Ill. Police Department, Bellwood, Ill. Police Department, Woodridge, Ill. Police Department, and Villa Park, Ill. Police Department.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alejandro G. Ortega and Jonathan L. Shih.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Men Indicted with Conspiracy to Distribute 900 Pounds of Methamphetamine, One Charged with Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – Joel Casas-Santiago, 46, and Guillermo Mercado-Chaparro, 44, are both charged with one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Mercado-Chaparro is additionally charged with Illegal Reentry by a Removed Alien, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

    According to court documents, an undercover police officer bought a pound of methamphetamine from Mercado-Chaparro, who was driving a Toyota Tacoma truck during the buy. Through post-buy surveillance, police learned that Mercado-Chaparro was traveling driving throughout south Minneapolis to conduct suspected drug deals.

    Several days later, police saw Mercado-Chaparro walk to the Tacoma, retrieve two large garbage bags from the truck bed, and place them in a nearby Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep was eventually stopped, and Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were ordered out of the car. A drug-sniffing dog alerted the odor of drugs in the Jeep.  When police searched the Jeep, they found over 250 pounds of methamphetamine in the garbage bags and a cooler.

    Police arrested Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro and then obtained a search warrant for the Tacoma. They searched the truck and seized over 630 pounds of methamphetamine from the truck bed.

    Altogether, Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were in possession of almost 900 pounds of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

    “This isn’t just another drug bust—it’s one of the largest methamphetamine seizures in Minnesota history,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “A 900-pound haul like this doesn’t just show intent to distribute. It shows intent to poison entire communities. We will not let Minnesota become a distribution hub for cartel-scale operations. This prosecution is just the beginning.”

    This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Minnesota Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Ramsey County Crime Enforcement Team, the St. Paul Police Department, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, and the Minneapolis Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen Slaughter and Campbell Warner are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sanostee Woman Charged for 2022 Assault

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Sanostee woman is facing multiple federal charges after allegedly using a rifle to seriously injure one individual and threaten another during an August 2022 incident.

    According to court documents, on August 20, 2022, Leticia Washburn, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 with a rifle, causing serious bodily injury to John Doe 1.

    Washburn is charged with two counts each of assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Washburn faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.

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

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Thirteenth Defendant Pleads Guilty in Transnational Scheme to Defraud U.S. Consumers

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Peruvian national pleaded guilty yesterday for his participation in transnational mail and wire fraud schemes that targeted vulnerable United States consumers.

    According to court documents, David Cornejo Fernandez, 36, of Lima, Peru, facilitated fraud schemes that stole millions of dollars from Spanish-speaking victims across the United States. Cornejo provided Internet-based telephone lines, caller-ID spoofing services, and recording capabilities to a network of fraudulent call centers based in Peru. Relying on Cornejo’s services, those call centers defrauded and extorted thousands of Spanish-speaking victims by falsely threatening them with court proceedings, fines, and other consequences. Cornejo further provided the call centers with the technology – and, at times, the training – to convincingly impersonate federal agents, police officers, attorneys, court personnel, and other government officials in order to extort payments from victims. Cornejo was extradited from Peru in November 2024 to face charges related to the scheme.        

    Cornejo is the 13th defendant to be convicted in connection with a $15 million transnational fraud scheme that defrauded and threatened Spanish-speaking U.S. consumers. These fraudsters falsely claimed the victims would suffer severe legal, financial and other consequences if they did not pay for English-language products. Collectively, the scheme was responsible for defrauding more than 30,000 United States consumers, many of whom were vulnerable.

    “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting vulnerable U.S. consumers from fraud, especially schemes carried out by criminals impersonating U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Those who target American consumers from abroad will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable for their crimes. We thank the Republic of Peru for their assistance in arresting and extraditing this defendant and others involved in these scams.”

    “The defendant thought he could hide behind borders and phone lines, but the Postal Inspection Service is relentless when it comes to protecting American consumers,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “Setting up fake call centers to harass and intimidate innocent victims, Cornejo and his co-conspirators, crafted a campaign of fear designed to rob people of not only their savings but their peace of mind. If you target Americans, no matter where you are in the world we will find you.”

    In pleading guilty, Cornejo admitted that he provided his co-conspirators with the technology to manipulate the phone numbers on victims’ caller IDs, which enabled them to place threatening calls that appeared to be coming from U.S. federal agencies, court officials or law enforcement agencies. Cornejo also placed recordings on his co-conspirators’ inbound phone lines that appeared to be recordings from actual U.S. courts, police departments and federal agencies. These recordings enhanced the apparent legitimacy of the threatening calls and were used to extort payments from vulnerable consumers in the Southern District of Florida and across the United States. Cornejo also regularly replaced telephone numbers that victims reported as fraudulent, thus enabling his co-conspirators to continue with the fraudulent scheme. 

    Yesterday, Cornejo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. A sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Senior U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola in Miami on Sep. 25.  Cornejo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    USPIS and the Consumer Protection Branch investigated the case.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Carolyn Rice of the Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Peruvian National Prosecutor General’s Office and Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Franklin County Man Sentenced for Assaulting Girlfriend, Fatally Shooting Dog

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a convicted felon who violently assaulted his girlfriend and a neighbor and fatally shot his dog to 78 months in prison.

