NewzIntel.com

Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tigard Man Found Guilty of Attempted Murder and Aggravated Assault for Shooting a U.S. Postal Service Employee

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal judge in Portland found a Tigard, Oregon man guilty Wednesday for shooting a United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier.

    Kevin Eugene Irvine, 34, was convicted of one count each of attempted murder of a federal employee, aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Irvine raised an insanity defense in the bench trial held before a U.S. District Judge. The District Judge found that Irvine had failed to establish legal insanity and was guilty of all three counts in the indictment.

    According to court documents, on December 24, 2022, while driving a white van through a Milwaukie, Oregon neighborhood, Irvine made eye contact with a letter carrier delivering mail on foot dressed in a USPS uniform. Irvine threw his arms in the air, which the letter carrier mistook as waving, and waved back.  

    A short time later, on an adjacent street, the letter carrier noticed the same van and again made eye contact with driver, later identified as Irvine, as he drove past. Irvine stopped the van several houses away, got out of the van with a rifle, knelt on the street and fired three rounds, striking the letter carrier once as the letter carrier ran for cover. After the shooting, Irvine picked up his shell casings and drove off.

    On December 28, 2022, officers spotted the van in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where they stopped the vehicle and arrested Irvine. Later, investigators sought and obtained a search warrant for Irvine’s van and found three rifles, ammunition, spent shell casings, a knife, shooting targets and ballistic gear.

    On February 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Irvine with aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, attempted murder of a federal employee, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

    Irvine faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for each count of attempted murder of a federal employee and aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, and a mandatory minimum of ten years of imprisonment with a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He will be sentenced on July 17, 2025.

    The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Milwaukie Police Department and the Lake Oswego Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman and Eliza Carmen Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Judge Gives Southeast D.C. Woman Prison Term for Obstructing Justice in the Murder Investigation of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Quanisha Ramsuer, 31, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to three years in prison for obstruction of justice in connection with the investigation into the murder of Makiyah Wilson, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Robert Okun ordered three years of probation. 

               Ramsuer was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on September 3, 2024, for her role in connection with the July 16, 2018 murder. The evidence at trial showed that on July 16, 2018, five members of the Wellington Park crew, Mark Price, Antonio Murchison, Isaiah Murchison, Gregory Taylor, and Qujuan Thomas, who have all been convicted, drove to the Clay Terrace neighborhood armed with guns. The driver of the vehicle, Mark Price, briefly stopped to allow the other defendants to exit the vehicle. They opened fire on the Clay Terrace courtyard, firing more than 50 shots, indiscriminately. Makiyah Wilson, who was sitting on the front stoop of her home, was killed. Two other members of the Wellington Park crew – Quentin Michals and Darrise Jeffers – were also convicted of their role in assisting in planning the shooting and securing the firearms that were used and crew member Marquell Cobbs was convicted of conspiracy in connection with the incident.

                Ramsuer, who witnessed the defendants preparing for the shooting, continuously refused to testify truthfully when asked the identity of the shooters. The evidence at trial showed that Ramseur lived in or hung out in the Wellington Park neighborhood most of her life and knew almost all of the defendants, one of whom she identified as her cousin. She was observed on video surveillance interacting with the defendants as they loaded into the vehicles to drive to Clay Terrace to commit the shooting. Ramsuer was also observed on video closely engaging with one of the defendants who orchestrated the attack, but who remained behind. Despite the obvious familiarity, Ramseur steadfastly refused to identify the individuals with whom she was interacting in the video, resulting in the charge of obstruction of justice.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Bach and Natalie Hynum.

                The trial team was assisted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chrisellen Kolb and Nicholas Coleman, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Supervisory Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Clark, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Allen, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Maenylie Watson, Information Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce, Supervisory Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Information Technology Specialist Sigourney Jackson, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, and Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman. Critical assistance also was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Merikas and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rich Barker, John Timmer, and Melissa Jackson who played key roles in the investigation.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Near School

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man who distributed fentanyl near a school pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

    D’quon Morrow, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of at least 40 grams of fentanyl near a protected location.  

    In a plea agreement, Morrow admitted that between February 2024 and July 2024, in Cedar Rapids, he agreed with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.  In March 2024, he distributed 6.50 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl to another person.  In April 2024, he sold a firearm to another person.  At the time, Morrow had a felony conviction for eluding.  In May 2024, he distributed 20.75 grams of fentanyl to another person.  In June 2024, he distributed 48.60 grams of fentanyl to another person near Madison Elementary School in Cedar Rapids.  In July 2024, law enforcement searched Morrow’s residence and recovered two firearms, ammunition, and over 1,000 fentanyl pills.    

    Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Morrow remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Morrow faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.  

    This case is also 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.

    This case is also 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).

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 25-CR-4.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Forest City Man Sent to Federal Prison on Multiple Counts of Firearm Possession by a Drug User and Making False Statements to Purchase Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A former Forest City man who possessed firearms as a drug user and made false statements during the purchase of firearms was sentenced to 45 months in Federal Prison.

    Brian Lee Byers, age 39, from Forest City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2024, guilty plea to 4 counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user and 4 counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

    Evidence showed Byers admitted that between July of 2019 and February of 2020, in Cero Gordo County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, Winnebago County, Iowa, Grundy County, Iowa and Hancock County, Iowa he possessed multiple firearms while using marijuana and methamphetamine. He admitted that on July 25, 2019, November 9, 2019, February 22, 2020, and February 24, 2020, he stated on federal forms he was not a drug user while he purchased multiple firearms

    Byers was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Byers was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Byers is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    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.