    Leslie Rector, 30, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in April to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on April 16, 2024, he assaulted his girlfriend and shot his dog while intoxicated. He later assaulted his neighbor while looking for his girlfriend.

    Pacific Police Department officers talked to the girlfriend early the next morning at a gas station. She had suffered extensive injuries to her face and head. Officers then contacted the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, believing that the assault had occurred in their jurisdiction. Deputies talked to the victim and took her to the hospital. They went to Rector’s home and found a blood-spattered van, the body of a dog and four firearms. Rector is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms.

    The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Pacific Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Hoag prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests foreign fugitive from Honduras wanted for homicide

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    EASTON, Pa – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia, in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations Allentown and Drug Enforcement Administration Allentown arrested Yobani Bonilla-Bonilla, aka, Gilberto Perez-Alvarado, a 29-year-old citizen of Honduras in Easton, Pennsylvania June 14. Bonilla is a foreign fugitive wanted in Honduras for homicide, under the alias Gilberto Perez-Alvarado.

    Bonilla was previously arrested for driving under the influence by the Wilson Borough Police Department in Wilson, Pennsylvania.

    “ICE Philadelphia remains steadfast in our mission to protect public safety by apprehending and removing individuals who pose a threat to our communities,” said ERO Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Brian McShane. “We will not allow foreign, violent actors to find sanctuary in the U.S. We will find them and remove them, so that they cannot harm the citizens of this country.”

    The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Bonilla near Hidalgo, Texas June 9, 2015, after he entered the U.S. without admission or parole by an immigration officer. He was subsequently served with a Notice and Order of Expedited Removal, finding him inadmissible to the U.S. pursuant to section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. On June 15, 2015, ERO San Antonio removed Bonilla from the U.S. to Honduras.

    On Jan. 4, 2016, a court in Honduras issued an arrest warrant for Bonilla for homicide.

    Bonilla again unlawfully reentered the U.S. without admission or parole by an immigration officer at an undetermined time and location.

    On Sep. 13, 2024, the Wilson Borough Police Department in Wilson, Pennsylvania arrested Bonilla for driving under the influence. These charges remain pending.

    Bonilla will remain in ICE custody pending prosecution for unlawful reentry and his removal from the U.S.

    Members of the public with information can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE Philadelphia’s mission to increase public safety in our Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia communities on X, at @EROPhiladelphia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Homeland Security Task Force Created in Houston

    Source: US FBI

    Task Force Will Combat Emerging Transnational Criminal Threats

    HOUSTON—The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston Field Office and FBI Houston announced the establishment of a regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) on July 17 to combat emerging threats from transnational criminal organizations in Southeast Texas.

    The task force was created as a regional component to the national Homeland Security Task Force established by the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice pursuant to an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump on January 29, 2025, to protect the American people from invasion by transnational criminals.

    The Houston HSTF’s objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations operating in Southeast Texas through a collaborative, whole-of-government approach. To accomplish this mission, the HSTF will conduct intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional investigations targeting drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons trafficking, human trafficking, alien smuggling, homicide, extortion, kidnapping, child exploitation, and other transnational crimes. The task force will work closely with state and local partners to identify, investigate, and eliminate violent criminal organizations and associates operating in communities throughout Southeast Texas.

    “As transnational criminal organizations, foreign terrorist organizations, drug cartels, foreign gangs and other bad actors continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, it’s vital that we work together as a law enforcement community to find transformative ways to confront emerging threats,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “This is especially true in Southeast Texas where we face a myriad of unique border-related challenges and threats from transnational criminal organizations. By establishing this permanently integrated multi-agency task force with dedicated personnel from federal, state and local law enforcement working side-by-side with a common mission, we will be better postured to detect and respond to any type of threat we might face.”

    “Foreign terror organizations who profit off violence, drugs, and human lives now face a united front unseen before in Houston,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “For the first time, law enforcement and intelligence agencies are focused on hunting down and eradicating transnational criminals within Houston communities. Federal, state, and local police will coordinate with the U.S. Intelligence Community and overseas partners to efficiently eliminate newly designated terrorists wreaking havoc in our neighborhoods.”

    The Homeland Security Task Force will be headquartered in Houston and have a satellite office in Corpus Christi. The heads of HSI Houston and FBI Houston will co-lead the task force with input from a regional executive committee comprised of leaders from participating agencies. Task force personnel will include law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff.

    Participating agencies will include the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Director, U.S. Attorneys from the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, and other federal, state, and local partners.

    For more news and information on the Houston Homeland Security Task Force follow @FBIHouston and @HSIHouston on X.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Angola: Authorities must respect and ensure the right to freedom of peaceful assembly

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Angolan authorities must respect and ensure the right of peaceful assembly and guarantee that nationwide protests planned for 19 and 26 July against high cost of living, are facilitated and protected, said Amnesty International.

    Police must refrain from violating the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including through the use of unnecessary and excessive force against protestors as witnessed in past protests, including on 12 July, where some of the protesters were arbitrarily arrested and others injured following unlawful use of force by the police

    Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns in East and Southern Africa.

    The organization has documented how members of the Rapid Intervention Police and the Service for Criminal Investigation repressed similar protests held in Luanda, on 12 July where at least two people were critically injured, and 17 others were arrested.

    “Police must refrain from violating the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including through the use of unnecessary and excessive force against protestors as witnessed in past protests, including on 12 July, where some of the protesters were arbitrarily arrested and others injured following unlawful use of force by the police,” said Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns in East and Southern Africa.

    “Angolan authorities must immediately open independent, thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations of human rights violations committed by members of the Angola Police and to bring the perpetrators to account in a fair trial”.

    “Authorities must refrain from harassing and intimidating those who exercise their right of peaceful assembly”.

    Background

    Members from civil society organizations, such as Movement Fúria 99, from the Union for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and from the Angola Students Movement called for a two-day protest on 12 and 19 July 2025, following high fuel and transportation costs. On 12 July, thousands of people joined the protest, which was planned to start at the São Paulo Square and to end at the Maianga Square, in front of the National Assembly, in Luanda. The protest was impeded by the Police.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury-Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm

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

    SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison Wednesday after a federal jury convicted him in February for one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dante Delray Vecera, 33, was found unresponsive in a locked and running vehicle blocking two lanes of traffic on the 410 frontage road. Police officers observed a bag containing white powder, a marijuana cigarette, and a bag of what appeared to be black tar heroin inside the vehicle. The officers provided Vecera with Narcan, fearing an overdose. While waiting for EMS to arrive on scene, officers looked for Vecera’s driver’s license in an attempt to identify him and located an unholstered, loaded pistol in the pocket of his pants. While officers were removing the weapon, Vecera regained consciousness. He refused all field sobriety tests and was taken into custody after being medically cleared.

    Prior to this arrest Vecera had been convicted of several violent felonies, including two prior Nevada convictions for burglary and sexually motivated coercion, and a Texas conviction for violation of a protective order and assault.

    U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, San Antonio Police Department and the Castle Hills Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Karina O’Daniel and Amy Hail prosecuted the case.

    This is a Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Initiative case. VAWA was first enacted in 1994 as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. It initially focused on providing resources and training to improve the responses and policies of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts, to support victim services, and to address crimes historically treated as private matters. Recognizing that domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking require a coordinated community response that extends beyond the justice system, Congress subsequently reauthorized VAWA, enhancing its policies and expanding grant funding streams, in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022. The Office on Violence Against Women has issued more than $11 billion in funding authorized by VAWA in its lifetime.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sherman Announces $14.5 Million in Funding for Valley & Westside Projects Advanced by Key Congressional Panel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

    Sherman Oaks, CA – Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) announced today his requests of $14.5 million in federal funds for projects that will address vital needs across the San Fernando Valley and Westside of Los Angeles have been advanced by a key Congressional panel.

    Two relevant subcommittees of the House Committee on Appropriations voted to approve all 15 of the community projects Congressman Sherman submitted for consideration in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations process. The underlying legislation will now proceed to a vote by the full membership of the Appropriations Committee before the whole House of Representatives can consider the measure. Funding Members’ community projects in FY2026 will require full-year spending bills rather than a Continuing Resolution. Should FY2026 spending bills pass the House with community projects included, these same bills must also pass the Senate before they can be signed into law.

    The projects include:

    Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) – Santa Monica Mountains Brush Clearance & Wildfire Mitigation
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,031,000

    Lands within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) are in need of habitat restoration, in particular brush clearance and the removal of invasive plant species. This project is critical to reducing wildfire risk and preserving the wildlife habitat.

    City of Los Angeles – The Crisis and Incident Response through Community – Led Engagement Program
    Committee Approved Amount: $2,062,000
    The funding will be used to help to expand the Crisis and Incident Response through Community-led Engagement (CIRCLE) program, a 24/7 unarmed response program that deploys trained teams to address non-urgent LAPD calls related to unhoused individuals.

    California State University, Northridge – High Bay Structural Test Lab
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,031,000
    The technology and equipment in this 1,100-square-foot lab will expand research opportunities, through testing on structural systems using different types of loads that reflect real-world conditions. In addition, the laboratory provides workforce training to CSUN students in STEM pathways as the lab’s projects has real-world applications.

    Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles – Community Security Initiative Program
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,031,000
    The funding will be used to strengthen the security of Jewish schools, synagogues, camps, groups, and organizations. 

    Labor Community Services Food Bank Equipment Upgrades
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,200,000
    The funding will be used for modernizing and upgrading the Labor Community Services (LCS) Food Bank Warehouse equipment to serve the Los Angeles community. 

    Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs – West Los Angeles VA Modular Home Construction
    Committee Approved Amount: $850,000
    Los Angeles County will partner with West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs for the acquisition and installation of modular housing to serve as temporary housing under the VA’s Care, Treatment, and Rehabilitative Services (CTRS) Program.

    Los Angeles Fire Department Station Renovations 
    Committee Approved Amount: $2,000,000
    The funding will be used to improve several of the 20 fire stations in California’s 32nd Congressional District. 