    This case was investigated by the Mason City Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Fletcher and Jack Lammers. 

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 23-CR-3018.  

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Spencer Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Dylan Halbur, 32, from Spencer, Iowa, pled guilty March 28, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

    At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 26, 2024, law enforcement searched a camper in Spencer, Iowa, where Halbur was known to reside and store items.  Inside, law enforcement located 45 grams of pure methamphetamine, $2,900 in cash, marijuana, a digital scale and other indicia of drug use and distribution.  Halbur admitted the methamphetamine was his and that he intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another.  

    Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Halbur remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  The penalties for this offense are a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spencer Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-4077.  

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Joseph Man Charged with Aggravated Identity Theft of Minnesota Man

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man was charged in a federal indictment this week with aggravated identity theft and misuse of a social security number.

    Romeo Perez-Bravo, 42, has been charged with using a stolen identity to obtain employment and state issued identification cards since 2009. The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General received a referral from the St. Joseph, Missouri Police Department that a man had been fraudulently living and working under a Minnesota man’s identity. SSA-OIG identified him as Perez-Bravo who had been living in St. Joseph and working for local area employers under that identity for several years. The victim reported the identity theft when he began to receive unpaid income tax bills from the IRS.   

    If convicted, Perez-Bravo faces a mandatory two-year prison sentence for identity theft and up to five years for misusing the social security number.

    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 was investigated by Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), ICE Homeland Security Investigations, St. Joseph, Missouri Police Department, and the Olivia, Minnesota Police Department.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fitchburg Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Junius, 47, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 500 or more grams of cocaine intended for distribution. Junius pleaded guilty to this charge on December 19, 2024.

    In late 2022, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a large cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking organization operating in Portage, Madison, and La Crosse. Intercepted phone communications in April 2023 led to the surveillance of a delivery of 4 kilograms of cocaine from Junius to other individuals. Further investigation led agents to a storage unit in Madison rented and regularly accessed by Junius in which police found almost 1½ kilograms of cocaine and $20,000 in U.S. currency.   

    In sentencing Junius, Judge Peterson expressed concern that despite Junius’s extensive criminal history, which included nine prior convictions for drug-related offenses, Junius again became involved in drug trafficking. Judge Peterson found that Junius played a significant role in the drug organization by storing drugs and cash, as well as by making deliveries. Judge Peterson further found that such large-scale trafficking encouraged criminal enterprises and violence in the community.

    Junius’s co-defendant, Angel Flores, also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2025.

    The charge against Junius was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Anderson and William M. Levins prosecuted this case.

    The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Task Force Arrests Two, Continues Search for Last Remaining Norteño Gang Member in Connection to Moses Lake Homicide

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Spokane, WA – The U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) has arrested two fugitives and continues its search for Jose Beltran-Rodriguez, 20, the last remaining suspect in the March 21 drive-by shooting in Moses Lake, Washington, that killed a 14-year-old and injured four others.

    Two Suspects in Custody

    • On March 24, at the request of the U.S. Marshals, the Richland Police Department arrested a juvenile suspect at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland. The suspect, who had sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg, is charged with first-degree murder.
    • On March 28 at 2:30 AM, the U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force – Oregon, arrested Matthew Valdez in coordination with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Community Violence Reduction Team (COVRT) and Washington County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Negotiations Team (TNT) in Beaverton, Oregon, without incident.

    Last Fugitive Still at Large

    Jose Beltran-Rodriguez remains a fugitive. He is wanted on an arrest warrant issued on March 25, charging him with: Murder in the First Degree, Five Counts of Assault in the First Degree, Drive-By Shooting, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Beltran-Rodriguez is a suspected member of the transnational criminal gang Norteños, involved in drug trafficking, violent assaults, robbery, homicide, money laundering, and unlawful firearm possession.

    U. S. Marshal Craig Thayer stated that “This horrific murder with four additional assault victims has been, and will continue to be, a top priority for all law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice.  With two arrests already made, efforts are now concentrated on the outstanding arrest warrant for Jose Beltran-Rodriguez.”

    Beltran-Rodriguez is considered armed and dangerous, and the public is urged not to approach him and to call 911. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should immediately contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or send tips via the USMS Tips app.

    This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Further details will be released as they become available.

    The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The task force’s primary mission is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives. Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road Closed, SH1, Glen Oroua

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    State Highway One, Glen Oroua, is closed following an earlier crash overnight.

    At around 9pm, Police were alerted to a single vehicle crash on SH1 near Taikorea Road.

    There are no reported injuries in relation to the crash.

    The road is closed, and diversions are in place.

    Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hobbs Man Who Sold Illegal Firearm Devices to Undercover Agents Pleads Guilty

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Hobbs man admitted to selling illegal devices that convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns to undercover agents investigating a series of shootings in Carlsbad.

    According to court records, the investigation began after several shootings involving juvenile suspects took place in Carlsbad, New Mexico, in 2024. During a review of a phone belonging to one of the juvenile shooting suspects, officers from the Carlsbad Police Department discovered conversations indicating the sale of machine gun conversion devices. These devices convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute with a single trigger pull.

    The investigation led to Tevon Wayne Davis Cobbs, 24, who used the online aliases “Tee Swoo” and “TMURDA.” Subsequently, undercover agents with the Lea County Drug Task Force (LCDTF) contacted Cobbs through Facebook, posing as potential buyers, and arranged to purchase machine gun conversion devices. Over the course of two controlled buys, Cobbs sold the undercover agents multiple machine gun conversion devices and a silencer. He admitted to dealing in illegal firearm modifications for three to four years and showed the undercover agents videos of himself firing weapons converted to fully automatic capability. During these deals, Cobbs not only offered to sell the agents more machine gun conversion devices but also boasted that he had a machine gun on his person at that moment and offered to retrieve it from his car to show them.

    Cobbs pled guilty to four charges, including possession and transfer of a machinegun, possession of an unregistered NFA firearm, possession of NFA firearm without serial number and illegal transfer of NFA firearm.

    At sentencing, Cobbs faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Cobbs faces up to $280,000 in fines.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating this case with assistance from the Lea County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti Convicted of Visa Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant ordered and carried out extrajudicial and political killings against the Haitian people

    BOSTON – The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of illegally obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) by means of a false statement, specifically, that he ordered and carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings, and other acts of violence, against the Haitian people.

    Jean Morose Viliena, 52, was convicted of three counts of visa fraud. Chief U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 20, 2025. Viliena was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023.

    “The political corruption and violence that the people of Haiti endured at the direction of Jean Morose Viliena, is appalling,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The United States is not where you come to hide from your crimes.  Today’s conviction is proof that running away from your crimes and lying to federal officials will catch up to you. I applaud the courage of the witnesses who spoke up about the abuse they suffered as a result of Viliena.”

    “Today a jury found that Jean Morose Viliena lied his way into gaining entrance into the United States after committing unspeakable acts of violence in Haiti,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will not stand for human rights violators illegally entering and roaming the streets of our communities. Thank you to the brave victims and witnesses who helped our law enforcement partners and prosecutors begin to hold Viliena accountable for his crimes.”

    “Viliena knowingly lied to conceal his violent past, deceiving immigration authorities to come to the United States. The brave witnesses who came forward to testify in this case relayed their experiences of extreme violence and oppression committed by Viliena and his associates. Thanks to their testimony, his fraud has been uncovered and he will now face consequences for his violence and deception,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations New England.

    “The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the people in our communities. Emigrating to the United States is a privilege and if you conceal your criminal conduct to deceive your way into this country, you will ultimately be detected, held accountable and brought to justice,” said Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office.

    According to court documents, Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence.

    According to the indictment, as Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first occurred in or around July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.

    The second incident occurred in or around April 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes and picks.

    On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena because of his association with the radio station. On the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms.  

    On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the United States Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he submitted an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part II in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether or not they are a member of any class of individuals that are excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded that he was not. Viliena thereafter swore to, or affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008 and based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application.  

    On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent residence status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card. Viliena has continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and has used such card on numerous occasions to enter the United States.  

    The charge of visa fraud 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 statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    U.S. Attorney Foley; Acting DOJ Head Galeotti; HSI SAC Krol; CBP’s Director of Field Operations De La O; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Malden Police Department and HRSP historian Christopher Hayden. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the National Security Unit and Alexandra Skinnion of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Unit Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jamaican national sentenced to 14 years in prison for meth trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RICHMOND, Va. – A Jamaican national was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for attempt to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    According to court documents, Kirkville Virgo, aka Mark Thomas, 47, and another person shipped meth from California to a hotel in Richmond, purportedly for “Christoper Jackson.” On March 23, 2024, law enforcement interdicted a package that contained 10 heat-sealed bundles of meth weighing approximately 9,080 grams. Agents replaced approximately 18 pounds of meth with “sham” rock salt, leaving approximately two pounds of meth in the parcel, and performed a controlled delivery to the hotel.

    Virgo later entered the hotel, using the name Delbert Dujon, and took custody of the package from the front desk. Law enforcement then took custody of Virgo.

    Virgo was previously permanently removed from the United States on Feb. 5, 2013, and was in the United States illegally at the time of the offense.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Col. Matt Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-127.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South African Man Living in Jefferson County Charged with Distribution of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Marcell M. Meyer, age 43, and a citizen of South Africa residing in Sackets Harbor, New York was arraigned today in federal court on charges of distribution of child pornography announced United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

    According to the criminal complaint, Meyer used an internet-based social networking application installed on his cellular telephone to distribute child pornography to other users of the platform, including some who identified as children. In one such instance, Meyer distributed child pornography to an undercover HSI agent who Meyer believed to be a 13-year-old female child.

    The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    If convicted of the charge in the complaint, Meyer faces a term of imprisonment of between 5 and 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release between 5 years and life.  Meyer would also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and would likely face immigration consequences as a result of his conviction. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. 

    The case was investigated by HSI Syracuse and HSI Portland, Maine with the assistance from the New York State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle 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 –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Premeditated Murder for Revenge Killing

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Deonte Patterson, 29, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and other charges for the August 2021 shooting of 32-year-old Ali Jamil Al-Mahdi on 9th Street NW, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Patterson also was found guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and obstructing justice. The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2025. Patterson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the crimes.

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 2:24 a.m., on August 23, 2021, members of the Third District Metropolitan Police Department were in the area of 9th and T Street, N.W., when they heard the sounds of multiple gunshots. Officers canvassed the area and located Mr. Ali Al-Mahdi in front of 1822 9th Street, N.W., unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and transported Mr. Al-Mahdi to Howard University Hospital where all lifesaving efforts failed, and he was pronounced dead at 3:39 a.m. Surveillance video and witness testimony placed Patterson in the area of the shooting. Mr. Al-Mahdi was shot as he was trying to get to his car. Minutes after the shooting, there was a car crash at 9th Street and Massachusetts Ave N.W., where a car flipped over multiple times. Patterson and a gun flew out from the vehicle during the crash. DNA tied the gun that flew out of the car to the defendant. That gun was consistent with having fired the 40 caliber casings at the shooting crime scene. Other casings at the shooting scene came from an unknown firearm suspected to be return gunfire that hit the defendant’s fleeing vehicle. The defendant’s firearm was in a fanny pack in the backseat of his car. The decedent had previously shot the defendant in 2019, pled guilty, and served time.