    City of Los Angeles – Grancell Village Affordable Senior Housing Project
    Committee Approved Amount: $850,000
    The funding will be used to build affordable senior housing units at Grancell Village campus in Reseda, supporting low-income and disabled seniors.

    Los Angeles Pierce College – Community Engagement and Enrichment Center
    Committee Approved Amount: $250,000
    The funding will be used to create the Pierce College Community Engagement & Enrichment Center, which will provide underserved populations of the San Fernando Valley with a safe and enriching environment.

    Los Angeles Police Department – West LA Real Time Crime Center
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,031,000
    The funding will be used to install a Real Time Crime Center in the West Los Angeles LAPD Division and expand the camera network around the community to reduce burglaries.

    Los Angeles River Greenway Studio City Habitat Restoration, Beautification, and Safety Project
    Committee Approved Amount: $250,000 
    The project will occur along the south bank of the Los Angeles River from Whitsett Avenue to Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Studio City and include new, native landscaping to replace existing, non-native plants. The project will also install public lighting, both along the path and along access pathways and seating areas.

    Malibu Canyon Road and Kanan Dume Road Tunnel Lighting Upgrade Project 
    Committee Approved Amount: $250,000
    The project will result in enhanced visibility and improve driver safety conditions for the tunnels along Malibu Canyon Road, Kanan Road, and Kanan Dume Road.

    Sepulveda Basin Pedestrian Safety & Access Improvements
    Committee Approved Amount: $850,000
    The project will provide new and enhanced pedestrian pathways into the Sepulveda Basin recreation area, providing car-free access to LA28 Olympic Games venues. 

    Southwest Valley Park Improvements – City of Los Angeles
    Committee Approved Amount: $850,000
    The funding will be used to improve parks in the City of Los Angeles. 

    Beit T’Shuvah – Combatting Crime Through Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Education and Prevention Program
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,039,000
    This project seeks to reduce the prevalence of drug-related crime in Los Angeles County, Congressional District 32, through addiction treatment, prevention, and education opportunities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Out-of-state deer poachers ordered to pay nearly $120,000 in southern Illinois

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

    BENTON, Ill. – Five men from Mississippi were sentenced in southern Illinois federal court after admitting to using spotlights to illegally hunt white-tailed deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope and Clark counties.

    Lee J. Johnson, 54, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution and a $10,000 fine.

    Steven J. Pique, 56, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

    Gerald B. Moran, 40, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and a $2,500 fine.

    Joshua A. Marshall, 30, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution and a $2,500 fine.

    John M. Pritchard, 57, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and a $5,000 fine.

    According to court documents, between 2018 and 2022, the poachers would use spotlights to scout white-tailed deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope and Clark counties in southern Illinois. Once a deer was located, members of the group would get a rifle, spotlight the deer again, and then shoot to kill. They would later return to collect the carcass.

    “This was not an isolated incident of unlawful hunting; rather, it was a calculated, multi-year operation that exploited Illinois’s prized wildlife resources for personal gain,” said Assistant Director Douglas Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “Targeting trophy deer under the cover of night, across multiple counties, and transporting them across state lines reflects a deliberate disregard for wildlife laws and the ecological balance we work tirelessly to protect. Such organized violations undermine decades of conservation progress and diminish the integrity of fair-chase hunting traditions that responsible hunters value nationwide.”

    After collecting the carcass, the poachers would then transport the animal over state lines from Illinois back to Mississippi where they would harvest and process the deer. Typically, the poachers would mount the deer’s head, antlers or other parts of its body.

    The defendants’ fines will go to the Lacey Act Reward Account through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and restitution will go to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

    “This case sends a clear message: wildlife laws are not only about species protection, but they also uphold the principles of fair chase and ethical hunting. The Illinois Conservation Police, in partnership with our dedicated federal agencies, consistently demonstrate professionalism and commitment to enforcing these laws,” said Jed Whitchurch, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Law Enforcement. “The complexity and scale of this case required multiagency coordination, and thanks to that teamwork, we’ve reinforced the stewardship values that define responsible hunting and the importance of natural resources law enforcement.”

    The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Illinois Conservation Police, with support from USFWS Federal Wildlife Officers, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas City Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Firearm

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

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tracy Parker, 37, was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    The indictment alleges that on Oct. 23, 2024, Parker—who had previously been convicted of multiple felonies—possessed a firearm in violation of federal law.  The charge stems from an arrest of Parker in Jackson County on Oct. 13, 2024.  In the process of being apprehended, Parker dropped a 9mm handgun on the ground, which officers later recovered. 

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

    This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kirkpatrick.  It was investigated by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

    Operation Take Back America

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: CBSA officers seize 70 kg of cocaine at Osoyoos port of entry in B.C.

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 17, 2025             Vancouver, British Columbia         Canada Border Services Agency

    Today, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced a significant seizure of  suspected cocaine being smuggled into Canada at the Osoyoos port of entry in British Columbia.