                An arrest warrant for Patterson was issued in January 2022 and he was on the run for a year until he was arrested on January 5, 2023. Since being held, the defendant communicated with his girlfriend in several jail calls instructing her not to say anything.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

                It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Tamara Rubb.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Augustine Doctor Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking And Obstruction Of Justice

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Scott Andrew Hollington (59, St. Augustine) to 12 years in federal prison following his conviction of 14 counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, and 5 counts of obstructing justice. Hollington was found guilty by a federal jury on July 25, 2023.

    According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) first learned of Hollington after receiving a tip from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJCSO) that Hollington was exchanging narcotic prescriptions for sexual favors. Following additional evidence of Hollington’s illegal prescribing practices, the DEA deployed five undercover officers to Hollington’s addiction clinic. These undercover visits took place between February and July 2022, with the purpose of obtaining prescriptions without a legitimate medical need. The undercover officers secured a total of 17 prescriptions of schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances during the five visits, including amphetamines (Adderall), benzodiazepines (Valium and Xanax), and buprenorphine (Suboxone).

    During the visits, Hollington asked the officers about their drug preferences and offered prescriptions without proper medical justification. Hollington also admitted that he did not care about urine drug screening results. Physical examinations, vital checks, and proper documentation were omitted during most medical encounters with the undercover officers. The evidence further revealed that Hollington altered medical notes in each of the undercover officers’ medical files following his indictment, leading to the obstruction charges.

    Testimony during the trial included statements from three female victims who revealed that Hollington had exchanged, coerced, or solicited sexual favors for prescriptions. One victim described him as a “monster” who took advantage of her vulnerability while seeking help for addiction. A fourth victim recounted Hollington asking if she needed a “sugar daddy” and engaging in conversation of a sexual nature instead of discussing her medical history and need for medication.

    This case was jointly investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Ormond Beach Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and State Attorney’s Office – 7th Judicial Circuit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kirwinn Mike and Ashley Washington.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Fourth arrest in Anaru Moana homicide

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    A 32-year-old South Canterbury woman has been charged with the 2021 murder of Waimate man Anaru Moana.

    Detective Inspector Joel Syme says the woman appeared in the Timaru District Court yesterday, after being arrested on Thursday. She has been remanded in custody to reappear in the High Court at Christchurch on 11 April.

    Mr Moana was reported missing on 23 December 2021, and extensive inquiries have been carried out since then to locate him and hold people to account. Police have established he was murdered around the time he was reported missing.

    “Four people are now facing charges in relation to Mr Moana’s murder and our investigation team has not stopped following every lead available to them, no matter how long it takes.

    “Our work isn’t over; Mr Moana’s body has not been located and that remains the focus for us. His whanāu deserve the right to lay their loved one to rest.

    “We continue to urge those who know where Mr Moana’s body is to please let us know.”

    Detective Inspector Syme said Police were grateful to the members of the public who have provided information in the years since Mr Moana’s death. If you have anything that can help, update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 211223/0992, or cite Operation Moana. If you want to remain anonymous, you can submit information via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Connecticut Woman Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Five Victims

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A New Haven, Conn. woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for sex trafficking and the interstate transportation of two separate victims for the purposes of prostitution.

    Jennifer Fortier, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 58 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of eight years in prison. In November 2024, Fortier pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and one count of knowingly transporting any individual in interstate or foreign commerce, with intent that such individual engage in prostitution. Fortier was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023, along with her co-defendants Jermall Anderson and Latasha Anderson.

    “Jennifer Fortier inflicted violence against these women, who were vulnerable, homeless, unemployed, and suffering from drug addiction, all to feed the profits of this criminal sex-trafficking organization.” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Prosecuting those who exploit others for their own personal gain is something that my office will continue to put our resources into. Everybody deserves to be treated with dignity, not exploited for their addictions and life circumstances.”

    “Fortier worked alongside the now-convicted human trafficker Jermall Anderson, using violence and drugs to enforce his reign of terror over the women he trafficked. The harm she and her co-conspirators did to the women they victimized cannot be undone, but as another member of the conspiracy is sentenced, we hope this step offers some resolution for all they have been through,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations New England.

    From 2012 through 2016, Fortier, along with her co-conspirators and at the direction of Jermall Anderson, used physical violence, threats and the giving and withholding of heroin and cocaine to force two different victims to prostitute on their behalf. Fortier and her co-conspirators targeted vulnerable victims, specifically those struggling from drug addiction, homelessness and lack of economic resources and coerced them into providing commercial sex for the defendants’ benefit. The defendant trafficked these victims throughout New England, New York and New Jersey.  

    In March 2025, Jermall Anderson was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Latasha Anderson pleaded guilty in March 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2025.

    Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

    U.S. Foley and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the HSI Office in New Haven, Conn., the Lynn and Tewksbury Police Departments (Mass.) and the Hampden (Conn.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
            

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oklahoma Man Sentenced to Serve 45 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – An Oklahoma man was sentenced in a federal court in Midland, Texas, on March 27, 2025, to 540 months in prison for charges related to sexual exploitation of children.