    On June 11, 2025, border services officers at Osoyoos port of entry examined the pick-up truck of a Canadian citizen who was returning to Canada from the United States. Upon examination of the vehicle’s truck bed, officers found bricks of cocaine weighing a total of 70 kg. This is the largest cocaine seizure at this port of entry and represents an estimated 140,000 individual doses.

    The CBSA arrested the driver who was then transferred to the custody of the RCMP Federal Policing – Pacific Region.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Queensland rangers to support Canada wildfire fight

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 12 Jul 2025

    Eleven highly skilled fire-trained rangers from Queensland’s Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) are heading to Canada to support international efforts to battle the country’s devastating wildfires.

    The rangers will join a contingent of Australian firefighters assisting Canadian crews in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and other affected regions, where intense wildfires are continuing to escalate.

    It will be the first time DETSI has deployed female firefighters either outside Queensland or internationally to assist in fire operations, with four in the firefighting team.

    Canadian authorities are currently managing around 500 active fires, with many classified as “out of control”.

    The DETSI personnel have partnered with a further 10 firefighters from Western Australia to form a taskforce, taking their landscape fire management expertise to where it is needed most.

    The Queensland team met their Western Australian counterparts at Brisbane Airport for a briefing on Saturday, 12 July, before flying out on Sunday, 13 July.

    The DETSI team will work alongside Canadian and international fire agencies to protect communities, infrastructure, and vital environmental assets for the next 40 days.

    DETSI Deputy Director General, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Ben Klaassen, said the department was proud to contribute to the international effort.

    “Current weather conditions in many parts of Queensland mean we have the capacity to deploy a crew of our fire-trained rangers to assist our Canadian colleagues,” Mr Klaassen said.

    “Our team’s experience will not only help protect communities and the environment in Canada, but it will also provide some much-needed relief to local crews who have been working tirelessly in incredibly challenging conditions.

    “We wish our rangers every success and a safe return, and our thoughts are with the communities and firefighters affected by these devastating fires.”

    DETSI Fire Behaviour Analyst Senior Officer Bluey Harris said the deployment was a valuable opportunity to share knowledge and develop international firefighting skills.

    “We’re proud to lend a hand to our Canadian counterparts.

    “Wildfire fighting is something Queensland rangers know well, but this deployment will allow us to experience a different environment and learn from global approaches to managing large-scale incidents.
    “It’s a chance to exchange knowledge, improve our skills, and bring valuable lessons back to Queensland.

    “I’m interested to experience completely different ecosystems and learn an entirely different approach to fire management,” Ms Harris said.

    The DETSI team is expected to return to Australia on 17 August.

    The eleven DETSI personnel deploying to Canada are:

    • Ranger Ben Finnerty – Cairns, Northern Region
    • Senior Officer Bluey Harris – Rockhampton, Fire Services
    • Ranger Bradley Childe – Tewantin, Coastal & Islands Region
    • Senior Ranger Chris White (Strike Team Leader) – Atherton, Northern Region
    • Ranger Emily Gentle – Toowoomba, South West Region
    • Ranger Emma Stievano – Cairns, Great Barrier Reef & Marine Parks Region
    • Ranger in Charge Lindie Pasma – Diamantina, Central Region
    • Senior Ranger Miles Pritchett – Gold Coast, South East Queensland Region
    • Ranger in Charge Paul Harris – Boonah, South East Queensland Region
    • Ranger Peter Humphriss – Clermont, Central Region
    • Senior Ranger Terry Peschek – Manly, Coastal & Islands Region

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Deceased dingo investigation

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 17 Jul 2025

    The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) is investigating the death of a dingo (wongari) on K’gari and is asking for public assistance.

    On 1 June 2025, rangers found the deceased dingo at Ngkala Rocks on the eastern side of the island, north of Waddy Point.

    An independent veterinary examination confirmed the dingo had died from a suspected vehicle strike and was then deliberately decapitated.

    Anyone who was visiting the Orchid Beach and Waddy Point area north to Ngkala Rocks in late May or early June or has dashcam footage is urged to contact DETSI.

    Rangers on K’gari are also asking people to drive cautiously on the beach following recent deaths of dingoes due to suspected vehicle strike.

    Anyone with information about the recent deaths of dingoes on K’gari can provide it anonymously by calling 1300 130 372 or (07) 4127 9150, via the DETSI website, or by emailing dingo.ranger@detsi.qld.gov.au.

    Dingoes are protected in Queensland National Parks as a native species under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

    The maximum penalty for wilfully killing a protected animal on K’gari is $483,900 or two-years imprisonment. The same penalty applies to the taking of parts of a deceased protected animal from K’gari.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Found Guilty on Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges by Federal Jury in Monroe

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MONROE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Charles Logwood, 34, a military veteran from Houston, Texas, with ties to the Monroe area, has been convicted by a jury in Monroe on drug trafficking and firearms charges. Logwood was indicted in February 2024 and charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, and one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. The jury found Logwood guilty of all charges in the indictment. 