    According to court documents, on Jan. 30, 2024, JONATHON CHASE RUSSELL, 36, of Elk City, posted in a messaging app 15 images that depicted two minor females engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The next day, Russell sent three of the images to an undercover federal investigator, stating that the two minors were three and 11 years old. Further investigation led FBI agents to identify Russell’s IP addresses and locate him at a hotel in Midland. On Feb. 8, 2024, agents executed a warrant on his hotel room, where they discovered pairs of children’s underwear and a green tactical backpack that contained sexual devices. Agents also discovered a smartphone, which had been hidden underneath a refrigerator and which forensic examination revealed contained a substantial collection of images depicting sexual abuse of minor children.  

    The Western District of Texas filed a three-count indictment on Feb. 28, 2024, charging Russell with possession of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Russell was also indicted in the Western District of Oklahoma on April 3, 2024, for one count of production of visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. His Oklahoma case was transferred to Midland, and on Aug. 19, 2024, Russell pleaded guilty to the count charged in the Western District of Oklahoma indictment and to all three counts charged in the Western District of Texas via a superseding indictment.

    “This defendant’s abhorrent behavior has been put to an end thanks to cooperation between federal prosecutors and law enforcement across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “The lengthy sentence imposed is yet another example of the Department’s focus on protecting children and serving justice to those who seek to target the most vulnerable in our communities.”

    “The lengthy sentence imposed in this case reflects the immense damage this individual inflicted on multiple children, who will be plagued by these experiences for the rest of their lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Along with our law enforcement partners and, when necessary, across districts, we will continue to hold accountable the predators who harm the lives of children through illicit sexual crimes.”

    “The significant sentence imposed on Jonathan Chase Russell sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those individuals who exploit children. Russell will serve the next 45 years in federal prison for his incomprehensible acts,” said John Morales, FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge. “We remain committed in working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who victimize the most vulnerable members of our society, our children, from infants to toddlers to young children to teenagers, we will hunt you down and serve justice for these horrendous crimes.”

    The FBI El Paso and Oklahoma City field offices investigated the case with assistance from the Elk City Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ganz prosecuted the case for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Haywood prosecuted the case for the Western District of Texas. 

    This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 20 Defendants – Convicted Felons Included – Charged Federally with Being Illegal Aliens Found in the United States Following Removal

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

    LOS ANGELES – This week, federal prosecutors working with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal law enforcement partners filed criminal charges against 20 defendants who allegedly were found in the U.S. following removal, the Justice Department announced today.

    Many of the defendants charged previously were convicted of felony offenses before they were removed from the United States, offenses that include vandalism and firearms crimes.

    One of the defendants, Antonio Espinoza Zarate, 55, a.k.a. “El Gato,” of the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, was arrested Wednesday on a federal criminal complaint alleging he sold two kilograms of fentanyl pills to a buyer from July 2023 to February 2025 and charging him with illegally re-entering the U.S. following removal and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond a scheduled an April 15 arraignment for him in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Assistant United States Attorney Diane B. Roldán of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting Espinoza.

    Espinoza is a citizen of Mexico who has been previously deported in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2017 and illegally reentered the United States following his removals, according to court documents. His criminal history includes felony convictions in 2008 in Los Angeles Superior Court for possession of narcotics for sale and in 2015 in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona for illegal reentry of a removed alien.

    The investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multi-agency task force that includes federal and state investigators who are focused on financial crimes in Southern California, with support from special agents with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California – Criminal Investigative Division; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department regarding dangers to the community from the sales of narcotics and firearms.

    The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face up to 10 years in federal prison. Defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

    Some of the other recently filed cases are summarized below with information contained in court documents.

    • Efrén García Jiménez, 24, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal.  García Jiménez, who was removed from the U.S. in 2019, was charged after being convicted in Orange County Superior Court on January 24 of discharging a firearm at an inhabited residence and vandalism, for which he was sentenced to three years in California state prison. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa S. Rabbani of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
    • Aristeo González Rosas, 24, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. González Rosas was federally charged after he was arrested on February 15 in Ventura County. Prior to this arrest, González Rosas was convicted in 2022 in Ventura County Superior Court of carrying a loaded firearm with a large capacity magazine, for which he was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and again in Ventura County Superior Court in 2023 of being a felon/addict in possession of a firearm, for which he was sentenced to 16 months in California state prison. He was removed from the U.S. on August 31, 2024, and was removed again on September 5, 2024. Assistant United States Attorney Cameron C. Vanderwall of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

    In another matter, a federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Kevin Mauricio Ballardo-García, 24, a Mexican national, for allegedly transporting 148.12 kilograms (326.6 pounds) of methamphetamine from Mexico into Southern California. During a traffic stop in Westminster on March 11, law enforcement seized 13 buckets and one water container that held liquid methamphetamine from Ballardo-García’s Jeep Wrangler. He was ordered jailed without bond and his arraignment is scheduled for March 31 in United States District Court in Santa Ana. He is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Keenan of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this matter.

    Criminal complaints and indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ICE and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating these matters. The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the Ballardo-García case with assistance from California Highway Patrol and the Irvine Police Department.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Norteño Gang Member Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison

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

    BOISE – Hector Aguirre, 28, of Caldwell, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.

    According to court records, in June 2023, officers contacted Aguirre during a traffic stop. Officers learned that Aguirre had absconded from supervision with the Idaho Department of Correction’s Probation and Parole. Officers searched Aguirre’s vehicle and found a loaded firearm and 66 fentanyl pills. Aguirre is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous drug-related felony convictions. The investigation revealed that Aguirre is a Norteño gang member.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Caldwell Police Department, which led to the charges. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kane Venecia prosecuted the case.

    This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Two injured in stabbing at Morphett Vale

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police are investigating a violent altercation at Morphett Vale that resulted in two people sustaining stab wounds.

    Police and paramedics were called to Columba Street, Morphett Vale about 12.45am on Saturday 29 March by reports of a serious assault.

    When officers arrived, they located the occupant of the house, a 27-year-old Morphett Vale man, with multiple stab wounds.

    He was taken to hospital with serious injuries, but they are no longer believed to be life-threatening at this time.

    It will be alleged that four people attended and forced their way into the property and a violent altercation occurred inside the house.

    While police were at the scene at Morphett Vale, another man, aged 22 from Port Noarlunga, also presented at Flinders Medical Centre with serious stab wounds, believed to have occurred in the same incident.

    Southern District CIB detectives, with the assistance of Major Crime detectives, and forensic response officers, attended and examined the scene overnight.

    The investigation is continuing.  This incident is not believed to be random.

    Anyone with information that may assist the investigation or has any CCTV or dashcam footage from the street that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 0000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Arrest Lake County Woman in Euclid, OH

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Cleveland, OH – The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) arrested Valerie Wyatt (41) earlier this morning. Wyatt was wanted by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for a probation violation stemming from earlier burglary, kidnapping and abduction charges. The warrant was issued in October of 2024 after Wyatt failed to properly report to the Lake County Adult Probation Department. Wyatt has been on the run since. 

    The NOVFTF began investigating Wyatt’s whereabouts in early March of 2025 and highlighted her as “Fugitive of the Week” on March 17, 2025. The investigation led the NOVFTF to an arrest earlier today. The NOVFTF was able to find and locate Wyatt in the 100 block of Richmond Rd in Euclid, OH. Wyatt was arrested and subsequently transported to Lake County.

    U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said “We are proud of the collaborative efforts of our team and the working relationships with our state and local partners. Cases such as this highlight these partnerships, and help make our community a better, safer place.”

    Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous.  Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.  

    The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force – Cleveland Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies:  U.S. Marshals Service, Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Independence Police Department, Parma Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Solon Police Department, Cleveland RTA Police Department, Westlake Police Department, Bedford Police Department, Middleburg Heights Police Department, Newburgh Heights Police Department and the Metrohealth Police Department. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Individual Indicted and Arrested for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 27, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a three-count indictment charging Carlos A. Guerra-Colón with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

    According to court documents, Carlos A. Guerra-Colón, beginning on a date unknown, but no later than March 18, 2025, conspired and agreed with others to knowingly possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

    While conducting inspection duties, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) employees identified a suspicious package that, upon examination, contained 2.365 kilograms of fentanyl. On March 18, 2025, Guerra-Colón went to the United States Postal Service (USPS) Aguadilla Main Post Office to pick up the package containing the fentanyl. When Guerra-Colón exited the post office, USPIS agents proceeded to arrest him. After he was detained, agents conducted a search of Guerra-Colón’s vehicle that resulted in the seizure of 24 zip lock bags containing cocaine.

    “Eliminating drug trafficking networks is critical to our ongoing efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis in America and save lives,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Our office will prosecute fentanyl traffickers and dealers to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “Fentanyl is a weapon of mass destruction disguised as a drug, it kills indiscriminately and fuels the suffering of countless families,” said DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Miranda. “The DEA will not stop. We will pursue every trafficker, dismantle every network, and enforce every law with unwavering resolve to protect our communities and save lives.”

    If convicted the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment with a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is in charge of the investigation with the collaboration of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB). 

    Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section Max J. Pérez-Bouret; Deputy Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, AUSA María L. Montañez-Concepción; and AUSA Luis A. Valentín are prosecuting the case.

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

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oklahoma City Father and Son Sentenced to Serve 14 Years Collectively in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearms Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – NICOIS MEGALE SMITH, 40, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On August 16, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a three-count Indictment, charging Nicois with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and his father, ALBERT SMITH, JR., 62, with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 10, 2024, Albert pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in early May 2023, and admitted to possessing a pistol that he had reason to believe had been stolen. Two days later, on June 12, 2024, a federal jury found Nicois guilty on one of his two counts following trial.

    Evidence at trial established that on May 21, 2023, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department were investigating a crime which happened near Nicois’s home. During their investigation, officers searched Nicois’s home pursuant to a search warrant and found a loaded pistol in the bedroom. Evidence presented at trial connected Nicois to that pistol.

    Public record reflects that Nicois and Albert both have lengthy criminal records. Nicois has previous convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include:

    • Possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute and carrying a weapon in case number CF-2002-4842;
    • four counts of burglary and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in case number CF-2003-3046; and
    • felon in possession of a firearm in case number CF-2019-2922.
    • Larceny of merchandise from a retailer in case number CF-1995-393;
    • assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in case number CF-1999-2290;
    • possession of cocaine base in case number CF-2005-107;
    • first-degree arson in case number CF-2011-122; and
    • assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in case number CF-2014-3866.

    Albert has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include:

    At the sentencing hearing on March 24, 2025, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Nicois to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Albert had previously been sentenced on October 31, 2024, to 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentences, the Court noted Nicois’s and Albert’s extensive criminal history.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley, Elizabeth M. Bagwell, and Travis Leverett prosecuted the case.

    This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Superseding Indictment Charges Fourth Member of Robbery Crew Allegedly Responsible for Eight-Month Robbery Spree in Chicago

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A federal superseding indictment unsealed today charges a fourth member of a robbery crew allegedly responsible for violently robbing multiple liquor stores, convenience stores, and bars in Chicago.