    Evidence at trial established that in 2023, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) began an investigation into Logwood, a suspected drug supplier from Texas supplying methamphetamine to individuals in the Monroe area for sale and distribution. In August 2023, agents received information that Logwood was coming to the Monroe area to exchange methamphetamine for cash with another individual. Surveillance teams were established by officers with the Monroe Police Department, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, and federal agents. After physical surveillance identified the vehicle Logwood was driving, agents conducted a traffic stop of his vehicle. When officers approached Logwood’s vehicle, the odor of marijuana was coming from inside the vehicle, and he was asked to step out of the car. When asked if he had any weapons inside the vehicle, Logwood admitted to having a gun in the car. 

    A search of Logwood’s vehicle revealed a Taurus pistol, Model: PT 1911, Caliber: .45 ACP under the seat and a large amount of cash on his person. In addition, approximately 1.5 kilograms of marijuana was found in the backseat in a backpack. The backpack also had a pill crusher with several crushed Percocet pills. In the rear part of the vehicle was a cardboard box with a large package wrapped in black plastic which contained suspected methamphetamine weighing approximately 4.5 kilograms. Logwood was subsequently arrested. The suspected methamphetamine was seized and sent to the DEA Laboratory for testing. DEA Chemists determined that the suspected methamphetamine had a 98% purity. 

    Logwood faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison on the methamphetamine trafficking charge, up to 5 years in prison on the marijuana trafficking charge, and not less than 5 years in prison on the firearm charge, and a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both. 

    The case was investigated by the DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Monroe Police Department, and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Aaron Crawford and Daniel J. Vermaelen.

    The investigation and conviction of Logwood was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is a program that 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.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Convicted Felon Found Guilty by Jury for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON –Guy Cummings, 29, of the District of Columbia, was found guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court of being a felon in illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

                Following a three-day trial, a federal jury found Cummings guilty on the one-count indictment charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm by an individual previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year. Chief Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Nov. 3, 2025.

                This case is being prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is 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.

                According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2025, about 1:30 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department Officers were patrolling the 300 block of 50th Street NE, in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood.

                As officers approached a group gathered on the sidewalk, Cummings immediately turned away and ran. One of the officers pursued Cummings on foot through the snow, never losing sight of him. The officer saw Cummings make a tossing motion with his right hand over a brick wall. Shortly after, the officer apprehended Cummings and recognized him as someone who had been ordered to stay away from the neighborhood. Cummings had also been issued a barring notice from the DC Housing Authority Police Department for five years after being arrested for carrying a pistol without a license.

                Retracing Cummings flight path, officers found a loaded Glock 26 9mm pistol where it had landed in the snow after the officer had earlier watched Cummings throw an object over the wall. The firearm had previously been reported stolen.

                In 2017, Cummings had been convicted and sentenced to 36 months in prison for robbery and for carrying a dangerous weapon, and therefore was prohibited from possessing any firearm.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin, Benjamin Helfand, and Jared English.

    25cr44

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Larry Lee Woodard, Jr. (30, Bradenton) and Jesse Leahy (49, Sarasota) each to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Woodard and Leahy previously pleaded guilty. 

    According to court documents, Woodard and Leahy were involved in a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Bradenton and throughout Manatee County. They distributed more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in Manatee County during the course of the conspiracy. 

    This case was investigated by a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which includes Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Central Florida Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) which includes the Bradenton Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the North Port Police Department, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Palmetto Police Department, the Sarasota Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also assisted with the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman, David Sullivan, and Suzanne Nebesky.

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • Amit Shah highlights cooperative movement and agricultural growth at Rajasthan’s ‘Sahkar & Rojgar Utsav’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, addressed the ‘Sahkar & Rojgar Utsav’ in Jaipur, Rajasthan, marking the International Year of Cooperatives – 2025. The event, attended by dignitaries including Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat celebrated the cooperative movement’s role in rural and agricultural development.

    During the event, Shah virtually inaugurated 24 grain storage warehouses and 64 millet outlets, distributed ₹12 crore in loans to 1,400 cowherds under the Gopal Credit Card Scheme, and provided micro-ATMs to over 2,300 milk-producing committees. He also launched the White Revolution 2.0 online registration platform for Primary Dairy Cooperative Societies (PDCS) and released a compilation of success stories under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Gareebi Mukt Gram Abhiyan and Vande Ganga Water Conservation Campaign. Additionally, 100 new vehicles for Rajasthan Police and armed forces were flagged off.

    Shah emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s establishment of the Union Ministry of Cooperation has extended cooperative benefits to villages, farmers, and the poor. He noted that cooperatives are active in 98% of rural areas, contributing significantly to India’s agricultural and economic landscape, including 20% of paddy and wheat procurement, 35% of fertilizer production, and 30% of sugar production. Over 31 crore people are connected to 8.5 lakh cooperative bodies.

    Highlighting the Ministry’s achievements, Shah stated that within four years, 61 initiatives have strengthened cooperatives, including the creation of 40,000 new Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) out of a target of two lakh, full computerization of PACS, and the establishment of cooperative institutions for organic products, exports, and seed promotion. He also underscored the Modi government’s commitment to purchasing pulses, oilseeds, and maize at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through NAFED and NCCF, ensuring farmers’ financial security.