    XAVIER HARRIS conspired with his brother, ARDARIES HARRIS, and JORDAN FOX and ROOSEVELT VEAL to rob more than a dozen Chicago businesses in 2023 and 2024, according to the superseding indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  The robbers used stolen cars as getaway vehicles, wore masks, and brandished firearms in the heists.  In some of the robberies, members of the crew fired shots from machine guns, the indictment states.

    Ardaries Harris, 27, of Chicago, Fox, 25, of Chicago, and Veal 27, of Rockford, Ill., were originally charged last year with conspiracy, robbery, and firearm offenses in connection with five robberies or attempted robberies.  The superseding indictment adds Xavier Harris as a defendant, charges ten additional robberies or attempted robberies, and raises the mandatory minimum sentence for Ardaries Harris, Fox, and Veal to thirty years each. Xavier Harris faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 21 years.  The maximum sentence for each of the defendants is life in prison.

    Xavier Harris, 26, of Chicago, was arrested on Thursday.  He was arraigned today in federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the superseding indictment.  The three other defendants were already in federal custody and will be arraigned at a later date.

    According to the superseding indictment, the defendants conspired to commit the following robberies or attempted robberies in Chicago:

    • Aug. 24, 2023: Ace’s Liquor and Tap, 4400 block of West Armitage Avenue.
    • Nov. 24, 2023: Super Saving Food, 4400 block of West Belmont Avenue.
    • Jan. 10, 2024: A&R Food Mart, 5900 block of West Grand Avenue.
    • Jan. 11, 2024: Central Extra Value Food and Liquor, 2900 block of North Central Avenue.
    • Jan. 13, 2024: Buchanas Food & Liquor, 1800 block of West 47th Street.
    • Jan. 15, 2024: Mr. P Beverage Depot, 2000 block of West Division Street.
    • Jan. 15, 2024: Before You Go Liquor, 1900 block of West Fullerton Avenue.
    • Jan. 15, 2024: Clybourn Market, 2800 block of North Clybourn Avenue.
    • May 3, 2024: Humboldt Haus Liquor, 2900 block of West North Avenue.
    • May 3, 2024: Gladstone Food Mart, 5700 block of North Milwaukee Avenue.
    • May 4, 2024: Irish Nobleman Pub, 1300 block of West Erie Street.
    • May 7, 2024: Buchanas Food & Liquor, 1800 block of West 47th Street.
    • May 7, 2024: El Trebol Liquors and Bar, 1100 block of West 18th Street.
    • May 7, 2024: Community Food and Liquor, 5500 block of North Milwaukee Avenue.
    • May 9, 2024: Basil Food & Liquor, 7700 block of North Western Avenue.

    The superseding indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.  Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, the Illinois State Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service’s Great Lakes Regional Task Force.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily C.R. Vermylen and Stephanie Stern.

    This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  The case was also conducted in coordination with ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago (CGIC), a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois.

    The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Facing Federal Charges Following Montgomery Dry Cleaner Business Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                Montgomery, Ala. – A Montgomery, Alabama man has been charged with federal crimes for his alleged role in the March 10, 2025, robbery of a Montgomery dry cleaning business, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. On March 26, 2025, law enforcement arrested 58-year-old Zedekiah Sykes, on charges of armed robbery, carjacking, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence. The United States District Court in Montgomery unsealed Sykes’ criminal complaint today.

                The arrest took place after an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Task Force, with assistance from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Sykes will make his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon at 1:00pm.

                A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

                If convicted on all charges, Sykes faces a sentence of seven years to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul Markovits.

                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 Security: Former Puerto Rico Police Officer Sentenced for Child Exploitation Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –On March 26, 2025, United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán sentenced Luis Javier Pérez-Badillo, a 50-year-old man from Aguadilla, P.R., to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Pérez-Badillo is a former officer from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.

    On October 9, 2024, Pérez-Badillo pleaded guilty to Transportation of Child Pornography.

    From on or about October 11, 2023, through February 21, 2024, Luis Javier Pérez-Badillo used a cellular phone device with internet capabilities to knowingly transport images of child pornography.

    “The defendant, who was entrusted by the community to serve and protect, violated that trust by committing these crimes. As this case demonstrates, those who exploit children will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute persons who exploit minors for sexual purposes.”

    HSI Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “The actions of this individual are a disgrace to the amazing men and women that compile our Puerto Rico Police Bureau. As law enforcement officers, we are entrusted with the responsibility to protect and serve, not to harm. While no sentence can ever truly undo the harm caused to the victim, it is our duty to ensure that justice is served. This eleven-year sentence clearly conveys that no one, regardless of their position, is above the law. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of our children.”

    Assistant United States Attorney Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto prosecuted the case.

    The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation.

    For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit iGuardians™: Combating Child Predators  and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Haiti reaches ‘yet another crisis point’ as gangs tighten their grip

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Peace and Security

    The UN human rights chief sounded the alarm on Thursday over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Haiti, calling it a “catastrophe” fuelled by gang violence, widespread impunity and a political process that is hanging by a thread.

    Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva that the country had reached “yet another crisis point,” with heavily armed gangs expanding their control, public institutions in ruins and a humanitarian emergency deepening by the day.

    “I am not sure the usual description of gang violence captures the amount of unbearable suffering that has been inflicted on the Haitian people,” Mr. Türk said.

    Between July 2024 and February 2025, 4,239 people were killed and 1,356 injured, with 92 per cent of casualties attributed to gun violence.

    Gangs, armed with increasingly sophisticated weapons mostly trafficked from abroad, are killing civilians, destroying schools and healthcare facilities, and using sexual violence and mass kidnappings to terrorise communities.