    Rajasthan’s agricultural prominence was a key focus, with the state leading in the production of cluster beans (90%), mustard (46%), pearl millets (44%), oilseeds (22%), and millets (15%). The state ranks second in groundnut and third in jowar, gram, pulses, and soybean production. Shah noted that MSP for wheat, gram, mustard, and groundnut has increased significantly over the past 11 years. He also highlighted cooperative-led research on camel breed conservation and the medicinal properties of camel milk to ensure the species’ survival.

    Shah praised the Rajasthan government’s efforts under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, including cracking down on paper leaks through a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and signing MoUs worth ₹35 lakh crore at the Global Investment Summit. Other initiatives include reducing VAT on fuel, providing LPG cylinders for ₹450, and advancing water supply projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

    Shah lauded the PM Modi government’s welfare schemes, which have provided housing, electricity, gas, free food grains, and healthcare to 60 crore poor people over the past 11 years. He credited PM Modi with elevating India to the world’s fourth-largest economy and lifting 27 crore people out of poverty. On national security, he highlighted decisive actions like surgical and air strikes in response to terrorist attacks, reinforcing India’s strong stance against threats.

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cheektowaga Man Charged with Receipt of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned and indictment charging Roland Andrew, 63, of Cheektowaga, NY, with receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, in May 2025, the legal guardian of a 16-year-old minor female victim alerted Cheektowaga Police that numerous naked videos of the victim were sent to Andrew on the victim’s iPad. A review of the videos confirmed that they were child sexual abuse material. On May 7, 2025, Cheektowaga Police executed a search warrant at Andrew’s residence, seizing several items, including two three cellular devices, a tablet and a laptop. A review of the iPad recovered a text conversation between the victim and a telephone number, later identified as Andrew. During this conversation, the victim sent several videos which constitute child sexual abuse material.

    The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons, and the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger.

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

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Abetting Money Laundering in Relation to a COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Shamiese Wright, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting monetary laundering.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Wright received $15,625 in proceeds from a criminally derived Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). On April 19, 2021, co-defendant Kisha Sutton submitted a PPP loan application on Wright’s behalf, listing Wright as a self-employed individual who received $75,000 in gross income in 2020. The application was filed with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, reflecting that Wright had earned $75,000 in 2020.

    As part of her guilty plea, Wright admitted that she was not self-employed, that she never earned $75,000 in any year, and that the IRS Form 1040 submitted with her application was fraudulent and created solely to obtain the PPP loan.

    A PPP lender in Florida approved Wright’s loan application, and $15,625 in fraudulent loan proceeds were electronically deposited in Wright’s personal bank account in Charleston on or about May 7, 2021. As part of her guilty plea, Wright admitted that she transferred $3,000 to Sutton from the fraudulent PPP loan proceeds using a digital wallet application between May 7, and May 21, 2021. Wright further admitted that the transfers were compensation for facilitating the submission of Wright’s fraudulent loan as they had agreed, and that she staggered her payments to Sutton and provided misleading transfer descriptions for them to conceal and disguise the nature and the source of the money. Wright spent the remainder of the fraudulent loan proceeds on personal expenses.

    The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other eligible expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.

    Wright is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. Wright also owes up to $18,736.73 in restitution.

    Wright and Sutton, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, are among several individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they and others conspired, as well as aided and abetted one another, to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. Co-defendants William Powell and Damisha Brown each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Powell, 35, of Huntington, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2025 and Brown, 32, of Charleston, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2025. Co-defendant Jasmine Spencer, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025, to aiding and abetting bank fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2025.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).

    United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon and former Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson have prosecuted the case.

    Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    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. 2:24-cr-192.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts New Jersey Woman for Crimes Related to COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After two days of trial, a federal jury convicted Kisha Sutton, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, of aiding and abetting bank fraud (Count one) and aiding and abetting laundering of monetary instruments (Count two).

    Evidence at trial proved that Sutton and co-defendant Shamiese Wright aided and abetted one another to obtain a fraudulent $15,625 Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan on behalf of Wright, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Sutton received $3,000 in fraudulent PPP loan proceeds from Wright as part of their scheme.

    On April 19, 2021, Sutton submitted the PPP loan application on Wright’s behalf, listing Wright as a self-employed individual who received $75,000 in gross income in 2020. The application was filed with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, reflecting that Wright had earned $75,000 in 2020. Evidence at trial showed that Wright was not self-employed, had never earned $75,000 in any year, had received unemployment benefits in 2020, and that the IRS Form 1040 submitted with Wright’s application was fraudulent and created solely to obtain the PPP loan.

    A PPP lender in Florida approved Wright’s loan application, and $15,625 in fraudulent loan proceeds were electronically deposited in Wright’s personal bank account in Charleston on or about May 7, 2021. Wright transferred the $3,000 to Sutton from the fraudulent PPP loan proceeds using a digital wallet application between May 7, and May 21, 2021. Wright staggered her payments to Sutton and provided misleading transfer descriptions for them to conceal and disguise the nature and the source of the money.

    The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other eligible expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.

    Sutton is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison. Sutton owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court.

    “The CARES Act offered emergency assistance to struggling small businesses that were impacted by the pandemic. The defendant chose to exploit that lifeline for personal enrichment,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is glad to have played a significant role teaming with our law enforcement partners to hold the defendant accountable.”

    Johnston commended the excellent investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).

    Sutton and Wright and are among several individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they and others conspired, as well as aided and abetted one another, to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. Wright, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on July 14, 2025, to aiding and abetting the laundering of monetary instruments and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2025. William Powell and Damisha Brown each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Powell, 35, of Huntington, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2025 and Brown, 32, of Charleston, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 2, 2025. Jasmine Spencer, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025, to aiding and abetting bank fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2025.

    United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the jury trial. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon and former Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson have prosecuted the case.

    Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    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. 2:24-cr-192.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Police release CCTV image of suspect sought in second vandalism incident at Windrush Square

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Officers investigating vandalism to an exhibition at Windrush Square, Brixton have released an image of a man they need to trace.

    Police received a report that a display board had been vandalised at Windrush Square at 11:34hrs on Wednesday, 16 July.

    After carrying out initial enquiries, they are looking to identify a man seen on CCTV and are appealing to the public for information.

    The suspect was captured on CCTV entering Windrush Square at 09:53hrs. He is approximately 30 to 40 years old, of medium build and was carrying a walking aid or crutch. He was last seen walking northbound on Brixton Road past Morley’s department store.

    Officers are keeping an open mind as to the motivations at this time.

    They do not believe it to be linked to another incident of vandalism that happened on Thursday, 3 July.

    This involved a different suspect, a 24-year-old man who was arrested and has since been bailed while enquiries continue. Investigating officers do not believe this incident to be racially motivated.

    Detective Chief Superintendent Emma Bond, who leads policing in the local area, said:

    “Both offences have understandably caused distress among the local community. We are liaising directly with the exhibition organisers to keep them updated on both our investigations.

    “There will be an increased police presence in the area over the coming days and the public is encouraged to approach these officers directly with any concerns.

    “We would also ask for help in identifying the man caught on CCTV – if you have any information please come forward.”

    Please contact police on 101 quoting CAD 5870/16JUL25.

    To remain anonymous, call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

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  • MIL-OSI Canada: Community Resilience Centre Announced for Denare Beach

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 17, 2025

    A Community Resilience Centre located in Denare Beach, Saskatchewan, is now open to provide support to residents who experienced loss from the WOLF fire. 

    The centre will open today at the Denareplex, 1700 Wigwam Drive, and will run from noon to 9 p.m. It will open again on July 18, 2025 from 9 a.m. to noon. 

    “The establishment of a Resilience Centre for Denare Beach is an important step in helping the community start the recovery process,” Denare Beach Mayor Carl Lentowicz said. “We are appreciative of the support being provided by the Government of Saskatchewan and the Recovery Task Team and look forward to working with them to increase the resiliency of our community.”

    “The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to partner with the community of Denare Beach to help quickly begin the recovery process,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said. “I thank the local community leaders and the Recovery Task Team who continue to collaborate and to start the recovery process together.”

    The Community Resilience Centre provides a safe and supportive space for residents and business owners to share their questions, describe their needs, provide information and updates, receive case management supports and receive services to help them through recovery and rebuilding efforts. Case management support and services will include financial support, navigation assistance, help with applications and individual counselling services. 

    Residents will be able to access program information from a wide variety of organizations and agencies, ranging from the Saskatchewan Provincial Disaster Assistance Program, Saskatchewan Government Insurance, the Ministry of Social Services, the Saskatchewan Health Authority Mental Health Services and the Canadian Red Cross.

    The Community Resilience Centre is expected to be open two-days per week for the following weeks. Residents can reach out to their leadership for further information. 

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    For more information, contact:

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Tangipahoa Parish Man Guilty of Federal Controlled Substances Act Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – LONNIE YANCY, III (“YANCY”), age 27 of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, plead guilty on July 10, 2025, to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act before United States District Judge Barry Ashe, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.

    YANCY pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); § 841(b)(1)(A); § 841(b)(1)(B); and 846.

    YANCY faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

    According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least September 10, 2024, YANCY and seven other individuals conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications.

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

    Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Tangipahoa Parish Man Sentenced to 41 Months for Federal Controlled Substances Act Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – RINGO MITCHELL JR. (“MITCHELL JR.”), age 36 of Tickfaw, Louisiana, was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment on July 3, 2025, by United States District Judge Barry Ashe after previously pleading guilty to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.

    Specifically, MITCHELL JR. was sentenced for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine, illegal use of a communications facility, and possessing, with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).

    According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least September 10, 2024, MITCHELL JR., and seven other individuals, conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications.

    One other person has pled guilty in this investigation.

    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 more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Federal Firearm Offense

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

    Defendant accelerated moped at law enforcement before being arrested in possession of a loaded firearm

    BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

    Kyvon Ross, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 46 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2025, Ross pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    On Oct. 3, 2024, Ross was approached by law enforcement after driving a moped at a high speed and without a rear license plate. Ross accelerated directly at one of the officers before losing control of the moped and falling to the ground. Ross was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun with an obliterated serial number.  

    Ross is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2021 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division, prosecuted the case.

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