    Destruction as governance

    The rights chief warned that gangs are no longer just operating in pockets of Port-au-Prince – they are implementing their own rule across wider parts of the capital and beyond.

    The Viv Ansanm gang coalition and others have launched coordinated attacks, often outnumbering police, and have destroyed or taken over schools, orphanages, courts, media outlets and hospitals.

    In one December incident alone, at least 207 people were killed over five days in Cité Soleil.

    Sexual violence is being used deliberately to assert control, Mr. Türk said, citing gang rapes in public spaces and even the execution of victims after assault.

    The forced recruitment and trafficking of children is also on the rise.

    Meanwhile, more than 700 kidnappings were documented during the reporting period. “Those who attempted to resist abduction were often shot dead,” Mr. Türk said.

    Police violence and impunity

    Despite efforts by the Haitian National Police and the Security Council-mandated Multinational Security Support Mission, the State is losing ground.

    Law enforcement operations against gangs have resulted in over 2,000 people killed or injured – a 60 per cent increase – with nearly a third of those victims not involved in any violence.

    OHCHR documented at least 219 extrajudicial executions by specialised police units during the reporting period, up from just 33 the year before.

    There has also been a rise in mob lynchings and self-defence groups, sometimes with police complicity.

    Mr. Türk stressed the urgent need to accelerate the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission and ensure full human rights compliance mechanisms are in place.

    Hunger, displacement, despair

    The human toll of the violence is staggering. More than one million people are now displaced, 40,000 in recent weeks alone.

    Half of all Haitians – 5.5 million people – face acute food insecurity and two million have been reduced to emergency hunger levels.

    Nearly 6,000 people are living in famine-like conditions, while 500,000 children are displaced –  a quarter suffering stunted growth due to malnutrition.

    Only half of health facilities in the capital are fully operational, and 31 per cent have shut down due to insecurity.

    “The impact on children is particularly devastating,” said Mr. Türk. “[This] will impact them for life.”

    Justice, not just security

    The High Commissioner welcomed Haiti’s recent decision to establish two specialised judicial units to tackle human rights violations and financial crimes but said much more must be done.

    “The most crucial first step here is to stop the illicit flow of arms into the country,” he said, stressing the need to fully implement the Security Council’s arms embargo, travel bans and asset freezes.

    Mr. Türk emphasised that “there is a way out”, but only with political will, international support and urgent action to end the cycle of corruption, impunity and senseless violence.

    “I call on each and every one of you, including the media, to put the spotlight on this crisis,” he said. “The Haitian people cannot be forgotten.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Father, son arrested on fentanyl trafficking, gun sales and immigration violations following ICE, multiagency investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LOS ANGELES – A father and son were arrested March 26, for trafficking fentanyl and illegal firearms sales. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement assisted by multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies focused on financial crimes in Southern California.

    “Transnational crime, including the trafficking of fentanyl and weapons, remains a persistent and dangerous threat to our communities,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations acting Special Agent in Charge Los Angeles John Pasciucco. “HSI Los Angeles remains committed to combatting these threats by working alongside federal, state, and local law enforcement to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt trafficking routes and to bring these perpetrators to justice.”

    Antonio Espinoza Zarate, 55, also known as “El Gato,” and his son, Francisco Javier Espinoza Galindo, 31, were arrested and charged in U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Antonio Espinoza was also charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien.

    According to affidavits filed with the complaints, in July 2023, Antonio Espinoza sold a pistol, a rifle, 131 rounds of ammunition, and more than 500 grams of fentanyl pills to a buyer. He is not licensed to engage in the business of dealing in firearms.

    In August 2023, Antonio Espinoza allegedly sold an AR-style rifle and approximately one kilogram of fentanyl pills to a buyer, supplied by Francisco Espinoza. In January 2025, he allegedly sold a rifle, a pistol, a revolver, and ammunition to a buyer. The following month, with his son present, Antonio Espinoza sold more than 500 grams of fentanyl pills to a confidential informant.

    Antonio Espinoza is a citizen of Mexico, who has been previously deported in 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2017. He illegally reentered the United States following his removals. If convicted of all charges, both defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

    “ATF is working alongside the Department of Homeland Security to assist with their immigration efforts in the Los Angeles area,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cooper, Los Angeles Field Division. “These efforts are targeting gang members, drug traffickers and dangerous criminals who have entered the country illegally. Public safety is at the forefront of ATF’s mission. We will continue to provide our support to our partners at the Department of Homeland Security to ensure the safety of this community.”

    The ICE HSI-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, is comprised of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California – Criminal Investigative Division; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department.

    To report suspected fentanyl and firearms trafficking, contact 1-866-347-2423.

    Learn more about ICE HSI’s mission to protect children in your community on X at @HSILosAngeles.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Barrington Passage — Man wanted on province-wide arrest warrant

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Barrington RCMP Detachment is seeking information on the whereabouts of a man currently wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant.

    Graham James Nickerson, 43, of Barrington Passage, is wanted and facing charges of:

    • Sexual Assault
    • Sexual Interference
    • Operation while Impaired
    • Refusal to Comply with Demand
    • Failure to Comply with Order (two counts)

    Nickerson, also known as “Bear,” is described as 5-foot-11, 190 pounds. He has dark brown hair and blue eyes.

    Police have made several attempts to locate Nickerson, and are requesting assistance from the public.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Graham Nickerson is asked to refrain from approaching him and to call Barrington RCMP at 902-637-2325 or the police of jurisdiction. To remain anonymous, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –